Homeward Bound

[Kabu]

Masami paced around the inside of the house, feeling impatient as she waited for Souta to make the final preparations for them to head back to Konoha. She really didn’t want to go but she did miss Konoha and the longer they spent away, the more danger she was in. They had heard a rumor of someone apparently looking around for someone that looked like her and her paranoia had immediately kicked in, telling her they had to leave as soon as possible. While some would call her crazy, her instincts had never let her down before. It was for the best that she went home. They would be able to spend plenty of more time together in the future.

Just in case she had some time beforehand sent out a clone with her scarf to better match her scent and a message to hand over to a courier, informing Takeo of the information she had heard and warning him to keep an eye out for suspicious individuals, and maybe even send out an Anbu or two. She had even contacted Taiga to warn him and to request that he meet them as well should he be available, his strength and phasing abilities both being invaluable at a time like this. The clone had also been instructed to patrol the countryside once its original task had been finished, providing for a potential distraction should be it be found out.

She had even created another clone to use as a distraction… and also for some amount of company. She absolutely knew she could never be too careful, even with Souta by her side. Though hopefully the man being by her side would help to deter any potential assailants.

Soon enough preparations had been finished and the time had finally come to leave. Realistically it hadn’t been all that long of a wait, only being a few minutes, but in her paranoid state it really had felt like more of an eternity.

Luckily as always she had been paying very close attention on the way here and had already memorized the quickest and safest route back to Fire Country and then to Konoha. The clone had set off on one of the horses, wearing a spare change of clothes meant to amplify its scent to match her own. With any luck it would not only provide a distraction but also put up a decent fight to stall for time.

Meanwhile she and Souta had taken the other and set off on an entirely different route, a rather scenic forested route ideal for hiding their tracks and providing a safe path out of the Country, the hope also being the scent of the forest would hopefully throw off their assailant and work to dull their own scents. She had even already taken further measures to attempt to dull her own scent and hide her appearance by borrowing Souta’s cloak, hood over head as they rode.

It had been a long ride but eventually they had reached the border without much incident, though they had needed to make a couple stops to let the horse rest and take care of business. They had even briefly dropped by a small village to rest themselves, even befriending a local inkeeper whom they had told their story, though of course it had been false... sort of. The story presented had been that they were a married couple on their honeymoon and were traveling the country to see the sights and perhaps even find a place to settle down and start a family. She even asked the innkeeper for directions towards the nearest homestead, hoping that if their assailant dropped on by it would provide for yet another distraction.

She herself was on full alert at all times, giving silent instructions on paths to take and carefully listening out for any signs of danger.

Once they crossed the border she did begin to relax a little but still kept her guard up and remained fully vigilant, knowing full well they weren't home free quite yet

They at this point had been through areas where she had over the years befriended a good portion of the populace, whether through missions or even simply passing by while traveling. She took some solace in the fact that she had some protectors willing to at least try to misdirect her potential assailant, most notably the small village she had saved from vigilants so very long ago. In particular there was the family of a young woman she had remembered rescuing from the group when the young woman in question had been just a little girl.

With the knowledge that the townspeople would do their best to keep her safe, Masami relaxed just a little more as they made the rest of the trek home... hopefully without incident.

JutsuShow

Hiton • Light Clone
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary hand seals, the user concentrates Hiton chakra into the form of an identical copy of the user with stats equal to the user's own, this version only being capable of utilizing Hiton jutsu.

Pinpoint
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
With this technique, through focusing their eyes and/or hearing, the user is able to pinpoint the exact location of a target within a 10 meter range, unless the target is hiding their presence with a stealth technique, the assessment's accuracy being slightly affected by any outside distractions within the surrounding area and requiring the user to either be moving at walking speed or standing relatively still.

Infiltration Route
C-Ranked Taijutsu discipline
The user is able to easily create mental maps, capable of easily memorizing the layout of an area at a glance, allowing for them to more efficiently plan out travel routes when both entering and escaping from an area.

[Zao]

[OOC: Continuation from This Hunting thread]

Zao had been hot on the heels of the pair after they had departed from the house/inn like structure, the now cloaked bannin with a solid white mask placed upon his face to hide his identity with the grey hooded cloak almost made him appear like an ANBU operative from the Hidden Leaf at first glance. Yet, the man was not here to help but to end his first hunt after having tracked down the dog woman who held one of the evil spirit's within her body. He would cleanse this world one at a time, eliminating the evil that had been allowed to continue to remain within the human realm as human's believed they could always control these gods among spirits. However, in his own mind they were simply ticking time bombs that could explode and reignite the war of olden time. After his experience at the hands of the Demon Hegemon the man would not allow for that to happen to anyone else, even now he still attempted to save the one he loved from the corruption of the Hegemon's wicked chakra.

He had placed all his bets in the fact that he refused to believe that the Konoha shinobi known as Masami would leave the side of the red headed fellow Suna Bannin who she had ventured out to meet here. A part of the man's own broken heart and soul felt numb about what he had to do at this point, but he had already steeled his nerves and mind for just such a thing before he had fully committed to this path. Fully understanding the backlash that would arise once the allied village and even his own homeland eventually discovered what his true plans were and that it was him acting from the shadows. Hopefully before then he'd have the time to gain some ground and get ahead of his future pursuers. 'Just ahead master, the smell is getting stronger. '

The pair that he had been following behind at a distance had been moving on horseback, but even the strongest of horses needed to take a break to rest, especially when riding two riders and this was the opening that the masked figure planned to rapidly exploit when a surprise attack, some might even call it an ambush upon the unsuspecting pair of shinobi. It needed to be quick and violent, something that was not normally the mans forte but after living trapped within his own body and witnessing the cruel acts that the Hegemon had done while possessing his body the man understood that their were times with violence was the only answer and was no longer the naive peace loving man of years pasts. The man's gloved hands quickly twisted into seals as he looked down at his little demon puppy and spoke mentally to him. "Head back for now, if they escaped I'll bring you back to continue the hunt." As much as he the hound wanted to deny his master he also knew that his knew body was weak at the moment and he would only be holding back a man as powerful as his master having experienced his wrath first hand before.

Zao had been careful to never truly expose all of his summons or even his own personal level of strength to many, perhaps this would also given him the edge that he needed to pull off this attack. Just before Zao entered the small clearing which the pair had stopped to rest the horse of theirs, the man bannin finished the short series of hand seals and brought forth the entirety of the man's demon crow swarm in an instant. The large mass of dark shadows and black feathers moved forward bursting through the nearby tree line only forty or so meters from the resting couple at this point, as the man himself didn't enter a clear line of sight just yet as he leaped up into the tree ahead of him landing on a branch about fifteen meters from the ground to gain one. His hand slipped under the flowing grey cloak and into one of his pouches as he removed a single scroll which was unfurled and from it was summoned two, three meter sized cloaked puppets that had faint blue chakra threads connected to each of them, one hand controlling each of the man's powerful puppets as he feet landed on the thick tree branch. Using the cover of the swarm that had rushed forward attempting to surround the couple and attack them with their sharp beaks and claws, having been commanded to maul the two to near death, aiming for the soft areas like the neck and face along with targeting their limbs, the man controlled the puppets towards the flanks to the right and left moving at his max level of control with no need to hold anything back at this point. (50 speed)

The bulkier looking black cloaked figure with its skull like face had unsheathed eight blades and focused on slashing up the larger man who had traveled with Masami through its overwhelming force and number of blades it could simultaneously attack with, against one of his own acquaintances, while the pot belled looking puppet with a tooth filled demon face and its long sword like fingers with curved hooked tips0 attack from the right side attempting to slash at the young woman's legs and arms in an attempt to disable her limbs quickly (50 strength attacks). Under the bombardment of the power crow swarm (50 sync) with their three glowing red eyes, echoing screeching, and mass of feathers in combination with the dual puppet attacks, it would undoubtedly put the pair in a difficult situation. Zao planned to end this swiftly through the user of surprise and violence of action hoping to kill off the bulky man and incapacitate the woman in order to take both away with him to his personal realm soon after.

Silently wrapped around the man's right forearm was a flower like vine that moved about slightly upon its own power, this was Hana, his plant spirit pet with an affinity for sand techniques as she was slipping down under his cloak she curled around his waist and around the handle of a short dark red bladed sword on the man's right hip, adjacent from the red folded fan on his left hip. Because she was truly one of his well-known spirits, even before his time as a bannin, he refrained from using her at this point in the fight to avoid tipping off anyone to who the true identity behind the blank white mask was. Instead, if needed he'd use her to help him activate the powerful Kazangan sword and its unique effects, but he'd see how things played out after the first clash of his swarm of crows and pair of puppets before pressing the issue further. Still hoping that his sudden ambush would lead to a quick end while the genma how was still low on chakra, the only true variable that Zao saw was the large red headed man who was obviously protecting her. Both would have to perish on this day...

Combat StuffShow

Kuchiyose • [Those From My Realm]
B-rank Tenkujutsu
Pre-Requisite: Bound Spirit
Forming hand seals, Zao is be able to summon forth a single spirit that is bound within his personal realm. The spirit is able to fight for their master for up to seven posts, after the post they are summoned from the user's personal realm. After that post if the spirit has not yet returned to it's realm of it's own accord then it will be automatically pulled back in to the ninja's personal realm.

Summoning his demon crow swarm, App Here.

Jutsu Activated

*[Puppetry Style • Perfection of Puppetry Technique]
A-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *[Puppetry Style • Advanced Puppetry Technique]
Perfection of Puppetry is a Ninjutsu technique used by puppeteers. By releasing chakra from their Tenketsu, the puppeteer is able to release chakra strings from their finger. These strings are able to move 100 meters away. This jutsu allows the puppeteer to attach their chakra strings to human or animal arms and legs at [Control] Speed, using every part of the puppet to its max potential. In order to break out from this technique, the target must be willing to break out and have at least [Control] strength to resist the puppeteer’s control. While being controlled, the target is unable to move on their own and the puppeteer can move their arms and legs in any way.

Using both of his puppets Juuki and Taikobara Oni

JuukiShow

General Info
Description: The current puppet resembles that of a three headed Oni, having a large three meter wooden framed body with no legs but instead eight thick human like arms, four on each side running down the body like inside or spider legs with an additional three meter long, segmented tail protruding from the bottom of the puppet. At the top of the body a large demon-like skull shaped head with functioning mouth with two rows of yellow hue iron teeth inside, also the head features cylinder like horns protruding from each temple of the wood carved skull that is painted in a dark red with a black strip down the middle and yellow eyes serves as the man head being about two feet in size. Off each side is a smaller head about one foot in size and of similar shape and color except with a handful of the cylinder shaped nubs protruding about two-to-three inches off the top and sides of each skull head, each having the same paint style of functioning mouth full of yellow iron teeth.

Covering the body of the puppet is a ragged looking baggy piece of black fabric that acts like a cloak held onto the puppet by thick dark ropes and being draped over the puppet's frame in such a way that is gives the large puppet a rather bulky appearance as it can hide its entire body, spare its three heads, beneath this covering. The stomach region of the puppet is a hollowed-out area large enough to store a normal sized person and is designed for the slates on the bottom belly of the demon puppet to open up allowing for it to capture a target inside. Along the stomach region of the puppet are eight smaller slats that can open up to reveal small blade width holes that allows for the puppet to impale itself stabbing any captured target inside its stomach with its melee weaponry. Juuki's limbs are designed to be detachable at a moment's notice to increase the combat effectiveness of the user as need.


Puppet Stats

• Strength: 50 (Base 10 + 40 Enhanced)

Total Previous Mechanisms: 14 (140 Ryo worth to spend)

Enhanced Strength (20 Ryo)Show

Through his own hand, Zao has used various materials, chakra tempering, chakra reinforcement, engineering methods, and forging techniques to increase the base strength of the puppet frame by [40] forty points.

(40/2 = 20 Ryo Cost due to crafting discount)

Reaping Blade Set (12 Ryo)Show

Weapon Strength: 10

A set of eight Odachi style swords, one to be used by each hand of the puppet, each measuring two meters in length with a one and a half meter long blade and half a meter long hilt. Same blades as in the puppet image above.

(Cost 3 per blade. 8x3 = 24/2 for crafting reduction = 12 Ryo)

Senbon Blaster (65 Ryo)Show

Description: A senbon launcher built into the large main head of the demon puppet capable of launching a blast of fifteen senbon in a small cloud of the steel needles from the open mouth of the puppet skull shaped head, when the mouth is opened wide the barrel of the launcher will extend forward. The launcher operates in a cylinder style manner rotating through 'ammo pods' that contain [10] senbon within each. Capable of firing its projectiles at a speed and strength equal to the weapon's [Strength]. After firing the cylinder rotates feeding a new pod into the firing mechanisms, leading it to only be able to fire one pod per post because the reload time. Currently the weapon cylinder holds [10] of the senbon 'ammo pods'.

Launcher Cost - 10 Ryo /2 (with crafting discount) = 5 Ryo

Senbon are 10 for price of 5 with crafting technique. 10 sets of senbon are 10 x 1 = 10 ryo

15x2 (with discount) for attaching 'effect' to puppet = 30 points

40 strength enhancement = 40 Ryo = 40/2 for crafting discount = 20 ryo

30+20+15 = 65 Ryo total price

Fuuin Inscribed on Puppet:

• Storage Fuuinjutsu • Depth Seal - Placed upon the chest region of the puppet and stores the eight Odachi swords of the Reaping Blade Set when not in use.
• Flash Step - Located on the back of the puppet's body.
• [Fuuinjutsu: Marked in Space - Located on the back of the puppet's head.

Taikobara OniShow

General Info
Description: A puppet frame crafted by the master craftsman Zao. The metal forged puppet frame frame standing three meters in height, the majority of its body made up of its potbelly torso region as it has two short arms and a small head with a large spike tooth filled mouth with beady blood red eyes. The pot belly torso is hollow inside and is able to split down the middle to open up in order to store objects inside or even trap opponents. There is eight small slits on either side of the puppet body's belly that can open to allow blades to be plunged into the gullet of the puppet to impale targets captured inside. Engraved upon the stomach is a demonic scene that appear to be demons rising up from the bottom towards a crimson backdrop in the center as it has what appears to be flames engraved on the top part of the belly. The short legs appear to be chained together with a set of shackles while the long, thick arms are concealed from sight by a oversized robe where the sleeves drop down past the length of the arms but the robe is left open in the front revealing the potbelly of the puppet body. The dark is secured around the neck as a black wolf fur has been sewn into around the collar giving it a slightly rugged look. Lastly, atop the bald metal cranium of the puppet can be found a red and black oriental style hat from which a demon sealing charm is hung directly from the brow of the hat and flows down in front of the massive maw of the puppet as if there to seal the demonic puppet away.

Total Mechanisms: 3 previously (30 Ryo to spend)
Puppet Stats:

• Strength: 50 (Base 10 + 40 Enhanced)

Enhanced Strength (20 Ryo)Show

Through his own hand, Zao has used various materials, chakra tempering, chakra reinforcement, engineering methods, and forging techniques to increase the base strength of the puppet frame (10) by [40] forty points to an enhanced total of [50] strength. (40/2 = 20 Ryo with crafting discount)

Sword Fingered Gauntlets (10 Ryo)Show

Where the hands would normally be on the arm of the puppet can be found specially made gauntlets where the fingers have all been replaced with one foot jagged claws that have a hook tip. These claws are the only thing that can be seen protruding from the oversized sleeve of the puppet's robe. See puppet image above for reference. (Gauntlets = 10/2 = 5 Ryo (discounted) x2 For attaching to puppet (crafting discount) = 10 Ryo)

Fuuin Inscribed on Puppet:

• Flash Step - Located on the back of the puppet's body.
• [Fuuinjutsu: Marked in Space - Located on the back of the puppet's head.

[Willoria]

The journey back was meant to be as blissful as the journey out, and yet it seemed Fate, or perhaps the plans of an ill-minded once-been ally, had other ideas on their time together. Not that Meiyo Souta entirely knew that as of yet. Taking a break to feed and water the horse, he took the moment to envelope his lover in his arms and smile on her, alighting her forehead with a simple kiss before his eyes looked around them. There was an odd stillness to the area, he took in a deep breath to try and enjoy the moment. Yet instincts of a man who had been a shinobi for so many years wouldn't let him, it was simply too still. It had been nearly 25 years since he had last been on a real hunt but he could still remember what it was like in the world when a great predator was in the area. There was a stillness that would descend, the silence of the animals, there were no chirping birds, no rabbits, nothing to frolic in the grasses or graze in the fields. Even if he didn't notice these details it was as simple as something in the world felt very wrong, even if he couldn't put his finger on it. "Something..." His words trailed off as movement caught his eyes.

Black feathers, a swarm of birds, a memory triggered of information he had read in the Vaults that Kiyori had showed him when he first was promoted to Bannin. His body was instantly on alert and without warning or ceremony he pulled Masami down with him to crouch over her even as he triggered his transformation. His body was quickly covered in armored scales, wings, claws, and dragon maw all sprouting simultaneously in swirls of black chakra. Shielding Masami with his own armored and scaled body his claws formed the seals and hit the ground with a snarl in Masami's ear. "Forms, now!" He hoped she understood what he meant, for in the moment not having seen their actual opponent just yet the appearance of black birds had his mind instantly going to the fabled and feared Enma.

But the moment his Fuuinjutsu would be formed on the ground, knowing its impact to enemies and even themselves, he'd wrap his arms around her waist and kick off the ground. "Slow pursuit with anything you can fire back! We have to get to the village!" He'd shift how he held her however he needed to or she asked to accomodate anything she needed to cast, but he'd fly as quickly as he could muster towards Konoha in hopes to warn them, or gather help. He had no idea yet that they were actually the targets.

Ability UsedShow

Curse of the Dragon Witch
Having tangled with the wrong woman in his mid-twenties, Souta found himself cursed by someone known only as ‘the Dragon Witch’. As a result of this curse Souta carries a dark scar on his chest and the ability to transform into a humanoid dragon-like form. While in this form, Souta gains access to sharp claws on his hands and feet capable of rending flesh, and a fanged maw capable of the same. He also has a prehensile dragon tail (six feet long), able to be used as though it were another arm, and large wings (7 foot span, from tip to tip) that enable him to fly with the proper jutsu. Lastly, his entire body is covered in thick black scales, protecting his body from harm. These scales can be broken by any blow stronger than Souta's Strength Stat. Once broken the scales remain broken for the duration of the transformation. In addition, while in this form, his chakra, chakra constructs and related items are black. (ie, black fire when using Katon, black wind when using Fuuton, etc.)

OOC Note: Yes the intent is to protect from any strikes by swarm or puppets with his form while casting the jutsu to follow. If they would reach him during the casting. Haven't done PVP in awhile, so adding this note in, in case my phrasing is unclear.

Jutsu UsedShow

*Charge Fuuinjutsu • Draining Barrier
S-Rank Fuuinjutsu
After performing the necessary hand seals, the user will touch the ground creating a sprawling seal on the floor beneath them up to [Control]x[Control]m in size. This barrier has a strength equal to the user’s [Control], it also drains anyone who enters this barrier’s [Chakra Pool] by -8 per post dissipating it into the air outside of the barrier. This barrier lasts for 5 posts.

Soaring
A-Ranked Maneuver Taijutsu
Requirements: Magic Carpet
Building on experience and prior jutsu, Souta is able to use his wings now for true flight, up to a height of 30 meters, using his physical stats.

Note: Triggering this transformation uses chakra equal to an A Rank technique.

[Kabu]

Of course Masami had noticed something seemed off, she had been on full alert from the moment they had left. Some called her paranoid, she would rather have been called practical. Sure it had been well over a decade since anything had gone truly wrong but... she had been kidnapped once already and since that time had even become a Jinchuuriki. She would know better than anyone to stay vigilant even when it seemed like she had her guard down. There was definitely an enemy on their trail, but who...? She wasn't sure but she was already making full use of the Link Fuuin Taiga had given to the Jinches. "Taiga! We need help! Get help and get here as soon as you can, please!"

What she hadn't expected was for Souta to suddenly transform. Something or someone definitely had him spooked but even as much as she wanted to comfort him she knew somewhere deep down this wasn't the time for that. She quickly shook off any surprise she felt and did as he said, in the next instant being surrounded by a blue and green cloak, a veil over her head. Obtaining these forms had been a hassle but in the end perhaps all the pain would be worth it if it meant it would save their lives. There was however a problem... "This extra power won't last long. It has its limits as I'm sure you know. Our opponent may know this as well." she warned as he grabbed her.

She was immediately forming hand seals even as she braced herself for takeoff, not being needed to be told twice about working to defend herself. She held a hand out in front of her, firing a beam of light off into the distance towards the location the black feathers had come from, hoping to interrupt their attacker or at least slow them down. She suddenly was wishing she had known more higher ranking techniques. "Souta! Faster! I already sent word ahead. We just need to try and hold out until backup comes." she quietly spoke. They were going to make it through this, they needed to for the sake of their little boy....

JutsuShow

Hiton • Bright Ray
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary handseals, the user places a hand in front of them and from their hand lets loose a flash of light in the form of a cylindrical beam three meters in diameter that travels for a distance of ten meters at a speed of [Control], impacting with a strength of [Control], upon impact letting loose a final flash that spreads out over a five meter distance.

NotesShow

Bright Ray cast at 35 control, making it 33 meters in diameters and giving it 35 strength and speed as well as 70 meters of range, the Hiton passive being at max strength as well.
Form 6 Perfected activated
Current stats:
Chakra Pool: 35(32+3)-8=27+9=36
Endurance: 35
Control: 38+5=43
Strength: 38+4=42
Speed: 40+6=46
Willpower: 35
Mastery: 50

[Zao]

[OOC: I doubt Masami is at full chakra due to being at a roughly 1/4 after doing the two clones, one dropping her to 1/2 and then the second one dropping her down to 1/4, in the first post. Maybe half with some recovery time?]


As the man transformed and turned to shield the young woman with his own now draconic-like body equipped with the full assortment of dragonly features to include thick scales, the most important part for Souta. For as he turned the swarm moving at the full speed and strength (50) near instantly had crossed the short gap an reached the man's wide back and scaled wings as the first wave of the swarm smashed directly into the man's rigid body with their kunai like beaks but for that moment Souta's scales would hold up. But this wasn't just a few large crows, but thousands of demon crows that were contained in the swarm which moved like a dark cloud as the ones that slammed into Souta's scale covered back latched on to it and his wings beginning to rapidly peck at tear at the scales, under such a vicious assault these birds would quickly be able to tear through the scale-like armor. The part of the swarm that hadn't directly impacted the red haired bannin flowed right around him like water and directly into the transforming Masami who entered her genma form as the hooded cloak of two colors seemed to almost instantly appear. Though they didn't attack her as ravenously due to the orders from the white-haired man, they still clawed and pecked at her face and limbs which would most likely stop her from performing any jutsu due to them attacking her hands as well at this time. Their beaks alone would be like being stabbed by kunai blades over and over.

'Souta...you must pin him down!' This was the first time for Zao to witness the full dragon transformation from his fellow Suna bannin, but as the swarm had surrounded the pair from the sides and above like a large dome his fellow village nin had managed to somehow complete a series of hand seals for a strange barrier style technique, unable to disconcert the initial fuuin seal that spread out across the ground before its actual activation due to the swarm preventing a clear picture for the man. For now, the curious man simply continued on with his plan A as he didn't know what effect the barrier would be, but it was too late if it was supposed to keep his swarm and two puppets out, so perhaps it held another secret. The birds would attempt to latch onto both shinobi at this point with their sharp clawed feet, heeding the man's command the swarm from above the pair at this point rushed down as the large man attempted to use his large wings to fly up meeting an equal strength force pushing him down and most likely preventing the man from getting more than a few feet off the ground before stalling out when fighting against a strength akin to his own, a draw in power between the swarm and Souta's monstrous strength.

The swarm would continue to tighten its net as the birds wildly attacked at Souta's dragon like face, eyes, and all the neck region alongside the attacks still continuing against the ninja's back and large wings as the demon birds were literally trying to crack the dragon man open to taste his flesh and blood. With the most stand out aspect of these demon crows being their three blood red eyes staggered in a triangle like shape each of the birds' heads. It was at the point that the birds pushed down against Souta who was trying to fly upwards that his two black cloaked puppets would arrive from either side. Eight thick puppet arms (eight out of the ten) would attempt to grasp around the mid chest, just beneath the wings' growth point, and down the rest of the muscular body of the man from behind, squeezing tightly attempting to crush the man's body under their absurd strength (50) if it did grab hold. Something that couple crush the bones of someone with a weak body or endurance.

If Souta had managed to grab her, Masami, through the swarm attacking both of them a few moments earlier, then the dog woman from Konoha would also find herself in the crushing grip of the larger puppet and its multiple arms. While from Masami's backside the potbellied puppet with its demonic face and weird hat attacked simultaneously with its fellow puppet at her arms and shoulders, attempting to literally relieve her of them by cleaving them clean off from behind as Souta had been attempting to pull her in him to escape with her in tow, using its curved sword-like fingers with its own immense strength and speed (50). 'I need to finish this quickly...' Being a spacetime user the man knew that there was a multitude of different ways to communicate and someone as important as Masami or perhaps even Souta probably had the means. He knew that from the moment he initiated the attack that there was always the chance that someone would attempt to help. But this was also why he had chosen to attack her at a distance from the village to slow down those who might try to help her.

JutsuShow

Puppet strings still active.

Swarm active 1/7 posts

*[Puppetry Style • Puppet Senses]
C-Rank Ninjutsu
Required: *[Puppetry Style • Initiate Puppetry Technique]
By connecting a chakra string from a part of a puppet or person, the puppeteer is able to transfer their senses from their body to whichever part the strings are connected to on the puppet or human. This allows the puppeteer from ‘see’ and ‘hear’ from the perspective of what is connected to the string.

[OOC 2: Swarm lost -8 charka pool during this post.

For my post's reasoning. I believe that the swarm would have more than likely have interrupted the hand seals from Masami due to the timing she attempted them as she did them/waited for when Souta was trying to embrace her to fly away which would have been after the demon crows had already slammed into him and the rest of the swarm flowed around his body and attacked directly into Masami. Using their superior strength and speed to use assault her face and limbs with kunai like beaks and clawed feet at 50 sync to attack her.]

[Zao]

[OOC: Both have timed. Exit Post]

The murder of crows mixed with the chakra draining barrier quickly took its toll as the crows with their sharpened beaks and claws torn asunder the dragon scaled man making short work of his body leaving a bloody, tattered mess on the ground as his puppets had acted to restrain both simultaneously. Masami wouldn't far to much better, but she wasn't killed on the spot but her maimed and bleeding body was unable to move as the unconscious body was picked up from the ground along with the deceased Souta. With the deed done, a hint of sadness was upon the masked man's face that the outer world was unable to glance at. For those precious to him the once gentle man would become the ruthless figure that stepped out upon the battlefield today. Zao silently shook his head as a single kunai flashed out from his hand, a single chakra thread guiding it through the world of dark feathers and blood as the two puppets came together with the two limb bodies now just before the kunai touched the large man's body. The recycled kunai touched the dead man and all at once the two puppets and both bodies were warped to the dark fortress of the former Hegemon that had previously occupied the white haired bannin's body.

'That place...Hana, finish it.' It wasn't a place he wished to go but the Demon Spirit world and the fortress that once belonged to the evil Hegemon was the perfect place to finish what had started here, meanwhile the flower spirit that had been channeling chakra into the bright red sword only nodded quiet as she activated the Spirit Weapon's power causing a mass of lava to fly upwards into the sky directly over the battlefield. His crow swarm returned to his personal realm as the massive meteor of lava came smashing down onto the earth previously were the two bloodied bodies had been. A mess of crow feathers that he hoped would lead anyone who came to investigate back to the infamous missing-nin Ema who had attacked Konoha in the past and the use of the lava release pointing towards either Iwa or an Iwa missing-nin. Covering his tracks the man's body swirled in on itself as the cloaked and masked figure disappeared through shifting through space to the demon realm.

Inside the demon realm, a handful of the man's spirit companions and his demon jinches were seated around a large fuuin circle as a powerful maroon barrier formed over the area. Inside was Zao and a sealing pot, in the very center of the concentric circles of black fuuin lines was the almost lifeless body of the maimed Masami. Without wasn't a moment the man and his spirit companions, pets, and henchmen lent the spirit saint their chakra as he activated the extraction technique that would remove the powerful genma spirit from its host. This process took some time but the old spirit was sealed temporarily into a storage container that was covered in seals. The spirit container was sent back with his spirit companions to his own personal realm before he broke out his medical tools, this was the messy part. From Masami's already battered body that had died during the spiritual extraction process, Zao began to cut at her body for the grueling and bloody process that was frowned upon within his home land, removing her chakra circularity system.

This would allow for him to later forge a human puppet from the pieces of her body that he was removing, something he had never actually done. But he needed the strength for the road ahead, now that he had made the first step all the other genma hosts would be on guard and the village's would tighten their own grasp upon the weapons of war. After removing the chakra system and certain parts of her body, the man made sure to remove the link seal that she had been using to communicate with someone, perhaps it could become useful for him later on.

JutsuShow

*Ochiiru • [Spiritual Extraction]
S-rank Tenkujutsu (Nin)
Prerequisite: 45 Control from the jutsu caster, a minimum of 200 Chakra Pool, Storage & Force Fuuinjutsu Concentration
Each participant must share their chakra with the unsealer, as they perform the needed hand seals. The user will then pump this vast amount of chakra into the seal of a grand soul host, such as a jinchuuriki. This process takes a total of 200 Chakra Pool from the group to extract the spirit from the host, who will in turn die. If the total sum of stamina is not met, the participants will all die. It only takes one individual in the group to know this jutsu. This takes 10 whole posts to complete.

A day later on the northern border of Wind and Pebble country in a rather remote town, a short man with black hair and a scarred face ended into a rest stop style shop, with a few words to the shop keeper he proceeded to a back room where a trap door opened, and a dark staircase led down into the hidden basement area. This was a black-market bounty shop, through his dealing with certain powerful members of the underground organization the transformed Zao entered the collections shop and soon the doorway closed, and he stood in front of a morgue like area with different locker like containers as a old man with no hair and glasses approached him. "How can I assist you today, my friend." The strange man gave off a rather heinous vibe as he spoke in a uneasy tone of voice. But the transformed Zao didn't bat an eye as he pulled out two scrolls, unrolling them on the large tables to either side before unsealing both simultaneously revealing the broken bodies of both Souta and Masami.

Seeing these the man instantly smiled, "My, my...what do we have here." The large red headed muscular corpse wasn't hard for him to identify. It took him a bit longer to fully identify the post-surgery body of Masami which caused him to step back. "These are quite the catch, how did you manage to take these two down? What was your name again?" Zao ignored the first question and responded only to the second. "Juu is my name, the bounty please." The smiling man couldn't help but shake his head, seemed this one wasn't willing to talk much. But if the man was as powerful as he assumed to take down two S-rank bounties then perhaps he would be a repeat customer. "Fine, fine..." Two bags were tossed over to the man after the old man returned from his safe. "Come again, Juu." He spoke out wanting to say more as the man teleported away through space leaving just an empty room with the man talking to the wind. With a chuckle the man rubbed his hands together as he eyed each broken body, he'd need to contact his upper level about this...