Naruto Saigen Roleplay

Behind the mountain peaks that bore the carved heads of the generations of Hokage two blurs moved across the rocky terrain, across the lakes, through the trees. Nothing more than shadows to the average eye, each time the shadows would meet even if only for a moment, the thunderous roar of kunai striking would ring through the air. Finally a pause would break it's way through the cacophony of sounds as the two figures would finally be visible, either standing on the opposite side of a lake. Beads of sweat rolled off either man's head, but neither were injured or substantially fatigued just yet.

Since the dawn of the village there had always been two parts to every Hokage. There was the flame marked by the kanji for fire, read in it's composite form as ho. And, the shadow cast by it. The kage. The Flame, the man who was the light itself that illuminated the path for the village to follow stood at one side. On the side opposite, his shadow. The man who sat in the dark.

Taiga took a deep breath, not panting, but winded enough.

"Your kumite is a lot better than our genin days, that's for sure." the Bannin, Jinchuuriki, and Legendary Weapon wielder said as his eyes narrowed to slits. Taking a deep breath as his kunai spun around his finger he slickly performed a trick, sheathing it back into his kunai holder at his thigh. No sooner than the moment his hand had become free of the kunai, did they launch into a set of seals. Without any form of active sensory, it wouldn't be exactly apparent what would happen as the man would glow, surging with chakra for a moment.

In reality he had created a mokuton dummy of himself then seamlessly merged into it, effectively "taking over" the dummy. It was a neat little trick and use case for his phasing that he had recently picked up. Reaching back into his pouch he would grab two shuriken in each hand, then look to Fanho. His eyes locked on the shinobi, with all of his disciplines and training, he'd channel chakra into his hands as each shuriken grew to cosmically comical proportions. Roughly 30m in diameter. Hoisting the first one over his head he whipped it for Fanho, and paused a moment- he'd want to see which direction Fanho dodged for before, like clock work, flinging the next massive shuriken at Fanho.

With the force of a demi-god these shuriken would be no joke- they'd be ground destroying. He was certain Fanho could get out of their way though, but that wasn't his goal.

Fanho stood at the other end of the lake. His round glasses hid his piercing blue eyes. Draped in nothing but his usual casual attire he rolled his neck as he looked at Taiga opposite of him. Their images reflected in the lake. Taiga was his shadow, his equal, his opposite, his most trusted advisor, but most importantly his brother. Not even half a year into his Hokage tenure he was already thrust into the life of politics and hard decisions. War on an allies border, territory lost, allies dead, and some mercenary group he had to babysit to ensure they didn't step out of line. His shoulders wore the weight of his burdens. Despite what should've been a bout to blow off steam, Fanho yet to feel any cathartic relief from this.

Taiga now taking the turn to crack a joke, one the Hokage would usually crack a joke back in kind. A beat passed, not long, not noticeable to others, but still an odd beat parsed the air. "If I remember correctly, I even hit Chuunin before you." A grin facade crept on Fanho's face as he decided to partake in the banter back and forth. With that out of the way it wasn't long before Taiga had already sprouted a dummy shroud of mokuton, not just around himself but as himself. After all, he'd pilot it like a Heart empire mecha.

His eyes darted behind the glasses as he kept up with the many movements of the jinchuriki, taking in their location, approximate distance away, speed of formation, and processing that deep within his cerebral cortex. He was well aware of Taiga's capabilities, and he knew Taiga was well aware of his. Shortly following his new wooden doll, Taiga then followed up with two massive shuriken that easily dwarfed the two. One throw first the other held in reserve. Once again Fanho's eyes darted the battlefield taking in the two shuriken, the dummy, Taiga himself, and Fanho easily spun around the first shuriken as he saw the other come in second.

As he dodged the first and its tail was just passing, with the second following up close behind. Fanho would reach out and let his right hand graze the flat safe side of the large shuriken, its inertia coming to a complete halt as it sank in the lake tilting away from Fanho til it found its resting place on its side. He then ducked under the next shuriken keeping his eyes peeled forward watching Taiga as his left hand reached up to graze the bottom until it caught the ring before sapping away what kinetic energy was embedded within. With the large shuriken in his hand, Fanho with a quick spin hurled the large shuriken back at Taiga at an odd diagonal angle that cut slightly into the water to hide his own figure behind the large metal.

With a flare of his chakra Fanho pushed his sensory skills out to grab a hold of Taiga's signature watching it from behind the large shuriken. As his sensory flared, Fanho prepped another jutsu sealing it within his rings for when the time was right and it would be needed. Like at an elaborate party, the two would begin their dance on the lake.

The hum-drum of administrative work that had come along with being the number one and two in the village was something that neither man had particularly looked fondly to, no matter how necessary they both realized the work was.

In the same way an office workers boss took them on a walk while they discussed things, a little spar behind the village for their one-on-one discussions had become an enjoyable way to blow off steam, move their bodies, and have dialogue while avoiding sitting at yet another cramped meeting room around a table.

Given Fanho’s speed, which was said to rival the Raikage himself, Taiga wasn’t particularly surprised that an attack at this distance wouldn’t be very effective on the Hokage. He also knew that if anything it created a liability due to Fanho's ability to sap the kinetic energy of things, similar to what had happened in their duel for the title of Hokage. As he watched the man calmly absorb the kinetic energy of his attacks he let out a sigh of relief- that was what he had actually been hoping for.

Every jutsu including absorption techniques had a limit. A limit to how much they could absorb or hold at a given time. To how much they could release. His working theory was it was better to load Fanho up out the gates when he was in control of their situation rather than letting Fanho do that when he would aim to land the winning blow or at another more crucial moment.

It also served as an ample distraction. While the shuriken flew their path and Fang sapped their energy, Taiga had been busy at work preparing his own little surprises. In either hand he would form two small pine-cone looking items (35 strength/7 speed) and when finished, place them into his pockets as he strafed his way to the side and out of harms way of the shuriken Fanho had tossed back towards him.

He managed to due this because the speed Fanho had thrown the shuriken back at wasn’t all that fast, and likewise, the trajectory wasn’t complex. Guessing where it’d go and where he needed to not be well in advance wouldn’t be an entirely difficult move. 


Their were several things processing in Taiga’s head, and the final thread he tugged on was whether he wished to set anything up here. 

In a real battle where it was a life or death scenario, controlling the environment was far more important to the fight, as was fighting off of water- he had no phasing ability on the water. This however was merely a friendly spar... something to get past the otherwise mundane meetings the two had been subjected too over the past few months.

For now he would start to move himself back towards the shore and edge of the water, maintaining distance. If this wasn’t a a sparring match at this given moment all it would take was a teleport and Taiga would be in trouble.

”The world is now up to date on the tragedies that aspired and Iwa progresses their campaign into Wind Country.” the Jinchuuriki called out as he continued straddling off to the shore.

”We are hearing some reports through intelligence networks that something is afoot in Kiri too- internal strife, but it seems hardly more than a rumor at the moment.” Taiga said as he put his hands together and began to make a seal, but kept them in that position, just being at a ready state.





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599

Fanho coasted behind the shuriken, as he felt Taiga's signature move he too would move strafing to just stay behind the shuriken out of his view. Similarly he picked up on the two baseball sized chakra balls formed before they blended in with the rest of his signature. No telling where they were stored as it all meshed into one big chakra blob. Regardless Taiga's signature remained outlined on the other side of the shuriken, and Fanho knew exactly where to aim.

As the shuriken hit the shore close to Taiga. The Hokage leveled his finger gun up towards the shuriken and fired off three hiton bullets in a wide arc through the shuriken. While the bullets wouldn't have much force behind them, their speed would be tremendous. A sneaky maneuver as they ripped through the shuriken to catch Taiga off guard. The bullets aim would be weighted in such a way it would try to push him to the water, a material not known for its solidity that he could easily phase through. For every move he knew Taiga was capable of, he knew not sensory was one of Taiga's capabilities let alone to know the bullets trajectory until they burned solidly through the shuriken.

While he hoped to pushed Taiga towards the water, Fanho sprinted to shore as he raised his leg to follow up by redirecting the shuriken towards Taiga's path. His Jinchuriki friend was more than capable of phasing through, but that wasn't the goal here. It was far much more complex. Cold, complex calculation, the fun taken out of the equation, and just pure analytics cruised through his mind. Plotting each angle, trajectory, possible path, possible outcome, and rather just focusing on one thing before him which was victory. If he stopped to take a deeper look at his current mindset, Fanho might've find himself disturbed to see how he treated a spar between friends. He hadn't thought of his next quip, his next comment, but rather if this was a fight that the future depended on.

The Hokage wouldn't give much of a response to Taiga as he listened to what he said. His mind being in the present but at the same time at a far away place occupied with the weight of the hat he now bore, an impending war he knew was on the horizon and already claimed several Konoha lives, and at this rate who could predict however many more. The news of Kiri being embroiled in an internal scuffle meant nothing as one shinobi could cull the dissenters and unite the island in a night, and by next week there would already be another goon controlling from behind the scenes. They were about as stable as an academy student learning elemental ninjutsu. He'd simply give an acknowledgement to Taiga he heard what he was saying.

"Hmm..."

As Taiga strafed his way off to the side and towards the shore to avoid the shuriken he was not completely blind to the actions of Fanho. There was more to this world than chakra and through his immense focus and astute perception not unalike that to a great bird of prey, he picked up on the subtlest of details in the environment around him. The way Fanho's feet warped the water, the small splashes, the way the drag of the shuriken was different as if something was behind in it's air currents. The pressure upon the water. The shadows- each minute detail. He knew Fanho was up to something, but not what.

"For once in your life you can't think of anything to say?" Taiga taunted as his eyes saw a feint glow in the shuriken as if something was melting through it. His brain and wits moving at light speed as he compositely took on the shuriken in addition to wood, he spun his "body"- which was in fact a wood dummy around as he ejected out of it to face Fanho, as the light pelted into its back, not quite destroying it but trigger his counter-attack.

As Fanho was trying to kick at Taiga, the dummy would now shoot it's roots outwards in a radius grabbing onto him, the shuriken, and everything in the area, hopefully catching the Hokage while his leg was up to perform his move, though Taiga was sure he was fast enough to react.

Standing resolute unphased by any of this Taiga would clasp his hands togethering a simple seal as suddenly all the Mokuton in their immediate area would explode, showering shrapnel outwards towards him and Fanho. Taiga though, would be unaffected as the pieces of wood phased through him on their way to hit Fanho.

Of course it wouldn't be at a high strength or anything lethal. He wasn't trying to kill the Hokage while they had a spar or anything.

"Is this about Chikara and Enzen- enzenragu or whatever his name is?"

Something was off here and vaguely beginning to annoy Taiga about Fan’s lack of speaking and the walls he was putting up to discussing the issues the village faced. Taiga, for once in his life though, resolved to not be overly antagonistic or brash. They’d fight, and through their spar, maybe he’d understand something he didn’t about how Fanho was feeling.

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phpBB [video] As the Hiton bullets ripped through the shuriken, Fanho saw the quick change between man and dummy. The mokuton now tanking the bullets began to lash out, its roots striking in an erratic pattern, first burrowing shallowly into the ground then the shuriken as more tendrils shot towards Fanho. Utilizing the shuriken's split second of being pinned as a push point, Fanho used his planted foot and launched himself into a backwards handspring twist at full speed dodging the roots as they clamored his way, the man transitioning into sprint out of range as his body glowed purple focusing for another jutsu.

With the roots encroachment stopped, Fanho took in the sight as he could see Taiga setting up his next move. A single seal signaling further trouble ahead. Unbeknownst to Fanho an explosive jutsu that'd be deadly to most if caught, a clever follow up to a seemingly benign capture technique. With the explosion of shrapnel in the area Fanho reared his fist before launching forward a large wave of ninpou as it cleared the splinters just before him with enough overwhelming strength to keep himself safe. The Hokage kept quiet, his expression unchanging from neutral as the splinters cleared the way for Taiga to see his friend's newfound stoicism and lack of answer.

With the immediate threat dealt with, Fanho charged into the 30 meter gap between himself and Taiga with his immense speed as his body glowed purple once more forging the beginning of another jutsu on the horizon. It wasn't that Fanho wanted to ignore Taiga, rather the opposite. He wanted to cut up, laugh, and enjoy their friendly training. Yet, he wanted to take this seriously. Push himself into a new boundary and head space he felt was needed as a leader. A quiet and strong focus on winning.

It seemed like the latest battles had them on the back foot, and it wasn't enough for Fanho to think strategically. He had to be assured in his own abilities. His words were enough to tide people over, but a Hokage who could be bested in battle? That wasn't enough for the Awai to be just kind words. Fighting was what the two wanted to avoid, but good wishes wouldn't bring that reality to fruition. When push came to shove, it never seemed like the village could find its footing to win the battles. They had won territory during the grand war, but now in Wind Country suffered immense losses. Taiga's words when Fanho came home played on repeat in his head.

It's clear to me I think you just want to talk about hope and blow shit out your ass._{People died here because the Bannin and Hokage left the village open.}

­You included, are part of the problem. They've made this village weak.
Even though it was water under the bridge, words throw in the heat of the moment. Those searing words left a growing mark in the back of his head. With the Setsuzoku trade, Iwa wanting to be new neighbors, and Kiri's uncertain leadership, the world's future was more uncertain by the minute. Allies were needed, but more critically if it all came to a head the village needed an ample defender. It wasn't enough that Fanho could act the hero, rather it would only be enough when he could deliver on the heroism act. To that end his mind locked on the end goal of victory and pushing himself past his limitations. It was the only way he'd feel comfortable if war came to the homeland.

Taiga watched carefully, the frames in nearly slow motion, as Fanho dodged deftly out of the immediate way of the entangling roots from his woody dummy substitute. It was never a move that had the intention of catching Fanho, and perhaps he was too aware of that as the moment Taiga clasped his hands together, he would begin to prepare his own defense. As the shrapnel wailed through the air, and wasting no time as he saw Fanho's fist begin to glow he would zip further onto the shore putting as much distance as he could, utilizing the full capability of his speed and his ability to move at the speed of thought.

It seemed like Fanho had forgotten this was about having a conversation and stretching their legs, and lost in the depths of his own mind, was focused only on winning the battle, as he observed the man preparing another jutsu and likewise prepared and channeled chakra through out the body for his own next attack.

They had rhythmically danced around the mountain peaks and lake for such time, each series of attacks a rally but never quite yet reaching a volley.

With both of them possessing top-level speeds, Taiga would make sure to equally move for every meter Fanho tried to close on him, keeping the distance the same and actually aiming to push for a 40m gap if at all possible.

Eventually, as he kited the Hokage around he would quickly draw two kunai out of his holster and sling them for Fanho, aimed for the direction of his head, but more with the intend to hit his body, and soon after shifting his body to steel and stone composite.

If Fanho couldn't get out of his headspace Taiga would remind him what happened when he made poor decisions and let his emotions rule him; starting with when Zakuro took the Awai's eyes. Besides, being an emotion driven prick was Taiga's M.O.

Frustration though was building within Taiga- frustration that he felt Fanho was keeping things from him and the others. Even Tenzin. Putting everything on himself. Making it all his responsibility. As much of a knuckle head as Taiga was he knew that protecting a country or village as one man was impossible.

If words weren’t enough to open Fanho up and get his thoughts out in the open, he would employe some therapeutic measures with Genjutsu.

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The piercing blue eyes of the Hokage darted beneath the mirror purple veneer of his glasses. His emotionless expression painted on. He could read the annoyance on Taiga's face, the usual banter met with silence, it only seemed to drive Taiga. With Taiga now on the back foot Fanho pressed forward, maintaining the distance, but not gaining any ground at the same time. It wasn't long before the stalemate was broken with Taiga's kunai thrown a searing pain rippled through Fanho's eyes as he gritted his teeth the corner of his mouth wincing slightly in response. However, that only furthered his grit to see this spar through. The kunai were a diversion to deliver the jutsu now plaguing his eyes, but they were left far behind where the two were now.

With his eyes held tight Fanho channeled as the space warped around him porting him to directly in-front of Taiga closing that 30m gap. Wasting no time the technique sealed within his rings were released simultaneously as everything was caught in a field of slow moving chakra. Forced in a close quarters confrontation Taiga had an edge in strength and speed were matched, but with the field weighted in one direction with Taiga's speed weighed down by the field of chakra Fanho would deliver a hefty right haymaker aimed square at Taiga's stomach enhanced with the kinetic energy from the earlier shuriken delivering a two-time blow to the gut.

While Taiga felt frustrated, Fanho felt guilty. Keeping his concerns, his doubts, his worries from his friend. He realized the futility in trying to tackle everything himself, despite the gifted abilities of space/time he felt powerless to be everywhere all at once, but he felt obligated... No called to by Taiga's words to take on the suffering and burden of those around him. If he could resolve the problem, he could resolve them the pain of dealing with it. If he resolved the trouble, they wouldn't suffer to solve it on their own. While Taiga's point had mettle that it took a village, Fanho felt stone-headed still to take on more than his share of the burden.

Brooding didn't fit Fanho, as much as Taiga enjoyed the silence for once...

Taiga's eyes watched the entire battle field as if it was in slow motion- his eyes perceiving even the slightest of details from the way Fanho's locks moved upon the drafts to the movement of his clothes around specific muscles. Wasting no time as his technique made it's mark, the bannin's body would turn to stone as he continued to put distance between them. His eyes locked all the while around Fanho- he began to channel chakra as Fanho suddenly disappeared. Biting his lip too instantly "let go" of himself.

His body instantly dipped into the ground- but he didn't fully submerge as a moment later he turned his legs to flesh only, throwing him out of the ground with an intense momentum at the same time Fanho reappeared. With the momentum and immense force he could generate in a moment from his phantom menace technique, and tailwind now about him he'd go to meet Fanho's fist. He could feel himself slow now- something was off. Dodging was not an option. With his own momentum he would purposely drive himself into Fanho's fist, striking back at it with his own force, then utilizing his half cloak to help mitigate any other damage. Along with his knowledge of the physical body and using his ukemi to roll in with the hit, and his armored chest plate he'd minimize the damage enough.

Timing it with Fanho's fist pressed against him he would activate his chest plate as the kuuton orb hummed and pulled Fanho's hands- and possibly Fanho's whole body honestly towards Taiga, sticking it to his chest-plate like glue.

Taiga would instantly head-butt down at Fanho while shouting, "Losing your eyes as you chased our rogue commrade alone taught you nothing?"

Harsh, loving anger soothed off the mans voice, with a slight winded feel due to whatever residual force of Fanho's double-tap punch he did feel through his counter-strike and defense.

While Fanho had sensory, it didn't have anywhere near the detail eyesight did in a close-quarters combat situation- and thought Taiga was slowed with his kuuton field and Fanho in close quarters, he would hopefully be able to pummel him.

Using no ninjutsu, taijutsu, or anything special he would attempt to slam and wail on Fanho like two kids having a school yard fight- or more aptly brothers having a tuffle.

"How big is that ego of yours that you think you have to solve it all yourself to protect others?"

The strike was a success. Teleporting in-front, Taiga now driving his tailwind into his fist. Fanho could feel his fist cut through the weak just emerging tailwind, but the true punch was the extra kinetic force behind the punch. He could feel Taiga's chest heave under the weight of the punch, it had gotten through. Without missing a beat Taiga quick to think pulled Fanho into the kuuton field emitted by the chest piece. While Taiga still had the means to think quick, Fanho could act quicker. He channeled chakra to his fists sweltering them with chakra as he took the initial two punches Taiga threw. While Fanho's skin was tough he could feel the strikes reverberate despite their slowed speeds his body building hiton explosive power as the strikes only charged his abilities further.

It didn't take long for Fanho to adapt after tanking the first two strikes, his feet shifting as a deep breath was released. His renewed focus on strength over jutsu control gave him enough control of the situation to step back from being suctioned to the plate, but instead of exiting the close quarters combat zone he let the plate guide his fists. Despite his lack luster vision from the genjutsu's stabbing pain, Fanho knew the chest piece was Taiga's torso, and so he let it guide his strikes to the goal.

A right jab to the kidney, fist shrouded in chakra there would be no phasing through these attacks. A parry with the right, left jab into Taiga's right shoulder socket. Analytically and methodically Fanho's strikes stayed close to the chest where the gravity pulled his fists, tweaking them only to below and above the chest piece where Taiga was vulnerable.

Where as Taiga was trying to reach Fanho on an emotional level, Fanho mind wandered else where.

A big ego? Fanho's mind echoed with the word. Ego. As if deep in his mind palace far away from the kumite he could see himself pacing in a black room. Frustrated he couldn't reconcile Taiga's feelings at first when he came into the village. Frustrated his friend saw him as the problem even if Taiga did not feel that way anymore. Frustrated that Takeo had given him the role, departed, and now he was left without advice. He had Taiga to share the burden with, but Fanho felt almost guilty sharing that with Taiga. It was Takeo's last request that they share in protecting the village, but the Awai just felt somewhat lost trying to prove something to himself. Searching deep within for a greater answer that was challenged by Taiga's current words.

Was he egotistical for wanting to put it all on his back? His mental visage shook its head, it wasn't ego. The visage affirmed the original idea, to save everyone else the burden. Even if he was only stalling for time it was enough time to prepare everyone else for the worst if it happened, like he did for Ibuku, no? He could feel himself get more frustrated as he considered his initial feelings and Taiga's words. Even though Taiga wasn't as eloquently worded as some of their peers, Fanho could at least deduce the meaning behind his words. A burden shared.

The visage's head rested in his hand as it rubbed his forehead in deep thought wrestling with the message Taiga was pushing.

After facing so little of what everyone else did, is it right for me to share this burden? Fanho's expression softed, but his eyes stayed hidden behind those dark impassible paned sunglasses of his.

His body channeling, Taiga had been watching Fanho very carefully. Feeling his movement on the earth, taking in everything there was to process.

Fanho's moves were less precise than they could have normally been with his sight gone and some of his brain power focused on ignoring pain, even if subconscious. Even though his body was slow, Taiga's senses were roaring and at the ready- a notch above Fanho's. With the power of his genma his body turned to flesh and his jutsu released as the fists came in. A cloak of negative energy [15 Control - Focus on casting speed over amount] would rush over his body eating the chakra off Fanho's fists as they instead sailed through his body. The lack of sudden resistance and the pull of Kuuton doing some work to create even more of a delay.

Even if it was not detrimental everything mattered.

In parallel, smoke rumbled around the pair as massive wings formed on Taiga's body and his body suddenly grew, engulfing Fanho. With added speed to allow him to better keep up to Fanho, in addition to the small little differentiators he had made, and now added power, he'd grab onto the arms of Fanho's fist that sailed through his body as his arms turned to wood along with his wings. He'd clasp everything down on the main aiming to hold him.

With the room created by his size change and Fanho's arms likely out of his body now, he'd turn his whole body to wood as he clamped down and crushed in a bear hug. Even if it meant enduring a hit or two of Fanho's raw strength, he was happy to tank it to continue holding the man down and squeezing.

Whilst he attempted this bearhug he'd channel to release voidsmoke [5 Control], focusing on casting speed over the size of his cloud for good measure. If Fanho had not managed to simply teleport away by this point, he would then turn his chestplate to Raiton to deliver a shocking grasp onto Fanho and aim to paralyze him.

Regardless of the outcome, he would blurt out:

"Can't logic with you if you don't talk to me hoss."

With the chakra sucked up by Taiga’s cloak, Fanho’s fist swung through clear as he felt himself embraced by his friend. Not in the affectionate friendly way, more of the he’s squeezing the air out of his lungs and almost trying to crack his back in the least efficient way. He could feel Taiga’s form shift and emerged was the image of the genma itself consuming the usual appearance of Taiga.

Quick thinking was required, but also raw power to strike him down in one hit. Being so close was Taiga’s domain, the technicality of his physical movements were unmatched. However, the utility in Fanho’s nin-usage could pace even faster. Being so close it wouldn’t take much charge as Fanho blinked instantly placing himself immediately behind Taiga. With similar speed his hands once shrouded in chakra this time less focus was placed on reinforcing them and more just a hastily put together shroud to prevent it from phasing through.

This time he’d put more force behind the fist. Still focusing on his strength Fanho utilized the newly built up explosive hiton power to detonate an explosion to consume Taiga’s cloak as he twisted the ball of his foot pushing forward with as much strength as possible behind his fist releasing a strong strike to Taiga’s back, followed with another wave of kinetic energy left in the tank, and then the fuuinjutsu kai’d as it let loose another wave of kinetic energy stored within the seal.

Eh? Taiga's lips perked up.

Deep within his grasp he was there, but the faintest whirls of chakra told their own tales as suddenly the hairs on his body rippled and eventually the grip that once held Fanho was soon empty. While the other man was indeed fast with his teleports, it did mean he disappeared and appeared with a slight gap- and with Taiga's speed and the fact that in that moment Fanho disappeared, his de-buff was gone, Taiga capitalized on this.

When Fanho repeared Taiga would already be dropping into the ground pulling his own disappearing act as his body seemingly assimilated, moved, and acted at the speed of his thoughts. This was why he had fought and taken the hits to move himself off the water and onto the shore. Where he had ground.

Wasting no time, as he was sure Fanho would probably release a devastating chain of punches into the ground or something he would beeline further into the earth and away, aiming to put distance between them as he channeled. He was aware that every time Fanho utilized his technique he would gradually become slower at using it- there was some sort of cool down period he had long learned to abuse.

But he wasn't interested in doing that this time. As the chakra poured out of his body, Taiga created a mighty tree in the earth. Racing to the top of it he would rise out of the ground, a top the tree.

"Takeo. Yoru. It's always been a cycle in this village. The Fire... and it's shadow..." Taiga said as he took a deep breath. He'd sit upon the tree, not making any means to attack, "You don't have to make the hard decisions... because they'll be gone before you even realize it..."

Taiga sighed as he put his hand against his face.