Daraku had been looking for somewhere to get drunk for a while now. Between watching events at the exams and enjoying Kumo, there were periods where he got bored and wanted some excitement. What better way to get crazy and have a good time than poison yourself with a mind-altering substance and let the hi-jinks ensue, really? Last time he got that intoxicated was in Suna, and he didn't remember anything that happened but he knew he had attacked somebody, made some enemies, and also won 10 ryo in a ninjutsu contest, according to what other people had explained to him. His Sannin status let him get away with a lot more than it should have there but regardless, this was a different village and doing anything too reckless could get him arrested and ruin the fun...therefore, he promised himself not to break any laws, or not any major ones at the very least. The Mount Ikkyu resort lacked any bars of substance, since all they offered were fancy, fruity, four-ounce drinks with low alcohol by volume that were far overpriced. He couldn't blame them, either; it was a tourist attraction more than anything. Daraku was looking for something more sleazy, a place with a questionable crowd and low-light, a place where anything could happen. Anything. Asking around mostly led to the same answer; the Sky Bar, a club at an impossibly high altitude with a reputation that rivaled the Sandbox back home. Clubbing wasn't usually an activity of choice simply because alcohol, loud noise, and dancing almost always ended with headaches and hangovers...but Daraku made an exception this time around, just to see if the Sky Bar really did give the Sandbox a run for its money.

The sky was dark and the club let its neon lights shine among the clouds. Daraku approached from the west, making his way up along a moonlit balcony until he entered. It wasn't as loud as he expected it to be, which was a good sign. He could actually hear himself thinking. That didn't change the fact that this was a haven for the drunken and disorderly, though. He could already see the parts of the crowd where their liquor had gotten the best of them. They stumbled in groups of two or three from the glass dance floor to the lounge to the bar and back in erratic patterns like dazed animals. Those at the lounge seemed the most calm and collected; they were poised on soft velvet couches in the far corner of the establishment, talking amonst themselves quietly but still drunk enough to look a bit...odd. Target acquired, essentially. Priorities, however! So Daraku made his way over to the bar and leaned against one of the stools until the bartender came by. "I'll take a glass of awamori on the rocks, thanks." By the time his drink was handed to him he had picked out a girl at the lounge whom he thought he could get close with. He paid the bartender accordingly, sauntered over to the lounge, and took a seat next to the pretty lady with big tits. "Hey, beautiful. I'm Daraku."

She pushed her long brown hair behind her shoulder and in turn made her breasts easier to get a clear look at. Daraku kept them within his view but didn't make it obvious that he was focusing on them. Her golden eyes went down to the cocktail in her hand and she leaned forward to set it on the table in front of them. "My name's Shinju. It's a pleasure, really..." she said in a low voice, almost sensually. She scooted closer to Daraku and thus closed the space between them. Their legs were touching, hers soft and frail in comparison to his. He took a swig of his drink as she continued, "You look so masculine and tan, nothing like these other Kumo boys. Tell me, you're not from around here, are you?" Daraku gave her a smirk. Did he really seem that out of place or was she just flirting? It didn't really matter. "Heh, no, I'm not. I'm from Sunagakure no Sato so I guess that explains the tan."

"And the muscles?" Shinju bit her lip gently. Daraku shifted slightly and pulled up the forehead protector around his neck. "I'm a ninja. Lot of training leads to big muscles. It's a nice touch." She nodded in silent approval and crossed her legs. Daraku took another sip of his Awamori and pick up her hand. He caressed it for a moment before setting it on his lap in an attempt to speed up the process. Leaning in closer, he whispered, "You'll get to learn that I'm a man of many talents, Shinju. I wonder...would you like to see what else I have to offer? What do you say?" His breath was hot on her neck and it made her shiver and sweat at the same time. Her lips bent into a particularly impressed smile. "Making a move so quick, are we? Before you even finish your drink? Daraku let out a short laugh and backed away, bringing the glass back to his lips. "You're right, what am I thinking? I've got more important things at hand with this glass half full. No where near drunk enough." Shinju pulled her hand from his lap and playfully struck his chest. "Ahh, quite the comedian we have here. Must be another one of your 'many talents'."

The music grew slow and the dancefloor's lights shifted with it, going from a vibrant magenta into a chilled blue. It darkened the entire bar and changed the atmosphere. All was not well in the club, though; Daraku sensed it, the ominous feeling that had settled over him. Something was off. The rest of the people lounging had relocated to the dancefloor or left, meaning that Daraku and Shinju were alone in that area for the time being. She started to avoid eye contact with him while she finished off her cocktail. "Daraku...I must ask, have you ever..." her sentence didn't finish and she pursed her lips. She seemed tense. The Suna-nin guzzled down the rest of his alcohol but had yet to feel drunk at all. "Have I ever what? You alright? You were acting different just a second ago but now—" An angry voice boomed behind them, cutting off Daraku.

"What the hell are you doing with my girlfriend?" Shinju flinched at the question, as if the man's voice scared her. "M-Michi...I thought you went back home already." Daraku wasn't as easily frightened; he stood calmly. "We're just having a chat. You look pissed...you're that concerned she's easy to steal from you? She must not be too interested in you if you think she's willing to go get with someone else. And what's your excuse? Why are you leaving your girlfriend sitting alone at a club?" The man's fists were clenched tightly and his fingernails were digging into his palm. His brow was furrowed, chin taut, mouth pulled into an enraged frown. Daraku maintained his usual grin. Shinju stood up and left, retreating to the front near the stools so she didn't have to see whatever was about to happen. "Didn't realize she needed constant supervision to keep her from flirting but I learned my lesson now, haven't I? Her part in this aside, I saw you leaning in all close, putting her hand on your lap. I didn't like it. And now I'm gonna kick your ass." Daraku rolled his eyes. "Did you also happen to hear the part where I said I was a ninja? Fuck off. You don't have a chance in hell against me, and I'm not the nice 'rough you up and let you go' type of guy. I go for the kill." The Sannin loved to talk big but to his disadvantage, he hadn't brought any of his swords, which would make any sort of fight just a little more difficult. He wasn't worried, though. This asshole in front of him didn't look too tough.

"Try and kill me if you can but I have a feeling I'll kill you first!" This "Michi" character was a riot! His reckless arrogance reminded Daraku of himself, but with no skill to back it up. Daraku would put him in his place, and into a grave while he was at it. Michi charged at Daraku with his arm raised, obviously going for a heavy punch. Daraku assumed a defensive stance waited for the right opportunity to get messy.

Training:

The first attempted blow was rather pathetic. It was poorly executed and aimed incorrectly, likely intended to strike Daraku's face but instead, due to the weight put behind it, went lower toward the torso. Regardless, Daraku blocked the incoming fist hard with his forearm and stopped it entirely. Michi was rather caught off-guard by how easily Daraku defended against the attack and Daraku used the opportunity to push him back and take out the kunai in his pouch. He pointed the weapon at Michi with his arm fully extended and his posture perfectly upright. His opponent was large and powerful but Daraku still towered over him. It was rare that the Suna-nin was shorter than anyone, which put him at in advantage in some situations and at a disadvantage in others. With a callous scowl, Michi barked, "just what the fuck do you think you're doing with that? This is a fistfight, coward!" The smile on Daraku's face didn't falter, but he raised his eyebrows slightly. "I said I was gonna kill you, didn't I? I'd rather avoid using any jutsu, that'd be too risky and I don't wanna cause a bigger scene than we already have," He brought the kunai to his lips and let out his tongue. It slid across the metallic edge of the blade, and a single drop of blood fell. Pointing it back at Michi, he continued, "and I never said I fight fair." With no more patience for idle talk, Daraku's mouth tasted like iron and blood and it only fueled his desire to kill. He lunged forward and thrusted the bloodied knife toward the neck. Michi avoided the strike narrowly, but lost his balance in the process and fell back onto a couch. By now, despite how dark it was in the club since the blue lights had started, people had begun to notice the fight happening. Drunk girls screamed here and there and ran dramatically out of the establishment as if they were in some grave danger, while others watched with excitement and yelled. Daraku jumped slightly, moving into the air for a split second before landing on Michi's lap. He drove the kunai down toward Michi's chest, aiming straight for the heart. Michi caught Daraku's wrist and held the blade away from him. "Get OFF of me!" he commanded Daraku, shifting a bit underneath the ninja before pushing back hard enough to throw Daraku off. Since there wasn't enough room to land on his feet, Daraku braced himself for the fall and his back hit the glass table nearby. It shattered underneath his weight and he found himself laying face-up in a pile of broken glass. He could feel bits and pieces cutting into his skin as he stood up and regained his fighting stance. The pain was intense, but the injuries wouldn't be too severe in the long run.

Agitated, Daraku's patience began to thin and he wasn't in the mood to continue with a weapon-based combat route, at least not without his swords. It was only putting him in a bad spot since Michi had enough physical strength to pose a threat at close range. I'll finish it here... he thought to himself as he put away the kunai and clasped his hands together in front of his chest. With specific order and rapid movements, he formed a series of hand signs to prepare a jutsu that could kill Michi as quickly as possible. Michi caught on and didn't let Daraku continue unhindered; he reached to the ground and picked up a large shard of glass from the remnants of the table. "If you're not gonna fight fair, why should I?! Daraku could've easily dodged whatever incoming attack Michi had prepared, but that would delay his jutsu and thus prolong the battle. He had a better strategy in mind. Hit me with your best shot, idiot he thought to himself. Michi chose a low stab aimed for the torso, likely meant to incapacitate while he used a follow-up strike. Paying close attention to the glass's shape and where it was going to hit him, Daraku prepared accordingly and didn't move or flinch. The shard impaled his stomach, just above the belly button to the right, piercing deep. The blood began to flow heavily, staining his shirt and the upper area of his pants. He could feel Michi's strained breathing against him; they were much closer now, and Michi has exerted a lot of energy in that stab. Michi tugged at the shard to try and remove it from the flesh and finish the fight with one more lethal stab, but Daraku's right hand gripped his elbow and pulled him, in turn forcing the glass further into his stomach and making the pain much worse. "What...are you doing? Let go of me!" Warm blood poured from the edges of the wound and onto Michi's hand. "I told you I didn't want to use jutsu, but you made me angry. Time to die." He made the final hand seal with his left hand; a half-Tiger seal that signified a fire release jutsu. He took a deep breath as chakra built in his throat. Michi struggled to back away but Daraku's grip was too strong. "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" A steady flow of fireballs burst from Daraku's mouth and with no room to avoid them, all twenty of them hit Michi straight in the face. The flames charred him and distorted his features while he screamed in pain. Daraku pulled the glass shard out of his stomach and kicked Michi down  to the floor. The stab wound where the glass had been immediately stopped bleeding and began to close, thanks to Daraku's Yin Healing Wound Destruction. It was the perfect tactic to use, since letting himself get attacked at close range allowed him trap Michi and land a direct hit with his Phoenix Flower Jutsu. At this point the bar was quiet, as almost everyone had evacuated out of fear. Michi's screams of pain and horror were drowned out by the slow, almost trance-like music playing over the speakers.

Two men wearing dark clothing and Kumogakure headbands approached from behind; Daraku heard their footsteps and turned to face them. "Security? To be fair, he attacked me first so all of this," he gestured toward Michi who was clawing at his burned face desperately, "was nothing more than self-defense, I assure you." Neither of the two men talked, but they didn't make any effort to help Michi either. Suddenly, a scantily-clad woman wearing platform heels and carrying a scroll on her back seemed to come out of no where and walk between the two men, getting uncomfortably close to Daraku. Her deep blue eyes matched the lights and her skin was a dark tan shade. "And just what is going on here, hmm? A strapping young man causing a scene in my bar...?" Daraku's smile returned when he heard the word "strapping". What could he say? He loved flattery. "So are you the boss around here, then?" One of the two men, whom Daraku now understood were this woman's bodyguards, answered that question for him. "Lady Kōsai is not the owner of the Sky Bar, but she is a VIP and thus given a fair amount of special treatment here." This woman, Lady Kōsai, brushed past Daraku and knelt down to Michi, who had fallen unconscious. She looked him over, examining the severity of his burns, running her hand along his face. It was still hot to the touch, though the flames had subsided. She let out a whisper. "Michi-san...wake up. I didn't expect to see you back here so soon." Michi's eyes fluttered open with some difficulty, but when he saw who was speaking to him, his expression went back to one of absolute fear. He struggled to speak but the burns must have started hurting again because he stopped and let out a cry of pain before putting a hand over his eye. "Oh ho ho, Michi-san. You'll be alright. We'll take to you the hospital soon, but I have some questions first. I have a feeling you already know what the first one is." Daraku was cautious; he kept his hand in his pocket in case he needed his kunai again. This woman was giving off a bad vibe. Kōsai stood again and walked back a few paces before looking down at Michi with an expression of dissatisfaction.

"Where is my money?"



Michi's lips struggled to find the words. "I...I don't h-have it." He shut his eyes tight, as if hoping that when he opened them next she would be gone. She stood over him still, her dissatisfaction only growing deeper. "I told you from the get go...I'd let you off the hook so long as you fulfill your end of the bargain: I didn't wanna see your ugly face again unless you had what you owed me. And yet, here you are, getting into bar fights at my favorite spot. What, did you think you wouldn't see me here? Or are you just that stupid?" He kept his eyes shut, and few tears started to fall from the inner corners, sliding down his burnt cheeks and dropping from his chin. "Not gonna say anything, then? Very well. I gave you a chance, and you blew it. Now you'll pay a much greater cost..." she snapped her fingers to signal her bodyguards before she went and sat down at the lounge. The two bodyguards approached Michi and started attacking him, punching and kicking and slamming his head to the floor. The situation was gory and the floor was covered in his blood. He choked and gasped and begged them to stop until he couldn't remain conscious anymore. Daraku didn't mind watching but he preferred a more...active role. "Stop." The bodyguards hesitated, and faced Daraku. Lady Kōsai sighed. "Is there a problem, boy?" Daraku nodded and took out his kunai. "Well, I wanted to kill the fat asshole myself but you guys came in and took out all the fun." This statement amused Kōsai and she laughed heartily. "Don't get on my nerves. It's business between Michi and I, but if you insist on involving yourself anymore than you already are, I'll be happy to have you killed next." Daraku looked at the woman condescendingly. It was too obvious that she was underestimating his abilities and he almost considered targeting her next, but he knew that would only lead her bodyguards to get involved and he wouldn't be able to handle all three of them. He didn't know how strong any of them were to begin with, so taking that risk wasn't an option no matter how tempting it seemed. The music changed again and returned to its previous fast pace and upbeat tune and the lights shifted to a vibrant green color, making all the blood on the floor more difficult to see clearly. The bartender was the only other person there, putting away bottles casually from behind the counter near the entrance. It was late, near 2 AM if Daraku's estimate was correct.

Another figure entered the building but it was too bright to tell who it was since there was a good distance between the lounge area and the entrance to the club and the lights bathed everything in green. When the person came closer, Daraku recognized the titties. I was wondering when she'd come back... Shinju reached the lounge and looked down at the two guards over Michi. She began to panic and looked at Daraku, then at Kōsai, and finally she let out a blood-curdling shriek. "MICHI! Oh no no no no! GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she ran to her badly beaten boyfriend but the first guard stopped her. She struggled against him, tears welling in her eyes. "WHAT DID YOU DO!? He's dying at this rate! Let me go, he needs to be taken to a hospital before he bleeds to death!" Daraku wanted to tell her to back away before they decided to hurt her too but it seemed it was too late by the time he opened his mouth. The second bodyguard rose and slapped Shinju across the face with enough power to knock her down. She cried out in pain and lay there on the floor, watching her boyfriend die right before her eyes. Daraku closed his mouth and clenched his fist. This is so fucked up. What did I get myself into? Kōsai glared at Shinju. "Nobu! Norio! The girl is next. Kill her once you're finished with Michi." That's when Daraku had to put his foot down. "Hey, rich lady, has anyone ever told you you're a ruthless bitch? If not, let me be the first to welcome you to reality." He spun his kunai on the end of his finger and threw it directly at Kōsai with great force. It flew forward extremely fast, but he didn't expect it to land; he knew that the bodyguards would react beforehand. Surely enough, these two men, Nobu and Norio, jumped in front of their boss and deflected the weapon. Daraku looked to Shinju. "Now, Shinju. I can't do this alone, I need you to do something to help me," Shinju was surprised that he was coming to her aid, but she nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm staying at Mount Ikkyu and I left my weapons there in my room and I need at least one of them to fight. There will be three swords on a chair near the window. They are heavy and I want you to be as fast as possible so only take the black one with the velvet hilt and gold trim. It should be on top; bring it to me here and it'll make killing these assholes much easier. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand." Her voice was coarse and shaky but her eyes were determined. Daraku grinned and tossed her his room key. "Here is my room key, the number is inscribed at the top. Go, hurry." Shinju shoved the key in her bra and left immediately. Daraku looked down at Michi, who was still bleeding. He groaned loadly. I can't believe I'm about to do this, but I'm sure it'll make Shinju happy. He made a flurry of hand seals and brought his attention back to the guards and Kōsai. "Water Clone Jutsu!" he called out, and a doppelganger of himself appeared that charged Nobu and Norio head-on. In the meantime, the real Daraku dropped to his knees and prepared hand signs for a medical ninjutsu. Looks like today's your lucky day, Michi. You won't be dying after all.

270/345:

Training:

Daraku didn't expect his water clone to be able to take on three opponents at once for very long, plain and simple. It was more of a stall while he healed Michi but he wasn't quite sure exactly how much time he had before they managed to destroy the clone, so he only focused on healing Michi's more severe wounds in order to bring him back from the brink of death. As soon as that was finished, he would be fine to go right back into battle. Michi's most serious injury was the back of his head; he likely had a bad concussion and he was bleeding profusely. Daraku's hands glowed a faint blue color as he held them over the fallen man, moving from his head to his ribcage and back. Probably more than a few broken ribs, and his shoulder didn't look to great either. And lastly was the damage Daraku himself did, the burns on his left eye must've been enough to blind him but Daraku wasn't sure if he would be able to heal that. It was worth a try, at least. Michi choked violently for a moment and opened his right eye, struggling to focus. "What's going on...?" Daraku didn't feel like explaining; it would only distract him. "Don't worry about it. Everything's gonna be fine, I'm helping you out. Just relax and try to rest."

Nobu and Norio stood in front of Kōsai fearlessly, ready to defend her no matter what. They wore pitch-black shades that masked the upper halves of their faces. Kōsai, amused with Daraku's sudden resistance, had a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "What are you waiting for? Nobu, get rid of the clone. Norio, go after the real one and Michi..." The two obeyed her demands and moved with breakneck speed to their destinations. Nobu appeared in front of the clone in a blur, but Daraku was known for his excellent reflexes. A punch was coming quickly but the clone ducked underneath and tackled Nobu, pinning him to the ground onto the pile of broken glass. Nobu didn't have any problem slipping free of the clone's weight and getting back to his feet. The clone looked to Norio, who was coming upon the original Daraku. If he interrupted the medical ninjutsu, both Daraku and Michi would be left vulnerable and that was too dangerous. So, with no time to waste, the clone made a series of about a dozen rapid hand seals ending with the Bird seal. Its chest began to ripple and alter as the chakra built up; the clone had a limited chakra supply, but it would be more than enough for one powerful jutsu. "Water Release: Whirlpool Dragon Bullet!" A torrent formed and burst forth from the clone's torso, quickly shapeshifting into a massive rotating water dragon infused with wind chakra. It chased down Norio, clearing the distance in under a second. Norio noticed at the last moment and juked to the left, then again to the right in an effort to avoid the jutsu. Daraku's excellent chakra control gave him similarly excellent control over the dragon's movement, though, and as the clone continued forming hand seals, it zigzagged to follow Norio regardless of where he went.

Lady Kōsai didn't like what she was watching. "Well don't just stand there, you idiot! Stop that clone before your brother gets killed!" she snapped at Nobu impatiently. Nobu nodded and held his arm out in front of him. It started to spark and emit electricity, slowly at first but the energy progressively grew more volatile and powerful. Daraku had heard of an old Raikage knowing a similar jutsu that utilized taijutsu and Raiton to augment the strength of physical attacks, and he didn't want to risk getting hit by it to see just how strong it was. He continued healing Michi with his dominant hand and threw a kunai at his clone. An additional arm made of water formed from the clone suddenly and caught the kunai before throwing it again with more force directly at Nobu. Nobu's attack wasn't fully prepared and without sufficient time to react to the incoming knife, it landed successfully, piercing into the right side of his chest. He didn't show any sign of pain or suffering but the Raiton chakra stopped pulsing through his arm, suggesting the attack was enough to interrupt his jutsu. With that problem solved, the clone could maintain its whirlpool dragon technique. Norio finally reached a point where his back was to the wall and the dragon was moving faster than he was; it struck him hard, slamming him against a wall as it put constant pressure against him. Each second the dragon had him pinned, its wind chakra and spinning rended his flesh into a bloody mess. Finally, Daraku released the clone jutsu and thus dissipated both his doppelganger and the dragon. Norio hit the ground with a thud, his entire front side covered in deep lacerations. He tried to get back on his feet, but his injuries were too great and he couldn't do more than just lay there.

Michi's wounds were as healed as they needed to be for him to survive, so now Daraku was ready for the real fight to begin. He picked up Michi and ran to the entrance before jumping behind the counter and setting him down next to the bartender. "Watch this guy for me, make sure he's alright." The bartender seemed disinterested but replied with an unconcerned "ok" anyhow. "That drink you gave me earlier was wonderful, by the way. I'll probably get another before I leave." Nobu pulled the kunai from his chest, throwing it to the ground as he finished preparing his jutsu. Daraku came back at full speed, but instead of going for Nobu, he ran towards Norio. He had a plan in mind. "Lariat!" Nobu yelled, his arm raised and cloaked in lightning. He was moving far too fast for even Daraku to dodge with speed alone, but that wasn't a problem. The strike intercepted Daraku and just before it struck him by the neck, a burst of smoke appeared in his place. Nobu was moving too fast to stop, though, and he looked in horror as the smoke cleared and his brother was standing in Daraku's place. A perfectly executed substitution jutsu on Daraku's part. The lariat landed, hitting Norio hard with enough force to cause his ribcage to collapse. Norio was launched backward and he slammed to the ground. It was immediately apparent that he was dead; it was impossible to survive such a powerful attack when he was already severely weakened by Daraku's whirlpool dragon jutsu. Nobu's shades fell from his face and he dropped his tough, emotionless act. "NO! SEE WHAT YOU FUCKING DID? YOU MADE ME...I KILLED HIM! NORIO!" he dropped to his knees and his chakra lost control, resulting in a massive burst of energy. Daraku braced himself with his arm but kept his eyes on Nobu; the Raiton pulsing around him was too strong, and it was burning his skin. Lightning-shaped scars branched across his body. "I'm not holding back. I'll end you."

There was enough static in the building to make Daraku's hair stand up. Nobu walked toward him slowly, and each step closer he got, the strong tingling sensation Daraku felt only intensified. Shit, how am I gonna do this...I could try to use Sage Mode but even then he's much faster than I am. he thought, backing away from his adversary. "Are you afraid of dying? ...I'm not. I'm alone in this world, now, and I'm ready to leave it if it means it'll kill you too," Nobu's eyes were crazed and despondent; he was less than 3 meters away now. The loud clang of an object hitting the floor halted his approach; Daraku found Mugen Hikō placed near his foot. He turned and saw Shinju near the entrance, and she gave him a tired smirk. "Now's your chance to prove to me that you really are a man of many talents." He smiled back. "I can guarantee you won't be disappointed." He picked up the blade and strapped it to his hip, unsheathing it promptly and jumping away to stay a decent range from Nobu. Despite the imposing look of the blade, Nobu didn't react in the slightest. A giant lightning bolt flashed, coming at Daraku impossibly fast. He raised Hikō, which absorbed the bolt like a lightning rod and nullified the Raiton with its own Fūton chakra. He followed through by sweeping the blade in front of himself horizontally, releasing a tunnel of wind that sliced at Nobu and pushed him back. Finally, he rushed Nobu, intent on stabbing him in a vital area with the weapon to finish things off.

Daraku was swift and calculated with his attack but Nobu reacted faster still. The guard grabbed the blade, letting it cut deep into his hand but still effectively protecting himself from any serious damage. His chakra was clearly at its peak; the scars were everywhere now and he had severe electrical burns all over his body. His eyes glowed white. "Don't be an idiot! If you keep using all your chakra, you'll kill yourself! It's too powerful for you to contain!" Kōsai yelled from the lounge. Nobu kept his eyes on Daraku and ignored his master's cries. Daraku realized he couldn't risk close combat, even with his weapon in hand, and he started sprinting away from Nobu as fast as possible. Nobu didn't bother chasing after him and instead made some hand seals. "Lightning Release: Apocalypse Current." He exploded into a violent wave of lightning that moved along the floor. It was moving too fast to escape but Daraku had put enough distance between himself and Nobu to give him around a second of a time-lapse before he would be fried. He stopped near the bar's counter, next to Shinju and Michi. If there's a good time to try my new jutsu, it's now. It might be my best chance at getting out of this alive. He paused and formed hand seals as best he could before slamming his palms to the ground. "Forbidden Jutsu: Paradise of the Damned!" Black chakra shrouded Daraku and he was put under the familiar sensation of weightlessness that he felt every time he used his kekkei genkai. It was a large black dome around him, this darkness, and it would prevent any harm from coming to him so long as he was inside of it. The lightning passed through it but didn't cause any damage. "What is this? Why is it so dark?" Shinju asked, evidently afraid. "It's a jutsu using my kekkei genkai. So long as we're inside of this dome, we're completely safe, I promise." Daraku could hear Nobu's screams, so he assumed that if he could keep up this defense, Nobu's Raiton would kill him within a few moments. He focused his chakra as best he could into maintaining the dome for what seemed like ages until finally the music simultaneously shut down and the screams ceased. Absolute silence and impenetrable darkness. Daraku released his technique and found that the lights had also gone off in the club, so there was no way to see anything. "Shit..." he muttered under his breath, keeping his sword close.

Clapping could be heard from a distance, which Daraku assumed was coming from Kōsai. "You managed to kill both of my guards! I'm amazed, really." Then came the sound of heels against the floor, making a forceful clack with each step she made. The bartender left; he must have finally decided it was too dangerous to stay. Maybe he knew what this woman was capable of and made the smart decision. Daraku would know soon enough. "Yeah, I'm pretty strong and shit. It's got its uses." Kōsai's heels ceased making noise, which implied that she had stopped moving. "Well, now you have to deal with me. It's been a long while since I've had to fight on my own, but trust me, I think this battle will be over soon."

185/345:

Training:

"I hope you can handle fighting in the dark...looks like Nobu destroyed all the electric systems with his Raiton. Otherwise you'll be at a deep disadvantage, now won't you?" Kōsai's voice was playful, as if Daraku was nothing more than a toy to be messed with. She watched her two bodyguards die by his hands and yet she still wasn't taking him seriously. She acted like she was above him, like she was far more powerful, and Daraku hated every moment of it. He had a few options; he could create a light source or he could activate Sage Mode and use nature chakra to feel his surroundings. The latter option was less favorable, simply because of the fact that he would have to expend a lot of chakra and he had already used a lot in the battle thus far. So, light source it was. He quietly moved to the left, looking ahead to where he remembered the couches were; those would be the efficient things to burn for light even if they were somewhat flame-retardant, since going for the alcohol would only cause an explosion. Considering how high in the sky the bar was, an explosion could easily lead to drop and no one would survive that. Perhaps aiming for the couches directly wasn't the best strategy, though; if he missed, it would be a waste of chakra. He needed them for light and he was sure the fire wouldn't spread simply because velvet wasn't easily flammable to begin with, but nonetheless, he needed to be sure that he could get them successfully with a fire jutsu. He waited to hear movement so that he could identify where Kōsai was again.

The clack of her heels started only momentarily followed by the thump of something hitting the floor. It sounded heavy; Daraku immediately remembered the scroll that Kōsai had on her back. "Ready or not, here I come." She seemed to be using some sort of sealing or summoning technique; Daraku didn't give her the chance for the first strike. He infused his blade with fire chakra and it combusted instantaneously, with both the light and heat amplified by the natural wind chakra fueling the flame. Enough light to give him just a few meters of clear vision. He could make out the shape of Kōsai. Surely enough, her scroll was unraveled and laid out on the ground, and there was something new in her hands. It was a weapon, rather long with a curved blade at the end. A scythe. Daraku couldn't know any of its capabilities this early on but based on its size alone and the way the light gleamed in the scythe's oversized, formidable blade, it was not a tool to be taken lightly. She sprinted ahead, spinning the scythe as she came toward Daraku. He held his burning sword out in front of him and the scythe clashed with it for a moment before Kōsai recoiled and spun to the right. Her scythe moved with her and nearly sliced him across the neck but he dodged the attack just narrowly enough to avoid damage. He countered with a slice of his own, which emitted a speedy pillar of flame that moved along the ground toward her. As expected, she jumped out of the way, and the pillar continued all the way until it hit one of the couches in the back, starting a fire. The flames spread from that couch to the next and to the next one after that and so on until every couch in the lounge was burning brightly, illuminating around half of the area. Daraku swung his blade low, aiming for Kōsai's foot, and she managed to use precise footwork to both avoid the attack and twirl her scythe, blade facing-up, from below. Unable to avoid it, Daraku felt the blade slide up his leg, past his torso, and all the way to his left shoulder. It was a nice vertical slice she did, he had to admit. He hopped back and pressed his hand to his torso. The blood was hot and moist and his clothes were already starting to cling to the injury and stain. Every time he moved his leg, the entire cut stung and the pain made it difficult to make sudden movements. "Fuck, you got me good there." Kōsai only  chuckled in response. Her blue eyes appeared demonic with the reflection of the flames in them.

Daraku had the option of trying to heal himself using his Advanced Recovery Method again, or even Creation Rebirth if it was absolutely necessary, but both of those options would leave him wide open and Kōsai would've been able to land a lethal blow. He would have to endure the pain until he couldn't take it anymore. The only option was to alternate between offense and defense, but if he used his kekkei genkai to his advantage, Daraku would have no problem defeating this woman. That wasn't an option, however, as using his newest jutsu to protect himself and Shinju from the Raiton technique Nobu used had exhausted him and using his kekkei genkai again so soon was dangerous. He would have to manage without it. First step: offense. "Now it's my turn." He held his blade in front of him in his dominant hand and put his right hand over it, letting his chakra flow. The flames that still engulfed the blade tickled at his fingers, singeing them ever so slightly. Chakra cloaked the blade, make it appear distorted and blurry. He sprinted at Kōsai with a barrage of stabs and slashes. She was no novice; she blocked some strikes with the grip of her scythe and dodged others, but Daraku overall was having difficulty landing a blow. Finally, he performed a frontflip (despite the strain on his wound) and brought his blade down upon her. The glare of the flames temporarily blinded her, however she still defended herself using her scythe. Daraku subsequently released his Firestorm Blade technique and as the flames dissipated, the weapon appeared ethereal—almost undetectable in this low light—thanks to his Tornado Rush technique. Kōsai was clearly trying to use her sight to see exactly where the blade was going to land in order to time her dodge, but staring at the blur didn't help. Two slashes followed and both hit her, one cutting into her weapon arm and the other hitting her upper chest, barely missing her neck. She stammered backward a few steps, then looked at Daraku in shock. Her countenance changed from the previous sportive appearance that she had into a morbid glower of hatred. "No more games." In one swift motion, she did a back flip and tossed her scythe into the air, retrieved the scroll from the ground, and caught her scythe with her other hand. She was around 10 meters away from Daraku at this point and further away from the burning lounge, making it hard to see exactly what she was doing. 

Rapid bursts of smoke started appearing from the scroll as she held it out in front of her; there must have been weapons sealed inside and she was releasing them. It was Fuuinjutsu after all. Second step: defense. Daraku braced himself and started swinging his blade every which way, desperately blocking every incoming projectile. Waves of shuriken, kunai, shortswords, and even flash bombs were coming at him. The flash bombs were the worst part because each second he endured, another flash would impair his vision and make blocking the lethal weapons more difficult. At some point it stopped, finally,  and Daraku fell to his knees. He was covered in dozens of new cuts in addition to the severe one he had gotten from Kōsai's scythe earlier on. However, there was some hope; the scroll must have run out of weapons. He could hear those dreaded platform heels again, coming towards him at a blistering speed. He had one last chance to catch her off-guard; he didn't move at all in order to make her think he was unable to fight back any longer, and just as he heard the edge of her scythe rasp against the floor coming toward him, he got out of the way and onto his feet in a last-minute somersault and thrust Mugen Hikō into her side. He felt the weapon make contact and puncture her flesh, going deep until it hit bone. They stood there for a long while in that position before Daraku pulled his weapon free and fell back to the floor, breathing hard. Kōsai dropped her scythe and covered the trauma with both of her hands. Daraku couldn't help but let out a laugh, though coughed up a bit of blood in the process. "That was harder than I thought it would be, I'll give you that."

Kōsai didn't speak for a long time, and Daraku couldn't quite tell if she was going to live. He knew that his attack had pierced very deep and she must have been bleeding a lot. He didn't hit any vital organs, though, he knew that much...so if she did die, it would be slow and it would be painful. Finally, she responded to him in a hushed voice. "No one has defeated me like this in decades. You really are something else." The word decades was the one that made Daraku's ears perk up. Just how old was this woman? She didn't look a day over 30..."Look, I'm pretty beat. I don't think I can fight anymore and by the sound of it, neither can you. So what do you say we call it quits and just stop fighting? It's already gone far enough." Kōsai, surprisingly enough, managed to stand. "Very well, but on one condition. You have to heal my wounds and keep this between you and I. Granted, the damage done to the club along with the deaths of Nobu and Norio...those will be difficult to make up for. But I have wealth and I have connections, and I'll compensate both the Sky Bar for any necessary repairs as well as the families of my late bodyguards for their loss. And don't forget, the added bonus of keeping this off the record so you don't get in any sort of legal trouble. Small price to pay to put all of this behind us, right?"

As much as he had enjoyed stabbing the shit out of this bitch, Daraku liked the fact that she spoke his favorite languages: money and self-preservation. "Fine, you've got yourself a deal."

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Daraku, still breathing hard from exerting himself so much in that battle, was now sitting next to Kōsai, who was resting. He had used a limited amount of Suiton chakra in order to create water so that he could wash her wounds. It wouldn't do too much but it would still help to prevent infection at least a little. After he was done with that, he suspended his hands above the wound in her side, and his chakra glowed faintly he it regenerated her skin and muscle tissue slowly. It was a fairly awkward situation, being so calm and trusting of one another when a few minutes prior they were trying to kill each other. Daraku almost forgot about Shinju and Michi. "Hey, Shinju! Can you see anything over there?" There was a long wait before he got a reply. "Not really! But I can see the fire back there, I'll make my way back there." She must've gotten Michi up and walked him over too because Daraku could clearly hear two sets of footsteps moving toward him. They sat down on the opposite side of Kōsai; Michi held his head and was obviously in pain but he was conscious and doing a lot better than he was. "Look at me, playing the assassin and the medic at the same time. Just revolutionary." Shinju was the only one who laughed at that comment. Michi looked to her with a frown. Daraku, having failed at his attempt to lighten the situation, cleared his throat and focused on the medical ninjutsu at hand.

After a long bout of silence, Kōsai was the first to speak. "Michi...I've...reconsidered the terms of our agreement. You owe me a lot of money, and you don't have it. You thus broke the agreement as soon as I saw you in this club. However, today turned out to be your lucky day. The price to pay since you didn't have the money was your life, and that hasn't changed; but the context of the agreement has, since both Nobu and Norio are dead." Michi didn't seem to understand what she meant, and he looked at her with his good eye. "You're still going to kill me...?" He faced Daraku, with a fearful appearance, almost as if he was asking to be saved. Daraku shrugged his shoulders in reply and continued healing the wealthy woman's injuries. "No, no, no, you imbecile. I need you to pledge your life to me as my servant and guardian. Under this condition, so long as you obey everything I say, I will pay you handsomely for your services and you will no longer be in any danger for being in my debt. A more than fair trade, if you ask me, especially since it means I'll let you live." Shinju seemed to disapprove of this option, likely because she didn't want to part with Michi, but what choice did he have? He did not want to die. "I'm sorry, Shinju. But regardless of whether or not I accept this offer...I want to break up. I feel like you don't put the same effort into our relationship that I do. You proved that today with Daraku; although I attacked him and blamed him solely for the entire thing, I can admit now that you're just as guilty. Had I not come, I think I know that you would've gone all the way and cheated on me. I don't deserve that. I don't." Daraku just kept thinking Awwwwkwaaaaard but he didn't chime in with a joke or a snide comment. He was too tired and too distracted to bother with his usual satire. A simple bar fight had been blown way out of proportion and become a full-scale deathmatch between multiple parties, and now the dust had all settled and the remaining four were sitting close to one another near a fire like wholesome children around a campfire. This aftermath was one big theatrical drama, complete with a surprise job offer, a broken relationship, and a sexy male in the lead role (which was Daraku, obviously). Daraku couldn't complain, though. As much work as the whole ordeal was, he did have fun during the fights; something to quench his thirst for battle and he got to master a new kekkei genkai technique while he was at it.

Michi and Shinju stared at each other for a long time before Michi finally turned back to Kōsai. "I accept your offer. From this day forward, I'm yours to use as you see fit." Kōsai's blue eyes shimmered again in the low light. "Perfect. You have no real combat skills since you're not a ninja, but you've got plenty of physical strength and potential. I'll teach you everything you need to know in order to be an effective guardian. You serve a greater purpose, now, and failing is not an option. As you can see from the example that Nobu and Norio set, if you fail, the night will likely end with you in a grave," She released an exasperated, almost annoyed, sigh. "Ugh, I'm fairly certain Nobu's body disintegrated completely after he used that Raiton technique. Foolish boy, blinded by passion and anger. Only one proper burial, then. Quite a disappointment." Shinju couldn't bear to listen anymore. She was exhausted and mentally traumatized by today's events. She handed Daraku his room key and made her way back to the main doors so she could leave, wiping the tears from her eyes. She turned one last time to bid farewell to the boys. "Goodbye, Michi. I'll never forget you. And thank you, Daraku, you saved our lives today." Daraku stared at her ass as she exited and walked down the stairs that lead back to the central hub of the village.

"There you go, I healed as much as I could. I highly recommend you get some painkillers if you can, they'll make the remainder of the healing process much more bearable." Kōsai nodded, and thanked Daraku begrudgingly. Michi stood, and then helped Kōsai stand right afterwards. "That is all, then. I'll think of something to tell the owners of the bar. Once I offer them enough money to repair everything and have plenty left to spare, they won't care about the details that led to all of this anymore. They'll likely forget whatever lie I tell them in a week or two. Farewell, boy." Daraku gave her a nonchalant wave good-bye, when suddenly Michi grabbed him and pulled him close for a hug. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, big guy. Careful there."

"Thank you for saving me. Even if you did only do it because Shinju insisted, I appreciate it." He let go and smiled at Daraku. Daraku beamed a half-smile in return. "Take it easy. I'll see you around." Daraku strapped his sword to his back and made sure he had all of his belongings before going to the opposite balcony while Kōsai and Michi left through the main doors. The waterfalls of Mt. Ikkyu could be seen plainly from here, but Daraku knew it was far. The early morning sun was already rising, so it would soon be just light enough to let him find his way there without too much of a problem. This trip was supposed to be a fun vacation to go see the Chuunin Exams before he went back home to Suna, and yet within his first two nights there he had barely gotten any sleep and already almost died in a risky battle. Never a dull moment, really. Once he was finished taking in the view, he leaped from the balcony and slid down the nearest mountainside, using his supernatural walking technique to balance. It was gonna be a long walk back to the resort.

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