Making a return visit.

[Zao]

With that chance meeting with the young hunter-nin, the tall man with rough crimson hue beard and matching long hair made his way onto the shoreline via a small boat after crossing the giant lake to reach the island that contained his homeland, the village of Kirigakure no Sato. As his feet sand slightly into the damp sand and the familiar air of mist washed over him now it was a feeling that the retired jounin had not felt in many years. It was a feeling of peace. A strange feeling for the veteran shinobi who had forged a name through blood during his time as a shinobi among the active ranks now as he gently began to walk but it was strange as the muscular man did so in that their didn't appear to be any sound related to his movement. Almost as if he truly wasn't there to begin with as he continued down a small foot path that many shinobi often used to move back and forth from the village.

It didn't take the large man's stride before he was able to make it into the 'slum' area of the island which he was able to navigate with no resistance at all as these 'untouchables' truly did know their place when it came to interacting with shinobi or mysterious people as they simply turned a blind eye and didn't both the stranger with any questions. After a short while the man was able to actually reach the first village wall that separated the outside world to the merchant caste now, a sight for sore eyes to finally lay eyes upon the village once against. It felt like ages as the man's sharp, golden gaze fell upon the damp wall that was emerging from within the mist slowly revealing itself and its truly massive size the closer one drew towards it and at the wall the gate that he was traveling towards had its shinobi pair that were on gate duty instantly snap to attention.

Though it wasn't because they weren't paying attention but instead that the man's body didn't make any sound as it moved towards them through the mist causing for them to become rapidly unease at the dark clothed figure, one was a Kitsune and her ears twitched as if straining to attempt to use her enhanced hearing abilities to sense something about the man. He didn't have the odor of a man and instead had the smell of water and his feet and clothing didn't seem to make any sound at all, but what was the strangest factor would have been the fact that the man wasn't breathing...no heartbeat could be heard coming from the towering man who never slowed his pace until actually arriving in front of them. They questioned their instincts as normally something like this would have been some form of water or mist clone from their experience as neither shinobi at the gate was a rookie by any means. "Your identification, sir." The young man with raven hair didn't bat an eye now stepping in front of the man and lifting his chin to compensate for the foot or so difference between the two of them.

While from behind and to the left of the Mist-nin the female fox lady had already placed her right hand upon the sheathed short sword that rested upon her left hip now, just in case as the tall man gave her an unexplainable feeling of fear. Kasai's golden eyes shifted down upon the chuunin who stood before him with a cold and sharp gaze that told anyone who looked into them that the amount of death this man had seen was to numerous to even begin to mention. Time had been a bit more violent during the age in which the Reaper had grown up and forged his nickname during then compared to present day. "Of course." The Reaper responded after only a moment with two simple words but the voice in which he spoke was in a tone of voice just above a whisper and the way it was spoke would cause for many to sense a chill running up their back just from the way he spoke now. His gloved right hand produced an official identification and paperwork that went with it to the smaller man before him and handed it to him.

Despite his deeds of years past, their truly weren't to many people aside from the young woman he had met a few days earlier who would even remember him most likely. After a few moments of inspecting the paperwork and verifying that everything was indeed real it was returned to its owner's hand now and tucked away for safe keeping. "Mister Yami, you man proceed." The guard stepped aside allowing for the man to walk by but the Kitsune didn't remove her hand from the weapon until he was a decent distance away and the feeling of fear finally eased up with his gaze no longer upon them. "Who was that guy?" "I'm not sure, I didn't recognize his name, but he has been retired since before we were even shinobi, Shisa." The two chuunin would begin to exchange a few words about their brief encounter with the Black Reaper, not truly knowing who he was but simply understanding that he was one of the old timers who had already retired a number of years ago.

Seeing the sights and sounds of the merchant district were a pleasant experience for the man who had wondered how things had changed in his absence but it appeared that the majority of things had remained the same only the people had changed it would seem. Though the man truly didn't have any reasons to tally about within the first true caste area now and simply followed the stone paved street and walking paths that wound through the area as the next divider wall that was a bit larger than the first could be seen finally. His experience at this gate was much the same only here a pair of special jounin were manning the gate for a bit more additional security and presence of strength to those who wished to attempt to trespass without the need to be there. After his papers were scrutinized more carefully then the previous time he was le through into the shinobi caste now, finally home after such a long time but for how long he wasn't even sure himself. His current plans were to simply check up on a few of his remaining friends and a few other items of interest before most likely heading back out again unless their was a reason for him to stay. 'It is almost like nothing has changed about this place since I left...'

[Flankingfox]

When word finally reached Shiv's ear, via fuuinjutsu communication, that none other than Yami, Kasai, had checked into the third ring of the village, well you could say that the champion was a bit surprised. The man in question was a relatively renowed member of the village from years past, having served in the head hunter division together. Sure, Shiv wasn't the weapon he was during those days due to him just starting out, but he had been given ample intelligence of this former comrade to know that Kasai had been a big deal till his eventual decline into notoriety. Both had never the opportunity to work alongside the other, however even so, the name stuck with the champion even after so many years had passed by. What had brought this old mongrel out of the bush and back into the village?

What had been a celebrated weapon of that generation turned into just another blunt sword without purpose. Shiv recalled that the man had a tragic story as to why he became a husk of his former self, though the last blimp of knowledge on this particular man, was that he had left the village to perish in whatever way deemed acceptable by chance. Present news provided light on that previous unknown and presented the reality that death had never embraced him in the slightest. Shiv would have to see the man with his own eyes to fully accept this latest piece of intelligence. When a seemingly dead man appeared out of thin air it was part of the job to confirm the existence of the apparent entity.

Within a mere second or so, Shiv had vanished from his chambers taking only his machete if things did happen to go awry. One could never be too sure about their safety, especially in this village where anybody was a prime candidate to ambitiously take what they thought deserved. With that in mind, could this man be returning to take vengeance upon the village or could he be here to take the village itself from the grasp of the current administration who had brutally murdered the entirety of the council? These questions slipped into the forefront of thought between each leap as his eyes darted toward the surroundings subconsciously tracking his quarry through where he assumed the presumed Kasai was heading.

Moving at a blinding speed, Shiv instantly recognized something that stood out over anything else. One of the figures he had passed over hadn't the slightest sign of a heart beat nor was its movement pronounced enough for the majority to hear. That was definitely something that wasn't exactly common in the village even with the resident scientist, Hirohito, Hideki being infamously known to be a practitioner of forging such weapons of unparalleled potential. This if anything was somebody to check in with as either this was his primary target and or somebody of worth that could serve a use in the future. Rapidly, Shiv completely changed direction in nothing sort of an instant.

"Heh... for a seemingly deceased mongrel, you haven't really the look about you of one that has risen from the afterlife..." Shiv's frigid words cut through the air piercing anybody in the vicinity of the floating figure. Without enough perception, these words would have been quite startling, especially to those with little nerve, but surely, even if Shiv had gone completely unnoticed, this man wouldn't flinch in the slightest which would be yet another confirmation to the identity sought. Analyzing the man in conjunction with memory, Shiv determined that this was the supposed target; crimson red hair being yet another concrete signifier as to actual character.

Realization rushed over Shiv as he looked over the body of his former comrade. Not much had seemingly changed since his eyes had last seen the man years ago, meaning that what was previously assumed was more or less correct. The reason as to why the man hadn't been visited by lady death was simple, he merely cheated her by forcefully becoming the unnatural product of modern experimental technique. In other words, Kasai had shed his former body in exchange for a newer one without the previous limitations. Quite the 'noble' endeavor, that even Shiv hadn't embraced yet. Well 'noble' in the champions eyes given how essential something like that was to becoming a 'complete' weapon.

In actuality, the act of this man was more selfish than anything as wanting to remove humanity was the goal, whereas Shiv was selfish to keep his humanity for his own earthly reasons. In any case, pondering on the subject did nothing to keep the flow moving forward. Continuing only a moment later Shiv snapped, "Then again, who am I to judge the state of a mongrel that has lived longer than myself. However, as duty calls I must ask the obvious. What brings you back to the village? Have those faux lips of yours become nostalgic for the brew of the old Bloodriver? Or perhaps, you have finally recovered enough to be of use again..."

Jutsu UsedShow

[Heartbeat]
A-ranked Taijutsu Discipline
The user has attuned their hearing to the sound of heartbeats. This allows them to locate anything with a heartbeat within 15 feet of his person, so long as there is not an excessive amount of noise in the area.

[Very Quiet]
B-ranked Taijutsu Discipline
Whenever the user is moving at full speeds, they won’t be able to be heard moving unless the person has a jutsu to better their hearing. If the user sticks to walking, they won’t be able to be heard regardless of advanced hearing techniques.

[Tracking]
D-rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: 10 Instinct, [Perception]
Having dealt with many different types of prey, a hunter with this skill set is able to more easily track a target by simply following clues. They are able to quickly take note of broken trees, foot prints, and any indication of movement, allowing for more accurate tracking.

[Blurred Movement]
C-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: 25 Speed, 20 Instinct, [Acrobatics]
Having trained the body at high speeds through intense training sessions, Shiv has developed a way in which to confuse his enemies. A more passive skill than anything, if Shiv is ten speed above that of his target(s) instinct, his movements and melee physical attacks take on a blur effect. This effectively makes it harder for his enemies to determine his attack pattern and or where he is about to strike.

[Zao]

If this would have been his old body then his ears would have twitched lightly, but this 'body' of his was merely a simple chakra shell that hid away the truth about his elemental body to those who weren't perceptive enough to take notice of the feint tips that would lead one to conclude on the obvious. 'This voice...that kid has truly grown up it seems.' The left corner of the man's lips that could be made out upon the roughly bearded face rose ever so slightly as he instantly felt a bit of nostalgia hearing a voice from the past that despite having changed to that of a man's now Kasai could tell whom it belonged to and almost heard it as it once was during the man's younger days. "You've grown quite bold in my absence, kid." A simple retort could be heard from the old man as his whisper like voice reverberated outward into the surrounding area in a fashion that Shiv hadn't heard in a long time.

Referencing the now bannin as a kid might sound a bit odd for anyone else who might have heard the words leave the man's thin lips but to Kasai the shinobi was nearly half of his age and he had truly been a kid when they worked together oh so long ago in the past before he had left the village. But now that he was back he could instantly tell that he had lost track of time in the outside world and the once rookie hunter who had been so wet behind the ears at one point the man wasn't sure if he was able to tell the different between the end of a kunai and his ass end. Yet, now it appeared this man had truly grown up and finally become the shinobi that the Reaper had hoped for...someone able to replace him with ease, at least it seemed. "You seem to remember my tastes well but I no longer have any desires from Bloodriver. I've heard that things have changed in my absence so I came back to have a look for myself, young one." The large man paused for a moment as where he had been floating just ever so slightly off the ground to prevent himself from making any sound now he allowed for himself to relax in a sense as both feet drifted down the short distance to firmly plant each into the damp mixture of rock and dirt that made up the walking path he was upon.

Kasai's pause had been to reflect for a moment on what his true reasoning for returning here way, having brought back the young chuunin and passed her off to one of the patrols a few days before he had then turned to leave returning back to the surrounding mountains. There he took a few days to think things over as he had been informed about the current administration and their brutal changes, changes which to Kasai had been part of the solid foundation of the village. Using his old home, which was nothing more than a dilapidated shack these days, he thought about and in the end had decided to finally descend back down to the mist covered island to investigate the claims for himself. This was a change that even the murder he was didn't approve of as the council had been a major part of the village since its creation. If their was a legitimate reasoning from the current Kage for such a drastic change then perhaps the old man would just move along but if he decided that it was against the best interest of the village then he would step in to take action. It was truly as simple as that.

"I've learned of some rumors about the council and the village. These have caused me some worry and in the end forced me to return to see what has happened in my absence." The Reaper had always been a very blunt person, even having spent time in the 'pit' because of how brutally honest he was and how much he cared about the village and its names. Killing easily thousands in its name was probably an underestimate in all honesty. "But since you've come to greet me must mean that you've taken over the Hunters?" A golden gaze that was filled with endless sharpness to the point that one felt a single gaze from them would pierce directly into their soul now swept over Shiv, though such a gaze most likely wouldn't cause for the former apprentice to even bat an eye these days. He hadn't been able to learn to much from the young chuunin who he'd came across in the mountain side aside from some information about another of his former comrades, Yuri. But this man's appearance did make things a bit more interesting for him as he had not expected to run into someone he knew personally so soon after stepping foot into this caste section. Assuming most were either retired or dead after the passage of time. "Either way you have grown, little Shiv-kun.

[Flankingfox]

"Heh... had to when the old guard fell to mediocrity with each passing year...", quipped Shiv right back as the old man unknowingly degraded him in front of the citizens of the village who had started to gawk now as they realized the champion of the village was within arms reach.

Even Kasai would have known the culture of the village from before and just how much the ninja were celebrated. So, even here in one of the inner rings would these people be humbled by the mere presence of both renowned ninja, that is if they had a semblance of knowledge to who Kasai actually was. The signifier these people hadn't an idea came in the form of their eyes all being on the champion who stood there almost stoically awaiting an answer or sorts. That isn't to say that Shiv didn't note the slight movement of the man before him, a clear indication of Kasai's earnest motive behind the words spoken, he just didn't acknowledge the act outwardly.

Then came the answer of the old man, nonetheless it begged for more clarity. In the icy tone Shiv had become known for he casually replied, "A look around, huh? A simple enough motive not requiring direct interference."

As Kasai moved downward it became obvious now as to his inherent ability, the man was definitely a master of whatever elemental affinity he was charged with. Mastery over an element in conjunction with a body of the same type was a formidable combination that Shiv had been tested against many a time over the years. With each one dealt with the act became increasingly unsurprising, but the potency remained completely intact as a person with such ability was usually quite skilled in the art of ninjutsu and not to be taken lightly. If memory served, Kasai hadn't these skills when he left the village, meaning he actively pursued this in exile? What that revealed was an ambitious man even in those ripe old years. Shiv quietly noted this as he awaited the man and the moment needed to ready an appropriate answer to his initial question.

Instead of a premeditated answer, Shiv was given a rehashed version of the original answer followed by a question and an insinuation that the champion was subordinate through use of a honorific not exactly fitting the reputation of the Bannin. Not exactly what the champion had been looking for, but it did open the door to further inquiry and or lended itself to show a bit more emphasis on the gravity of this particular yet simple question. Shiv wasn't going to lie to himself, the nostalgia that filled his core was perplexing in that it was a delightful surprise to see somebody from the past who he had admired at the time, but also perilous as to how this man could just outright leave. Shiv casually leaned back now, resting upon the fuuin-powered lamppost before crossing his arms and returning the stare.

In an impartial tone, Shiv calmly replied with that same frigidness, "I was given charge of the division. Times have definitely changed since your time old man. Regrettably, seeing somebody like yourself makes me quite nostalgic for days long passed when the village was full of potent weaponry... and technically, you are still part of this village, Kasai-sama. So I guess, you deserve the chance to reacquaint yourself. However, I must ask. Why the inherent curiosity for the village now? Curiosity is one thing, but after so many years I would have assumed you were already above the woes of the village."

The fact remained true, where had this man been during the tough times of the village. Sure the man was a beacon of heroics during his lifetime having given years of his life in service of the village, but the act of leaving it to dwindle was something that couldn't just be forgiven. A rationale of leaving it for the youth didn't even have weight here as usually once cared to check on the progress of those deemed would eventually take roles left void from the abandonment. Shiv wasn't necessary attempting to berate the former veteran before him, the champion just felt the need to make aware the strife that had happened to to the action of leaving without fully preparing those for the venture.

"When a criminal like Fushinkou, Yaku walked into Kirigakure borders, killing a irreplaceable champion in the process, maybe you could have returned then? Where was that curiosity? You could have shown an interest then, maybe even to replace that lost weapon. But you didn't, nor were you curious about the countless other things that have befallen the village during your self imposed exile. Yet, I was there. I may have not been the weapon the village wanted but I was there when needed. So if I may, show some respect. I needn't deal with these frivolous blows of belittlement." Shiv had sense enough to know that these small jabs were most likely meant as earnest ways of showing attachment although with people gawking around, showing weakness wouldn't be advisable, especially when you were the face of the infamous division known to utterly erase people from memory. That did counteract his own jabs just a moment ago, making Shiv a bit hypocritical, but in all honesty those were deserved in the eyes of Shiv as Kasai had blatantly deserted the village an act of extreme cowardice no matter the rationale behind.

"Now, I ask again, what brings you back to the village? With no desire for sauce, may your motive be a bit more ambitious or will you merely fall in line and become part of Kirigakure once more." In an authoritative tone came the sharp words of the champion. These words being sharp out of necessity to show weight rather than spite. One couldn't truly trust a person that had willingly left the village for so long. People like that often had nothing vested in the establishment, thus when they returned it was paramount to ask of their true motive even if they hadn't actually determined that as of yet. An unknown was an unknown, calling it anything else was naive. Shiv needed to determine if this man was going to be a problem with all nostalgia pushed aside so as to remain impartial.

[Zao]

Kasai had stood idle to long as he slowly began to walk, both of his gloved hands moved around each side before taking up a position upon his lower back with the left hand holding gently ono the right wrist. Only taking a few casual steps from the giant man to cover the distance which the Hunter Captain had original placed between the two at first meeting. "To an extent, I was above the individual woes, yes. But their are certain things ground in tradition and honor that no one is above as long as they are a shinobi of Kiri." The made spoke back in earnest now at the mention of being above the woes of the village as he was to an extent above such trivial matters that came up with the village but their were a few items that he just couldn't let pass. And his words, though they weren't explained completely had to do with the acts of brutality that destroyed a once honored and vital part of the village's governing body: specifically the annihilation of the former council and its members. Of course the golden eyed man had a few more reasons for his specific visit on this day.

"Irreplaceable champion? As much as I admire your words my young friend in the end we are all replaceable, including those like you and I." The old veteran couldn't help but shake his head now as his feet stopped with only two meters distance between the two renowned shinobi, though each of a different era of Kiri. This allowed for the man's whisper like voice to return to its normal nature that allowed for only Shiv to be able to interpret the words that slip through the lips on his bearded face now unless someone was using a method of enhancing their hearing. Some of the items on his mind should not be spoken out loud but the circumstances sometimes called for a little heads up to the other party. Yet, as the man referenced that no one was irreplaceable it also held another meaning in that he wasn't just talking about the average brand of shinobi but also of Kai, the MIzukage. "Show some thick skin my former apprentice, a simple teasing has you so riled up already. You have developed into the tool the village needed because of the trials you faced. We all know that nothing comes easy as a shinobi, such trials and tribulations are simply part of the tempering process of a weapon in order to sharpen the weapon's edge to absolute perfection."

As the man ended his words their was a brief pause as for a moment he blinked his eye lids and for just a few seconds before he blinked again he saw the Shiv of old when he was a young and wild shinobi but one filled with tremendous talent. It even brought a subconscious smile onto the man's aged lips as he blinked the second time and the man returned into the present day version of himself, my how the times had truly changed in what felt like only such a short period of time for the former jounin. "In my case though it seems that weapon must first be broken down and then reforged in order to truly be processed into the material which can then be shaped into the weapon that it as always suppose to be." The Reaper couldn't do anything but agree that his act had been one of cowardice for sure but it was one that he never expected to be returning from having made peace with everything he could within the constraints of the village only to be enlightened onto a different path. Kasai had never thought he would ever set sight back upon his homeland nor fill the damp mist against his face, though 'feeling' was a bit different now for the elemental body user but it was still 'there.

"As for what the true ailment of my return, there are three reasons..." The left hand loosened its grip upon the wrist of the right arm now as it alone moved back in front of the cloaked figure and his crimson locks as it lifted to about chest high while the thumb pinned down the pinky showing the fellow shinobi three fingers. "The first was the check upon the young chuunin named, Haruna I believe was her name, that I found in the wilderness injured and returned to the village a few days ago. Secondly was to investigate if what I've been told about the events of the past few years have truth to them. And lastly..." Once more their was a pause as the old man shifted his gaze away from Shiv now and simply took in the ageless area that was the shinobi caste that seemed to barely changed at all. A feeling of being home finally catching up to the harden man as he shook his head and after a brief pause in the flow of his words now the old man turned his stern gaze back to his comrade to finish speak. "...my presence has been requested by the 'Families'..." The last portion of his words were even more like a whisper than any of his words had been through out this entire conversation. Kasai would not iterate on what this meant for him or the village but the Captain before him was well versed and intelligent enough to be able to put together the pieces now. And if not now then soon it would become all to apparent.

[Flankingfox]

Shiv answered with a slight nod of agreement to what was just said aloud. Everybody here was replaceable, if they weren't then the world wouldn't truly work as intended as things would constantly remain in a state of utter surety. Knowing well that things were in a state of flux, why then did the champion use that particular word? The answer was obvious, but only to those that knew him well. That single loss had always been a grievous wound to the man who felt a great deal of guilt for not doing more that fateful night so many years ago. Now with himself being the replacement of that loss, he was a bit more forgiving of this past sin, though it still resonated deep enough within to bother him occasionally. So yeah, a poor choice of words there, as they betrayed his subconscious mind, yet without any context the slip was merely that.

As Kasai moved closer to a range that would make eavesdropping difficult; did words finally come with some weight behind them. The words that came first were truth indeed and with these words came a sort of mutual understanding as to what both understood through experience rather than by teachings. This was the reality of what it meant to be a ninja of a village. With these wise words spoken, Shiv knew now that the man was not an enemy of the village per say. At least not in the way that required immediate intervention like those that had been completely corrupted by delusions of grandeur wanting nothing but control over people for the mere sake of having 'power'. These sorts didn't understand the reality of the world as they simply ate up the Kirigakure doctrine forced into their mind at a young age in turn perverting the very meaning of that doctrine.

In a overly quiet tone Shiv retorted to the thick skin comment by saying, "Simply conveying what needed to be said in the moment, for that is also a reality I must adhere to and something that has become the standard over the years." Obviously Shiv was hinting at those prying eyes around them gawking without end. Image was something that had become all too important in the life of a ninja here in Kirigakure. Without your image you were nothing, as people usually only perceived what was portrayed outwardly. That reality is the reasoning as to why the caste system had remained so staunchly in place since its inception; without that people wouldn't understand how to act in their day to day lives.

The second thing spoken by Kasai was a direct acceptance of his cowardice. That admittance in itself was powerful as it showed that the man was able to take accountability for decisions made meaning that he hadn't lost sight of his previous character. Many in the same position wouldn't have accepted the truth so readily. Shiv's perception of the man had changed in only these few words spoken. How easily it seemed to get the champion to understand another by use of explaining things in terms of weaponry. That is with this man not even knowing how much the champion had internalized that form of thinking. Shiv gracefully lifted his hand and placed in upon his chin as he continued to listen to the answers provided by his former comrade.

Shiv's eyes involuntarily widened but only slightly as the words left Kasai's mouth. With those words spoken everything finally clicked in tandem with each other. The words first spoken came into the forefront of mind now as Shiv realized their importance to why Kasai was here in the first place. Not by mere chance did this man stumble back into the village for nostalgia sake, but for a contrived reason. That is exactly why Shiv was here right now instead of fulfilling his duties as the head of the division. There was nothing to be said overtly and with yet another nod of his head, Shiv acknowledged the intent of the man before him. With this acknowledgment also came the subtle indication that the champion approved of the task given by the families before their actual motive had even been revealed to the Bannin.

If only Lord Mizukage had watched his tone when demanding Hideki and Shiv's obedience after the heinous act. That oversight would be his downfall as it created an opposition where none had existed in the first place. With all of those acts and phoney propaganda this was the expected outcome. What was surprising was that this motion was only now coming to fruition. The agent that had prodded those that made Kirigakure, Kirigakure was in for quite the revelation. For when it came down to it, the families were the ones that ruled the village. The Mizukage was simply the most powerful weapon in the arsenal to be used to further the influence of Kirigakure herself.

So this was the man chosen to be their vessel of retribution. What a man indeed to have been picked, as he has even managed to sway my own thoughts. Those on the council didn't deserve such an end, there were civilians included that hadn't the chance to defend themselves and or their motives. I'm not one to shy away from acts of aggression, but the way it was done made it completely asinine. If anything they had deserved a better end, how could the new lordship of the village not account for what it meant to commit such an atrocious act? Sure the act had in fact silenced any opposition left for the time being, but when only silenced and not erased, things were bound to resurface. This man before me was proof enough of the consequences, for bringing somebody that was supposed to be dead back to a place he hadn't expected to be was quite the feat indeed...

"On your way then you old mongrel, I have better things to do then follow you around, stay out of trouble or my questioning will be the least of your worries..." Shiv said sarcastically in a louder tone not interested in being subtle but instead to fully embrace the reality of what surrounded the two ninja. With the actual intent of the man revealed now, Shiv had nothing more to do with him aside from reminisce, however that was probably left for a place more secure. There were many things that Shiv had wanted to ask, but reality was a bitch most times.

[Zao]

Upon hearing the comment from the young man, in reference to his own age, the normally solemn looking man with his crimson bearded face couldn't even help himself as a half smile managed to make its way onto the set of then lips. Perhaps 'old mongrel' wasn't to far off in what he could be referenced as now letting the gloved right hand which had counted down from three to one relax before he stepped forward and placed the hand down briefly upon the sturdy shoulder of his old friend now. A set of broad shoulders which had been forced to endure quite a bit of hardship and struggle but luckily the man had not only been able to ensure but grow from the fate he had been dealt by life and forge himself into a true weapon. With a simple nod came a few words in a normal tone of voice now, "Captain Shiv, I'm proud of the man you've become. I'll take my leave now." As much as the old man wished to reminisce about the old days and what else had occurred during his leave of absence this was not the place and unfortunately he didn't have the time to do so at the moment either.

Bidding the Hunter's commander goodbye the giant retracted his large hand which had a sensation of coldness to it when it had touched Shiv's shoulder retracted itself and both arms would now be allowed to relax at either side. The man moved in a casual stride away from the other shinobi as their was a strange absence in sound as he moved, even from his clothing which were simply a manifestation of the chakra shell that contained the elemental body within that was currently of a suiton construction. As the dark robed man walked away part of him was relieved that he was able to let his old friend at least understand the reasoning for his return and from the expression or there of lack of words back to him it silently affirmed that perhaps their was reasoning behind what lay ahead in the future for him now. Stride after stride the man disappeared into a thin cloud of mist and other people who walked the damp streets this morning going to and from their different destinations on this day. But first Kasai would head back up to visit the young woman who he had brought back to the village the day prior now as he hadn't been able to check up on her healing progress because of the other matters which had came up.

Most notably this was the messenger that was sent to find him after word of his return visit made it into the ears of those from the great five families of Kirigakure, they had seen this as a possible way to take care of the rage and resentment that had been filling their hearts for some time over the actions of the village's sharpest weapon. After bidding their time it seemed that their was no a possibility for success and this old man, this Reaper would be the hand which would allow for this to deal the blow. As Kasai was a man bound by history, tradition, honor, and customs that had been an integral part of his raising as a young shinobi and killer for the village, nothing was more important to the man when it came down to discussing the village. Now it had come time for his massive shoulders to hold up the weight of the many...