Just A Flesh Wound

[Ottozeo]

Loud cracking and booming moved through the air as Benjizen drifted away through the rugged landscape. Drifting in and out of gaps and openings like he was moving back and forth of dreaming and being in the reality of the world. A ninja, moving in a forest colored cloak, pants, elbow guards, shin guards, and arm protectors. All made out of metalic silver.

There was a report that there was a fort within the land that would be attacked soon. Very soon. Request had been sent out for known neutral or aligned mercenary ninjas to help defend the fort and land. A bonus if any trapprd or endangered civilians stuck in the crossfire were protected as well.

Benjiken was one of the few people who took on this job. Normally Ritia, would have taken this job alongside him as they had grown to work as a pair for tasks for a very long time now. However there was another mission that she had to help on and such thisbtime he was on a mission solo. Well, besides the other ninja who took this job that he would meet. Hopefully before the battles started....

He continued to race to the site, the ninja tools in his thigh holster and back pouch checked and ready for us. He had raced for about 15 Kilometers now but he was not sure how much longer he had to go. In this naive land he was somewhat new but had done some small take here and there over the last seven years. He did a lot of jobs for money, even more to test and improve his skill. This native typically did him well in both so he was always happy to take on a mission.

[Kanade]

Chiaki watched the ninja speed through the forest toward the fort, and as she had arrived a couple of hours early, she had made some tea for herself. So this was to be the person that she would have to defend the fort with. Well, he certainly was flashy. She set down her cup and sighed, moving herself away from the fort wall where she had been sipping her tea and dropped to the gate to let him in.

“Open the gate-cha.” She said to the people, “It’s our backup.”

Chiaki rested her hand inside of the pewter staff’s ring, on which jingles four rings of their own. She smiled a lazy smile at the ninja as he raced his way to her. Information was best when it arrived in enough time for swift and decisive action. She nodded to the man and bowed her head a little, noting his flashy armor and black hair.

Catching his brown eyes and angled features, she moved to hide her lighter orange right eye with her hair, which looked ruined but still was able to take in its surroundings for the greetings, readjusting her white mask and nodding to the man that was speeding towards her.

“Hello, you must be the reinforcements that we had heard about. I am but a chuunin and not a fighter, so it’ll be great to have someone to do most of the heavy lifting for the fighting-cha.” She smiled at him and then winked, “Or perhaps you’re a strategist or a genin and this will be an uphill battle.”

Seeing as the man was about five years her senior, and most people that were her age and had graduated with her were Jounin now, she assumed that he was around the same level as they were in their training which meant that Chiaki was rather poorly suited to do battle with him, or keep up. She could tend his wounds though, and keep him safe-ish.

Ish.

She sighed a small sigh, and readjusted her battle-gear to make sure that she didn’t have a wardrobe malfunction before waiting to hear his introduction first, before giving out her name and the reason she was there, which was probably obvious by her being there before him.

[Ottozeo]

Was Benjizen flashy? If one was to ask him, and that was never the case sadly, he would say no. He just liked to do things a type of way sometimes. And sometimes it was do to him believing it was the right way to go about it for him or for it to simply be the most comfortable for him. Sometimes people with different styles of combat or movement just felt that he was doing a bit much. But, he doubt that was the case often. If it was Ridia would have gave him some sort of sarcastic comment about wasting stamina and chakra. Given he never heard he tell him something like that, he figured he was doing fine. Granted....she was not with him on this mission so he did not have someone to give him any sass or sarcasm. He did not know if he liked that or not yet.

Either way when he reached his destination he was met by a figure jumping down from above to meet him. Speaking to the gatekeeper to let himself in, he slide to a stop as his body met them. AT first he was not sure who he was looking at, the sunlight made it hard to see but from the silhouette he could tell it was definitely a woman, and their voice even added to his certainty. At least he could tell, she was a little bit tall from what he thought was the average height of a woman. A bit slim as well. He thought to himself. 'She must have good genes and eat well, probably works out often as well being a ninja and all'.

He heard the sound of jingling. Four if he was hearing it right? It looked...like the held a staff in her hand?

As he finished and got closer to her he could finally make her face out. Female And a cutie too. Red hair, like it was on fire even. Would her personality match her look??? He returned her nod with one of his own as he stood in an upright position.

He smirked, a bit of pride coming out as he looked confident but calm, "Yea I am here to help. Got a call from a connection. Says yall need help with defending this fort and area soon? I may be able to do a little something something. I am classified as a geninn, but from power wise I will say I am at least close to a Jonnin. I guess that what happens when you never take an exam?",he returned the wink. He then stretched his neck to the left and right, a pop coming from each. "I would not say I'm not an elite strategist...yet, but I think I can come up with a nice plan or two".

[Kanade]

"Well, never taking an exam is one way to stay a genin-cha." Chiaki grinned, motioning him to come in the gate before the gatesmen closed it. "Do you have any idea what we're up against? All I have is this slip of paper in my pocket which the Raikage had given me before I came to waterfall country-cha. I had hoped I wasn't too late, but even with my slow pace, it seems I made it in time. The outpost doesn't look ruined-cha."

She looked around and motioned to the, rather unruined, outpost around them. The walls were about 15 feet high with ladders on the north and south to the gatehouses that were the central points to the outpost. The sentries, four of them, moved in pairs between the walls with the candor of a mule being driven with no carrot, and no stick, drawling on, moving mechanically ahead of them, and not taking care of their surroundings. Chiaki motioned to the note that she pulled out from between her gi and her breast, a pocket close to her heart so that she could make sure that it was safe from the eyes of the enemy.

"I'll read it for you. it says, 'A ranked mission, defend an outpost in the middle of waterfall country, find out who is attacking, bring back intel.' Then there's a little insignia and promise for Ryo when I get back-cha." She carefully folded it and placed it where it had been, looking around. The clouds were moving fast, as the altitude of the outpost was high and the hot dry heat and unrelenting sun when the clouds parted made Chiaki move into the shade of one of the walls and prop herself against it.

"So I suppose now we wait-cha?"

[Ottozeo]

Benjizen would nod at Chiaki's comment. One could have all the expedience and skill, but if they did not take the exam they they would never move up the military rank. Well, at least not unless a few superiors sent in a word and you had the resume to back it up. However, that never seemed to be the case for him. Maybe there was a lack of a maturity or just an it factor that the man failed to have that would let him get the promotion. Things like leadership were the type of thing a Chunnin had to absolutely have after all. Oh well. Benjizken grew his physical power and skill. And to be honest, for him that was all he needed, he did not need the rank of a chunnin or jonnin. Just the power to match it.

Following her lead he followed Chiaki insides once the gates were open. He would continue to interact with her as the gate closed behind them and after they walked a little bit inside. He did not want any information to get heard from any possible enemies outside if they spoke out in the open to close to the edge of the fort. "Come... not out here", he would then reach out a hold onto Chiaki by the arm sleeve with the palm of his hand with a soft pull if allowed. He would only do so to get them moving towards a more isolated place before letting go.

Once they were in the inside a bit in the middle hopefully he would begin. "So from the snooping I was able to do, all I know for sure is there are a high amount of weapon users. Skillful that specialize in long range attacks and explosions. In fact, extreme long range. I am afraid to say I am not sure if our group will even be able to see the enemy coming. Let alone hear. However, they apparently have a order to take the fort with as little damage as possible. So...it is a strange situation for them where they cant damage the fort as much as they could...not do they have much to force besides the smaller section of their troops that do other things".

He would turn to her and sigh. It was a bit of a tough situation this was. How could they deal with a force that potentially had a fierce airforce firepower. "I think you did fine given the timing. Beside mental strain from watching and getting ready. No one getting any damage from what I know on the outside. But, the Raikage gave you a letter? Are you allowed to share it and the information inside??".

He nodded when she said she would read it to him after pulling it out of her gi pocket. Overall it was simple....and ...not anything of use that he did not know already. A ranked mission, defend an outpost in the middle of waterfall country, find out who is attacking, bring back intel. He rubbed the back of his head. Yep. That was obvious. What else were they supposed to expect.

He then looked up at Chikai. "No. We don't wait. We Prepare. Help me gather some troops, we got planning to do".

[Kanade]

"Long range jutsu-cha?" Chiaki asked as she ran her eyes over the settlement and then nodded at the plan, She wasn't really any good in a fight anyhow, so might as well rally the troops. As soon as she started walking towards one of the guard posts to try to round them all up there was an explosion to her immediate left, a Katon blast that shook the area and absolutely decimated a shop that was still set up in the middle of the siege. They hadn't told anyone about the possibility of attack because she didn't want for people to panic.

That blast undid all of their work to keep the citizens out of the know for their well-being. It backfired. A man's burnt and severed arm landed between Chiaki and her new companion. She looked to where the katon jutsu had blasted and there, in the midst of the wreckage of the stall which was still smoldering was a charred skeleton, still aflame, his skin blown off and hanging in rags off of bones. He hadn't had time to react, but he was missing an arm and the opposite leg, and had been sitting, minding his shop.

So much for alerting the guards.

Knowing that this was only the first assault, Chiaki started to move the people who weren't going to fight indoors into safety as Katon blasts and Raiton blasts erupted from left and right, targeting civilians and doing damage only to non-permanent structures. So their enemy had already made a layout of the stalls. Some of the blasts targeted routes with fleeing people and Chiaki cursed the ninja that could do this.

Shock and awe tactics, and it seemed like Chiaki and her new companion were on the wrong side of them.

[Ottozeo]

In that instant, in that one moment, felt as if the sky had shifted. Swaying from the clear crystal blue hue and scattered white cotton balls of clouds floating in the sky. The smell of burning muscular tissue gave off an aroma similar to beef in a frying pan, heavy and intense. Mixed in with a undertone that spelled like fatty pork on on the grill, nauseous. If it was not for the sight that Benjizen saw, he would have thought someone overcooked some meat over an intense blazing camp fire.

The desire to keep citizens out of the fight was desire...be it seemed that would not be the case. It was too little too late. Too late in getting the information in time, too late in move bodies in suspected safe zone, all just for nothing for most of the citizens were still in the zone of expected combat. Only a handful were able to be removed and transported in the hours before hand of Benjizen's arrival.

There was one thing at least....there were no need to notify anyone that the enemy was here.

Foot steps stampeded in the compound, organize chaos ensued as bodies went into action, unready combat gear strapped on, words exhcanged to spread the trinkle down of orders. This was on the tease blow. To see how they would respond to a sudden attack. IF they could response to a sudden attack. Benjizen eyes scanned the filed, trying to breakdown the the flow of the next series of actions from both sides. What would be done, what would be expected, and what could be countered. Chiaki moved forward to cipher people off to a different location. While this happened others went off, ready to combat the encroaching Katon blasts and eruptions of Raition that acted as shock grenades as they made impact with the ground.

Bastards weren't even going for any vulnerable areas...just people. Just...how did they get this information though? Was it an inside job? Did they have an eyes view to get the building's layout? No matter...they had to deal with the now!

The scared citizens fled and dance, moving in what looked like random paths to try and avoid the focus of battle. The declared areas were unsafe, the declared routes were targeted. Without that information now...they could only run on instincts and reactions.

A second volley came down from the sky, but this time the people in the building were ready. They saw it coming this time. Turning around he found himself under the eye of a blast of fire. Jumping back, Benjiken slide several meters out of the blast radius. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chiaki leading people away, a ball of fire coming from the sky towards. Them, weaving a seris of hands sighs, Benjizen would clap his hands together and focus his chakra. Behind Chikai and the other s a 21x 21 meter dense wall would bring up. Standing strong a the flames crashed into it as the waves of heat seeped over and continued to move. Most of the damage negated but the shock wave of the blow scattered wind and debris from the chipped earth ninjustu.

"Water users and sensors! Focus on where the attacks are coming from and counter. Anyone with construction abilities, get a roof up, NOW!".

Justu used

SpoilerShow

Doton • Wall
D-Rank Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user will form a solid stone wall up to 5 meters away from them at [Control] speed. The wall has [Control] strength and is 3x3x1 meters large.

[Kanade]

Chiaki looked towards where the barrier leapt out behind her and she wove hand seals, ushering the people inside of the building. The jutsu came up as shards of sharpened chipped earth flew past her, cutting her forehead and cheek. Her raiton cloak screamed into being as she looked up at the sky. She knew that the bastards were around here somewhere, but she had to figure out what the arc of the jutsu was so that she could gauge what trajectory she needed to take to protect the citizens. A bolt of lightning erupted to her left, and she swatted its debris away with her hand lazily, the earth that erupted from the small crater evaporating in her Raiton shield.

Her eyes glowed an angry yellow-orange, her hair waving as if she were under water from the sheer power that her jutsu exerted on it, and the air hummed with the sound of a thousand angry hornets.

Chiaki had lost her temper.

The next blast she saw coming from the north, and they were pitifully low-ranked, sacrificing power for speed and range. She wove another set of hand seals and reached for the nearest stall with a metal roof. The whole cart sped towards her with blinding speed and the next jutsu that was used by the ninja was thwarted as the cart erupted in flames and the people that went running past her in a panic, their heads shielded with their arms. It came from the north, from the north, from the north.

The blood pounded in her ears as she ground her teeth and she saw a lightning bolt. Chiaki wove hand seals and lightning screamed from her two fingers, obliterating the bolt of lightning from a raging one of her own. This one, a jutsu cast by the cowardly long-range nin, was aimed at a small child who was screaming for her mother.

Weaving one more set of hand-seals, she reached for a building that was currently locked with a metal roofing, it was empty as she well knew, but had a huge roof on top of it. She grunted with the strain of it and yanked with all of her control, with all of her might, and the whole of the roof came off of the building, hovering above her she ushered the people that were still trying to seek some sort of cover under it.

“Build pillars beneath this so that I can let it go-cha!” Chiaki commanded as a fire-ball rained down on the roof, making the metal turn a molten red above her. She wasn’t going to take this laying down but she needed help. The earth ninja that they had in the village were able to construct one pillar each, constructing a crude pillared, metal roofed structure. Chiaki strolled idly out and to the north, her lightning thrumming about her. She swatted another lightning bolt as it came her way, now targeting her, and it fizzled out against the sudden scream of her own barrier completely negating it.

Chiaki was going to battle, the consequences be damned.

jutsu usedShow

*Raiton • Lightning Armament
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After the correct hand seals are performed, the user coats themselves in a thick layer of lightning. This armour of lightning forms near instantly and requires [50] Strength to break. During this time, the user's physical strikes apply the Raiton shocking effect.

*Raiton • Bright Bolt
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user will extend two fingers toward a target. A bolt of lightning will jump up to 10 meters from their fingers at [50] Speed and Strength.

*Jikiton • Draw
D-Ranked Jikiton Jutsu
After performing the required hand seals, the user will reach toward a metallic or magnetized object within 10 metres of the user. The target will be drawn to the user at [50] speed, but can be held in place with [50] strength.

[Ottozeo]

Benjiken watched from his location as the fire ninjustu clashed with his hastedly made earth stone wall behind Chiaki. As much as he would have liked to see how the ninjust faired in aiding his temporary co-worker. He heard the crash and explosion and saw the aftermath smoke. But that was it. And unfortunately that meant he had no vision to tell how she or the people she was ushering were doing. However, given that there was no blood deafening cries of pain....he assumed that things were well.

Either way he had to focus....the enemy was here!


Benjiken had previously called out for Water users and sensors to move out. In hindsight it was something he probably did not have to say. Anyone adn eeryone should have know to use water ninjustu against the fire attacks, and to rely on sensory abilities to pin point the location of the enemy, or from where attacks were coming from. Alas, he knew better. And with the chaos and adrenaline from facing death and harm in combat, many times common sense would not always be apparent in people's quick thinking. Some were only able to focus on the issue in front of them, which, most of the time, was a shinobi. So getting orders called out could help sharpen senses and directions. ....if it could be heard over the sounds of combat.

Benjiken would just have to see if that was the case at some point in their defense. In any case he had a matter to deal with. He felt his left ear ring as several meters from his side a fire explosion landed, not hitting anyone or anything thankfully. But the shockwave of the impact sent a bone rippling burst of chakra through the air thag spread force and fire in its wake. The patches of grass burnt and caught on fire.

Blood pounded in his ears and veins as the sound of combat came. He had no idea when but a wave of forces came in through the gate. Most of the forces by the gate engaging with them. A few of them broke off though, following Benjiken's voice as the wwter users among them fired waves and blast of water against large balls of fire that was coming down. Others seemed to blend in among their allies as they tried to sense where the enemies forves were hiding and coming from.

He chose to reserve his chakra, at least for now. Armed with only his speed and strength right now, he dashed forward, speeding towards the few enemy shinobi who broke few. Stomping his fist down, he slammed his right hand into a closed fist to one shinobi's face, quickly swinging it down, bending his elbow to slam the fist into their stomach. In a gasp the body fell forward to the ground.

Turning his head, Benjiken quickly lunged to the left. Swinging his left foot down in a round house kick to another enemy shinobi's face.

[Kanade]

Chiaki moved like lightning through the streets, flashing here and there trying to get everyone to safety as the long range shinobi kept bombarding people. Then she was surrounded by other shinobi, their blows rained against her and her armor. It was time that she tried out a new jutsu that she had been working on.

She clapped her hands together in the seals and touched the ground in a manner of a fact way, a slow way, a deliberate way. The people in a hundred meter radius outside of the fort dropped, they were paralyzed from the waist down, and then they stopped moving, paralyzed as they dropped to the ground. Kami forgive her, she just let it go, and it continued to shock them until they didn't move, didn't breathe. She closed her eyes and hot tears streamed down her face. Another bolt of lightning was eaten by her shield as she wept, wept from her innocent heart as the shinobi were blasting those around her. She had seen the wounded in war, and healed them, but she hadn't ever seen the ravages of war up close.

She didn't know what to do. Her shield fell from her with another lightning bolt and she erected it again, wiping her tears from her face. She didn't know that shinobi could be so heartless, so careless, so merciless.

She felt like she was less for it. The north side of the fort was held though, because of her jutsu that had spread for a hundred meters in diameter from her epicenter.