[Graded]To Whom The Toll Goes Part 1

[Gothmer]

“Mmm.” A low grumble left Kuodachi throat as he read over the mission scroll. A mission assigned to him and a second, Kazuo. Some time has passed by since the pale Jounin crossed paths with such a name. The first meeting was when they were Chuunin when they took their exam. The meat head practically destroyed their opponent by himself with little more than Kuodachi and Saburo being minute distractions. A smile danced onto his lips as the thought came back to his mind.

His sentiments on the Inuzuka were mixed at best. Kazuo was a strong Shinobi, undoubtedly, but seemed to be swelled with androgen and feelings of superiority. At the time, however, the feelings were justified, in an objective sense. Kuodachi was often considered weak. Still was, physically, but he'd honed his own select skills to nigh perfection, achieving the rank of Jounin with specialized skills narrow enough to still be a special Jounin through the sheer degree of prowess within the specializations. A feeling of eagerness swelled up as he wondered how far the Inuzuka had come since their last mission, dealing with the guarding of a merchant of interesting character.

Scanning the contents of the scroll more closely, Kuodachi quickly contemplated the information before rolling it closed. Highwaymen. Lowly scum seeking to find their wealth through the harassing of innocents. His mind quickly went to a fact he'd only recently caught wind of. His girlfriends grandmother left on travels south only a few days ago. Yet another grumble left his dry throat, this one carried concern.

Without delay, knowing full well that Kazuo would have received a similar mission scroll, he set off straight for the southern gate of the village. He'd make it to the gate just as the sun neared its peak through the sky, signally midday. It would not be long before his eyes went to a familiar face. And his heart would sink, remembering the brash hound that the Inuzuka called a friend. Koji. A wild animal to all but Kazuo's words, or at least, that is how Kuodachi remembered it. His eyes would bounce to the animal for only a moment before his hand would shoot up, a smile perching on his face, “Kazuo! Been awhile, my friend!”

[Sanjuro]

"Would ya look at that. Kuo's gonna be on the mission. You think you're ready, buddy?"

A soft growl.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm not the one that had us out of commission for the last few months though."

A snapping bark.

"Sheesh, I get it. Calm down. Hell, I might start thinking you really are as savage as everyone believes."

Kazuo shook his head, his long hair trailing behind him, and he ran his knuckles over the top of Koji's snout. The dog huffed in annoyance and began trotting away towards the south gate. Kazuo chuckled and shoved the mission scroll into his pack, along with enough rations to last a week or two. As the duo made their way through the village, Kazuo thought back on the few times he had ever paired up with Kuodachi. The kid was alright back when they took their Chuunin exams, nothing spectacular. If it wasn't for his own ridiculous prowess in hand to hand combat, the other two would have probably lost against that Hyuuga.

And then the escort mission that had been a load of hoopla. Some kid who thought he was in a Romeo and Juliet play, which just served to piss Kazuo off when he realized the situation. Kuo had shown to be pretty handy with Genjutsu back then if memory served. Since then, Kazuo had seen neither hide nor hair of his comrade. Though if the mission scroll was to be believed, he had somehow managed to can his way up to being a Jounin. The thought made the ever competitive Kazuo frown a little. He didn't like the fact that the guy he had helped through his Chuunin exams had overtaken him in rank.

When he got to the south gate, he noticed he was the first one here and settled in to wait, leaning against the gate with Koji pacing back and forth in front of him. Kazuo watched the dog wear a path into the earth and was about to tell him to find something else to do when he heard a voice he hadn't heard in a long time. Looking up, he saw Kuodachi waving to him and smiled, raising his own hand in a return greeting. "Yo, Kuo! You're looking good! Congratulations on the promotion!"

Before Koji had a chance to give his customary growl of contempt, Kazuo swiftly planted a solid punch on top of the ninken's head. "Be nice or I'll take you right back to the vet." The dog whimpered before promptly ignoring Kuodachi. Kazuo shrugged, it was better than him trying to bite the man who was now technically their superior.

[Gothmer]

“Same goes for you! Packed on even more brawn, I see!” He clamored back, his voice dropping as the distance closed, “Thanks. Can't imagine you are too far away yourself.” He nodded. He let out a chuckle at the exchange, his eyes dropping to Koji as the beast ignored him. “Well, good to see you too, Koji!” he sarcastically smacked off at the dog.

Without wasting a beat, his eyes would return to Kazuo, his hand hand moving from his hip on a slap outward, which he knew Kazuo, even if unprepared, would meet, “It really is good to see you.” He clasp his comrades hand for a brief moment before getting right to business, “So, Highwaymen. Rat bastards are hording some piles of accumulated wealth. Best to get right into it before the wind picks up on such a fact.” The south roads were the best place to start as Konoha's biggest trade was with its ally, tea country. That along with his concern for Keiko's grandmother build a nice foundation for a starting direction in Kuodachi's mind.

“I'll set the pace as I can almost guarantee you are still faster than me.” With a familiar and friendly signal to the gate guards, Kuodachi would exit the village with a launch to the trees. Kazuo would quickly find that the Jounin was not kidding. The pace set would be almost snooze-able for the Inuzuka. After setting the pace and allowing it to be remembered, he'd let Kazuo move to be lead as he began delving into strategy talk. “We can hit the main southern route to Tea country first. Fukui bridge makes a wonderful choke point, of sorts. No doubt, it would be my first choice in setting up a... toll.” Kuodachi would be open to strategic suggestions, should the Inuzuka have input to offer. The way Kuodachi saw it, the location was practically a given. With the missing information on the scroll, they were going to need to gather some more Intel on more specific locations of tolls.

Should the strategy be set, Kuodachi would delve into some conversation of a more friendly level. They had, at Kuodachi's pace, some good time to catch up. “So, with how swamped I've been with work and life, I'm afraid I failed in keeping up. I've only heard a few tidbits through the vast grapevine of gossip... How've things been with you and Koji?”

[Sanjuro]

Grasping the outstretched arm, Kazuo grinned broadly at Kuodachi before pulling away and making to follow him out of the village gates, Koji trotting along behind the pair, still keeping up his silent protest at being ordered to be nice. "Between the three of us, I'm sure we can sniff 'em out before long. But you're right, we don't want them knowing we're coming. I don't mind a good hunt now and then, but giving them a chance to offload their goodies would be a pain." Taking to the trees, Kazuo was basically walking along side Kuo as they leapt through the trees. He knew people weren't as fast as him, hell he could outpace most Jounin, but the speed Kuo was travelling at was something Kazuo would have found a slight work out… as a Genin.

With a mental shrug, he focused on the mission at hand and took the lead, part of him focusing on his sense of smell and hearing to make and the other half focusing on the discussion with Kuo. "Tea Country sounds about right. Wouldn't be the first mission I've had to put down some thugs looking to make a quick score on the traders. The bridge'd be the easiest place to set up the toll as well, you're right, but soldiers from the capital should patrol the place every few days." He hummed and scratched at the stubble of his chin. "Still, it's as good a place to start as any. If they aren't on the bridge itself, they should be nearby. Hopefully I can pick up a trail."

Ducking under a low-hanging branch, Kazuo turned around and started tree-hopping backwards as he considered Kuo's question. "Kind of crappy, to be perfectly honest. Someone went and got poisoned on a mission a few months backs." Koji growled in annoyance. "It got cured pretty quickly but it's taken a bit of time to get the old boy back up to being fighting fit. Other than that little incident, it's been pretty boring on our side of the village."

Koji barked in warning and Kazuo ducked, avoiding the branch that would have clocked the back of his head, before he turned around again to watch where he was going. "What about you? How in the hell did you manage a promotion to Jounin?"

[Gothmer]

Kuodachi was well aware that he'd not been the most physically capable Shinobi. He was still on level with a Genin in many aspects. He'd neglected physical training, for the most part. It was a fact that, in some situations, he'd grown to regret. Most the time, he simply found ways around it. Every time he thought about rectifying it, he would start a regiment of working out, and drop it within a few days...

“Right, but they'd probably have a scout. Dip out at first sight of a patrol, return for the merchants.” He'd shrug. Choke points in routes were simply the best place. Even if it did pose some risk, the reward would be too great to pass up the opportunity. “We'll need to be on full alert some time before the bridge, maybe assume the appearance of simple travelers...” In the next moment, Kuodachi waved off the idea, “Between our senses, I doubt any highwayman scout could get the jump on us.” He smiled at the boastful comment.

The mention of poison brought a glimmer of concern to Kuodachi's face as Kazuo continued the explanation. The grapevine had not let Kuodachi down, but poison always crossed Kuodachi as being a grand threat, even more minor poisons. At first Kuodachi joked along with Kazuo, "Koji! Did someone throw you come chocolate again? Tsk tsk." He threw a smile towards the beast who had been happily ignoring him up to this point before glancing to Kazuo, “But seriously, I can imagine that was pretty scary. I'm glad he pulled through.” The Jounin still didn't like the beast, but he knew full well how devastated Kazuo would be if anything were to happen to the wild thing.

With the question from Kazuo, Kuodachi shrugged, “You heard about the thwarted infiltration on the western outpost?” It was relatively big news for awhile. A being that could assume the appearance of another, perfectly, as well as take their memories. Was deemed the 'perfect infiltration ability'. He stated modestly, “Happened to be in the right place at the right time, or else the outpost would have likely fallen once again. I think that played a big part in it.” In truth, Kuodachi was still not certain he was ready for the responsibility that a Jounin held. He was young and overly specialized for a Jounin, but there was no going back now.

“Anyways, they are sending us on this together for a good reason. I may be a Jounin now, but I still have growing to do. I can handle infiltration of almost any location, information gathering of any degree, and track a hare on a rainy day in winter... But, if our current pace gave no inclination, I am still the same, physically stunted Kuodachi. With Koji and you in front, we can pretty much handle anything that crosses our path.” His final words were filled with confidence, but there was also zero sign of any embarrassment in regards to his weaknesses, as might have been commonplace with his Chuunin self. That lack of confidence and uneasiness that previously consumed the young man's being had vanished.

Changing the topic to a sort of strategy talk while filling his curiosity, Kuo question, "You still the powerhouse I remember? Learn any new tricks I should steer clear of?"

[Sanjuro]

Kazuo hummed in acknowledgment of the events at the western outpost. He had no idea Kuodachi had been involved though. He supposed that certainly explained the promotion. "Right place at the right time or not, your obviously a lot stronger than I remember. Good for you." The Inuzuka glanced over at Koji. He knew the dog was ready to be out in the field again, but the months had been hard on the pair of them. Koji's natural aggressiveness had taken a whole new turn for a while; being cooped up in the village had sent him into frenzy when they had gone hunting.

A solid scrap between man and beast had ensued; neither Kazuo nor Koji had escaped that little escapade unscathed.

It was good to be back in the field though. Having a task to focus on would help. When the question came up of his strength, Kazuo immediately smirked. Instead of dodging around the next branch that came in his way, he launched himself into a front flip and brought his foot down on the branch. With a loud crack, the branch snapped off and Kazuo immediately caught it. It was as thick as both of his arms put together. Without missing a beat, he tossed it behind him towards Koji, who leapt up and bit straight through the wood.

"Powerhouse, check." Kazuo turned and put on a burst of speed, falling back behind Kuo and punching him softly in the shoulder, winking at his old friend. "Don't worry, we'll cover your ass while you do you thing. It's what we do. Ain't that right Koji?" The dog turned and barked at the pair, well more at Kazuo, before he returned to ignoring Kuo. "See, he doesn't completely hate you. If he did he would've tried to bite you regardless of what I told him."

Powering forward again, he took up his position as the lead once more and sniffed the air. "Might rain soon. Tonight or tomorrow maybe. That's gonna suck. I hate tracking through the rain, screws with my nose."

[Gothmer]

The compliment from Kazuo felt... Satisfying. He'd been receiving them more often in recent times, but they never lost their appeal. Especially genuine ones from someone of Kazuo's nature.

Kuodachi watched the display that seemed almost rehearsed. Once again, he remembered why the Inuzuka were so well known. Their companionship with their animal friends were stronger than anything Kuodachi had yet to witness. It was like the relationship an Aburame has with their insects. Even Koji, someone Kuodachi fully considered a wild beast, maintained an unbreakable bond with Kazuo. Even if it hated every other person, that bond was undeniable. Seeing Koji ready and waiting to snap the branch in half was more than enough to remind Kuodachi of that. The display also confirmed that the duo had only grown stronger during the time since the last mission. Substantially stronger. Powerhouse was the perfect word to describe them.

Seeing the display, Kuodachi's mind went to how powerful he was without the threat of a close range battle. With Kazuo and Koji around, he couldn't help but believe the mission was going to be a breeze. Up to now, Kuodachi had always been hesitant on letting such a thought surface. Between being overwhelmed on S-rank missions with Bannin, to taking Chuunin on B-rank, this was one of the first mission he'd truly felt confident in both his own and his team members abilities.

With the display over, Kuodachi would begin moving again. Kazuo's check to the shoulder would bring a glance and a smile from the Jounin, “I believe it!” His eyes would move to Koji, seeing the immediate return to ignoring, a half frown would appear. “Well, I feel lucky.” It held a sarcastic tone, but Kuodachi fully meant the words. A bite from the beat would hurt like hell...

With the mention of rain, Kuodachi shrugged the concern off, “I wouldn't worry. Between our combined tracking skills, we can probably find just about anything...” Once again, the words were filled with confidence. He added, “I'm more worried about your hair getting wet and weighing you down,” following with a chuckle at the jest.

The traveling would continue, and sure enough, as the sun began its decent over the horizon, the sky would begin showing the foreboding visual signs of impending precipitation. “We are getting fairly close. I'd say we make camp. We can reach the bridge early tomorrow morning. There is no telling how far they might have a scout set. What do you think?”

[Sanjuro]

Kazuo held a hand across his chest, gripping at the cloth over his heart, a faked gasp of horror escaping him. "You mock the hair!? It took me months to grow this out! Months!" He shook his head, his long ponytail sweeping about behind him, waving like a dog's tail. Koji's did much the same, obviously in amusement. It was good to be out of the village again; fresh air, sunshine, the thrill of the hunt. Admittedly there wasn't much of the latter yet, but there would be. A smile spread across his face as Kazuo reveled in the joy he felt every time he took a mission outside the village.

He loved his home but there was something about travelling that was just plain fun.

---

While the pair of old friends were travelling to their first location, a meeting was taking place in the capital. This was no darkened alley or a shadowy alcove. The large nobleman, rotund in appearance with overly garish clothes and a ridiculous amount of rings on his sausage like fingers, was sitting back in a mound of pillows, picking at a plate of food. Across from him, seated casual as you like with sandal-clad feet resting atop the noble's small table, was a tall man full of lean muscle and cocky smiles.

"I heard along the grapevine that my little business venture is under threat from Konoha. Some moron brought it to the attention of the daimyo." The fat noble gave a long suffering sigh, the words escaping his mouth around a rather disgusting mass of half-chewed dumpling. "I need you to collect my money, Yashamaru. Before those imbeciles from Konoha get their grubby little hands on it. Do you think they would turn it in to the capital? No. They'd hoard it for themselves. Damned ninja." A cough from the muscled man. "Present company excluded, of course, my dear man."

"Right." The man, Yashamaru, had a voice that was low, gravely, like sandpaper. He dragged out the word; it was obvious he didn't believe the tub of lard. "You pay me, and I'll do whatever you want. Just remember, you rip me off… well, you wouldn't do that, would you?"

The noble shook his head, his second through fifth chins wobbling. "No, no, never! I am a man of my word. You get me my money, you will get paid."

The man smirked, leaning forward to reveal a metal band around his forehead, the symbol of two rocks carved into it with a line gouged through them. "Good." He slammed his foot down and one of the dumplings was sent flying off the table. Yashamaru snatched it out of the air and bit into it with a feral smile.

---

Kazuo stared up at the overcast skies, sighing as the last rays of sunshine dipped down behind the horizon. Kuo was right, they should make camp here. With a nod he dropped from the trees and pulled his pack from his shoulders, dumping it onto the ground. Koji was already trotting off to collect firewood. "I could use a powernap."

[Gothmer]

With Kazuo's comedic exaggeration, Kuodachi wouldn't refrain from letting out, perhaps, one of the most genuine chuckles Kazuo ever heard from the Jounin. It was good to see that, while Kazuo had grown in many ways, he was still the same Kazuo Kuodachi recalled from their last mission together. When he first read the name in the scroll, he was concerned that the Inuzuka might have changed into someone he might not have got along with, but it seemed quite the contrary had happened. He felt more enjoyment in Kazuo's company. Perhaps it was his own growth that played a part in it, but Kuodachi was not about to question the feelings. He was just glad to rekindle the friendship. And that Koji refrained from biting him...

With Koji running off to grab firewood, Kuodachi would begin sifting through his backpack, pulling out the makings of a meal, along with a decent sized pot that had given the bag its odd shape. Before the sun had fully made its decent behind the looming clouds, camp would be set up. A roll of hide set over a few well placed branches gave a shelter to the rain that was well on its way. A pot of soup resting over the campfire with its amazing aromas assaulting the smell of both the full and hungry alike, signaling its readiness to be served. Thanks to Koji, it was ripe with a hearty serving of meat. Kuodachi knew Kazuo wouldn't have it any other way.

It was quaint, in a way. It took a certain pair of eyes, but one could easily find the scene to be tranquil. Their mission, while it was well underway, had yet to truly soil the calmness of the nature that surrounded them. Still, Kuodachi knew full well it was a moments respite before the storm would hit, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. Then, as Kuodachi pulled the lid off the pot to begin serving up the stew, a flash of lightning followed by a crack of thunder would echo in the distance. The sounds of rain began to fill the surrounding area, as the droplets coated their environment.

He'd hand a bowl to Kazuo, pouring himself one before he moved clasped the lid back over the pot of stew. He'd begin small sips from the bowl, letting the flavors roam over his taste buds as he engaged Kazuo in conversation, more strat talk to ease Kuodachi easily wandering mind, “Tomorrow, I can practically guarantee we will find them somewhere around that bridge.” In truth, it was less of a strat talk as it was Kuodachi bouncing his ideas around out loud. His head nodded, his eyes set on the dwindling fire that rest below the pot of stew. He'd speak some more as he reached into his pack to pull out some jerky, which he offered to Koji, “I can gather as much information as we need from them. Might be able to find the head of the snake from one of the lackies. You know they have to have a stockpile location, a base of operation, somewhere. We have to keep a couple alive, or at least the one who seems to know the most...” His eyes went to Koji as he jestingly sought confirmation from the beast, “Got it!?”

His mind went to the first time Kuodachi had actually seen a death on one of his missions. It was when Koji ripped one of the Samurai apart on the mission... It seemed like forever ago, but the mangles corpse was something that stuck with him. The mid section was completely destroyed, but the face was still stricken with the pain and fear that gripped him in his end moments. Ever since, Kuodachi had yet to take a single life. He'd opted for capture, or other alternative means, in every moment he could, and he'd yet to find one where that was not a possibility. Yet, every mission came with the same anxiety of that it might be the one where such a course is not an option.

After hearing Kazuo's input and returning any thoughts of his own, it would not be long before the rain began to make its way through the flora that stretched out above them. At this point, Kuodachi would retreat to the sizable shelter. “Wake me when its my watch,” He stated, not leaving room for any discussion on the topic.

[Sanjuro]

Kazuo was quick to tear into the bowl of stew, though not before quickly snagging a bowl of it for Koji. He knew that the little bastard would whine for days if he missed out trying something that smelled that good. The first bowl was gone in an instant and Kazuo was quickly reaching for seconds, this time eating a slightly more human pace, actually enjoying the flavors. "Question is, how do you want to approach? We can go in quiet or we can try to bait them. Cover our forehead protectors and my vest, try and pass ourselves off as just travelling? Two young guys and a dog would make for an easy mark." He spoke around his stew, a habit his mother had never quite broken him of. "Eh, either way, they're probably just a bunch of chumps."

The look Kuo gave Koji made Kazuo frown a little. Sure, Koji could get a little wild now and then, but it wasn't like he killed everything in sight. It took a minute to remember the last mission they had all been on together though and then he realized exactly why Kuo was worried. Kazuo sighed a little, running his fingers through his hair, messing it up even further. He loved Koji, he really did. The dog was more of a brother to him than most people in the village. Unfortunately that made it easy to overlook his more aggressive moments, especially after the fact. The dog growled back at Kuo when he was being ordered to not kill anyone, and Kazuo quickly leveled a glare at the ninken, making him stop and go back to the combination of stew and jerky Kuo had been kind enough to provide.

When it came time to tuck in for the night, Kuo was quick to pull his seniority card. Kazuo gave a short bark of laughter in response. "Sir, yes sir!" With a sarcastic salute, he waved Kuo off as he went to the tent. "Leave the guy with no sleeves out in the rain, that's cool." He tugged his arms through his long coat and pulled the material up over his head, making it look like a ridiculous cloak. He flicked his fingers for Koji to follow but he simply shook some of the rain off and made his way into the tent as well. "You bloody traitor!"

Muttering under his breath, Kazuo took off to perform a quick sweep of the perimeter. The sooner he was done the sooner he could retreat to the tent and keep watch from there. Bloody traitor dogs and evil Jounin.

[Gothmer]

“I had the thought myself. It wouldn't hurt to try, and would give an easy element of surprise.” He paused for a moment, tossing the idea around in his head a bit more before piping back up, “Alright. Two travelers and a dog is it.” He would add, “Chumps or not, best to assume the worst. You've heard the reports, right? Someone has been showing 'chumps' in fire country how to use chakra...” With a shrug, he'd state simply, “Always expect the worst.”

The exchange between Koji and Kazuo would once again bring a chuckle forth from Kuo as he finished off the last spoonful of his stew. “I think he gets it.” Kuodachi knew when it comes down to it, Kazuo can reign him in. They had to gather information from the highwaymen to find out where the stash was. It posed to be the entirety of the point. Running around wrangling up the lackeys would do no good. This was clearly an organized banding of highwaymen. The head would need to be severed to truly solve the problem.

Kuodachi would flash a grin to the sarcasm, “You'll thank me when the fight begins tomorrow.” The decision to take first sleep was not one based on seniority or selfishness. Kazuo was physical. His body would need the most recent rest when it came to the events tomorrow might bring. Kuodachi, having developed the ability to shut down in an instant, a skill that many Shinobi developed, would lay down in the tent and pass to sleep almost instantaneously.

The shifts would pass with no events to disrupt the routine security measures. It was nice to have a partner. Traps took time to set up, and were never as secure as the senses. So, when it came time, Kuodachi would nudge Kazuo awake, pushing his own foot into Kazuo's leg, “Sleeping beauty... It's time to rise and shine.” The words were soft, and intentionally feminine before suddenly turning rough and much louder, “To hunt down some chumps!”

Rising from his meditative position next underneath the shelter, Kuodachi would let out a big stretch. The sun would just barely be peeping over the horizon, giving off the faintest of lights to the area. The rain, which persisted through the night, would persist yet in a light, but constant, drizzle. Kuodachi had already broken down the camp, packed up all his stuff except... With a quick flick of his wrist the shelter would be gone as he stripped the leather from the lean-to. Quickly snapping the water off it, he'd roll it up and clasp it in the straps at the bottom of his backpack before hoisting the entire rig to his shoulders. Just like that, he was ready to get the show on the road.

He'd wait if Kazuo had anything to do before setting out in the direction of the bridge. “Probably best to stick to the ground from here on. As of this moment, we are just travelers.” He flashed a grin to Kazuo as he moved into an almost leisurely walk. There was no telling how far they had eyes out looking for prey. They likely had some time, but it was better safe than sorry. At the pace, it would take three or so hours before they hit the bridge...

[Sanjuro]

"Mrmph, five more minutes mum." Kazuo grumbled in his sleep, rolling over and pressing his face deeper into his jacket turned makeshift pillow. When Kuodachi decided in his infinite wisdom to suddenly yell, the Inuzuka was up like a shot. So quickly in fact the failed to take into account he was under a lean-to and smacked his head against the pole keeping it upright. Letting loose a string of curses with enough gusto to make a sailor blush, Kazuo rubbed at the quickly forming bump on the top of his head and glared at Kuodachi. "You're not my mother."

The snickering breaths coming from Koji didn't help matters either.

Grumbling under his breath, Kazuo packed up what little of the camping equipment was his; really only the sleeping bag he had brought along which was quickly stored in his pack. Since the plan was to be travellers, Kazuo stripped his headband from his forehead and stuffed it into his pocket before doing up his coat so it covered the green flak vest he wore beneath. Both were sort of giveaway signs of a shinobi. Making sure that his hip pouches were covered as well, he shucked the pack over his shoulders and followed Kuodachi.

The first two and a half hours passed quietly, Kazuo making idle conversation with Kuo and tossing random sticks or stones for Koji to chase after and bring back. To most it would look like a normal game of fetch but Kazuo was throwing the objects with as much force as he could muster and Koji was catching them in his teeth before they touched ground. It was in the last half hour of their journey that Kazuo felt a shift. Like the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He sniffed the air, trying to pick up any scents that didn't belong. There weren't a lot of lingering scents to pick though, the usual myriad of day or week old scents had been washed away by the rain.

Koji had already picked up a scent. The dog came trotting back to Kazuo's side with the latest stick in his mouth, dropping it into Kazuo's outstretched hand before he growled softly and shifted his muzzle to point in the direction he had picked up the scent. Upwind of them and... in the trees?

Reaching up to scratch his nose, Kazuo effectively covered his mouth and started talking to Kuo. He had no idea if whoever the scent belonged to could see him or not yet but better to be safe than sorry. "Above us, in the trees on the right side of the road. There's only one and it isn't a trained ninja, they'd know to make sure to avoid the wind. Probably a scout looking for easy marks."

[Gothmer]

A smirk would unsheathe with Kazuo's unintentional mutterings. He'd never have pegged the Inuzuka for a mamma's boy, not that it was a bad thing. “No, I should hope not.” the Jounin would say simply. Kuodachi's blending took a little more effort. Turning the holsters inside out would cause them to blend into the clothing. His sword remained on his back, though a sword hardly screamed Shinobi, or determined a target to be too risky. Swords were extremely common, possessed by disciplined and fledgling swordsmen alike. The highwaymen would rely on numbers over anything, and they were but two and a dog.

Before long, they were on the road again. Kuodachi would whistle sporadic tunes to take up the silence, return the idle conversation, and even try throwing a stick or two for Koji himself. Still, time would pass slowly, as it often did during travel. It was a fact Kuodachi did not mind. This particular mission was setting out to be one that would keep them from home for a good week. Maybe more. Always knowing the time away to be temporary, Kuodachi enjoyed it all the same. Would be better without the rain though...

A great deal of time would pass, but the thick, dark clouds would continue to block out much of the sunlight. The rain, however, would turn to little more than sporadic sprinkles, as the clouds tried to hold back the bulk of their weight. It would continue to be a rainy day, without a doubt.

Concerns about the weather were put aside the moment the light scent hit Kuodachi's nose right about the time Koji gave his quiet warning. Repugnant body odor and stale cheese, definitely a chump. With Kazuo's direction, Kuodachi caught glimpse of the figure through the thick leaves, his eyes honing in on the scout like a jet fighter. The scout seemed to be still unaware of their presence, but that wouldn't last long. Kuodachi mumbled under his breath, “Then look easy,” with a half smirk.

Finally, the eyes Kuodachi was expecting. The small amount of doubt he had about the bandits setting up on the bridge completely vanished. Now, they had to see if their bait would work. They would have to let this one go. As soon as they passed by, the scout would dip into the woods along the path and move as fast as he could to get to the bridge before they did. Could also send up a signal of sorts, but highwaymen usually opted for the unsophisticated methods. If all went according to plan, he'd report two easy targets.

After a few more moments of walking, finally, the scout would prop up on his branch. Kuodachi would speak, his voice whiny and one notch above talking level to ensure they would reach the ears of their eavesdropper but not cause suspicion, “Uhg. We are going to have to rest soon. Maybe another five miles?” Five more miles would get the past the bridge. His eyes would go to Kazuo, and he would look like he was genuinely struggling under the weight of his backpack. His steps would be heavy and jagged, as if they had been traveling for far too long. Along with Kuodachi relatively scrawny appearance, even if there was a blade hilt over his shoulder, would scream easy target.

[Sanjuro]

Slinging his arm around Kuodachi's shoulder, Kazuo leaned a little of his weight against him as if he were a little exhausted as well. "Maybe next time we don't have to bring everything including the kitchen sink, huh? Or maybe hire a carriage. That would've been nice." Kazuo let out a long suffering sigh before letting go of Kuo and taking note of his staggering steps. He had to admit, the guy was a good actor; much better than Kazuo could ever hope to achieve. Subtlety wasn't exactly one of his strong suits.

As soon as they had passed their observer's position, Kazuo heard the rustle of the trees as he took off back into the forest to swing around to, presumably, where the rest of his friends were. Kazuo grinned and rolled grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand, rolling his arm around and getting the blood flowing. "As much as I enjoy our long, leisurely walks Kuodachi, I'm looking forward to this next bit." The sprinkling rain, while it did dampen his sense of smell a little, was the perfect backdrop for a good old fashioned beat down.

It was another few minutes until the group came around the bend that led to the large bridge that connected Fire Country to Tea Country. In that time the scout had indeed gathered the troops. He couldn't see them yet but his nose was already picking up their scents being carried on the wind. Kazuo closed his eyes before they made their final turn before meeting their targets, focusing all of his concentration of his hearing. Their scents were mingled, so it was difficult to pinpoint exact locations, but he could hear them move from this distance with relative ease.

A shuffling of feet here, the tapping of a sword there, the heavy breathing of one them and a choking, phlegm filled cough of another, it was all serving to paint a vivid picture in Kazuo's head of what he was about to walk into. "What do you reckon? Ten or so?" Koji grunted in agreement, and Kazuo turned to Kuodachi with a grin. "Time to get paid."

Coming around the corner, Kazuo would find his prediction to be correct. There were 10 bandits, most men but two of them were women, wielding a myriad of swords, clubs, spears, and there was even a crossbow or two thrown in there for good measure.

Oh this was going to be fun.

Techniques UsedShow

[Beastman Style • Distinct Sounds]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Kazuo mentally takes in and registers the default sounds of an area; creaking on a boat, wind against walls, their own breathing and other sounds one would expect. By doing this Kazuo becomes more acutely aware of sounds that 'don't belong', such as footsteps in an empty room or a branch breaking in a quiet forest. The contrast of sounds is what is important here, not the type, and Kazuo can discern differences in natural sound versus those made by action in most cases unless the actions are deliberately made to sound natural. This focus on distinct sounds once again opens up the user to sonic attacks very damagingly and can often deafen the user.

[Gothmer]

“A carriage, oh what I wouldn't give for one right now.” His words were filled with fatigue. With everything put together, it was an act that would cause most onlookers to believe him a few yards from passing out, or at the very least, and easy target. Passing under the lookout, Kuodachi would also hear the rustling, but his act would not stop until he knew full well the scout was well on his way to blabbing about the easy targets.

At which point, the act would end immediately, like a switch. “Should be a nice stretch of the stiff muscles for you two.” He began turning his Kunai holsters back to face the right way, readying himself for the battle. Now that the upcoming battle was close enough to smell, Kuodachi began contemplating how it might go down. With Kazuo's acute hearing, sound initiated genjutsu was pretty much out of the question for fear of friendly fire. As it stood, Kuodachi was already not very good at taking on groups. In fact, some might even say 'terrible' would be an accurate word to use. With a mental shrug and some time, they came to the last bend before the bridge. With Kazuo's count, Kuodachi smiled, “Ten chumps. And we need at least one chump alive. Preferably the one who talks.”

With a turn of the corner, the sight of ten bandits brought forth a light chuckle from Kuodachi, perceivable only to Kazuo and Koji. As soon as they were in sight, one bandits voice rang out to them, loud and clear. He was a muscular man with a large beard and a bald head. His ears were adorned with a plethora of jewelry, and his arm in a sleeved tattoo. “No blood needs to be spilled here! The toll is everything you have, spare you life and the clothing on your backs!” Kuodachi, continuing a casual walk towards the crowd, whispered to Kazuo, “He's the one we need alive.” Immediately following the whisper, he'd raise his voice to speak to the bandit 'leader', “Actually, we were hoping you could help us out!” There was an immediate confusion in the crowd, between the boldness and the casualness, it was an odd sight for a group of bandits to behold.

“Now, stop right there! You got a death wish?!” The bald man shouted... Kuodachi continued, “We were hoping you could direct us to your base of operations... You know, where you keep the stash.” The shift in the bald man's stance and demeanor confirmed Kuodachi's hunch. A stumble of words fell from the bald man's lips before he simply shouted words filled with anger, “Kill this half-wit!”

Being far quicker to attack than Kuodachi suspected, he threw his hands up, shouting and feigning a degree of fear, “Wait wait wait!” while pulling his backpack down from his shoulders. Amazingly enough, the ready to charge group halted... for a moment. Before they could speak, however Kuodachi yelled to Kazuo, tossing the back to the ground, “Definitely need him alive!” before bounding behind the a tree to his right, and tossing out two Shuriken towards a single bandit who wielded a club at the right of the group. The two Shuriken, while not traveling with any degree of velocity that would seem impressive for a Shinobi, would hit the bandit in the soft skin of his belly, being lodged into the flesh. First blood, but definitely nothing fatal.

All in all, the display would have probably seemed quite funny to Kazuo, assuming the Inuzuka waited for Kuodachi to confirm his suspicion.

[Sanjuro]

While Kuo engaged with the apparent leader, Kazuo was taking in the sights of the other nine potential targets. He would take out the two with the crossbows first, one a smaller woman with facial piercings galore and the other a tall, thin man who looked like he would barely be able to reload the bow. After that would be the spear user; the only other woman though this one looked far more capable in a fight. There was a cluster of three sword user's stood together, brothers by the look of them. He jerked his head in their direction and Koji let out a soft growl in response. He would take care of them. That left a large man with an axe who stood close by to the bearded leader, likely the second in command, a smaller one with a pair of sword, and then the scout who stood there with only a dagger.

When Kuo made the cry for them to wait, Kazuo started unbuttoning his coat and laughing out loud. The display was hilarious to him; these ten bandits stopped short in shock at the sight of poor little Kuodachi apparently begging for their forgiveness. Of course he had to go and taunt them making the situation just that much sweeter. Kazuo dropped his backpack from his shoulders and in the time it took for it to reach the ground, he and Koji had already burst into action. He slipped around the pair of shuriken Kuo had tossed with ease and focused his attention on his target list.

"Time to go wild!"

Pushing himself to his absolute limit, Kazuo would appear to vanish in a burst of speed to these civilians. He ducked in and around the group, leaving a visible trail of kicked up dust and pebbles in his wake. He barely even paused behind the female crossbow user, delivering a swift punch the back of her skull that had her on the ground and knocked unconscious. This entire process took all of about a second. Before she even hit the ground Kazuo was in front of the second crossbow user, burying his fist into the thin man's stomach with enough force to make him spit up a combination of blood and bile.

While this was going on Koji had dashed at the group of three swordsmen, launching himself at the largest of the three. His claws tore into the man before he even knew what was going on, being forced to the hard ground of the road with enough impact to crack his skull against the hardened ground. Koji was already pushing up onto his front paws and delivering the equivalent of a donkey kick to the next of his targets, sending the man flying into the forest until there was an audible crack as he crashed into a tree. When the third finally reacted, letting out a cry and swinging his katana at the ninken, Koji caught the blade between his teeth with a feral growl rumbling from the back of his throat before yanking it from the man's grip.

He ran away screaming something about a demon dog.

Kazuo made a few hand seals and focused on Koji as he ran towards his next target. A plume of smoke surrounded the dog and all of a sudden there was a copy of Kazuo standing there. The dog-turned-man flexed his fingers before spreading them wide to reveal the claw-like fingernails and adopted a feral grin as he moved to catch up with his human partner. Kazuo had done something similar, channelling chakra into his fingernails and muscles as he adopted a more basic form of his Four-Legged technique. The duo launched into the air at the same time, turning into a pair of black and green whirlwinds as they took out the rest of the group, excluding the large leader.

By the time they landed again, the spear wielder was nursing several claw wounds to her stomach, the second in command was missing an arm and screaming in pain, and the scout was in a brand new crater in the road, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head, completely unconscious. They both came to a halt on either side of the large bearded leader, kicking him in the back of the knee to make him drop to the ground while grabbing an arm each to make sure he didn't try anything stupid.

Kazuo TechniquesShow

[Spat • Flash Assault]
C-Rank Taijutsu Manoeuvre
Prerequisite: 30 Speed
Pushing his speed to his absolute limits, Kazuo will utilize this technique in order to approach his target in a manner that throws off their concentration and makes his next attack unpredictable. This approach is made more or less effective depending on the opponent's abilities.

5 less Instinct/Taijutsu average than Kazuo's Speed = Kazuo's movements appear distorted as long as he continues to move at full speed.
15 less Instinct/Taijutsu average than Kazuo's Speed = Kazuo becomes a complete blur as long as he continues to move at full speed.
25 less Instinct/Taijutsu average than Kazuo's Speed = Kazuo is almost completely invisible as long as he continues to move at full speed.

[Four-Legged Technique • Claws]
C-Rank Ninjutsu
A modification on the standard Four-Legged Technique; by channelling chakra into his fingernails he can trigger the transformation and cause them to extend into half-inch long claws that are every bit as sharp as a kunai's blade. This transformation can last for as long as Kazuo has chakra.

[Spat • Dual Piercing Fang]
B-Rank Taijutsu Manoeuvre
Prerequisite: [Spat • Piercing Fang], Both the clan member and the companion must have this technique.
A combination technique utilized by the Inuzuka clan members and familiars, this portion is performed by Kazuo. By spinning rapidly, Kazuo turns into a whirling mass before launching himself at his target. Using a full body attack allows Kazuo to hit an opponent or nearby object at full strength when they connect with their claws. In conjunction with the familiar's portion of this technique, it becomes extremely dangerous and can cover large areas with continuous assaults. Lasts for 5 posts or until it is cancelled.

Koji TechniquesShow

[Spat • Bestial Assault]
C-Rank Taijutsu Manoeuvre
Koji approaches his target at maximum speed, darting rapidly from left to right during the approach in an attempt to confuse the target and avoid a counter attack. Once in range he will leap at the target, aiming to use the momentum of the charge and his Strength to knock them down. If this is successful Koji will unleash a flurry of bites and scratches to take full advantage of the situation and end the fight quickly.

[Beast Man Clone]
C-Rank Ninjutsu
After Kazuo performs the necessary hand seals, Koji uses his own chakra to transform himself into a perfect copy of Kazuo. This transformed state gives Koji access to Kazuo's Taijutsu techniques and is classified as being in the Four-Legged technique for use in Piercing Fang. The transformation lasts for 5 posts but can be broken like all transformation techniques; with a few solid hits.

[Spat • Dual Piercing Fang]
B-Rank Taijutsu Manoeuvre
Prerequisite: [Spat • Piercing Fang], Both the clan member and the companion must have this technique.
A combination technique utilized by the Inuzuka clan members and familiars, this portion is performed by Koji. By spinning rapidly, Koji turns into a whirling mass before launching himself at his target. Using a full body attack allows Koji to hit an opponent or nearby object at full strength when they connect with their claws. In conjunction with the Kazuo's portion of this technique, it becomes extremely dangerous and can cover large areas with continuous assaults. Lasts for 5 posts or until it is cancelled.

[Gothmer]

Kuodachi dove behind the tree in hopes of avoiding the crossbow fire that would have surely been heading his way. Yet, it would not come. Faint and incredibly fast footsteps from where Kazuo was standing to where the bandits were guarding their bridge like trolls, and Kuodachi knew what was happening. The young Jounin peered out from behind the tree to see the carnage in action. This was the difference in power between a couple 'chumps' and trained Shinobi, the result of the hording of the power of Chakra that the villages created. A spectacularly unfair fight.

Yet, it made jobs like these all the simpler, so Kuodachi was not going to complain. The bandits chose to take up their arms to try and find an easier, albeit, malicious way of living. They knew the risks of choosing such a course. Though, if they'd have known it would be Kazuo and Koji doing the work, they might have chose a proper living.

Realizing that the two were shredding through their opponents like butter, Kuodachi was anxious about the two having 'too much fun' and taking out the one they needed alive. He began a quick run, well as quick as he could muster, towards the bandit leader, who at this point, was in complete shock at the efficiency his men were being dispatched. He started into a series of seals, but before he could even finish, the 'leader' was already kneeling before before him with the two Kazuo's restraining the helpless bald brigand.

Kuodachi would let the jutsu fade out as his eyes scanned around at the wounded. Then the voice from the restrained man would come in, pleading, “Wait! We just...” Kuodachi's eyes would go back to the leader and he'd begin shushing the man gently. With a few more steps, Kuodachi came face to face with him, squatting down to be eye level with the 'leader'. “From here on out, you only talk when I say 'Speak' or I have my friends here get a little nasty with those arms of yours.” Kuodachi's eyes were cold, his face unnervingly calm. At this point, the bald man had tears escaping his eyes. He undoubtedly feared for his life after witnessing the destruction of his entire group in mere moments by a single man and a dog.

Apart from the stifled noises of crying, the man was completely quiet, seemingly listening with his full attention. “Now, I could make you tell me what I want to know, or you could try to garner my favor and answer my questions on your own volition. It is your choice, really, but I don't believe you will like the former.” Kuodachi shrugged flashing a half smile at the bandit. “It's a lot more painful.” he added in a whisper. Seemingly right on queue, the man missing his arm came out of shock enough to start moaning with intense pain.

His voice became louder, “So, first question!" before dying back down, “Where is your base of operations? Speak.”

The moment of truth would be met with a a flurry of words stammered out accompanied with the intense fear and stream of tears, “We take most of what we have gathered to a facility, big place! Some rich guys house. It's in tea country, west side of the border. Just north of Sarabetsu. We have a quota to meet each month, in return we get gear, food, and shelter when we are not out. I swear that's all I know!” Seems the highwaymen business was booming and the two Shinobi had stumbled across a bit of an business.

Kuodachi nodded along with the words the man spoke mumbling to himself. “Second question! Have you robbed a little old lady traveling with a brown mule in the past two days?” He stood up, putting his hand out, “About this tall, long white hair?” He squatted back down, “Speak.”

He stammered, as if trying to remember, “Uh.. N... No, I don't think so.” It reeked of uncertainty. Or perhaps a lie. Kuodachi began clicking his tongue, “Tsk tsk...” before looking to Kazuo. A signal to cause some pain. After the man regathered himself, Kuodachi would ask again, this time with wrath emanating in the words, “Same question! Speak!”

The man screamed out, “Yes! I remember her! We robbed her! She shouldn't be traveling along when...” Kuodachi would look to Kazuo once more. He'd wait, again, for the man to gather himself before speaking calmly, “Okay. Just business, I got it. Third question, where is your current stash? With the stuff you took from the old lady?”

The man, wallowing in the pain, responded in defeated words, “Bottom of the bridge. There's a fake wall in the stone pillar. Please, just let me go!” He did not even need to use his jutsu, knowing the truth came so free when someone was in line to die with nothing to lose and his life to gain. Kuodachi, looking to Kazuo, said, coldly, “Tie him up, I'll go check on his story.” reaching into his pouch, he'd toss Kazuo a roll of wire. "If it checks out, maybe we can let him go with a broken leg. If not, I'll be foreced to resort to the less pleasant methods."

Kuodachi moved to find their stash head down to check out the information on the stash. The smell of blood and sweat assaulted his nose, and he was eager to leave the area of carnage. “I'll be right back.”

---

Kuodachi would travel down the steep incline towards the bottom of the bridge supports. It was a well traveled path, mostly by the bandits, no doubt. But, what concerned Kuodachi more was the reddened coloration of the dirt. A trail of blood that was shoddily hidden, probably mostly by the foot traffic.

The bridge was wooden, but the supports were made of stone. Coming to the bottom, it was immediately obvious that the man was truthful in giving up their stash. An addition to the support had been added, one that posed functionally useless. But, Kuodachi was not focused on the stash as much as he was a new scent... rotting flesh, very different from the scent he was smelling above the bridge. His stomach dropped at the smell, realizing what it was.

Following the scent, and the trail, he was taken further down the river bank. The sides became increasingly steep until it was a full ninety degree cliff-side with small space between the cliff and the river. As he followed, he noticed a wooden structure in the cliffside, where the smell seemed to be originating. The smell, along with the sound of scratching, perhaps gnawing, gave a vivid image of what rest behind the door. Struggling to pull the wooden grate like structure open with the small space available, he pulled out a Kunai and wedged it open. The resulting sounds of scurrying and squeaking further yielded to what Kuodachi suspected.

He was met with a sudden gust of the same rotting smell, forcing Kuo to plug his nose, gagging harshly. The rays of light allowed in by the new small opening shined onto what Kuodachi recognized as a bloodied human hand extending from the shadows in the back of the cave like structure. Kuodachi struggled the 'door' open further, allowing for more light. The resulting illumination revealed exactly what Kuodachi suspected. Six bodies were present in the 'tomb' of sorts, some more decomposed than others. Kuodachi's eyes, however, went directly to an elderly face he recognized.

[Sanjuro]

There was something almost unfair about their situation. Kazuo had spent years honing his body into the perfect fighting tool. He could go toe to toe with most Jounin in a hand-to-hand battle and come out ahead. A bunch of poorly equipped bandits with no formal training had had no chance against the combined force of Kazuo and Koji. And now he found himself standing over the apparent leader of the group of highwaymen, his face was schooled into a mask of nonchalance. He didn't like the idea of torturing people. Traitors should be punished, yes, and he knew torture was often used by his village in order to extract vital information, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it. Though apparently Koji didn't feel the same, as his faithful companion was standing across from him with a feral grin and more than happy to follow Kuodachi's orders when he motioned for the duo to apply pressure to their captive. Koji was more than happy to oblige, digging his claws in hard enough to draw blood, while Kazuo simply applied just enough pressure to cause pain.

He had no idea why Kuodachi was questioning the man about some old woman. But watching him like this, completely calm and collected but coldly ruthless, it sent a chill down Kazuo's spine. He had never seen Kuodachi like this. In the missions they had been on together over the years he had only ever seen his comrade happy and cheerful or occasionally slightly cocky. Not that Kazuo was one to talk, he was always cocky. But this was a side to his friend that Kazuo wasn't sure he liked. He understood the necessity of it, but that didn't mean he liked it. When Kuo signalled for more pain to be applied, Kazuo's nonchalant mask slipped and he frowned a little. Koji had already begun applying even more pressure, digging his claws in deep enough to cause blood to start flowing like rivers down the man's arm. Kazuo applied pressure up to the breaking point but didn't go over.

The Inuzuka caught the wire, nodding silently, before turning and glaring hard at Koji. The dog-turned-man offered a shrug and a feral smile before he let go of the bandit, leaving him for Kazuo to tie up. This was a recurring problem Kazuo had noticed with his ninken. When he assumed the form of a human under the effects of the Beast-Man technique, he tended to lose interest in following Kazuo's orders. Kazuo made a hand seal and cancelled the transformation, and suddenly Koji was once more trotting along on all fours. The Inuzuka sighed and shook his head, finishing tying up the highwayman, before he turned towards where Kuodachi had gone towards. With a signal for Koji to watch over their defeated foes, he made his way to the riverbed.

The first thing his nose picked up was the scent of blood. Some fresh, some weeks old. When he finally came upon the wooden structure Kuodachi was in, he was forced to clamp his hand over his nose. The stench of the bodies was foul. Kuodachi seemed to be frozen in place, however, staring at a particular body. Kazuo's eyes followed Kuo's line of sight and found the elderly woman the Jounin had been questioning the highwayman about earlier. Kazuo frowned. "I'm sorry, Kuo." Raising a hand, he clasped his shorter friend on the shoulder and gave a tight squeeze. He had no idea who this woman was to Kuodachi but she was obviously someone important.

[Gothmer]

Thoughts raced through Kuodachi's mind. For the first time in a very long time, Kuodachi felt the intense heat of anger flushing through his body. Increased heart rate, muddled thoughts, clenched fists. It all happened. His mind replayed every moment of the interrogation of the bandit. The hesitancy in claiming recollection of the women... It was a ploy to avoid mentioning they murdered her. Admitting to the lesser of two evils, robbing her rather than killing her.

His body refused to move, his entire being resting on his thoughts for that moment. The woman who had been like a mother to him since shortly after his father passed lying dead before him, her eyes wide with what Kuodachi reasoned to be the fear she felt before her demise. A deep stab wound from a large blade ran through her chest, a mortal blow and the source of the blood that had pooled beneath her.

He was pulled from his catatonic state with Kazuo's grip on his shoulder and the apologetic words reaching his ears. He would not respond immediately, but after a moment of silence he'd speak soft, calm words, “My girlfriend's grandmother. Sweetest woman I'd ever had the pleasure of knowing.” Finally taking a moment to visually examining the tomb beyond , Kuodachi picked out seven heads in total. At least seven murdered travelers for the sake of material gain.

A few more moments would pass before Kuodachi would finally move. He'd step into the tomb. His nose clenched shut by his left hand, he'd reach for the back of the woman's neck with his right, feeling a divot where her necklace was forcefully removed. He'd step back out, speaking the high pitched words to Kazuo, “Can you close the door? It's a little stuck.” He had a mission to complete. He would come back this way, to permit for a proper burial after all was said and done.

His own feet would begin carrying him back down the path towards the stockpile of goods. With a quick physical investigation of the addition to the bridge support, the fake wall was immediately obvious. With careful placement of his fingers, he pulled a section of the wall to reveal a decent sized space with two bags, maybe half a gallon in size, filled to the brim with what Kuodachi assumed to be stolen loot, and another barely filled. Business was undoubtedly good for the murdering crew of highwaymen. The metallic smell of blood mingled with the stale air. Pulling one bag out at a time, he'd set them to the side before moving his eyes to the last.

He'd pull this one out and proceed to untie the top and begin sifting through the loot. It was mostly cheap baubles with the occasional treasure mixed in. After a moment, he'd spot what his eyes searched for, a necklace made of gold with a vibrant red gem in the center of the medallion that hung from the chain. It was meant to be passed to Keiko when she was married and the source of the divot on the back of the elderly woman's neck. Upon closer examination, dried brown flakes could be seen, blood. With quick movements, he'd pocket the trinket and retie the bag off.

Outwardly, he was only displaying a calm, even potentially collected Kuodachi. Inside was an entirely different story. Even as he was going through all these actions, his mind was waging a war. A war against the unbelievable anger he felt surging uncontrollably to the surface. It was like a dam had been demolished. He could not seem to quell the anger and it ran right alongside a sorrow just as powerful. Would vengeance do any good?

Without skipping a beat, Kuodachi would toss a sack over his shoulder and begin the path back up towards the scene of carnage. “Can't leave them here, or I doubt it will still be there when we head back this way.” A few bandits had been allowed to live, and there was no telling how many might have known about the stash location.

When he found his way up the hill, Kuodachi's eyes met the bandit leader, now propped against the railing of the bridge. “See, I wasn't lying, so can you let me go?” Kuodachi's eyes were completely cold as he spoke calm words, “You want to tell me what I found down there?”

“You found the stash, of course.” There was little hesitation in the response. Kuodachi just shook his head as he walked closer to the incapacitated bandit. The groans of the others had largely stopped, most of them dying from blood loss or unconscious. A few, however, had actually gotten up and left, leaving the so called 'leader'. “You killed her.” Kuodachi said, the same unwavering calmness. A moment of panic could be seen in the bandits expression, “Killed..? W... what are you t... talking about?”

Kuodachi let the bag drop to the ground as he began weaving some seals, the bandits anxiety growing he began screaming at the sight of the seals, “Wait! She was...” Kuodachi locked eyes with the terrified bandit, activating the jutsu. “Don't worry, this doesn't hurt.” Kuodachi said, now at eye level with him. “Where is your base of operations?” he regurgitated pretty much what he'd already said. After the answer, his words became consumed with fear, as if he was terrified by what he was saying.“Truth. Good. Did your men kill the elderly woman I spoke of previously?” A simple “Yes” before he began shaking his head quickly, “She put up a fight! I didn't want to kill her!” He screamed.

The anger swelled even further as Kuodachi moved into another set of seals. “But you did,” Kuodachi said plainly before reaching forward with his hand, pausing short of touching him to give the final words, “This is going to hurt more than anything you have ever felt in your existence.” Following the words, he quickly grasped the bandit on the back of the neck. In the next moment, the bandit's body would begin convulsing, gurgled gasps for air would be heard as his systems began shutting down from the strain his brain just went through. Endless hours of torture. The fear and agony was evident in his expression as the life left his body. Kuodachi did not leave go of the man's neck, staring into his eyes the entire time and for moments afterward.

Moments would pass, and Kuodachi would not move. Should Kazuo have chose to stick around, it would even become an uncomfortably long time of staring into the eyes of a dead man. It was the first life the young Jounin had ever taken. For vengeance, or justice, or whatever it was... the end result was disappointing. The sorrow and anger did not leave or even diminish. Vengeance was not going to bring her back nor make telling his lover any easier.

Jutsu UsedShow

[Genjutsu • Answer Me This]
A-Ranked Status Genjutsu
Kuodachi does a string of handseals before pointing at someone and locking eyes with them. Both seeing the finger pointing and then meeting the gaze must happen before the Genjutsu triggers. Upon triggering, The victim will feel compelled to answer any question the use asks for three posts or five questions, whichever comes first. It doesn't matter when it was used, the victim will feel an absolute need to answer the question with the fullest capacity of their knowledge, within reason.


[Genjutsu • An Eternity We Shall Spend Together]
S-Ranked Overlay Genjutsu
Prerequisite: 50 Genjutsu, 50 control
The user will do a series of hand seals, then touch their target on nape of the neck. If successful, the target will be transported into an empty world, their hands and feet bound to the ground with right shackles that hold them completely still and they can't seem to break no matter how much they resist. The chains can reposition the target as the user wills them. The user will then appear in front of them, and is able to attack and torment the target however they see fit. While the genjutsu only lasts for about 10 minutes (or 5 posts. Still, only a fraction of a second passes in the real world.) for the user, every second feels like an hour to target, making the genjutsu feel like it lasts for 600 hours. Any weapons or objects the user needs will appear from no where for their use. In addition, the target will die in this illusion only when the user wills it, allowing them to stay conscious through forms of torture impossible to do in the real world for fear of a quick death.

[Sanjuro]

When Kuo explained who it was he saw, Kazuo's eyes cut from his friend back towards the bridge where the bandit crew was waiting. He had made sure not to kill any of them, just incapacitate. Koji had likely killed a few, he hadn't bothered to check. But he was beginning to regret his restraint. Clenching his jaw, he stood back as Kuodachi made his way into the makeshift crypt to check for something, what he wasn't sure and he didn't dare ask. In silence he followed the man's orders, sealing the crypt shut once more and went so far as to bar it to make sure no one could get in and out unless they were as freakishly strong as he was. He had an idea as to why Kuo wanted it shut again and he would make sure to be there when his friend came back.

By the time he was done, Kuo had fished out the spoils they had originally gone looking for and was heading back up the river bed to their quarry. The entire time he displayed no outward emotion. There was no rage in his eyes, no sadness, just a blank mask. But Kazuo could practically smell the combination of anger, hatred, and sorrow coming off the Jounin. When they got back to the scene, Kazuo whistled for Koji and went around, tying up any of the ones with a chance of surviving their injuries and ending the suffering of the few that wouldn't. All the while he kept a wary eye on Kuodachi's 'interrogation' of the tied up leader.

With the knowledge that the location of the base was correct, Kazuo went to collect their packs. He took note of the hand seals as he made his way passed Kuodachi but said nothing. The man needed to do this; whether it would help him or not in the long run would depend entirely on the type of person Kuodachi was. Personally, Kazuo doubted that Kuo would find solace in knowing he had killed the man who had killed a person he loved. Killing was never easy for humans. Perhaps Koji was fortunate in that regard; the ninken had no such qualms with the business of death.

Collecting his pack, Kazuo slung it over his shoulders and tied his forehead protector back around his forehead, where it belonged. When he got back, Kuodachi was still staring into the eyes of the dead man, his face blank whereas his victim's face was twisted into a picture of pure agony. There were no signs of mortal wounds on the man, only the claws marks from Koji earlier. His heart and mind had likely given out under the strain of Kuodachi's illusion. A civilian caught within the effects of a Genjutsu was truly a terrifying way to die.

Clapping Kuo on the shoulder, wrapping his fingers around the back of the shorter man's neck, Kazuo gave a soft squeeze and went to move him away from the body. "First kill?" Kazuo had killed before. Had done so a few times. The act of killing was easy. It's what they were trained to do from the moment they stepped into the Ninja Academy. That didn't make dealing with the aftermath as easy. Knowing and doing were two very different things, and Kazuo had been fortunate enough that none of his kills had been quite so… personal.

[Gothmer]

The clap on his shoulder once again ripped Kuodachi from his cold thoughts, his head jerking from the eyes of his victim to peer at Kazuo. He accepted the coaxing to his feet, standing slowly as the question reached his ears. Rank of Jounin and never needed to kill. He knew most Shinobi had killed at some point. It was what they were trained to do.

He'd give a small nod to the question, his eyes darting back to the corpse for a moment as he spoke, “Kazuo...” He reached out to take his backpack off Kazuo's hands. He shook his head, as if forgetting what he wanted to say, “Let's move on. Someone will come by, eventually. Let them deal with a group of broken bandits.” It was pretty obvious based on the scene what they were, even to someone passing by.

Without another word, Kuodachi began across the bridge. He knew there was a decent chance one of the scouts might come along, or they might be freed in some manner. But it didn't matter. Most would likely readily give up their life of crime after what they witnessed. A demon dog shredding through men like butter. A Shinobi moving faster than their eyes could follow. Working a farm was less risky, and they knew that now. Beyond that, Kuodachi felt an eagerness to leave the scene behind far more than just desiring to continue the mission. He wanted to move his mind elsewhere.

The traveling would not help. Lots of time to think. The location of the base, according to the information he siphoned from the now deceased man, would be half a day out. At the very least, they could rest easy knowing it would indeed be exactly where the bandit said. Should the silence remain, Kuodachi would eventually fill it with more strategy talk, “Figures the operation would be running out of tea country. Guess that explains why the heaviest reports were from the south.” He shrugged as he leaped from branch to branch. “Probably could rest through the night, get to the supposed location in the morning. What do you think?” It was as if Kuodachi had left everything that happened behind. His mind, in actuality, was a typhoon of emotions, but he wouldn't let it show.

[Sanjuro]

Kazuo didn't comment, accepting Kuo's change of subject and letting him take his pack before he again motioned for Koji, who had been skirting around the edges of the battlefield to make sure no one else bothered them. Kuodachi was right, it was time to move on. They had a mission to complete and the information they had retrieved from this group was all they needed. Crossing the bridge, Kazuo took one last glance back to the havoc he and his partner had wreaked on the civilians. He couldn't help but wonder why people still bothered with such criminal activities when shinobi were around.

The journey was one filled with silence and Kazuo constantly watched Kuo for any signs of a breakdown. Apparently his friend had far better mental fortitude that Kazuo did when he made his first kill. He had almost hurled and cried and the person he had killed had been some scumbag slaver. And yet Kuodachi continued on, never looking back, his eyes always on the road ahead. The Inuzuka shook his head, his long hair tossing about behind him. He didn't think he would ever be able to control his emotions so well.

When Kuo finally did speak up, Kazuo came to a halt and looked up to the sky. Through the break in the canopy he could see the last rays of the sun dipping over the horizon, replaced by the twinkling stars and the reappearance of the moon. "I think we could do with a nap. You find a decent place to kip, Koji can go hunting for some fresh meat and I'll grab the firewood." He looked back down and smiled at Kuo. It was small, nothing like his usual broad grins, meant to be reassuring more than to convey happiness. "We'll worry about what comes tomorrow, tomorrow."