Starring:
Yoichi (as Hatsu), Rockpath (emitter), Michiko, Arashi, Itami, Hiei, Akane, Kiji, Naoya, Meruin
Date: September 17, 2016
Summary:
The Villages have gathered together. Their strongest warriors have united. All to take out those that headed the organization known as the Storm Brigade.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The Storm Brigade - On to Peaceful Weather"
Ocean - Storm Brigade Base
The Storm Brigade's base is being assaulted by four of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Konohagakure have all worked together to get to the point where they could strike the heart of the Brigade. Using Yondaime Mizukage Okumo Meruin, Kumogakure Head Diplomat Yotsuki Narko, and Tokubetsu Jounin Hizumu Arashi, the Villages used a specialized tracker to find the location of the Storm Brigade's hideout. Multiple ships and water users were gathered so that they could eventually make their way into the base that happened to be five miles underwater.
The team of Kumogakure consisted of Yamayuki Nozomi, Shinatobe Hanami, Hebisuuhai Sakuya, and Maneshi Raion. The group, led by Jounin Kasuya, were able to recover first Hizumu Arashi, then Iwata Michiko from captivity. Of that group, only Kasuya, Arashi, and Michiko were able to continue onwards to face the Brigade's ultimate test. The others, via a Brigade turn-coat, were able to make their way to an escape hatch. Along the way, they had rescued Nariko just before retreating for medical treatment.
Kirigakure's forces consisted of Wandering Medic Nikumari Mushi, Jounin Okumo Naoya, Jounin Fujikujo-Doihara Akane, and Shimizu Ren and Shirayuki Mizumi. The Kirigakure Team discovered Kyuketsuki, sending him back to their troops alongside the badly-injured genin so that the three could be watched carefully, for various reasons. Kyuketsuki was able to show the Kiri-nin where to find Meruin, and so now the group consists of Okumo Kiji, Okumo Meruin, Okumo Naoya, and Fujikujo-Doihara Akane.
Sunagakure and Kumogakure had joined forces further. Originally made up of Rankoro Hango, Umihe Okochi, Yamayuki Yume, Inuzuka Takeo, Ikitara Arika, Yotsuki Hiei, and Watanabe Itami, the group fought hard and were able to make their way to the base. They were the ones to originally find Okumo Kiji within the Brigade's hideout, though when all but Hiei and Itami retreated, Kiji was left behind (per request).
Aside from the Hidden Leaf forces, all the pieces of the puzzle have finally come together. Technically. Following along various tunnels and using senses from brood, chakra-sensing, and simple visual cues, each of the respective groups would eventually come across the 'end' of the compound. Their tunnels all led to a very large room that was probably used when Hatsu or the other leaders needed to announce something. Alternatively, it could be used to train. It was large enough to fit a good number of the Brigade's members, and it … somehow made for a very perfect, albeit underwater, battlefield with its surprisingly-high ceiling and wide 'open' space. Well, it /is/ a training grounds/announcement center. So that makes sense. Yep.
And a battleground is exactly what this place is preparing to be. Despite the group having gone through a number of Storm Brigade Members already, there is no lack of them in this place. Perhaps they were saving the best for last, or maybe by some luck the various groups had managed to at least vanquish some of the stronger members. Only time will tell what they're going to run into, but at least there's not a lot of time left.
There is a sea of men in this area ready to fight, and at the lead in their center is one coordinating, none other than Taki, Hatsu's right hand man after Kano fell. Conspicuous by her absence, however, is Hatsu herself. Surely she didn't run, else these men might not still be ready to die for her cause, which means she must be either hidden or in another part of the base enacting some sort of plan.
Michiko wasn't relying on her earthen senses so much. It was not because she couldn't use chakra anymore, though. Her shackles were off, and her hitai-ate was back in its place around her neck, though she was probably wearing new clothes that the Storm Brigade provided. Nothing like the fancy black cloak that they have, of course. She never joined their ranks. But she needed to have something clean to live in, hence her new clothes. She'll probably switch back as soon as she gets home -_-;
The girl was guiding Arashi towards the end of the tunnels. Every now and then, she'd send out a small pulse of chakra through the tunnels to check on their location in relation to the humongous group that was up ahead, but it was very infrequent. She wasn't used to the sensation of the earth constantly with her anymore after two months of being without chakra. Michiko had sort of sent Kasuya backwards a bit because the genjutsuist was obviously tired, even if largely uninjured. Arashi remained a bit closer to her, hopefully. "Up here…" she says simply, stepping out of their tunnel to see the forces the Brigade assembled. A brow would raise slightly, and she would scan the faces silently. "Sou…" is all she would say afterwards, keeping back and gathering her chakra. Enough that she could summon a white fox that hops upon her shoulders and curls up like a scarf.
COMBAT: Michiko focuses 7269 stamina to turn it into 10000 usable chakra!
RP: Michiko uses IMPERFECT-SAGE-MODE.
Arashi was actually not that bad off. The one real fight he had so far was basically ended before it got too bad. And with Michiko there it meant healing would happen okay enough. He could tell Kasuya was tired though. FIghting all the way to him and then helping him with the last fight. So he knew that it made sense for her to be sent back. Anyways at least Michiko was still here…. "Alright Michiko." He walked along behind her before simply frowning. "Well doesn't that just look swell… I wonder if you are able to just.. Hold all of them in place? Let me blast them a bit with storm chakra?" He suggested as he made sure to be ready for this.
COMBAT: Arashi focuses 6980 stamina to turn it into 9000 usable chakra!
RP: Arashi transforms into THUNDER-GOD-NOTUS.
Walking in along with Itami, Hiei is still clad in his battle armor, and aside from a few minor scrapes and bruises, seems to be mostly unhurt. His chakra continues to rise as he walks, while he holds one of his swords in his right hand. He doesn't talk much…but he does keep his senses open for anything that might hinder them from moving forwards towards their intended destination. He was filled with blood lust, his blue eyes almost glowing from the chakra he's gathered. He couldn't wait..this was going to be so much fun.
COMBAT: Hiei focuses 5595 stamina to turn it into 8000 usable chakra!
RP: Hiei transforms into LIGHTNING-RELEASE-ARMOR.
"Glad to be here," Itami remarked sarcastically about their arrival to the open space, but now that she's partly recovered, she's hoping that this will be their final battle. She didn't waste any time in taking form, ready to do some damage to this place, maybe even return much of it that was done to her village. She wanted to return back home after this with the hope of reporting that the Brigade would be no more and given how members were gathering already, it was going to be one hectic fight.
RP: Itami transforms into DRAGON'S-MIGHT.
COMBAT: Itami focuses 3856 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
Akane had taken point, Kiji toward the center and back of the group. But when she came upon the large gathering of storm brigade members the crimson haired shinobi pulled her mask down over her face, scowling behind it's white surface. How cute. Ah well. She gathered her chakra around her and peered at the men. "It's time you allowed us to deal with our 'friend'. Kiba is no coward. But if you men insist.. I wll simply roast you all alive."
COMBAT: Akane focuses 9804 stamina to turn it into 12000 usable chakra!
RP: Akane transforms into SHARINGAN-III.
Sneaking into the lead was the younger of the two Jounin Okumo from Kirigakure. Shifting his dark golden eyes, light head movements cause troupes of spiders to splinter in different directions.. the prisoners had been collected, he was on the hunt for the kidnapper. "The blades shall be returned.. the head will be piked.. Deserters are not forgotten, traitors are never forgiven.." is softly said, seemingly to himself, justifying the blood that drips down his chin and that is splashed across his tattering uniform.
The few that might know the Okumo by sight wouldn't largely recognize him as each section of skin was covered over with a earthen brown layering of chitin plating acting as body armor. "Akane-sensei.. They will all be killed. Each took part in raising a hand against us, against the village.." Using a forth hand to grasp at the hilt behind his hips, Naoya draws forth a slightly curved blade, reinforcing the grip with his sixth hand. Tensing his third and fifth hand, something was starting to take shape, bolt like shapes though it was only a pair as his initial pair of arms rest folded across his chest. "Please give me permission to act.."
RP: Naoya transforms into CHITIN-SPIDER-LIMBS.
COMBAT: Naoya focuses 4753 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
Following along behind Naoya and Akane, Kiji seems anxious, to say the least. She knew this was coming from the moment her sensei turns his… her back on Kirigakure and the shinobi world, but it doesn't make it any easier knowing that the time has come and either one of the people dearest to her or a multitude of them will die here. Her eyes reflect her emotions in a misty grey color with flecks of purple scattering along. Really she almost seems zoned out in thought until Akane and Naoya begin to speak. Her eyes dart between them several times before she seems to get herself ready for battle, chakra spiking as blood begins to swirl around her in preparation.
Has Kiji been learning new jutsu while she was here? The blood grows enormous like some sort of Blood Titan to strike down upon the Storm Brigade… except, as it strikes, it strikes a foot down directly at Akane and Naoya in an attempt to squash them.
RP: Hatsu transforms into PERFECT-HYDRIFICATION.
COMBAT: Hatsu focuses 8866 stamina to turn it into 12000 usable chakra!
COMBAT: Taki focuses 6730 stamina to turn it into 10000 usable chakra!
As Kiji tries to squash people with an enormous blood Titan, the Brigade members seem to find that this is the perfect opportunity to strike outwards at the group. Many of the members have already focused their chakra, and now it was just a matter of unleashing it. Some of the members gathered lightning, hurling it in the direction of Arashi and Michiko. Others would use wind to slice and dice the incoming shinobi, said wind in particular getting aimed at both Hiei and Itami. Naoya and Akane were spared the initial wrath, but only because they figure a giant foot would knock the two Jounin away.
COMBAT: Michiko defends against LIGHTNING-ARC attack from Rockpath with a WIND-DASH…
COMBAT: Michiko defends against LIGHTNING-ARC attack from Rockpath with a WIND-DASH…
RP: Michiko transforms into IMPERFECT-SAGE-MODE-HUNTER-FOX.
Michiko watches as the Brigade members aim electricity at her, and she quickly zips away, wind aiding her step. The girl notices a dragon out of the corner of her eye, as well as a familiar face: Hiei. "Heh… It seems as though everyone is here…" she comments idly, even as the chakra she was gathering finally is built up. The natural energy has caused the girl to transform, dark-furred ears and a tail suddenly sprouting into existence. The Head Ninja doesn't notice who's attacking from the tunnels opposite her, meaning the Kiri-Nin, but she was primarily focused on the massive force that was up ahead. "I like that idea, Arashi-san," she would offer. "I'll see what I can do." A few handseals, and Michiko would send a stream of mud out at the Brigade from the very ground below them. This mud served as a bit like glue, holding the enemy to the floor where they stood.
COMBAT: Arashi defends against LIGHTNING-ARC attack from Rockpath with a SPARK-SHIFT…
COMBAT: Arashi loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Arashi defends against LIGHTNING-ARC attack from Rockpath with a WATER-CLONE…
Arashi noticed the other groups joining, but it seemed one was… Surrounded? They got attacked from behind it looked like. That distracted him enough for the first arc of lightning to singe his shoulder before he was able to avoid the rest. A water clone took the hit but quickly faded. He looked at everyone else including a Sage Mode Michiko which caused him to blink a tiny bit. This was at the very least the first time he got a close look at it. Weird with there being a… seemingly living tail there. "Well.. Seems you have begun. So I will follow." He formed handseals and would aim at every one that Michiko attacked. These would be beams of storm chakra. Pretty direct so easy enough to avoid if not for Michiko's attack.
COMBAT: Hiei defends against WIND-SLICE attack from Rockpath with a LIGHTNING-NEGATION…
COMBAT: Hiei defends against WIND-SLICE attack from Rockpath with a LIGHTNING-NEGATION…
As Hiei arrives with Itami, he only takes a moment to look over the scene. The Kiri shinobi were already doing their thing, and then he spots Arashi and Michiko. Giving them a slight nod in answer to Michiko's comment, he continues to walk towards the group of Brigade members, even as the wind attacks come for him. He lifts his hand as a field of lightning surrounds his body, deflecting the wind attacks to the side. The Raikage is eerily silent as he keeps walking slowly. His aura flares out briefly before he takes his next step and simply vanishes. The next time he can be seen, he's standing on the other side of the room, having attacked several of the men during his hyper speed movement. Of course, they may not realize it until he sheathes his sword that they've even been attacked.
COMBAT: Itami defends against WIND-SLICE attack from Rockpath with a TOUGHENED-SCALES…
COMBAT: Itami defends against WIND-SLICE attack from Rockpath with a TOUGHENED-SCALES…
Itami followed up after Hiei as she flew off and dove right in to attack with every claw available to slice through the enemy combatants. Still, she's bothered that they haven't been met with the big bad at the moment. They faced one of the officers prior and yet, that one isn't around here or at the very least, she hasn't seen him here. It's natural for the forces to be gathered, but the head of the snake is nowhere to be found. She has her suspicions, but she didn't know where to place them yet.
As she swings back around, looking over the gathered forces, she scans the battlefield and makes note of the who's who around here. "Why is…" Her voice trailed off as she placed further consideration on those in the field. Did someone heal Kiji in some form?
COMBAT: Naoya successfully interrupts attack number 7: HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN from Hatsu against Akane.
Akane raised an eyebrow at Naoya and made a motion with her hand, essentially giving him permission to kill — and eat — whoever he wanted. She had turned her head and noted Kiji's .. interesting jutsu… It only spared her a split second though. And then she slid backwards as she saw a blur of movement. A web and chitin crossing her vision as 'Kiji' attacked them. Akane glowered, though her face was hidden by her mask. "KIBA!" Her hands were moving through a long series of handsigns as she watched Naoya attempt to defend them. The moment there was an opening, though, she stepped back up and brought her fingers to the lips of that mask and exhaled a torrent of flame, not just at the water that wasy Hatsu, but also the men behind her, possibly heating the room enough to make it hot and steamy and uncomfortable.. especially for anyone in the brigade that was wearing more than cotton or silk.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN attack from Hatsu with a SILKEN-ENCROACHMENT…
COMBAT: Naoya defends against HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN attack from Hatsu with a SILKEN-ENCROACHMENT…
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains damage.
Spinning rapidly, Naoya manages one and a half rotations, leaving him staring at Kiji. The motion causes plated sections of his forearms to chink free as webbing begins to cloak around himself and around Akane. The barrier of chitin and webbing intercepts the stomp, attempting to force it, not only away but backwards, to topple it over. The tactic was only partially successful, the left section of the webbed barrier yields and strikes him directly in the chest, causing Naoya to be hurled backwards and a fair distance down the hall, stopping on his knees. Lowering his arms to the ground, ivory cords quickly wrap around his arms once again before constricting and hardening, the lost chitin being replaced quickly.
"You.. He is a traitor.. Cast you aside just like 'Him'. Are you still seeing the past?" Shifting his weight slightly, a empty arm motions backwards towards the conflict growing ahead while slowly approaching Kiji*. "This isn't the time. If I need to bind you, I will. If I need to cut off all your limbs for it to sink in, I will. If I.." For an instant Naoya disappears, appearing again directly behind Kiji to avoid being incinerated himself by Akane. The two hands that were holding his sword, thrust forward as his movements come to a pause, trying to burry the blade into her stomach. "..Need to drain every drop of chakra from you, I will. He will die.. You will not forget yourself.. your place.."
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET attack from Akane with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against CORROSIVE-ONSLAUGHT attack from Akane with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
The Blood Titan seems to be unaffected by the flames, though Naoya seems to have better luck. His sword pierces through the disguise, sending blood flying as the masses of blood turn into clear water that splatters around the ground and causes 'Kiji' to turn back into her real form… Hatsu. It would seem the real Okumo Kiji is somewhere else within the tunnels and has yet to be discovered.
The leader of the Storm Brigade, though being wounded and taking a knee to recover from the poison coursing through her veins, doesn't make any sounds that indicate being hurt. In fact only a smirk rests on her face as she stares down her former comrades with her current ones defend their cause.
Just when it looks like Naoya and Akane might get a break due to Hatsu being wounded, one of the robed figures rears its head out of the group and points its hands at them. Bolts of lightning fire off at them in powerful fashion, intending to obliterate them before they can try to obliterate Hatsu.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against EARTH-FLOW-RIVER attack from Michiko with a SPARK-SHIFT…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against EARTH-FLOW-RIVER attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-BEAM attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-BEAM attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Hiei with a WATER-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Hiei with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Itami with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET attack from Akane with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET attack from Akane with a WATER-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET attack from Akane with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET attack from Akane with a WATER-WALL…
The members of the Brigade that sent the initial wave of attacks were met with both success and failure, though it was largely failure. This didn't do anything to dishearten the group, of course. They were loyal to their cause, perhaps to a fault, and they simply continued to gather more chakra.
Michiko and Arashi's combination of earth and lasers swept up a good number of the Brigade at first. First, they got trapped by mud. Some of them tried to move out of the way of the mud, but many ended up getting caught in the 'sticky' earth. Now stuck in place, they were forced to endure the pain from Arashi's laser beams from his storm chakra. The damage itself was small on the outside. On the inside, though, it felt like they were being cooked or something. Unpleasant, to say the least.
Hiei and Itami, both of them using 'something sharp' to strike out at the Brigade, had brought their own troubles, naturally. With them both being Kage, it was no wonder that they wreaked havoc upon some of the Brigade's forces. Both were able to cut down a fair number of Brigade members. Some of them had this small cut on their neck that ended up with their heads rolling. Others just looked like a bloody mess thanks to Itami. A really nasty bloody mess -_-; And yet some had managed to escape the worst of the damage, only coming out with light scrapes that would heal easily should they survive the battle.
Akane's flames were noted, and then they were promptly defended against. The heat hit a wall of water that was formed by the combined efforts of several Brigade members, allowing for them to absorb much of the heat and flames that might have taken down more than they'd like. Some of the members were burned badly, but they were largely the ones closest to Akane. They already have two Kage to deal with on top of Kumo's duo. A Kiri Jounin would be a huge inconvenience to fight off on top of that.
Each of the combatants here would experience a huge tidal wave in addition to whatever other attacks were coming at them, hopefully washing them away down the tunnels.
COMBAT: Michiko defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a EARTH-DOME…
COMBAT: Michiko defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a EARTH-BARRIER…
Michiko would make a handseal as she sees the water rushing forward, and a half-dome would take the worst of the water, protecting her primarily. That dome would expand if it was needed, but she only needed to strengthen the side closest to watery assault to prevent the wall from collapsing completely. "Che… Annoying…" she mutters quietly. "Arashi-san, are you holding up alright? Perhaps we should do something a bit more impressive…" As the barrier lowers, her eyes track the group of … groupies … And they seek out the one who had unleashed the powerful lightning. "… Maybe target him…" she suggest lightly, making a few handseals that would create binds of metal that tried to capture members of the Brigade.
COMBAT: Arashi defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a STORM-ORBS…
COMBAT: Arashi defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a STORM-ORBS…
RP: Arashi transforms into THUNDER-GOD-NOTUS.
Arashi formed his orbs pretty quickly. They blocked the water completely. Basically grew a bit in size to block it all as it made like a wall of it. In fact that is a good idea for a new skill one day. "I don't have too much of impressive things. Sorry to tell you. I was working on the practical first." He frowned a bit before looking onwards. "Hmm. I see. Well I can use a lot of water clones. Each of the clones can use water to fight as well." He frowned. "Lets just hope I stay up long enough to use it. So far so good at least." He started forming handseals. As he did this the orbs used earlier would sorta reform with his use of chakra shaping. More was shot out as well, but he decided that a light show had to happen. He fired everything he could off into the distance and would aim at as many people as he could. Including the right hand of Hatsu.
COMBAT: Itami defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a HARDENED-SCALES…
COMBAT: Itami defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a HARDENED-SCALES…
"So it wasn't her," Itami stated to herself in regards to the false Kiji. So, they were being trailed by one of the leaders this whole time? She should have been more vigilant, but now is not the time to beat herself up over mistakes, though this one could have proven to be fatal. She raised her arm to guard from the lightning flash that streaked across and struck nearby Akane and Naoya and dedicated the remainder of her flight to taking a landing nearby. Speaking of fatal, they could have been in some seriously hot water being attacked on both sides like that. No sooner than she landed, she summoned up a dome of glass in an effort to trap Taki and keep from any further attacks. "Are you both alright over here?"
COMBAT: Akane defends against LIGHTNING-CRASH attack from Taki with a BLAST-OFF…
COMBAT: Akane defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Akane defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
Akane watched as Naoya spoke to 'Kiji' insisting he would remind her of her place even if he had to cut off her limbs to do so. And then Kiji turned into Hatsu as Naoya stabbed her.. Interesting.. Akane turned toward Hatsu then as she took a knee. Taki's intervention at that point was a given, so Akane was ready when he threw lightning.. She countered with fire, using the shift in air pressure to move herto the side even as the water attacks were being dealt with by lightning clones. But the real Akane was standing with Hatsu between her and Taki with the idiot goons behind that. She sighed softly then lifted two fingers to her mask, a tiny tiny fireball popping out as though she'd screwed up the jutsu.. until it wasn't. A burst of flame engulfing anyone nearby as well as Taki and Hatsu….
COMBAT: Naoya defends against LIGHTNING-CRASH attack from Taki with a ETERNAL-NIGHTMARE…
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a BREVITY…
COMBAT: Naoya defends against VIOLENT-WATER-WAVE attack from Rockpath with a BREVITY…
COMBAT: Naoya heals Naoya with AUGMENTING THE HOST.
Furling his brow as Kiji's figure ripples while his blade was still burried within her, soon taking the shape of Hatsu. Drawing his blade out quickly, Naoya shifts his grip, preparing to bite down onto the intoxicated woman before him only for a bolt of lightning to strike close by and catch him off guard and slam into his side, leaving his muscles spasming. The after effects of the surges doesn't slow his foot work, allowing him to jump from the flooring and onto the walls before hanging from the ceiling, completely dry. Plates of chitin are discarded, exposing scorch marks on his skin though these wounds were quickly being covered with arachnid activity, weaving new sections of silk as they inspect the internal damages suffered by the host's body. "Akane-sensei.. How many do you see still alive? I need a proper number quickly!"
Blood and bone and bellowed pain — the cacophony of war.
The sounds, sight, scents — the sensations washed over Meruin like a warm bath. As dangerous as these things were, they brought a true comfort to his being for these things were home. Combat and the facing of the enemy brought his heart rate -down- rather than up.
And so it was that he was calm in the confusion, serene in the savagery, misted eyes taking in all that occurred around him. He was not here, unprepared, body sheathed in darkness and his gaze stemming from 8 eyes, his mind girded in perceptive enhancements. He was a shadow, slipping through the battlefield unnoticed and attempting to remain so as he took this time to find the single greatest point of influence on this clash.
RP: Meruin transforms into A-SILENT-NIGHTMARE.
COMBAT: Meruin focuses 7690 stamina to turn it into 9000 usable chakra!
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Hatsu loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Hatsu ESCAPES Naoya's stun.
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a HYDRO-SENSE-II…
COMBAT: Taki defends against METAL-BINDING attack from Michiko with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki defends against FLASH-CHAMBER attack from Itami with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a CHAKRA-SENSING-TECHNIQUE…
Smirk and all, Hatsu hasn't much chance of getting away from the incoming flames from Akane. The Hozuki woman is blasted back into the wall and falls onto the ground. This, however, fuels her to push through the pain as she begins to use the moisture in their surroundings to try and sense out who all they are dealing with here. She lets out a growl and stands, reaching back to grab her swords and whipping them back to create enormous whips of lightning that spread out to try and scorch and bind all the targets on hand for her, Akane, Naoya, Itami… and a certain spider who thought he was hiding well enough from her.
Though Taki isn't aware of Meruin's presence, he is aware of everything else coming his way. He brings his hands into a seal, causing water from sources in the room to form into a wall in front of him and the attacks from hitting him. He SHOULD help Hatsu, but this guy's not the brightest of underlings… or maybe he wants these folks to hurt her for him since she beat him up for capturing Meruin, as he focuses on Itami and sends a wave of lightning at her to try and zap the dragon down.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against BRANCHING-METAL-BINDS attack from Michiko with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against BRANCHING-METAL-BINDS attack from Michiko with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against BRANCHING-METAL-BINDS attack from Michiko with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against INTELLIGENT-HARD-WORK attack from Akane with a MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a PERCEPTION-III…
The goons that were present remained unaware of the shadowy figure passing through and along the darker corridors of the Brigade's base. They scattered as attacks came at them left and right. Many used simple elemental clones, allowing for those clones to be captured by metal. Others were truly entrapped by the binds, being forced to keep still so they could be thoroughly zapped by Arashi. And others didn't even have that excuse, as they were struck anyway.
Akane's flames, while they hit a few once more, would largely sizzle out upon contacting the water clones that were formed by a majority of the Brigade members. And then the clones disappeared, revealing that there were really less people than one might have thought. The group of shinobi were able to cut down the Brigade's members to around half the original displayed strength.
COMBAT: Michiko defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a MASTERED-EARTHEN-SENSE…
Those that were trapped by Michiko, or at least the ones that were alive, would find that they were stabbed through and drained of their chakra. Michiko was not willing to take any chances here, and it would help lessen the battlefield while also providing her with some energy. Thankfully, they weren't too much of an issue. Quite easy to kill once you trapped them down. She did happen to notice Meruin, but it was on the fringes of her mind, and she could tell, judging by how he moved, that it was an ally. … Hopefully.
COMBAT: Arashi defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a PERCEPTION…
Arashi looked at the ones she had trapped and considering everything he decided to just help finish off the ones Michiko attacked. Might as well right? Anyways he did so by forming a whole bunch of clones. Water ones to be exact since he could easily hit everyone otherwise. "Michiko. What do we do once we finish these bunches of guys?" He asked before looking back at the others. "What do we do with them? Help them or continue forward to this other guy?"
COMBAT: Itami defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a DRAGON-SCALES…
COMBAT: Itami defends against TAILS-OF-RAIJU attack from Hatsu with a DRAGON-ARMOR…
COMBAT: Itami loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Itami defends against LIGHTNING-CRASH attack from Taki with a DRAGON-SCALES…
COMBAT: Itami loses the roll and sustains damage.
And the shadow goes unseen. Maybe that's for the best, but on the other hand, there are all these jutsu happening and honestly, Itami is feeling kinda attacked right now. She usually lets her scales do the work, but this time, the jutsu was just too overwhelming and so she took the blows. Lightning running its course through her system is never comfortable and it's incredibly exhausting, but this here is more exhausting than usual. She kneeled to the ground and suffered further damage from the follow up attack that caused her to collapse for the moment. She wouldn't be moving anytime soon, it seems and though she wants to fly into a blind rage, she wouldn't have enough focus to land the attacks where they need to matter. For now, she'll just have to bide her time and wait.
RP: Itami reverts to their normal state.
COMBAT: Akane defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a SHARINGAN-PERCEPTION…
COMBAT: Akane defends against TAILS-OF-RAIJU attack from Hatsu with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Akane loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against EPHEMERAL-STEALTH attack from Meruin with a PERCEPTION…
COMBAT: Naoya counters against a TAILS-OF-RAIJU attack from Hatsu with a HUNGERING-WEB…
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains damage.
Leveled assault after leveled electrical assault, smoke and steam rises in steady stream though the tole was becoming more visible under the torrent this time. Managing to hold his position for a time, Naoya hurls darts held in two hands forwards towards the revealed Hatsu, making the start of an ensnaring web around the traitorous woman. Underestimating the erratic rate of the strike he attempted to intercept and absorb he would earn more suffering for his time, luckily he doesn't loose his footing on the ceiling but that is largely all he could manage. Shifting very slowly, Naoya began to move a hand over his mouth while a second and third arm across along his chest as he tries to calm his muscles before they cause more damage even after the charge left his body.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against TAILS-OF-RAIJU attack from Hatsu with a ETERNAL-NIGHTMARE…
The muted colors of high speed suddenly brightened, confirming the hints Hatsu gave off that she had become aware of his presence. Lightning flew in towards him with the speed of thought, and a half orb of chitin rose from his back at the speed of his training, connecting and deflecting as he simply flickered away. But the others targetted by the attack were not so fortunate: Itami, Akane /and/ Naoya each went down.
The point of greatest influence then became clear to him. Already having been located by his prime target and with so many of his important allies in a vulnerable position, his resources were better spent on aiding his team than killing his foe at this moment. So he did just that, appearing next to Naoya with lashing hands. They reached out, applying striking force to internal glands in a painful but ultimately harmless way, providing a shock to the system that should give him the edge to recapture his self control before more damage could be wrought. A moment later, he appeared moving past Akane, hands once more applying themselves. And then he was at Itami's side, open palm lashing against the side of her head near her ear in a resounding open palmed slap against the scales. Again, a tad painful and definitely startling but damageless, meant only to give them footing upon which they can gather themselves more quickly.
"This is no time to be still, comrades," he told them.
Seeing Meruin coming out of the shadows was not unexpected, but seeing him come out and smack people to their senses rather than attacking is. Hatsu lifts an eyebrow, and suddenly her form grows enormous once again, this time retaining her image rather than taking on one like Kiji's as she strikes down upon them in a flurry upon Itami, Meruin, Naoya, and Akane.
Taki, meanwhile, points his hands directly at Meruin, who has made himself the target rather than Itami. Streams of lightning fly from his hands, trying to zap him down and drain his energy in return for his interference in the strike.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
The goons that were remaining were nervous at this point. Three fourths of their number were down after the prolonged fighting. However, they would all rather die for their cause, and seeing their two leaders manage to hold down most of the bigger targets (namely a dragon and the kinda creepy spiders), so they would gather chakra to try and add their attacks to the mix. A wind begins to pick up, washing over every enemy and seeking to slice and dice people. It was a rather far-ranging attack that was hardly accurate, but the cuts it made were vicious.
COMBAT: Michiko defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a EFFICIENT-METAL-BARRIER…
COMBAT: Michiko defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a EFFICIENT-METAL-BARRIER…
Michiko would respond to the slicing wind with a very thin shield of metal that was sufficient enough to ward away the blows from the Storm Brigade goons. She no longer felt like keeping a low profile, so to speak, and she makes a single handseal. Chakra gathers, and then hands of earth suddenly shoot out from the ground. They swerve around, catching a number of the Brigade goons (hopefully) and dragging the victims into a stone coffin that was rather demonic in terms of aesthetics. One of the hands even reached out to grab Taki! …
COMBAT: Arashi defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a WATER-CLONE…
COMBAT: Arashi defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a WATER-CLONE…
Arashi watched the wind coming and he simply produced clones about. Two of said clones took the hits and went down but more were still standing about. "Hmmm." He paused and looked at the ones that Michiko were attacking. Seemed like they could finish the job here if they just attacked and hit all of them. He would help make sure they were finished before going to see about the others. That meant simple laser beams shot outwards at each enemy Michiko attacked including Taki.
COMBAT: Itami defends against HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN attack from Hatsu with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Itami loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Itami focuses chakra!
RP: Itami transforms into DRAGON'S-MIGHT.
That could have gone better, but things haven't exactly been peachy enough for that to take place. Itami was trying to nurse herself back to a better standing with her own willpower, but it wasn't quite working at the moment and it'd only be reinforced by the water giant that soon came down upon her with unforgiving force. She survived the attack, thankfully, but really, survival doesn't seem like much to congratulate herself over right now. Yet, if she's still alive, it means she's still got fight in her.
She raises herself up from the ground and coughs up whatever blood and water gathered in her lungs. She needed those to breathe right now. Breathe deeply, fight through the stitches of pain…everywhere and get back into the fight. "Alright, I'm up," she joked and chuckled. With her attention back and energy focused, she lashed out her tail straight for Hatsu in an attempt to grab up and hold in place.
COMBAT: Akane defends against HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN attack from Hatsu with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Akane loses the roll and sustains damage.
Akane lifted her arms, crossed before her head as Hatsu slammed her with that leviathan form… How the sunshine did she use that in HERE to start with?! Magic caverns.. Of course that meant she could gather herself… Gather a storm.
Meanwhile as the leviathan's arm reached to take Naoya down with Akane…. The sound of rushing water slamming against a hard shell sounded and Naoya felt something warm wrap around his shoulders and chest from behind. A glimpse of crimson wings and the formation of a shell around him would next be noted. And then the sound changed, it was ore of a splashing than a roaring… Pale arms held tightly and a small chest pressed from behind.. And for the first time n Naoya's life (and the first time n literally years for Meruin) they heard Kiji make a small sound of pain… Seconds before she slipped away fro Naoya to the ground, the water had peeled the flesh back allacross her back where it had struck her she bled, and that blood actually fell to the ground. Unless there was an intervention she would simply crumple to the stone floor.
Hatsu would note that though she had lost a lot of control when she fell she clenched a fist… and some of Hatsu's water was captured in a blood vial. Kiji held it and slipped it away silently, eyes black and ice blue where she lay, blood seeping from the corner of one eye….
Meanwhile, Akane moved back again, putting herself behind as many people as possible. Blood dripped from her side.The corset and flesh peeled away much like Kiji's only rather than the back, the wounds were exposing ribs, a few plainly broken, and her forearms showed damage as well. Blood dripped from both sides of her lips, now exposed by a break in her mask, though only from the nose down. She spoke up to Meruin and Itami and Naoya if they could hear her. "I need cover.. Give me 2 minutes to gather a storm." And that was what she began doing. If Hatsu had used that leviathan form, she could use the moisture in the air to form a cloud. And add chakra to it….
RP: Akane uses A-RANK-CHARGE.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against WIND-CUTTER attack from Rockpath with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains damage.
From the waves of spasming muscles attempting to rip themselves apart to the Mizukage attempting to flood my mind with pain, Naoya tightens his true hands until blood drips from his talons piercing his own armor. It wouldn't be enough to gain mobility through his limbs and began to resign to endure additional crushing blows though that wouldn't come.. instead he finds himself in the air, this time by the second 'Kiji' though he wasn't able to move to stab this one. A moment later he was on his hands and knees, almost falling onto his side.
Fortune wouldn't favor him as what brief time he had to glance at the mangled body before him was cut short while the air itself cut into him. Large sections of the chitin plating break off, destroyed as deeper lacerations begin to litter his figure, causing his blood to begin pooling around himself. "..Increase.. dosage.." are the only pained words he could manage but they were acted upon. Looking upwards and finally starting to move again, Naoya moves more rigidly and his eyes were starting to show signs of the self medication, constricting while blood vessels were beginning to burst. "..Increase ..dosage.." is repeated.
COMBAT: Naoya heals Naoya with AUGMENTING THE HOST.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against HOZUKI-LEVIATHAN attack from Hatsu with a NIGHTMARE'S-AEGIS…
RP: Meruin transforms into THE-DEFILER-OF-THE-FLESH.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against LIGHTNING-CRASH attack from Taki with a INVULNERABILITY…
Oh so much carnage flooding the room, pain and death on both sides, but currently more costly towards those he considered allies at this time. The Hozuki's tidal titan made its rage known, lashing out at the group with massive strikes, tearing into bodies and stone alike.
The Yondaime Mizukage raised a chitin-plated arm, deflecting a fist that wasn't aimed directly at him. A raised arm slice off the translucent finger of yet another, and crossed arms sent him skidding backwards but still unharmed by the resounding blow, hair still whipping.
A quick, automatic battlefield glance saw that none of his comrades fared as well as he. Itami. Akane. Kiji. Naoya, protected as he was, and partly in vain as another danger replaced the one defended against before he'd had time to recover his wits.
He would need to take a greater share of this battle into his own hands.
So he made sure those hands were powerful. He looked to Taki as the man unleashed a torrent of lightning in his direction, the black space of his skin turning into white space — unending ivory. A second pair of arms burst from the man's side, clenching in returned vigor as the electrifying energy enveloped him. In the midst of the light, his eyes shifted into a V on his face and he bared his disdain with a small curl of the lips.
"Remember, Taki. You were -allowed- to capture me."
And then he vanished — and he returned. Multiple times, ignoring the lesserlings in favor of focusing on Taki and, of course, Hatsu. The man appeared to simply harass the pair: He was a blip in reality, a figure flickering in and out of existence around them, mouth contorted in a snarl.
His intent was not harm through intimidation but harm through poison. A clear gas propelled itself to the two who'd drawn his ire as targets, meant to seep through Taki's skin and suffuse through Hatsu's waters. The poison was predator to the flesh, corroding the skin to bring necrotic wounds to bloom. And once in the bloodstream, it soon reaches the lungs, causing the victim to bleed into them. Left unchecked, men drown within their own bodies. But in a battle such as this, all one needs is the time spent wracked with heaving coughs to capitlize for a decicive death.
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against TAIL-LOCK attack from Itami with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against A-REASON-TO-PRAY attack from Meruin with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu focuses chakra!
COMBAT: Taki defends against DEMON-GRAVES attack from Michiko with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Taki defends against A-REASON-TO-PRAY attack from Meruin with a WATER-ENCAMPMENT-WALL…
COMBAT: Taki loses the roll and sustains damage.
SPLASH! Attacking the Hozuki Leviathan never really works out for anyone. People never realize that the Leviathan is in fact a giant clone that Hatsu grows around herself and wind up attacking parts where Hatsu is not and her reformative abilities are even tougher to deal with. As the giant clone of water flows outward as a wave, Hatsu herself uses it as cover as she moves backwards and begins to gather chakra so she can continue the fight as she has been.
Taki has luck just as good as hers!… for a minute. He brings his hands into a seal and brings up a wall of water that blocks Michiko's attack from grabbing him. "That's exactly what Hatsu said," he says to Meruin, grumbling a bit as he tries to keep the wall stable. However, Arashi's lasers blast through and collide with him just before Meruin's attack strikes and causes him to fall to the ground and growl out in pain as gruesome wounds begin to surface on his skin.
"… And I was correct. Your mistake is what brought this down upon us," Hatsu's voice rings out through the chaos, sounding rather annoyed. She knew her forces were going to opened up to decimation the moment Meruin was captured… and she was right and now they are fighting for their existence.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against DEMON-GRAVES attack from Michiko with a MULTIPLE-LIGHTNING-CLONES…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against DEMON-GRAVES attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
The Storm Brigade's forces were restrained by Michiko and Meruin, apparently. Michiko was able to take down the goons, and Meruin was able to take out Taki … For an instant. That instant is all that Michiko really needed, though, for her to make a few handseals. Then metal would seem to be cast along the ground, eventually emerging from behind and below Taki. It would, hopefully, kill the man. And even if he did not die, he would find himself in a great deal of pain once her own personal poison hit his system. It was one specifically designed to hurt, after all.
Michiko had also taken the opportunity to attack Hatsu, the girl putting more focus on actually hitting the Hozuki with this skill than she had with Taki. After all, Taki was stationary. It was a lot easier to hit him than it would be to hit Hatsu. The Head Ninja keeps her gaze trained on Hatsu, trying to figure out which was the water and which was her actual body.
Arashi grinned a bit before turning to face Michiko. "Good job. Seems like we were able to handle them well enough yeah?" He asked before just stretching a bit more. He figured he didn't need to do too much with Taki and Hatsu would be had to actually hit or damage naturally so he figured he would make use of these clones of his. If Taki didn't get killed by Michiko they were surely to be finished by him plus her. And Hatsu would just have extra bothering her to hopefully at the very least tire her out. "All it will take is one good grab…. And we win." He seemed to say to Michiko as she was working on that already.
"Understood," Itami responded to Akane while she gathered herself. With the forces now dealt with, their focus could now be placed on those that mattered most here. Body in pain, but she's not down and out, she launched herself forward to cut into the bodies of those responsible for carrying out all of this.
Akane had gathered her power, a cloud forming, swirling above them as her chakra entered the cloud and she stood. Stepping forward, upnear to Meruin, ignoring the blood that still flowed from her she liveled a finger at Hatsu's form. The woman was made of water. And Akane could easily tell where the chakra was centered and knew how best to get at it. She set her jaw…. but a whisper escaped her lips. "I'm sorry, Yoichi. Please, fall and know peace, brother." It was her prayer for him. For she had known Kiba as Yoichi, had shared much with him. Had things gone another way perhaps she would be with him. Perhaps she could have steered him away from this path. But he had called her sister, had spared he fro his first true attack as an enemy. And this was her one concession to repay that kindness. She prayed.
And brought the fury of heaven down upon his head.
Kiji meanwhile looked up but could barely remain conscious. As before, she was not regenerating properly and her back was bleeding heavily. She tried to crawl, to get out of the way, but she ended in a puddle of Hatsu's water and her own blood…..
Looking down at the ground, Naoya rests one hand onto the ground, the other hovers over the fallen Shimizu. 'Doesn't matter..' is shortly murmured as webbing flows out from his fingertips and begins to attach to Kiji's back. After the first few anchor strands stabilize the amount of webbing increases dramatically. The strands weave around her figure until the pressure bandage covered most of her torso with sections of chitin working as brace supports to cradle around her ribs. From his lowered hand, creatures in a steady mass slip free and move behind him.
The creatures encircle Akane as her chakra steadily began to flex and condense with her growing focus. The most she would feel from the brood as she prepared was their weight upon her clothing before growing still. Once the surge dicharged from the woman, the spiders would begin to sink their fangs into her wounded flesh at times while others spiders laced her wounds with silk, slowing the blood slow to a stop. Using the brood to echo a pulse of chakra, Naoya sparks the solution within the venom to begin rapidly revitalizing her muscles while causing her blood cells to divide and grow, replenishing her spilled blood.
COMBAT: Naoya heals Akane for 1267 with SWARMING REJUVENATION.
2 of 3 targets dismantled.
The grunt troops of the storm brigade would no longer pose a problem to the group and Taki was brought to his knees, vulnerable to the destructive jutsu Michiko had in store. If he was not dead by that jutsu and his own, he would be finished off shortly thereafter. It was time to draw the endgame to a close.
The one Okumo abruptly became 10, the group of arachnids traversing the cavern with perceptive eyes, chakra gathering amongst them.
RP: Meruin uses S-RANK-CHARGE.
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Itami with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against JUDGMENT-BOLT attack from Akane with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
RP: Hatsu uses S-RANK-CHARGE.
COMBAT: Taki defends against POISON-MAIDEN'S-BED attack from Michiko with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Taki loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Taki attempts to ESCAPE from Meruin's stun and fails!
COMBAT: Taki defends against MULTIPLE-WATER-CLONES attack from Arashi with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Taki loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Taki defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Itami with a TENSE…
COMBAT: Taki loses the roll and sustains damage.
The Hozuki Leviathian is one thing, but the person is comes from is even scarier. She was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and its Head Hunter for a reason. Such is demonstrated as she allows even the strongest of attacks aimed at her pass through her body for it to reform with little effort. This level of strength was never really seen when she was part of Kirigakure, but obviously it was known she wasn't one to be trifled with… Well, he as Yoichi.
Unable to power himself out of the predicament from Meruin's poison, Taki has no choice but to watch as attack after attack rips his body apart between water clones, spikes of metal, and blades of the dragon, there is no chance of survival on his part. He cries out in pain that is blocked as he begins to cough up blood and finally is cutoff as the life leaves his body.
Not one to go down so easily, Hatsu brings her hands into a seal, causing her body to split into four versions of her that fan out to each corner of the room and draw their blades. Once they reach the corners, they point their blades into the air and fire bolts of lightning from them into the sky. This creates a cloud in the cavern that begins to grow to cover its ceiling entirely as thunder begins to roar throughout the room while Hatsu and her clones prepare an incredibly powerful attack.
"Sorry, sister," one of them says as she looks to Akane, her brows furrowing as her chakra surges. "But I have devoted myself. I will not go down peacefully." Her eyes then drift to Kiji, exchanging a look of apology to her before looking back to the task at hand as the clouds begin to show cracks of lightning with thunder booming more and more in preparation for the coming attack.
Michiko watches Hatsu as she splits into four, the girl's expression unreadable as she simply watches. A hand reaches down, and metal gathers as she watches Hatsu's form go untouched by her previous attack. To be expected. Michiko then glances over to Akane, then at those from Kirigakure. Then her gaze shifts to Arashi, and she gives him the slightest of nods for helping bring down Taki before she would suddenly fling the metal at Hatsu. … Said metal was not able to stretch and reach all four without the girl harming allies, so she picked the Hatsu that felt like the real body. There wasn't a good way to tell that, so at this point it's just luck. The metal would descend, already in the form of a barbed net that would seek to scrape the target and tangle her up enough that others could attack.
Arashi watched the injured Taki just get destroyed by the onslaught of attacks aimed towards em. "That worked." He frowned a tiny bit though. Half of him didn't want to kill the ones in leader roles if he could help it. At least to see if they would give any info for any reason. Though he supposed it wasn't a big issue. His eyes shifted to Hatsu next as they suddenly split into four and his little frown turned wider. "This can't be good." He quickly began moving through his hand seals and would end up forming more of those laser beams. He wasn't even nearly able to do as much as Michiko but even if he could scratch Hatsu it might slow them down some. So suddenly he fired beams of storm chakra at each Hatsu hoping that he could take out each one including the real one.
"Likely isn't good, but nothing has been up to this point," Itami snickered in response to Arashi. "We do what we must and see this to the end. That's all we can do. Now…" She readied her claws for the next assault against Hatsu. "I must say they've been pretty quick. Just means I've got my work cut out for me when I get home. Just me and all this here," she looks down at her form and shakes a bit. "Oh well, I can work all that out later." Now to go in once more and with gusto!
RPCOMBAT: Akane defends against with a BREVITY…
RPCOMBAT: Akane defends against with a BREVITY…
Akane blinked as she looked down after unleashing the bolt, noting the spiders, Naoya and Kiji… She glanced to the side as Meruin 'split' into nearly a dozen copies. She frowned glancing around… The spiders bit her and she grimaced, looking down, not prepared for the shock of that.. Yet she didn't cry out. Naoya had cared for Kiji and Akane offered him a nod for that. But her eyes lit on Itami, the.. rather large.. reptile.. oh rainbows… She as used to much weirder than that. A shift and she reappeared in front of the Dragon, reaching up and laying hands on her. She transferred healing chakra for the wounds, restored her energy and churned out chakra for her immediate use.. And then.. Akane, broken mask and blood falling from her mouth still, wrapped in Naoya's silk, reappeared between Hatsu and Meruin. Or well the point where she could react to either side to get between Meruin and that hell Gate.. Yes, Akane had seen this before.. "GET BACK!" She called out to the others. That phantom of Meruin got a nod, but she prepared.. as soon as his attack was off she would appear between him and Hatsu again… She would take any attack aimed for meruin. There was not much else she could do at this point.
COMBAT: Akane heals Itami with ADVANCED COMBAT ELECTROTHERAPY.
With many of the fresh wounds bound that stretch across Kiji's figure, Naoya uses two arms to begin lifting her up and across his shoulders while a third supported the weight evenly between them. Looking up above himself before looking around the center chamber and shakes his head before turning around and looking the way they originally came, "Target secure.." Shifting his gaze towards Hatsu and the Kiba blades, he could notice something, 'That technique again..? Even if it fails..' is murmured before looking up towards the ceiling again and grumbles to himself. "Evacuating subject Okumo Kiji, the battlefield is compromised" is stated in a rather forced tone for a brief moment. In the next moment Naoya no longer stood where he had been, if his movements were followed he could be seen carrying him a couple hundred meters away from the center of the battlefield.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a HUNTER-VISION…
Beneath the rumble of the cloud above and the roiling of the earth below, the air between gave a quiet sigh.
It was the execution corp, the each of the Okumo Meruin letting loose ten breaths in unison as they recognized the moment that truly decided all that would be. It was here that Hatsu would fall. So the sprung into action.
There were four Hatsu to take into account, and so the group of ten did move into separate directions on a dime, forms flickering. In he end, 2 shadow clones landed before 3 of the Hatsu, abruptly wielding dripping ebony blades, wicked and serrated. One appeared in front, slicing upwards with blinding speed while the other appeared just under the growing clouds high above, throwing down a spray of ebony shuriken.
But the true battle was waged on one particular prospect. The one Michiko's net had been flying to. Just as she had, the Okumo had felt this one to be the most likely to be the true Hatsu. Everything he had studied both in Hatsu's personality and from past battle intel pointed to it, so he followed the instinct.
Four of the Yondaime Mizukage came blurring in on the heels of Michiko's net, serrated blades in both hands. Just after Michiko's netting would strike, the quartet descended with a savage slash. The area around Hatsu would dissolve into a melting pot of movement, wind thrown off of it from their speed as they unleashed a fury of strikes through the confinements, meant to rend flesh and draw life. They covered their foe so securely that the attacks from the others never hand a chance to land on this Hatsu, striking their backs apparently without effect.
Should their strikes manage to land even only once or twice, their lethality would be known. It was, of course, the toxin that was most dangerous. If Hatsu died by their hand, she would die cloaked in her own blood as it gushed from her eyes, ears, nose, mouth and seeped from her very pores until her heart could no longer beat.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against LASER-CIRCUS attack from Arashi with a NIGHTMARE'S-AEGIS…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against POISON-METAL-NETTING attack from Michiko with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against HYPER-SPEED-CHAIN-KILL attack from Itami with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a HYDRO-SENSE-II…
COMBAT: Hatsu defends against SILENT-GENOCIDE attack from Meruin with a PERFECTED-REFORMATION…
COMBAT: Hatsu loses the roll and sustains damage.
Despite its impressiveness thus far, and its brushing off Itami's attack despite the circumstance, Hatsu's seemingly impenetrable defense is not enough to defend her from Michiko and then ultimately Meruin's attacks. The metal netting goes around her, binding her in spite of her watery form and leaving her open as the multitude of Okumo move into their attack position so fiercely that even some ally fire is kept at bay by their motions.
If Hatsu would cry out, she doesn't have time to as her form is met with a flurry of slashes that carve into her time and again as both metal-induced and arachnid poison pour through her veins like acid and causes blood to pour from every orifice and her body-covering wounds as she falls to the ground.
Her eyes begin to lose focus along with being unable to see past her blood, yet that determined look never leaves her face even as she feels the poison beginning to rob her body of its last bit of life.
COMBAT: Michiko defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a MASTERED-EARTHEN-SENSE…
RPCOMBAT: Michiko defends against with a BODY-FLICKER-TECHNIQUE…
Michiko noticed Naoya leaving, but she paid him no mind. In a way, he was correct in retreating. If she and Meruin were unable to stop Hatsu from unleashing the lightning storm that he wielded within Kiba, this place would collapse. Her heartbeat was pounding rather loudly in her ears, and it was those that she used to count out the moments as she watched the final attacks lay waste to the Hozuki. Ba-Bump. The metal is over Hatsu. Ba-Dump. It continues on its path. *Th-thump* She feels the metal catch upon her target, and it sticks rather than slinging through water.
Michiko's eyes follow Meruin, the girl more than used to Hiei's speed. And Ryouji's. It is the Yotsuki and the Reizei that have allowed her to train her senses, both in sight and in chakra, to track the speed at which the Mizukage moves. And then the Yondaime comes to a stop, standing before Hatsu. Michiko stands where she is for but a second before she flickers out of view and appears beside Meruin. An ear twitches, but that was the only reaction she had to Hatsu's current state. Seeing the woman like this, Michio half-wanted to heal her. Michiko did not like to bring such suffering upon others, especially if she gets but a moment to think of it outside the heat of battle. But she refrains from doing such, realizing that such would be futile and would also likely send Kirigakure against Kumogakure. An event she did not wish for.
"Hatsu-san," she says simply. "I am glad to have known you." She would not say anything more, even if she wanted to. She simply looked upon Hatsu and then let the metal netting drop from the other woman's body. That metal, which she held a handle to in her right hand, would seem to coil up and eventually form a neat block that she tucks away. She would probably disperse it into the earth at a later point.
"Yondaime Mizukage," she would then say, her head not turning despite addressing him. "It was interesting fighting alongside you. The shinobi of the Mists are all very well-trained, and it's always good to see how we've grown. I'm glad we were able to work together towards this moment." Michiko chooses then to glance upwards at the Spider, and she would add, "I leave her fate in your hands." Then she would step back, though her eyes slip back and remain on Hatsu's bloodied form.
COMBAT: Arashi defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a TENSE…
Arashi figured that Meruin and Michiko had this handled once their attacks hit. They hit well too and so Arashi didn't pay any mind to Hatsu. Instead he decided now would be the time to walk along and check every single brigade member including Taki. His goal was to see if any of them were alive. If there were some alive he would find a couple and sore take them prisoner if he had any rope. If no rope he would just make sure they stayed down. Be it just making sure they stayed knocked out or via adding lightning to them to shock them back into that state. Any others would be killed with a simple kunai to the neck/head. His hope was to gain information on anything brigade. Especially since he doubted that EVERY brigade member was gone. At the very least he could hopefully find something. Especially if he offered these people their lives in return. He would wait until Michiko was done to talk on it.
RPCOMBAT: Arashi defends against with a PERCEPTION…
COMBAT: Itami defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a TENSE…
"I'm assuming that this is the end…" Itami lands and observes the scene before them. Dead bodies everywhere. "That is not to say something still could not happen. Someone with that much determination, albeit respectable, may still have something more up their sleeve." She sighed to herself. "I wish I could say that I am truly done fighting here, but I can't give myself that opportunity. If we are leaving here, I will offer services to those that need it to leave here."
COMBAT: Akane defends against UNSEEN-STEPS attack from Naoya with a SHARINGAN-PERCEPTION…
Akane went from literally b=in front of Meruin to disappearing entirely, a burst of speed, leaving the cavern floor where she had been standing cracked and torn just from her footstep.THis she learned from Meruin first hand. The woman reappeared eve as Hatsu was falling, catching the falling traitor nder the arms, and falling to the ground as she did so. She ended up with Hatsu in her lap as she sat on the floor. The Hozuki would find not the steel offered moments before, but the comfort of Akane's form and warmth. The woman reached up to stroke Hatsu's face softly, gently, silently. In her other hand's touch was actually a chakra scalpel, obliterating Hatsu's nerve endings wihtout actually healing her, a way to give her a painless death..
She smiled faintly, then larger as tears welled in her eyes. "Hey…brother. It's been a long day huh?" Her back was to those gathered, Hatsu was the nly one that really could see her face at this point and she was bent over Hatsu's fallen form. There was a moment and the… twang… the thong keeping her mask on snapped.. The mask was at it's enduring last and when the tension of the threat snapped.. the mask itself shattered and fell from her face. It gave Hatsu a good look at her face, her acid green eyes…. Tears streamed down her face and as the nerves were fully severed, her had pulled something from her belt. Yoichi would know it was a water canteen. Akane held it down and out of sight then bent down and pressed her forehead to Yoichi's, speaking sofly, whispering. "Let me take a bit ofyou brother, I will bring you home. Where you belong."
And when she lifted her face again, Yoichi and Yoichi alone would see the moment things changed in her eyes, shifting from 3 tomoe.. to a spiral pattern distinctive, though only those who had known her brother would recognise it.
And her mask, painted with those two tear tracks, sacrificed to battle, would be a self fulfilling prophesy… As bloody tears streamed down her face. Luckily enough she was so badly injured that no one would think twice about having blood on her face cnsidering her mask had been beaten off her face today… But she simply stroked Yoichi's face. The relationship was tender but clearly more like an actual brother and sister at this point.
Meanwhile, Kiji could sense Hatsu slipping, taking tose final strikes and she squirmed n Naoya's grip, covering her ears and head as if to try and block something off… She franticly whispered.. "Take me back.. t..take me back..I have to be there…"
Continuing on, Naoya's pace slows though with it his stability began to lessen, allowing him only to walk without risking toppling over to one side or another. Turning his head to the side, he glances an eye towards her face, wondering if she was passed out mumbling though the truth causes his jaw to clench. "Settle calm.. Safe now.. Sett-" Moving one of his lesser arms up, Naoya dips his claws into his face slowly before ripping down and away, scratching his skin faintly but he manages to remove the face plate that was almost fused to him. "That's madness.. What can you do in this state?" The arm holding up the face plate withers and drops to the ground still clutching the plate of chitin.
Only managing to ignore the frantic pleases for a few seconds before stopping once again and starting to make his way back towards the chamber. Without the plated armor protecting him, more and more of the Okumo's blood began to taint his clothing. The brood could be seen crawling from one patch and skittering across his body to begin trauma treatment to another section though some of his flesh was gouged internally from bone fractures that were crudely treated. At the edge of the chamber's entry way Naoya's muscles already once again begins to ripple and twitch somewhat involuntarily though it didn't cause him to fall.
COMBAT: Naoya heals Naoya for 1276 with MAINTAINING THE HOST.
RP: Naoya reverts to his normal state.
A silent nod was earned by Michiko from the stoic Meruin.
His gaze, like hers through most of the time she'd spoken, never left the Hozuki that lay in the arms of the woman before him. She was little more than a puddle of blood and willpower at this point, now mostly separated from her body. At this junction, he remained silent, simply keeping vigil as Hatsu's final moments played out.
There were the nation's blades to retrieve and Hatsu's corpse would need to be returned home. But for this moment, it was appropriate to grieve. Once they left this room, there would be no more goodbyes.
Kiji held to Naoya with a weak hand, already pale, white, like alabaster. Her own clothes and Naoya's silk was soaked in her blood and the pain was simply transcendant. But she held to Naoya's shirt even as he starte walking back. Once in the chamber Kiji would reach up to wrap her arms around him. In a motion of carng Her blood moved around them like small snakes, wrapping around Naoya even as his spiders had her, soaking into his wounds and aiding him in the least.
Kiji accepted her feet and stumbled over to Hatsu's side, dropping to her knees beside the Sensei she knew so well. Kiji took her hand and brought it up to her lips before just holding tightly. "I'm here.. Sensei. I was withyou until the end…" She ofered a tear-stained smile, copletely ignorng Akane.
Meanwhile Akane reached down, collecting the Kiba swords in her hands before pulling then together and up against Hatsu's chest, a funerary position. "I'll take your burden now, Kiba. We will keep them safe."
COMBAT: Kiji heals Naoya for 1391 with BLOODY INFUSION.
Glad to have known… The end… Hatsu… Yoichi… In these final moments, this being can't help but wonder if she ever figured out who either of those people were. Her entire life has been serving one purpose or another, never really worrying about things like self-discovery. Whatever there was of the person before the cage vanished long ago… and it's much too late for them to return now. What they were replaced with… called monster… demon… weapon… The life of duty as those things will have to suffice, and she is okay with that.
Through the pounding of her heart in her head, Hatsu hears and and feels Akane coming close… close enough for her to see the tomoe and her eyes transforming at the expense of the woman's feelings in this moment as she experiences assisting in the death of a comrade… even if that comrade wanted to end the shinobi world.
Her mouth opens slightly as she tries to talk through the blood pouring from her throat. After a moment she gives up on that, though, and simply nods to Akane to say that she can do as she wishes and collect some of the water that is formed of her body.
Hatsu's face would turn to Meruin briefly, offering him a painful nod of respect before she looks to Kiji as she runs up to. She would hold the Shimizu's hand as best she could and nods to her in thanks. Staring at her, she utters her thanks without words then looks upward at Akane speaks… At last the last bit of light leaves her as her body falls lifeless and the chakra of her soul seems to have departed toward the underworld. The Storm Brigade… has fallen.
The two women watched Kiba's life drain away. When finally the light was gone, Akane slid her hand up and closed Hatsu's.. Yoichi's eyes for the final time. Akane closed her eyes tightly, forcing the sharingan down, which left her exhausted. Kiji, however, put her hands up again as if to block a sound but it was her sensoring she wanted to miss. Kiji bent forward, her head ending on Hatsu's stomach..
And she screamed.
Those in the rom would feel a tangible burst emanating from the Okumo. Her pain, manifested as semi-solid chakra burst forth around her once, twice.. three times as her scream died just as Sensei had… and then she dropped, landing to the side, unconscious and once again at Naoya's mercy. Akane remained where she was, her hand on the twin Kiba blades. She looked up at Meruin, her jade green eyes not a kind of grey set like clouds in the bloo streaked face. Akane looked about ready to collapse as well. This had been a harsh battle for her… She would require time. Her voice tang out, though, despite the pain and exhaustion.
"Kiba has gone into the deep night. We stood vigil and set her on her way. We bring her home."
