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At ten meters wide and long, moving at a speed of ten meters per second, the fireball was quite frightening, yet evasion would not fall particularily difficult due to the distance Jiyuu was away – thirty meters. He was rather mobile . The wings allowed for additional mobility, he too moved at ten meters per second. The Shikigami avoided the fireball, wings beating furiously as they carried him upward fifteen meters in less than two seconds. The fireball took three seconds to reach. Due to the height of his flight and the positioning of the creator of the ash plume, he was out of its reach.

As the bunshin flew upwards, its hands moved in a flash, fingers moving with a fascinating proficiency, completing the seals in only half a second – hence they were completed before the fireball was even close, and therefore when the evasive maneuver was barely underway. The purpose of the hand seals was varied; his fine mastery over the Shikigami’s papers allowed the man to perform two things simultaneously. Five grenades manifested themselves from the bunshin’s figure. In the case of an elemental clone, the substance for the technique would have been used from the bunshin itself, but the paper clone, like the original creator, could manifest paper from its own body.

Moving at ten meters per second, it would take three seconds for the grenades to cover the distance. One of the grenades flew in an upward arc, two approached from the left and right respectively, the third flew to the grounds to move through the streets, the fourth flew directly towards the summons, and the fifth simply lingered ten meters ahead of Jiyuu. All of the grenades flew towards the largest of the summons. Subtly, five sheets of paper flew through the skies, their purpose rather vague, but they too covered the distance in three seconds, and upon having done so, when above the largest of the beasts, transformed into twenty senbon, darting down towards its massive figure. Surely the senbon would be difficult to avoid due to the beasts immense size.

The four grenades which flew towards the beast appeared to be simple paper, their purpose vague, if not impossible to guess unless one had encountered a Shikigami before. Due to the affinity for paper, the grenades were extraordinarily simple to guide, requiring simple thought. And upon reaching the summon, with but a single mental command, Jiyuu ordered them all to explode, a twelve meter explosion surely capable of wounding the summon and perhaps even the earth titan due to its proximity. With four twelve meter explosions at different locations –one directly ahead, one on the left, one on the right, and another above, , a rather large area was covered. The smoke of the explosion served as a minor distraction from the twenty senbon coming from above. Jiyuu was still thirty meters away from the summon and titan, and fifty meters in the air.

SPOILER: Click to show

Crafting Paper Skill; S - 50 m. range // 10 m. max size // 99.9% paper body
Paper Speed; S - 10 meters per second

Paper Grenade; C C C C C – 12 Meter A ranked Explosion
Paper Senbon; C

The Hokage looked upon the scene before him with a heavy heart and slumped shoulders. A frown spread across the face of the bunshin as he walked forward with slow steps, breathless, as the scene of horror unfolded. An explosion rocked in the distance, and while he did not understand the context – it was simply that, an explosion, something which had surely taken lives. Konohagakure faced the terrors of a rebellion, and similar circumstance, a fiery eruption, cost lives there. As unpleasant as it was to become involved in battle, should it be required, Jiyuu had no choice.

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I have sinned. I have taken life. And I battled. I was born to sin, indulge in the thrill of battle. So is my duty, so is my life. Many consider it a foolish existence, and I do not deny the complete and utter asininity. But what better place was there for me than amongst chaos? When blood flows, sweat drips form the brow. I look upon my life and the way it has gone with the slightest hint of regret. But none of that mattered now.

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Jiyuu glanced towards his comrade and his hands burst to perform a quick dance, fingers moving fluidly as they mockingly imitated the zodiac. Paper fluttered forth from his body to land beside him, forming yet another clone, but this one slightly different in appearance – it was a split image of Bit Kuroso, for all but the weaponry on his figure. The freshly created bunshin then performed its own hand seals and pure white, paper wings grew from its back. In an instant, the winged bunshin descended into the skies and rushed towards the scene of the explosion. The winged clone flew at a hastened pace, faster than any man could run.

Meanwhile, their creator waited at the outskirts of the city. The bunshin could act by itself, and there was need to direct its every action, so was its special nature as a creation of the Shikigami. The man awaited with a frown for further chaos to erupt. He was entirely uncertain what occurred, but a lingering desire to act heroic, to save those in need spurred him on. Truly, there was no better place for him than this.

SPOILER: Click to show

False Friend Technique; C
Paper Angel Wings; D

Losing the eye without truly knowing how it happened, goodness, the horror made Jiyuu shiver. He felt pity at the unfortunate circumstances that struck the child; so much younger than he, yet he fought a Bijuu and lost something so important, an eye. The Shikigami failed to understand why anyone would steal such an organ, but ultimately, it did not matter in the greater scheme of things, for he was certain that the eye will be gone better. Alas, so is life.

The Shikigami burst into a quick series of hand seals, fingers moving fluently, almost in a flash. It was rather foolish of him to burst into seals so rapidly, for they could be considered hostile, but that was not their intention. Wings grew from his back, carrying the bunshin into the air as he fluttered behind the boy, moving at a rapid pace.

[Exit to Upper Yard]

Jiyuu’s steel grey eyes glared off into the distance before shifting to look over the boys face. A rapier hung on his side along with a pouch containing a variety of tools, from exploding tags to kunai, weapons of war. The man enjoyed the thrill of battle yet hated the damages it imposed upon others. He breathed deeply as his right hand caressed his beard, tenderly rubbing the roughly shaved hairs. Curiously, the Shikigami did not breathe – a possible hint towards his true nature as a bunshin, but a rather vague one at that. Dispassionately, the man stared at the boy with a hint of regret, visible in the distant, nostalgic gaze spreading across his features.

”I am…” he said softly, yet his voice run with a supreme confidence. ”Jiyuu Tenrai, the Hokage of the Leaf.”

Naota’s maneuver was quick, immediately bursting into hand seals, but the assailants did the same, and were at a slight advantage due to their greater numbers. The central thug finished his series of seals in the instant that the Uchiha released his fire, slamming both palms onto the ground. From the earth a wall rose, ten meters long and high, its ascend completed just in time to intercept Naota’s fireball.

SPOILER: Click to show

Earth Dominion; D
Mud Overturn; C

Meanwhile behind the wall, the left most of the thugs also completed his seals – he already finished them by the time the wall rose, but he intended to use the earthen wall as a cover for his next maneuver. The earths seemingly absorbed him at first glance – but it was simply a fine, simple technique that allowed him to merge with the grounds and move beneath. Due to the wall covering his maneuver, neither Jiyuu nor Naota could see the descend.

SPOILER: Click to show

Underground Fish Projection; C

The last of the thugs also completed his seals around the same time as the creator of the walls, but like the other murderer, used the wall for cover. Already as the wall was rising, he took several steps forward to stand on it, carrying his body upward. The thug retorted with a similar fireball as Naota directed at the three, but seemed to expand upon it slightly. With a flick of his wrist he threw something along with the fireball, a metallic projectile wrapped in white. The fireball approached the Uchiha directly.

SPOILER: Click to show

Mythical Fire Phoenix Technique; C

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The boy was correct. This could have been prevented. Jiyuu knew this. That is why the weight of the deaths sat upon his shoulders all the heavier. He was no perfect man, and his failures became evident with the attacks in the slums. Why was it that the Jiyuu was pushed into the position of Hokage? Why did he not refuse? Truthfully, he was uncertain of that; now he was no more than a man in the middle of an existential crisis.

But that crisis mattered not when battle was at hand. Masses of papers fluttered from his body into the skies. A smile spread across his face as his hands begun their dance, fingers moving at haste. Jiyuu, by no means, enjoyed taking another man’s life, yet ironically he only truly felt alive in the heat of battle. Upon completion of the seals, which did not even take a second, the paper that had risen into the sky transformed. From it, twenty senbon formed, darting at the three charging foes at a rapid pace almost too quick for the eye to follow. His mastery over the art of the Shikigami allowed chakra to be applied for two means. Paper from his body formed into five grenades no larger than his fists. The grenades were already underway when the senbon descended, two arcing from the left and two from the right.

The senbon, despite their high speed, were rather easy to avoid due to the distance at which they have been created. The three thugs charging Jiyuu split. Two went to the right, two to the left Harmlessly, the senbon pierced into the grounds. Connecting with them was not the Hokage’s objective. Rather, they were a simple distraction to allow for the grenades to approach. The paper grenades closed with the thugs, but moments from reaching.

SPOILER: Click to show

Crafting Paper Skill; S
Paper Speed; S

Paper Senbon; C
Paper Grenade; C C C C C

The time of debate came to an end. The two walked into a scene of horror, the remnants of a rebel strike – corpses, burning buildings, and the nauseating stench of burned flesh. Jiyuu turned to Naota, speaking, his tone sharp, for frustration permeated his mind,”As you may know, some Konohagakure shinobi have grown rather…dissatisfied with the matter of things. You look upon their rage. This is the world we live in. Prepare yourself for battle. I am afraid we will not be safe for long.”