[KCW] A Chuugen Appears!

[Zasadel]

Mission infoShow

A Chuugen Appears!
B-Rank Mission Contract
For Chuunin+ Participants
Prerequisite: The Battle of Ko-bashira
From Ote, Syaoran of Lightning Country
Requesting [The Chuugen General of a section of Murakami's army has shown himself and will lead his men into the next battle. Your job as shinobi is to make your way through the battlefield toward his honour guard and slay him. If you fail, it is unlikely that we can hold this position for more than a few days.]
Time Limit for Mission 96 hours

Facts:
- You know how big the enemy force is, at least knowing you're at 2 to 1 on troop ratio.
- You know where the encampment is, but its pretty well fortified with a small garrison defending it
- You can see the plateau and the encampment from the fort, but no fine details and it has not been infiltrated yet
- The battle is projected to go on for multiple days, so there's a bit of room on planning your assault. However, waiting longer then two days will result in your forces more then likely being overrun or the general escaping if he takes too many losses.
-The Honor Guard are tough, and are not recommended to be taken on in direct combat unless absolutely necessary or with favorable odds.
-The General is a powerful fighter, but should be defeated without too much effort from the Shinobi, at least if he's isolated. His biggest strength is his mind, don't underestimate his tactical prowess.

Dawn loomed over the horizon as General Edoshi scoffed on top his perched position. He sat comfortably within his makeshift throne, overviewing the battleground before him, like a king amongst the sky. The sprawling valley was a beautiful site from the plateau they camped on, and below sat Kumogakure led forces. His sources say they had mustered only about 800 solid ashigaru ranked troops, including a very dangerous amount of Shinobi.

The morning breeze was in full effect, as the plans for the battle were laid across a table in front of him. Behind the General, roughly two thousand troops of all rankings awoke for the day and drilled, preparing for the coming battle. Blacksmiths readied weaponry, quartermasters directed supplies to various platoons, and horses shifted uneasily. The encampment was massive in size, and impressively built in less then a week. After the defeat of Ko-Bashira, Kurowabe had sworn his revenge and demanded he lead the next major assault. Instead, he was executed for failing his mission and for letting so many troops die in pure disgrace and dishonor. Now a real General was appointed. Edoshi was an extremely brilliant man, and deadly tactician, with some of the best troops in the entire campaign behind him.

His honor guard stood proudly around him, Fifty strong, and clad in scorching red samurai armor. These were no ashigaru, and would clearly be a menace to any foe. He shifted his weight before signaling his troops to begin getting into formation, his appointed leaders flying into action. He stood from his chair and opened his arms, several soldiers rushing over to begin outfitting him. A jet black variant of his honor guards armor was quickly strapped to him, before he migrated into the heart of the camp. Of these two thousand troops, there was a thousand ashigaru foot soldiers, five hundred archers, two hundred and fifty calvary, two hundred special forces, and his fifty honor guard. It was a mighty force, one that could crush these shinobi dogs like the cowards they are.

Once he reached the center of their encampment, Edoshi prepped his speech, gathering the attention of all that were around, before rallying his troops together as they prepped for the battle. Not long after, the two thousand troops stood perfectly formatted into columns. Each Footman Ashigaru platoon was 200 strong, while the archers were broken up into 100 a piece. Two massive columns of calvary kept the flanks secure, while the General sat towards the back center, followed only by the special forces division, clearly ready to begin the siege.

---

The Shinobi forces were fairly well entrenched into a fort. Trenches were dug into the front lines, along with dozens of various traps scattered before the fort itself. It was a key position that guarded the supply routes deep into the Kumogakure's mountain range, and if it fell, would spell disaster for the Shinobi on all fronts. The shinobi were given approximately seven hundred and fifty ashigaru with fourty five Chuunin Class + Five Jounin. Every man knew they would not be able to hold this position for long, with skirmishes the last few days already haven begun. The full siege was coming, and they wouldn't be able to hold out more then a few days at best.

This is why Kumogakure had hatched it's plan; the Fort's forces would keep the enemy busy while a strike team of Shinobi would infiltrate into either the encampment or enemy lines and kill the General. It was a suicide mission to attack the forces directly, and would take careful planning of the Shinobi to pull it off correctly. The Honorguard were glued to their lord, and would give the shinobi team one hell of a fight if they decided to engage directly.

[7eleven]

Satori stood, as calm as he possibly could be, atop the fort. Intel on the opposing forces was slim, but the one thing that they had been sure of was the fact that they were vastly outnumbered. Those in command seemed confident that victory would be had for Kumogakure despite this, as the skill level of the shinobi within their ranks would surely out power the sheer numbers of the samurai. But looking out at the forces crawling like a hive on the horizon, it was hard to feel confident in that assessment. From where he stood it seemed like a thousand troops, at least, were preparing their onslaught. It didn't ease the chuunin's nerves that the stakes for this battle were quite high, as the fort acted as a garrison which would grant the enemy access to invaluable supply chains if it were to fall.

As the sun rose, so did the morale of the troops swarming around him. This, at least, offered the jinchuuriki some solace. This was to be his first mission outside the village since his sealing ceremony, as the village tended to keep the young host on a very short leash. The reason for this, of course, was to assure that he was alive when they really needed him. And today, it seemed, was the day they needed him. He pulled down his face mask, exposing his mouth and the x-shaped scar on his cheek. Satori pulled his pipe free from his belt and filled it to the brim with tobacco. While he would normally smoke a blend of teas and other aromatic plants, today he needed a real fucking smoke.

A thousand troops lie before him and it was his job to find and assassinate the enemy general. He hadn't left the village in several years, nor had he ever experienced what most would consider "real" combat. While he understood the apprehensions of the Raikage in their protection of him, he couldn't help but feel as though these protections had left him slightly unprepared. He had never before killed another human being. He was given this task with a grave degree of importance. He was not to fail. And he was not to die. He lit his pipe and inhaled deep as he awaited his partner for the mission, exhaled as he readied himself for the most important day of his life.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

This was all Tetsuo's first taste of war. He'd had his fair share of capturing shinobi, stopping bandits, usurping minor derelict warlords, even, but this? Seeing entire armies expanded out on these mountains before him, samurai and archers and horses? This... This wasn't anything like Tetsuo had ever seen. Did the Kage even have enough chakra to take these numbers on? He wanted to say yes, but even as a jounin (and one of only five at that) Tetsuo wasn't entirely sure what he could do against this. He understood that their mission was to assassinate the general, but Tetsuo simply could not and would not dismiss the possibility that they'd have to drive their way through the enemy forces to get to him. It was better to have a contingency plan for the worst and be considered paranoid than to go forth without one and find one's self very dead.

What was made even more daunting about this was the fact that Tetsuo, it seemed, was assigned as part of the guard to the Jinchuuriki. It was drilled into his head exactly what consequences could come to pass if this young man was allowed to die. It wasn't like he needed to be told, of course. He already knew. They would have to retreat, sacrifice the territory, and they would be without one of their main weapons against the enemy. The number of supply chains that ran through this pass would mean significant damage, possibly cripplingly so, to the wartime efforts of Kumogakure no Sato. And if they somehow had access to Fuuinjutsu masters?

The future of his home would be very much in doubt.

He stood by the Jinchuuriki, a young man he had been told whose name was Satori. He was standing upwind so as not to be caught in his cigarette smoke. "If it's any consolation," Tetsuo offered firmly, "this is my first time doing something like this, too. I'll have your back and support in whatever way I can."

The jounin wasn't even remotely sure if what he was saying was going to help, but he at least had to try. For him, it'd be comforting to know that the people who were watching out for him could at least empathize with him to some level.

[Zasadel]

Whilst the strike team began to form up, the remaining shinobi readied the Ashigaru and continued to get into position. Each regiment of Ashigaru was broken into 200 men strong battalions, With a small squad of Chuunin serving as medics and support. One battalion were equipped with bows and ranged weaponry. Each of the five Jounin aside from the strike team served as commander, with the final Jounin taking charge of the entire defense operation.

The Jounin in charge, Toroki, was a very brilliant tactician, and was a prime candidate in securing their Fort. The troops continued to fortify and dig trenches, but based on enemy troop movements, they had maybe had half a day at most before the battle would be brought to them. This was going to be a bloodbath, and the only ones who could cut it off early were the Strike team members. The fortress could definitely hold, and was ready for the engagements. This wasn't to be a simple ground battle either, as the enemy army was equipped for a siege. Any direct engagement by the defending forces would be catastrophic.

The reports came in from the ashigaru that they were generally as ready as they could be, spears up front, and swords at the ready. The longer they could hold out, the greater time the strike team had, but the longer the strike team waited, the greater the casualties on the defensive side. It was going to be tricky to get the timings just right, but with how entrenched they were, it would take hours if not days to capture the fort. This spelled good news for the Strike team, as they could begin to plan.

[Zasadel]

((OOC Note: Hayate is going to take over the mod, as I'm going to bring Hayasu into the mission to get a trio team.))

AT AT AT!! Hayasu was late to the meetup locations, as he hauled ass from the supply route from behind the fort. He quickly sprinted and darted to the tallest point of the fort, skidding to a hault, Kureiji clinging on for dear love. He leaned over, panting extensively, trying to not feel completely embarrassed from the tardiness. He let out a sigh of relief, breathing deep until he sat up and grinned. "Sorry about that fellas! Kureiji and I overslept a bit this morning, we tend to train fairly hard the evening before, and HQ decided to tell us sort of last minute. What'd I mi-Satori-san!" Hayasu said with a grin, giving him a cheesy thumbs up. They had been training not too long ago, and grew to somewhat acquaintances. And Hayasu liked his style. He quickly returned his attention and looked at the Jounin, not recognizing him.

Hayasu had been tasked with assisting in the mission, his bulky mass a great addition to their line up, along with his unique abilities. Coupled with a fresh promotion to Special Jounin, and Kumo assigned him almost right away. In fact, Hayasu hadn't even had time to outfit himself properly, and looked Kureiji yawned lazily on his shoulder, but perched none the less, bold and strong.

He had been briefed on the severity of the mission and the importance, having mapped out and already scouted enemy troop movements and locations. He had been fighting similar troops for months now, and was fairly adept at dispatching every various kinds.

[7eleven]

Satori nodded at his two partners, but was unable to bring himself to smile a hello. It's good to see you again, Hayasu. Kureiji." He honestly wasn't sure if the little monkey understood spoken language, but the chuunin felt it somehow rude to not offer greetings. Perhaps it was that he looked so much like a child. He turned to the jounin. "I suppose that makes you Tetsuo. It's nice to meet you." He looked back and forth between the two of them as he rubbed his hands together. "I'm sure you've both been instructed that success of this mission comes second to my survival. I'm what the Raikage would call a... valuable asset to this and future battles. But I want the two of you to know that your lives are just as important to me as my own." He paused as he got to the more difficult part of his practiced speech. "And that even if I'm forced to flee the field to save myself, it's because that's what I've been instructed to do. Not because I do not care for your survival. I hope you understand that."

With that out the way, Satori felt a bit more relaxed. The thought of him having to flee, leaving his companions to die on the battlefield, thinking they'd been abandoned by a coward had been keeping him awake for the past two nights. It was important to him that they understand the mission prerogatives that he had been given. The Jinchuuriki did not want to be seen for something he was not. He turned to Hayasu. "I've been informed that you've been involved in the frontlines for some time, whereas this is mine and Tetsuo's first excursion for the warfront. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated."

"I'm beyond confident that the three of us can take the general in combat. Strong as a samurai as he might be, he is not a jounin, sp. jounin, or jinchuuriki. And he is surely not all three of them. My concern is finding him amid the chaos and engaging him without attracting too much attention."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo simply shook his head. "Satori-kun, you are not the only Jinchuuriki I have known," he reassured the young man, giving a firm pat on the shoulder. "We all have been made well-aware of the parameters of this mission and the importance of your survival... And I, possibly more than most shinobi you've met, can at least appreciate the unique burdens you as a Jinchuuriki must carry. Your adherence to your orders is not cowardice. It is loyalty to your village. Don't forget that."

When he mentioned finding the general, Tetsuo smirked. They already had a clear view of the entire army, as it was, and Tetsuo had some jutsu that were well-suited to finding a specified target in a large crowd. "Actually, I might be able to help with that. My division as a special jounin was Tracking, Pursuit, and Capture," Tetsuo explained. "We'll have to wait until the enemy begins engaging our forces, but once I can get sights on the General's forces, I can find him using my Tracking Arts. The Samurai, particularly generals and their immediate subordinates, tend to make their armor flashy displays as a means of intimidating their opponents. It may be difficult at first, but the General should stand out amidst his soldiers just by appearance. They don't have the benefit of silent signals and chakra communications like we do. We should use that to our advantage. Once we find him, we should strike quickly so as to minimize friendly losses."

Tetsuo, curiously enough, also had a few jutsu well suited for single-target assassination. He tended to avoid killing unless he had no choice, but in this case, forcing the general to surrender would simply not be an option. He'd have to make use of all that he had to make this mission a success.

[Zasadel]

"Oi oi, don't even worry about Satori-San! Kureiji and I know the risks of this. We've long decided that our lives are worth giving to the village, and if the village says our lives must be taken to protect yours, we've made peace with that. Just tell your buddy inside you that we've got his back if he'll be okay with having ours." Hayasu replied, crouching and grinning. Listening to Tetsuo's analysis, Hayasu nodded in agreement. "By the looks of all of these guys, they're generally Ashigaru class. They'll try and overwhelm the gates, but it's the elites and honor guard that will be a problem. I could sit all day and break the first thousand or so, but those honor guard? Not fun to go against. They're far better trained then any of the Ashigaru, and I've had a run in with a couple before. They're not particularly fond of us Shinobi, and are deceptively strong. None the less, the three of us should be able to overpower them without too much fuss." Hayasu added in over viewing the marching enemy.

"Those tracking arts are going to be useful once the battle starts, but from what info I have from HQ is that this guy is kind of a badass tactician. The fact he surrounds himself with so many honor guard may indicate he's not entirely confident in his physical prowess. My guess is he's toward the back of the army to supervise and command, and will stay out of range of archers and most jutsu. It may be a good idea to attempt to flank from behind if we want to end this quickly. Otherwise we could raid their camp, and force them to split up. If their supplies and camp is burning, they may depart to recover, and that could bring us an opening as well." Hayasu observed, Kureiji hopping over to sit on Satori's shoulder, picking at his hair for bugs as a sign of trust and respect.

Hayasu was built for pure brutality and strength, and would be more then content to use it. He knew he would have to keep an eye on Satori during the battle, as if Satori was mortally wounded, it would spell disaster on more then one front. This was his first mission as a special jounin, and he wouldn't dare mess it up.

[Nafan~]

Suddenly, a gong sounded over the small wooden fort on which they sat. The Jounin captain was calling for his forces to assemble, which meant the shinobi were to appear in the courtyard to prepare for battle.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo's ears were quick to catch the gong as it echoed through the valley. "Alright, this is it. Let's go in for a final debrief. We can go over the plan on the way to the front lines," Tetsuo reminded his partners before heading for the courtyard.

Tetsuo wasn't particularly keen on meeting in such an open area. It was too easy for enemy forces to try and eavesdrop on the official briefing. Then again, he had to trust that the generals had made contingencies for such possibilities. His job wasn't to worry about defensive systems, anyways. His job was to take the head of the enemy General and protect their position by throwing the enemy camp into chaos.

That didn't make him feel any less uncertain as to the outcome of this mission, but it did keep his mind focused on what he had to worry about.

[Zasadel]

"Showtime fellas, YAHOOO!!' Hayasu called out with a cheer before sprinting forward for the edge of the fort. Hayasu leapt off of the top of the tower, soaring through the air with a grin. He did enjoy a good thrill once in a while, even as Kureiji violently screamed. Monkeys didn't quite belong in the air. As the wind soared past his ears he landed albeit gracefully and stretched out before heading with his companions for the courtyard. As he approached the Jounin captain, even the usually quite bored Kureiji perked up to listen, having been rudely awoken by the freefalling. He was feeling fairly confident about his surroundings, but kept entirely alert for any troubles. Motioning, he sent Kureiji to higher ground to watch for anything, or to escape any incoming danger. Who knew what the enemy could have planned, as the general was not to be underestimated.

[7eleven]

Satori felt a strange combination of annoyed and relieved by Hayasu's diving spectacle. On one hand, the chuunin felt that his comrade was not showing the necessary respect to the situation. On the other, that kind of go-for-it attitude would likely be helpful on the battlefield. He leaned a little more toward annoyed. He decided not to say anything, however, as it was not his place. The Jinchuuriki walked calmly and briskly to the courtyard where the others were gathering and took his place beside his partners.

[Nafan~]

The footman panted as he finally climbed to the top of the tall, makeshift wooden tower the army had built on the opposite hill to the defender's fort. Edoshi waved the man over as he appeared atop the stairs, still seated in his throne-like seat. The messenger approached and handed the General a glass of red wine, which he sipped. After a moment spent savouring it, the General nodded begrudgingly. "Speak." he said simply, and the footman reported his news. "The enemy gathers." was all he said before he was gestured away. The General then turned his attention toward the man from his honour guard who stood at the edge of the massive wooden structure. "Be ready." was all he said before he raised a small telescope to his eyes and extended it to peer just over the wall to the half of the courtyard he could see in the enemy fort.

The archer, Mikumo, lifted a ten foot bow so that it hung over the edge of the tower. The thick, powerful wood looked like it belonged on a ballista than in the hands of any man, let alone one so slight, but he brandished it with ease. From the ground beside him, he lifted a four foot long rod of metal, with grooves carved down the side to cause it to spin when it went through the air. Mikumo lifted the hollow rod to the string and drew it back, inhaling as he set his stance. He was ready.

---

The Jounin Captain of the garrison stood atop a large stage of scaffolding which had been erected so that he could speak to the gathering crowd. The man wiped his hands on his pants as he stood, exhaling softly. Then, after a deep breath, he began to speak. "Comrades, the enemy we face may be great in number, but what we lack in quantity we more than make up for in quality. In the coming battle we will defend this position, but not to the last man. Because we will win before it even gets to the last man. We will-" he stopped abruptly as a shout cut him off. He looked quickly up to the sky. Anyone close enough would have noticed a brief flicker of fear in his eyes. But only for a moment. For soon the Jounin Captain was nowhere to be found at all.

A metal rod had struck him in the center of the chest and thrown him through the air. The twisting motion and deep grooves in its design had twisted its way through him, while it's momentum and insane power caused his body to be pulled forward like there were a vaccuum, his body wrapping and tearing itself around the long rod as it threw him into the tower. The rod drilled slightly into the stone of the tower and stuck there, nothing but bloody pulp and chips of bone visible along its length remained of the Jounin Captain, the rest was but a stain across the scaffolding.

One of the chuunin medic women screamed, before being sick at the gruesome sight. A grim silence descended upon the entire crowd as the remainder simply stood and stared in disbelief at the space that the captain once occupied.

[Zasadel]

Hayasu, for all of his years and hard training, didn't even see the colossal bolt fly and kill his comrade. He blinked at the gore in front of him, completely stunned. Soon shinobi training kicked in. "OI! EVERYONE SCATTER, GET AS FAR OUT OF SITE AS YOU CAN!" Hayasu roared as he looked to the sky for more shots. Hayasu, in a blind fit of rage bolted over and yanked the bolt out of the wall, running as hard and as fast as he could out of site. There wasn't shit he was goin to do for his fallen comrade, but at the very least he could see what weapon they were up against. He gritted his teeth as he skid out of site, hoping the crowd took his advice and scattered. How the hell could the enemy hit them like that? It was terrifyingly ridiculous!

[7eleven]

Satori sighed as his partner, Hayasu, bolted off after shouting for everyone to scatter. Of course we're going to scatter. What we shouldn't do is bolt off leaving your strike force and the person you were supposed to be protecting. So Satori took off after the man, gesturing a "come on, I guess" with his arms to the team's third member. Once he joined Hayasu where he ducked behind a large pillar, the jinchuuriki got a good look at the enormous arrow that had just eviscerated their captain. This was not going to be fun. He spoke to his teammates.

"We obviously don't have the luxury of taking the fight to them. They've got us reacting to their actions already, and that's not good. We need to get in there and get this taken care of quick."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo knew well that his first mission was to take point on the strike team, but he simply could not leave the camp in dismay. "Everyone, remain calm!" he barked, moving towards hard cover as he made seals for a jutsu. "Keep to the walls, out of sight of the enemy, and ready yourselves for combat if you haven't already, stat! This is war, people! If we freeze in fear, he'll simply be one of many more!"

Tetsuo had to think, and quick. They were already in a defensive position, and now the enemy had struck one of their greatest assets: their morale. Seeing the very head of one's defensive force struck down in a single blow before the battle even began was not a comforting sight. "I know I'm not well-versed in war, but I humbly make a suggestion to the Jounin generals," Tetsuo called out. "Whomever has the most experience in war and mass combat, I'd advise you disband your squad and merge the forces in with the other batallions. Find a choke point we can defend and fortify our positions there. We need someone to serve as Commander of this army, and it can't be me. All Jounin should take to serving support for their forces unless they must absolutely take to the field. We have to assume that their Metal Archer is going to target us Jounin first, so whatever you do, stay out of sight whenever you can!"

He turned back to his team. There wasn't much else he could really offer. He was no general. He wasn't too much of a tactician, either. He was simply a soldier, and he had his own mission to carry out. "We can't move out until the enemy has engaged. We need to use the chaos of battle to cover our approach," Tetsuo stated. "Otherwise, we'll be sitting ducks for whoever killed the General."

JutsuShow

Tracking Arts • Acute Hearing
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
After making the needed seals, Tetsuo channels chakra into his eardrums and throughout his ear canal, enhancing his own auditory acuity. With this jutsu, Tetsuo triples the distance in which he can accurately hear sounds. Tetsuo can also use this jutsu to hear sounds on the other side of any surface which sound can travel through. This technique lasts up to three posts.

[Nafan~]

The archer sighed and fell to one knee as his firing arm shook violently. The string on the bow had snapped and tore up the short man's arm, shoulder and chest when it broke. "I apologise, Edoshi-dono. It seems the weapon is still incomplete. We won't be able to fire any more like that." he said through clenched teeth. The general sighed disappointedly and waved him back down the stairs. "Worry not. It has achieved its purpose. You may see to your wounds." The general replied, allowing the archer to depart. He had hoped he could simple pick all of the shinobi off from this tower, but it seemed the one that singled himself out as a target would have to do. Assuming he was their commander, since he was making a speech, he had removed their tactician. With that, it would be all the more simple to finish this little obstacle in his way.

---

The shinobi sprang into action, their training taking over once Tetsuo began calling out to them. The three remaining jounin were suddenly beside him, all four under cover. They reassure Tetsuo that they will oversee the samurai in battle if he commanded it, but they needed some kind of plan since engaging directly against the approaching enemy was a bad idea.

Tetsuo's technique would reveal that there was so much movement of so many people in the area, that his enhanced hearing simply could not single anything out as he may have intended.

What happened next was entirely up to Tetsuo, he was leader of the whole operation now.

OOCShow

Mk so, Seiken will reply first, then you guys can either choose to respond to his orders or actions, or simply type a pass post and I'll delete it when I post later. 'sup to u.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

(OOC: When the battle begins, we would like the post order to be Zas first (Hayasu), then me (Tetsuo), then Brent (Satori). Until the two forces begin to engage, we'll determine post order by necessity between us.)

Tetsuo seemed confused for a short moment as they posited their concern to him. Had the Commander not shared his tactical plans with his Captains? That was poor planning, to be certain, but they were competent shinobi. Why-?

A tightness formed in his throat for a short moment, and his face relaxed momentarily in shock. Why would they be asking him if they had any idea how to run an army? They were all just as clueless as he was. By the way they all waited silently, anxiously for his answer, Tetsuo was forced to understand, even though a small part of him didn't want to. He had been the one to kick people into action after the Commander was so gracelessly obliterated in front of them. He was the first to issue possible strategic ideas. His experience in tracking and capturing persons, even shinobi, over all kinds of terrain had made him adept at making quick tactical decisions in an ever-changing environment... just like a battlefield. Tetsuo had no say in this matter.

The Captains had voted in their minds, and he was their new Commander. Necessity mandated so.

Tetsuo nodded to himself and, to calm himself and release his tension, took a deep breath and exhaled, momentarily flexing every muscles in his body to force the jitters out of his skin. He'd grab the arrow that killed the general and brandished it. "I will need one genin... Preferably a sensor. He needs to take this back to our main camp and report what happened to the Raikage. We must research this weapon and try to find a sort of defense against it, and we have to get it to them while we still maintain control over these supply routes. He is to remain there. I'd like one less casualty on our hands, if it's all the same to you, Captains."

Tetsuo's fear was gone, or at least pushed into a recess of his mind where he could no longer sense it. "First and foremost, I am establishing a rule, here and now. Right now, in this battle, our rank outside of the structure that we are now establishing means nothing. I don't care if you are a jounin, chuunin, genin, or a goddamn academy student. For today, we are all soldiers. Any plausible information or alerts received from anyone in our army is to at least be taken under advisement, if not considered and acted upon. I need to know that you understand that."

"Now, this might sound crazy, but we need to throw the enemy forces into as much disarray as possible. We'll do this by luring them into our terrain and then blasting them with everything we've got. We are to take all Doton users capable of casting the Great Wall technique and build a conical labyrinth with thick outer walls. We need to try to get them at least four meters thick if we can manage it. Genin Doton users will be responsible for creating terraces and small ramparts and barriers to defend our men up on those walls from arrows and projectile attacks. Use the existing terrain to further fortify those walls. We should also have walls positioned parallel inside the cone, to further segment and divide the enemy forces. We must doubly reinforce the side walls if we can, to prevent any notion of lateral or flanking assaults by the enemy. This cone must their only option to take this fort. At the end of our preparations, these Doton users will also use the Moving Earth Core technique to elevate the fort itself as high as they can manage it. Share the work amongst yourselves. This includes any of you Captains that are capable of wielding those techniques. Please make sure that there are still footpaths up to the fort itself, both for defense's sake and for the transport of casualties. After those preparations are completed, I will be taking three of the chuunin level Doton users with the Flanking Force. After the walls and fortifications are completed, Doton will be responsible for casting the Landmine jutsu throughout the floor in the labyrinth, all the way up until the last channel down which the Ashigaru and Katon users will retreat. We will notify all forces as to the locations of these landmines. One of you captains will be responsible for drafting a scroll with these locations. Once those preparations are complete, these Doton specialists will join the forces on our walls, bombarding the enemy below with area of effect jutsu, any that they have."

"Each of you captains will have a dedicated chuunin medic assigned to you. I will not require one, nor should one be sent out to me or my team. They will be needed here, in the fort. We will establish a Field Hospital inside the fort's main structure immediately. We will house most of our chuunin medics there, as they will be responsible for tending to more severe injuries and casualties. Any genin capable of healing minor injuries will be deployed on the walls and with the Ashigaru. They will be responsible for transporting the more seriously injured soldiers to our field hospital."

"The Ashigaru will be deployed as our final line of defense along with our Katon specialists. We will start them partially advanced through the labyrinth and have them retreat towards the final defensive line at the base of the elevated fort. This will be to lure them further into the cone. As the enemy attempts to advance, we will blast them with wide area of effect Katon jutsu, as powerful as we can make them. They will, of course, not be alone. We will use half of our fuuton specialists, rounded up, to defend against projectile attacks. Raiton melee combat specialists will be responsible for targeting any and all ranged opponents. Once we get rid of their archers in their entirety, this battle will become just a little bit more winnable."

"All other non-specified forces will be deployed to the walls, using the ramparts as cover. They will shower the enemy with jutsu and weaponry, along with destroying and deflecting enemy ranged attacks. Tell them to target any and all archers they see beforehand with exploding tags before targeting other forces. Their number is many, but they are all merely human. Most of them will not have armor sufficient to withstand that number or intensity of jutsu."

"I will lead the Flanking Force personally, along with Satori. I will be taking three Doton users with me and attempt to box in the enemies with multiple, layered uses of the Great Wall technique. If we manage to close them off entirely, they will be trapped. We'll seal off the entrances to the fort with Doton jutsu and shower the enemy from above until not a single soldier remains. If we can't, the Doton users will attempt to trap the general and his honor guard in a triangle with a simultaneous use of Great Wall. We will also be taking the remaining three Fuuton skirmishers with us to assist in this assault."

Tetsuo now turned to the genjutsu master. "That, however, is only the secondary plan. Our primary assault will involve you, Captain. You will be accompanying the Flanking Force as well. As you are a Master of Genjutsu, you surely know the Temple of Nirvana jutsu, yes? We will wait until the enemy's forces have started moving into the conical labyrinth, after about half of their forces are inside of it and when they are all in earshot below. You will then use that genjutsu on the general and attempt to put him to sleep. The Flanking Team will move in and immediately terminate the General and his Honor Guard. Any person or shinobi who is capable of amplifying sound is under strict orders by the Commander to assist in amplifying the trigger for the genjutsu. Any shinobi who are capable of resisting the genjutsu are to kai out of it themselves and then are to kai all nearby friendly forces. If it fails, you are to report back to Hayasu immediately for further orders."

He motioned to Hayasu, as his last statement might cause confusion. "I cannot neglect my primary objective, as it is the most important in our mission. Though I was able to draft together a strategy, I lack the experience necessary to effectively lead outside of the battlefield. Therefore, Hayasu is my Lieutenant Commander. He will be directing our forces from here, where he will have view of the battlefield." He then turned to the Doton Captain. "As you will be closest to the fort as part of the final defensives line, you are his Lieutenant. If he falls, you are to take command. If you both fall, I will have no choice but to return and assume command myself."

Tetsuo nodded. "You all have your orders. Inform the platoons of any pertinent information and get moving. Dismissed!"

Tetsuo looked down the path as the Captains dispersed and the small defensive force began to kick into high gear. "Raikage-sama, we will do all we can," he said to himself.

[7eleven]

Satori nodded grimly towards his flanking partner as he mentioned his name. Just minutes ago, this man stood before Satori as a stranger, as someone who he was both to be weary of and trust as his companion. But the person that stood before him now had the Jinchuuriki's respect. While none of the strategy he mandated was complicated by any means, it sounded very effective in its simplicity. The speed with which the tactics were formulated were truly impressive. Nothing more than a brief pause to think and shake the nerves off.

Satori turned to his Commander and said in a serious tone, "Should the opportunity arise, Tetsuo, I would like to kill the general personally. I want to see the look in his eyes as I serve Kumogakure's justice."

[Zasadel]

Hayasu groaned and looked over at the two, scratching his head. Lieutenant Commander?! Damn it! That means he had to use his brain. "ALRIGHTY THEN! LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" The massive Hayasu shouted, his defensive force cheering loudly in response. Kureiji was now donned in his General attire, standing utop a tent and whooping/pointing around as if he knew what he was doing. How adorable. He looked at Tetsuo with confidence and nodded, after hearing the rest of his plan. He walked over and clasped both of their shoulders. "This fort is under the Hayasu protection plan. You both have my word on my life, I will hold this fortress. If you guys run into trouble, Use the biggest, flashiest jutsu you have into the air and I'll send whomever and whatever I can spare. Good luck to you both!" Hayasu told them reassuringly. He had the utmost confidence in his companions, and knew they would get the job done; just as he had to.

Hayasu himself leapt into action, helping to erect defenses and shape the defensive force to Tetsuo's specifications. "Doton users, front and center,I want the most beautiful goddamned labyrinth I've ever seen, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE SO THIS SHOULD BE PRETTY DAMNED AWESOME!" Hayasu yelled out, lifting various wood stacks to help repair the damage from the bolt shot. After helping a few more fortifications get into shape, he moved to the wall to help guide and direct the doton techniques, shaping and forming a massive maze of death.

Before long, a perfectly shaped labyrinth was formed at the front portion of their fort, with the Doton users already prepping various landmine traps and collapsable tunnels throughout. As soon as the strike team left, they would raise the Fortress to the air, and finish the remaining fortifications. Various other shinobi prepped and continued their tasks until they were about as ready as they were going to be. Moving from the wall, Hayasu moved to the gate, staring into the maw of the labyrinth. Any soldiers that managed to make it through their ornate defenses would have to get through Hayasu and 800 ashigaru to even attempt to take the keep. He cracked his knuckles and stretches out, sitting and waiting calmly for any other enemy forces. "Whatever troops make it through the first wave are all on me. You guys stand back, only get involved if I call for it or I'm getting overrun. I want every spare Shinobi watching the walls and for sneak attacks, the front gate will NOT fall as long as I'm here! WE WILL STAND AND FIGHT TO THE LAST MAN AND MONKEY!" Hayasu announced, before grinning and nodding at Tetsuo. They were ready.

[Nafan~]

Map Graphical Representation thingyShow

Note: I have had to update numbers because of stuff. Each Foot battallion is worth 300 men for the enemy, while each Archer battallion is worth 150 and Cavalry is 200. For you guys the numbers are 200 for foot, 100 for archers and 75 for cavalry.

The advancing troops halted as each of their battalion commanders ordered them to remain in place, awaiting messengers to travel back to the makeshift wooden tower and the battlefield with orders. The two thousand odd soldiers were already pretty much stationary due to their awe. They had just witnessed an act of incredible power. The very earth itself had risen up and created walls for their enemies, and it scared them. But, walls could only delay them. They knew that their force had far superior numbers, more than twice that of their enemy. They knew that they could make it through the walls and assault their fort and succeed, for the glory of the revolution. They would fight to free their families from the weak Hojo, who cowered in the shadow of the shinobi.

The General, on the other hand, was royally pissed that they managed something like that. Such an incredible improvement of defences could set him back days, perhaps even weeks. He still had every intention of launching at least a single assault today, but his hopes for taking the fort in one attack were slim. At least, he knew that attacking head on wouldn't yield such results. Even worse still, their elevation of their position had cost him the view he had into their fort, which meant he no longer had forewarning on their movements. He called over the messenger and handed him the orders he had just written, telling him where to take them. He had an idea, and he wanted to see if it would succeed.

---

The shinobi had nodded after tetsuo gave his orders and set out to do exactly as they had been told. The fort lifted a total 40 meters off the ground, leaving an impressive distance of cliff face for anyone to try and scramble up. The cone of arranged walls provided a way back up to the fort proper, but only through that entrance. The men spaced themselves at regular intervals throughout the labrynth, but unfortunately after setting up the walls all doton users were sorely out of chakra, such repetition and heavy usage had exhausted them for the time being, with the exception of the jounin. Tetsuo, or perhaps Hayasu since he was in command now, could still command him to set up the land mine traps throughout the labrynth, but that would mean he would also be out of commission.

The Genin sensor that the defending force had on hand nodded emphatically when he received his order to report to the raikage. After he left, they were left without a sensor at all, but it was no big deal.

Everyone seemed ready and in position, it was up to the newly formed assassination squad, which consisted now of Tetsuo, Satori, Three Chuunin proficient in Fuuton and Three Chuunin proficient in Doton (These didn't participate in the defence arrangement), and Genjutsu Master Masaki, Renmaru.

From on the walls, the First and Second Archer battallions send a message to Hayasu, informing him that there seemed to be a shuffle of arrangement among the enemy's ranks. One of the enemy's Archer battalions had merged with a cavalry battalion for quite a long time before separating once again. Then, that cavalry battalion took one of the foot battalions and seemed to be splitting off from the main force.

Everyone awaited the order to advance or hold, and Tetsuo's 'special ops' group would soon leave the compound.

[Zasadel]

Hayasu listened to the scout carefully and nodded. "I want two of the fastest men to keep tabs on them along the walls, I'm sending Kureiji with you. Send him back with information, send a signal if it's an emergency, don't wait. I'll send a regiment to assist, but otherwise I want status updates hourly, however possible." Hayasu ordered, watching the scout start asking for the two fastest. Hayasu turned to his troops and nodded reassuringly. "Hell or high water, We will hold! Stay defensive, and keep your brothers in arms safe. I want those defenses CONSTANTLY reinforced. Every three hours I want guards rotated in along the walls. Those of the Doton Chuunin, take a small regiment and watch the rear while you rest. Keep weary, we may need you at the front. I do NOT want to deal with a surprise attack. If our walls need to be reinforced, rotate every hour, I don't want anyone's chakra getting too low without rest. If the enemy so much as SHUFFLES in a different way, I wan't to be informed immediately. Nobody leaves our defenses for any reason without prior approval. This fort is on lockdown until further notice. If anyone sees anything suspicious, report it to your CO or to me. Am I understood?" Hayasu finished, Kureiji leaping off to head away with the scouts, watching his troops continue to monitor and ready themselves for the impending assault.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo simply waited with his party, surveying the surroundings with Hayasu. He didn't interject in his orders, but he did supplement them. "Those of you who've used up their chakra, remember that if the enemy engages, your main role is casualty prevention!" Tetsuo reminded. "Assist the genin with transporting more serious injuries to the field hospital. Avoid direct combat unless absolutely necessary! Every last man, ninja or otherwise, is an asset to our army and a comrade! Protect your fellows, and don't risk your lives needlessly!"

Tetsuo turned to Satori. "You and Renmaru should watch the front. I'll take care of watching the rear," Tetsuo suggested as he made his way to the fort's back wall.

Tetsuo knew that to try and go for an assassination while the general was still in the middle of their camp was pure suicide. He had to be able to draw the general out into battle if they wanted to single him out and take him down. Thus, along with the Doton users, though more discreetly so, they'd keep watch. He'd have Satori watch the front with Renmaru, while Tetsuo would watch the rear with the rest of the platoon. If it looked like they were trying to survey their defenses or find a way around the fort, they had another thing coming.

[7eleven]

Satori made sure to stick with Tetsuo through all of the confusion, mostly because the two of them made up the core of the assassination party, but also because he needed to be prepared to take orders at any time. So when Tetsuo's next order for him was for the two of them to separate- Satori was skeptical to say the least. It seemed unwise to him that the two of them split, in the event that an opening to the general suddenly presented itself. But orders were orders, and Satori trusted the intuition of their impromptu leader. He headed towards the front where he found the Genjutsu master Renmaru.

"Sunakimi Satori, sir. I've been instructed to watch the front alongside you."

[Nafan~]

Renmaru brushed his blond bangs to one side as he replied to Satori, rather lifelessly "I look forward to working with you." While his words may not have matched his tone, they were genuine. At least, they seemed to be. Renmaru reached out and put his arm around Satori's shoulders, since they were of a height. "Waiting it out here with you might not be too bad." he commented, the jounin captain's death still fresh on his mind. Renmaru slowly guided Satori to the ledge at the edge of the fort, where they looked down at the corridor and field that lay beyond.

---

Tetsuo took up his position at the ledge to the rear of the fort. He had nobody but the six chuunin to accompany him, and the green and yellow plains lay stretched out before him, interrupted only by grey streaks of rock.

---

Kureiji sped along the walls with the two runners whom accompanied him. They were two of the chuunin that they had on staff, one of them being proficient in fuuton while the other in raiton. One of them came back soon, and informed Hayasu that the enemy had continued their advance toward the corridor once more, at a walk.

Sometime later, Kureiji came back with a note in his hand, simply stating 'west'.

[Zasadel]

West eh? I'll keep tabs on them, the Strike team has their mission and I have mine. Just have to keep these sonsa' bitches busy. Hayasu thought, before nodding to Kureiji. "Head back buddy, keep me posted." Hayasu told him, Kureiji saluting and darting back to the scouts. He turned to examine the preparations, noting they were well underway. Hayasu kept his directions up, and soon things were shaping nicely. Seeing as how they were the defensive force, he would let them make the first strike. He turned and nodded to Tetsuo approvingly. They were ready for anything.

As he waited for the enemy forces and Tetsuo, Hayasu turned to help lift various supplies and barricades, his massive strength helping various Genin and Chuunin prepare, while keeping his eyes and ears open for threats and any other reports of enemy activity.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo would be ever vigilant. There was a lot of space to cover in the rear of the fort, and he wanted to be ready in case the enemy went for an ill-advised rear assault. "Watch my six. If you see enemy movement around me, shoot me a whistle," Tetsuo told his nearby compatriots before scaling down the wall. As he traveled, both down the wall and on the ground, he'd be sure to keep himself out of the enemy's sight.

Staying low amidst the tall grass, Tetsuo would take six strands of hair from his head. He'd cast a jutsu for each pair of hairs before placing them in various areas of the reeds and grass. As soon as he was done, he'd make a beeline for his lookout post, scaling the wall and quickly hopping up and over under cover, keeping an eye out for sudden surprise attacks even after he scaled the wall.

JutsuShow

Tracking Art • Remote Bug
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *Tracking Device
After making the needed seals, Tetsuo imbues a strand of his hair with chakra before placing it somewhere, causing it to adhere to the surface. Instead of sensing the object's location, Tetsuo can instead hear any sounds in the same vicinity of the object. Tetsuo can receive information from this "bug" so long as it is within half a mile of his position, and it can pick up all sounds within a fifteen foot radius. The chakra in the strand of hair will dissipate at the end of six posts.

Tracking Art • Pressure Gauge
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *Tracking Device
After making the needed handseals, Tetsuo will imbue a strand of his hair with chakra before placing it on an object, usually a door or a chest lock, causing the hair to adhere to the surface. Instead of sensing the object's location, the chakra in the strand of hair will alert Tetsuo to any changes in the object's movement, weight distribution, exposure to pressure, or positioning. While it won't tell him how, it will alert Tetsuo to any potentially unwarranted entry or tampering. Tetsuo can sense these changes so long as the strand of hair is within one mile of his position. The chakra in the strand of hair will dissipate at the end of six posts.

Tracking Art • Proximity Alarm
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *Beyond Senses, Ninjutsu/Control/Wit of 6 or more, *Tracking Device
After making the needed handseals, Tetsuo will imbue a strand of his hair with chakra before placing it somewhere, causing the hair to adhere to the surface. While it will not give the exact location of the individual (nor will it alert Tetsuo to any changes in the strand's position), it will alert Tetsuo to any chakra signatures that are within fifteen feet of it, and it allows Tetsuo to detect specific chakra signatures of anyone within ten feet of the strand of hair. Tetsuo can sense these changes so long as the strand of hair is within one mile of his position. The chakra in the strand of hair will dissipate at the end of six posts.

[7eleven]

Satori looked out over the maze before him, and beyond it, the enemy troops stark against the horizon. He turned to Renmaru.

"Inform either Tetsuo or Hayasu that I've dropped down into the maze. This shouldn't take any more than a few moments, but inform them nonetheless."

Satori dropped down into the maze, quickly making his way along the path and planting his fuuinjutsu-rigged razor discs at strategic points- such as the entrance, narrow passages -for later use. He then quickly made his way back up to the main fort and climbed back to his position using his chakra.

PlacementShow

The black dots are my bomb placement. Except for the two very clearly in the green, which I planted on the ground, the rest are planted in the walls.

[Nafan~]

MapShow

The Red dot represents Hayasu, Blue is Tetsuo, Yellow is Satori. Black is Satori's bombs.

The enemy force formed up just outside the newly constructed earthen labyrinth. With their Cavalry in front, it looked like they were ready to charge the spear-men that Hayasu had posted in the mouth of the makeshift channel. He was informed of this fact by a runner, who looked urgent to relay Hayasu's orders to the men on the front, who had hastily created their own line in the entrance, unaware of exactly what it was that satori had done.

Satori made it back to his position with no qualms.

Tetsuo, meanwhile, was halfway returned from replacing his hairs when suddenly he felt the furthest hair from his current position had triggered, from the south east. He couldn't quite see over the tall grass he was hiding in. Perhaps it was merely some deer that had disturbed the grass? Or maybe it was more sinister?

[Zasadel]

Hayasu had nodded to his runner. "Tell the archers to be ready. I want the first battallion of footman to reinforce that line. Don't leave a single gap on the flanks, we can't risk a surround. Keep those spears locked tight and if anything gets past them I want those footman and archers to take care of it." Hayasu replied, scratching his chin before climbing to a vantage point to get an idea of his surroundings. He knew that his companions were more then capable of defending themselves, but he had to be ready at a moments notice if they needed a bail out or reinforcement.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo stopped, crouching a bit lower to hide in the tall grass and shooting a hand signal back to his men watching his back on the wall. Its meaning would be clear considering he stopped his quick retreat back towards the wall: Potential hostiles. Be ready to support.

Tetsuo quickly made a series of handseals, enhancing his smell and hearing many-fold. He even went so far as to also extend his extrasensory abilities out to the first level. He was particularly glad that he'd taken extra time to train the use of his extra sense to near mastery, considerably reducing the amount of strain it put on his chakra system. He'd need every bit of energy he could muster for the coming battle. If there were enemies inbound, they'd need to overwhelm them quickly.

Using the hairs he'd laid out as bugs (along with the information they were transmitting to him) as well as his own sensory abilities and enhanced senses, he'd more or less be able to get a rough picture of the number of units moving through the area and, more precisely, which direction they were moving. He'd be ready to move at a moments notice, since none but his extrasensory jutsu required any real level of focus, and he could break off that technique at will.

JutsuShow

Tracking Art • Wolf Snout
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
After making the needed seals, Tetsuo can increase his acuity with his sense of smell. Using this technique, he can track people and objects by scent. He can detect and distinguish between all scents within ten meters of his position. This technique lasts for three posts.

Tracking Arts • Acute Hearing
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
After making the needed seals, Tetsuo channels chakra into his eardrums and throughout his ear canal, enhancing his own auditory acuity. With this jutsu, Tetsuo triples the distance in which he can accurately hear sounds. Tetsuo can also use this jutsu to hear sounds on the other side of any surface which sound can travel through. This technique lasts up to three posts.

Beyond Senses • Perfected
B-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: Beyond Senses, Ninjutsu/Control/Wit stats of 7.
This jutsu represents a greater mastery of the jutsu Beyond Sense. After awakening this level of chakra sensing, Tetsuo has further learned how to sharpen and increase the clarity of chakra signatures he can perceive within the range of his technique. While this jutsu does not at all increase the range of Beyond Senses, the accuracy of the technique's perception no longer degrades the further out the signals are. With a small amount of focus, Tetsuo can accurately pinpoint a chakra signature anywhere within the thirty yard range of Beyond Senses. He can also accurately pinpoint more than one signature at the same time, but he must focus and sort through the signatures individually to do that, which can still be taxing.

[7eleven]

Satori stood silently at the edge of the fort, watching as the opposing troops gathered at the mouth of the doton labyrinth his compatriots had constructed. They seemed set on trying to traverse the maze. He found this strange. Surely they wouldn't bottleneck their troops unless they had something in mind. Their courage made the Chuunin slightly nervous; he didn't know if he should find their decision foolish or worrisome. Probably somewhere in between the two.

[Nafan~]

Tatsuo's senses were considerably enhanced and immediately his ears were assailed with the sound of a thunderclap booming its way across the plains. Not just one, but a series of small ones pattering and compounding upon themselves to create a roaring rush of sound. His nose on the other hand smelled something equally confronting. The absolutely revolting scent of sweat and faeces. His chakra sensory also revealed that the chakra sources were considerably numerous, but far too spread out to be any kind of organised squadron, they were in no real formation. It was likely that they were a herd of caribou. Except, one chakra source was curiously larger than the rest.

---

On Hayasu's front, men scrambled to gather themselves as the cavalry charged ahead. They met the line of spear men head on, trampling many in their original assault while the spears dragged horsemen from their steeds. The cavalry quickly retreated however, as its usefulness was in breaking the line, not protracted combat. No, they were simply the first hit as a battallion of foot soldiers waded around the spearheaded cavalry column as it wheeled away from the front line and charged into the far less solid line that remained behind. Then, it was spear, sword and fist that reigned in the fight. The first foot battalion of Hayasu's command were falling back into the labrynth, giving ground each second. It was not long before nearly a third of them had been slaughtered, and the fighting was harsh. The mouth to the maze was slick with blood and the released bowels of dying men.

It appeared that if nothing was done, he would lose his first foot squadron very soon.

---

Unfortunately, Satori was entirely correct. The charge into the mouth of the maze, where the shinobi's forces were at an overwhelming advantage, was a diversion. The real attack were the two units approaching from the side. They had made it to the fort, and found no resistance on the top of the cliff itself. As of yet. The horsemen stood by as the foot soldiers tied iron spikes to their armoured hands and feet and began to drive them into the cliff face to force their way up, unbeknownst to those within. For now.

[Zasadel]

Hayasu growled and jumped from the top of the nearest labyrinth wall to help reinforce his troops. "DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP! HOLD THE LINE COMRADES!" Hayasu yelled, slamming into the fray. He beat his chest and dove at the nearest group of horsemen, his bulky mass and insane strength pushing straight into them as he tackled through them, kunai's drawn. While he didn't use any particularly fancy techniques or maneuvering, his sheer prowess and brutal efficiency should of been plenty to take them on.

The goal was to boost morale of his troops, and defend the lines. They had to hold, it was the only way they would buy enough time to locate the general and scan for a weakness. From there, Hayasu could bring the fight to them, and cut the head of the snake before it sunk it's fangs all the way in.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tetsuo had trouble filtering out the sounds, at first, as there were numerous ones, but he was able to do so. He was also able to pick up the scents of feces. It did seem like it was a group of herd animals, but something seemed off. There was no reason why one caribou would have such a significantly large chakra pool than the rest. Of course, it could be some sort of summon animal or trained pet, but that still begged the question of how it got here. He quickly made a set of seals, charging his body with raiton chakra. Thankfully, this technique had no physical tell, so it wouldn't disrupt his next plan of action.

To the men above, Tetsuo signaled the number two and then pointed. He'd discussed this point before they'd taken their posts. He was ordering two of the raiton skirmishers to be ready to support. Tetsuo then started stalking the large chakra source. Tetsuo had to move a bit slower than his max speed, but it greatly reduced the chances that the one larger chakra source would notice his presence.

JutsuShow

Lightning Element • Synapse Charge
B-Ranked Ninjutsu
After making the needed seals, Tetsuo charges his body with raiton chakra, significantly enhancing his speed. While this jutsu is active, Tetsuo's effective speed increases by 3. However, his capacity to use other ninjutsu is moderately inhibited, reducing his effective ninjutsu score by 2 for the duration of this technique. His movements also become less accurate, reducing his effective taijutsu by 1 for the duration. This technique lasts for up to four posts, but Tetsuo may choose to dispel this technique at any point after the second post of its duration if he wishes.

Tracking Art • Stealth
C-Ranked Taijutsu
After years of studying and training, Tetsuo has learned how to quiet his body's own movements and sounds to the point of near silence. These sounds range from quieting his own breath to shifting his weight while jumping, dropping, and moving so as to keep silent. This can prevent even nearby opponents from noticing his presence. However, in order to hide his movements, Tetsuo must move more slowly, effectively reducing his speed by three while using this technique.[/b][/color]

[7eleven]

Satori sighed as the samurai began to funnel into the opening of the maze. And so it began. He waited until the unit was about halfway into the mouth, performing a simple chakra kai to set off the bombs closest to the entrance. The razor discs exploded in a fury, loosing a cloud of spinning iron shavings that would cause heavy damage to those within range and likely muddling the approach of the unit as a whole.

Jutsu usedShow

-Cast Storm Bomb
C-rank Jikiton Fuuinjutsu
Size: 2" diameter
With a release seal, the user can cause the fuuinjutsu to explode with the force of 3 exploding tags. This seal is different from other exploding tags in that it contains iron shavings and magnetism chakra that spins them in a 10 foot radius, causing lacerations all over the body.

[Taiga]

(OOC: You guys want a replacement mod?)

[7eleven]

(OOC: fine with me)

[Nafan~]

The explosions ripped through the charging throng of sweaty bodies, metal shavings slaying those that survived the initial blast. Hundreds lay dead or dying, and the attackers were forced to disengage as they reassessed their situation. They instead closed off the mouth of the maze, and simply waited. They would close off this obvious escape route, and wait for further orders.

Meanwhile, the two units to the side of the fort began to use their climbing spikes to scale the earthen walls. The going was not terribly quick, but it would be another 10 minutes until the on-duty sensors would be able to pick them up.

---

As Tetsuo carefully approached the larger chakra source, he would notice that the caribou were in fact running from something. That something being a man in simple, slightly dirty clothes. The man had not yet noticed Tetsuo, but Tetsuo definitely noticed him.

[Zasadel]

Hayasu dodged left, rolled into a flip, and narrowly avoided a spear from a horsemen. In retaliation, he threw a kunai that let out a satisfying CLUNK! as it slammed into the mans helmet...from his chin. Hayasu grabbed the man's spear and twirled it around, slamming the blunt side into a man's chest, knocking him flying off into others.

"LETS DO IT! PRESS ONWARD! HOLD THE LINE!" Hayasu bellowed, roaring triumphantly as his soldiers started to rally. It would appear they would be able to hold for now, if by nothing else but the raw strength of Hayasu himself.