In his eyes he still needed to finish honing his White Serpent King abilities which was what had led him up to this area near the western edge of Tea that bordered the newly formed Gold country that was under the rule of a powerful shinobi, or at least that was the rumors floating around but without a doubt anyone who could forge a new country through their own strength was not to be trifled with. It was here that the man planned to do two things: the first being to forge his own skills through real combat and to secondly ensure the safety of his old friend's homeland at the same time. Just as he crossed the border he was intercepted by a patrol from the new village, they attacked as one launched a explosive tagged kunai that landed at the man's feet causing him to dodge back as it exploded. As he flew backwards the man shed his skin which fell to the ground motionless, appearing like an unconscious and injured version of himself as he took to the nearby high grass for cover.
364/300 (With training discount event)
White Serpent Sage: False SkinShow
D rank Taijutsu
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the user will "shed their skin", at their [Speed] creating an injured looking decoy of themself on the ground. It is unable to move or at and remains realistic looking for the next two posts before the skin shrivels up and breaks apart.
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the user will "shed their skin", at their [Speed] creating an injured looking decoy of themself on the ground. It is unable to move or at and remains realistic looking for the next two posts before the skin shrivels up and breaks apart.
The dust cleared with a small crater on the deck where Ken had just been and a few meters back from it appeared the false skin body, giving a rather convincing appearance of an unconscious body that was face down in the road covered with dirt and dust from the explosion that dispersed enough to see through the explosion area. Slowly a trio of men, one shinobi and two samurai judging from their weapons each wielded and the scratched forehead protector on the lead man. 'I didn't expect for them to be so hostile right out of the gate, but this just makes things easier for me, I no longer have any reservations about these people. The corruption of the shinobi runs as deep as ever...' One of the samurai drew back and thrust his sword down into the false body as it easily pierced through the snakeskin causing it to break apart and crumble into dry flakes of skin. 'I need to lead them a bit further away from the path.' Without attempting to conceal his movements at this point the man turned and rushed away backwards as the sound of his apparent fleeing caught the attention of the men who quickly took to the chase after Ken.
But the serpent like man was rather adapt in the thick woodlands of the area, sliding under a low branch of a tree and back onto his feet without skipping a beat or when he leaped forward grabbing hold of a small tree that bench under his momentum that he used to swing himself around and turn abruptly to the right making a nigh ninety degree turn without slowing down at all. Flipping off the trunk of a large tree he had rapidly increased the initial gap between himself and the three men who were beginning to struggle to chase after the man who seemed to almost effortlessly traverse the mangled and harsh inner woods were there were no paths made by man. Only the shinobi was able to keep up as the other two were quickly separated from both Ken and the pursuing man who launched a handful of shuriken at the apostle's back side forcing for the dark haired figure to push off his right leg and roll forward and to the left allowing for the weapons to whistle on past on what had previously been the man's intended trajectory.
401/300 (With training discount event)
Free flowShow
C-rank Taijutsu Discipline
The user through combat and training has become adapt in the use of the environment to their advantage, allowing them to perform feats such as kicking off almost any surface, swinging around and flowing over objects, grinding along rails, all while battling enemies. Able to conduct these types of maneuvers without losing any speed or their natural momentum. Allowing the user to implement the free-flowing style of movement into their fighting style, allowing them to fluidly connect their physical attacks with coordinated follow-ups.
The user through combat and training has become adapt in the use of the environment to their advantage, allowing them to perform feats such as kicking off almost any surface, swinging around and flowing over objects, grinding along rails, all while battling enemies. Able to conduct these types of maneuvers without losing any speed or their natural momentum. Allowing the user to implement the free-flowing style of movement into their fighting style, allowing them to fluidly connect their physical attacks with coordinated follow-ups.
A few kunai smashed into the truck of the tree that Ken had just kicked off of doing a sideways flip as he landed on a thin branch, having just barely dodged the incredibly accurate aim of the pursuing shinobi as the previous three on one odds that this chase had begun as how now dwindled down to a more manageable fight for the man who was looking to secure the borders of Tea country and perhaps find a bit of person satisfaction. The serpent apostle pulled out a kunai from each of his leg holster, coming up around the edge of a giant tree as he used both kunai to aid the slender figure of his to curl around on the tree, carving a pair of gashes in the thick bark of tree allowing for him to wrap around and head right back for a head on clash. This action caught the shinobi off guard as the two men clashed blades with one another as sparks filled the air from the large kunai in Ken's hands smashing into the slightly smaller fighting knifes of the unknown Kiri missing-nin who had been chasing him.
The close range each sent both of the warriors leaping backwards after a few seconds of slicing away at one another as both slide back creating a four or five-meter gap between themselves as each man sported a few small cuts but nothing over a minor wound. But that was all Ken needed as he had licked both of his blades before attacking the man who had been closely following him through this dense forest. His unique white serpent venom had been introduced into the man's body as it began to rapidly attack the body from the inside causing his target to become sluggish allowing the pale skinned figure to dash forward and finish off the man quickly only to find that the other two men had caught up. As he stood over the dead body of the shinobi those two samurai appeared, one on either side of him, as both stabbed their swords straight through the chest of the thin man who appeared to gasp for air and blood dripped from the wounds were the blades were. But then the man seemed to smile as the shedded skin began to dry out, crack, and then break apart leaving the two men unsure of what had just happened...
402/300 (With training discount event)
White Serpent Sage: Snakeskin SwapShow
C rank NinTai
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the user will perform the basic substitution technique but instead of swapping with an object the user will leave a realistic looking skin body by shedding their skin at the same time. Allowing the user to move up to 30 meters away leaving the shed 'skin body' to take the attack from their opponent. This body retains its shape for one post before crumbling into pieces of dry snakeskin.
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the user will perform the basic substitution technique but instead of swapping with an object the user will leave a realistic looking skin body by shedding their skin at the same time. Allowing the user to move up to 30 meters away leaving the shed 'skin body' to take the attack from their opponent. This body retains its shape for one post before crumbling into pieces of dry snakeskin.
About thirty meters away from the two men who had stabbed what they believed to be Ken, the true serpent man watched the seen unfold quietly as he pressed his hands together and tapped into his qi allowing for the nature of his body to be filled with the essence of the earth. From his covered position the man leaned forward until he was almost touching the ground before he pushed forward into the earth. Tunning underneath the surface of the ground at impressive speeds, without leaving any obvious above ground displacement thanks to the enhancement of doton chakra when combined with his snake like attributes as he burrowed his way back towards the two men who were at the same time discovering that what they had stabbed was in fact not the man they thought it was but instead a snake like skin. That snakeskin replacement was currently following apart around the very blades that had been used to impale the substitute leaving them briefly vulnerable which was what the man who had currently dug to a position right underneath the two swordsman.
Activating the white serpent genes within his dna, the man pushed one arm forward towards the surface as the very structure of the arm shifted and white serpent like scales covered it as it grew and elongated while splitting into two equal masses that rapidly transformed into two white serpents that broken through the ground and started at the ankles of the two. Quickly and violently wrapping around the men from the leg all the way up to the neck of each young man, the seven-meter length of each serpent allowing the snake to then come down and brutally bite the neck of each man as they were squeezed tightly. The sound of bones cracking under the immense crunching strength of the two serpents could be heard as slowly from the ground the pale skinned man with slitted snake-like eyes emerged to take in the spectacle. Struggling to breath as they felt the man's venom also being injected into the body through the bite of either serpent that was still connected to what should have been his right arm. "The suffering will end soon, you chose to side with the shinobi so you must have known that this could be your only fate, farewell." Seemingly done toying with the two men the narrow face hardened its expression as two almost sickening sounding cracks could be heard as he used the serpent extensions of his own arm to finally finish off the pair of samurai before tossing their bodies to the side as if they were so form of trash.
443/300 (With training discount event)
Burrowing SerpentShow
C-rank Nintai Maneuver
The user is able to channel Doton chakra throughout their body, giving him the ability to tunnel under the earth freely at his normal [Speed] up to their [Strength] with no obvious ground displacement. Ken uses his enhanced snake attributes to detect vibrations above ground for the sake of moving towards specific areas, however there is no way to truly 'see' above ground with his normal senses, and as such, memory becomes the primary method of navigation. Lasts up to four posts
The user is able to channel Doton chakra throughout their body, giving him the ability to tunnel under the earth freely at his normal [Speed] up to their [Strength] with no obvious ground displacement. Ken uses his enhanced snake attributes to detect vibrations above ground for the sake of moving towards specific areas, however there is no way to truly 'see' above ground with his normal senses, and as such, memory becomes the primary method of navigation. Lasts up to four posts
Blood stained the forest floor as the tall, slender figure covered in tattoos simply stared down at the three men whose crushed bodies laid motionless. He had been a bit to hasty in killing the men, his own personal emotions and vendetta that he cared deep in his black heart had superseded what his primary purpose in coming here today was. It was to gather information about the power and intent of their neighboring country and its newly forming village. A slow hiss like sound escaped the man's barely open mouth as he crossed his dark skinned arms in thought and could only shake his head. Was this the person he had allowed himself to become? Sometimes he was unsure of who he really was after taking in the White Serpent King's dark charka as it seemed to amplify the hatred and resentment that he felt against the breed of man known as the shinobi due to the events in the past. Lost in his thoughts the man was snapped back into the present reality as the sounds of others approaching his location could be heard off in the distance as the unknown entities.
Perhaps this would allow for him to correct the small mistake that he had made with these two, inhaling slowly the man activated his White Snake genes allowing them to flow through every part of his body now. From everywhere on the snake sage's body dull white snake scales began to push through his skin forming an exoskeleton like armor of dermal scales that echoed the man's own strength. One could hear the cracking and popping of his knuckles as they clenched tightly into a fist before slowly releasing. Then he pushed off flowing through the woods like a true predator as he prepared to intercept the others who were most likely tracking the three men who had disappeared off the patrol route. "Let's have a little fun..."
322/300 (With training discount event)
White Snake Sage: Dermal Scales[/spoilerShow
C-Rank
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body. This causes for a layer of interlocking, snow-white serpent scales to rapidly form across the man's entire body at [Speed]. Coating the user's body in durable white colored snake scales with an Endurance equal to the user's [Strength], these can scales last for the next six posts before they begin to naturally fall off.
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body. This causes for a layer of interlocking, snow-white serpent scales to rapidly form across the man's entire body at [Speed]. Coating the user's body in durable white colored snake scales with an Endurance equal to the user's [Strength], these can scales last for the next six posts before they begin to naturally fall off.
Approaching the man was a pair of young samurai who had stopped briefly, one seemed to be standing lookout as the other was bent over some damaged foliage that he was holding in his hand. "Seems they were chasing something or someone this way, let's go back them up." His left hand reached down landing upon the sheathed katana strapped to his left hip as he spoke lifting his gaze up onto the But as he stood up to prepare to move the brush right in front of them broke apart as a scale covered Ken as he greeted them with an almost sinister look smile on his lips as he struck out with his right first towards the first man who was caught off guard and wasn't able to fully draw the blade from its sheath. Taking the strike directly on the chest sending him spiraling backwards until he smashed into a tree a handful of meters away falling unconscious into the thick underbrush. However, his comrade was not so slow on the draw as he drew his blade in a smooth fashion and with speed that rivaled Ken's own as it smashed into his exposed stomach as the blade cleanly sliced through his thin shirt and the blade impacted the scales guarding his body.
The impact strength was enough to send the man stumbling back a few steps as the swordsman came in with a chopping strike as Ken raised his left forearm up to meet the black, both attack and the defense meeting with equal strength as they cancelled out in a draw of swords as the swordsman was trying to press his blade down unsure of how the man's arm was enough to stop the razor-sharp blade. "How strong you are." The snake sage reached up with his bare hand grabbing the blade to ensure the man couldn't pull it free as he opened his mouth revealing the serrated looking teeth within it as the tongue shot out and wrapped around the man's neck causing for him to drop the sword and attempt to dislodge the strangle grip on him. From the right side the other swordsman had recovered but upon seen Ken in his partially true form he sprinted off running away leaving the other swordsman to fend for himself in an attempt to save himself. The long-tongued man just shook his head as he used his tongue like a whip to lift the disarmed swordsman and slam him into a three breaking his back in the process. "Seems I'll need to talk to that little coward, heh..."
The long tongue seemed to slowly retract back to its normal length now as it slips back inside the man's mouth for a moment then flicked back out revealing the dark colored tongue was also forked at the end just like many other reptiles in the world. A gentle smile worked onto the man's thin lips as he lifted chin high, and the tongue slipped out again as he tasted the air which contained tiny scent particles. "There it is the smell of a coward. He won't be to hard to follow now." Using his ability to 'taste' the man's smell the man slowly started walking forward in the direction the other fellow had fled towards following the man's scent, once more hunting weak prey.
558/300 (With training discount event)
White Snake Sage: Fork TongueShow
A-rank Taijutsu Discipline
Due to the changes that occurred in his very DNA from becoming an apostle to the Great White Snake King, the man has acquired the forked tongue of a serpent, allowing for him to naturally "taste" the air around him. This allows for the man to identify individual smells within 40 meters of him with great precision and out to 80 meters with general awareness. Even to the point of being able to track like a canine as long as the scent particles left aren't more than a few days old.
Due to the changes that occurred in his very DNA from becoming an apostle to the Great White Snake King, the man has acquired the forked tongue of a serpent, allowing for him to naturally "taste" the air around him. This allows for the man to identify individual smells within 40 meters of him with great precision and out to 80 meters with general awareness. Even to the point of being able to track like a canine as long as the scent particles left aren't more than a few days old.
The trail left by the man was easy to follow through the tree line until he reached the roadway where the multitude of different tracks from animal, man, and carts mixed together making following the man by sight alone nearly impossible. But thankfully for the apostle his lord had gifted him with the snake like forked tongue that allowed for him to easily get back on the trail of that cowardly swordsman who had abandoned the other man at the first chance he could in order to hopefully save himself from the creature that he perceived Ken to be. His scales fell off as he shed them, wanted to at least allow for his tattoo covered pale skin to look somewhat normal as he began to venture across the border checkpoint quietly following along the invisible trail of scent particles left by the unknown man. Though what he could see on the edge of his vision was edges of rooftops sharply contrasting against the forest backdrop as a small outpost like town started to come into view, "So he fled to there, I wonder if he has friends?"
As he got closer the man stepped off into the tree line now and placed his hands together like he was about to go into a prayer, "I shouldn't act to rashly here." Activating his snake genes, he began to find a layer of white snake scales covering his entire body, even his outer layer of clothing and hair now, though at first, they appeared to be a pale white in color that would soon change. These scales didn't have the normal strength of his scale armor but as a trade off they could rapidly change color to blend in with the nearby surroundings rending the snake man invisible to the naked eye. Then he used his ability to move freely through the thick wood line as he approached the small border town as he would stop to taste the air to ensure that he was still on the right track as he entered the edge of town and followed the scent to a guard post with a large building behind it.
360/300 (With training discount event)
White Serpent Sage: CamouflageShow
A-rank Tai Maneuver
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the man will cover his entire body with dermal scales that are able to rapidly adapt in color to the surrounding area rending him invisible to the naked eye, even while moving for the next five posts.
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body, the man will cover his entire body with dermal scales that are able to rapidly adapt in color to the surrounding area rending him invisible to the naked eye, even while moving for the next five posts.
Quietly the man slipped around the back of the building before using his elastic body to slip in through a second-floor window that dropped him into a large open room that was currently empty, releasing his camouflage technique the scales broke apart and crumbled into tiny pieces that looked like dirt or dust on the floor as he quietly slipped across the dusty wooden floorboards before listening out in the hallways. Taking his time the man moved out into the hallways and down toward the stairs that led into a open room where about ten men stood gathered around his prey, the man telling a story about how he barely escaped being killed by some white scaled creature in the woods. Of course, telling how he had bravely attempted to save the man but unfortunately was unable to in the end and had to flee. "This little shit. " One of the men, a large bulky framed man with a large sword slung across his back reached up and slapped the man on the shoulder. "Do no worry my comrade, we will gather a hunting party to find and kill what ever this creature is. We can't have something that dangerous roaming the countryside, we must protect the people." This man sounded like a rather straight forward and good man, but Ken was still irritated and if they wanted to see a creature then he would give it to them, a true monster at that!
Both of the man's hands came together as he focused his body and supercharged the white snake sage DNA concealed within his body, the sage chakra causing a rapid transformation as his body was covered in white snake scales that rapidly grew to the point that the stairwell, he had been upon collapsed under the stress of the increasing wait. The collapse caused for the men to rush out of the structure just in time to see the entire building collapse as a twenty-five-meter-long white scaled serpent burst through the roof causing the remainder of the building to fall around him as a wave of dust swept forward covering a large area as it swept outward covering the nearby building and the large snake dipped itself down lower back into the cover of the dirt and dust. Ken was curled up, preparing to strike out against these men. But more specifically he was going to first deal with that lying coward then he would see how things went from there as it was to late to stop now as he felt his hatred and anger boiling up inside of him...
435/300
White Snake Sage: Full Snake TransformationShow
A-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes activating them across their entire body. His body begins to elongate as his limbs merge together with the torso as white scales begin to cover the entirety of the user's body as he transformers at [Speed] into a twenty-five-meter-long snow-white serpent that still contains some familiar looks on its head to that of the man's original face. This transformation can be combined with Ken's Sutoretchi ability as a Kyōhō member to increase its length/size up to the limits of the ability. This transformation allows Ken to move about just like a snake slithering across terrain and the battlefield with the same [Speed] and [Strength as his normal body, lasting for up to [Endurance /3] posts.
Fear, shock, surprise, confusion. That was just a few of the emotions that passed through the group of samurai who were in charge of guarding the outpost, the massive white scaled serpent over twenty five meters in length tore through the remnants of the building that he been their head quarters for the detachment. What took weeks to build was torn down in mere seconds by the crazied apirit, or at least what all of them were considering it to be at the moment as no natural snake could grow to that size. Who could have guessed that it was a man responsible for this level of destruction or at least what was left of the man who was more snake than man at this point.
The massive cobra like snake flared its hood up at it curled around and lifted its head over fifteen meters into the air now before tilting its head down as the slotted serpent eyes started down directly at the group of men who were nervously attempting to draw out their swords and weapons. Before they could ready any type of prepared defense the snake struck out with it's long body that appeared to almost stretch as it crashed down into the group with its tooth fill mouth open wide causing the men to dodge foe their lives. The ground shook as the impact occurred and dust and debris filled the air as the serpent retreated back a ways.
With the naked eye one could see a struggling lump just below the head of the serpent as the group realized the man who had 'survived' the attack in the woods and had reported to them the white scaled creature was gone. Eaten by the snake as Ken's stomach acid was strengthened by his full white snake sage transformation at the moment. The powerful acid began to quickly eat away at the man whose muffled screams could be heard seeping just barely seeping through the tough, scaled skin of the serpent. As quickly as they were heard they ended as the meal was now quietly digesting with Ken's stomach.
353/300
White Snake Sage: Swallow Your PreyShow
B rank Taijutsu Maneuver
While in either a half or full white snake transformation state, the user is able to expands their mouth enough to allowing them to actually swallow a target whole,
in doing to activating his white snake DNA to increase the acidity of his stomach. The stomach is able to stretch enough to fit most normal sized human targets, tightly holding them with [Strength] in place as the acid inside attempts to dissolve them. The stomach acid inside is capable of dissolving a target whose Endurance is less than user's [Strength] in as little as two posts, or up to four posts for those with equal or more Endurance than his strength. The increases stomach acidity lasts for four posts.
'The coward actually didn't taste too bad...' That taste of human prey actually excited the man, it was a strange emotion that stired the memories of the white serpent king that laid dormant in the man's mind and deep within his own body. The long dark tongue slipped out of the enormous serpent's maw as the forked end flicked back and forth tasting the scents of those around him. It was like he could taste the fear of the men who stared at him with beats of nervous sweat rolling down their faces as each man gripped just a little bit tighter to their personal weapon. From their perspective, the snake mouth almost seemed to curl up slightly in the corners to a rather sinister smile as its blood red eyes looked over each of its potential target, oh this was going to be fun. But the snake seemed to shake its head slightly back and forth, were these really his thoughts? The snake king's chakra was truly slowly changing him from the inside out and not just physically but mentally, as well. But it was part of the agreement made by the Kyoho man in order to gain the needed strength to deal with the shinobi threat and repay them several fold over for the tragedy that had befallen his own family at their hands.
But it wasn’t just those samurai in front of him as the tall serpent was able to look out past them as more groups of samurai who had either been out on patrol or on other posts scattered around the boarder outpost town had heard the commotion or seen it from a distance were beginning to close in on the snake man’s location. It seemed that he didn’t have time to play around here and with the coward tracked down and dealt with, now completely dissolved within his stomach, the Sage Apostle knew that it was time to make a break for it before to many reinforcements arrived and he began vastly outnumbered. First he would need to create a large enough distraction that would allow for him to escape as he activated the White Snake King dna within him and allowed for it to focus on the venom production organ within his body. Increasing the amount of venom that he could produce temporarily now as he allowed for it to build up within his mouth and vaporize into a dense mist that could the white snakes mouth and upper throat to swell slightly. Then all at once the snake tilted its large head down and opened its mouth to a near unhinged one eight as a massive cloud of venom filled smoke poured out quickly covering a large portion of the area around Ken. Deeping down deep into the purple smoke the man deactivated the transformation technique as he shed off the large skin of the serpent transformation returning to his original form as he quickly dashed off.
300/300
White Snake Sage: Poison CloudShow
A-Rank Maneuver
After entering into the Nature of the Serpent King stance the user focuses on activating the Serpent King's genes into his throat causing the White Serpent's Venom within him to come together within his mouth and condense into a mist from its normal thicker liquid form. Allowing the user to expel a sixty-meter cloud of venom at [Strength] speed from himself, the cloud carries no real strength but anyone who breaths it in this venomous cloud will fall victim to the snake's venom as it is introduced directly into their blood stream. This mist will linger in the air for up to six posts before dispersing on its own.
The brush flashed past the man as he moved with almost ease, flowing around the variety of different obstacles that would be found in the dense forest of the beaten path as the tired man was seeking a place that he could take some refuge in after the fiasco that one might have called it with encountering the border patrol along Gold country’s border with New Tea country. Due to the influence of the White Snake’s DNA within Ken things had went a bit off the rails but in the end the man had been able wrangle in the lust for killing that was a part of him down with the darkness that consumed not only his body but his soul. Strangely, it wasn’t something that the man pushed back but instead embraced most of the time as it was allowing for him to build up the strength that he needed to begin extracting the deep seated revenge that turned his heart so black. Winding around several falling trees the man was approaching the foothills to a small series of mountains toward the more northeastern corner of where Gold country, Tea country and the southern border of the vastly big Wind country all collided. It was here that the man would find what he was seeking out now as he flicked out his dark purple colored forked tongue, tasking the air before slowing down for the first time in a while. Coming to a mere walking pace as he ducked under some low hanging vines and branches coming to a small opening only about three to four meters in total size, a cave entrance that led into the side of the growing mountain before him.
‘This should allow me a place to rest for a bit, I’m not sure what kind of tracking skills that those rage tag bunch possesses, but they don’t look like the kind of people who want to fight a monster.’ Ken speaking about himself and the monstrous form of the white serpent he had taken on during the brief ambush on his part of the samurai. Even now at the thought of it the man found himself strangely licking his own lips with the forked tongue at how good the fellow human had tasted when he ate the cowardly swordsman. It was odd to think about but to be honest it wasn’t the first person that the snake-like man had devoured while in his enhanced snake forms. Simply shaking his head the man had backed himself into a corner of the abandoned cave and curled up on the cool ground letting his eyes shut for a bit, needing to rest and recover his physical and sage energy that he obtained through his connection with the Great White snake king from the spirit realm. Though his sleep was short as the man rose about an hour later, as if sensing that something was a slight bit off at the moment. Narrowing his crimson, slatted eyes the orochi gently lifted both hands so that the palms of either hand were stretched out in the direction of the cave opening and he concentrated on activating his serpent genes.
This was focused specifically within the fingertips of each hand, greatly enhancing the sense of touch for Ken to the point that he could sense even the slightest changes in air pressure or vibrations within the air and even through the very ground. One hand gently came to rest with the finger tips on the cold stone floor as the other remained touching the air out in front of him, though the response from the man was a rather disgruntled look as he was able to sense a rather large number of people outside the cave entrance. Still at a decent distance but it was obvious by how they were staggered out that they were forming a type of one eighty along the mouth of the cave in order to entrap the man within. ‘These men must actually have a spine amongst them, or at least who ever their leader is must. I should have covered my tracks better, I didn’t think that they had a set of balls amongst them to actually attempt to hunt me down this quickly.’ Ken silently applauded the men who waited outside the cave with the intent to most likely kill whomever or whatever they had tracked to this point, weapons already drawn.
739/700
Tactil SenseShow
‘Well aren’t they something now.’ Ken couldn’t help but let out a faint laugh as his blood red eyes were still closed, carefully feeling out in the environment around him as he assessed that at least twenty humans were within range of his touch sensing technique, but that was enough to surprise the man. Had there been that many actually warriors within the outpost town that he had attacked while searching out the coward who had left his fellow man to the mercy of the ‘white scaled demon’? It would have seemed that he’d truly underestimated that actual size of the fighting force not only at the outpost but within the country if this was to demonstrate anything about the new village that was being created there. This was definitely something that he couldn’t let continue to evolve to the point that it became too great a threat to the dream that his old friend and mentor Ikuto, the current ruling shogun of Tea, had worked so hard to create at the end of his life. No, he would not let that happen as he cared for the man to much to let anything or anyone get in the way of the man helping his people out of the ruin of the greedy and selfish daimyo and into the future where the country and its countrymen could stand equally on the world stage with its other neighbors. Having garnered a decent understanding of the number of opponents that had come looking to hunt down the monster, Ken also understood their general location but to fight so many without knowing the actual fighting power of the men he was about to face was a great risk.
While his normal full serpent transformation was rugged and durable for fighting low numbers of targets, against so many it would potentially cause for him to become overwhelmed with their sheer fighting force even if one on one they wouldn’t be able to stand a chance. Having numbers on your side was never a bad thing as he exhaled slowly and brought both of his black skinned hands in towards his chest as the palms softly pressed against one another. “Great serpent King, the humans have finally bared witness to the monster that is your avatar within me and it had frightened them to the point that they try to extinguish it. Silly humans and their arrogance. I ask that you give me the strength to allow for them to see what the true form of the Great White Serpent King is and why they should truly fear the coming destruction that will befall anyone who steps before me and my revenge on the shinobi of this world.” It was a mixture between what could have been considered a chant and a prayer as Ken closed his snake-like, slit eyes as he reached out through the void of space and time requesting the approval of the god like spirit, in his eyes.
This pray stirred the snake genes that were hidden within his body, a gentle glow of white encased the young man’s thin body as from the outside of the cave the already on edge samurai couldn’t help but take a half step back as the gentle glow of white light seeped from the darkness within the mouth of the cave. What monster had they tracked back to this place? Was this the lair of the beast? None of them knew the full truth but had come none the less as this beast had attacked the outpost and killed a number of their friends and comrades. If they didn’t at least try to put down something as large of a threat as the scaled beast could they even call themselves protectors or samurai? It was just then that there was a rumbling under their very feet and on the mountain which contained the cave. The entire side of the mountain seemed to collapse as streaks of white, seven in total, burst from the side of the mountain as they stretched up to four meters in the air with each long serpent like neck attacked to a large jawed serpent head that stared down from above the trees at the group of fighters.
708/700
Hydra TransformationShow
Some men drew back their weapons, ready to attack while others stared up with open mouths frozen in fear as the rumbling finally stopped and the dirt and debris from the collapsing mountain side cleared to reveal the man using his ultimate serpent transformation that demonstrated to the human’s the true image of the white serpent king from the spirit realm. This was the true strength that laid dormant up until right now as Ken revealed it to the samurai who had come to kill him and the world as a whole. This was the power that he planned to use to help him exterminate those responsible for conquering part of his homeland and most importantly to deal with those who created the darkness within his unhealable heart. “Ssss…well then…you’ve brought me so much to eat…ssss.” From the center head, the words with drawn own snake like hisses could be heart as its voice boomed over the area with it mocking taunt that caused the ones frozen with fear to actually drop their weapons and run, as though that was enough for the demonic looking serpent to hopefully spare their lives or at least give them some time to get away by leaving their friends and comrades there within the belly of the beast.
These cowards…’ It was all that Ken could think as he commanded his new body, using it to attack the areas that he knew a number of the men had been in hiding as the large heads smashed into the ground and swept across the landscape changing large portions of it with each swipe. This new body was also combined with the elastic body that was gifted to him from his family heritage as it allowed the transformation to exceed it already massive form as the mouth of one head bit a man into halves as the latter half fell to the ground still twitching and moving within its upper half. It only took a short while for the man to dispatch the warriors who had stayed and honorable put their lives on the line for their comrades and countrymen, though fool heartedly it was they still did so to protect the man to his left and right. Sadly, Ken did not share such sentiments or emotions of honor or pride. He was just there to extinguish the lives of those who came against him so that the power of the serpent king within him could continue to grow stronger and stronger with each soul he destroyed and life he tore from the body of the wretched humans that mingled with the shinobi. With the others having already fled now that man released the taxing form as the body of the Hydra fell to the ground and from the second head of the right the mouth opened and from within it stepped out a somewhat tired looking man covered in tattoos and dark patches of skin.
Ken’s almost glowing red eyes looked around at the scene of death and destruction as the bodies and the broken environment from the increased size and strength of the former transformation he had used had been combined into one scene of what war was. A personal war that the white serpent’s apostle planned to wag soon enough on those who he had already targeted. Would it ever be enough to satisfy the hatred and darkness that seemed to endlessly grow within Ken’s mind and body? No one truly knew except for the dark haired man himself. Crouching low to the ground the man transformed into his elongated half snake self as he began to slither quickly across the broken forest, a predatory stalking out his prey as his movements were very precise and tailored to the point that as he tracked the ones that had fleed his body made less and less audible noise. Like a true serpent that was slowly working to track down its prey that had slipped away the man followed the scent trails without a sound as the dark forked tongue slid in and out of his mouth allowing for him to ‘taste’ the air like a hound could smell the scent. ‘Yes, that way, seems most of them when this way.’ The silent but deadly serpent smiled with a sinister smirk, he had been able to tell that a number of the scent trails had converged and they seemed to be traveling in a group, perhaps thinking numbers would make them safe.
747/700
Predator StealthShow
Soundlessly the half serpent half man monster with its dim white scales slithered through the difficult brush and natural obstacles that presented themselves to the monster of a man, but his body and being naturally at home in such an environment only served to further give the hunter in the edge when it came to this scenario. There was no sound as the long snake like man kept his body close to the very earth beneath his belly as the smells that he was able to taste with his dark purple, forked tongue continued to grow stronger and stronger by the minute as darkness from the passing evening had finally overtaken the forest. But the darkness was no stronger to the man who knew the hunting capacity of himself only increased in the dark playing into the advantages that Ken’s serpent chakra altered body had. Off in the darkness the man was able to see the flickers of a warm orange light, without a doubt it was a small fire that had been made by the group who had stopped after darkness had overtaken the forest. Uncomfortable in the situation where they were surrounded by the dark forest environment they had instinctively come together and built a fire for obvious warm as the cold air was drawn in with the fading sun and secondly for a sense of security against the very same darkness.
Because who truly knew what might be laying out in the darkness just waiting to pounce on them un-expectantly, having seen the very monster that was Ken’s white hydra form and knowing that there were real monsters out here in these woods. Who knew what other monsters could be out here, some even quietly muttering curses to themselves for signing up for this job in the first place. ‘There you are little chickens…” From the edge of the darkness just outside the lighted area from the gently swaying flames of their fire pit were the crimson eyes of a killer who was simply observing the situation and counting the number of people who had fled as it seemed he hadn’t had a completely accurate count back at the cave. Perhaps some of the men present had been further away as a type of reinforcement that they had in the reserve that they planned to draw him into before things went completely south back at the entrance to the cave. He could not let this kind of swine slip away again and as he set only fifteen or so yards away from them the man resumed his human form as he lay in the prone nested in the high vegetation. Both of his hands came together in the standard pray like hand seal as he concentrated on activating his white snake genes within his body, specifically in both arms this time as white serpent scales in bulk began to rapidly form on both unclothed arms. Six long masses that shaped themselves into long serpents grew longer and longer as they came to life and slithered quietly across the tall grass using it as a means of cover to approach. Growing and stretching until each was in striking range before the man control each to strike simultaneously as the serpents constricted around their targets in the blink of an eye before latching onto the throats of each man. The muffled grunts of pain and anguish were all that could be heard before the cracking of bones as each snake constricted tighter and tighter until the men were squeezed literally to death under the crushing weight and strength of each snake.
This feeling of squeezing the very life essense out of these men, the struggle as they attempted to wiggle under the crushing force was almost an exhilarating experience for Ken as he slowly stood up. With slow, almost calculated steps the man from which drew him closer and closer to the dying men as he controlled his serpent limbs to lift the captured up into the air and twist them around to see their killer. The man let his long purple forked tongue slip out of his lips, licking his lips with it as the men shivered in fear before he finished extinguishing their lives and tossed them off to the sides of the camp site. It was done, at least for now, as the man released the serpent transformation technique of his limbs causing the extra snakeskin to rapidly dry up and crumble into tiny particles that resembled dust as the quiet night breeze scattered them while Ken allowed his hands to fall gentle back into place at each of his sides.
775/700
Twelve SerpentsShow
TBC