Hatred awakened

Legacy
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User flair: Conflict begets Growth

Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Mon Jan 15, 2018 1:59 pm

Shortly after a much needed Sparring session with Konoha's own Inuzuka, Kazuo Gene found himself full of a new found desire to protect those whom he'd held something akin to close ties with. However, shortly after that event; he, along with Kazuo, had been sent out on a distress call in regards to some knuckle-headed ninja who'd decided to make a break for it on the Special Jounin's off day. Of course, at the time he could have had no idea that what he would find upon arrival would've changed his outlook on "family" once again. Truthfully, he already lacked perspective on the subject finding it rather difficult to form attachments with anyone to begin with.

However, it wasn't until he'darrived to that dreadful opening in the forest did Gene remember what it was that he'd been getting himself into. Losing his mentor to the clutches of a dangerous Genma spirit, his own mother by the hands of a Shinobi who to this day still hadn't been captured, and the many stand offs between those whom he'd liked to believe were his comrades already - the message was so loud and clear in front of him yet for some reason, some inexplicable reason he'd gone soft; turned his back on the reality that fate seemed to keep forcing down his throat at every turn, every out...this was a world that Gene simply could NOT escape from. Finally, the line had been crossed when only yesterday he'd been forced to carry his best friend into the E.R for a life saving procedure and for what? Standing erect and motionless as if akin to a statue Gene's glare beamed toward the boulder in front of him as if it carried the answers...but he'd known all along.

It was negligence.


Renowed as a capable Shinobi across the board Gene wondered, where was his antennas when Fanho had been out there alone? Where was his mighty strength when Minoru slipped into the depths of hell on earth right before his very eyes, crying for help under the sound of silence? And again, where the fuck was his all mighty power and instinct when his own mother was butchered just minutes away from Konoha's doors? For all the strength others seemed to think he possessed the silver-haired Jounin had never felt more powerless, more useless than he did now. He'd allowed Zakuro to escape with his life and valuable secrets despite knowing the risks. Fanho had been defeated and as per protocol the arriving team should have completed it without fail and yet...no pursuit was given, not even the slightest effort. A growl? Big whoop. When lives were on the line a gesture like that would only get someone laughed at and definitely worse.

No matter how hard he worked, how hard he pushed himself Gene seemed unable to escape the helplessness he'd felt during the invasion where someone had actually given their life in order to save his own! He couldn't defeat Zai, couldn't face down Nehan even as she mocked him for his decision, couldn't do anything at all! In every situation where it really mattered he'd fallen short of the goal and each time, the voices of those he'd faced could be heard with a shrieking clarity; laughing, taunting, tormenting him with their flaunted power. Even Takeo whom he'd held the utmost respect for always seemed so far out of reach...It was as if he'd been in a pit and there just was no way out. To think that he had been placed in charge of a group of Genin was a frightening and humiliating thing to cope with; as if to say, 'go play baby sitter' because his time out in the field had been less than adequate.

With a surging wind Gene's thoughts seemed to spiral out of control from one extreme to the next taking him from places of disappointment to complete and total anguish. Before long, the young man was weaving through hand seals with a fire in his eyes. Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch! The sound of electricity whirring could be heard from quite a ways as a sea of blue enveloped the Jounin's left hand, Raiton chakra pulsating from his palm down to the ground where noticeable strike marks could be seen. What happened next was a blur of streaking black and blue lines before suddenly, the large boulder that stood confident in its position was completely obliterated in a thunderous BOOM that rocked the forest; chunks of earth and a maelstrom of dust scattered about violently. Rocks fell from the sky like rain and bombarded the soft grassy surface without mercy.

Meanwhile, on the other side of where once a large rock had stood the sound of electricity pierced the silence like a knife to butter. "With this Raikiri, I'll..." Gene had finally made up his mind on what he wanted to do. Friends were a luxury NOT a necessity and in the line of work he chose to take up they were a grave liability. Fanho had learned this lesson the hard way and in turn, Gene learned from his 'friends' mistake; he'd learned that no matter what, no matter who, anyone dumb enough to get in his way or impede upon the village in any way would be cut down without a seconds hesitation. Otherwise, those who'd given their lives to ensure that this jumbled pile of wood and brick that was called Konoha to survive would have done so for absolutely no reason at all. He would protect the village...In his own way.

It wasn't love that kept Mitsurugi going. It wasn't the feeling of companionship or even thoughts of connections as many were naive enough to believe. It was the complete and utter hatred of everyone who'd made themselves an enemy of the village, the disdain for anyone who deliberately went out of their way to impede forward progress and the disregard for childish notions over what really being a Shinobi meant. After all, the enemy had been willing to go to whatever length necessary to achieve their goals as was proven time and time again. So why the hell were the Leaf ninja still palling around instead of hardening their hears and minds? Perfecting their jutsu?


Peace could exist only through the means of extreme nature taken to preserve it. Those who thought otherwise were sure to die out in the hottest of flames.
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Hatred awakened

Post by Izanagi » Sat Feb 03, 2018 8:56 am

Takeo had learned much about Fanho, Taiga, and Gene in their encounter at the hospital. It was interesting to see the trio interact in person and realize how different each of them truly were. Fanho was ever optimistic and hopeful, a true embodiment of the Will of Fire, someone who would never turn his back on a comrade or lose faith. Taiga on the other hand seemed to want nothing more than to be included and find acceptance, lashing out in anger when others neglected him though it was apparent he did care about others and value his friends. Lastly Gene had become more than just a stickler for rules and regulations, he had become cold and distant from his friends, seeming to prioritize the mission and the duty of a shinobi over attachment to others. This was a shift in personality that was worrisome to the Hokage. The man had a great deal of respect for the young ANBU prodigy and there were certainly uses for a skilled shinobi but even for members of ANBU he wished them to be more than simply a tool for the village, every individual mattered, and it was his responsibility to keep the Will of Fire burning strong within the hearts of his comrades.

Many times he had failed in this endeavor, the situation with Zakuro proving to be a prime example and he would be damned it he let one failing lead to another. Taking the time to seek out Gene personally the Hokage scoured the village and eventually tracked the young Jounin down, honing in on the training grounds before picking up on the man’s scent and then hearing the tell-tale chirping of the Raikiri in action. Clad in his Hokage robes overtop of a blue shirt and black pants the man came geared up with his usual weapons and forehead protector tied and crisp, the black material just long enough to create a strong knot with just enough excess to reach the base of his chestnut colored hairline. The bearded warriors striking blue eyes caught sight of the young Mitsurugi and in a blinding burst of speed he appeared 5 meters to his left side. “So you’ve made up your mind then? You’re really prepared to drive that Raikiri through Zakuro’s chest” he assessed, more as a statement than a question. It was both disappointing and expected. In a wayhe could understand completely how Gene felt, he had been the one to form ANBU after all and even before that he had been the first recruit into the ruthless organization known as ROOT. He had mercilessly killed hundreds of people, men and women, even young teenagers who had become combatants. Many were cruel individuals, bandits and slavers but others were simply honest guards trying to make a living, or loose ends employed by the wrong people.

Takeo sighed slowly, though his compassionate eyes indicated that he understood some of what Gene was feeling. “You know, I just had a conversation like this with Onigumo not long ago. When you’re in an organization like ANBU you see the worst in people, you begin to only see threats to Konoha, problems that need to be neutralized. It’s a feeling that will consume you and make you grow calloused as you dedicate everything you have to your work only to realize one day that you’ve gone months without speaking to those you once considered close friends and even your family you feel like you barely know anymore.” He approached closer, hoping that Gene would hear him out even if he wasn’t the most receptive to what he had to say.

All he could do was try, no matter how many times he had failed to bring those he cared about back into the light he could never give up on others, that was his duty as Hokage. “I know you’ve suffered loss: the death of your mother, seeing first hand what happened to Mino and now Zakuro." he let that sink in for a moment, he still felt regret for not being there for Gene after his mother had fallen in the line of duty but he did care. "It might feel like the only way to move forward and prevent more loss is to grow cold and ruthless but it’s not worth the cost of losing what matters most. Mino, Zakuro, they both lost faith in their friends and decided to take all their pain onto themselves. It destroyed Mino to the point where there’s no emotion left in him and Zakuro is so overwhelmed with pain that he has acted foolishly and turned against his friends. We will bring him back and there will be consequences but we have to at least try to remind him that he doesn’t have to be alone.” He pleaded, standing in front of Gene now. “Violence is always an option in our line of work but it’s not the only option. The Will of Fire comes first and that means never turning our backs on a comrade as long as there is still hope of bringing them back into the light” he meant the words to be directed as much at Gene as Zakuro, from his perspective they were the same, both lost and misguided, burdened by pain and trying to deal with it all alone and forsaking their comrades in the process.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:51 am



When Takeo had arrived Gene's hand still glowed with the bright blue light of Raikiri. If it weren't obvious enough, his Chakra control had improved to the point of allowing him the luxury of more than just one burst - more than what could be said of the last time they'd met near a training ground. "Don't tell me you've come all this way to check on me," Gene replied focusing on a tree that would become his next target. "I'm hardly worth the trouble." Takeo should have known that asking Gene of all people anything relating to Zakuro wouldn't have rolled over well; after all, he had trained for just that sort of mission and more now than before he'd lost that compassion keeping him from acknowledging the truth. He would neither confirm not deny Takeo's attempts to pry and instead, left the answer to be interpreted of his own volition.

Out of respect for the man however, Gene hadn't gone through with his training and instead released his control over the Raikiri allowing the pulsating blue streaks of electricity to die out before turning to face the man. He'd fought back the urge to quirk a brow at the mention of Onigumo realizing that Takeo hadn't known that Gene figured out the man's true identity some time ago. A feat that wasn't difficult when the person in question hadn't remembered to alter his voice before putting on the mask. It was at this point that Gene realized, Takeo still saw him as the nonchalant Chunin he'd met that day at the training grounds. What he would soon realize one way or another was that the Silver leaf had been scorched to ashes the day the world burned. Now, all that remained was a Dragon who's wrath had just tipped the scales.

It was usual for Gene to have an opinion of his own, to be absent of political pleasantries in times where they may have been more than necessary. However, what came to mind at the mention of his mother and even his late Sensei whom had been the first to instill what it meant to truly believe in the will of fire Gene could feel himself losing balance. He'd been reminded of all the times he'd tried to form bonds with others - people like Aburame, Ko who for better or worse, lacked the aptitude for friendship and what it'd meant to him then. How he'd accepted others for their poor qualities despite a better calling advising him not to ONLY for the sake of what he thought was the will of fire. Then, almost immediately, he recalled upon the fateful night where his own home had been Broken into by people of the very village he protected. Where was the will of fire then?

He'd realized all too long ago that while he definitely was his Father's child, Gene and Ken were not the same. Whereas Ken believed in letting things slide - Gene had seen far too many accounts where just letting things be had wound up having costly repercussions. After all, had the village higher ups not allowed Enma to roam free he would never have been able to team up with Yaku and attack the village in the first place; an attack that was so severe in fact, that it'd left several high ranking/valuable Shinobi dead. Yet...as he listened, the silver-haired Jounin heard nothing but the words of a man still clinging to optimism. Had he been determined to allow history to repeat itself? Would it take the ENTIRE village being wiped out this time before the message had gone through? Zakuro knew more about the inner workings of Konoha than he'd let on for sure and to make matters worse, the Shinobi tools he possessed made him invulnerable to most Ninjutsu should he so wish to learn how to utilize the power. Gene of all people would know because he'd been there to help him keep hold of the damned things.

Finally, when he could listen to no more he parted his lips and spoke the words, "Lord Hokage...certainly you wouldn't place the life of one individual over the lives of everyone here in the village.
The women and children, your children?"
He hadn't so much as moved a muscle and yet, Gene's presence now bore down upon the land like an anchor. The weight of his resolve couldn't be questioned. "You walk in the light now only because you've thrived in the darkness before. As Hokage,
the burdens you bare are finite. However, don't allow optimism to cloud your judgement. My Sensei, your friend and more are all examples of what will happen if you take faith without action too far."
A man of few words, Gene has surmised the situation of past, present and future as well as answering any questions that Takeo may have had about the young Jounin under his employ assuming he'd delved deeper than just the surface meanings. Fanho, Taiga, Aina and more should have come to mind but one thing was for certain: Gene's stance on Zakuro was very clear.

Gene would do what ever was deemed necessary. Only...the perception of what exactly what was had been left to be interpreted. Thus far, few if any had truly seen beyond the trees into the forest. He wondered if the Hokage would be any different or if he'd cling to notions of aggression and lash out much like how the Genma host had done.

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Hatred awakened

Post by Izanagi » Tue Feb 06, 2018 6:44 pm

The Hokage studied Gene for subtle responses as he delivered his speech. As usual the young operative was difficult to get a read on, even for a seasoned professional. His facial expressions were practically nonexistent, and his heartbeat was slow and steady. Perhaps for a more skilled detection expert such as Kazuo or Yosuke they would be able to shed more light on the ANBU captain’s inner workings though Takeo could only judge based off his own intuition. He had an ear to the ground when it came to the on-goings of his most promising shinobi and he thought he had a good understanding of who Gene was as a person but without spending a great deal of time with someone it was hard to truly know them. The fact that he was hearing him out completely seemed to be a promising start. Even if Gene didn’t agree he still listened, it was a sign of respect and something Takeo admired about the young man.

As the muscular leader finished speaking he prepared himself for Gene’s response. He knew he had to balance a fine line in maintaining the respect shared between them despite the likelihood that they disagreed on some matters. What he hoped to achieve was the understanding that their beliefs may not be as drastically different as Gene might think. This happened to be one of the rare occasions where Takeo was envious of the Yamanaka and their mind reading techniques, there was so much about the young operative that remained a mystery, hidden beneath his cool and confident exterior. He wondered if there was anyone that Gene truly opened up to or if every response was condensed, filtered and calculated.

After some time Gene finally had a response and immediately Takeo narrowed his eyes in scrutiny. Mentioning his own children was a bit of a low blow, there was no possible future where Zakuro could pose a threat to them and it was true, if he ever did Takeo would strike him down on the spot without hesitation. Once his wrath was awakened Takeo was unrelenting and brutal. His own aptitude for violence was very much controlled until it was necessary to draw upon it. There were times where the thrill of combat consumed him so completely that he lost sight of himself, it was a side that few people had even glimpsed and none who had seen it completely had survived. “Make no mistake Gene, I have no intention of letting Zakuro roam free, he will be captured swiftly and aggressively. At this point I don’t believe he poses a direct threat to the village but he cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of someone whom would exploit the information he possesses or take hold of the weapons he carries. And if Zakuro attacks a retrieval squad with the intent to kill I leave it to the judgement of the individual to defend their own lives, even at the cost of his, though I expect that to be a decision made as a last resort.” He explained, a hint of danger had seeped into the gravity of his tone. The Hokage had a heart certainly but anyone who mistook that for weakness or complacency would find themselves sorely mistaken should he ever be tested.

He made sure to look Gene straight in the eye, his piercing gaze striking deep. “Even now, I have my moments in the darkness” he admitted, there was much Gene didn’t know and couldn’t understand. In the public eye Takeo played the role of Hokage well but one could never truly outrun darkness once one allowed it into the soul. The man who was once ANBU commander and before that a crucial member of ROOT still existed within him. There was almost no limit to what kind of underground deal or unorthodox action he would take to ensure the safety and prosperity of the leaf village and its people. “Do not mistake love and hope for weakness, they are what give me the strength to do what is needed. Your sensei was once my student. After the invasion his mother was murdered, presumably by his own father. This turmoil caused him to lose control and when he did action was taken. I was the first on the scene, commander of ANBU at the time I led a team in overpowering the beast and suppressing its power until a sealing team could arrive. I knew that my actions could kill Mino but I did not hesitate or hold back because the safety of the village was at stake. Action WAS taken and after the Genma had been extracted from him and Minoru imprisoned all that remained was faith but Mino turned his back on the friends that remained by his side despite it all. He could have reclaimed his life but he decided he deserved the pain and guilt he felt and those feelings destroyed him. I WILL allow action against Zakuro if he poses a threat but I will not turn my back on someone while there remains a chance they can still reach out and reclaim their life and their friends.” The man spoke with great passion and intensity but it wasn’t anger that he felt. He truly believed everything he said and would stand by his policies for as long as he lived. It was a balance he had found between light and dark and he would not lose it.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:28 pm

"Suppose you do manage to bring him back,
then what?"
Gene asked abruptly though retaining a leveled tone. "Who's to say he won't just run away again or worse?" Crouching down to the ground Gene picked up a small twig with several smaller limbs running along it's side. One of the limbs however, had been snapped and hung on by a thread. "Without understanding the reason why Zakuro decided to abandon the village in the first place bringing him back and dolling out a punishment won't prevent it from happening again and conversely, when he returns - if he returns, you'll have people watching and waiting for you to set the example. Studying the small fallen tree limb, Gene couldn't help but question how such a perfect structure could be harmed so easily and then the answer came to him: one of the links, the broken one, had not been in sync with the others and therefore wasn't strong enough to fullfill its purpose.

Zakuro had strayed because somewhere along the line the support he needed to lean on hadn't been strong enough to handle the weight of his turbulent mind and thus, breaking away was inevitable. How much of a coincidence Gene thought, would it have been if the now rogue nin had reached out in his own way before making his decision to flee? It had been no secret that the Hokage couldn't be everywhere at once and the Jounin were scattered far and few between so who, he wondered, was keeping the moral of everyone in line? Realizing that he'd been drifting off in thought again Gene cast the ideas aside and again focused upon Takeo. "Lord Hokage, it's not about what you can do after a problem has happened that matters.
It's how you can prevent the problem from ever having happened in the first place - granted you're only human as are the rest of us, there are limits to what is possible. Though if I were being completely honest with you,"
he paused adjusting the white scarf around his neck. "The one person who understands Zakuro right about now is the only person you haven't taken the time out to meet with directly and even then, I don't think a simple pop up based on strategic agendas will roll as well with them as it does with me." Gene may have been many things but he was far from a dimwit. Granted their interactions were scarce Gene had come to associate Takeo'ss visits with ulterior agendas; games of indirect interrogation & probing rather than heartfelt check ups, not that he didn't appreciate the sentiment. The problem was that if he could figure it out so easily someone like Taiga who may as well been 99% emotion and 1% rationale would pick up on the premeditated probing and shut down completely. Perhaps the same had happened with Zakuro.

A fun fact: While Takeo had been fortunate enough o develop bonds of his own growng up, the generation after ; Gene's generation, were the byproduct of a village assault that killed hundreds and injured twice that. Many of them had lost people so close to them that forming connections now may as well have been impossible and yet, they tried anyway. Taiga was one of those people and Gene understood that after losing someone dear and being reminded of how small they were in the grand scheme of it all, no one wanted to deal with fake love of any kind. After all, who would want to stay in a place that they didn't feel welcomed in? Beneath the surface the Dragon of Konoha understood more than he chose to let on...more than even his own father probably realized. It was because of that understanding that he'd been able to be a Shinobi after all. Keeping a leveled head didn't come from running away from the truth.
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Hatred awakened

Post by Izanagi » Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:16 pm

Some of what the man was saying seemed to be resonating with the young shinobi, enough at least that the tone was able to shift from that of a disagreement to that of a conversation. Takeo noticed the change in Gene’s demeanor, becoming more relaxed and crouching down. He didn’t much like standing over someone as he talked, it reminded him of a hostage interrogation, memories that he didn’t want to associate with a fellow leaf shinobi. Still, it couldn’t be helped so instead he relaxed his own posture and softened his facial expressions, adopting a more casual aura. He even chuckled lightly at the naivety of Gene’s statement, “Why even have prisons at all? He will serve a jail sentence and have routine check ups by Yamanaka sensors, if he truly wishes make amends we will know, conversely if he seeks escape or further betrayal he will remain under watch.” He countered, did Gene truly have so little faith in the justice system that he believed there was no chance of rehabilitation? That any criminal should be executed or imprisoned indefinitely to prevent re-offence? Takeo watched Gene with scrutiny, deciding that the young operative was simply probing for what kind of answer would be given.

The further explanation gave greater insight into Gene’s mindset and yet it contradicted his previously established stance.
“That’s precisely it. Punishment alone isn’t sufficient; the leaf village is a community connected by the Will of Fire. Our spirit, though troubled, cannot be conquered. Our heart, though heavy, cannot be broken. Zakuro is not a lost cause, not yet. When one flame dwindles the others must come together and rekindle that fire.” Perseverance was a prevailing theme in the leaf villages sacred words, not just for oneself but in the ability to never give up in any endeavor. Takeo knew that Zakuro had been failed by someone he trusted, someone who had found themselves equally consumed by turmoil.

Takeo smiled sadly, Gene was starting to get the right idea and yet there was a painful reminder of how often he had failed others. “You’re right” he agreed softly. “As much as I try I can’t be everywhere…” he stopped mid-sentence as Gene alluded to Taiga. The man fully intended on properly meeting with the young man soon though it was the tail end of Gene’s words that stung, piercing deep. ‘Strategic agendas eh?’ he mused to himself. Was that really true? “Maybe you’re right” he sighed, exhaling slowly as he moved to sit down on the grass, leaning back with his hands braced on the ground. “I can’t be everywhere, I do my best to keep informed and make time when I can see that I need to intervene, most of the time however I try to rely on each of you to support your own friends and to find inner strength truly experience what it means to be a leaf shinobi. As much as I care, there are thousands of shinobi in Konoha and even more civilians. Taiga needed to learn that just because he is a Jinchuriki doesn’t mean he deserves respect and attention, he should earn it, same as anyone else. More to the point however I wished to see him learn to care about his comrades and trust them, having faith that you, Fanho and others could grow together and see one another’s pain and mend it. He has made great strides over the years in his personal growth. I look forward to seeing the man he becomes.” The young Jinchuriki may despise Takeo and resent him for seemingly ignoring him but what he didn’t realize was that the Hokage already acknowledged and respected him.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
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User flair: Conflict begets Growth

Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:56 am

After he'd seen enough of the tree limb Gene dropped it to the ground as if it were a broken toy. No matter how you word it - any Shinobi incapable of performing the basic duties required of the job won't be viewed with fond intentions. The world isn't as forgiving or accepting as you, Takeo. The words were on the edge of Gene's tongue but by the grace or torture of the gods, had not been allowed to leave his mouth. Takeo's optimism would hold no ground against Enma who had for the most part, been used as a prime example as far as Gene were concerned. However, Konoha in its many years had another Shinobi go rogue that Gene unwittingly came across in Fur country. A certain Jashinist with a knack for causing dread and terror wherever her name had been brought up - could Takeo's approach work on her?

Conversely, it wasn't his intention to lash out at the man for the things he could not do and once Gene realized that his comments were beginning to stray off the point he wasted no time in switching gears. "Don't get me wrong, the fact that you can't be everywhere isn't actually a bad thing. After all -
I don't think anyone would be able to focus on their roles with a million you's running around standing over our shoulders.
Smiling, Gene flicked the last kunai he had out from its holster and spun it around his index finger. "Just like this Kunai, I think one of you is enough." Abruptly, Gene killed the momentum of the Kunai and snatched it within his grasp. "After all," said Gene as he slid the Kunai back where it belonged."Regardless of the intent behind your visit - fact is you're here when you don't have to be. I'd say that shows you give a damn about your subordinates...even if some of us are complete idiots."

Despite his words and those of Takeo's Gene hadn't been an easy one to sway. He still believed that at the end of the day there was no measure to great when it came down to protecting what little had been left of his home but the will of fire sentiment had almost breached his ironclad mind. True, forging bonds were a vital part of the village infrastructure but Fanho was an example of how those same bonds could be harmful if allowed presidency over reasonable action. A broken limb or a weak link needed to be cut from the branch in order for new limbs to grow in its place; Shinobi in essence, were no different. If Gene were to die today he'd already known that another Jounin would eventually take his place. Missions would continue flowing in and daily life in and out of the village would resume as normal. That's just the way things worked and even the Hokage himself, was no exemption to this fact of their lifestyle. So why, he wondered, was forming a bond that could be severed at any moment so important?
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Post by Izanagi » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:17 am

The Hokage nodded slowly in contemplation. Gene had a good point. The leaf village relied on one another to pull their own weight and do their part for the village. If a shinobi truly lost their Will of Fire they would be cast out by the others and seen as a liability. “You’ve got me there. To clarify, when I speak of never giving up on a comrade I’m referring to those who still have a flame left to fan, I believe Zakuro isn’t past the point of no return. There are others of course who have cast out completely what our village stands for, at that point they are no longer our comrade but a bitter enemy to be eliminated. You know as well as I that true monsters exist, people with no remorse or empathy who only wish to cause destruction, pain and suffering. I don’t believe in second chances for individuals who thrive on such terror and chaos.” He explained, wondering how much to reveal.

Looking Gene in the eye he decided to share some classified information, as an ANBU captain he was sure Gene knew of the encounter even though it wasn’t a member of his squad that had accompanied Takeo. “As I’m sure you’re aware Nehan was spotted in Fire Country shortly after my inauguration. I set out to confront her directly but what I left out in my report was that she initially advocated for peace and redemption. She claimed she was a changed woman, a healer of the innocent and she meant no ill will towards the village. After years spent attempting to track her down, following countless bodies and destroyed villages I couldn’t believe that someone like her had changed. I trusted my instincts and attacked without hesitation, seeing her for the deranged S-rank criminal that I believe her to be. Surely enough as soon as she saw her blood pouring from her severed limb and realized her life was in danger she reverted to the woman in the reports. Unfortunately she was rescued by Hiraku Kenji though I had every intention of ending her life.” It went without saying that Enma would receive the same treatment. Twice Takeo had battled the man and twice he had lost but that wouldn’t stop him from striving to kill him.

Takeo chuckled as Gene compared him to a kunai, stating that one of him was more than enough. “I appreciate that Gene, truly.” He stated with a slight smile and compassionate eyes. It was so refreshing for someone to understand the difficulty in appeasing everyone as well as fulfilling all of the duties to the village. “Even complete idiots can become exceptional shinobi and close friends, just look at Yoru” he said with a nostalgic smirk. It donned on him that Gene likely didn’t know the Bannin all to well, though nearly all knew him by name at least. He was once Takeo’s Genin student, only 8 years younger than himself Yoru had become akin to a brother to the man and to this day remained his closest friend. “If it weren’t for my friendship with Yoru I would have never become as strong as I am today nor would I have ever considered creating ANBU or becoming the Hokage for that matter. Even one friendship can change so much, not just for ones own life but for the outcome of the village as a whole” he mused, feeling ever grateful for the strong bonds he had created over the years. They had helped pull him out of much darkness and allowed him to reclaim himself, even grow as a person and become the kind of man who could protect Konoha more than he ever could have dreamed.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:03 pm

Nehan. Where had he heard the name before? Gene couldn't quite remember until Takeo had mentioned how she advocated for peace. During the brief time he'd spent away in the ever changing climate of Fur country he'd met a woman - strange in appearance, but definitely fitting the description provided by the bearded fellow. At first Gene couldn't believe it but then shook away his doubts; in the Shinobi world it was common for one to play a role of deception in order to get what they wanted, he knew that better than anyone. However, as the Hokage continued to speak Gene couldn't help but feel the grim chill as he realized that there was a foe out there that even the man of many jutsu couldn't defeat. It'd been the first time that Gene thought that he'd been naive to believe he could stand against anyone no matter their strength and frankly, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Worse still, was the mention of another whom he'd never heard of before. "What were they like in combat?" Gene asked curiously, his eyes aflame with intensity.

The more knowledge he could gain on the enemy of his village the better chance he stood at being able to keep them at bay should the need ever arise. Besides, with three eager Genin to look after these days he didn't want to leave anything to chance. He'd never consider having children of his own and the three were hardly children - being less than a decade apart from him in age, but their innocence reminded him of the kind of person he used to be. Before the invasion, before that day...

As far as Yoru had been concerned Gene knew nothing of the man aside from he was a Bannin just like Aina. Furthermore, the silver-haired Jounin couldn't relate to the sentiment of friendship aside from the bond he'd shared with Fanho and the one-sided rivalry with Taiga but he would be hard pressed to call that a true functioning motivator. Both of them weren't too fond of him at this point and he honestly couldn't blame them; whether they liked it or not Gene had chose to walk a different path from the rest of the bunch. Whether or not Takeo's words had any real effect on the Jounin remained to be determined but he listened all the same, waiting for the man to get around to answering his initial question about the two missing Shinobi. At some point during their conversation, Gene had taken a seat and opted to lean up against the base of the log he'd previously been about to destroy before Takeo's timely arrival.
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Post by Izanagi » Thu Feb 22, 2018 3:18 pm

Takeo smirked, his piercing blue eyes looking Gene over. It was refreshing to witness the captivation and intensity in Gene’s interest, typically he didn’t seem to care for much of anything though combat, that was something the young Jounin took seriously. As one of Konoha’s top Jounin, Takeo was happy to divulge information to Gene on S-rank threats, a day might come after all where Gene would have to fight them himself and the more prepared he was for that scenario the better. The Hokage’s eyes lit up, he knew he should have been serious and focus on the dangers of such foes but he couldn’t help but revel at the memory of such an intense battle. “Incredible.” He stated, almost in awe of the power they displayed. “Physically Nehan is even stronger than me, every swing of her scythe was enough to create large craters and ravines in the ground, trees were cut down like blades of grass and even a single punch from her could topple a small mountain. Luckily I was faster than her and I initially took her surprise with my speed, managing to cut off her left arm and nearly her head before she managed to react. Her body though, it regenerates quickly and she believes herself to be immortal. Throughout the battle I riddled her body with deep cuts that would have killed anyone else, Yoru arrived to back me up and even impaled her straight through the chest with a Raikiri but it wasn’t enough. Nonetheless I believe if Kenji hadn’t of intervened I could have shredded her body into enough pieces and burned the remains to prevent her from regenerating. That was the plan anyway.” He had known about Nehan for many years, gathering information on her weaknesses. He had thought he was prepared to defeat her but what he didn’t count on was Kenji showing up to assist her.

His tone would become more serious now and his gaze too. Where Nehan had been an exhilarating fight, forcing him to think on his feet and pushing his close combat skills to the limit Kenji was something else entirely. He was a man who genuinely unsettled Takeo and made him feel weak in comparison. “Kenji on the other hand. I truly don’t know if he can be killed. His mastery of Ninjutsu is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Space-time, Tenkujutsu and raw chakra manipulation capable of decimating villages. Not only that but his body is made entirely of tendrils which he can manipulate into various forms, attacking at a great range with as much speed and power as I can muster or even more in certain forms. I hit him with my absolute best, the combination I had developed to kill Nehan, S-rank winds that can cut anything trapped within it to nothing more than grains of sand, coupled with my most powerful Katon jutsu. He managed to buy just enough of a defense with his tendrils to teleport out of range but even then his body was nearly destroyed, all of his limbs completely decimated and yet he regenerated himself in seconds. If he had counter attacked instead of retreating I sincerely don’t believe I’d live though it…maybe if Yoru managed to create a portal and get us out of there but to defeat him would likely take at least two or three Bannin working together.” He explained. It went without saying that even Jounin were not to engage these monsters if at all avoidable.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:20 pm




Listening to the Hokage's encounter, Gene folded his arms over one another and simply stared as if in deep contemplation. In his head Gene visualized an encounter with Nehan first; intercepting the woman in an area riddled with cover from trees and shrubs, rocks and hills, even urbanized regions designed of nothing but buildings short and tall. In each environment there'd been but one common factor: Imminent danger. Not the kind akin to wild animals but a predator who could not, would not and should not have been reasoned with. During the encounter Gene played to his strengths - every last one. From ambush tactics to shock and awe strategies in the very end; against the sort of straight forward battle style that the woman approached, the odds worked in his favor...at least in the beginning. Overtime the onset of fatigue became inevitable, forcing Gene into hiding while his ever merciless enemy continued with her assault; regenerating the wounds she'd sustained during moments where he'd hid to rest and regain his strength.

By now, he'd hit her with his strongest Jutsu; Raikiri, twice. She'd gone down as planned however, Nehan's regenerative properties proved to be insurmountable and in the end Gene found himself at a loss for both physical stamina and spiritual energy. The last thing he recalled before his eyes snapped open was a scythe tearing through his Torso and sending his heart flying out into the open air. Suddenly he found himself whole; alive and still postured with both arms crossed over his chest - heart still beating. I'm alive... he thought in disbelief, realizing that he'd drifted off into a world all his own tuning in only hoping that he hadn't been noticed by the perceptive Hokage. "Throughout the battle I riddled her body with deep cuts that would have killed anyone else, Yoru arrived to back me up and even impaled her straight through the chest with a Raikiri but it wasn’t enough. Nonetheless I believe if Kenji hadn’t of intervened I could have shredded her body into enough pieces and burned the remains to prevent her from regenerating. That was the plan anyway.” Apparently, he hadn't been found out or if he had, Takeo hadn't spoken up on it. However, Gene realized something crucial about his opponent at the time that he didn't before; she was able to be wounded and apparently, her regenerative properties had been slow enough to the point where Takeo and Yoru were able to inflict severe damage consistently. Which meant that if nothing else, speed would be the key to confronting that foe.

Although, he thought, if simply wounding the woman hadn't been sufficient enough to bring her down in one fell swoop why didn't the two adjust their tactics to something more...stable? Gene had always known Takeo to be a man of many aspects when it came down to the arts and even now, believed that there were few who could pose a challenge to the man in a serious battle. But listening to him speak Gene couldn't help but feel as though there was something missing in the tactics, something that probably would have changed the battle drastically and minimized the damage taken on Konoha's side. Still silent, he continued to listen as the Hokage delved into the details surrounding a Shinobi who Gene had never heard of before: Kenji.


“Kenji on the other hand. I truly don’t know if he can be killed. His mastery of Ninjutsu is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Space-time, Tenkujutsu and raw chakra manipulation capable of decimating villages. Not only that but his body is made entirely of tendrils which he can manipulate into various forms, attacking at a great range with as much speed and power as I can muster or even more in certain forms. I hit him with my absolute best, the combination I had developed to kill Nehan, S-rank winds that can cut anything trapped within it to nothing more than grains of sand, coupled with my most powerful Katon jutsu. He managed to buy just enough of a defense with his tendrils to teleport out of range but even then his body was nearly destroyed, all of his limbs completely decimated and yet he regenerated himself in seconds."

Gene fought back the urge to spit at the ground. What he had just heard sounded nothing like a Shinobi but a demon, something that shouldn't have existed in this world to begin with. Furthermore, there was that terminology that complicated things on an entirely new level; Space time Ninjutsu, Tenkujutsu. "What?! He has Jikukan and Tenkujutsu at his disposal? It'd been the first time that Gene had reacted with surprise since the two had met, clearly showing how serious that he took the situation. He'd fought against only one user who utilized both Jikukan and Tenkujutsu in an encounter that nearly cost him his own life. Unlike other forms of Ninjutsu, Jikukan allowed the user to bend and warp reality to their whim at the drop of a dime and at no small cost to their chakra or the safety of the opponent. It was an art that in end of itself, would tire most Shinobi outright, combining that with Spirit summoning only managed to give Gene flash backs of what may have happened if he were just even a hair slower than his opponent.

"Lord Hokage...just what on earth were you thinking?!" Gene stepped forward, his arms uncrossed now. "It hasn't even been a full three years into your reign as the current Hokage and you're out trying to get yourself killed. If what you're saying is true and these guys are insanely powerful it'd be a major blow to the village if the strongest Shinobi here was to go and get himself slain by them.
"
There'd been a tinge of guilt behind the Cloud watcher's words, as if he'd been ashamed for not having been apart of the mission. However, the hint of emotion was soon replaced with a calm demeanor as he sighed before continuing. "Still, I should thank you. You may very well have just helped uncover a crucial element to being able to bring both of them down." Gene folded his arms over one another and leaned up against a nearby tree, "You see, I've been thinking about this whole thing since you mentioned it and I honestly haven't been able to come up with a clear cut solution on how to beat either of them in a straight up fight. Their powers are just too great an obstacle to be overcome with brute force alone," Gene admitted. "But if we could somehow manage to seal away their strange abilities with Fuinjutsu then maybe we'd stand a fighting chance. It's a stretch I know...and I won't be able to confirm this hypothesis without confronting the enemy directly." Gene's Auburn hues flickered but what he'd thought in this moment was a mystery.

He realized what the implications behind such a risky gambit could have meant in the grand scheme of it all and accepted the badge of honor properly. However, he wasn't so naive as to think he could possibly do it alone. No, to do so would mean certain reckless death and nothing would come of it. If he were going to go out and play soldier for the sake of the village then he would need one hell of a team - people who could hit hard, hit fast and get the hell out of dodge in a moments notice. With his trap style Ninjutsu he could hold the enemy in place for a time sure enough but at best he'd only be able to buy a moment or two; in that moment....the seal would need to be applied.


Still...to have to resort to such risky tactics at all; Gene didn't like it.
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Post by Izanagi » Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:17 pm

Takeo nodded sternly, signifying the gravity of the danger of Kenji and the exceptional talents he possessed. Clearly Gene knew full well how rare such skills were, less than a week ago he had gotten a taste of such skills first hand in the form of a surprise encounter with a former Suna shinobi. “You’ve seen such skills before of course though I dare say that compared to Kenji Zao might as well be a Chunin, barely scratching the surface of what such arts are capable of whereas Kenji seems to have mastered non-elemental chakra manipulation. His hubris might be one of his only weaknesses. He believes himself to be a god of chakra, a true immortal being. Much like Nehan it is this overconfidence that allowed me to inflict so much damage, evidently the most either one of them has been pushed. It’s likely they might be more cautious in the future, though only against someone of a similar skill level.” He speculated, hoping to continue to provide gene with as much insight as possible.

The Hokage’s eyes widened in surprise at Gene’s sudden outburst, though Takeo made no indication of moving from his relaxed posture seated on the grass, legs stretched out before him. He let out a short sigh and listened to what the young man had to say. It wasn’t the first time he had received flak for his reckless actions. He knew he had taken a huge risk and it could have been extremely detrimental to the village but the truth was that he would always be a warrior at heart. Not only that but he wasn’t convinced anyone else could do it. Ironically he believed Yoru and Aina while strong were too one dimensional in their combat styles, though the truth was during the fight he had become so caught up with feeling the rush of battle, fighting an opponent that could truly pose a threat to him that he had been intentionally reckless in order to find out what he and his opponent were truly capable of. “Logically I know you’re right. As leader to the village my life should be something that is guarded but I also know that I am one of only a handful of people in the village that could even hold their own against Nehan or Kenji let alone defeat them. Aside from myself we only have two Bannin who would be able to stand up to even Nehan. Aina was still recovering from childbirth at the time and Yoru had been sent to back me up. There wasn’t much other choice.” He explained candidly. If Gene had suggestions for better protocol he was all ears but there was a reason why only Bannin were authorized to actively pursue S-rank missing ninja. “To me a leader isn’t someone who sits back while others do the heavy lifting, he’s the one who carries the heaviest load and inspires others to do their best” he added, perhaps another Kage would do things differently but Takeo couldn’t justify leaving the villages strongest warrior out of a battle.

The muscular warrior stood as Gene chimed in with his tactical input. He had been hoping that the young Jounin would have something to say on the matter. Listening intently it seemed that the teenager was on the right track in his assessment. His suggestion was one that gave the Hokage pause as he considered if such a thing was possible, “Risky, sealing their chakra…or perhaps even their regenerative abilities if we can determine whether or not that is an independent function. Seals are difficult to apply on a combatant however and it would require experimentation on subjects with similar abilities. Still, you might be on to something. Against Nehan it’s certainly possible, if she sustains enough critical injuries her body slows down significantly or even becomes immobile for a short period of time. Yoru and I managed to put her in such a state after her heart was pierced and both lungs destroyed. Kenji arrived just in time however and sheltered her in another dimension, I fear that a similar situation would occur in the instance of a fuuinjutsu seal being applied to her. As for Kenji himself I wasn’t able to get within 30 meters of him, with those tendrils of his and his long-range attacks as well as ability to create distance with portals…it’s almost better just to overwhelm him with combined and sustained long range attacks of our own.” While there were many possible tactics that could lead to Nehan’s defeat Kenji was a much more difficult problem to solve. The pair of them covered each others weaknesses expertly and it would take an equally skilled and hand picked team to create and exploit any weaknesses in their combinations.

Takeo smiled looking over at Gene and seeing the thought he was putting into this. “You’re really serious aren’t you? You think you could find a way to defeat them? I’m not going to lie you’re one of the villages most promising prospects and I certainly wouldn’t turn down your tactical input but you’re going to have to prove to me your strength before I’d ever authorize you to engage either one of them” he stated plainly. It had been quite some time since Takeo had seen Gene in action. “We’ve never actually properly sparred before have we Gene? Tell you what, the day you can hold your own against me is the day you’re welcome on any team sent after them.” He declared, part of him wondering if Gene would challenge him on the spot. If Gene truly thought he was ready to contend with an S-rank shinobi there would be no more games or light-hearted banter. He would see Takeo’s true power and the intensity of a battle of the uppermost elite.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:31 pm

"So, that's how it is then?" Gene bounded for the skies, spiraling backwards with his legs tucked and arms curled as if to imitate the appearance of a ball; moving just as fast - if not faster than a speeding arrow. Before Gene had landed flatly upon a thick tree branch seven meters East of where Takeo had currently stood he'd managed to flip his body three times - all of which appeared to be natural and in line with the flow of motion though to the silver-haired tactician, each flip where his back had been angled toward the Hokage and his hands out of sight served a different purpose. During the first rotation Gene retrieved the one remaining Kunai knife at his disposal and slid it through the opening of his shirt down through the right sleeve hidden near the right wrist. He'd done so not just smoothly but intelligently. Takeo was not a man who could be fooled with parlor tricks which was why during the second flip Gene tucked closer to increase his rotation speed - from the outside looking in he imagine that the Hokage would be none the wiser to what had really been taking place; it'd been during this rotation that Gene slipped a single paper bomb from his rear pouch and expertly slipped the item down the bottom of his shirt allowing it to fall all the way to his collar before being taken by the momentum.

In fact, the paper bomb had actually fallen from the Jounin's shirt but before it could slip into the bearded fellows visible range Gene used his teeth to bite down on the paper tag before completely concealing it within his mouth during the third and final rotation. By the time he had landed upon the tree branch a ways away from Takeo, Gene had already slipped the paper tag around the handle of a concealed Kunai. "Fighting you will be troublesome...but if it means I can go with the next hunting party it can't be helped. Besides..." uttered the Silver-haired specialist, retreating further and further into the depths of the forest seemingly getting lost within its varying elements of obscurity.

"The odds aren't in your favor."
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Post by Izanagi » Sat Feb 24, 2018 9:05 pm

Takeo smirked as Gene wasted no time in springing into action, he had a feeling that would be his response and already the Hokage felt himself excited at the prospect of seeing just how far the silver haired shinobi had come. The last time he had seen the teenager in action he had been a skilled Chunin and now he was one of the villages most elite Jounin, with any luck he might actually force Takeo to put in real effort. He certainly wouldn’t underestimate him but neither would he go quite all out right off the bat. He knew Gene would attempt to utilize minimal chakra, counting on Takeo’s typically grandiose style to gradually wear him out and begin to even the odds. The thing about that though was that relied on the assumption that Gene could last that long in the first place. Few people had the level of chakra reserves that Takeo did, anything less than an A-rank jutsu was essentially just a drop in the bucket, barely even felt to someone of his calibre.

Right out of the gate the bearded warrior could discern that his opponent was remarkably fast for his age and rank and his taijutsu too was exceptional although that much he already knew. If the kid stuck to hit and run tactics rather than direct confrontation there was a chance he could last at least a few minutes in a close range fight, whatever range or method of fighting Gene chose however Takeo would have an answer. His entire shinobi career had revolved around being able to adapt to anything and prove formidable against any opponent, even when he was outmatched. Gene had a similar mentality but how would the young prodigy fare against someone else who was notorious for defying the odds? Someone who outmatched the kid in every way save perhaps tactically and even then it would be by a slim margin at best. Takeo for one was excited to find out.

He was grinning by the time Gene boasted that the odds weren’t in his favor, he even began chuckling in amusement. “You’ll eat those words soon enough Gene” he muttered, lightheartedly. He would give the kid a few seconds of a headstart, just enough to observe his plan. ‘Going for cover eh?’ he noted, well he wouldn’t get away from him that easily. No matter how well Gene hid Takeo could smell him clear as can be and track his every movement, not letting him escape his notice for a second. Rushing forward Takeo would narrow the gap between the two of them to 10 meters, making up the distance between them in an instant and then he would begin a series of seals, roughly matching Gene’s pace as he did so, slowing down just enough to focus his chakra into the powerful technique. Once the seals were completed Takeo would aim slightly to Gene’s left, the stream of water slicing through his cover, straight through the center of a tree and then sweeping to the side in an attempt to slice the man in half, continuing in a full circle as Takeo lowered the elevation of the stream to about 1.5 meters from ground level, cutting down every tree and even slicing through all boulders within a 25 meter radius. The forest would come crashing down, toppling over one another and creating a mess of broken branches and fallen trees, trapping anything unfortunate enough to attempt to find cover.

As Gene was kept occupied with avoiding fallen debris Takeo would form another set of seals before drawing a kunai, pricking his thumb and pressing his hand against the ground. In a cloud of smoke an enormous creature would appear, standing nearly 12ft tall, well over 1000lbs, wearing a full suit of armor, and holding a 10ft long war-hammer, scythe hybrid was a Grizzly bear warrior of remarkable physical strength, comparable to Nehan herself. “Gene, prepare to meet Sesshoujin. Sesshoujin, show this kid what a real battle is like. He’s right over there” Takeo would state, pointing towards whatever hiding position Gene had moved to. “Got it” rumbled the deep voice of the bear and without hesitation it would advance before slamming a paw into the ground, heaving up a massive boulder and hurling it towards Gene, following quickly behind at a much greater speed than one would expect of a bear of his size (32 Speed). As he ran the thunderous impact would shake the ground, making even Takeo struggle to stand until the beast moved out of range. Closing the distance the bear would smash its weapon into the boulder, spreading huge pieces of debris at 50 Strength that would pulverize any fallen trees/stumps in its path and leave enormous craters wherever they struck. If the bear was able to locate Gene it would leap up into the air and crash down with all its weight and power, striking the ground and decimating everything within a 15 meter radius. If Gene thought he could stand up to Nehan he was about to get a very abrupt crash course in what dealing with someone of her strength and ferocity was really like.
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Fangless Hound
B-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
Growing up surrounded by Inuzuka Takeo has developed a nose keen enough to rival their own. He can pick up on faint scents that average shinobi wouldn’t even notice to the point where he can distinguish the individual body scents of people as well as determine specific species of animals even by just a strand of hair. The passive range of this ability is about 30 meters though if he has picked up on a trail he can continue to follow it to its source assuming there are still scent particles in the air or physical remnants of a trail.

Pressure Cutter
A-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 30 Ninjutsu, 30 control
After forming the needed hand seals Takeo will fire a highly compressed one inch diameter stream of water from his mouth. The stream can travel up to 25m and moves at a speed of 25 with a cutting strength of 35. The water is so highly pressurized that is able to pierce and cut through stone and even steel with ease. This technique can be maintained for a maximum of two posts.

*Ninjutsu • Spiritualism Technique]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
The base technique for summoning, the Spiritualism Technique allows users to bring forth their summons to fight on their behalf. Once an agreement has been made between the user and their summon, they will be able to use this technique to call upon it at any time unless stated otherwise. The chakra used for this technique varies, as it is dependent on the size and rank of what is being summoned. Once it has been summoned, the user will experience a constant drain on their chakra for as long as the summon is in place. This drain is also dependent on the size and rank of the summon.


Used by Sesshoujin:

*[Toryu • Earthbreaker]
A-Ranked Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 35 Strength
With a swift punch to the earth the user shatters a large chunk of earth beneath their feet, allowing them to reach down and grab hold of a huge chunk of earth no larger than 5 meters in diameter. The user holds this rock with one hand and can toss the chunk of earth as if it were ranged weapon. After doing so, the user follows the earth for a moment while delivering multiple slashes to it, cutting the one chunk into several that scatter around a 5 meter diameter area. This is mainly meant to cover their charge but the chunks of earth are quite capable of damaging wounds on direct hits.

*[Toryu • Earthshaker]
A-Ranked Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 35 Strength
A devastating dash attack known for it’s ability to cause tremors in the earth, the user will take a brief moment to ready themselves, digging their foot into the ground and building up power in their leg. Then in a burst of movement, the user will kick off into a dash so hard that the force they put into the earth actually causes the ground to rumble with tremors radiating out to 15 meters, causing anyone with a Taijutsu stat 10 or more underneath the user’s strength to struggle with standing or moving even at a walking pace. This makes the perfect cover for the Toryu user to charge into battle headfirst as it makes it more difficult for those who aren’t taijutsu practitioners to retaliate against their advance.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
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Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:50 pm

Gene continued retreating further East just under his top speed (33), bounding from each tree branch sturdy enough to carry him with the elegance of a Panther. He'd never received any formal training on traversing through the trees and relied upon his own body control and instincts to carry him through. However, this lack of formal tutelage would make his movements that much harder to predict as he rarely remained in the open for more than a single second - if that. No, instead Gene flipped from branches, flung himself higher or lower without provocation, circled trees in the likeness of squirrels using his chakra to stick like a spider to the wooden surface but never did he touch the ground.

In one such instance in particular, Gene stuck to the side of a tree and began running up and around its base in a formation that strongly resembled a twister. During this occurrence, he'd come around the left side to see Takeo; rushing closely behind bringing his hands up as though to weave hand seals. It won't be that easy, Hokage-sama. Gene had aimed for the ground meters ahead of the bearded man and loosed the Kunai he'd prepared earlier at full force, never breaking his own stride as he continued to place distance between himself and his pursuer. At Takeo's current rate of speed, had the man not slowed himself down he ran the risk of running chest first into the Kunai knife; however, even if he had slowed himself it wouldn't have mattered. The plan now had been to prevent him from weaving the rest of his hand signs and to that end, once the Kunai entered within range during the man's sealing(if) phase Gene would Kai the explosive and release the force stored within as well as send the shrapnel rocketing outward relentlessly.

However, he wasn't so naive as to believe that such tricks alone would be able to stop or slow the man down.

Against lesser Shinobi, Gene would have been hesitant to use such tactics so blatantly. But he would not make the mistake of under performing against an opponent who held multiple advantages over himself. Takeo possessed great physical ability and a wide range of Ninjutsu techniques at his disposal, while Gene lacked the stamina to perform more than a few techniques in one sitting - from his perspective, they were fighting two different battles within the same space. Gene knew that he would never earn the man's respect and blessing by playing nice. Had his gambit been successful at the very least Takeo's hands would have been impaled with metal shards in addition to various other places of the body preventing him from being able to weave signs until he'd been able to receive proper medical care. However, given the man's prowess in survival the effects may not have been too much of a detriment.

Meanwhile, Gene would use the commotion to slip out of Takeo's line of sight once again. Still on the move, his left hand dove toward his left thigh holster and snapped it open in one swift motion. It'd taken him no time at all to pull from it, a Kunai knife baring several feet of steel wire. For what he had planned next, this would become an effective tool; thus far, Gene hadn't attempted to put any strenuous jutsu to use. He still needed to replenish his own chakra reserves from the training he'd been doing earlier, prior to Takeo's arrival. Another problem that had been stacked on for their little show down. Too late to back out now... Gene thought with an unwavering irritation. As long as I don't allow my guard to slip I should be able to manage; at least for a little while.

Truthfully, Gene didn't expect that a simple Kunai and paper bomb would be able to deter the man behind him too much. However, it would allow him to test the waters. He didn't know the extent of Takeo's capabilities beyond a tendency for environmentally damaging Ninjutsu and speed. In the event that counter measure didn't pan out and the man was still able to cast his jutsu; Gene would make every effort to get as far as he could as quick as he could though his sharp hearing would grant him the capabilities required to identify and deal with the threat behind him without needing to place eyes on it directly. Through sound alone he could distinguish the ambient noises of the natural and those that just didn't belong. The high pitched screech of pressurized water tearing through air hadn't gone unnoticed...and it was getting dangerously close, too.

In response, Gene dropped to the ground in a run, lowering torso so that it'd been parallel to the ground. From the corner of his left eye as he drew further away from where he'd been Gene noted the distinct captivating blue stream protruding from the spot he'd just occupied. Had he remained there for any longer, chances were he would have been torn in half. Still observing, Takeo's aim became clear in the next few moments as one by one the trees began to fall like leaves. Some of them, Gene used as foot holds to gain ground but many of them had already fallen by the time Gene had been able to get to them. That wasn't to say they didn't have a special role in all of this - however.

Vaulting over a fallen tree Gene skillfully placed a Paper bomb on its East facing side (away from the direction Takeo approached from) and continued onward as though he had done nothing. Gene hadn't dodged the boulder chunks completely as some remnants drilled into his arm leaving some ugly bruises but he'd managed to avoid the worst of the chunks. What had caught him by surprise...was the bear abruptly dropping from the skies. The impact had been enough to throw him not just off his feet but into a full frontward flip as he'd managed to avoid being squashed but still remained in the radius of impact. Rolling several meters he clutched his head, "That's going to leave a mark..." He groaned, standing quickly to face the cause of his problems. Briefly, he'd glanced underneath the bear to the log that he'd placed an explosive tag on only moments before - it hadn't been completely destroyed in the blast. "You know, you're not half bad for a brute."



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+2 ((2768))
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Izanagi
Posts: 4019
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Hatred awakened

Post by Izanagi » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:48 pm

Takeo wasn’t concerned in the least as the kunai soared towards him, he noted the tag wrapped around its handle and adjusted his course without hesitation, leaping at a 45 degree angle away from the weapon and continuing towards Gene he would be far out of the explosive range, even darting next to the trunk of a tree for good measure, all while continuing to flow over branches and continue changing elevation without interruption to his pacing. He didn’t have to worry too much about stealth or even keeping directly in line with Gene, he just wanted to ensure he stayed within range. And so when he propelled the thin stream of water from his mouth he didn’t expect the technique to actually hit Gene, just assert the fact that even behind cover and when moving in unpredictable patterns he could not escape the Hokage’s ability to track him and react accordingly. Once Gene dodged the stream Takeo descended to the ground and continued with his plan of cutting down all trees within a 25 meter radius, taking them out near the base. Any that fell towards him would be effortlessly caught and tossed aside, redirecting them as a kid might bounce away a beach ball.

Once he had performed his summoning and Takeo was able to stand properly again after the bear had taken his rampage more than 15 meters away from him, Takeo would form another set of seals, one that would hardly take him any time at all. As he did so he watched with a slight sense of trepidation as the bear summon ravaged the land, fallen trees were smashed in half, sending splinters flying everywhere as chunks of earth impacted the debris of the fallen swath of forest. Luckily there was no real aim to the destruction though if one hit Gene full on with that speed and power it would have been enough to kill him, even Takeo would take considerable damage. Still he had to believe the young man could back up his claims, that he could find a way to survive such attacks.

Leaving only his head exposed, the rest of his body enveloped in stone armor, the man advanced. A cloud of dirt spread out from where the impact had been from the war bears latest attack, beginning to settle against the carnage Takeo realized he could still smell both Gene and Sesshoujin and they were in relatively close proximity to each other. Extending a pair of stone blades from each forearm Takeo moved into position, walking with utmost silence and keeping low to avoid being seen, hiding in craters and behind tree trunks and other debris as he gradually closed the distance, nearing himself to about 15 meters and growing closer by the second. The war bear on the other hand continued to approach Gene without a hint of fear or hesitation. It hadn’t noticed the paper bomb under the branch though even if it detonated it wouldn’t defeat the powerful creature however it would surely be a valuable distraction. As Gene spoke to the bear it simply grumbled, “Show me you’re worth fighting kid, I’m getting bored already” it grumbled, looking down at the boy scrambling to his feet. The war bear was a more honorable sort for the most part, sure he used some dirty tactics here and there but for the most part he preferred a straight up fight and so he would beat his hand against his armor, “Come on!” it roared before grabbing its weapon again with both hands and charging in at the kid with an overhead slash.
Jutsu UsedShow
Rebound
C-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Often used when Takeo is in high speed pursuit or when fleeing and faced with an opponent. This technique requires a running start and a wall or some other sturdy object. Maintaining his speed Takeo will charge the opponent, then right before he comes within striking range he will leap to the side before rebounding off the wall and using his full force to deliver a flying strike or tackle with incredible power.

Pursuit
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: 15 Taijutsu
Utilizing the tactics of free-running Takeo is able to utilize his speed to the utmost efficiency. He can run at his full pace, seeming to flow over, around, and through practically any obstacles without losing any speed or momentum. This type of movement is incredibly useful, not only when pursuing a target, but also when fleeing. Most commonly this technique is used in natural or forested areas, giving Takeo a distinct advantage over other shinobi, though he can adapt this technique to suit other terrain such as urban environments as well.

Doton • Combat Armor
B-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 24 Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary hand seals Takeo will flow Doton chakra throughout his body, enveloping himself in a dark brown stone suit of armor. The armor encases his clothes and weapons holsters though leaves them accessible enough to draw from. Enveloping his head is optional and if opted to only his eyes will remain exposed. All in all the stone is about an inch thick and capable of defending against a strength of 30. Throughout the 5 posts in which the armor lasts Takeo is able to extend or retract stone blades which extend from his forearm past his hand at a speed of 18, the maximum length of these blades it 2ft.

Silent Footsteps
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
A fundamental skill in a hunter’s repertoire, Takeo has learned to move at a walking pace without his steps making any discernable sounds. Even in thick foliage he can identify and navigate around fragile twigs and dry leaves and step on vegetation in a way as to not make a sound.

Lurking in the Shadows
C-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
This pseudo-camouflage technique doesn’t grant any form of true invisibility, simply it dictates Takeo’s ability to approach and stalk his targets unseen. Much like the animals of the forest he can seem to disappear simply by stepping into the foliage, knowing exactly how to navigate any natural or artificial cover that may present itself without exposing himself to visual identification save for the most perceptive of targets.

Used By Sesshoujin:

*Shinden • Stream Splitting
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 10 Strength
Lifting their sword above their head the user of this technique drives it down in one fluid motion with their blade aimed to slash through or into whatever they are attacking. The force of this technique is amplified by the fact that their stance is aimed to enhance muscle tension and torque, allowing them to make the single slash a very powerful one.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
Posts: 1709
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 8:00 pm
User flair: Conflict begets Growth

Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:03 pm

Instead of waiting for the bear to come to him Gene decided to rush at the large animal spirit and force their clash to take place near the central portion of the forest on the same uneven ground that had been created when the large bear first landed. In doing so, the momentum that the bear would have been able to build in his forward charge was significantly less. Next, he focused on the attack itself. A smart individual would have avoided the bear at all cost, staying out of its range in fear of being struck by the massive war hammer opting to let the spirit tire itself out from swinging so heavy a weapon and wearing so heavy armor. In essence, giving way to fear in favor of attrition. Gene did no such thing and in fact, took the complete opposite route and stepped inside of the Bear's range and then stepped further and further as if to be a man of steel. This may have surprised the beast but Gene was unmoved; for the wise warrior knew that the safest place for any man was well within the attackers personal space where they could not exercise the full brunt of their strength and arc of their swings correctly. First by controlling where the two met by charging forward and lessening the Bear's charge and then continuing without fear to advance until he'd been well past striking range, Gene would seem as though he were truly "fighting with honor" when in fact he was just playing to the stage that had already been set before him as a true strategist would.

While the Bear's hammer came down with a mighty vengeance it found only air. Meanwhile, utilizing his perception and speed the Jounin deftly pivoted on his right foot bringing him into full view of the bears back. In this brief moment of freedom he'd take a single explosive tag and throw it at the bear, placing it between the shoulder blades of the large creature who wouldn't have been the wiser because of its armored body. "Not bad. Unless you were trying to hit me." Gene would say as he wisped away drifting further from the bear putting a distance three meters between them before stopping. As it so happened, his body was blocking the other explosive tag placed upon the log from view now. In fact, Gene was standing less than a foot away from it now. "I've always been told never to poke a bear but seeing you now, I'm not sure why. Truthfully, Gene was playing a very dangerous game. Wounds of the body were easy to heal but blows to one's pride were not so easily forgotten...all the same, his current strategy depended on a bit of danger to succeed. He wanted to learn more about his opponent before bringing it down and besides, there was another reason behind his methods...

Somewhere out there was a wild Takeo and Gene was about to dangle the ultimate bait.
Level up!Show
+3 Instinct [3268
UsedShow
1 Dodge, 1 Explosive tag, Talk no jutsu
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Izanagi
Posts: 4019
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Hatred awakened

Post by Izanagi » Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:23 am

The war bear felt the rush of adrenaline as his opponent charged towards him. He hadn’t expected the young looking Konoha shinobi to be so brave. He seemed quick and nimble but to use that to his advantage in close quarters rather than evasion was a bold move and one worthy of respect. Finally, he could begin to take this shinobi seriously. For such a large and powerful creature Sesshoujin was surprisingly fast, able to outpace most Jounin. This kid, however, was able to move just as quickly, perhaps even a little faster. He shouldn’t have been surprised, he knew that Takeo didn’t call him forth against just anybody, the man was Hokage after all and only seriously sparred against the most elite of the village. The speed and grace of this kid even reminded the old bear a bit of Yoru when he had first become a Jounin. Much like this occasion, it was the first time he had met the red-haired man, perhaps this silver-haired Jounin also had what it took to become a Bannin of the village someday. As his war hammer hit the ground the earth would rumble again but not nearly as much as before. He hadn’t put his full power into this swing nor had he intended and focusing his force on the ground. The scythe side of his war hammer stuck into the ground and almost effortlessly he pulled it free, more out of instinct and habit than anything. A smarter move would have been to abandon the weapon and attempt to fend off the shinobi with his paws. He and the weapon were as one however and it was not a thought that immediately occurred to him.

As Gene predicted, the war bear was oblivious to the tag on his back. He turned quickly to face gene, weapon held close and on a 45-degree angle as he spun and prepared to use the metal pole to violently shove the Jounin backward and then lash out with the bottom of the pole in a quick snapping motion aimed for the Jounin’s head. He didn’t expect to make contact but at the very least it would hopefully create some distance and allow him to re-evaluate how to attack the young man. As space was made, the war bear settled on a thrusting stance, utilizing the long point at the head of the versatile war-hammer hybrid to keep his opponent at bay and make getting within his guard much more difficult. Though he was most proficient in Shinden the bear knew how to improvise and use his weapon for different situations. He wouldn’t retort to the banter or let it get under his skin. His age had lead to a great deal of experience and this was not the first time an opponent had dodged one of his attacks nor attempted to incite anger in him. When he did go on a rampage he would do so on his own terms, much like Takeo, using an enhanced state of emotion to incite fear into his opponents and cause a great deal of destruction.

That didn’t mean he would just stand idly by while the man insulted his pride of course. He knew the game Gene was playing but that didn’t stop him from wanting to crush the man and beat him bloody for his words. Growling lowly, a deep, thundering rumble he advanced slowly and cautiously at first before suddenly charging, scraping the pole end across the ground and sending debris flying towards Gene before twisting the weapon in his paws, swinging the other direction now with the spiked defence breaker point of the hammer in an attempt to shatter the mans knees. He had got a little carried away in the defense of his pride, not holding back at all. If he connected not only would Gene’s legs be broken they would likely be ripped clean off his body, the type of attack that would surely end his shinobi career.
Jutsu UsedShow
*Shinden • Grounding Blade
C-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 15 Strength
The user he blade of their sword into the ground and then slashes sideways creating a fairly deep deep crater, around five inches, in the ground in front of them, kicking up a splash of rocks and dust to blind and harry foes. The user then lunges into their foe with an attempt to knock them over or slash at their legs. Foes with at least equal Strength to the user can avoid being knocked over and can maintain ground, preventing the follow-up slash.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

Legacy
Posts: 1709
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 8:00 pm
User flair: Conflict begets Growth

Hatred awakened

Post by Legacy » Wed Apr 25, 2018 5:58 pm



Even though Gene knew what was coming that didn't stop him from feeling uneasy about what he'd been trying to do. There were a lot of things that could have gone wrong and frankly, using himself as bait really wasn't something he wanted to make a habit out of. If I can't defeat this giant then I can kiss my shot at going after Nehan goodbye... Just the thought of failure alone was enough to light a fire under Gene's sails; no matter what, no matter how hard he had to push himself... this was one obstacle that he WOULD overcome.

When the bear turned around he would find Gene ready and waiting; his left leg forward with and toes pointed toward the animal, the right leg shoulder width apart and behind him with the right foot pointed out to Gene's right. Gene's torso was turned side ways so that his left shoulder and extended left arm faced the bear while his right hand had slipped down into his pouch pulling out a Kunai knife that would would be held out four inches away from his body at waist level. Typically, Gene wasn't one for stances but he needed to be able to maintain complete and total maneuverability while defending himself where necessary against an opponent like the one in front of him.

By shifting the positioning of his upper body to be perpendicular with the oncoming foe and placing his legs properly Gene had now found himself in a position where he could avoid the incoming chunks of earth by swaying right or left and put his Kunai knife to use in order to split through other chunks that found themselves still in line with his body; meanwhile, his left hand remained free which resulted in him catching a baseball sized chunk of earth and hurling with all of his strength toward the bears eyes when it begun picking up speed clearly intent on obstructing his line of sight for a moment. Gene wanted the bear to believe that he intended on holding his ground and the best way to do that was putting on a great show.

Truthfully, if not for Gene's blatant disregard of fear the thundering steps, menacing size of the bear and that freakish war hammer would have sent him running quite long time ago. Given his stature it was....ill advised to play chicken with someone who resembled a real life tank. ...Well, if this goes wrong I only lose my life." Gene thought with a sense of irony as the moment of truth finally came. He'd intensified his focus and stoned his will long enough for the bear to reach him and transition into his heavy swing but that wasn't enough! No, this was a game of patience, testosterone and strategy. Mentally Gene was already prepared for the blow back and knew that he would ultimately end up taking some damage but that would be a small drop in the bucket compared to what this bear was about to go through and THAT was for damn sure.

With his eyes and ears working in overdrive the next part would be crucial. It was make or break time and the Jounin for sure wasn't planning on being broken. Although...he'd waited so long before actually moving that had Takeo been spectating the man just might have had a mini heart attack. Only when the massive weapon neared within 36 inches of the Jounin did he actually make his move, rocking from left to right using that small amount of momentum to throw himself diagonally leftward and away from the incoming blow, curling his legs up toward his chest and holding them together with his right hand only. So what about his left? Well...remember that Explosive tag from earlier? MUCH, MUCH earlier? Yeah, the one that was placed on the log?

Lets just say...things were about to get very, very loud.


Still drifting in air, Gene held his left hand up in the Half ram hand seal which had its many purposes. For now however, it would be used to detonate the paper bomb affixed to the valiant Bear knight's armor. Committed to his heavy swing and now literally thrown by the force of a point blank release of kinetic force, if the bear wasn't knocked unconscious the second wave just might have did the trick and sent him painfully back to the spirit realm. Why? Because he'd be headed face first smack dab into another paper bomb that Gene would detonate moments later not just releasing the raw explosive power of Shinobi ingenuity but the thousands of broken splinters accelerated to near mind boggling speeds toward the animal and his already beat up armor. Unfortunately...this would be the part where Gene got a taste of the sword he'd used to do all of this.

The explosions rocked him and sent the Jounin flying ten meters in the direction he'd jumped and into the water where Takeo had used his technique to cut down all of the trees earlier. Problem was, he didn't cut away the stumps and Gene landed right on one. Ever heard the sound of a body smacking against water from really high up in the air? Well this was...something like that, just...worse. As pain tolerant as he was even the master Strategist couldn't suppress a yelp quick enough as the pain surged through him like a wave of ice in a blizzard. The wind was knocked out of him but at least he'd gotten rid of that damned bear....he hoped.

*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*

"Did...did I do it?"

"...More importantly," Gene scouted an area fifteen or so feet in front of him and worked from right to left checking for signs of strange activity. When he saw nothing Gene turned his attention to the blood seeping from his right thigh just above the knee. He'd been so concerned with taking out his adversary that he didn't realize that the kunai had gone one centimeter deep into his leg. With a wince he pulled out the knife and stood shakily with a smile. "Could be worse. I could have no legs right about now," apparently the impact hadn't knocked away his dark sense of humor. While he still could - Gene checked the rest of his body for broken or fractured bones, cuts and other wounds. Fortunately the stab wound had been the only one and that was minor but his rib cage on the left side where he had landed was bruised. No worse for wear than taking an acid technique to the stomach though. Now that was an ordeal he didn't want to re live again. If not for....huh...what was her name? Whoever the woman was, she'd saved his life.

Sad to say there wouldn't be any heroics out here though. It was just the hunter and the hunted; on which side of the spectrum Gene fell on he wasn't sure but that damn well wouldn't stop him from putting all of his training to use in order to survive, that's what ANBU in Katana squad were good at after all. Bringing his left hand up in the half ram hand seal Gene began focusing chakra throughout his body only the aura surrounding him had not taken on the standard blue color, no - there was a tint of green mixed into it. Over time his skin that was covered in dirt from the battle, cleaned itself. All of the bacteria coating the outer layer of skin (specifically around his open leg wound) began to disappear, seemingly being eaten by his chakra. Gene didn't like the sensation it gave him but a few seconds of discomfort was better than an infection any day of the week.

Once the wound was thoroughly cleaned and he felt confident that he hadn't skipped any steps, Gene began working on properly mending the wound using a little skill he'd picked up while raiding the medical Archives for useful information. They called it: Mystical palm. Said to possess the power to heal even the most serious injuries, using it on a small wound like the one on his leg seemed easy enough and incredibly efficient for that matter. He didn't know when Takeo would decide to come out of hiding or where the man would emerge from and frankly he stood a better chance of being able to defend himself with a fully functioning body. Green chakra flowed through his free hand with a low hum after he'd performed the proper hand seals and like he had read, observed and practiced several times in the past the Jounin carefully moved his hand closer to the wound until his hand hovered a few inches above it. Almost immediately he could feel his skin start to shift and the blood in the wound begin to coagulate; after a few more seconds where there had once been a hole in his leg about the size of three pencils side by side was now completely healed as though there'd been no injury in the first place, even Gene couldn't believe what his eyes had been showing him. If he had learned this technique earlier on in his career then the things he could have accomplished would have been....limitless!

In fact, he felt confident that with a technique like the Mystical palm jutsu that he could take on not just Nehan but Taiga as well. That's right...suddenly, he felt a wave of heat wash over him and his anger returned. "Soon..." He'd say to no one, just you wait.

Learned/TrainedShow

Mitsurugi Style: Flowing stream
D-rank stance

Description: Beginning with the positioning of his feet, Gene will place one foot shoulder length apart from the other, facing one foot toward his opponent while the other is postured away from his body at a 90 degree angle. Then, continuing with the posture of his upper body; he will twist his torso so that either his left or right shoulder is facing the opponent in which the directed arm will usually be extended while the opposite arm will be held (with or without a weapon) four inches away from his waist. This stance is designed universally for both offensive and defensive manuevers including escapes if necessary.

400/400

Instinct: 4900 = +5
UsedShow
*[Toryu • Disregard of Fear]
C-Ranked Kenjutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: 15 Instinct
Many of the Toryu techniques would put the user in incredibly daring positions where a single mistake could instantly spell disaster for the swordsman. As a result, Toryu practitioners must train themselves constantly to avoid letting their fears distract them from their task. A user with this technique has learned to shut out fear in the heat of combat, allowing them to perform their death defying attacks without the risk of failure due to fear responses.

*Mystical palm*

* Sterilization technique*

*[Ninjutsu • Multiple Chakra Kai]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Despite requiring both hands and more time than *[Basic Jutsu • Chakra Kai], Multiple Chakra Kai allows the user to activate up to five objects simultaneously, up to 20 + (Control/2) meters away.
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