[Spirit Expedition] Combat Squad

[Ace Trainer]

[Continued from [This] thread]

With the first stop of the collection team determined, the other group would continue through the vast room to the opposite end, as they progressed the expedition team would check each little room for tricks and traps, ensuring it was safe for the pair of genin they were leaving behind. Of course, Indra’s guard was with them, but leaving two genin behind in a ruin covered in sand was just asking for trouble and the squads would want to ensure they were safe before abandoning them. Of course, as long as the path was safe they would be able to follow suit and catch up with their leading squads later. As they reached the opposite end they would find another hall would be revealed to them. Moving through the hall took the same process as the previous one, slowly lighting torches on the walls as they navigated the twisting pathway. Along the way there would occasionally be doors leading to small little rooms, barely enough room for a cot and a desk. There were windows, caked with dust and giving a view to nothing but the soil and sand the ruins had sunken into. Progressively, the hall would get smaller and smaller, forcing the group into a single file line and even then it would feel slightly cramped. Some journey this was so far. And to think Tenga had just abandoned them right away?

The cramped hall had limited their ability to light torches, if they had they’d likely end up burning themselves. Which meant whoever was in the back of the group was forced to look back into a vast darkness with no indication of what would approach from behind them. Mind you, with every door checked there shouldn’t be opportunity for anything to sneak behind them but the entire group would collectively share the uncomfortable feeling that they were being watched. Finally, the hall would begin to expand again, providing the leader of the group then opportunity to light a torch, giving them a secondary source of light finally. Rapidly, in about the space of 10 feet the hallway expanded from being 2 feet across to being 20 feet across, giving the group enough space to circle up. As they did, it would then become obvious they were at the end of the hall. The ceiling was only at 7 or 8 feet, making it still feel quite cramped despite the space around them.

In front of them was a single wood door, the wood decaying and cracked, revealing steel behind it and blocking the group from being able to see through it. From the otherside of the door, a heavy repeating thud could be heard not too far away. It seemed the group would need to decide on how to proceed.

[Gara]

As the narrow path stretched out before them, Xiao Feng's skilled fingers danced through a series of intricate hand seals, channeling his chakra into the earth beneath their feet. With a practiced grace, he harnessed the power within him, and it wasn't long before the very sand around them began to respond, coalescing into a lifelike clone of himself. Instinctively, his hand darted to the pouch secured on his right thigh, retrieving two gleaming kunai. In a swift and seamless motion, he transferred the weapons to his sand-formed doppelganger. Xiao Feng strategically positioned the clone at the rear of their small group, ensuring that Zhizhi, his nephew and charge, was nestled safely in the center. Xiao Feng himself took the lead, a vigilant sentinel at the front of their formation.

With cautious footsteps, they advanced into a more spacious chamber, leaving the narrow path behind. Xiao Feng's sand clone moved in unison with Zhizhi, guarding the young ninja, while Xiao Feng himself fixed his unwavering gaze on the wooden door that loomed ahead, a portal to an unknown world of challenges and dangers. "Zhizhi," Xiao Feng's voice was as rough as the terrain they traversed, and his tone brooked no argument or complaint. He was a teacher in this moment, and his nephew's ability to assess their surroundings was about to be put to the test. "What do you make of our surroundings? Give me as much detail as you can, and be quick about it." Xiao Feng's instructions were clear, his expectations high, for they were now in the heart of the mission, and every detail could mean the difference between success and failure.

Zhizhi, the young ninja in training, took a deep breath and did his utmost to mask the telltale signs of anxiety that threatened to betray him. In a show of determination, he assumed his role as instructed by his uncle, Xiao Feng. His eyes, sharp and focused, scanned the room with a meticulous attention to detail, searching for any hints of danger or lurking traps. The unnerving thudding noise emanating from beyond the wooden door sent shivers down his spine, but he persevered. Zhizhi finally spoke, choosing his words carefully. "Nothing stands out to me, uncle," he reported, his voice steady despite the fluttering in his chest. "With more time and a thorough observation, I might be able to uncover subtler nuances, but from a cursory assessment, it seems we are not immediately in danger."

His response was measured and thoughtful, a testament to his training and discipline. Xiao Feng nodded in approval, recognizing that his nephew's ability to remain composed under pressure was a valuable trait. Together, they stood at the precipice of the unknown, ready to face whatever challenges lay beyond that foreboding wooden door. “Does anyone else notice anything my nephew has missed? I want to know our surroundings before whatever is beyond this door makes itself known to us.” Again, Xiao Feng’s tone was stern, but not as harsh as when he spoke to Zhizhi. He knew the importance of working well together in a team, and would not purposefully antagonize those he worked with.

524 Words

[Trusted Grader]

It was rather crazy that Mahalow had managed to get into a mission with none other than Zhizhi, and not long after their own little adventure that had left them not only a bit wealthier but scarred as well, perhaps it had been he who had tipped the Sunagakure ninjas of his expertise. Truth be told, he was very much excited to be in the runes of this forgotten place, he could tell from the dust that people hadn't been here in a while, though from the stolen scrolls and other artifacts, he was a bit disappointed.

He secretly hoped that he would be able to find something of value that he could steal and sell at the black market, though the one he used to go to was now burned thanks to the actions he and Zhizhi had performed. Mahalow was leading the pack as he was super intrigued about getting to know this place of which he had only heard stories, he inspected the architecture and was awe-inspired but still on his best behavior as he was sure that the ninjas wouldn't respect him if he didn't take this job seriously.

Though he would be a liar if he didn't feel unsafe within the ruins of this once beautiful place, he felt as if someone was watching him, the claustrophobic feeling wasn't something that bothered him as he had been used to climbing into weird places as an explorer and theif, it was the uncertainty and the fact that they had been sent here with a squad for some reason.

Let's just hope that we don't encounter anyone with malicious intentions, or someone organized... Shit... The last time we went on an adventure we almost died, so I would love it if things went smoothly. Mahalow chuckled as he looked back. "Well, last time we on out and about Zhizhi didn't even notice that he was robbed until it was too late, so... Let's hope his skills have sharpened." Mahalow joked as he looked back and winked, he stopped once the room expanded, allowing them to share the light and reveal the world they found themselves in.

"Besides, now that you are here Xiao, nothing can harm us, right?" Mahalow could be a right prick, but he always made sure to prop his friends up. Hopefully, due to their history together, they would be able to consider themselves allies, as Mahalow had taken a liking to Zhizhi.

---

409

[Kabu]

Koyuki silently followed after her companions, taking a careful look around at the ruins as they walked. The space they currently moved through was rather cramped though she didn't particularly mind, being used to climbing into places that others would find to be claustrophobic at best. The rooms that they passed interestingly were more spacious than the hall though ultimately still cramped. She had to wonder what kind of purpose the place had served before it had gone to ruin and fallen into the sands. She couldn't imagine it had served as any kind of homestead and the other possibilities were none too pleasant...

With that said... "There may not be an immediate threat but I'm sure you all sense that we're being watched by someone or something." she spoke up once the others had given their input. "As for our surroundings, even the more spacious areas have been cramped and there's not a whole lot of room to maneuver around should we be attacked. My specialty lies in weaponry based Taijutsu so it's not an ideal situation to be in." she added, looking over towards the door in front of them.

She couldn't shake the feeling that they were going to run into some kind of problems but surely she was just being paranoid... Right?

[Sia]

The eldest of the them walked behind them, scanning around them as she slowly secreted tiny particulates of sand outwards around herself as she walked. Tiny, tiny grains of sand, much tinier than usual, fanned out from her with every breath, and they gently, oh so gently collided with the world around her. It fanned out, permeated everything, everything around her was glittered with the dusting of her sand. Her foot slid across the floor and sand spread out, inching and creeping across the ground. Over time, Ikanbi had studied the differences in the pressure signals and what they had meant. It was a tedious technique, one that had to be kept up in the background, running continuously, an engine that couldn't be turned off.

The sand went out and cast back quietly as the group of them walked and Ikanbi took in the shapes of the few of them quietly as she listened to them converse amongst each other. "Hm." She thought to herself before finally bluntly stating, "Well, You're not going to believe what I thought I felt on the other side of this." She said before she began to push the door open and walk right through it.

[Ace Trainer]

The group would meander at the door, mystery clearly on the other side, and wouldn' be until Liivuduntiz would carelessly make a decision. Her sand sensory would reveal nothing, but as she pushed through the door she'd be met with darkness. The torches in their hands seemed to suffocate in the darkness, providing no vision. The loud thumping they were hearing through the door persisted, this time even louder. Like hammers against a mountain, it seemed almost impossible that a mere door was occluding such a monsterous sound. As the entire group entered the room, any attempt of keeping the door open would fail as it slammed shut behind them.

As quickly as they entered, they would find suddenly the darkness would vanish as the room filled with light. A bright and powerful light that was practically blinding, they would fruitlessly attempt to look at where the light was coming from until suddenly the hair on the back of their necks would stand. Koyuki and Mahalow would look above them to see what could only be described as a giant knife falling from an impossible high ceiling. The metal cleaver would slice through the air, splitting the group, and cracking into the ground. The 'knife' however, was not free falling but instead attached to a giant chainlink wall that separated the group. Suddenly, the floor between the pair would shift and give way to the left, turning into what could best be described as a slide. No chakra walking would prevent them from being whisked down to the left into a path.

Suddenly, Xiao Feng, Zhizhi, and Lii were alone with the light.

It would feel increasingly hot, as if they were under a heat lamp. It didn't help that now they had a giant metal slate attached to even more metal behind them, preventing them from moving further away from it, and only replicating the heat behind them. For what seemed like an eternity the heavy banging would continue, the light beating down against them. Moving forward would provide no relief, attempting to sense forward told nothing. But they needed to figure out where it was coming from.

Suddenly, a giant paw, easily the size of a semitruck (if people in this world knew what a semitruck was) would come sweeping at them from the light. Time to fight it seemed.

And to think Tenga said this mission would be easy...

[Gara]

As the colossal cleaver descended with thunderous force, Xiao Feng's reflexes kicked in, and with a practiced precision, his previously conjured clone positioned itself protectively in front of Zhizhi. The ethereal doppelganger stood as a formidable barrier, ready to absorb the impending blow. Simultaneously, Xiao Feng, a seasoned warrior, swiftly unsheathed the formidable Sandstorm, its ominous blade gleaming under the relentless desert sun. Aware that this mission was evolving into anything but easy, Xiao Feng felt the temperature rise as the impending danger loomed. A wry smirk played on his lips as he muttered, "So much for an easy mission."

The impending threat materialized as a massive paw, ominous and unstoppable, hurtling towards them. Xiao Feng, unyielding and composed, braced himself with Sandstorm in hand. As the colossal appendage descended, he began channeling chakra into the blade. The air crackled with energy as the desert sand, responding to Xiao Feng's command, surged forth in copious amounts. In an awe-inspiring display of mastery over his weapon, a colossal tidal wave of sand erupted from the blade, forming an impromptu barrier that sought to intercept the impending danger. There was no flourish, no grandiose display—just the raw power of a seasoned warrior using his skills to confront the unexpected. Xiao Feng's focused determination radiated in the heat of the moment as he harnessed the might of Sandstorm, creating a sandy bulwark in a bid to stall the colossal paw and protect both himself and his nephew from the imminent threat.

Sandstorm AbilityShow

When Feng channels a B-rank amount of chakra into Sandstorm, he is able to expel a large amount of sand from the blade. This will then expand towards a target area in the form of a wave, covering and crushing them in an ocean of sand. This travels with 20 speed, traveling a grand total of 30 meters. This wave is 15 meters tall, 20 meters wide, and 10 meters thick, and impacts with a strength of 20, washing over its enemies and crushing them beneath the sand.

[Sia]

As they entered into the room several things bewildered Ikanbi but she got over it rather quickly, she was as dazed as could be by the shift in the light but she closed her left eye and adjusted quickly, then opened it back up and resumed blinking normally as she usually did. Taking in a breath and exhaling a sigh of relief as everyone recomposed themselves after the room divided, she went about with the others and poked around the heated area. It was bright, so bright, and the heat was nothing she wasn't used to.

Ikanbi stepped up, into the air only slightly and just barely off of the ground, willing her boots to provide platforming and smiling only slightly. She did it only when she was absolutely certain no one had seen her do it, then she kept walking as though she'd never done it at all, walking along with the others, just a good half an inch above the ground compared to the way she had been.

Ikanbi spread her body apart from the belly button upwards, sending out a surge of sand chakra all around the room and encasing her allies with a very thin dusting of it, just enough that she could keep an eye on them and monitor them to be safe but not enough that they would find it a particular nuisance, at least she hoped, when a giant paw of sorta came swooping in and her eyes widened greatly. She leapt high into the air, well not so high really because there was a ceiling after all, but she paused horizontally in the air and stood against the air solidly above where the paw had been, surveying the rest of the room and seeing if anyone had happened to be swiped by the paw.

Empathy Sands: My Body as Missing
C-Ranked Nintaijutsu Maneuver
Channeling chakra, the user will cause their torso, neck, and head to split in half beginning at their belly button and traveling upwards at a speed of [control]. The split area of the body will immediately begin to release sand into a 30 meter by 30 meter by 30 meter area around the users body, filling the space with tiny floating granulates of sand at a speed of [control]. These sand grains carry no strength and cause anything that moves in the area to send pressure signals to the user, alerting them of the movement and approximate size and shape of the disturbance within the area. The users body will piece back together at the end of the post, though they must maintain the technique in order to continue to receive sensory information for up to 6 posts.