Dameon stood on top of the administration building, overlooking the village from the highest point possible. He was in his ANBU armor keeping his eye on the village and using his sensing jutsu to overlook the immediate area and using his eyes to scan for anything that was out of the ordinary. Recently they had some trouble with seven bells followers attacking in random at the village to attempt to do some damage. It was the basis behind his genjutsu training but the threat was very real. Recently he had heard rumors from visitors that they had run into camps and strange men along the road while they were working their way to the actual village itself. It was only a rumor but to him he thought it was worth investigating especially since he was in charge of the ANBU and this is exactly why the ANBU were created, well that and assassinating and retrieval. His mask marked by only a black tear falling from his right eye would signal his leadership amongst the ANBU corps and even the village was beginning to recognize the mask. He would sigh as he postured himself against the edge of the roof and jumped off before running down the side of the building. He would leap off of it about halfway down to connect to the other building across the street. He was heading for the gate; he wanted to see if the rumors were true and in the process develop his tracking skills even further.

Rather than grab more of his ANBU squad mates he would proceed alone. The less people that were out on tracking duty the better. More people were easier to spot and evade. The amount of noise six people put out compared to one was amazing and easily read even by the most trained of ninja. Besides there was no guarantee that there was any threat closer than he had anticipated. He would rather have the majority of his troops doing their daily assignments and the few special tasks he had assigned them to do in various places around water country. He would exit through the main gates a crowd of onlookers surprised by his sudden presence and disappearance. He wouldn’t rush himself, he was more interested in taking in the scenery and making sure he didn’t miss anything detail wise. Any little bit would help immensely plus it was also a good way to pace and figure out just how far the camp could have been should it exist close to the village. Knowing that the enemy would never use the road he hopped into the trees and methodically began to move between branches carefully scanning the area to make sure he was not walking into any traps or ambushes that lay in wait for him. It was entirely possible that the enemy could have had spies in the village spreading rumors to lure some of the curious ninja into a trap where they would be taken out.

It would be a few hours later that he would stop and sit there on top of a lone tree branch amongst the forest leading toward the ocean. He sighed slightly as he crouched down and sat down to rest against the trunk. He had looked everywhere along the main path leading to the village and had found nothing and no sign of anyone living within the forest at least anywhere in the immediate area that he had been informed of. He sighed a little bit, he had hoped that the rumors had been true though he wasn’t entirely sure why. He was feeling trapped lately in the village, nothing was going on so it felt like he had no purpose. He understood that with his job if he wasn’t doing much of anything or seeing a lot of action that it was actually a good thing and the village was safer for it. He missed fighting though and the action. He missed the adrenaline pumping through his body and the uncertainty of whether or not he would die in battle or live to continue to serve the Mizukage. By now the Mizukage had invested so much into him that he assumed she would not want anything to happen to him, simply because he was in charge of so much and so devoted to his cause and becoming better. Very few people in the village if any at all had the work ethic Dameon had, and he took pride in that.

He would rest there keeping a wandering eye on the road and the forest though still well hidden because of not only his armor but just because how dense the forest actually was. He would map the area he had travelled in his mind as he rested and was debating whether or not to even continue the search. It was then that out of the corner of his eye he saw something a little unusual. A man in a cloak in an ANBU cloak travelling across the road and into the forest not a hundred feet from where he was. Being the ANBU Captain he knew where all of his men were at all times. The enemy had made a crucial mistake thinking that Dameon would not be out patrolling the area himself. Any other soldier may have been confused or dismissed it but Dameon knew something was wrong. Quickly hopping to his feet he would take off following the target just out of sight using the trees as cover in case the enemy was looking for someone that would be tailing him. Rather than take the opportunity to kill the imposter he would follow him to their camp and eradicate the enemy from the source. Hopefully he would find additional intelligence and figure out just where the enemy was coming from off shore so they could eliminate the enemy once and for all. There was no need to get ahead of himself though, simply eliminating the enemy here would be good enough, for now.

[1,007WC]
[Perception Training: E-D=938WC]
[69WC Remaining]

Dameon would keep following the hooded imposter, using the trees as cover for several miles as he weaved in and out of the dense trees. He made sure he was extra careful not to be spotted or make any sound, any indication that he was following the man would be impossible to rebound from. If he was ever spotted his only move was to kill the man before he could warn the rest of his group and hope that he could find the camp on his own. Luckily he was taking extra precautions keeping his distance and just using his natural instincts to follow him. From such a good distance away he could still track the man and not have to worry about the risk of being heard or spotted. This game of chase would go on for a good while longer as he bobbed and weaved through the trees and branches, avoiding some branches, and using others to benefit his movement. Eventually the imposter would stop in an open field and wait there. Dameon would stop as well keeping a wandering eye on the man who stood there alone amongst the field as if he was scanning the area. Dameon held his breath hoping his ANBU armor would stop any ability to track his movements or chakra. He remained perfectly still, exhaling slowly so even his chest only moved slightly. It was a controlled slow breathing that would steady his nerves and muscles and prevent being detected by any movement based sensing jutsu, or so he hoped.

Three other men would appear from the trees, all from different directions. They would all have the same attire as well, each one of them wearing a fake ANBU mask and ANBU armor. He knew the masks they were wearing had been decommissioned long ago for their lack of tactical advantage. He knew this because it was one of the first things he had done when he had become in charge of the ANBU. The four imposters stood there talking to one another in a circle. They even exchanged scrolls and documents before each of them turned to the direction from which they had appeared and ran off again. This was going to be more of a pain in the ass than he had thought. Four enemies meant that there were at least four camps in various places around the village. He had wanted some action but one thing he didn’t want was to be out all day chasing down enemies and hoping that they didn’t manage to warn the others. Yet it was also his responsibility and obligation to do just that. He would sigh again and follow the hooded figure that was running off in the direction closest to him. Naturally he would assume that hitting the closest camp would be the better move. The issue was that he also needed to find information or intel on the other camps locations so he could continue to wipe them out, assuming that they didn’t kill him.

Dameonw as a lot of things but afraid of death was not one of them. It was actually the opposite; he welcomed death and in a crazy fashion would fight anyone that he felt had the potential to kill him. With his inability to feel certain emotions, the thrill of a battle and coming closer and closer to death was the closest thing he felt to feeling alive. Though it sounded depressing and wrong, it was true. Toward the end of the war when he had been captured and tortured he had actually smiled knowing how close he had come to death. It wasn’t that he had enjoyed killing all the men involved but he had enjoyed the challenge. When it came to killing Dameon felt it was a necessary evil. The evil men in the world and those that threatened the life of innocents and his village deserved to die. It didn’t matter what age you were, how strong you were, or any other factor one might look for. A threat was a threat and when push comes to shove he would cut down anyone that was a threat. It wasn’t just that thought; having been practically baptized in blood and fire he had come to embrace the presence of it. Others, especially newer genin could never understand what it was like to leave the academy and immediately be thrown into a war where it was sink or swim. Dameon had swam and killed more people in a week than most had in their entire life.

It was because of this way of learning he had come to realize that he knew no other way. Not fighting bored him and he was left either to patrol or run ANBU, occasionally he would train but there were few people that could keep up with his training regimen.  Dameon had no quarrel with injuring and risking everything in training. It was only at the breaking point where one learned to perform better than they ever could have before. Often his training would be so intense that he would need to seek a medical ninja to fix his many cuts and wounds or broken bones. To Dameon and life and death situation was a chance to improve one’s own meaning and add substance to their life. Even now as he tracked the man back to his camp he contemplated his moves and motives. Would he let the man reach the camp before he killed him, or was it better to kill him after the fact and risk him getting away or possibly informing the others. Either way he needed to decide quick as he could see the faint traces of footsteps on the ground which meant that the camp was close and that the woods were regularly patrolled. Deciding not to risk being spotted killing the man he stopped in the tree and looked around. He needed to find the shinobi that would be guarding the camp’s perimeter and all while keeping an eye out for booby traps.

[1,011WC]
[1,080WC Total]
[Perception Training: D to D-2= 907WC]
[173WC Remaining]

Dameon would inch his way forward keeping an eye out for anything that could be hazardous along his route to the enemy camp. It didn’t take him long to spot the booby traps once he had gotten closer to the camp. A think line was spread along the next tree branch. Fishing line pulled taught and connected to an explosive trap. Traps usually came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Most traps depended entirely on whoever was placing them and what they preferred. This particular person likes to use explosives which served more than one purpose. The explosion capable of crippling an opponent and even killing them but in the off chance the enemy was fast like Dameon than it was used primarily to signal the camp that an enemy was close. It was a loud weapon which unlike other traps were easier to pinpoint but harder to disable. Other traps like senbon launchers were silent and coated with poison but if once found the actual launcher itself it was rather easy to disable and get round. Dameon now had to decide if he wanted to disable the explosive trap or if he just wanted to work his way around it and take a few extra minutes to infiltrate the camp and risk being spotted avoiding the trap. His decision would all depend on how the explosive was actually rigged. Following the line to the reverse side of the tree trunk and would hug the tree trunk and look closely at the explosive seal. It was crude and effective. A series of wires went into the seal. If it vibrated the seal would activate and explode. The good thing was that it was easy to disable by someone of his skill. He had seen plenty like this before and was prepared.

Sliding his kunai out form his holster he prepared to cut into the piece of paper. He needed to disconnect the actual writing on the seal in the right spot. Luckily the center had a kanji that when split in two disarmed the trap. He lined up the kunai to cut off the kanji and quickly stabbed the paper and paused. Releasing a small sigh of both relief and disappointment he would jump onto the tree branch and into the top where the leaves were thickest. He wanted to scout the camp briefly before he attempted to slowly take it down. After a good ten minutes of scanning the camp he determined that there were four enemies all jounin rank in strength like himself. A smile would cross his face at the thought of a challenge. He would not fight fair though. He would use stealth and deception to quietly kill everyone and take over the camp. All he needed now was a point to access from. Two of the enemies were resting in the barracks while the other two patrolled. One would patrol the north and east side of the camp while the other patrolled the south and west. He would need to kill one of them and sneak in to the camo where he could kill the other two that were sleeping, and take out the final one that was patrolling. Alternatively he could kill the two patrolling first and risk the other two waking up for their shift. He had no idea what time they were supposed to wake up for their shift. The uncertainty was essentially a roll of the dice and taking a chance. He would need to make a decision and stick with it through to the end and not worry about alternative outcomes.

Dameon would rely on his speed to get him to the target while he had his back turned to walk to the other side of the camp. As soon as the enemy turned Dameon would jump down from the tree and quickly close the gap. A kunai was drawn in his right hand ready to strike at a moment’s notice. The enemy would hear Dameon and turn around but Dameon’s speed was just too great for the enemy Jounin to respond to. The kunai would plunge deep into the man’s jugular. Dameon would instinctively cover the enemy’s mouth to prevent any noise from coming out as his blood poured out and down his chest. Dameon would guide the dying body to the ground before he slid the blade out. He would wipe the kunai blade on the dead enemy’s shirt. He had no time to hide the dead body as he needed to kill the other patrolling guard before he realized something was up. Dmeon would run through the camp quickly and quietly. The enemy would again hear the movement of Dameon running on the ground. The two enemies surrounding the base were obviously sensor ninja or just ninja that excelled in perception. Dameon this time was a decent ways away still. He would toss his kunai out as the enemy turned around to face Dameon. The kunai would hit its mark and pierce the man just below his jugular right where the chest and neck met. This would prevent the enemy from being able to cry out to warn the others plus it was a much easier target to hit. Dameon would run into the enemy jumping enough plant his feet against the enemy’s stomach as he grabbed the kunai that was already in the man. He would rip it out and stab it into the back of the enemy’s neck right at the brain stem. Dameon would pull the blade out and kick off of the enemy performing a back flip and landing firmly on the ground. The enemy would fall to the ground dying and unable to move as he bled out and had the inability to use his nervous system, he would die momentarily.

So far he was successful; no he just needed to kill the remaining two while they slept. He supposed most shinobi at this point would have a problem performing such an act. It was cruel and unsympathetic but that was exactly what was needed at a time like this. He didn’t need either one of them alive so they were better off dead, this way they couldn’t hurt anyone else or warn their allies. Walking back into the camp he would precede into the barracks tent where the two slept on separate cots. Leaning over the one he would place his hand over the man’s mouth and stab the blade down into the man’s neck through his throat and through his brain stem, straight through the bone and causing a peculiar effect. The man would bleed out but be paralyzed from the nerves that were severed and his spine that was cut through. He would not feel his death and simply drift into the never ending sleep. The little noise he made would not wake the other as he walked over and simply slit the man’s throat and let him bleed out. The last man he didn’t need to worry about how he killed him as long as he killed him, there was nobody left to warn. He went through the shinobi’s pockets looking for anything useful. Finding nothing he would begin to look for a war tent of some kind that could hopefully tell him more, like the location of the other camps.

[1,224WC]
[1,397WC Total]
[Perception D-2 to C=1,219]
[178WC Remaining]

Dameon would scan the immediate area making sure he had tallied everyone correctly. He had killed four people and only four people had been at the camp so unless he had miscounted somehow he was in the clear. He would not clean the bodies or dispose of them as he was in too much of a hurry to worry about such things. He would clear through their personal belongings and whatever else they had on them when Dameon had assassinated them. He was hoping to find something, some shred of information that could tell him his next move or objective. He would find nothing on the dead shinobi so he would make his way to the center tent. The center tent was a war room; the war room was filled with scrolls lying on a table they had carved out of some of the nearby trees. Licking his finger he would begin to go through all the paper on the table and the scrolls. He would lay them out neatly and read quickly through the documents and dossiers on the enemy he would be fighting. The enemy liked to keep track of their members and had created thorough logs of everyone in on the plan. It also seemed like the whole operation was compartmentalized. This camps job was to stop supplies from going into the village and sabotage the main gate stopping all access to the village. No reason why or who had ordered for this operation to take place.

One of the scrolls however he would unravel to reveal a map. The map showed the location of the other camps and the clearing he had seen the other shinbi earlier. Apparently the shinobi would send one person to the clearing to report any status changes and update everyone else. It was essentially a check in to let them know things were still on. The check in was scheduled to happen every six hours. Meeting only four times a day meant that they would be harder to spot but it also gave him plenty of time to locate and destroy the other camps. Seeing as how they were on an island and in the only section of the island that had dense forest cover he assumed that the camps were actually closer than he had imagined. Dameon would leave the pile of evidence there on the table knowing he could come back to it later if needed. Looking toward the direction of the next camp he jumped into the trees and began to sprint quickly from branch to branch toward the new destination. Dameon knew and told himself that he had to keep the element of surprise and stealth. He was severely outnumbered and if the enemy had enough people to plan an assault on the village than he could possibly be overrun should the enemy get the chance to alert the others. This was a covert mission in the highest definition of the word. The thought of it in his head brought a small smile to his lips behind his mask.

He liked and welcomed the challenge that he had been presented with. This was the type of action he lived and served for. Being a pencil pusher, trainer, and leader could only satisfy him so much. He wanted to experience the thrill of battle and the power he had over enemies. Perhaps he did enjoy killing to an extent but he would always say it was for the thrill and the side effect of a mission he had succeeded in. Killing was inevitable in his line of work, feeling the thrill of risking your own life was different. It would either be there in a small degree or be incredibly potent. It would all depend on the situation. It was moments like this he lived for. Already his eyes were scanning the trees for any booby traps. Immediately his eyes would spot multiple booby traps. Unlike the last camp this base was well protected by traps of various types and in a much greater amount. Dameon would proceed slowly making sure to disable the various traps as he moved forward one tree branch at a time. He was finding all different kinds of traps. Explosives and various launchers in the typical places a person would stand to disable the explosive traps. It was a clever idea but he was disabling the hidden launchers first before he moved to disarm the explosive traps that made him feel alive with each one he disabled. He knew the slightest wrong twitch or mistake and he would be dead, the thought would make his heart race with excitement.

Finally he would cut a path for himself and wind up on the outskirts of the camp. This camp was much larger than the last and had at least six guards that he counted. Dameon would take a little longer time analyzing the camp and taking mental notes of the enemy patrol routes and possible entry points and good places to take cover to avoid being spotted by the tower guards. Two towers sat in the middle of the camp giving a complete three hundred and sixty degree visual of the camp and the surrounding area. Dameons sat there observing the camp from behind the large tree trunk. Another grin appeared on his face as he watched the tower guards trying to see any pattern to their movements and where they were actually observing at. So far it looked completely random which would make the approach much more difficult to pull off. None the less he had a multitude of tricks up his sleeve. One of which was infiltrating a camp that seemed impossible to break into undetected. His plan so far would be not to hide and just walk right in, or fly. Observing his surroundings more he would look for any trace of animal life to mimic. The ideal animal would be some sort of bird so he could fly right in to the guard post and take them down by surprise.

[1,010WC]
[1,188WC Total]
[Perception Training: C to C-1= 719WC]
[469WC Remaining]

edit:

Trained using some of remaining WC from here. [42WC Remaining]