[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Dec 02, 2019 1:16 pm

Ookuri could still hardly believe he was here. It was only a week prior that he'd had his chance meeting with the Raikage and had fundamentally altered his life course.

His pack, filled with whatever belongings he'd thought prudent to bring with him (as well as the supplies needed to cover the journey), hung on his back much more lightly than he'd expected to. This was the same pack he had been planning on taking with him when he would have left the village. Now, it would serve as the container for the revival of his journey as a shinobi. That wasn't even the craziest part of this whole situation, either. He, a young man who thought himself as nothing, was going to be personally traveling with the Raikage to the Academy, which would serve as his new home away from home for the foreseeable future. He had to keep pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Despite not being a morning person, he'd made absolutely certain to awaken long before the Raikage had told him to meet. He was the first to arrive, and he awaited his leader's arrival anxiously. The man had restored the spark in his spirit. He had to show that he wasn't taking that gift he'd been given for granted. Even as he stood, he kept obsessively going through mental checklists to make sure he had prepared everything he would need. He then reassured himself that whatever he might lack, the academy would provide for him. This would, in turn, be countered by another paranoid concern that would come to mind. All in all, despite his inner turmoil, it was much more lighthearted than what he had been considering previously, and it would likely be a source of great amusement to any observant passerby to sit and watch for a time.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:55 am

It was strange for Inyo, but given the outcome of the civil war his family had become direct underling for the Raikage. With the Shishi's dominance in lighting country and neutrality, it had made them the perfect agents of the new order. This meant that even Inyo himself had gained many an order from the Raikage in the past few months. Letting out a sigh, Inyo crumpled his missive and put it into his pocket.

Hayate nodded to him as the pair waited at the gates of Kumogakure. From here a descent and a long journey north would take place, and from what the Raikage had told him, it was more or less an escort mission of a kid to the new academy Inyo had helped build. The Raikage finally nodded, notifying Inyo to move into the gates. As the pair entered Kumogakure, a young man was standing near a guard tower, seemingly deep in thought. Hayate nodded.

"That is him." the Raikage said solemnly as they approached the boy. He feared what happened next may be shocking, but it was what it was.

"Good morning, Ookuri- I would like you to meet Shishi Inyo, a C-Rank Samurai of LC and the man who will escort you to the academy for the first leg of the journey." the Raikage said, trying not to dwell on it too long. "Somethings have come up and I will not be able to join you till a few days from now, but you must not delay or you will not make the ceremony." The Raikage said bowing as he tipped his hat.

Inyo also bowed to the young boy- his lion armor shining on his body.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:09 pm

Ookuri stood at attention the moment that the Raikage approached him. It would seem that his first lesson would be to not set too firm of expectations for the future. As he completed his salute, Hayate communicated that he would not be able to personally accompany the Arashiyama due to unforeseen circumstances. It was unfortunate, but Ookuri would not be ungrateful. He’d at least taken time out of his day to introduce him to his traveling companion. ”I understand, Hayate-sama. Inyo-san, it is a privilege and an honor to meet you,” he confirmed, bowing to Inyo. ”Any who serve Hayate-sama and the village are comrades, not subordinates. It is an honor to work with you.”

Hoisting his pack over his shoulders, Ookuri nodded to his compatriot. ”We must depart immediately. Are you ready to move, Inyo-san?” he posited, awaiting his companion’s response.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:11 pm

With the introductions hading been made and the news delivered, Hayate tipped his hat and bowed to the pair. His bow to Inyo was slightly deeper- a sign of his respect and gratitude to the young man having taken on the Raikage's personal request and perhaps what some would consider his own responsibilities.In an instant the Raikage was gone, the wind causing the dust and leaves in the air to flurry before they finally settled. Inyo cracked his knuckles before releasing a sigh of relief. It was always oddly stressful to talk with the Raikage for him... it reminded him that he was now The Lion and the successor of his lineage and just how unprepared he was.

Turning from the genin and heading out the gate the magnificent and glistening armor disappeared off Inyo, revealing not only more simple clothing but a rather small and agile frame, as opposed to the previously imposing stature granted by the lion-shaped silver armor.

"The question is, are you ready?" Inyo said as he continued his pace out the gate.

"Hayate-sama has informed me there are still many opposition forces in the many caves and tunnels of the country- this new academy is especially a friction point and there may very well be rebels who attack us on the road. Then, there is nature itself to brave." Inyo said with a smirk. Dropping lower he began to pick up his pace.

"We've got a lot of ground to cover."

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:49 am

Watching the armor move so dynamically on Inyo’s body and seeing it vanish made Ookuri curious about the nature of the samurai families of the Lightning Country. What kind of secret techniques and histories did they have? What had it been like serving the daimyo? He could only imagine how complicated their relationships with the village might be. Once they ruled over them, and now they were subservient to them. Despite all of this, however, Ookuri had to stifle his curiosity. They had a harrowing journey ahead of them. ”There are always opponents to progress,” he acknowledged, perhaps sounding more ignorant than he meant to. ”So long as we have each other’s backs, we should be alright.”

Doing a once over of his provisions, he motioned to Inyo that they should move out. Excitement and trepidation combined inside to push his legs forward, launching himself for an uncertain future. Still, he was not afraid. Even an uncertain future was better than the one he’d left behind.
They has been hiking for several hours. Despite not being used to such long travel, Ookuri was in high spirits and full of vital energy. His eyes quickly scanned the area in front of him. He was still in more familiar territory, so when they created a small point on the mountainside road, his eyes widened then narrowed. Holding his hand up and clenching his fist to signal for Inyo to stop, Ookuri knelt.

Several hundred meters away and down, there was a suspension bridge of modest size hung between two cliffs, a massive chasm below it. On either side of the bridge was what appeared to be a nomadic caravan that had set up stands to sell goods. Theses were common enough in Lightning Country, but something was off.

Ookuri turned to Inyo and shared his thoughts. ”Inyo-san, I sense danger,” he said quietly. ”These caravans normally stay on one side of the bridge. Their beasts of burden only cross these bridges when necessary since the bridgework is old. My experience tells me this is a trap.”

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:59 pm

Several hours had passed and the men had covered good ground. Inyo's stomach was beginning to growl. There was a long bridge ahead, and once they crossed it, the pair would finally be able to take a short rest and at the very least fill their stomachs a bit. Ahead of them were some nomads- Ookuri had signaled for Inyo to stop. Surprised at the Genin's astute observations, Inyo stopped and knelt down next to the boy. The nomads were indeed normal for the area... but Ookuri made a valid point in that it was unusual to see both the caravan and their beasts of burden on this side of the bridge. The Lion scratched his chin, his hand at his waist, perched delicately on his blade.

"Ookuri, get as close as you can while maintaining a hidden and safe position. I'll be bait. I'll keep drawing attention so you can move in the shadows. If it goes south, you use your cover and hit them with whatever you can."

Though his logic was unexplained, Inyo was sure this was the work of former samurai and martial warriors. And that in fact, it seemed more like a trap for a specific kind of person who visited these markets- tired shinobi traveling north. He knew from speaking with Hayate that the boy had a decent set of ninjutsu based skill, but physically was not that powerful. The close-ranged combat of the samurai would prove dangerous for him, and Inyo doubted he would get much time to ever sign any jutsu. Strategically, his ninjutsu was their ace and as such he was best to keep his distance.

Besides, while the two both needed to arrive at the Northern academy, it was Inyo's sole mission to deliver a living, healthy child.

Patting Ookuri on the back, he began to walk towards the caravan, vigilant, but unsure what would transpire next.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu Jan 02, 2020 3:42 pm

Ookuri’s brow creased in worry. He wasn’t fond of the notion of other people being used at bait for his benefit. Still, he nodded. This was no time to be sentimental. Besides, Inyo was clearly experienced in combat. If he was offering to put himself in the line of fire, it meant he was confident he could do so without putting himself in danger.

Slipping away into the shadows, Ookuri found a vantage point where he could observe his comrade walking down the path toward the bridge. His gut twisted inside of him, his conscience still stinging with revulsion knowing that Inyo was in danger despite the circumstances. He had to be patient. He hoped that this was all simply a misunderstanding, despite how unlikely that was given the circumstances. Each moment that Inyo walked closer and closer to the merchants was another tense moment Ookuri had to hold himself back from acting.

Inyo would walk through the market, which appeared to have a number of customers at the stalls. At first glance, it appeared that all was well. There wasn’t anything out of order. If Inyo paid close attention to their eyes, however, he’d notice that there wasn’t a single pair of eyes, even among the customers, that didn’t give a single, momentary glance in his direction. Despite this, however, they made no move against him. Curiously, Inyo would make his way across the bridge and through the caravan without incident. They were clearly looking for someone, but whomever it was, it wasn’t him.

Ookuri wasn’t sure what to do at this point. Inyo made his way through just fine, but his red flags were still raised. Should he reveal himself and try to make it across?

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:21 pm

As Inyo approached his instincts keen, he began to feel an unsettling pit in his stomach. His hand was not on his hilt- as to appear not on guard- but it was close enough that in a seconds notice he could move it into place to draw his blade and activate his armor. With a deep breath he kept his head down, his eyes turning side to side. There was great interest in him, but in the end he was able to cross through the market without any sign of struggle. The young lion's eyes thinned to slits as he pondered what had happened. He could only assume that the market was safe- though the surveillance of him was odd enough, it wasn't too odd to take note of men walking through a markets with blades at their hips and a large lion emblem.

Then it hit him.

Perhaps- he had made a grave mistake in splitting up from the boy. After all, if they had identified him as a Shishi they were well aware that he was not a shinobi and came from a noble warrior family in the country side. Inyo gulped. What could they possibly do now? He had no real way of communicating to the boy. With no other choice, he decided to go back into the market, to near the front, and then browse at a stall. The stall was selling daggers made of a fine iron. He began to make conversation.

Hopefully, Ookuri would notice this and would act. With no real way around the market place at the foot of the bridge, they would have to pass. Neither of them likely had jutsu to fly either- in which case they would not have to deal with any of the threats they might come across.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Fri Jan 03, 2020 4:04 pm

Ookuri was getting ready to come down when the genin noticed Inyo backtrack and seem to strike up conversation with one of the vendors. The Arashiyama paused. This struck him as odd. Why would he remain in the camp? If it was a threat, it was continuously exposing himself to danger, and if it wasn’t, it was a waste of precious time. Something about this seemed incredibly suspicious. Inyo was trying to tell him something. Perhaps it was that he’d need to escort him across?

Ookuri took a deep breath. He’d trained hard in using his ninjutsu. Despite his inherent fragility, he was about as skilled as an average chuunin in using ninjutsu. If something did go wrong, he’d have to rely on those skills and his wits to survive.

Ookuri slipped quietly into view, his pack on his shoulders evident. Inyo would notice a flicker in the eyes of the merchants to the side, immediately taking note of the approaching figure. It was subtle, but the exactness of the merchant’s movements sharpened, a tendency that quickly swallowed the entire caravan. Ookuri could feel the tension in the air, and Inyo would be enveloped by it.

There was no other choice. They had to walk into this den of lions, and Ookuri was the target. Though he didn’t do anything to directly draw attention, the color of his skin and his bright, amber eyes gave away his lineage as an Arashiyama. Even with his atypical hair color, it was unmistakable.

Ookuri could sense that the bridge would be the focus of this trap. Gripping the scabbard of his katana a bit more tightly, he readied himself to break into a run once he reached it...

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:34 am

For theatrics, start song before readingShow
The young lion continued to make conversation, his eyes moving side to side and purveying all there was to see in the marketplace. Slowly his hand reached towards his side as his eyes glanced towards the entrance. Seemingly understanding there was little to no choice in the matter, Ookuri was entering the market. With his arrival the market had gone nearly silent as everyone looked to the entrance.

The world was still as Inyo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His hand slid upon the jagged edge of the blade as blood touched it. The near silent hum of energy building up started.

He could hear rapid footsteps- as men screamed, and suddenly an immense amount of movement from the man before him, behind the table. With a cackle his armor appeared and his blade hummed as the cosmic energy took full force. Opening his eyes he swung the blade into the man dilapidating his arm. Wasting no time he grabbed one of the blades on the table and chucked it at the mans head. He had positioned himself at this stall for that very reason- ammunition.

The men though had no interested in fighting him. At least a few of the men from the front of the market headed straight for Ookuri, blades drawn. One of the mean lunged forward with ferocious power aiming for the boys arm- the one towards his blade.

Inyo roared at the sight, deciding to abandon his precious ammunition and make break for the boy only to be stopped before three very large men. The men took off their clothen covers to reveal intricate armor and axes. They drew them.

"We hate-"" to draw the blood of one of our own kind ""but that armor would make a great piece in ours collection of pride the three seemingly similar men said as the crouched low. Inyo dropped back into a defensive stance.

It's always the fucking escort missions.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:17 pm

Ookuri was not a specialist in Taijutsu. It had been abundantly clear that above all else, his skills were best suited for Ninjutsu. He was the person you called when you needed to call in the big guns and blast opponents with the very power of nature itself. With that being said...

No one said he couldn’t hold his own in a sword fight. The katana he carried wasn’t merely for show.

Drawing his weapon, Ookuri fell back to basics, waiting for his opponents to strike. Each one he would deflect or side step and then quickly counter strike, aiming for the legs and feet. He had no desire to needlessly spill blood, so compromising their mobility and centers of gravity would incapacitate them quickly. After the fourth opponent, Ookuri knew he’d eventually become overwhelmed. He needed to reunite with Inyo. Jumping up into the air, his chakra-enhanced strength carrying him to an impressive height, he sheathed his sword and started weaving hand seals. The crowd of roughly ten men that still stood would turn and start rushing toward Inyo, as that’s where he was descending.

Not a moment before landing, he finished the seals for his jutsu, and from behind to his left, Inyo would see a massive wave of water burst forth and swallow the three axe-bearing warriors before him, a grand circular wall much like a tsunami surrounding them like a barrier. About seven of the men that had given chase had also fallen into the liquid trap, quickly being swept away by the torrents.

Ookuri wasn’t done. Immediately upon expelling the waters from his mouth, he’d begun weaving additional seals. Liquid currents joined in union with electric currents, creating a dazzling marriage of water and electricity. Muffled howls of pain could be faintly heard over the raging tide wall as the two jutsu combined to take their toll.

”I’m not one to abandon a comrade,” Ookuri reassure his companion, drawing his sword. Those three axe-bearing warriors had seemed strong. Hopefully, they would at least suffer some damage from his jutsu.
JutsuShow
Suiton • Twisting Barricade
C-Rank Ninjutsu
After making the needed hand seals, Ookurikara expels water from his mouth to create a spinning wall of water, spiraling up and outwards with 10 Speed and 10 Strength in a circular wall 10 meters tall and 2 meters thick. The technique leaves a 5-meter space within the boundaries of the wall for the user and allies to move around freely. The water pressure from this jutsu can be used to defend against attacks and jutsu, and anyone caught in the water with a strength of less than 10 are trapped in the barricade. During the execution of this technique, Ookurikara is able to form hand seals for other techniques if he so wishes. This barricade lasts for up to four posts, though Ookurikara can prematurely end this technique at will if he wishes.

Raiton • Spiked Tidal Wave
C-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite(s): Suiton • Twisting Barricade.
While still expelling the water being used to form the Suiton • Twisting Barricade technique, Ookurikara forms the needed hand seals to channel overlapping Raiton chakra into the water being released from his mouth, infusing the entire barricade with Raiton chakra. This causes any enemy or technique that comes into contact with the barrier to be struck with a shock of Raiton chakra with 10 Strength. This also causes the barricade to impose Raiton's shocking passive on any enemy or attack that touches it. This charge will remain on the barricade as long as it remains active.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:45 pm

Inyo dodged to the side as one of the axe wielders slashed downwards at him. The next went for his side, causing him to spin during his dodge and narrowly avoid the blade just as the third man swung for him. Inyo swung his blade up just in time to parry- the humming of the cosmic energy screeching as it cut into the blade of the man's axe, who in surprise, quickly pulled back with the rest of his men. Before the could engage in more combat, it seemed the young Genin had managed to handle a few of the men at the front gate but having soon after been overwhelmed, use his chakra jumping to leap towards Inyo aiming to close the gap, all the while releasing a large jutsu. The water went around Inyo forming a barrier, and momentarily trapping the axe men in its walls.

Ultimately escaped the prison, the now wet and unhappy, slightly shocked axe men groaned as they set their eyes on Inyo again. Meanwhile, a few more men with spears would arrive, and make a circle around the barrier. Though they were likely strong enough to break it, the shocking water scared them and the ninjutsu served as a deterrent. After all, why mess with magic when you could wait?

Inyo groaned as he picked up one of the blades of a man who had dropped it and who was trapped in the water barricade- for as long as it would hold.

The three axe men continued for him. Inyo was perfectly capable of using both hands with flawless precision. He prepared to parry the first two attacks, and hoped he could dodge the third. He did not have many other options.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:35 pm

Good. The plan had generally worked. He’d been hoping the three axe warriors that had been swallowed by the water would remained trapped, but it seemed that they were stronger than he’d anticipated. Ookuri could see that Inyo would have his hands full with these three. Ookuri had to tip the scales somehow.

Quickly pulling out shuriken, Ookuri would be certain to time his movements with Inyo’s to avoid hitting his partner. Targeting the space between his opponents’ defense against Inyo’s attacks and the start of their counterattacks, Ookuri would throw individual shuriken at each of the three, trying to open up spaces for Inyo to capitalize on. This strategy had limited success; the two whose axes were undamaged took a brief moment to swat the shuriken out of the way. The third, whose axe was damaged, halted his attack to dodge, and Ookuri took advantage of the opening, jumping forward to roughly kick his off-balance opponent before drawing his sword, who stumbled back into the water wall, taking the impact of both the wall of water (10 Strength) and the electrical current (10 Strength). Taking it once may not have caused much issue, but taking it a second time had a greater effect, a bit weaker due to the additional damage.

The two axe warriors would continue pressuring Inyo is f he did nothing to take advantage of the small opening the shuriken provided, whom they viewed as the more present threat.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sun Jan 19, 2020 4:31 am

Inyo groaned as he parried one of the axes. His sword left a decent gash in the blade of the first axe- which was enough to tip him off that his blade would, given enough time, be able to cut through the axes completely probably. Whether or not he could use that he was unsure, since he doubted the large men would let him touch his blade to it for long. The boy's shuriken came in, which bought him some time, but ultimately did little to alter the course of the fight. Surprisingly though, Ookuri came in with a kick, knocking one of the men into the wall. It would take him out of play for a moment.

Mean while, on the outside of the wall more of the men were lining up. One hit the wall with is spear, and pulled back. A few of the men locked eyes before deciding- perhaps hitting the wall could cause it to crumble.

"You need to take care of those guys." Inyo said as he slid back then dashed forward. Tremendous power in his step, he pushed forward with all his might and brought his blade down onto one of the mans axes, but this time, aimed for the handle of the axe. His blade cut right through it and slashed the mans chest. Wasting no time he swung round with the other blade- he had picked up off the ground just in time to parry the second axe man's blade, over his head and behind his back.

Letting out a tremendous groan as he tried to hold his parry from a disadvantaged position he would attempt to rotate himself around so that he could jam his cosmic blade into the stomach of the man who currently was locking weapons with him.

Suddenly the sound of the wall beginning to fall began as the boys ninjutsu was defeated by the collective attacks of the man outside. Defenseses, even ninjutsu, had their limits too.
SpoilerShow
Pounce
C-Rank Maneuver Taijutsu
Inyo will rush forward and leap towards his opponent, throwing his full weight at them in a tackle/pounce. If they are off-kilter this is especially effective. If successful, he'll use his the force of his action to knock the opponent to the ground then position himself on top of them to finish the with a strike from a blade or weapon.

Pride of the Pride
C-Rank Stance Taijutsu
Inyo will make use of the bodies natural counterweights to step heavily into his hits, slightly launching himself forward with each strike, weather slamming something away with a shield or slashing with his sword. From this stance, he is able to raise the sheer power of his movements. While not providing an actual stat bonus, in battles of evenly matched or closely matched strengths, this can give Inyo the winning edge or allow him to be on par.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:49 pm

Ookuri had to play support in this fight.Turning to see the spears poking through the wall of water have the genin a general idea as to their locations. He knew that getting too much into Inyo’s range would be detrimental to his partner’s combat capacity. Quickly weaving a series of seals before pulling an exploding tag out of his pack, a large tidal wave of Storm chakra bursting from the ground underneath the spear men on the same side as the axe warriors. This wave, aside from crashing into them and perforating them with the Storm’s ribbons, this wave would also pull them toward the cliff, flinging them into the rocky oblivion below. Turning around after finishing his seals, he’d fling the exploding tag kunai in a steep arc over the faltering wall of water detonating it when he estimated it would land right between the other spear men.

He then drew his sword, which was fortunate, because he had just enough time to barely dodge a tackle from the third axe warrior whose weapon Inyo has broken. He wasn’t blind to the caster’s ploy, and he knew that if his focus was on his magicks, he likely wouldn’t fare well up close. The two remaining armed warriors were well coordinated. Seeing the danger his fellow was in, he thrust the head of his axe up and against the flat of Inyo’s blade, turning a finishing blow into a glancing but superficial cut along his ribcage. Jumping back, both warriors reset to a neutral stance.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:10 am

From further back in the caravan, a single hooded figure could be seen. His long black cloak obscured him completely, to the point of being unable to tell just what tricks or secrets he was hiding. He watched the fight progress, but made no specific movement to approach any further.

Ookuri would have no issue rendering the spear men useless- and most of them would even find their fate somewhere off the cliff. It was a rather brutal attack- and though he did not have time seeing it from his peripheral vision surprised the C-Rank level Samurai. Perhaps it was an effect of the rather bloody civil war- but the boy had no issue taking the lives of others- or perhaps his adrenaline had not caused him to realize his actions yet. For Inyo, he knew the pain all too well, but also knew it would have been them if they did not kill. His brother knew that all too well- and his father too.

Meanwhile, one of the axe wielders had advanced on the boy. Inyo needed to disable his two foes quickly. Though Ookuri would successfully dodge, the axe wielder would let go of the grip of his broken weapon, grabbing a knife from his side and using his remaining momentum to fling forward for the boy.

Inyo on the other hand paused- his eyes were now fixed on his two opponents, one injured, the other fine. Both stood neutral- making no move towards him. If Inyo waited, he knew his mission would fail- Ookuri wouldn't be safe for ever. His eyes sharpening, he charged and then chucked the blade he had picked off the ground at one of the men in order to cause one of them to move and make an opening. For one brief moment the man stepped back on to his back leg- but only one leg.

Tilting his lion's blade to protect his side from the other axe warrior, Inyo slammed his body full force into one of the axe wielders knocking him to the ground. With fierce efficiency he'd swing his blade against the mans neck. Unfortunately however, the other axe man still had quite the opening on him. Quickly Inyo tried to evade, but it was too late. With one ferocious swing of his axe, it hit Inyo in the side and sent him flying backwards, sliding on his heels as he dug his blade into the ground to get traction. The blade sundered the earth and kicked up dirt, masking him for a moment as he attempted to catch his breath.

Inyo's armor had absorbed most of the blow- after all, that was the magic of the Lion armor... however, he still was injured. He felt some blood well up in his mouth. He was beginning to get to his limit- and the Lion armor took more and more of his stamina the longer he wore it. Relatively new to the role of the Lion, he was not quite accustomed to the suit yet.
usedShow
Pounce
C-Rank Maneuver Taijutsu
Inyo will rush forward and leap towards his opponent, throwing his full weight at them in a tackle/pounce. If they are off-kilter this is especially effective. If successful, he'll use his the force of his action to knock the opponent to the ground then position himself on top of them to finish the with a strike from a blade or weapon.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:43 pm

Ookuri had to act quickly. Their enemies were quickly adapting to their differences in strategy. This fight had to end quickly, lest the pair be overwhelmed. Quickly grabbing a light grenade from his pack, he parried with his katana and slid the knife down the length of his blade to catch it on the guard of his sword. Quickly flinging the grenade up above his head from behind his back, he detonated it.

Though he would briefly suffer a loss of hearing due to his proximity to the detonation, the three axe wielding warriors would take the brunt of the intense flash of light from the bomb itself. As it was behind him, however, Ookuri would retain his vision. Sidestepping his now blinded opponent and sliding the opponent’s weapon back up the length of blade, Ookuri spun and caught his opponent’s side with a cleaving downward slash, slicing bone, muscle , and lung, causing the first axe warrior to quickly begin suffocating and drowning in his own blood.

It was during this exchange that Ookuri caught sight of the hooded figure off in the distance. It was likely either the mastermind of this attack or someone who worked for them. This was all quite strange. For the attack to be this well coordinated, they likely had been watched shortly after they left the village. Ookuri would get to the bottom of this. He’d just gotten his life back; he wasn’t about to lose it again.

Reaching into his pack again, Ookuri would pull out one of his exploding kunai and quickly toss it at the healthier of Inyo’s opponents. As his back was facing the cliff, Ookuri was hoping that a quick concussive burst would be enough to fling him over and let nature catch him in its jaws. It would also give Inyo precious moments to recover.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:48 pm

The boy's turn lucked out, and he would avoid much of the effects of his flash tag. On the other hand, he did indeed have no issue getting the opponents caught in the tag, sans the one who was still facing Inyo. Either way, his attack and the explosive tag would buy some time. The explosive tag did indeed pack a punch, but for such a large strong man it did little to push him off the cliff- but in his blindness from the flash tag- he would misplace his foot on his next step, tumbling off the cliff to his demise. Inyo tried to push himself up to his feet fully in the mean time and took a defensive stance, holding his blade.

Ignoring the mysterious figure in the backdrop, Inyo held his blade perpendicular to his shoulder before holding it to a neutral stance, waiting. The cliff was too his back- he lacked a shield... the thing he was trained best for in combat. He was injured and his stamina was running low. He would need to end the fight soon.

The final axe man came charging and Inyo side-stepped, the mans axe flying forward and taking his momentum with him. Inyo then jabbed at his chest. He tilted his axe just in time to deflect the blade, which bounced back. Inyo lead another attack immediately. He wasn't aiming to get a kill, but to lead the man further to the edge.

The duel continued until finally near the edge, he drew a neutral position again. This time when the man charged, he slid to the ground in a tackle- much like the ones kids did playing soccer as a kid, and put all his weight into the mans shins pushing forward, tripping the man. The man's face looked in horror as he went into the air, realizing what was happening, and off the cliff.

Panting, the armor disappeared as Inyo sat, his knees up, his weight leaning back onto his hands which were in the mud, his sword stuck in the ground nearby.

it seemed they had defeated their opponents for now.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Tue Feb 18, 2020 4:43 pm

Ookuri's eyes focused in on the figure in the background, knowing that though they had defeated this group of enemies, they were vulnerable. Having the enemy watching them while they were tending to their wounds would be, at the absolute minimum, seriously compromising. He had managed to avoid any serious injury, but his compatriot was a different story.

Thinking quickly, Ookuri retrieved one of his smoking shuriken and, well aware that it wouldn’t hit his target, threw it straight for the hooded figure, activating it. The smoke cloud would quickly expand behind the shuriken’s path, blocking the hooded figure’s view. Quickly slipping up beside Inyo, he took his arm over his shoulder, hoisting him up and supporting him while grabbing the samurai’s sword with his hand. Using the smoke cloud as cover, Ookuri quickly rifled though the contents of the various stalls and carts, knowing that if the assailants had been ready to fight, they also would have been ready to tend to their wounded.

Finding some bandages and some numbing agents, Ookuri brought them to Inyo. ”I’m no medic, but I can follow instructions. What do I do?” he asked the samurai in regard to his first aid.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:47 pm

The smoke and all that went would not do much, but neither would the cloaked figure who watched from afar. He was patient. Sitting behind the smoke he thought to himself. When the smoke would clear, he would be gone. For those who could not see you could not be seen.

Wincing Inyo looked at the Genin. He was surprised by the boys resilience, and quite pleased to say the least. "I have some bandages in my bag over there. I think I might have a broken rib and some internal bruising, but us warriors- you know, we heal quick." he said as he began to move back towards the market. "Wrap me up- but save enough bandages for me to use for something else." he said as he looked through the smashed up and destroyed stalls.

One of the stalls- which had previously served food was in shambles. A shallow black-steel wok laid on the ground. Picking it up, hesitantly to make sure it was cool by now, he looked back to ookuri.

"After I'm bandaged up, lets intertwine bandages and some rope from this area and tie it handle to handle on this wok. I need a shield and this will have to do." Nightfall would come soon, so the two needed to cross the bridge and continue on the journey.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Mar 30, 2020 4:16 pm

Ookuri did as he was told. Taking the time to carefully wrap his comrade’s torso, it wasn’t perfect, but it was passable. There was still a decent amount of bandage left for further use afterward, and Ookuri would see that Inyo already had an idea as to what to do with it. Taking the wok and some thin rope, the pair managed to make a makeshift buckler of the kitchenware. Ookuri couldn’t help but feel concerned about the choice of material, though. ”Are you sure about this? Couldn’t we salvage some wood planks from the carts and make a more serviceable shield for you? I don’t know how well this will hold against a solid blow,” he asked, voicing his understandable skepticism.

Despite this, they finished the shield regardless, and helping his comrade up, Ookuri looked out from amidst the chaos of the carts. The hooded figure was nowhere to be seen. Moving as quickly as they could manage with Inyo’s injuries, they continued on their path. The day was quickly passing, and they might have to find some sort of shelter to rest. These areas weren’t just filled with vengeful samurai; bandits, taking advantage of the nascent authority of the Raikage, had set up a number of camps throughout the range. Ookuri still had chakra left, but waiting energy on them would leave him with limited resources for the more powerful and disciplined samurai they might still run into.

And that was without bringing the hooded figure into the equation. This might require Ookuri to finalize his plan he had from before. He’d read a scroll that had intrigued him greatly before he’d left for the academy. It was on a school of techniques that would make good use of his affinity with lightning. He hadn’t intended to train during this trip, but it just might be the key to their success.

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[Plotboard 2] The First Step of Thousands to Come

Post by Taiga » Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:45 am

Though he was adept at the art of war- especially tactics, the Lion was not ashamed to admit he was no engineer or smith. His plans to make a hasty buckler were indeed clever, for the gods who controlled his every move had forgotten to give him shield on whatever mystical sheet they used to define his destiny, but he had to admit that Ookuri was right. The shield was rather flimsy, and even some wood binded around it with wire, that could then be wet, would provide a better protection. He nodded.

The tactician in him though told him it had been best to move. His goal was to find a suitable place to bunker down for the night.

"Grab some scrap, then, and wire or metal we can bend about the wood then. Once we find a camp I'll finesse it. Inyo was already starting to regain his strength, those his injuries would need probably a week to fully heal. He was at least twice stronger than the average human, but still no where near the miraculous fortitude of one whose body flowed with excessive amounts of chakra. On the other hand, he was far stronger so ignoring pain and resisting damage was a bit easier.

He grit his teeth.

"The range we're on, towards the forests tend to be the base of the mountains, and often caves. I suggest we find one, set some traps and hunker down."

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