Points: 0/296
Coupon: [x1 Wordless Training for Mamoru]
Companions: (2/5) Kurou, Mamoru
Natsuki Takeo
"Adapt and Survive."
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- Age: 29
- Gender: Male
- Height: 5'11"
- Weight: 185 lbs
- Hair: Takeo’s hair flows in locks of deep chestnut brown. During the winter months he allows his hair to grow out in a messy fashion, the thick locks often falling down to eye level and strands covering his ears. His hair, though sturdy and containing a healthy sheen can also readily take on a wild and dirty appearance when he is in the bush, coupled with a beard he can easily take on the image of a fierce and primal warrior.
During the Summer however Takeo will opt to cut his hair short, maintaining a tidy and more professional hair style. Rather than letting his bangs fall down to his eyes he will cut them to about a quarter inch in length and keep them spiked up and out of his face. It is with this hair style that the man’s eyes are the most prominent and thus he is typically regarded as more handsome, at least by women who prefer a more clean-cut appearance. This stark difference in hair style also makes the man appear much younger, especially so if he happens to be clean-shaven. Knowing this however, he will often retain some degree of stubble in order to retain some semblance of ruggedness to his visage. - Eyes: Typically the first thing one will notice about Takeo is his eyes. Their deep shade of azure presents a naturally piercing quality betraying the intelligent and analytical mind that resides behind them. There is an adage that the eyes are the window to the soul and for Takeo this certainly brings truth. They can change readily. In the face of battle they are serious and intense; which display a man not to be trifled with. And then in moments of reflection his eyes become deep pools of thought as he becomes immersed in the hardships of his shinobi career. Lastly, his eyes can gleam with competitiveness or shine in the likeness of sunlight refracting off water on occasions where he expresses his more playful demeanor.
- Physical Features: Moving along, the man’s face is built in a way that expresses a sense of manliness throughout the structure of his jaw line and yet retains a semblance of softness all throughout his cheeks and nose. His skin is typically free of acne or any other such blemishes though it is not uncommon for it to reflect a degree of dirtiness and grit on occasions where he has spent time in the wilderness. Introduce several days’ worth of stubble however and suddenly the man adopts a grittier and more hardened appearance. This is the countenance which is predominately seen throughout the year, allowing him to easily transition from a caring and light-hearted face to the image of a skilled and hardened warrior. The final stage of facial growth which Takeo sports is that of a thick but shortly cropped beard. This is the style most commonly seen during lengthy missions or throughout the winter months. This simple addition of thicker facial hair grants him the appearance of a man in his 30’s. It fully portrays the primal hunter and warrior which belies within him.
His more finite features; his nose, ears and mouth are all well-proportioned and handsome albeit they are relatively small compared to the features of other people. This further serves to coax the focal point of his face towards his eyes. His nose and ears are built flawlessly, rounded at the tips to create an impression of softness which balances out seamlessly with the more rugged habit of maintaining facial hair. His lips, though small and somewhat thin are adept at kissing though as per his reclusive demeanor they do not open carelessly. The corners however coupled with his eyes make up his most expressive features; namely his trademark smirks, which accompany acts of facetiousness, charm, and competitiveness. Lastly between his two front teeth is a slight gap which on rare occasions supports a sort of boyish and playful charm.
Finally there is the man’s body. Takeo when cloaked or dressed in loose clothing appears of a relatively average stature and build. The truth is however that he is exceptionally fit. The man maintains a physique that would rival that of a competitive bodybuilder. The amount of fat throughout his body is practically nonexistent and while not obscenely bulky Takeo’s muscles are large and exceptionally well defined. Beneath his flak jacket and black muscle shirt lays a rock-hard chest accompanied by abs and oblique’s chiseled with deep valleys of definition, so much so that even a master stone mason would be hard pressed to replicate. His arms are composed of densely packed muscle and every square inch of his skin is firm and taunt, his shoulders especially contain deep ridges of definition and rock hard muscle. His biceps when flexed readily take on the likeness of a bulging grapefruit as if it was implanted beneath his skin. Every aspect of his body is tight and powerful with no looseness of skin or any degree of visible fat to speak of.
His physical prowess however is marred by an array of battle wounds. His most recent scar is a sword wound situated over his solar plexus with a corresponding mark a mere 2 inches from his spine. He also sports a long slashing scar that runs 10 inches long on a diagonal angle along his left side. Similarly two kunai cuts cross over each other in a lopsided “X” on his right shoulder. On the back side of his left shoulder blade is scar tissue from a puncture wound that didn’t quite penetrate through the body and on the right side of his upper back is a spider web-like network of burn scars, a handful of other small burn scars spatter his chest and stomach where it seems as if something molten had been dripped onto him. Lastly is a 6 inch long ridged scar along his left thigh, just below the hip as well as another small slash mark across his right calf. As of yet his face has remained unscathed though his hands possess several small scars as well as being moderately calloused around the knuckles and the base of his fingers as one would expect of an athlete and a martial artist. - Clothing/Accessories: Takeo dons several attires depending on the situation and the time of year. Currently his most common outfit is the simple black pants and either a tight black or navy blue long sleeve shirt which accentuate his defined arms, worn under the standard green flak jacket of Konoha shinobi. Completing the outfit he wears black fingerless gloves backed with a metal plate engraved with the leaf symbol. This is the outfit that he wears when instructing his students or when on duty around the village and when on standard missions. Though seldom seen the man also wears a chain necklace with a titanium ring with the words: Mizu No Kokorro attached to it
His second outfit is one which he commonly wears during the summer months or when training. It consists of simple half blue-half black shorts and a navy blue muscle shirt, designed to keep sweat off of his body. Often when wearing a muscle shirt and training in Taijutsu he will wrap his hands and forearms in order to prevent abrasions and other injuries to his hands.
Takeo’s final outfit is his favorite yet also the one he is most seldom seen wearing. There are a few variations though they all revolve around his brown hooded cloak. The cloaks is meant to obscure his figure and provide some sense of anonymity when travelling outside of Fire country, though beneath the cloak his garb is distinct and recognizable. He retains his black pants though instead of a flak jacket opts to wear a black haori with a brown trim, the right arm sleeveless and often left bare though occasionally wearing wrappings around his hands, forearms and legs. Depending on the weather he may wear either sandals or boots though he always wears his black, metal backed gloves and brown forearm guards. Lastly his scrolls are worn on a leather belt with several slots allotted for just that, even being capable of storing a large scroll across the man’s lower back if he should ever have the need. - Forehead Protector: The Fangless Hound opts to wear his hitai-ate on the standard location; across his forehead. He wears the piece of steel proudly, though the village insignia is often obscured by his bangs when his hair is allowed to grow out. The fabric the metal plate is attached to is an airy yet sturdy black material, the excess in which hangs down the back of his head just past his shoulders.
- Personality: Takeo is generally a reclusive individual and as such is quite taciturn. It’s not that he dislikes people he is simply wary of those he is encountering for the first time. As such he will often simply stand back and observe everyone and everything when introduced into an unfamiliar environment. When engaged in conversation or when addressed however he always remains polite and courteous. He can even be fun, outgoing and facetious if he is around people he is comfortable with, though aside from around women there are few people on such a list; currently only his closest friends, his family and Yoru; one of his students. When it comes to women Takeo is confident and respectful. He will rarely go out of his way to introduce himself, instead he prefers to test the waters and remain casual. Often Takeo finds himself most attracted to women whom are up front and come to him though he does of course also enjoy the ‘hunt’ of winning a woman over, allowing him to work his charm and drown women in his esoteric blue eyes and handsome features.
Despite usually being reserved there are several topics that he has strong feelings towards and as such will gladly engage in conversation about. These topics consist of information/discussion pertaining to animals, the environment and martial arts. Despite being well versed in many subjects he refrains from saying anything he is unsure about, for fear of being wrong. He uses his intelligent and tactical mind both in social situations; evaluating his responses before speaking, and during combat, ensuring that any response be it verbal or physical is well thought out and precise.
Beneath the surface Takeo has several prominent traits. Firstly he can be incredibly stubborn and strong willed if he sets his mind to something. He despises losing at anything he takes pride about, namely any sort of display of physical prowess, though he has been known to engage in intellectual debates to prove himself knowledgeable. In the case of physical competitions Takeo will rarely if ever back down from the challenge. The catch is that he won’t rise to the challenge of something that he doesn’t feel he can win. Secondly due to his upbringing among Inuzuka he thoroughly enjoys sparring and rough-housing, often throwing a kick or punches at a friend when he is excited to see them, when he’s saying goodbye or just for the hell of it though in recent years he has grown mindful of his immense power and takes great care to hold back his strength and control any outbursts. Lastly, as one would expect of someone with his physical prowess Takeo thoroughly enjoys exercise and maintains a strict high protein, low fat diet.
On missions Takeo is excellent at both following orders and providing them, though his extensive leadership experiences has often caused even superiors to defer to him for insight. As always he remains calm under pressure and thrives in battle, his strategic mind constantly preparing him for various scenarios. This allows him to readily adapt and survive countless dangerous situations. Unlike many Leaf shinobi however Takeo isn’t one to readily sacrifice his life for the sake of the mission. Instead his primary objective is always to keep himself and his teammates alive, ruling that a mission with casualties on his team is a failed one and valuing their lives on par and often even above his own. As such Takeo prefers to work with people he knows well, finding comfort in knowing that they would do the same for him. In recent years Takeo has taken to operating as a part of a two man team with the Bannin Yoru, whom he had trained since Genin and as such developed a near flawless degree of teamwork with. Moreover, when people get this close to Takeo he trusts them, perhaps naively, unquestionably. He is capable of making hard decisions however and sacrificing people that endanger those closest to him or individuals who would jeopardize the mission or the safety of Konoha.
- Rank: Jounin
- Village: Konohagakure no Sato
- Stats: (0/50)
Ninjutsu: 40
Taijutsu: 35
Genjutsu: 25
Stamina: 35
Control: 35
Strength: 40
Speed: 38
Instinct: 40 - Equipment:
- 30 inch Chakra Sensitive Wakizashi (22 inch blade) sheathed across his back with the handle facing his right shoulder.
- 14 inch Chakra Sensitive Dagger/short sword with a 10 inch blade (sheathed across lower back, handle on the right side)
- 10 inch serrated combat knife with a 6 inch blade (sheathed vertically on left thigh)
- 2 metal forearm arm guards, each with a kunai hidden in the underside.
- 2 leather shoulder guards
Flak jacket: (When applicable)
-2 blank scrolls
-A pen
Hip pouch:
-5 kunai with exploding tags tied to the rings
-5 additional exploding tags
-3 smoke grenades
-2 flash bombs
-Small survival kit including cotton, a flint, powdered rations, a compass, bandages, a small vial of pure alcohol and a flask of water.
Thigh holster (left thigh):
-5 kunai knives
Thigh holster (right thigh):
- 5 kunai knives - Chakra Affinity: Doton
- Second Chakra Affinity: Suiton
- Tertiary Chakra Affinity: Katon
Abilities and Concentrations
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| First Ability | Quote: |
| Second Ability | --------- |
| Third Ability | ------------- |
| Concentrations | |
|---|---|
| Ninjutsu | 5/8 Doton Affinity: Suiton Affinity: Katon Affinity: Iijutsu: Sensor: |
| Taijutsu | 6/7 Upper Body: Lower Body: Stealth: Perception: Sword Weapons: Acrobatics: |
| Genjutsu | Sight Initiation: Sound Initiation: Touch Initiation: |
History Takeo had a relatively normal childhood for a Konoha shinobi. His father, Natsuki Isamu was a hard- working and honorable Jounin who excelled in Taijutsu and tracking. His mother Takami on the other hand was a stubborn woman who had only limited shinobi training. At the age of 13, shortly after graduating the academy her mother died. She had never known her father though it was rumored that he was a member of the Inuzuka clan. Her father never claimed her however and as such she was adopted into a family. It happened to be that her adopted parents were members of the Inuzuka clan, though they were forbidden to teach her the jutsu of the clan. Regardless Takami no longer had the drive to be a ninja, instead she found a new love; dogs. She retired as a mere Genin and began to take up training dogs, helping out at an Inuzuka owned vetinary clinic until she was old enough to be hired full time. She met her husband many years later, his pet, a golden eagle was injured and the two met and the clinic and found themselves drawn to one another. She was attracted by the allure of a life that she had been forced to leave behind and he was drawn to her compassion towards animals and her very direct and honest attitude. Eventually Takami started her own dog training business, though she occasionally dealt with other animals. Most that passed through the household were civilian pets though she occasionally came into contact with ninken.
From a young age Takeo became familiar with animals and the outdoors, often going on hunting and camping trips with his father and even Ayame his younger sister whenever his dad had days off duty. He was taught to respect his prey and to only take what was necessary in order to preserve the wild-life. From a young age Takeo greatly admired his father for his strong convictions and his exceptional skills. Enrolling in the ninja academy at the age of 8 came as a natural decision. Takeo mostly kept to himself throughout the academy, always being courteous and responsive when spoken to but never really doing anything to stand out. His mind was often in the clouds, thinking about hunting trips and wishing he could spend his days in the wilderness. Although schoolwork was never difficult for him Takeo often failed to complete assignments and would sleep through class, more due to lack of motivation than anything else. Much of his free time was spent in the outdoors, learning about animals, the environment and survival rather than doing homework. Hard pressed by his parents the boy eventually put in more effort and proved his aptitude, scoring highly on any test that he actually bothered to study for. Ultimately his academic grades were average, his shuriken throwing slightly sub-par and his taijutsu and stamina slightly below average due to his small stature. After passing the final tests on the first attempt Takeo graduated the academy on schedule, just a few months before his 13th birthday.
Immediately he was placed on a team with two classmates, both boys; Awai Masuru and Hidaka Koji under the tutelage of a 25 year old Jounin by the name of Senju Toshiaki. The group got along well and soon Takeo found himself in a friendly rivalry with Masaru, who became a close friend and a sort of role model for the boy. Often they would compete with each other in sparring and physical challenges and soon Takeo found himself filling out into quite the athlete. Masaru was still always bigger however, so while the other boy focused on more of an offensive style Takeo trained in counter strikes, throws and submissions in order to compensate. Meanwhile their other teammate, Koji, spent most of his time either indoors reading or being taught Fuuinjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu from their Sensei. After a year of doing D-rank missions and a handful of C-Ranks Toshiaki decided to teach the boys about elemental Ninjutsu. As it turned out, each had a different affinity: Takeo Doton, Masaru Katon, and Koji Fuuton. Takeo and Masaru readily took to their chakra natures, Masuru especially since he was already proficient in Hiton. Immediately the two of them devised ways to incorporate elemental jutsu into their Taijutsu which further served to separate their styles. Koji however just learned a few basic techniques and then returned his focus to his previous areas of dedication. After another year the squad had grown confident in their abilities; Toshiaki was a fairly harsh and cunning sensei and worked the boys hard until he finally decided that they were ready to take the Chunin exam.
Toshiaki wasn’t content with the village’s testing system however, a week before their scheduled exam he challenged the confident young boys to a survival test to which the team eagerly accepted. They would have to survive a week in the forest of death and then face the Chunin examiner a few hours afterward. The idea was to test their unity as well as their ability to survive in a hostile environment and overcome an opponent forced to rely on teamwork due to their imminent fatigue. It was a sound idea though ultimately the team only made it mid-way through the 4th day. Koji had been bitten by a venomous snake and as such the team decided unanimously to withdraw early, utilizing a signal flare to declare their forfeit and mark their location for rescue. Though they hadn’t passed the survival aspect Toshiaki was proud of his students for the teamwork they displayed and the level of survival skills they did show; he had been watching them the whole time of course, using his abilities to remain unseen. He managed to quickly concoct an antidote and a few days later the team faced the Chunin. Their opponent was far more skilled than they had anticipated, they had the misfortune of facing a genjutsu user who had quickly overwhelmed both Takeo and Koji. Masaru however due to his doujutsu managed to resist the genjutsu and utilize an impressive array of skills, managing to both defend his teammates and defeat the Chunin. As expected he was promoted while the others were not.
This left Takeo in the leadership position, it also created an opening in the team roster, one that was filled by Takeo's younger sister. After 2 more years of training under the guidance of a new Sensei; a swordsman by the name of Teruin Hayashi, the squad was finally ready to take the test again. This time around, now far more experienced and faced with a different examiner all three genin passed after easily defeating the Chunin with an excellent team effort. Although Takeo was proud of his sister he was also slightly embarrassed that even being two years older than her they both attained the rank of Chunin at the same time.
For the next two years Takeo was placed in leadership of an all Chunin team, unfortunately Masaru had become a leader on his team and they relied on him to heavily to have him transferred and Koji had taken a job at the hospital. Takeo’s new team consisted of a friend from the academy; a weapons specialist by the name of Maruyama Akinori, a Katon user named Imai Eiji, and his own sister; Natsuki Ayame. Ultimately the squad was incredibly Taijutsu focused, being extremely deadly at a close range but also proficient from mid-range. They worked well together, their abilities naturally meshing together. Although the siblings didn’t always get along Takeo was glad to be there to always watch out for Ayame and keep her safe (She was always the more reckless of the two). Soon Takeo had become good friends with Akinori whereas Ayame found herself attracted to Eiji whom slowly began to reciprocate her affection.
They performed several C and B-rank missions at first and gradually began to take on the occasional A-rank mission. Neither Ayame or Eiji were very strategic, both preferring to fight in tandem with their Katon enhanced Taijutsu though under Takeo’s leadership they learned to fall in line and obey his commands, Akinori on the other hand was more composed though had more of a soldier mentality than that of a leader. It was late summer when the team was assigned to a particularly risky A-ranked mission. Water country pirates had been capturing Fire country citizens to sell as slaves, it was unknown exactly how powerful they were though they had overwhelmed several villages over the last few months and had taken nearly all as prisoners so it clear that they had a large fleet. Their orders were to eliminate the slavers and rescue as many prisoners as possible. The squad managed to track down the pirates, though by the time they arrived the ships had already been packed and they were mere hours away from being ready to depart. They managed to eliminate the patrols and board the largest vessel without detection. Once inside however they were forced to split up, Takeo’s Doton empathy was useless inside the vessel and none of his comrades had any sensory ability. Takeo and Akinori each formed a shadow clone, before branching off to clear out the living quarters, while Akinori’s clone stayed back to cover the exit and Takeo’s accompanied Ayame and Eiji to the cargo bay. Both sides found resistance and battled through numerous pirates and mercenaries, several with shinobi training. By the time the enemies had been defeated they were all exhausted, Takeo’s clone had instructed Eiji to go free the prisoners though unknown to the squad there were hidden explosive tags which detonated when he approached, Eiji was burned horribly and died several minutes later as the team assembled around him, several prisoners were killed from the explosions as well though many survived and were rescued.
The team disbanded shortly afterwards. Takeo felt guilty because of Eji’s death and even Ayame in her grief blamed her brother. After taking some time to mourn Takeo managed to convince his sister to retire from active duty, he couldn’t risk losing her too. She was stubborn enough to consider doing the exact opposite instead but ultimately she conceded and managed to find a position as an apprentice instructor at the academy. Takeo on the other hand spent the next year taking on random missions with various teams and sometimes with Akinori though never becoming a permanent member. It was during this time that word began to spread of his exceptional tracking abilities and the remarkably low injury reports of his team members. Soon, mostly among the Inuzuka a nickname for him had emerged: The Fangless Hound; the name recognized him as being equal to the clans own trackers despite not being of the clan himself. The fangless part was also a partial reference to his skill in being able to capture his enemies rather than killing them.
Though Takeo didn’t lack any killing intent he often looked for the path of least resistance and became known for his careful planning and extreme caution. He was promoted to special Jounin at the age of 20 and chosen to be a part of a Jounin level recon/intelligence gathering team. His teammates were Aburame Jun, 23; a genjutsu and interrogation specialist, Nara Kiyoshi, 18; another skilled in genjutsu and clan techniques, and woman, Hyuuga Harumi, 22; a medical ninja and skilled martial artist who served as the team captain. For 3 years he worked on this team, growing quite close to the members and developing a strong bond with each of them, there was even a brief romance between himself and Harumi. A conflict with a missing ninja from Kumogakure however left him with several broken ribs and a large gash in his side. He had been Takeo’s target and foolishly he had assumed the ninja to be captured in his combination attack of binding chains and the earth dome prison technique, he escaped however and nearly killed Kiyoshi in a blindingly fast raiton enhanced charge, luckily however Takeo was fast enough to intercept the attack, though not completely. Both Takeo and Kiyoshi had to be rushed back to Konoha, each severely injured, luckily Harumi was able to stabilize the two of them and with the assistance of Jun carry them back to the village for further treatment. They each spent several weeks in the hospital in which time Takeo came to learn of Harumi’s affections for Kiyoshi. The revelation was heartbreaking and caused a rift in the team leading Takeo into deciding to leave the group.
After recovering Takeo decided to take on a Genin team for a change of pace. Having students of his own was refreshing and soon he found himself bonding with them, one in particular however stood out, a 16 year old boy by the name of Aizawa Yoru. Though at first he considered Yoru the least promising of his students he soon realized upon numerous training sessions with the boy that Yoru held by far the most potential of them all, namely to his drive for success. Takeo too discovered that there was far more depth to the boy than the brash fool he presented himself as. Soon Takeo found himself considering Yoru akin to a little brother and nearly a year after taking him on a as a student Yoru had grown to be one of the most elite Genin in the village, promptly attaining the rank of Chunin on his first try. During this time Takeo had also made friends and friendly rivals with various other sensei’s as well as embarking on several solo missions and briefly dating another girl of the Hyuuga clan. Incidentally, this same girl, Hanako had formed a bond with Yoru unbeknownst to either of the men they had each taken interest in the same woman. It was several months before the two realized their predicament which incited a furious sense of betrayal in Yoru, though rather than walking away out of guilt once again this time Takeo chose to overcome the obstacle that stood between the two of them and repair their bonds.
Shortly after, a solo B-rank mission brought the man particular recognition by the Konoha council. Originally meant to scout for bandit activities Takeo found himself in the midst of a bandit camp. Fueled by the stories of his students capture by slavers as a child Takeo made the decision to attempt to liberate the slaves. In a series of brutal and ruthless combat maneuvers and top-notch tactics he killed nearly 20 armed men single-handedly, freed the slaves and captured their leader, who as it turned out was involved in a nation-wide slave ring. In addition Takeo received aid from a pack of wolves that he liberated whom assisted him in eliminating over a dozen archers and armed warriors. It seemed that the wolves tied into a powerful family of chakra-wielding beasts. In repayment for the debt the pack’s leader Kurou allowed Takeo to form a summoning contract with him, so that the two would be bound together and able to be called upon when needed.
Once Takeo returned to the village, and after agreeing to train another Genin team as well as forming his own elite squad the man was called in by the council and promoted to Jounin. Promptly Takeo increased his own training, expanding his abilities and increasing his knowledge of genjutsu with the aid of Kurou. The two also began training together regularly so that they would be better prepared to work together in the event that the wolf was truly needed. It was around this same time that Takeo’s first student Yoru achieved the rank of Jounin as well. Together and with the accompaniment of a Special Jounin named Awai Haru the squad performed several A-rank missions together, quickly becoming recognized as one of Konoha’s most elite shinobi forces. One such mission involved Takeo being personally chosen by the spirits of the forests of Fire country in order to defend the land against an evil spirit. Named the Champion of Fire country Takeo lead his squad against the demon, slaying several beasts conjured out of rock and lava and eventually vanquishing the demon and severing its hold on its host body with a power imbued to him by the spirits.
The team returned to Konoha celebrated as heroes as their fame began to grow drastically. Not long after Takeo’s second team of genin; Awai Minoru and Hyuuga Makoto were promoted to Chunin. While he had trained them and prepared them for the exam Takeo was unfortunately deployed on a long term mission into Frost Country during the time of their test. He had been tasked with an A-ranked mission that he was to address single-handedly. A large group of outlaws and rogue samurai had taken arms against the countries government, forming the beginning stages of a rebellion and gathering forces. Retaliation efforts had been made though their base had never been discovered as it seemed as though they had hired nukenin to their cause whom proved to be adept at concealing their presence in the vast and frozen tundra’s. After nearly 6 months Takeo managed to not only locate their base of operations but lead the Frost country military against their forces, eliminating them in a long series of battles and skirmishes. During this time Takeo had also found other allies; a mountain of a powerful species of warrior bears that wished to defend their land and the treasures of their home against the outlaws. Proving himself to their leader Takeo managed to gain the respect and the cooperation of Mamoru whom by the end of the fighting agreed to form a summoning contract with the Jounin so that they could fight alongside one another for many years to come.
By the time Takeo had journeyed back home to Konoha much had changed. Both of his students had passed their exam though Mino had been chosen as the host of the genma Aturasu; Warden of Konoha and lord of the fusion elements. It also seemed that Yoru had developed a bond with his newest students, connected by their shared Sensei and as such had volunteered as one of Mino’s guardians, alongside Makoto. The weight of the decision was not lost on Takeo though he had faith in his shining student to harness the beasts power and utilize the burden as a blessing to gain respect among his clansmen and the village as a whole. Both Mino and Makoto showed remarkable talent, nearly as much as Yoru had shown at their age. Unfortunately however this optimism was short lived.
Within the next 6 months came an event that shattered the ideal of safety and relative peace that Konoha had come to know. Two missing ninja, the legendary Fushinkou Yaku of Kirigakure and the notorious Enma the crow sage attacked the village. The pair of S-ranked fugitives made short work of the village defenses, quickly leaving destruction in their wake and storming the Hyuuga compound. The strongest shinobi of the village rallied together under the leadership of the Hokage; Nara Tousha and prepared to clash with the rogue shinobi. Both Takeo and Yoru, as well as the Bannin Kawa were among the group. Even Takeo’s former Sensei Hayashi had rallied with them. Though despite this the Hyuuga clan leader was killed, the Hokage grievously injured and the others left writhing in pain trapped in one of Enma’s most powerful genjutsu. Several of the lesser shinobi had been killed as the faceless man known as Yaku sliced off limbs in a barely perceivable blur of speed. And moments later the men had made their escape.
Following the attack the citizens of Konoha rallied together to repair the village and tend to the wounded. Tousha announced his abdication from the role of Hokage and it seemed that it would likely fall upon the shoulders of Kawa to take up the mantle. Several shinobi were promoted for their acts of value and strength throughout the course of the attack. Yoru himself was promoted to Bannin in the months that followed and it seemed that Takeo would not be far behind. Though despite his rigorous training, undeniable strength and overwhelming devotion to the village Takeo remained a Jounin still. Despite this he kept his mind focused and his actions dedicated. In a series of events shrouded in mystery Mino had lost control of the genma in the weeks following the attack, rendering the boy in a coma.
It was in the months following this event that Takeo met Hyuuga Aina, a young woman whom had been close to Mino and sharing in their concern over the young man the two bonded and became close friends. Aina had incidentally been the woman whom had been taken hostage by Yaku in order to facilitate the murder of the Hyuuga leader and as such she had her own share of hardships which Takeo felt compelled to ease. Over the course of the next year the two had even become intimate on one occasion. Not more than a month later incidentally enough Mino awoke from his coma and was allowed to be reinstated as a shinobi. However the boy was drastically changed and in no state to slip back into his former life. Takeo, Yoru and Makoto were able to meet with him though shortly afterwards he slipped into seclusion. This left Takeo and Aina in a rather awkward place in their relationship and ultimately they decided to devote their time to their individual training. Before long Aina had become immensely powerful, even beginning to rival the level of Takeo and Yoru and as such she was granted the rank of Bannin.
By this point Takeo was beginning to wonder what it was that was holding the council back from promoting him. He was every bit as skilled as a Bannin and arguably more tactical and a better leader than any of the three current Bannin; Kawa, Yoru, and Aina. Despite this he supported Kawa’s pursuit of the role of Hokage; he had performed a handful of missions with the man and had come to respect his skill and come to think of him as a friend. Undoubtedly though the process into his inauguration was taking far longer than usual, a year had passed without anyone to fill the seat of Hokage and even with a willing and capable candidate the council had yet to even begin the official tests or so it seemed. At the insistence of Yoru Takeo decided to begin taking a more active role in village leadership, scouting the villages top prospects and organizing funds and resources for an organization of an elite task force which would come to be known as Anbu.
I like having situational mission based techniques! And yes it is meant to be a channeling technique
