Starring:
Date: November 4, 2012
Summary:
Suterusu receives a job from a mysterious source outside Sunagakure.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Betrayal and Assassination: The Beginning of the Chitsujyo"
Fuuma Alley Ward 6
The business of the night in Fuuma Alley is unlike anything one can experience in any other village. There are some people running in and out of casinos, pleasure houses, and such happy and some running out looking like they may want to kill themselves. It's a good place to hide if one doesn't want to be found. One particular man has come here for that very reason. He's ditched his lab coat and nicer clothes for something more plain, attempting to fit into this place. Only his nervousness about what he's about to do makes him stand out at all amongst the crowd as he walks the streets from one of the pleasure houses toward a sake bar.
The figure known as Suterusu would receive an anonymous letter at his home, offering him a simple job with a payscale much higher than the village would be him for something of this nature. A picture was provided in the envelope of the man he is to track down, along with information of the plans he thought he'd hid so well of where he should be, as he plans to turn in information about the client that he needs kept under wraps. The instructions are very clear for him to bind the man and hold him in an alleyway between buildings unseen and wait for the man paying him for the job to arrive, which should be quite prompt.
Interesting. Contacted specifically, instead of the village system, it also paid more than the village. That was enough for him to do just that, go after the target in the picture. Gear packed, he'd take a leave of absense from the village for some personal travelling and off he went. Reaching Fuuma in time for that target situation, he would have his own shadow clone at the ready. The target spotted, both figures would move. It was a simple matter of one moment not there, the next, they were on either side of him. While one pressed a kunai into the man's side, the other bound a blindfold over his head. That soft tenor voice would croon into the man's ear, "Make a noise, lose a kidney. It's pretty simple. Nod if you understand and don't resist." The two would then escort that guy off into the shadows of an alleyway. Having quickly claimed the victim, he would get them to that arranged location. Another clone set up high, while the two would hold the target. The down side of it being a non-village mission is no back work, so he was going to do his level best to not be caught off guard. Who else to serve as backup, but yourself?
A few moments after the figure moves into the alleyway with the target, a light applause would come from behind, specifically clapping three times before Nagamura Shuuren steps out of the shadows into view, adorned in his signature with suit and holding the white cane he is known to carry. Alongside him as a shinobi policeman from Fuuma Alley, who follows Shuuren silently until they walk up to the assassin and his acquired target.
"Nice work," the Medical Ninja says with a nod as he approaches. "Fast, efficient. I like it. Don't you agree, officer?" he comments, a rather darkly amused tone to his voice, a light smirk tugging at his lips. "Definitely," the man beside him answers with a chuckle. "He's got the right guy too. This is definitely the one who was offering up some of your secrets to us in exchange for a nice check." The captured man seems to get more nervous by the moment, quite frightened now that he realizes he tried to report Shuuren to a guy who works for him too. "Very good. That will be all," Shuuren says with a nod, reaching into his coat to hand over a nice-sized pouch of money to the policeman, who promptly walks away, not even bothering to look back. Seems he already knows the drill.
"Shuuren, I can explain. Plea-" the mans starts, but is interrupted as his face is struck by the bottom of Shuuren's cane.
"Quiet. You have nothing to say to me, you greedy little snip. As well as I take care of you and your family, /this/ is how you repay me?" Seems the assassin will get to see the other side of the coin in Shuuren that few others get to see, a peek behind the curtain for taking such a mission.
Both the figure and the clone would tighten the grip on that man. Not that he was going to be allowed to move away from the strike either. Red eyes would watch Shuuren intently, nothing said at all as he'd watch on. This was definitely new information. Although considering what the man was, it probably should not be that surprising. Either way, he was intent, focused on him. At least, the two in sight were, that third clone was still watching out. Ex-kumo or not, this man was dangerous and powerful, both things to be avoided as a hostile if possible. Or shown to be false if necessary. But until it was required for him to be a target, he was the paying client and the system was in place to deal with any potential issues.
"I'm sorry! Please don't kill me. Just let me-"
With another strike of the cane, the man is silenced again. Shuuren lifts an eyebrow at the man, saying, "I said be quiet." A brief glance is cast to Suterusu and the clone, saying, "Gag him please." With that, he looks back to the captured man, smirking slightly as he ponders a bit. "You should be glad I'm feeling generous today. /I'm/ not going to kill you." The man seems to calm down a bit, thinking he's safe now. Shuuren turns around steps away, looking up at the sky for a moment. "And your wife will even still get that big life insurance check." The man tenses up again. "What? Why would she-" he starts to ask, confused and wonder what's going to happen to him. "He's going to kill you," the former Jounin says, gesturing and giving the sign for Suterusu to slit the man's throat and silence him permanently.
That figure would pull a band of rope from one pouch, using it to gag the man. At the sign to the figure, that kunai would be grabbed and with a twist, the blade cut deep and across, hand on the back of the man's head to stop the spurt of blood as he'd get dropped to the ground beside a dumpster, leaving the blood to pool under it, reducing the chance of it spilling into a walk area and being noticed. The clone would then grab some papers and arrange them over the body, making it look like a bum was just sleeping there, while the figure would turn to look at Shuuren. Things did indeed definitely get interesting, didn't they. He'd simply stare now, waiting for the next part. If it was anyone else, the raised brow could almost be seen, along with the 'well?' but he said nothing. There was nothing needing to be said.
Shuuren shows no signs of emotion as the man's throat is slit, not even flinching or blinking. He watches as the man disposes of the head and covers the head, giving a nod of approval. "Very nice work, indeed," he says as he reaches into his coat, pulling a scroll tab and retrieving a nicely full money pouch that he hands over to Suterusu with the amount of money described in the letter inside. "I'm sure you know who I am. Who doesn't at this point? And I'm also sure you are quite good at keeping arrangements with your clients secret." He pauses a moment before saying, "However, after watching you work tonight, I am willing to offer you a chance to make a lot more money doing exactly what you're good at. After all, mere shinobi pay isn't sufficient for a skillset such as yours. I am forming an organization called the Chitsujyo (the Order), whose purpose is to gain power in every realm we can, be it through the business side of things that I handle, creating new ways for our shinobi to grow stronger, or one day gaining a measure of control in all the lands." If one looks at how much business he is getting around the world, he is actually already well on his way there. "Of course, this will all be done in secret, keeping any among our ranks safe from any persecution by the Hidden Villages. Having someone like you at my side would be quite a benefit, a right hand that poses a chilling threat like no other to help keep our enemies and our allies in line. Tell me, is that something you might be interested in?"
That figure was silent for a moment, the pouch taken and put away. Finally, a slow nod was given, while he continued to study Shuuren. After a moment longer, he'd speak again, that soft tenor voice crooning out, "I am interested. However, the one stipulation I have, is I refuse to work for someone I can kill. A simple manner, I am sure you can understand, considering I do what I can do." While that figure continued to stare at Shuuren, the clone would look around, before a sign was given towards the figure. "As we have plenty around that I would rather not see what I do.. Shall we adjorn to a more secluded location to take care of this bit of business?"
When the figure finally answers, Shuuren listens curiously to his explanation of the stipulation. A light smirk tugs at his lips at that, apparently finding that interesting. "I can respect that. Very well. Let's go." With that, he leaps up onto the rooftops and begins moving out of the city and into the forest, moving a nice way out before stopping in a small clearing, where he unravels a scroll. A puff of smoke jets out from the scroll, revealing that he has changed into a set of more basic clothes for the fight, a black gi. Messing up the suit might cost the assassin more than a few cuts a bruises from a fight, after all. "Shall we then?" the former Jounin asks as he retrieves a golden food pill with the inscription 'EII' on it from a box in his pocket then chews and swallows it. A massive surge of chakra moves through his body as he prepares for the fight, a new clarity in his eyes as he assumes a stance and gives a nod.
The figure would nod and take off with Shuuren, heading into that forest with him, he'd watch silently as Shuuren prepared for the fight. A final nod was given as he'd focus himself. Refreshing that chakra surging through him, there was that *POOF* of smoke that would reveal three of the figure who all split up, circling around Shuuren to give him multiple targets to deal with. Of course, all of that was a fake, the real figure had hidden, watching to see how Shuuren deals with the group as he'd plan the attack.
Shuuren seems quite unfazed as the assassin creates more clones and attempts to confuse him as to which figure of the four circling him is the real one. He purposely looks at one of the fakes a giving a menacing wink before flickering out of sight and reappearing directly behind the real Suterusu and as he drives a fist at his back and then flickers again to attempt to drive a knee into his gut. "You'll have to do better than that."
The clones moved when Shuuren did. While he was able to stop one strike, the other was simply too fast for him to be able to stop. They would scatter again, 4 arrayed before Shuuren, rather than just three. A small nod was given and as they'd move again, two sets of two now, they would start doing seals. Surrounding Shuuren on all sides, as one they would kneel, planting a hand to the ground. That chakra surged through the ground, criss-crossing under him in a wide web, before the metal wires that were being made, sharded with wicked metal spikes, would surge out of the ground. Flailing about as if it was alive, it would seek to wrap about Shuuren, tangling him up within the mass of living metal. It would cut and bind, stopping any potential seals even, if it did manage to latch on to Shuuren.
Though he attempts to flicker again, Shuuren doesn't quite move quickly enough to get out of the way as the clones entangle him in the wire that seems to be able to move on its own. Frozen in place for now, the Medical Ninja glances around, watching curiously for what the assassin will do next, calculating what he will do next as he does so. Seems Suterusu isn't hesitating to bring out his more potent technique. Shuuren may just have to oblige him.
Having caught Shuuren with that move, the clones with that figure would immediately go into that next action. Those seals blurred through, 4 times in unison, they would finally kneel, planting hands to the ground again. A massive metal spike would suddenly strike up out of the ground, studded and jagged, it'd attempt to tear through Shuuren, as each stud got out of the ground, a spike would launch out of that point, further shredding the body. Just as it seemed it was done, a half dozen more spikes would come out of the ground, surrounding that initial point to also have those branches jut out, turning it into a massive meat grinder field. Once the forest was completed, the clones would step back, preparing for if Shuuren wasn't hamburger, what he would do in response.
As the spikes come out of the ground, Shuuren does his best to roll out of the way to at least prevent any fatal injuries. Though he does take some rather heavy gashes, he does at least manage that. He's not quite free of the wires yet, but he's definitely far from being finished, as he actually lets out a chuckle.
The figure would give a small nod. It was hard to bind someone within the wires, then shred the area with the forest. He was going to have to work on that. This was noted in a detached sort of way as more chakra was focused. It was already very obvious he wasn't going to hide from the man, so instead the four figures would simply settle into a guard, preparing themselves for what may come next.
Shuuren takes a moment to prepare before suddenly, one could hear the popping of all the wires as they fall off. The source of this becomes quite clear as the Medical Ninja leaps up at Suterusu with a powerful blade of invisible chakra aimed at making a hard swipe across his right shoulder that could quite literally severe his arm from his body and prevent him form performing some jutsu. Of course, it IS Shuuren, so he can reattach it later.
One clone would tackle the figure. That's the only thing that saved him from losing that limb. The gash deep enough to remove it, was rendered slower and shallower due to the clone taking part of the hit. Instead, he'd have a strong and heavy gash across his chest as he'd come up on one knee. The metal wires that were wrapped about him tinging as they would seperate from the slicing. A small shake of his head, he'd focus again. One clone then another, doing those seals as they would launch.. clones? at Shuuren. It did indeed seem that way, but when these clones would strike, if they do, it was revealed to be super heated metal, instead of just simple clones.
With a flicker, Shuuren avoids the incoming clones. He appears directly behind Suterusu again, the invisible blade of chakra still surging in his hand as he makes a hard swipe at the assassin's back, though he's careful not to go too deep so as not to cripple him or cause any injuries that would instantly kill him.
One of the clones tried to intercede again, although it'd be too late. Caught with that shot, the figure would get knocked forward, the gash on the back mirroring the one on the front as the clones dissapated. There was nothing left to that figure's resistance it seems. He had nothing left to defend with. Panting, although quietly, he'd give a nod of his head. "I yield. I obviously can not kill you with my best attack. Nor can I withstand what you strike with. It would be an honor to work for you.. once I do recover." Slowly getting up on his knees, he tried in vain to try and stem the bleeding, front and back, he was going to need serious medical attention and soon it seems. Added on to that fact that the strikes sapped his strength, there was really no way he'd be able to do anything now. It'd be the end of him if Shuuren didn't help it seems.
Watching the assassin fall, Shuuren allows the invisible blade to dissipate. When he yields and officially agrees to work for him, the Medical Ninja says, "Good to hear. Pleasure to have you on board… Banshi." Seems the assassin already has a code name, which happens to mean 'certain death'. Quite fitting. "Hold still," he instructs as he kneels down, forming another blade of chakra on each hand, but these are of healing chakra. He places them over Suterusu's heavy wounds, the chakra seeping out into them and beginning to close them from the inside out. "Congratulations. You're the first person to get to see me actually go all-out in a fight." This also explains WHY Shuuren doesn't fight much. Better to let people underestimate him than know what kind of damage he can really do in his position.
Eyes would close for once, kneeling there with a shudder as Shuuren would heal him up. It worked as it would bind those wounds up, making it so he wasn't going to die shortly at the very least. Another nod was given. Banshi. He would definitely appreciate that name. Eyes opening to glance over at Shuuren then, that soft tenor voice, slightly horse from the push to that edge, would croon out, "Banshi is fitting. I appreciate it. Is there a specific name I should expect commands to come from?"
"Yes," Shuuren replies as he continues this same healing method, making sure the guy isn't going to bleed out before he makes it back to Sunagakure or wherever he's going to rest. "My own code name in the organization will be Tadashi." His own code name means 'righteous', which is kind of amusing, all things considered. The irony may just be the purpose of that, though.
Healed to a point where the wounds were minor, that figure would nod once again. "Understood. I will have to rest here then, before I return to Suna. You give me a target, I will remove them as requested.. I'll also not tell anyone that this has occurred." The figure would try to stand, stumble, then slowly wobble to his feet. The wire on the ground was looked at for a moment, before he'd shake his head. "That blade of yours is powerful. That metal is usually active with my chakra and it cut through like butter. I will need to rest enough to recover and get it back before I head home."
Giving a nod, Shuuren says, "You are doing quite well in your position already, Banshi. I believe you were a good choice for a first recruit to the organization." With that, he stands up and places a hand on the assassin's shoulder, sending some chakra through his body to restore enough of his energy that he can at least make it to somewhere safe to rest. "The Dissection Blade is a quite powerful tool. I think that makes it rather clear why I generally warn people against trying so hard to get me to fight them."
The figure would take a slow breath, letting it out as Shuuren restored enough of that strength that while yes, worn out, he could at least stand on his own. A nod of thanks to Shuuren, he would walk over to scoop up the twisted coils of wire with the surgical incision that had seperated them. Coiling them about his body, it took a moment's focus, even in that weaken state, to fuse them back together. That taken care of, he'd look to Shuuren. "I look forward to the first target. I believe I am also good at intimidation, so if needed, I can do that.." He'd nod lightly towards Shuuren, "you however, are far superior if you wish." Pausing for a moment, he'd think before giving a small nod. "One person you may wish to avoid is Maikeru. Kiri nin. The man is powerful.. and something extremely dark.. darker even than he was before, now wraps about him. I would advise wide berth there."
"I'm sure I'll have plenty of jobs lined up where you can exercise all your talents," Shuuren says as he drops his hand back to his side and allows his chakra levels to go back to their normal. "I act as I need to for the situation." At the words about Maikeru, he ponders a bit and shrugs. "I have no dealings with the man, and I plan to keep it that way.. Some battles are best having never taken place." With that, he turns to begin making his way in the direction of the Land of Lighting. "Thank you for the warning, though. I'll be in contact soon."
