Starring:
Date: November 28, 2012
Summary:
There were rumors spread about that massive creatures roamed the Blood Marsh of Kirigakure. Berii and Etsu's natural curiousity eventually led them both to the source while Eremi was already there with plans of defeating the beast.
"Second Promotion Exams - Creatures of the Marsh"
Blood Marsh: Swamplands
"Neh?!" Berii's eyes widen, witnessing something rather unexpected, more than a day or two in and she hadn't noticed something like this the entire time? Sure the tracks were around but, she thought it was some Genin messing around but…
A few minutes earlier… Berii had been following screams that have been tunneling through the marsh, with the simple idea that someone powerful was going through and wrecking people. Of course, that would make most people turn the other way but, confident in her stealth and looking forward to steal some strong techniques while in here, so she followed the growing volume of what seems to be growls combined with said screams. The more she headed in deeper to this area the more she appreciated the fact she didn't start off going this way. The area was gross, the swamp water reaching much higher than anywhere else, forcing her to take higher ground but then a few minutes up high and…
Berii finds herself struggling with a living plant, caught by the ankle and hanging upside down, a thorny vine moves up, somehow knowing where to attack as it starts heading for her throat until quick thinking gets her to summon and chop both vines, falling completely into the swamp water.
She pops back up, not happy, shaking her head rapidly to clear her face as she grunts, looking ahead and trudging through until, she makes it to the location of the screams and spots the culprit. Who was not a talented ninja but… with a thrust of its tail that sends an actual ninja, who was attempting to sneak up on the monster, flying.
Alligator meat is a delicacy or so Etsu has heard. She's never tried it, but she thinks she might have to today. It's unfortunate that there have been competitors being eaten by this thing. She supposes that the better thing is to honor them and eliminate the threat rather than try to feast on it and possibly all that it has eaten.
She knows that there are giant things around here, but she's uncertain of just how big. She's seen tracks every so often, but even those can be misleading. She does't hear much growling from where she's coming from, but she does hear sloshing. Hmm. It isn't long before the rolling water reaches her. If the waves are this big, then it must be something huge…
She doesn't think it's safe to just step out there, so…time for some scouts. She sends out some kikaichu to go look around and give her a report of what's going on.
Up in the trees and blending in with the shadowed skyline of the cyrpus trees, crouched a lone Shinobi. There was a lot going on down below, but without assessing the situation better, they'd end up just like the rest of the genin that were chewed to bits and swallowed or swatted away with a massive flick of the beasts tail capable of crushing bones and ending ones journey through the exams.
Though having already collected his second scroll, Eremi couldn't just sit back and wait out the end of the exams, not with knowing that there's a beast roaming the marshes and taking the lives of his fellow Konoha Shinobi, as well as that of the other villages. He heard the rumors and followed the screams that eventually led him into the thickness of the swamps. Assuming the creature couldn't climb, he had chosen to travel through the marsh on the branches of the trees, luckily avoiding any man or berry eating plants along the way, until finally finding the source of the chaos…A giant alligator
When first arriving, there were other groups of Shinobi here, all trying to take down the Alligator, only to be eaten, killed or running away for their lives. Seeing every one else struggle had Eremi reconsidering going down there himself, but it wasn't until noticing a familiar, pink haired shinobi closing in, that he knew he would have to act.
Either through bravery or stupidity, he walked along the sides of the tree branch until hanging upside down, came into a crouch and then pushed off with all he had, destroying the branch in the process. He was on a direct course with the beast, but he didn't have many arial moves for such an occassion, so improv would have to do. Spinning through the air, he'd reposition himself and drop a powerful leg against the alligators back.
The alligator was… unfazed. Sure the hit was hard but, it just sort of pushes the alligator down a bit and frankly, annoys it a bit. This was actually the one of the few Genin to hit it, because, well… This thing simply managed to catch a few inexperienced groups off guard. This was the first time someone who was actually prepared for it charged in, instead of running away.
With a grunt it suddenly rolls in the water, trying to fling Eremi off while causing crashing waves of swamp water in multiple directions. "GrrrRRRROAAAWAR!!!" Well… now it's serious.
Berii? Well she was sort of contemplating having nothing to do with this thing until Eremi came flying in and putting himself at risk. She'd have to help but first things first, that wave. Luckily the displaced water made it easier to move and she focuses chakra into her legs, crouching down and bursting up into the air, getting clipped by it on her way up and spiraling back down into the water.
"Phhhbbbt!" RAGE!!! In the water again. Well that was enough of that, she wasn't really sure of Eremi's location so doesn't make a move beyond getting to higher ground. To try and scout out those in the area… the previous foreign team was wiped out and it seemed to just be her and Eremi. Maybe… just maybe Eremi would pull out of here.
Nothing to report so far other than the alligator is preoccupied with a possible meal. Etsu had the insects return to her as she prepared to find a way to get a better vantage point of the area, but before she could do that, something dropped down and struck the gator on its back. Unsurprisingly, it was ticked off and began to return the attack against whoever it was. The waves raised caught her off guard and she was taken up off her feet and flipped around in the water before regaining her footing by latching on to a tree. She was soaked and hoped that a foreign object didn't cling to her.
Sputtering somewhat, she spat some water out of her mouth and coughed until it was all clear. This was truly one big beast. How does someone fight against something like this? She had an idea, but…it was going to take some work. Huff. These scrolls weren't worth all this.
It wasn't surprising to Eremi that his attack had landed as he came at the beast from above, where it was unable to see and properly defend from such a move. What was surprising was the minimal, if any, damage it received as it used its own thick hide and the waters of the swamp to cushion the blow into little more then a forceful shove. To Eremi however, it felt as if he had just tried to drop kick a boulder with little results. The result sending a shiver through his body, that made it hard to respond in time with the alligator rolling and thrashing around.
The plan was to run along the beast as it rolled, waiting until it stopped and attacking once again, but it was too quick and sent Eremi flying off and through a rotted tree that exploded from the force, stopping only once his body skidded across the swamp water and left his body to slowly sink into it's depths.
Still not out yet and with plenty of fight left, Eremi quickly regained his senses, clambered back on top of the swamp and readied himself for another assault. Eyes quickly scanning the length of the beast, but there wasn't much to go off of. Most of it was covered in scales, save for the underbelly, the eyes and naturally, the inside of the creature. He had no plan on being swallowed hole, so he'd have to make do with something else entirely and do it before him or anyone else loses their life.
Assuming the beast had a poor sense of vision, being able to see only what's directly in front and immediately to the sides, Eremi made a sprint toward the back of the beast, but keeping as safe a distance as he could away from it's thrashing tail. Once there he knew without using the gates he'd be unable to penetrate the thick hide or do much of anything else and now was as good as any time to use it, if it meant protecting the lives of others.
So bringing his hands up in an X-shape in front of his face, Eremi began to focus within himself, pushing through each of the gates that his body would allow. The first one pushed open and his chakra flared to life, the second one and veins began to bulge along his body, the third one and his chakra began to overflow as it practically poured out his body that was now a shade of red. The water around him began to push out and ripple in all directions, but he kept his focus inward, opening the fourth and the fifth, until finally reaching the sixth gate and forcing it open did his arms come down to his.
Alligator, smash! >:E
Seriously, it had no idea what was going on and the lumbering beast was only winning its recent bouts with Genin simply because its size and the fact that one accidental hit could wipe them out. Mobility was terribly low along with natural awareness, so once it gets out of its roll it starts to lumber about, causing some disturbing but, not as deadly waves as it seeks out its attacker.
As Eremi was busy blowing out his chakra, the beast manages to lock onto the much more obvious disturbance in the force and opens its maw wide, water sinking out rapidly from beneath Eremi as it starts to pour into the gators mouth, inhaling rapidly as it appears to be some strategy to sweep Eremi in before bursting forward with an unexpected speed, trying to swallow him hole.
As for Berii, she was so disappointed, it was obvious that Eremi wanted to take this thing down and it was obvious that she should help, her Sharingan activate just as he pushes beyond the third gate… then continues to, get stronger. "Wha?" Berii blinks a few times but, this wasn't the time to be in awe of Eremi's swamp warping chakra field. "Ewemi! Weak points owny, twy that uppewkick, thing." Berii at a loss of the names of the strong fist skills. "Aye! We'we go fo' the undewside whiwe it's up!" Berii then scopes out the beast with her Sharingan eye, the girl kicking off a few trees, zipping around and flying overhead, not sure if Eremi heard a single word through the Alligator's vaccuum 'attack'. She'd note one thing though, it looked blind in one eye so it may help to aim for the other and aim for it she does. Though at an impossible angle.
Yes, the eye was on the other side but, everyone knows Uchiha are too awesome to be suppressed by logic. With a quick summon she throws a large fuuma shuriken and follows it up by many smaller ones, each hitting it with a direction changing force until a medium sized shuriken is followed, knocking the fuuma in place, then rerouting back around to follow up the large shuriken for the eye.
"…"
Etsu wanted to be upset, but this was a serious situation that required more than just her standard strength. She still wasn't sure of who was attacking, but it became clear once things seemingly changed around the individual. The gates. The only person she knew to use them was Eremi. It made sense that he'd be here fighting this gator. Guess she'll have to step it up a notch.
Now that she had a better view of the area, she could see that the gator has sustained some damage. There was a shuriken in its eye, the design quite familiar to her. The lesser shuriken does nothing, but that's okay. With the fuuma shuriken in its eye, she thinks she has a better chance of having her bugs enter its body and destroy it from the inside out or at least, assist in weakening it along with the others here.
"That girl…" She stated regarding Berii. Well then. Placing her hands together in a seal, she sent a burst of chakra through her body to speed up the production of her insects. She was going to need a lot more than she had now to be of any assistance. At this point, the gator was beyond upset. These two posed a threat to it and in turn, it needed to fight for its survival. It may have been one of the larger beasts here, but man was always the best killer. It had reason to have some fear. The water would continue to filter into the maw of the beast at a rapid rate and the mud was quite slippery lending to some minor sliding without any proper grip to be made on the substance. It's a bit of a lose-lose as if the mud slick doesn't catch someone the quicksand properties it has may make up for it.
Aiming for the mouth doesn't look like the best idea right now considering it might just expel that water back out and kill her insects in the process. This is one time where she thinks she might be somewhat useless, but she'll find a way to change that. With some effort placed into waiting for the right time, she sends her insects forward to create a better opening by burning the sensitive eyes with acid. Further blinding it beyond the fuuma shuriken's work is a good step in the right direction.
The sixth gate was open, the furthest Eremi had ever been able to achieve. The power and speed it granted was immense while the surge of chakra released with it so overwhelming that the surrounding swamp and debris nearest the source repelled at an almost equal if not greater force then that of which the Alligator could suck in the murky waters. For an instant, Eremi thought about rushing straight ahead, allowing the beast to swallow him whole while it barreled down on him only to fight the thing from the inside and it seemed as if he just might allow it do such as the massive maw now encompassed around his form just before snapping shut with enough force it echoed through the Marsh.
Even though Eremi appeared to have been swallowed, he was already running along the side of the creature only to disappear once again and reappear at the backside where the thrashing tail was smacking against the swamp and blasting intor rotted out trees. This is where Eremi saw his opportunity as he rushed in, wrapped an arm around the Alligators tail holding it in place. It continued to sway this way and that, but was unable to get free of the grip. With everything the boy had, he spun his body around, jumped into the air and with a load roar tried to throw the beast into the air.
While the slow moving kikaichu(Or at least slow moving compared to the scale of this beast), would be easily avoided by the attentive shinobi, this giant was not one of them. It was unaware of the bugs, even after they land on its face. The thing already screeching a blood churning screech from the pain of something being impaled into its eye, it still had minimal vision until those things decided to crawl into the wound and just ruin EVERYTHING. That beautiful good eye, was now ruined he was blind forever. Though that wasn't going to stop him, not at all he was just about ready to finish things by swallowing the first nuisance whole since it was stupid enough to step into its mouth. The jaw snaps shut but, Eremi seems to defy logic as the boy who should've been trapped within was now running along the beast. Slight confuse turned into chaotic nonsense within the brain as for the first time… this alligator experienced the feeling of being off the ground.
Berii latches onto a tree once again, eyes wide as she looks below with Eremi just power lifting the freakin thing. "Howy-" *SPLASH SOUND HERE* The Alligator spewing out the water it previously inhaled from the sudden impact while everything that was settled goes off in another huge wave. Everything was going into chaos AROUND the alligator and Eremi. The wave crashing over all the other life forms, animal and plant alike. Though between those two everything seemed rather… calm. No swamp water the alligator was no longer thrashing about, too dazed to function.
Berii gets up high into the air from her tree perch, floating over the incoming wave and once again getting clipped but, she manages to readjust and begins running across the rolling wave, at first with a few awkward flailing steps but, eventually manages to take on a full downward sprint as her chakra gathers and she summons two… summoning scrolls. Flinging them across and over the alligator or, overhead from her angle.
With the appropriate chakra gathered she disappears appearing between the two flying, twisting scrolls and in a fellow display of speed her hands go into a blur and smoke goes pouring from the scroll's seals and a barrage of steel comes raining down on its throat and head area, aiming to dig into the weak underbelly. Of course, Berii did not expect this to kill the thing at this rate it was more of a… try to give Eremi some sort of slight support.
Despite being successful, Etsu finds that her attack was terrible and she'll need to step it up a notch. A supportive role appears to be the best option at the moment and so she follows Berii's lead. The water that rushed through, thankfully, didn't faze her as she wasn't in its direct path, but instead within the trees still, hoping to avoid those horrible barbed vines in the process. She knew how dangerous they could be and didn't intend on getting her throat sliced today.
She'd drop down along with Berii's jutsu, the metal gleaming as it streaks through the air embeds itself within the beast. All of the points that struck granted her the opportunity to send in more kikaichu to find their way into the body of the gator and proceed to weaken it or a least she hoped. With its size, it'd need numerous insects. Thankfully, she had those to spare. "How long has this thing been attacking genin?" She decided to ask while she had the chance to. "I assume we'll also be honoring the dead in some fashion. We'll need to find some fitting materials for the task."
The alligator was large, but the sheer weight of it was much heavier then expected even with the use of the sixth gates and it came to quite a surprise to Eremi as he did his best to fling the creature into the air that instead he was only to able to flip it over his shoulder and crash it into the swamp water. Not something he had planned on happening at all, but he had no choice, but to make it work now. At least he could take solace in the fact that the underbelly of the beast was now exposed.
Slowly falling to the ground, he'd watch Berii and Etsu both assault the exploited weakness now available with each of their individual jutsu's. It was a hail storm of metal and kikaichu, each of which Eremi wanted no part of getting in the way of. So biding his own time, he'd wait only a few moments until seeing an opening then push off the ground like a bolt of lightning careening for the belly. His feet and fists would rapidly hit against every soft spot of tissue, the intended reason to break and destroy bones and vital organs with each blow.
Berii flips over, spotting the invading kikaichu once more, gross but, probably going to be more effective than most things. Berii could fire off something else but, that didn't seem to be the safe thing to do, assuming Etsu was actually attached to those bugs. Though it didn't seem necesssary, the pummeling of the beast along with the internal burrowing, Berii can see it's life signs fading. "So… Etsu." Acting as if that was a no big deal, "To ansew yo' question…" Berii shrugs slightly. "I dunno we'we the dead awe even, with awl that washing away." Berii looks Etsu's way, looking as if she didn't really care for the others. "Hnn, we can wook fo' them though, I guess. This thing's done fo'." Berii touches her wire to her scarf, the weapons all being sealed away. She wasn't really worried about the gator, no, she was eyeing Eremi who was much more dangerous than any of the beasts roaming this area. "So… Ewemi's been howding back that much neh?" Berii grumbles, "That's kinda… too much, neh?"
Etsu thinks she may feel some fear while watching Eremi move around faster than she can watch. Those gates, while dangerous, did provide him with some power that was unmatched. She could only sit back and watch while she continued to send her kikaichu to support him and his attacks against the gator. In the meantime, this left her with a chance to hear Berii's replies to her questions. "I see…" She folded her arms then. "I hope that they are alive…I assumed that the genin died, but that gives me more hope knowing that they may be living somewhere around here. I can have my kikaichu seek them out if that's the case," she offered, turning her attention back to Eremi at that point. "Too much? Maybe. He's formidable, despite what some may think of him."
The final punch was delivered with all the power the Sixth Gate had to offer and either from the pummeling or the flesh burrowing Kikaichu, it was obviously the beast of an Alligator was now dead. If there was a crowd watching, now would be the time where they'd pop out of hiding to cheer and join in the celebration of the slaying of one of the many random monstrosities that roam the marsh. Though it was more likely that the smarter genin fled away from the commotion, choosing life and preservation over curiousity and the possibility of death.
Relaxing from the opening of the gates, Eremi would fall to his knees on the belly of the beast, panting and heaving. His muscles were completely exhausted, torn and pushed to the limits throughout his body. Were any scavengers about, now would be the best time to ambush the boy to take the two scrolls he already had in his possession. He'd like to think that Etsu and Berii would be there to protect him, but it was a bit unlikely. "Hey…" Falling on his face and resting a bit, his eyes would slowly close. "Don't…take…my…scrolls…" He was silent for a bit. "Or touch me!"
"Guess thats a pwan." The Uchiha responds to Etsu on her plan to seek out the fallen, though suddenly Eremi seems to fall apart. "Neh? Miiiight have to howd off on that." The Uchiha scans the area, people were popping up but, no one was cheering, someone that strong had to have scrolls on them still but, in this feeble situation it should be easy to take it off of him.
The resounding silence was the result of everyone scoping out each other, wondering who would make the first move so…
Berii steps over and takes Eremi's scrolls, I mean side, flickering next to him and peering down at him. "Neh, now you'we awl wobbiwy? Shouwda known that someone couwdn't get that stwong without dwabacks." Berii smirks, she seemed glad that Eremi was now in this awful position. "Sowwy, can't hewp if I can't touch you. But, we shouwd pwobabwy get you outta hewe?" Berii holds her hand out, "C'mon." Though Berii retracts her hand at the last moment as a kunai comes zipping right by where her hand was previously located. "Nevewmind." Berii did not care about Eremi's opinion on the matter, she can only assume muscle stress was the worst of his situation, not knowing how bad the gates were she just picks him up.
Berii then looks to Etsu, fully expecting her to assist with the escape. "Aye! We gotta go!" Berii then bursts forward as more kunai get flung out. Followed by Genin hopping out of the bushes only to start fighting each other, while a few actually gave chase to Berii and Eremi.
The beast was finally done for, but it appears the true beasts have now shown their faces. Watching these three and waiting for them to exhaust themselves fighting it with the hopes of reaping the benefits. Etsu was, needless to say, ticked off. With Eremi down for the count, that only left the two of them. She flickered down to Eremi as well and guards against any kunai that come flying out. "I'll guard your backs," she offered and followed after the two of them using her kikaichu to create a barrier against any attacks that flew their way. "They will know my wrath for attacking in this manner." She used the worst of her arsenal against these attackers, seeking to bring them pain for their scavenger-like behavior.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The resulting shout of pain that escapes Eremi's mouth upon being touched and forcibly picked up. If he had any strength left within his body he would have gotten up under his own power and escaped with the help of Berii and Etsu, but as it stood now his entire body ached and felt as if Berii had released her Twin Rising Dragons on his insides. He would have prefered to be left alone and able to recover over time, but for now he was just dead weight.
Literally
The pain being too much to bare, Eremi's body shut down and the boy went unconscious. Were someone to go after his scrolls there was little he could do to stop them except rely on Berii and Etsu from this point on. He had no clue there were others lying in wait for the beast to be slain so that they could take on the possibly weakened heroes of the marsh. If he had known, Eremi would have done whatever he could to hold onto the power of the gates just a moment longer before escaping.
One thing was guaranteed though. If he loses either of his scrolls over this and lived to fight another day, the whole marsh was going to be turned upside down.
Berii jumps a bit at the sudden shout from the boy. Though she seriously couldn't stop for anything it's either she puts him through pain or he continues to deal with the pain along with a possible kunai in the face. Her mind raced for a better way to do this but, no obvious conclusions.
"Hnn, joiks." Berii grumbles but, she knew how to deal with them. The majority of them were weak. "Etsu." Berii mutters and then calls out to Etsu, "Bug Scween!" With that she forms a few quick seals, stopping for a second a shadow clone is formed. A Shadow Clone that forms a normal clone of Eremi. The clone then heads off with the fake Eremi, not being all too subtle with its movements, aiming to catch the attention of their persuers. It'd work… for now…
The key was now finding a place to lay low as Berii glances down to the now unconscious Eremi. "Ugh…"
As Etsu was busying herself with hurting the genin that were pursuing them, she was shaken up with the shout that rose into the air. It was enough to scare birds away from here…if there were any, but instead it was met with the silence of the swamp save for the sloshing of scavengers chasing after them within the waters.
Just hearing it made her blood boil in anger at these wanting ninja, enough to, for a moment, want to kill them. Berii's request shook her out of that mindset, though and complying, she created a massive screen of insects to cover their tracks enabling them to fade from sight from all their attackers. With this number, they'd be able to feed to their little heart's delight while they escaped to find a place to recover in peace.
