[Graded] Lightning and The Flame

[hobnob]

The young Senju was making his way through the streets of Konoha. With no destination in mind, he was simply strolling through aimlessly. It was one of those days that could be considered to be a write off. He had no missions, no chores, no meeting to attend he was actually looking for something to do. But finding something, anything, on a day like this was not an easy feat. He had already spend the morning exercising. Practicing his clans techniques to make sure he was not slacking in his skill levels. But now he was bored, bored until one of the ANBU crows began circling above him. Something had happened, and it seemed the youth was being called forwards to carry out a task.

Without even thinking about it, Noeru dashed through the streets to one of the ANBUs secure locations to find out what the message was. The crow was there just a few moments later with a pouch sealed with Fuujinjutsu. This was the usual case, ANBU messages were usually for ANBU operatives, and they had to take precautions to make sure that was the case. The Chuunin quickly unsealed the pouch and took out the small piece of paper and read the contents of the message. It was short - a directions, a quantity, and the symbol of the cloud. ”What the hell is the cloud thinking just approaching us like this!?” Noeru thought as he waves a single seal and the piece of paper turned into dust. The must have been some important reason why the cloud was behaving the way they were. There was no time to waste, they were either friendlier in need of help, or enemies - either impostors or deserters. Either way, Noeru was going to take care of this quickly.

He dashed out of the compound, and in the direction specified by the note. It was not going to be long until they were close to the village and he had to assume the worst. If a fight were to break out, he wants to be a far from the village as possible to avoid any unnecessary casualties.

Moving at high speeds through the village, it was not long before he arrived at one of the gates. The two guards took note of him but did not move. It was not often people were in such a hurry to leave, and Noeru hoped they got the idea that something may be up and to stay alert. Now that he was outside of the village, heading towards the targets, it was only a matter of time until he would spot them.

[Trusted Grader]

For the longest time the duo had been dashing madly away from Land of Stars, Kirie hadn't really managed to get a lock on who it was that displaced the ground but by their chakra signatures it was someone strong. Hotaru had made a mental note of the man with the swords, the short bulky guy and the cat man, while Chiaki and Hanako was someone she had already written down in her journal. Kirie had already drawn them on Hotaru's book when they rested during their travels, in hopes to keep as much information tapped down as possible.

Hotaru and Kirie had made their way towards the Land of Fire not only because it was closer but because they knew that the intel they had gathered would probably warrant the interest of their neighbouring countries, that and currently they had no strong ninjas that Kumo could spare for S.T.R.A.T.O.S was still a fresh faced organisation, well, at least Hotaru's variant, while the infamous Anbu was a proud and strong organisation, which she had hoped would team up with them in this crazy endevour.

She had a scheme planned out, one that would probably rock the nations for if her intel would be true then whatever they were facing was going to be THE major threat to the world and that was an assumption based on the power level gathering together, if she knew even half of it then she was sure to know that the world was soon going to be in the mercy of those very handful of ninjas she had tracked, but, would Hotaru and Kirie survive to tell the tale? One could hope.

"Okay, we should stop here because if we travel any further up north then we'd probably be tagged as invaders." Hotaru kept an eye out, the forests around fire country left a lot to be desired as everything almost appeared the same, it was hard for a none native to find their way around here as it wasn't like what she was used to. Sure they had grand forests in Kumogakure but at least the monotony was broken apart by large mountains, lakes and such, nevertheless, this spot was a good as any other, for this was one of the designated areas allied members were assigned to. She could tell by the hut, which she hadn't entered but instead leaned up against.

"I hope they heed our warnings." Kirie sighed as she fiddled with her clothes, a telltale sign that she was nervous. "They are going to, or be left behind in the upcoming storm..."

[hobnob]

As the Senju leapt from one tree to another, he took out a mask from his pouch and placed it over his face. He secured the elastic around the back of his head to keep the mask in place. It was best for the youth to keep his identity concealed while he figures out the intentions of the two approaching. His right hand moved to his kunai holster on his right leg and he withdrew two of the throwing knives, allowing them to rest in the grip of his right hand. The knives were just a precaution to allow him to quickly land an attack or counter if he had to.

With some precautions in place, he picked up the speed as he made a mental note of where he was. It was only a few hundred meters away from one of the huts designated for the ones in the know who wished to get to Konoha without being targeted as a threat. ”Maybe they’re not trying to attack us after all…” the youth thought as he dashed across the canopy of trees.

Suddenly, the Senju stopped. The hut was visible from his position. Being off to the side of it, he could see two figures. One was leaning against the hut and the other was beside. Taking a moment to understand the situation, he noted the appearance of the two, and for the most part they did not look like they were posing a threat. They seemed too relaxed to be trying to attack the village, the country, or a Konoha-nin. Regardless, Noeru was not going to drop his guard until they explained themselves.

With that, Noeru took another leap and this time landed on the branch of a tree well within the limit of sound. They could have a conversation without the need needing to raise their voice. Looking at the pair, he pressed his left hand gently against the tree for a little support. The kunai were poking out from between his clenched fingers. ”Kumo, why are you here?” the words left his lips, sounding cold and serious. Just like the situation, if they picked the words, this could escalate quickly.

[Trusted Grader]

Hotaru was becoming anxious, she wasn't the type to stand in the open but in order to gain trust she would need to be displayed for she knew that if the incoming Konoha ninja arrived then they would most likely wonder what the hell Kumogakure ninjas were doing around these parts. She even wore the head plate around her neck and so did Kirie for they wanted the arrivals to know immediately that they were allies. Due to them running like fools for the last couple of days their energy was running a bit low meaning that she wasn't in the perfect state to combat anyone, although she did have some reserve in the tank.

Funny enough if one were to look at Hotaru they would certainly believe that she was spry and ready for anything for that was how the master of spy carried herself, no matter how fit she was, that was the goal she had reached, all thanks to the Raikage, Hayate. Kirie on the other hand looked a bit disheveled, her hair was somewhat a mess but she still wore her make up in order to attract any suspecting eye. This got the spy to chuckle because she always seemed to worry about her appearance, which was rather interesting, it seemed that they were they struck the perfect duality, one used make up to fool others into believing she was the one they wanted while the other disguised her true appearance.

Nevertheless, the wait had seemingly got Hotaru to wonder if she had done the right move, was it right to leave the battlefield so early? Could she have drawn more information from prying or was Kirie's life so precious to her that she needed to leave? It was interesting to speculate for she had never cared for anyones life outside of her family and now this new operative was starting to weigh down on her conscious. I guess it is better to have a sensor with you rather than having to carry the burden of learning everything yourself. Plus so far she has proven to be quite useful. Hotaru closed her eyes and wondered if she could sense the surrounding vicinity, if her body had grown to the level she thought it had.

She could hear the birds talons clasp the trees, wings sputter, insects crawling and wind pushing the leaves. Her mind could almost calculate what was going on around her and place everything that was within a small area, she could almost feel a burning sensation from Kirie who was looking at Hotaru, wondering what was going on, she was rather confused that the spy would close her eyes but knew better than to question her commander. Hotaru who was leaning against the wall took a deep breath and continued to focus.

There had been times when she could feel the eyes of someone prying on her, all due to her mastery of her body, so she sent out "feelers", aka she sensed through various means, by hearing and by placing her minds eye on her skin. "To report of mischievous deeds happening within the Land of Stars. As a fellow Allie I took the opportunity to rush here to speak with someone in charge in hopes of creating a co-joint mission to solve this issue once and for all, if not, then I fear that we all are in danger."

She continued to have her eyes closed and tried to feel where the voice was coming from, due to echolocation and the burning sensation of Noeru's eyes she could begin to pinpoint where he was standing, she located him southwest on top of a tree not long away from her, she couldn't tell what he looked like or anything as this technique wasn't some force projection but instead a strong willed ability to tell was going on outside of her body, giving her the ability to sense anyone without sensory, although this wouldn't allow her to come close to a true sensor but she could use it to better hide herself and to better get a feel of who was either sensing her via chakra or prying on her.

The hair on her body rose as she connected to Noeru, she could almost feel his presence as if he was right next to her, even though he was about 50 meters away from them. Interesting, this technique will surely come in handy when push comes to shove... Plus... I won't have to rely on Kirie all the time. Hotaru still trying out the technique could almost tell Kirie's entire body posture and where she was gazing at there body due to her being so close to her vicinity, though Noeru who was hazy was becoming clearer by the minute.

She opened her eyes but still couldn't see where the Anbu operative was, it seems that they still didn't trust them enough to reveal himself but fortunately they didn't attack, which was progress. I didn't really expect him to stay in the shadow but luckily we weren't swarmed, which probably would've shocked Kirie. Hotaru peered over at Kirie who seemed rather calm, maybe she was wrong about her, maybe this woman truly was a sociopath, that or dumb. There I go again and judge people... I should probably work on that. Hotaru let a slight chuckle escape her breath before her serious demeanour took over.

She took a step forwards then turned to face Noeru, looking directly at his eyes which was interesting because she couldn't see him hidden in the shadows but she could still "see" him due to the technique she had just mastered. Come out of the shadow, we need to talk." Hotaru cleared her voice as she peered over at Kirie then back at Noeru.

---

966/950

Scopaesthesia
S-Rank TenTaijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: [Perception]
By training their body to absolute peak, the user is able to sense anyone within [Will]x4 meters away from their position with max range being 200, this technique is a form of remote viewing and allows the user to determine if anyone is looking at them, the hair on their body rises towards where the target is and within their minds eye a moving image is create of the target, the closer they are the better the image is displayed. This technique also allows the user to sense if anyone is using sensory on them unless they have higher ranked [Stealth] than this one.

[Izanagi]

The 15-year-old Chunin was practicing as usual in the forests behind his home when he received the raven. After reading and disposing of the coded message he quickly returned home to let his mother, the Bannin Aina know that he had an urgent mission come up. And then he swiftly made his way to the Anbu headquarters to change into his gear. He wore the typical steel-grey arm and shin guards, a chest protector and a hooded black cloak. His mask bore the likeness of a bird, and across his back he carried a black bow and quiver and at his hip his sword. With that he would dash out of a hidden exit from the village, marking his departure in the headquarters and bypassing any sort of official gate guards.

He knew the location he was being sent to. One of the many assigned meeting points for Kumogakure and Konoha forces, located near the outskirts of Fire Country, near the border to Whirlpool Country. Within the Anbu compound, he had noticed the timestamp for Noeru’s departure, just minutes ahead of himself. As per standard, Anbu members within the same squad were given Fuuinjutsu seals for communication, but first he had to make sure he was closing in on his comrade. Activating his Byakugan he noted his teammate about 100 meters ahead of him, progressing at a quick pace. “Tengu, reporting in. Covering your back” he relayed to his fellow Anbu operative. The two were effectively equals, their squad leader was technically Aiya though she had been sent off on a mission on her own and still not returned. It was uncomfortable to be a member down, but the two of them were still excellent young talents and worked well with one another. The same age as one another they had recently become promoted to full members of Anbu and it was likely each were due for a promotion to Special Jounin in the coming weeks. Perhaps this would be the mission that elevated them to the next rank.

As they neared the outpost Takeshi formed seals and cloaked himself in invisibility, hanging back at a comfortable distance of 150 meters from his teammate now. When Takeshi was 200 meters from the rendezvous point he nestled into a stable position, using his Byakugan to scout ahead and find a clear line of sight. No matter how narrow the trajectory might be if there was a clear enough path for an arrow to travel he could hit his mark with pinpoint accuracy. Bracing himself against a tree and taking position from behind cover despite being invisible he drew his bow and notched an arrow. Already he was sighting in the two targets, from an angle about 30 degrees to Noeru’s left side and 200 meters back from his targets. He made a habit of shooting at near his maximum range, well outside the sensory range of nearly any jutsu aside from his Byakugan. As a long-distance specialist it this was where he thrived. “Targets in sight. Ready” he relayed, letting his squadmate know he was in position with a clear shot should things go sideways. Even at this distance he could read the body language and chakra of the Kumo shinobi, though the one leaning against the building was notable more difficult to get a clear read on while the other was obviously nervous. Therefore it was the more confident one that he deemed the leader and more dangerous. She would be the first to drop if there was any hostile intent. Ally or not, Kumo shinobi were outsiders and he didn’t trust them, even if one did save his life a few years ago.

615/300 Chakra Pool Trained +2 Stats

Jutsu UsedShow

~Byakugan: Telescopic Vision
D Rank Ninjutsu
By channeling a small amount of chakra to the Hyuuga's Byakugan, the clan member uses their doujutsu to zoom in like a telescope, allowing them to see much farther away. In doing so, the Hyuuga member is able to see up to 250 meters away as though they were mere feet away. It should be noted that while using their telescopic vision the Hyuuga experiences tunnel vision, making it difficult to see their surroundings. This jutsu can be maintained as long as the Hyuuga channels chakra to their eyes.

Silent Movement
C-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
A fundamental skill in a hunter’s repertoire, Takeshi has learned to move at up to half his speed stat without making any discernable sounds. Even in thick foliage he can identify and navigate around fragile twigs and dry leaves and step on vegetation in a way as to not make a sound and similarly even draw weapons undetected unless the opponent has an applicable perception technique of equal or greater rank.

Lurking in the Shadows
C-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
This pseudo-camouflage technique doesn’t grant any form of true invisibility, simply it dictates Takeshi’s ability to approach and stalk his targets unseen or similarly retreat quickly. Much like the animals of the forest he can seem to disappear simply by stepping into foliage or the slightest forms of cover, knowing exactly how to navigate any natural or artificial obstructions that may present itself without exposing himself to visual observation unless his opponent has a visual perception jutsu of equal or higher rank.

Foremost Polygraph
B-Ranked Nintaijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: Perception & Byakugan
The user will activate their byakugan, they will use this to check for subtle facial features, the way the target moves their hands and their general mannerism, see their heart and how fast it is beating, and other minute details that no normal eye could see. This allows the user to see if a target is lying and detect any signs of hostility or deception with pinpoint accuracy. Only if the target has a technique of equal or greater rank for masking their body language will they be able to deceive the user.

[Ninjutsu • Active Camouflage]
A-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary handseals or channelling chakra throughout their body, the user will coat themselves in a layer of chakra. This chakra will specifically distort light around the user, making the user undetectable from sight. The user can move at their full speed without disrupting this invisibility, even coating their weapons in the camouflage, however, should any of their possessions travel more than 5 meters from them the invisibility around the objects will fail. This active camouflage will persist for a duration of 7 posts.

*[Flawless Aim Style • Absolute Aim]
A-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Having mastered the art of ranged combat, the practitioner is capable of calculating all outside factors before launching their projectiles. Ambient factors such as temperature, winds, moisture, any terrain, and even lack of sight on their target can not hinder their aim. So long as they have a means of detecting the location of their opponent and no impassible objects or unavoidable defenses stand in their way, the practitioner's attacks will strike their target with pinpoint accuracy without fail. Living targets must have a Perception technique equal or higher in rank to be able to perceive the practitioner's attacks without some sort of additional defense.

[hobnob]

Hearing Tengus voice come through the communication fuujin gave the young Senju some relief. Out of all the people he knew in Konoha, he was the one he trusted the most to cover him. If this was going to go sideways, I was very unlikely that the two of them would be on the back foot. The training they had been through together taught them how to work in order to bolster each others skills. ’Understood. If they make any sudden movements, give them a close warning.’ He said just loud enough to engage the fuujin and transmit the message, however it was not likely the Kumo-nin would be able to make out what he had said.

Noerus interest was captured as he watched the girl who was obviously the leader. It appeared that although he was completely hidden by the foliage of the tree, she was gazing directly at him. An impressive display of skill, but even if she apparently knew his whereabouts, he could not simply comply with her demand. It was time for him to put in some safety measures in place. Firstly, this was obviously a matter that require the attention of someone higher up the chain of command. They could not simply bring them to the village without the clearance to do so, but simultaneously they could not leave them here unsupervised. The Senjus hands moved to his chest, with his middle and index fingers crossing over. A shadow clone would appear beside him a moment later.

The shadow clone knew the plan without the original having to verbally communicate it to him. After all, it was a perfect copy. The clone moved along the tree branch and leaped from tree to tree heading back towards the village. Informing Tenzin was a priority, what these to had to say may be important, and for them to get the clearance they would have to go directly to the man at the very top.

With one of the things ticked off the list, it was time to make real contact with the two. Once again the youth utilised his hands to perform so deals, although this time it would be to bolster his defences. Immediately after, another string of seals would be waved, this time gathered chakra in his hands, creating projectiles stored in the form of chakra until they were needed.

’Im heading down there to talk to them. I have sent a clone back to the village to inform Tenzin about the situation and to receive orders on how to handle the situation.’ Noeru said once again just loud enough for the communication fuujin to engage, but this time it was not just Tenby that was listening, but also the clone.

Noeru took a deep breath and he leapt down the tree and landed approximately 15 meters away from the two. Now he was covered in wooden armour, ready for any mishaps that may occur.

Looking at the pair from behind his mask, he took note of any sudden changes in their behaviour. Being trained by the ANBU created habits within him that happened automatically, and this was one of them. Body language was very often a telltale of a persons intentions, and if their body language came across as hostile, then Noeru was ready to deal with any incoming attacks. With Tengu being on standby ready to drop either of them gave Noeru the confidence that they were in charge and if the Kumo did not comply then things would not go in their favour.

A brief moment went by before Noeru spoke. And although at this very time the two were trespassing, it was important that the conversation did not turn hostile. They claimed to be there to provide information about upcoming threats, and they were the to listen. The Senju youth decided to introduce himself, of course with a fake name, but an introduction nonetheless. ’I am Gojo of Konohagakure. I hope you understand you situation right now and don’t have to warn you about making any sudden movements?’ His tone was serious but friendly. If they truly were here for the reason they stated, they would understand the position Konoha were in, and hopefully would not resolve to any violent means. Surely they must have been in similar situation in the past, if they were as skilled as they came across. His words were aimed at the girl who came across as the leader, but Tengu and the clone would hear his words and anything the Kumo-nin said.

Now that the introductions were out the way, his mind went back to the answer she gave to his initial question - the one of why they were there. It was a mouthful and enough to cause this course of action. A co-joint mission to neutralise mischievous deeds in the Land of Stars. That was truly something, that was the first the youth has heard of. The only time he had really interacted with members of other villages was during the Chuunin exam. Carrying out a mission to deal with whatever this was would be something completely new. ’Tell me about the Land of Stars.’ Gojo demanded with the same serious tone as before.

He had not heard an awful lot of the Land of Stars, he knew it was next door to the Fire Country, but he had never considered the place to hold any serious military presence. Hearing of something going in there was a real surprise, and he eagerly awaited an answer.

Meanwhile, the clone was swiftly making his way back to the village. Still being able to hear the conversation, or at least what the original was saying. He was building up a picture in his kind about what was going on. It would not be long for until he arrived in the village where he would head directly for the ANBU hideout to inform him of the events currently taking place. From there he would retrieve the orders for the ANBU, and relay them back to the original.

JutsuShow

Creation Mokuton D-Rank Ninjutsu [50 STR 5 SPD]
The user is able to create any object out of wood. The amount of chakra used is based on the object being created. But the general rule of thumb is that D-rank amount of chakra will create 10 Kunai, 10 Shuriken, and 20 Senbon. Any object that is created and the participants want to keep it after the thread, has to be priced by a member of staff and has to be paid by the character keeping the object. [USED TO CREATE ARMOUR]

Splinter Mokuton D-Rank Ninjutsu
The user will either perform a series of hand seals, or they will channel chakra into their hand/s, or mouth, and will be able to shoot out a splinter that is five inches long, and a quarter of an inch in girth; both the ends of the splinter are needle-sharp. The splinters speed and strength is based on the users [Control]. The amount of splinters the user can shoot out a maximum of ten, one at a time. Jutsu lasts a maximum of 3 rotations. Multi-Projectile rules apply. Ninjutsu range rules apply. [50 STR 40 SPD X2]

*[Ninjutsu • Shadow Clone Technique] Ninpo A-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user proceeds to create a number of clones of themselves (maximum is equal to 1/3rd the users Chakra Pool). Unlike the Clone Technique, these clones are actual copies of the user in both appearance and substance. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing jutsu on their own, be given complex commands, caught in genjutsu, and can even bleed, but they will usually disperse after one or two solid blows. The clones will be created in roughly the same condition as the original and any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. Given that the clones are an exact replica of the user, they share the same stats except for Chakra Pool, which is determined by the number of clones presently in effect. [Shows up as preapproval on his sheet but was trained in this post.]

EDITShow

Changed who the clone is going to see. Instead of the Hokage he is going to see Tenzin.

EDIT 2Show

Fixed formatting.

[Chakra Pool training +2 1005/500]

[Trusted Grader]

This situation was tense, a bit too intense for her liking seeing as she wasn't an enemy of the state, but she could understand why, she wouldn't have been happy to see two random Konoha ninjas by the mountain's footstep, especially without a forewarning. She couldn't sense the archer taking aim at her and Kirie, nor did she know that there was one out there, although she had a sneaking suspicion that the man wasn't alone. Her time travelling as a different character had thought her a lot about how the ninja world was perceived and the difference between the samurai worlds.

Fire Country was a different beast all together, she had never been here before, she had never even thought about reaching their ally as a black ops members morning day was never guaranteed and as far as she knew only Kumogakure mattered, well, that was until she found out the information she is currently carrying, her will was higher than the clouds but her body was starting to ache from all the running and low sleep, Hotaru was fading while the Sakuran character was wide awake, taking over her mentality, she had started to reach the climax of character acting.

She was a true method actor and was slowly boiling over where the real person was almost nonexistent, this was on purpose for she wasn't sure how this interaction would go and didn't want them to steal information from her village if something went totally off. Now, the odds of that happening were slim but they were never zero. I really have some trust issues don't I. Hotaru wanted to chuckle, but Sakuran refused to change facial expression, especially once she felt another body next to Noeru's, which for some reason moved away from him.

The second the clone's eyes had left her she immediately stopped feeling the presence, Kirie sighed, she didn't like the tension that was building up, being a true sociopath, she hated being on the back foot, she wanted to solve this issue. Hotaru as Sakuran didn't even turn to face her, instead she just raised her hand and signaled in sign language that they were most likely not alone, she had sensed another person, but they escaped her field.

This told Kirie to be careful because there could be other people around, she wanted to use her sensory to feel for anyone else but knew that if she did anything hasty then things could go wrong very fast. Sakuran didn't care, Hotaru did, she hated the idea of not knowing what was going on at all times but in order to gain trust with their allies she knew that it would be better if they didn't do anything to alarm them. Now, their sign language might make them think a bit, but she hoped that they would quickly realize that they were just communicating between each other.

The clear difference between the famed Anbu and the secretive S.T.R.A.T.O.S. was that one was operating under plausible deniability at full times, these two black ops worked under different circumstances, one wore a specific legendary mask and armor that made them appear terrifying while the other was plain clothed and gave no indication of being part of any particular village, had it not been for the headplate then she was sure that both she and Kirie could be mistaken for a civilian and her bodyguard, this was the cover but today wasn't the day to test it out on her allies.

Hotaru watched as Noeru landed in front of her, due to her scopaesthesia she was able to sense that he moved towards her, Kirie on the other hand almost jumped when the Anbu suddenly appeared, she began to chuckle but became nervous when she saw the wooden armor around his chest, Hotaru on the other hand did her best to grit her teeth. They are really prepared to combat if things go south it seems... A bit hostile for my liking but.. Sakuran's face didn't change nor did her body language, while Kirie crept closer and almost shielded herself behind her commander.

She watched how he looked at her, as if he was inspecting for any distinct body language, a forte of hers, Noeru would just read her stoicism, Hotaru was a brick wall to read unless one knew what to look for. "And I am Sakuran of Kumogakure, with Kirie." Kirie peered over Hotaru's shoulder and waved before she continued. "We are not here to cause any problems, only to warn you of an up-and-coming danger, but I fear that I need to speak to someone with higher authority. Bare minimum, the Anbu commander." Hotaru knew she had no authority to ask this but at the same time these things they were going to deal with was way above an agent's head.

"Sakuran, maybe we should trust Gojo to make this decision." The point guard kept her eyes on Gojo. "Negative, we don't discuss secretive information with foreign agents, top secret information is only to be shared with higher ups." This wasn't aimed at Kirie but in fact to Noeru who was most likely trying to read the situation. "We will however in show of good faith unarm ourselves if it makes the situation easier to manage?" This was something she didn't look forward to but in order to earn trust one would have to take steps towards a better unity.

"Or, we wait for your comrade." Sakuran smirked, this was the first time both personalities had agreed on an action, she wanted to show Noeru that she wasn't as clueless as it seemed. The first was when she spotted him in the dark, now that she had "felt" the clone look then vanish. The part where she said was that they could wait for his comrade was more of a guess as she had no idea if they had moved to reposition or if they were returning to the village, only time would tell.

---

992/950

I Am
S-Rank Tentaijutsu Discipline Taijutsu
Prerequisite: [Stealth]
To perform this taijutsu the user must spend at least half a post preparing for the role of her life and as long as she continues to play the role the more convinced, she becomes that she is that character. With enough practice the woman could copy anyone's mannerism, characteristics, tone of voice and style of which she has gathered enough information of. At this level she is the character and will improvise as said character, reading the users mind requires equal level of technique and higher Will than the user. The target needs a higher ranked [Perception] technique see through her lies.

---

MetaShow

Side Language
D-Rank Discipline Taijutsu
Prerequisite: Going Silent
A technique that allows black ops members to have full communication without words, these are mostly used when trying to relay a longer message as it takes longer to perform but can also be used for deep cover as a mute character.

[Texas]

The silver haired shinobi was in his office reviewing previous medical experiments he had conducted. It was no surprise that there were an astonishing amount of failed results instead of positive. However, failed results were the true sign of progress in the medical field. Once the paperwork was shuffled together, he used both hands to lift the paper up and hit them against his desk. When the papers were put together as one single unit, the Jounin placed them in a hidden compartment underneath a password protected slot within one of his desk cabinets.

Using his knees to lift himself out of his chair, Tenzin began to stretch a little bit. To his surprise he heard running down the hall and as the steps got louder, it was clear that those steps were getting to his office. The pacing had a slight sense of urgency, so the man folded his arms and waited for the door to be opened. To his surprise Noeru burst through the door. It took only a minute for him to fully breakdown what was going on. 'Why would someone friendly not go through the proper channels to communicate. No heads up?' He though as he waited for the clone to finish. The shinobi nodded his head and looked at the shadow clone in the eyes. "Very well, I will leave now. Get a head start and let whoever needs to know I will be there shortly."

The turquoise eyed ninja watched as the clone ran off. It took only a couple extra minutes to grab his Anbu Mask and place it on. Tenzin made a habit of putting his anbu gear on whenever he entered the facility. A simple rule, but one that would help with situations like this. With haste, Tenzin ran down the corridor and beneath the training rooms below the facility. He went through a secret passage that lead to outside of the village. He would shoot out and head towards the location that the clone had told him. Before entering visually, Tenzin would weave a few hand signs and stay perfectly still. The focus would be on the chakra signatures around the area. He wanted to make sure that this shinobi was only with one other. After standing still and focusing, the information was valid. There seemed to be two foreign chakras within the area. He could sense a clone, Noeru, and Takeshi. All information good enough for Tenzin to come into the light.

Caution was important since this way of communication was incredibly untraditional. Having the captains around though was a good display of power for the anbu though, so Tenzin wasn't upset with the situation all to much. Based on Takeshi's location, it was clear he was holding a ranged eye on the foreign figure. Only a few seconds passed before Tenzin decided to walk up near the foreign Shinobi.

Tenzin silently walked up to the area to be visible with his arms folded, yet he was on guard. While standing there with his fox mask on and anbu gear, the shinobi gazed upon the foreign shinobi and asked a simple question. "Is there something we can help you with?"

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Sensory Style • Broad Sense]
B-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: *[Sensory Style • Beyond Senses], 20 Control
This jutsu is an extension of [Beyond Senses]. With this jutsu initiated, a sensor can focus on individual chakra signatures to get a precise idea of where their opponents are at up to 25 meters. A general sense of the direction and number of chakra sources can be determined at up to 75 meters away. It should be noted that this jutsu requires intense concentration, often making the user shut their eyes so they can focus on the jutsu solely. Even with high levels of Chakra Control, this jutsu can be mentally taxing as it requires the user to sort through the individual chakra sources in the sensor’s range.

[Way of the Ninja • Survey]
C-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
The user casually widens their eyes in order to asses the area around them. By utilizing not just the view in front of them, but widening their peripherals, the user can scan the area in order to map out an idea plan of action dictated by the situation.

[Way of the Ninja • Silent Step]
B-Rank Taijutsu Stance
Pre-Requisite: [Way of the Ninja • Survey]
Using skills gained over time, the user has developed a technique of walking silently. By avoiding noisy obstacles and taking a path that would ensure silence as long as the target doesn't have a technique of the same rank or higher.

[hobnob]

Noeru simply nodded towards Sakuran to acknowledge the name. With what Sakuran had said, he was glad that he had sent his clone back to the village to inform their commander. It was apparent that there could be something sketchy at hand, and if Kumo required assistance, this could be something very serious. For the time being Noeru would simply remain there in place, watching the pair carefully, ready to fight if need be. What did catch him by surprise was the offer for them to get rid of their weapons. This could be seen as a double edged sword, used by them to gain his trust. When in reality they were simply waiting for the right time to strike. To a by stander this may seem trivial, but these people were obviously skilled. And Noeru was not sure whether he should trust them. His inner turmoil was broken by his clone communicating via the fuuin. The clone was heading back, with Tenzin following a few minutes behind. This was about to get serious, Noeru wanted to see how Tenzin would handle the situation. And the situation was settled, in terms of their weaponry. ' Yes, place them on the ground before me and then step back to where you are now.' Noeru said to the pair.

As a sign on competence, Noeru returned the smirk offered by their party leader. It seemed they were both playing the psychological game, and they seemed to be better at it than Noeru. However, he was noting going to allow this to show. The youth behaviour would not change, he remained calm and confident as he watched what they did. If they placed their weapons down, he would simply say, 'I'm going to place them within a wooden construct for safety. You will get your weapons back once the situation is resolved.' With that he would perform a short string of handseals, and a wooden box big enough to shelter all their weapons would erupt from the ground and form into shape around the weapons. A few moments later, the clone would arrive in the shrubbery a few meters to Noerus left. And it was not long until a familiar voice could be heard coming from a short distance. Without turning his head, Noeru greeted the ANBU commander, 'Sir, these are the two I told you about. They say they will only speak to someone from higher command.'

[Trusted Grader]

Hotaru as Sakuran stared Noeru to the point where she wanted him to understand that he should stand down, Kirie on the other hand removed her equipment and placed them in front of Hotaru. " It's not worth it Sakuran, it's better to just comply and let them understand that we are not their enemies. " The blond spy looked up at her leader before her eyes darted back at Noeru, her innocent appearance aimed to disarm him, while Hotaru tried to get him to understand that he was dealing with matters above his clearance. Tsck, he is a good soldier, but he is clearly mistaken, the fact that we stood in the open should send the signal that we don't mean no harm. Shit.. And I thought I was paranoid...

Hotaru looked at Kirie and stared her down, signaling that she wasn't amused by her actions as she thought the grunt before her had stepped over the line. "Fear is the enemy, even between allies, I don't need my weapons to take you down. I respect your bounderies and will honor them, but you are not cleared for this information and I won't speak further until- " Hotaru stopped speaking as Tenzin enter the stage, immediately the energy changed, she figured that she keep her weapons now that she could explain the situation leader to leader. "You and I have a lot to discuss, follow me. " Hotaru began to walk away from Kirie and Noeru, keeping a stressed pace yet relaxed as to invite Tenzin to feel her sincerity.

"Two days a go a Bannin level threat escaped Kumogakure, after destroying parts of a hospital, reports indicate that she had met Maido. She later escaped on top of an eagle, kidnapping a child as they passed multiple countries. "Hotaru stopped moving once they where far away from the others earshot, her mind was still sensing if anyone watched her within her space, making Shire that Takashi kept his distance away, even though she had no idea he was around. "Turns out, the eagle was none other than the legendary Karagata, Shinjiro, overseer of the Seven Swordsmen... Now, I was wondering, what would a Seven swordman do with a criminal from Kumogakure?"

"So... What made you join black ops?" Kirie innocently asked, she couldn't really care but would portray a persona that genuinely cared, trying her best to break the ice.

---

MetaShow

Kirie
Trained on Noeru

Kawaii
C-Rank Discipline Taijutsu
The user acts like a cute character, pretending to be Innocent, attempting to trick the target into want to shield and get to know them. The target needs a perception technique equivalent to the rank to see through her charms.

Hotaru on Tenzing (1/4)

Mind Reader
A-Rank Discipline Taijutsu
Prerequisite: Subtle Movements
Through the art of being able to read their subtle movements, readings of emotions and appear to "predict" the outcome of the situation making it appear as if they are reading their minds. In order for this connection to be linked, the user must study the target for 4 posts, gather enough information about the targets behavioral patterns, speech and it will only works if Hotaru has higher/equal Will Power to/than the target.

[Texas]

The alliance between Kumo and Konoha were not unknown. In fact, the relationship between the two Kage's was borderline a love fest. What troubled Tenzin at the time was the approach of coming to Konoha. Overall, he would have liked to get a warning or at least a heads up if a special ops operative from another allied village wanted to visit. Maybe it was just one of those things that slipped the Hokage's mind. Regardless, the shinobi was looking forward to speaking with the Kumo shinobi. Since both of them were in their respected shadows for their village, it was a good idea and long overdue for the two to meet. In Tenzin's eye, maybe this shinobi would understand. Regardless of intent and procedures, what was important now was the information being relayed to the masked man. The fox mask he wore stayed tightly on as he nodded his head and followed the two figures. His arms were still crossed, however the young man stayed vigilant just in case.

As Tenzin followed her, he intently listened. He wanted to make sure every word and every sentence processed properly, since in the shadows information was everything. After she was done speaking, Tenzin nodded hid head. He gently angled his right hand up against his folded arm and rested his chin covered by his mask with his right hand. It was the typical thinking position that Tenzin was accustomed to using. As he thought, he had a few follow up questions for the Kumo Shinobi. "Firstly, who was the shinobi that left? And secondly who was the child?" Tenzin would later in the conversation think on the question that was asked. It may have been rhetorical but at this point he was thinking out loud. "If that is the case, then what happened to your village could have been planned. Depending on the skill set of skills your missing-Banin might have had, they could have information and plans for your village. Are you sure about this info?"

[hobnob]

The raven haired teen was stood there, patiently waiting for them to surrender their weapons. A rather simple gesture of good will. To them, it was obvious that they were there with good intentions. But to the ANBU operative, they were just shinobi of another nation exercising the treaty their villages had agreed upon. The possibility of the two using this to gain an upper-hand was there. Noeru had no interest in allowing the possibility to become reality. The actions which followed made it seem as the assistant had a greater understanding of the situation than the leader. Surrendering her weapons as instructed, Noeru offered her a gentle nod to show appreciation for her cooperation. The Senjus gaze then landed back on Sakuran and listened to what was said. Noeru agreed to some parts of it, but the reality was ANBU had very little reason to trust them right now. Being below the rank required to gain the intelligence from them was a separate matter. Noeru was a full-fledged ANBU member, and taking orders from a member of another black-ops operative did not form part of the standing orders he had been given. Requesting them to surrender their weapons was very little to ask of them, but when Tenzin entered the scene, it was up to him.

The Senju waved a short string of hand seals and a fraction of a second later a dome erupted from the ground. It surrounded the weapons, preventing Kirie from retrieving them easily. As this happened, Noeru did keep his focus on the two leaders as they moved away to gain some privacy. This was to be expected from the ANBU operative. Ensuring the leaders safety was a part of his role, and he was not going to let his guard down, especially after the Kumo shinobi chose to ignore the request. His hearing was tuned to pick up the slightest of vibrations. Paying close attention to what the two were doing was important. Kirie and her leader Sakuran were being monitored and if anything was to happen, the raven haired teen would make sure their actions would not go without him noticing. That and also Noeru wanted to understand the situation more. If there was something going on in the world that required such a response from a black ops organisation, the teen wanted to know as soon as he could so he could begin preparing for what would be required of him. And he still had much to do, much to learn and plenty of skills to improve on. Knowing who they could be potentially facing would give him the aim which would make him the most efficient in combating them in the future.

Something the kumo-nin had said caught sparked his interest even more. A name - a name he had come across a long time ago. A woman, a witch he had battled with during the chuunin exams. She was something different, a power he had not seen before. And if she was involved it was likely the shinobi from Kirigakure was also involved. When they met last Noeru and his comrades took a beating. No surprise there, they were simple genin trying their luck at the exams who found themselves in an unlucky place at an unlucky time. It did teach the Senju something, enough for him to realise he had to become stronger and more creative with his skills and techniques. Something like this was far from being reality, he still did not know what the case was, what the real situation was. So far all he knew was that the witch had, supposedly, kidnapped someone from the the village hidden in the clouds. The real reason behind this was going to be what the two black ops organisations build their plan around. But something like this could not stand. And soon enough the name of the Kirigakure ninja was mentioned, and Noeru could not help but grin, as the name was processed by his brain. Although he was stronger than when the fight occurred, the raven haired Senju was still no match for the member of the seven swordsmen of the mist. This really did spark his curiosity, it was obvious that the two he had met previously were still together causing all sorts of mischief. A part of him was glad, and looking forward to their future encounter.

A few moments later, the girl, Kirie, who was still stood a few steps away, sparked up a conversation. It was an interesting one indeed. Interesting it might be, but the youth did not want to split his attention too much. The investment into the others conversation was too great. At the same time, ignoring the girl was just rude, and he had to come up with something, something that would explain the reason he joined, but also did not take too long to explain. As he thought about the answer, he looked back through his past. The youth wanted to remember the real reason why he joined. It was pretty interesting. The Senju could not remember a single very important instance where he thought that this life was the life for him. For a moment it seemed to him that he was caught off guard. As memories flashed in his minds eye, he remembered thinking a long time ago that he wanted to be a part of a unit that required high levels of skill. It appeared that challenging himself was the reason behind his actions. And so far, he had lead a pretty interesting life, but he had not been challenged to the level wanted to be. With this new issue arising, the hope for this challenge finally presented itself. Training would begin as soon as it could, for now he had a job to do right here. 'Boredom.' The raven haired youth replied as he looked over at Kirie. And it was a few moments later that the realisation came to him. The focus on Tenzin and Sakuran must have been too great for him to notice this straight away. The tone Kirie used when she asked the question was now surprisingly obvious. She cared vary little about his answer, nonetheless it was rude to simply ignore her, making the youth glad he responded promptly enough. Realising she was simply trying to break the silence, the ANBU operative decided to keep the conversation going. 'What about you?' The Konoha ninja asked her gently as his attention moved between her and the two talking. His hearing that is, those dark Senju eyes remained fixed on Kirie before him.

While all of this was happening, the youths mind wondered to the topic if Takeshi. They have not heard from him in a little while and he was hoping the Hyuuga was okay. It was unlikely that someone would have been able to blindside him, with his Byakugan being trained to that level it was at, it was nearly impossible. With his hearing now working at its best, the youth began scanning for the tiniest sounds coming from the direction Takeshi was previously. All he could hear was the breeze and gentle rustling off leaves. There was no reason for him to think the Hyuuga was in any kind of danger. And soon, his attention moved back to the two leaders who were deeply engaged in a conversation. Tenzin began asking questions about the situation. Exactly who the ninja was who had left the village hidden in the clouds, and who the child was. They shared an interest, taking a child from a village was a keen move. The child must have had something special about it for a Banin level shinobi to make a move like that. Especially two of them. This was really a unique, and interesting situation. It was unlikely that the Senju would come across something like this again. It made him pay even more attention while keeping on guard for any potential actions that could signify danger. But the situation really was becoming more and more interesting. On a day he had no plans for, a day he was not expecting too much from. Something like this to arise was pretty encouraging. Now all he wanted was to hear the rest of the story, find out more about the potential opponents he may be facing. And the reason why two Banin decided to kidnap someone from a village.

JutsuShow

Improved Hearing (Pre-approval) Perception S-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
The user has honed their sense of hearing to a degree that their hearing has become sonar-like. By using the vibrations in the air he is able to pin-point the location of objects that emit even the slightest of noises, such as a heart beat.
[1408/1400]

[Trusted Grader]

Hotaru took a deep breath before she turned her gaze towards Noeru's position as she could feel his eyes peering towards her through her Scopaesthesia, she turned to face away from the direction Noeru and Kirie were and stood side by side with Tenzin and began to speak in a lower tone. "Chiaki, an S-Rank Class ninja and member of the Kyoukan clan and Hanamura, Hanako, C-Rank Class." Hotaru as Sakuran crossed her arms and sighed. He was right about this could have been planned beforehand, especially since Maido was somehow involved. I can't believe we have been forced to this position, life as a ninja is never boring huh? Shit... Maybe I'm in the wrong line of work... Should've stayed as a thief, at least I wouldn't have to keep thinking about the greater good for the people of the alliance...

"Yes, I believe so, the way they were coordinated enough to slip past our defenses indicates that Chiaki assisted Shinjiro in infiltrating our country borders. Though I still lack all the knowledge needed to fully comprehend the situation and that's on me as I set out to hunt them down before I could interrogate the guards, though my men are currently working on that." The words flowed elegantly out of the stressed spies mouth, her eyes told a fiery story about how intense the situation actually was for her paranoid mind knew that this could spell trouble for the alliance if they let this information slip their hands.

"Hayate has worked tooth and nails to create a stronger bond between our countries and I am here to make sure our Spec Ops can work closer with each other to take down any threat posed to our countries. I believe we are currently lacking in that department as information flow is far too slow currently and we can't rely solely on our individual Bannins to make sure that we don't get swamped by our growing enemies. I truly believe that we can create something new here that's not president in the ninja world, a black ops alliance of the three countries." Hotaru made sure not to speak out of turn as she knew that the Anbu Leader to respond before she would continue.

Kirie was bothered by Noeru not focusing on her, the narcissist was slowly turning grumpy, but she would still continue the act."Hmmm, it's a bit rude to look away when someone is talking to you, you know?"Kirie leaned in and smiled as she blinked slowly, her gray eyes were rather large and inviting and somewhat loving as she began to project an idea that she found Noeru beautiful, her blushing cheeks made her appear even more innocent as she answered the agent."Boredom? Sounds like a fake answer, but sure! I haven't really... Joined per say, I'd call it being forced."Kirie poked out her tongue before she continued."Do you enjoy the life as a black ops member? That all the information you gather has to be kept secret for the public masses?"

---

502/980

Audiothesia
S-Rank Tentaijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: [Perception]
By training their body to absolute peak, the user is able to hear anyone within [Will]x4 meters away from their position with max range being 200, this technique is a form of remote hearing and allows the user to determine if anyone is saying anything or listening in, the hair on their body rises towards where the target is and within their minds eye a moving image is create of the target, the closer they are the better the image is displayed. Perfect for hunting and pinpoint any slight noise, whether a weapon cutting through the air or an arrow being shot from an out of sight angle.

[Texas]

Tenzin kept still with his arms folded and simply listened. With assurance that he has men looking into the situation, the silver haired shinobi decided to give his two cents on the matter. "Sounds like you have a lot to do. Without stating the obvious; you will need to figure out if Chiaki did give intel on how to break into Kumo. If that was the case then you have a serious threat to Kumo regarding village defenses. The kid too.. hopefully you can figure out if he was truly kidnapped or in on it." Unfortunately for Tenzin, his mind started racing with potential different outcomes. However, before he truly got into the weeds, the shinobi stopped himself and nodded.

He would continue to listen about a follow up reason for her arrival.... This truly peaked his interest. Access to allies on different levels were not necessarily a bad thing. Although Tenzin was relatively split on this idea. On the one hand, a united blackops that works together could help each other out with cleaning up missing ninja and preventing altercations before they become public. Although at the end of the day each member of their respected black ops do have a duty specifically to their village. The fear would be intel distribution and collection. However, if this option was something with legs, the young adult was sure that it could be worked out. After Hotaru finished he would chime it a little bit to elaborate on his thoughts. "This idea is a grand one" he paused for a second or two before continuing, "based on you being here, I am hoping you have already approved it with the Raikage?"

Regardless of the answer, Tenzin would wait a moment for her to say her piece before continuing some more. "If this idea is to become reality, there are many details we would have to work out... details I don't think would be appropriate for a forest. Maybe somewhere more secure? Lets confirm details and restrictions with our leader and meet back up. What do you say?"

[hobnob]

The raven coloured eyes were actually completely fixated on Kirie. Her appearance was very attractive in that very moment. But some of the things she had said made him question what she was doing. 'Partially, there is truth to it.' The Senju said and followed up with a little chuckle. Although he was not speaking the whole truth, he had expressed a part of what the reason was. The ANBU operative found the situation quite satirical. If one were to preach to another, they should, at the very least, practice what they preach. Even if it is just for a short while. His attention was split. The youths beautiful dark eyes remained fixed on the girl before him, while his hearing was fixated on the conversation of the two leaders. Finally, names have been dropped. Names of potential targets. One of the names, 'Kyoukan Chiaki,' he recognised from the Bingo Book. If the adversaries were all listed in the book of highly dangerous shinobi, the upcoming conflicts would truly be a challenge. The Kumo-nins desperation was beginning to make sense. For all they knew, the two listed were only a part of the bigger picture. If they prepared for the worst, they would not be caught off guard when the time came to battle their enemies. And by the sound of the Kumo Black Ops leaders words, that was the case. Gathering information surrounding individuals such as these was dangerous. Any mistake was a potential life, and right now they needed as many shinobi as they could. The Senju knew in his current situation he would be no match for the shinobi just mentioned. There was a lot of training ahead of him if he hoped to even pose a significant challenge for the missing ninja the Kumo shinobi had just mentioned.

Kirie was a curious one. Noeru could not take his eyes off her. She was blushing and it did not make the situation easier for him. Noeru found her attractive, at least while she was behaving the way she was. Her attitude, posture, and slender appearance made the situation hard for him to deal with. The Senju did not yet know that he was simply being lured into her psychological trap. But with every moment that passed, the youth had began to understand the situation. If exposed to a situation for long enough, everything will begin to make sense, until it does. And once it does, that is the moment one should begin to carry formulate a plan of counter attack. And in the very moment, the ANBU operatives eyes were beginning to adjust to the situation, slowly seeing through the manipulators deception. The behaviour was starting to look plain as day to him. She was not trying to be friendly, her actions were not genuine. She was a skilled operative of Kumogakures Black Ops unit, she was obviously trained for this particular task. But the ANBU were no push overs, slow at times, but in the end their training would prove sufficient to deal with the adversary, or so he hoped. His gaze scanned the girl, trying to see through he manipulative behaviour, to notice any body language that would further support his theory about her. What she would say to him would also be a good indicator, if she chose to respond. Although even if she chose not to, that in itself would be a sufficient response. All conversations were mind games at the end of the day. But conversations did not have to be verbal, simple decisions communicated a lot about individuals, and if Kirie chose to ignore a potential ally like that, it would speak plenty about her intentions.

With each passing moment Noerus eyes improved. The reality was the youth had been practicing his vision to spot the tiniest of movements, to spot the changes behavioural patterns in the past. But it only during times of trial, such as these, that the training is actually put to the test. So far, he believed he was doing pretty good. Although the reality could have been completely different, he simply had to go with what he believed was true. And his truth was that Kirie was not being genuine. But he liked the entertainment her behaviour created. This was an opportunity for him to learn from her, he would try to play his part the theatrics. His posture loosened, his facial expression relaxed and his eyes widened as if he really believed her. Knowing full well she would most likely see through his poor attempt at this playful deception, he tried to make it a little obvious that is what he was doing. He took a small and gentle step towards her as if he was trying to get close and personal with her, as if he was under her spell. Silly as it may have looked, he enjoyed being an actor, and although he had no skill in this whatsoever, he hoped his attempt would be enough to even begin to practice the art Kirie, and more likely her leader were so skilled in. Taking the first step was usually the trickiest, but Noeru believed he did the right thing here, and hoped that sometime Kirie, and Sakuran could give him some pointers once this meeting was over. But until that happened, he would try his best to act like he was interested, like Kiries spell was working on him.

A smile appeared on his face as he took the gentle step towards Kirie. 'You're... You're really cute...' Noeru let out, making his voice tremble a little as he tried to portray a nervous teenage boy. His breathing became irregular, and his movements a little sporadic. There was no flow in his movements like there were before. But underneath the mast of poor deception, Noeru was still paying close attention to what was going on in the area. To what Kirie was doing, and what Tenzin and Sakuran were talking about. And while they spoke, Noeru could not help to but to agree with Tenzin. Sakurans idea on creating a joint three nation unit to counter the developing events was a grand on indeed. The raven haired Senju had always wanted to go and see the village hidden in the clouds, and if this proved to be fruitful, that hope may even turn into reality. Then he heard about the formalities of the situation. It was true something of this magnitude was not a place to work out in a forest, the paper work was the issue. Drawing on his experience from his clans politics, the policies that would have to be put in place would require a lot of work. Paperwork was not something he was particularly interested in. The youth hated the bureaucracy of organisations. However, he did understand their importance. If something were to go wrong, the details on what to do would have already been worked out. And the youth began thinking that he may have thought about this all wrong. If he began thinking about the policies as standing orders, or 'what if' situations it would paint policy making in a completely different light, and may even make it interesting. That was not a job for him to do.

The youth was a warrior, his task was to defend his village, his allies, and everything they stood for. This situation was getting him really fired up. Even though he knew he may die, the future of their improved alliance made him excited, and that excitement began to leak into his body language. Before it may have been that he was acting excited, but now it was obvious that he was truly excited. Although it may not be excitement about Kirie, it was still excitement. And Kirie would have to figure out what was really going on. The youth could not wait for this to be over and done with, there was things he had to do, and standing here was not getting those things done. It was only a matter of time now until they made their way back to the village to work out the details, but accepting the opportunity to create such a unit would be silly. Noeru only hoped that the new Hokage would be just as understanding and would approve this plan. If everything went smoothly, it would not be long until the two, potentially three villages were working together on improving cooperation to defeat this threat.

TrainedShow

Improved Sight Pre-approval) Perception S-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
The user has managed to improve their vision to the point where nothing goes unnoticed by him. He is able to see the slightest movements, whether that being a leaf, a single strand of grass, or an opponent hiding with a [Stealth] technique of equal or lower rank.

[1412/1400]

[Trusted Grader]

Hotaru listened in and nodded as Tenzin spoke, her paranoid mind couldn't help but to wonder if Chiaki had sold information to the criminals she had met up. From her perspective it would make sense, why would you join up with other criminals if you didn't sell any form of information? Otherwise, all she could do was provide with her immense Iijutsu knowledge. Now, that wouldn't be the worst, but she couldn't bank on that Chiaki didn't, for if they ever returned to Kumo with a force then she would never forgive herself. "I would think so, at least one way or another. Would you, if you hypothetically left Konoha and joined up with an enemy faction not sell information regarding your country's defenses and phalanx? It wouldn't make sense not to, right? And Hanoko was most likely kidnapped, I can't see why the kid would leave the confound of her village for no reason. As there is no intel on her ever having a malicious intent, in fact, she was a good student until this situation occurred..."

Hotaru crossed her arms as Sakuran and sighed, the more she thought of this situation the worse it became, Tenzin asked the right questions, questions she had been pondering on her way to Konoha, in fact, this was specifically the reason why she requested to meet with him for only a true leader of black ops would think in these ways, sure the other members had inklings but they mostly followed orders to a t.

"Black Ops members of Kumogakure works differently and me being the leader of it work under separate orders. I have taken upon this task on my own, this is, being exactly why I came here, every single report that has to go back and forth between the Kage and me take far too long as it could spell a terrible doom if things take too long. Besides, the Emperor is busy dealing with other matters and have bestowed me the ability to make autonomous decisions as long as they don't lead to there being trouble for Kumogakure, or our allies. Hence why we especially work without headplates. " Hotaru scratched the back of her head, she was proud of their system, but it meant that she and her agents had to keep track of each other, so far, it had worked perfectly, but that was due to the internal part working overtime.

"I agree, but I would rather feel more comfortable if we came with you guys into Konoha instead of sending us back to Kumogakure and have us wait for days for an answer that can be relayed after a day. Time is of the essence and war seems to be brewing, trust me when I say, I wouldn't be here if I didn't assess that things are growing out of hands. In fact, had I not relayed this information to you guys then you would continue life as if nothing had ever happened, well... You'd probably get a rude awakening when they come knocking at your door, or worse, knocked Kumogakure down from a powerhouse to a thing of the past. " The last part was hyperbole, truth be told, she wouldn't mind being sent home but that would already create a small rift between them as she now began to understand that the mighty Konoha always seemed to drown in bureaucracy, even their black ops for some reason.

Kirie smiled but could tell that something was up with this Senju, it was almost as if he was working his best to not be affected by her charms, a sigh escaped her breath as she dropped the act."Look, I was just trying to make small talk, but if you are not interested then I guess we can just stop talking."Kirie turned to face Hotaru's direction and just shrugged, she knew that Hotaru could feel her eyes on her, normally Kirie wouldn't do this but she figured that she had nothing else to add to the conversation, especially when the man before her was a bore. What a shame, he was rather cute but there's no way I'd accept this level of rudeness if it wasn't for the mission at hand, one mistake from me now and we might end up in serious trouble, so... Just ignore the asshole Kirie, we are almost out of here.

---

980/980 Audiothesia completed.

250 Towards next Jutsu

3/4 of Hotaru being able to basically read Tenzins mind (They become synched)

[Izanagi]

Takeshi continued to hold his position, covering Noeru from nearly 200 meters out. His arrow notched, he prepared to fire a warning shot in case the Kumogakure woman got too bold and refused to comply. It would take 3.5 seconds for the arrow to reach her if he so chose but he could mask its presense and trajectory so she had considerably less reaction time. Still, he considered moving closer especially as Commander Sasaeru arrived on the scene.

His Byakugan was beginning to feel strained from the exertion and so he would take the distraction of the commander stsrting a dialgoue to move in. "Repositioning. Going silent" he conveyed over the coms before returning his arrow and bow to quiver and holster. Deactivating his Byakugan, he formed a set of seals and vanished as chakra cloaked his presense. Then, approaching at only 10 speed he carefully made his way closer to the group.

By the time he was 80 meters away now he had heard much of the conversation, the fuuinjutsu seal directly transmitting the sounds and giving no ouward sound to give away his location. 'What the hell is Chiaki doing with that monster?' He fumed. He had begun to trust her, welcomed her into his village. And for what? For her to ally with a merciless killer who was more beast than man. He had heard rumors that Maido had been killed in Kumogakure by the Raikage recently. Was Chiaki mixes up in that too? What exactly was going on? He wondered.

Takeshi grit his teeth as the Kumogakure agent suggested them enter Konoha. "Commander. Chiaki has been inside Konoha. She is a threat to our security too. I know her...knew her. Let me work with Kumo to take her down" he pleaded through the coms. His voice felt cold and bitter. If she had betrayed Kumogakure then she betrayed the leaf as well and as long as she lived she was a threat to them both. He didn't know the significance of the girl that was taken but he intended on finding out exactly what they were planning and put a stop to them by any means necessary.

jutsu usedShow

[Ninjutsu • Active Camouflage]
A-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary handseals or channelling chakra throughout their body, the user will coat themselves in a layer of chakra. This chakra will specifically distort light around the user, making the user undetectable from sight. The user can move at their full speed without disrupting this invisibility, even coating their weapons in the camouflage, however, should any of their possessions travel more than 5 meters from them the invisibility around the objects will fail. This active camouflage will persist for a duration of 7 posts.

Silent Movement
C-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
A fundamental skill in a hunter’s repertoire, Takeshi has learned to move at up to half his speed stat without making any discernable sounds. Even in thick foliage he can identify and navigate around fragile twigs and dry leaves and step on vegetation in a way as to not make a sound and similarly even draw weapons undetected unless the opponent has an applicable perception technique of equal or greater rank.

[Texas]

Although Tenzin was engaged in the conversation, there was a thought in the back of his head that he couldn't shake. Something was wrong with this situation and he couldn't quite place a finger on it. Tenzin's eyes pierced through the mask while his positioning slightly shifted. What was once a casual, yet alert body language, changed into slightly tenser in nature. He could tell one way or another, this Kumo ninja was gauging his decision making while at the same time seaking some kind of assurance that they are at least similar minded. Regardless of true intention the silver haired shinobi gave his insight to Hotaru's first few questions and comments. "I can't say for sure. What I can tell you, is that involving yourself with a ninja from another village usually results in a mutual exchange. Would you, out of the kindness of your heart take in a shinobi without anything in exchange?" In general, Tenzin liked to put himself in other people's shoes. However, sometimes it can make him come across more on the fence depending on the situation. It was important to think about it though, Tenzin and Konoha as a whole, wouldn't risk taking in a foreign ninja without gaining some kind of intelligence or equivalent information.

Tenzin would lift his head in the air and look up at the sky. Although the premise of helping an ally was enticing, it was true that something larger in scale than just a simple co-op mission would indeed need some form of conversation. Even with the Kumo blackops member standing near him, he knew based on their government, there had to be some kind of proceedings... or so he thought. This did bring light to Tenzin's capability as a leader, does he follow procedure or does he do what's in his own best interest...

Before the young man could make a definite answer, a bail out of a com came across his ears. Tenzin unfolded his arms and placed his right hand on his neck while he cracked it to the left. In the same motion, he would look down towards Hotaru. Leaving the coms open with his arms near it, hoping Takeshi would hear plainly. "Well Leader of the Kumo Black-ops, I understand your position. We will get the ball rolling, while I delegate a few things behind the scenes. For now, allow one of my captains to go with you to Kumo. He is more than capable of aiding you as I establish this link organization from my end." With that being his final words, he had hoped that Takeshi would jump down, introduce himself, and they head off. The shinobi turned and began to walk back towards Konoha "I'll see you soon".

As he walked away he would nod towards the other girl and Noeru. How could he be infatuated by this girl so easily?? When Tenzin was near the end of view from others, he would channel and release his chakra which made him almost disappear from the area completely. Once he stopped moving and gathered his balance, the shinobi would speak to Takeshi through the coms. "Do whatever means necessary to resolve this. I will meet you at some point. Gather as much intel as you can, on everything."

[hobnob]

Noeru chuckled at the girls comment. He was not sure what she was expecting from him. The youth simply played his part in the conversation while listening in to the conversation between Sakuran and Tenzin. What happened between them was of little importance, however he did find it interesting that this girl found it more interesting to make conversation between them rather than try and figure out what was going on in the area. Perhaps he was wrong, it was a possibility that she was many steps ahead and she was doing exactly that, while also trying to make a conversation. Noeru did find her interesting and hoped they would meet again, but by the sounds of the conversation between Sakuran, Tenzin, and Takeshis recent input, this meeting was coming to an end.

With Tenzin wrapping things up there, Noeru took a step away from Kirie and looked at the cocooned weapons, it was time to return them. With a swift string of seals, the wooden structure descended back into the ground, leaving it as it nothing had happened. Noeru looked over at Kirie, 'These are yours. Thank you for you co-operation.' Noerus tone returned to the professional tone he used while carrying out ANBU duties, or any other shinobi duties for that matter, The youth even offered the girl a gentle bow to show respect for doing what she did in the situation she was in. It was a brave action to take, and Noeru respected her for it.

The Senju took a few more paces back and stood patiently, awaiting Tenzin to begin moving back to Konoha. It did not take long, and Noeru followed, trying to keep up with his leader, however he was outmatched and Tenzin soon vanished from sight. But with his senses working over time, the youth remained alert and scanned to area for any potential threats that may come his way.

[Izanagi]

Tengu continued to observe the interaction, now invisible and at a distance of 80 meters. He didn’t need to use his Byakugan at the moment, allowing his eyes to rest before it started giving him a headache from overexertion. He wasn’t particularly bothered by Kitsune’s casual conversing with one of the women. He trusted his comrade and knew he was smarter than he let on. If he was acting relaxed he was doing it for a reason and keeping the woman distracted. At this point there didn’t seem like there was any hostility from the Kumo operatives, and he trusted that their word was genuine, even if they likely left out a few details. All the more reason to work closely with them and find out what more there was to the story.

When he was gestured forward and as commander Sasaeru vanished from sight, a lean operative, 5’10, with long dark hair and a red-faced bird mask would appear in his place. The invisibility would drop a moment after his body flicker technique. “You can call me Tengu. I look forward to working with you both” he introduced as he slowly began walking toward them. His bow was holstered at his back and at the left side of his hip rested a Dao style sword. Aside from that, his uniform was the standard Anbu attire, grey flak jacket, arm and shin guards and a black shirt and pants. He would nod briefly to the man in the fox mask. With any luck he would be able to join up with him soon and involve him in the operations once he had spent some time training and gathering information with the Kumo operatives. He knew he would feel a lot more confident with a trusted comrade at his side.

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Ninjutsu • Body Flicker Technique]
A-Ranked Nintaijutsu
After channeling chakra into their body, the user enhances their movement to attack or retreat suddenly, the ninja almost instantly moves up to 65 meters on the ground in a single straight direction. While doing this, the ninja cannot move through anything or anyone, nor can they supplement it with an attack of any kind. After the quick movement has stopped, there is a brief pause where the user must recover from the movement. Even though it's not a full teleportation, this jutsu uses up one of the 2 teleportation’s a character can use in a single thread.