Somewhere in the Hidden Temple. . .
 
 
"With the Mizukage gone, her soldiers and followers gone, and no power to guard the village, rises our chance. We will surround the city and the city's perimeters. Murder anyone who attempts to enter, and while we remain in the city, our digger squad will move the hostages to a safe, secret, and hidden place. The squad will be made up of three men Takizawa, Kuso, and shini, all of which are B-ranked. During the invasion, the mover-squad which is made up of Rami, Shizuru, and Nekoyama will assist the digger squad by doing the kidnapping. Move all citizens to our hidden shelter, and enjoy your time with our new slaves." Smirking the leader continued "After kidnapping the city's residents. Digger squad will have to guard them, and the rest will meet up at the park. From then, our actions will be simple, burn the city down and murder all Jounin patrolling the city.." The plan's briefing ended, and as the group of scum cheered their leader on someone walked to the leader. Appeared somewhat higher ranking in the group, as the man walked to the spoke "That is a great plan indeed, as expected of our great lea-huh?"
 
 
Before the man could continue his sentence and applaud his leader, his head would be twisted upside down a hundred and eighty degrees killing the man.  The entire crowd's eyes widened as if their eyeballs were about to pop out from fear. They saw nothing, they heard nothing, they felt nothing, and in an instant their lieutenant dropped to his knees and to the ground. He was murdered in front of their eyes yet they saw nothing. They looked around as they fearfully searched for the monster that preformed such a murder in front of their eyes without being noticed in the slightest.
 
 
The leader of scum, raged on an screamed like a mad man yelling at the top of his lungs threatening the monstrosity lurking around. It appears that the lieutenant was the leader's brother. Rage and fear lurked in the leader's voice, as did the monstrosity glaring at them from the shadows. The group of criminals had their guard up after the murder they witnessed, and more than anyone of the scum the most cautious among them was the leader. As sweat dripped down his nose, his wide eyes shift continuously from left to right and from right to left. Deep down they knew that their fate was sealed.
 
 
 
 
 The monstrosity lurked, and as it glared at the weaklings trembling in fear, what seem to be a smirk tore its face hidden in the shadows. Beyond monstrous, the thing that lurked was at times closer to the bandits than their jugular veins, however, for its entertainment it remained in the dark creeping in and fading back. It's eyes crept in the dark, bloody red eyes watching their victims shiver from fear before being devouring them. A minute of tension had passed and it was time for the monstrosity to move, and it lurked quietly in the dark. It began the slaughter.
 
 
A goon of goons stepped back to rest his back against the back of another that's close by him, but he questioned his friendas his friend was leaning on him a tad bit too much. As soon as the man turned around to face his friend he was scared into insanity. His friend had both arms at thrown at the goon that stepped back, his friend's face was messed up, head twisted around three hundred and sixty degrees, and both arms were twisted three hundred and sixty degrees as well. As the blood of his friend splattered all over him the goon went mad upon such a  horrific sight, and following a hysterical laugh the goon stabbed his throat with his own machete. As two of the scum fell dead, the rest of the group panicked and screamed from the terror. The leader began laughing hysterically as he teared up and fell on the ground to his knees. The leader's hysterical laughter was brought out from the scenery unfolding before him.  Many of his members started committing suicide, and the rest that tried to stop them were hurt by the suicidal members. Those who got hurt got angry under the tension of the moment and started attacking the ones that hurt them. In the end, they all murdered one another. Spineless cowards.
 
 
The leader sat their crying while laughing fearful of the horror unfolding before him. From the dark a hand crept and rested on the right side of the leader's face, and as his eyes shifted tot he right and glared at the hand of the monstrosity he spoke "It's my turn now, isn't it? I am sorry? I b-beg y-y-you p-p-please f-f-forgive me..."
 
 
 
 
As the body of the leader fell to the ground murdered and deformed. The monstrosity walked over the corpses of its many victims. He hit his ear with his palm as he pulled out a centipede that crawled into his ear while he fell asleep. A loud yawn could be heard as the monstrosity stepped out of the area. He broke the head of the centipede, and tore it off before gulping it down. The monstrosity was used to living int he wild, and he had to do anything to survive, bugs, raw animals, and humans. Yes, cannibalism wasn't beyond him. The centipede was very much alive. As the young man known as the centipede the monstrosity cracked his right hand fingers with his thumb he spoke in a cranky tone:
 
 

There was something about the air out here in Kaminari no Kuni that was simply different than anywhere else he had been. In Kiri you could taste the salt in the air coming off of the seas, the constant spray making a haze of mist that made the humidity quite high though the splash was refreshing. Suna was so dry and hit that it was always difficult to breathe. Mitsuo hated it there, a place where he could get a nosebleed more easily in seconds simply from breathing than from being in a fight. Iwa was a bit dusty, though not nearly as dry as Suna was and therefore Mitsuo prefered it to there. Konoha had very fresh air. It always smelled lovely there too because of all of the trees surrounding the village, keeping everything crisp and nice. Mitsuo had often missed the air there, though this place was certainly a breath of fresh air, literally. It was perfect for training and made Mitsuo feel completely refreshed. It could have potentially been the altitude of where he was, or the clean air, but it made him want to work on himself, and he was going to do it.

As he wandered through the village of Kumo towards the outskirts of town he did so in his full defensive garb. His cloak was over his shoulders and his mask was on over his face so that it would be impossible to recognize him. He also wore his modified ANBU uniform underneath his regular clothing, taking no chances in a place that could potentially be very dangerous to him. He didn't want to get spotted on the off chance that he was recognized as a member of the Aoi Bara, the group who was wanted for the death of the former Raikage, Reika. While Mitsuo played no roll in this and he found it unlikely that he would be recognized, he still never took chances. It would do him no good to end up in prison and then be in a place where he would possibly be put to death or worse, tortured for imformation about other members of the Aoi Bara. He particularly didn't want to give up their leader, who was a missing nin from Konoha known as Tsuyo Hyuga. Mitsuo was friends with Tsuyo and didn't want anything bad to happen to him, and while he hadn't seen him in three years, he had to assume that Tsuyo had found a way to keep himself out of trouble, having not heard that he was captured from anyone since his return.

He would pass several people walking the streets, and were they to focus on him he would simply appear to be an odd blur or a shadow amongst the streets, something that he was greatly appreciative of Kaguya, a former Sannin of Kiri, for. The cloak that he wore was able to hide himself and anything he carried on him from sight, making him impossible to pinpoint target and very difficult to see. He made his way towards the outskirts of town, careful not to bump into anyone or disturb anyone along his way as he wished to get out of the village to train, sure that his chakra would be detected as different, and possibly as his by the current Raikage, Sanosuke Flint, whom he had fought beside once before. There was nop rom for error and Mitsuo knew that being in this village was dangerous enough, and if it wasn't for Ayakashi and Strafe he wouldn't even be here.

Once outside of the village, Mitsuo made his way towards a place that he had heard was a good place to train from former associates. It was a temple that was hidden on the underside of a rockface, making it so that in order to keep your footing you would constantly be focusing on keeping your feet glewed to the ground, as well as making you work on multitasking. It wasn't far from the village, though somewhat near the border that Mitsuo had travelled here from. He ran as fast as he could, which he noted was somewhat more sluggish than he had been before he had left. At one point he was one of the three fastest people in the Shinobi world, though he imagined that was no longer the case today, as most of his attributes had taken a hit during his travels. He had regretted not staying behind to train, as now he would have to work twice as hard to catch up to others, but he would do whatever it took to get himself back to his former power.

As he approached where he knew the temple was he noticed there were quite a few people around. He found a nearby rock face to hide behind and assessed the situation. They were all armed in different ways, each of them clearly ready for an assault. It was hard not to notice that it seemed like a small army was assembled, and so he found one of the guards that was nearby and quickly grabbed him, closing his hand over his mouth and pulling him back to Mitsuo's hiding place. Before releasing his grip on his mouth, Mitsuo struck the man hard in the Larynx, hard enough that he wouldn't be able to yell or scream but not enough that he wouldn't be able to speak. Mitsuo pulled out his Tanto and put it to the man's throat, whispering into his ear; "You will tell me what you are doing here, or I will kill you in the slowest and most painful way that I can think of." He could feel the man's fear, and smell it too when he wet himself, clearly feeling Mitsuo's very clear intent behind his words.

"W-w-we are at-attacking K-k-kiri," the man stuttered the words with a very hoarse voice, clearly pained from speaking after the punch. Mitsuo bit his bottom lip and pressed the blade a little harder to the man's throat, coaxing him to continue on. "We are to surround the city while another squad digs under and murders everyone in the town. Since Kiri's army is in Kumo there is nobody left to protect them..." Mitsuo could feel blood from his lip as his biting became a little harder than he had intended. He was sickened by the man's words, Kiri being the village that he was hoping to make his new home and the home of his lover. As the man gasped for breath Mitsuo could hear his voice coming back and he quickly plunged the tanto into the man's heart, killing him instantly and quietly dropping him to the ground. He wouldn't allow this attack to commence. He unsheathed his twin blades, Justice and Retribution and darted out of his hiding place, plunging his left blade through the back and heart of one man while the right blade cleanly swept another man's head clear off. The few dozen men were aware of him now, and Mitsuo knew that getting out of this alive would be a difficult feat. He woould have to become a flurry of blades, and that was what he did, each hand movement killing at least one man, more if possible while the shocked and confused men clumsilly attempted to attack him back. They had no chance, there being too many of them to be of any use against him in melee combat. They weren't as coordinated as they needed to be to take him down, and his advanced training with the blade made it impossible for them to keep up.

It didn't take him long to dispatch the group of them, moving towards the sounds of another commotion. He assumed there was someone else here fighting against these cowards and he wanted to help. He was too late though, keeping in the shadows as he witnessed a shell of a man standing triumphantly over his kills, eating something that Mitsuo didn't want to think of and speaking.

"I came here because I heard some of the Aoi Bara's members may be around. Now, where can I find them? Surely they're not with these scum."

Hearing the words Aoi Bara escape the man's mouth, Mitsuo charged at him from behind, tanto drawn once again and grabbing him tightly. He put a hand over his mouth and the tanto to his throat once again, whispering into the man's ear; "It is unwise to speak the name Aoi Bara so close to the village of Kumogakure no Kato. That group is wanted for the murder of the former Raikage, and if anyone heard you speaking of it you would be killed, or worse. I should remove your tongue so that it saves you the potential pain of the torture you would endure. It would be a mercy." He stood there for a second and let the man think his words over, before speaking once more. "Give me a good reason I shouldn't do so." When he said this he released the man from his grip and moved to view his face, something about it seeming very familliar indeed, though Mitsuo couldn't quite put his finger on what it was...

(1568)

Tsuneo continued his walk and it was another usual day for him, and bloody hell was it bloody. Tsuneo heard the sounds of combat close by, but wondered what is happening. However, by the time Tsuneo was done with the scum, the sounds of conflict faded into silence.


Tsuneo was surprised by the assault, he felt no presence, heard no footsteps, and saw nothing. Excitement built the flames in Tsuneo. Tsuneo smiled as he heard the man speak "Give me a good reason shouldn't do so" Tsuneo simply replied by "I don't think being so forceful is going to help you pick up women or men" in a mocking tone his few words were spoken, after  a second he continued "You're pretty impressive you know. Everyone I've met up till now has been quite boring. I am sorry, I am talking too much. My reason is simple."


Tsuneo wasn't in the best situation for mockery, or was he? Tsuneo as of now has assessed the situation, escape is very much guaranteed unless his forceful friend has a couple of tricks up his sleeve. Tsuneo continued talking and gave him what he thinks is a good reason as he released his chakra chains around the man wrapping the chains around his waist, and if the man attempted an escape Tsuneo would unleash his five chains and aim to capture him. "My dear dear friend, take a look at your waist." Tsuneo waited before continuing "Right now your precious chakra is on lock down. Second of all, I can release a multitude of chains that are capable of severing all four cute limbs of yours along with your head in a less than a fraction of a second from this distance. Thirdly, I can easily seal myself away and rel ease said chains and still murder you."  Tsuneo as he ended his sentence released an insane amount of his dark chakra enough to frighten away the birds on the trees around them. It was a dark, heavy , and an enormous chakra. Tsuneo turned his head to gaze at the man with his messed up eyes that had a pitch black sclera, and a red iris. Tsuneo spoke his words with a sharp tone "Now how about you give me a reason not to obliterate you..... Actually, I would appreciate it a ton if you tell me why your Chakra ,while I can barely sense it, is very familiar to me." 

The young centipede awaited the man's answer, and for some reason he was reminded of the hidden leaf village. Unsure Tsuneo waited, besides he just gave information about a part of his capabilities. However, as it stands, the young lad has a million method of escape, and that is assuming this man is an enemy. Tsuneo is a murderer, however, there are certain conditions for his target to become a target for elimination. One of which is the man or woman is a murderer and have murdered innocent people. Secondly, the target is seeking Tsuneo's death, and in this case it will not matter if the man is just or unjust as they become another target for elimination. The third and last reason, if the target targets any of Tsuneo's loved ones, and in this case torture might prelude their death.


Tsuneo spoke once again "Fingers on the bench, centipedes in my ear, my fingers cut over and over, my tongue cut over and over, my eyes ripped out. A special serum that  contains a powerful healing jutsu had my body parts regenerate over and over for thirty-two days, during those thirty-two days that my body parts kept regenerating my fingers, toes, tongue, eyes, hands, legs, and cheeks were ripped off over and over and all for the fun of a psychopath. Oh by the way, this was all a fraction of what they did to me. Cut my tongue off? Are you kidding me?" Tsuneo let out a chuckle as his dark chakra grew heavier and his gaze sharpened with his messed up eye that glared into the man's eyes. Tsuneo's days in Kirigakure were not all fun and games




Tsuneo released three other chains capturing the idiotic C-Ranked idiot. Tsuneo saw tears in the eyes of the boy and he was unlike the rest of them. Probably savored the "cool" idea of becoming a thug and went ahead. Kids like him are the first to drop to their death in the battlefield. Tsuneo spoke no words to the kid as he had his hands full with the man holding him in his place. Tsuneo wouldn't kill a foolish child, and he meant to explain that, however, now he was busy. Scolding children has it's own time and place. Ignoring the child Tsuneo awaited the man's response.


It still bothered him, he turned his head to eye the man behind him, and the man's face was also familiar. The nineteen year's old young man also noticed the man's chakra, and noticed in less than a second that he was familiar with that chakra. The chained down boy was too close, however, he was not around when Tsuneo mentioned the Aoi Bara's name. The boy was very courageous to track Tsuneo down by his dark enormous chakra, however, now he was too close and could feel it at its full density. Fear nearly drove the child insane, and Tsuneo was annoyed by him. He let the child go, but never let his attention be swayed away from the man behind him holding a tanto to his throat.


Tsuneo was indeed tortured to an extent no one could think of. The man that tortured him would inject a serum that gave him the ability to regenerate any lost parts of his body even organs for a limited time. Tsuneo kept getting injected and tortured, until he rescued himself by himself. Tsuneo murdered and devoured everyone in that accursed building. 

---

Total words: 2020

Mitsuo almost laughed behind his mask. He could feel a smile cross his lips at the absurdity of this situation. He could think of at least three different ways he could kill this man in a split second without using any chakra, and he played each of them over in his head. He was a master swordsman, one who barely even used chakra. The chakra chain around his waist didn't detere him nearly as much as the man who had placed it there seemed to think. Mitsuo had made a career of killing people without them even having a chance to register the fact that he had moved, his skills with drawing a blade so immense that the majority of his foes would die before they even had a chance to blink their eyes.

The twin blades, Justice and Retribution, were Mitsuo's current favourite weapons, ones that he loved the florish of. When he used them he was flashy and dangerous, a completely lethal combination as he would dance a dance of death, his weaving of the two blades completely entracing his opponents. It would take him no time at all to quickly draw one of them from their side sheaths and bring them up through the man's neck, severing his head from his body. He thought back to the men he had dispatched moments earlier, a flick of his wrists that had resulted in the deaths of two men in the blink of an eye, and knew that it would be effective, but would it be his most effective option?

The Blade of the Immortal Flame was probably the least likely sword option he had that he would use. It was a massive greatsword with an immense weight to it, making it perfect to draw from his back and just pull the fulcrum created by his two hands at the hilt, snapping the blade down and burrying it in his opponent's skull. This strike would use pure physics, the speed of the blade falling down being so immense that it would easily crush his skull like a grapefruit even if the blade wasn't as sharp as it was. The blade would be easily able to sever the man in twain, taking him through the middle as he had once done to his former friend Ukiyo. While he had regretted her death, this one he would not as this man was clearly insane and couldn't keep his mouth shut about important things such as a secret society, where the purpose is in the name "Secret". The blade would also cauterize the wounds, leaving much less to clean up.

Thirdly was the weapon that had felled Ukiyo in the first part, the relic weapon known as The Messiah. It had been gifted to him by one of the previous Hokage, Mitsuhide Uzumaki, whom was in office before Mitsuo had run the village and while he had defected. This weapon was an ancient relic of their village, and one that Mitsuo was extremely proud of. The weight of the blade was next to nothing, such was the perfect craftmanship that had gone into the blade. He had spent so long mastering the craft of the draw with his former master that he could kill someone with this blade by severing their head before their brain was able to register the fact that Mitsuo had moved. He could cut a fly out of the air with it, and a man's head was a much easier target to hit. Even without using the chakra activated ability of the blade he would have no issue dispatching his opponent.

The last weapon that Mitsuo could take the man out with was the one that was already in his hand. He had learned at a young age how to effectively throw a tanto, easily being able to throw the small blade into the man's eye before he would be able to react. And even if he could react, this method was a perfect distraction so that Mitsuo would be able to use any of the other methods that he had to kill the man at his disposal. He smirked at the situation that this man had found himself in, put face to face with one of the most ruthless and efficient killers that the Village Hidden in the Leaves had ever created. Mitsuo was not known for mercy, and had never lost a fight, or at least not since he was a genin. He didn't plan on starting that tradition today.

The only thing that kept him from doing any of these things was that nagging feeling that he knew this man. It was more than just a feeling, he knew that he knew him. Mitsuo was one hundred percent positive that the man in front of him was a member of Konohagakure no Kato, and that he had met him many times before. He kept looking him over from behind his mask and knew that he could likely get out of this without bloodshed, which was ideal. Mitsuo had spilled Konoha blood three times already, and didn't want to have to do so again. He moved his free hand up to the hood of his cloak and pulled it back before removing the mask that concealed his identity, showing his face to the man. The well trimmed black beard on his face framed him perfectly and his green eyes were unmistakable, one a deep emerald, the other a slightly paler green. The glasses on his face glimmered in the sunlight and his trademark smirk was plastered on his face before his look became much more stern as he began to speak.

"Of course you know my chakra, everyone in Konoha knows my chakra. I am Mitsuo Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sword Saint of Konoha, former Sannin and stand in Hokage for the village. I am of the line of the great professor Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi, and of Asuma Sarutobi, one of the guardians of the Daiymo. There is no man from our village who is as efficent in the art of the blade as I am. I am the blade that was sent to strike down Hao Uchiha, I am the blade that struk down Synn Karisuma and the entire Karisuma clan, and I am the blade that brought Ukiyo Senju's life to a very swift end. I am more than a legend, like my ancestor, I am a Living God with the sword." Mitsuo was completely fired up, ready to draw one of his blades if he saw the man even so much as flinch. He might not have had the advantage of having his chakra and therefore being able to activate his Cloak of the Will jutsu, which would turn the man to ash in a second, but he didn't need it. He was sure that he would be able to get through to him though.

"And you." He looked the man over once more, finally figuring it out. He knew the man's aura and, though he was much different than Mitsuo remembered him, he had finally put a name to his face. "You were a genin when I was becoming a legend in our village. You are part of another legendary clan in Konoha, the clan of our fourth and seventh Hokages, the sealing masters. That explains why you were able to seal my chakra. Well Tsuneo Uzumaki, now you know who I am. Do you want to try to make a name for yourself at my expense? You can try but I can also assure you that I have trained my entire life at a disadvantage so that situations like this wouldn't phaze me. I do not fear death, for I am death. I do not fear pain, for I have suffered greatly. I do not fear loss, for I have lost everything. All I have is the blade, it is my entire life and I am better with it than anyone else." He smirked once more, placing a cigarette to his lips quickly and lighting it from the zippo up his sleeve before sleeving the lighter once more and taking a deep drag on the smoke, drawing it into his lungs before expelling it once more through his nose. He didn't want to kill the young Uzumaki, not at all. At this point he only wanted to help him, but that would be completely up to Tsuneo. Whatever happened next would determine Mitsuo's next move, and he certainly didn't want to spill the precious blood of the leaf...

(3011)

The Speech

Online recording software >>

"Of course you know my chakra, everyone in Konoha knows my chakra. I am Mitsuo Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sword Saint of Konoha, former Sannin and stand in Hokage for the village. I am of the line of the great professor Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi, and of Asuma Sarutobi, one of the guardians of the Daiymo. There is no man from our village who is as efficient in the art of the blade as I am. I am the blade that was sent to strike down Hao Uchiha, I am the blade that struck down Synn Karisuma and the entire Karisuma clan, and I am the blade that brought Ukiyo Senju's life to a very swift end. I am more than a legend, like my ancestor, I am a Living God with the sword."


The man holding the blade at his neck was no ordinary man, and as funny as it would sound, he was someone Tsuneo idolized as a young Genin. Tsuneo was indeed impressed by the epic speech, but that was not what he was thinking of. The man behind him was a sword master. A sword master might even be an understatement, and he has heard of his achievements. A god with the sword, chances are he won't need a nano-second to draw his sword, much less to swing it. A sword swing from the mighty sword saint will definitely leave a mark. Tsuneo, however, never underestimated his opponent. Most likely the man before him has more than one sword, Tsuneo was sure of his capability to react to him holding the sword or even coming close to it. Tsuneo would react to his opponent's hand moving anticipating which sword he'd draw and remove it from existence, whole releasing his chains at the same time. There was barely a centimeter between them. His opponent would be torn to a bloody mess of a corpse. All four limbs will be destroyed not only severed including the chest, head, neck, and basically his opponent's whole body, however, since he's a swordsman removing his arms first would prevent any attempt at resistance. His chains when released at full quantity move at forty meters per second, and since one meter is one-hundred centimeters there are four-thousand centimeters that are crosses in one second. Escaping the full destruction of Tsuneo's chains at this distance, barely a centimeter, was regardless of what speed his opponent may contain, impossible.


However, it was never the only solution. Tsuneo could easily escape his Mitsuo's grip through his Matoryoshika jutsu and blink into a clone from which he will release his chains, and murder him, however, he would have a big chance to escape unless Tsuneo places the clone behind him and murders him with either his lightning lance or flame dragon. Fire, however, was not the ideal choice as most sarutobi are adept fire users. A lightning lance to the head should suffice, and in case Tsuneo was damaged he'd be in his Matoryoshika jutsu completely safe from any strike sent his way assuming he could not devour it with his swallowing seal. That was not his last option.


Tsuneo was capable of releasing his chains from an physical surface within fifteen meters, and that was the best part about his jutsu, and why it is his favorite jutsu. Right now, each one of his swords is a nest for his chains. This was the easiest option. Tsuneo would launch his chains from Mitsuo's sword's which are even closer and closer than a the half centimeters between them, and not only that should somehow his drawing of the swords speed exceed the speed of light and be capable of drawing the swords ignoring the impossibility of it happening. Tsuneo would then destroy all hands aiming to draw the swords and murder the man behind him with little to no effort, but it was not effort that would be the problem. Tsuneo would also be capable of activating swallowing seal in case he had some hidden object or doujutsu that Tsuneo could not see. Swallowing would automatically and immediately eliminating any possible advantages the man ever had. This method was the most effective method Tsuneo could think of at the moment. Tsuneo's preference was long range because he prefers long range is precisely why he focused on close range to an extent he is deadly in close range. Tsuneo was no idiot as he always studied strategies, battle theories, tactics in all categories, and most of all sealing and history. Tsuneo thought of himself as a brutal war-machine and did not credit himself for the knowledge he holds. However, he is an avid reader and bookworm. Who knew his being a bookworm would ever help him this much.


Another method was releasing his lightning lance from his man passing through his jaw and out of his head, and the lance it self moves at extends at a speed of twenty meters a second. However, the lance requires barely any time to reach its full length which is ten feet long, and since  there are a tiny bit centimeters  between his hand and Mitsuo's head would ultimately mean Mitsuo's demise. The time required to reach Mitsuo's head was a lot less than required to reach full length and even faster due to the twenty meters per second speed since each single meter is three and two tenths in feet. This all meaning it could cross sixty feet in a matter of a second  where there is two to three feet between Tsuneo's hand and Mitsuo's head. Math is a fun game for Tsuneo, and what's even funnier is Tsuneo doing these whole mathematical predictions in barely seconds. Tsuneo could use a bit more of his chakra to use swallowing seal or Matoryoshika to save himself from any random variables. Preforming his plans as Mitsuo is speaking is the most effective, as it is sudden and ultimately too fast for an SS-ranked shinobi much less an S-ranked shinobi or even an A-ranked.


However, all of these plans are useless, and while they barely took time to come up with, are very much a waste of nano seconds. Not a single one of them was the slightest bit useful. Tsuneo's plans were nulled the moment Mitsuo revealed his name and his identity. Despite what one might say or do, what Tsuneo might say or do, and what Mitsuo might say or do. Tsuneo would never harm Mitsuo, and while the opposite may occur. Tsuneo still would never hurt Mitsuo. How could he? The man behind him was someone he idolized, someone he admired, someone he was a fan of. Mitsuo had saved countless of lives, and on the other hand Tsuneo murdered many to protect others. However, Tsuneo himself knows nothing if what he did was helpful or not. All of Tsuneo's victims were criminals with high charges. Tsuneo cursed himself and could not think good of himself because what he does is murder, and it is murderers he murdered . Murderers of the innocent. Tsuneo once wished to become Hokage, and the man behind him achieved that title, something Tsuneo could never hope to do as he has been thrown away.




Mitsuo continued his speech: 


"And you." He Paused before continuing "You were a genin when I was becoming a legend in our village. You are part of another legendary clan in Konoha, the clan of our fourth and seventh Hokages, the sealing masters. That explains why you were able to seal my chakra. Well Tsuneo Uzumaki, now you know who I am. Do you want to try to make a name for yourself at my expense? You can try but I can also assure you that I have trained my entire life at a disadvantage so that situations like this wouldn't phaze me. I do not fear death, for I am death. I do not fear pain, for I have suffered greatly. I do not fear loss, for I have lost everything. All I have is the blade, it is my entire life and I am better with it than anyone else."


To which Tsuneo replied "Haha, oh the great Mitsuo. Hey, big fan. It's an honor that you know my name, but let me correct your information. While you were becoming a legend a genin was being tortured mentally in order to have him fit in as a shinobi of the secret Konohagakure council. As you grew in achievements and power, the genin became a chunin and took his first assingment under the secret branch. By the time word spread on your magnificence that chunin was ordered to go with an uchiha and a senju and murder a clan. The clan had excellent relationships with all clans residing in konohagakure, however, it was rotten. Bribery, murder, thievery, drugs, enslavement, kidnap, rape, and torture was their forte. Countless raped, enslaved, and tortured children, men, and women were saved and mentally healed. They were fed lies as a criminal organization was keeping them not the clan itself. While many were saved, the whole clan was wiped out and even children. The chunin attempted to protect a child which was murdered by his comrade whom left immediately to take his own life as we were ordered to do so or become nuke-nin even then we would have to protect the leaf from the shadows. While you were bathing in glory, I was getting tortured, nearly murdered, and still I protected the hidden leaf from the shadows, no glory or thanks were needed though. I just never wanted the tragedy the befell my family to occur ever again to anyone. I protected Kirigakure as well and for the longest time, and I even joined the army against seven bells destroying multiple plans multiple toys of his and even a tail-less beast. The glory of the battle was given to the current Raikage, and Strafe of the Aisu clan, and the other fighter with them the "Ex-genin". He disappeared into nothingness" Tsuneo was saddened as he remembered his past he paused as his sadness glimmered in his eyes as he turned his head forward his white hair facing Mitsuo's  face, and after mere seconds he continued "You can bathe in the light for as much and as long as you want, I'll always remain crawling and lurking in the shadows. It is the fate crafted for me. The road I must tread, and the darkness I am to sink into."


Tsuneo retracted the raging feeling of his chakra as he calmed down, and as he did so he removed his chains from the man and moved his hand ever so slowly to Mitsuo's hand holding the tanto before weakly pushing it away. Had Mitsuo wanted to kill him he could've done so easily before letting Tsuneo know of his presence. Right now Mitsuo was an easy kill to Tsuneo, but that refers only to the current standing situation. Just as Tsuneo can now kill Mitsuo easily, Mitsuo was capable of murdering Tsuneo much earlier and with much more ease, and there would be no sound, no word, no difficulty in doing so as Tsuneo sensed nothing of him. It would've been a swift unseen end. Tsuneo walked towards a rock which he sat at with his elbows resting on his knees and hands left hanging. Tsuneo spoke "Why did I do such a thing as remove my chains and casually walk away? Don't act like a fool Mitsuo, had you wanted it I'd be in the pits of hell by now."


Tsuneo really had nothing else to say, as he got caught up so much in everything he forgot he was looking for a fellow Aoi Bara member. Tsuneo awaited the man's response, or did he? he was looking at the ground with two sad eyes, as his black sclera faded to a white one leaving a red iris for a left eyes. He then rose his head up a bit and spoke "Now what?"

---

Total word count: 4062

Does he think that we do not know the shadows, Nii-san?

Mitsuo's path started when he was very young, the parts of his past that people don't know about. Everyone saw the Sword Saint of Konoha as a war hero and assumed that he was untouchable and had nothing that could or ever had phased him. Those people werte wrong, everyone has demons that they face. Mitsuo's demons resurfaced in his nightmares every night, and were on the forefront of his mind every day, always ready to boil over him. He tried to keep a lid on his emotions, it was extremely important to his work. He was someone who needed to be calm and collected at all times, though there were times that it was nearly impossible. His past was full of more loss than many people suffered in their entire lifetimes, his entire family, his lover, his village, and then his entire life. Loss was something that Mitsuo was very well versed in.

Mitsuo remembered being at the gate of the village hiding, waiting for his mother’s return. He was fairly close to everything when it happened and remembered witnessing the entire thing, the painful memory forever being burned into the back of his mind. The first thing he always remembered was the excitement of seeing his mother rushing towards the village, the childish hope that it managed to instil in him and the feeling of happiness from the idea of embracing her once more. That was the first thing, the second was a horror that would creep over him as he watched the scene in front of him unfold over and over in his mind. He watched as a group of no less than ten ninja descended from the trees above and attacked the four ninja, the two jounin and two Special Jounin fighting their hardest to stay alive.

Mitsuo remembered the flash of blades and watching his mother push the Hyuga woman behind her, making sure that she was safe as she knew that she was the most likely target. The Uzumaki woman held her bow in her hand and release a bolt into the chest of one of the nearby ninja, making a handsign and causing the arrow to explode in a burst of fire. He watched the Uchiha catch the eyes of two of the men and bring them to their knees without touching them, their minds broken before he engulfed them in a massive fireball, their minds and bodies both being destroyed in the blaze. He watched as the Senju shot massive splints of wood through the chest of one of his enemy and used his mokuton abilities to create a protective ball around the Hyuga woman. It was really quite impressive to see, and Mitsuo soaked up the entire fight, right up until the climax, which was the part that would haunt him always. He watched as the person who seemed to be the leader of the group came out of the shadows and drew his swords, his entire body twisting as he cut through the Senju’s Mokuton with a burst of flame and then dug his blades across his chest before turning on Mitsuo’s mother. He watched in horror as the Jounin Senju fell to the ground, his upper torso completely separated from the bottom of his body. The blades turned onto the mistress of the bow, her arrows being swatted away by his superior speed and ability before the blades turned on her, cutting her from her left shoulder to the right side of her hip. Mitsuo nearly screamed and gave away his position as she fell, the man dropping something beside her. That’s when the ANBU came and the ninja ran away.

Mitsuo remembered that the man who had killed her mother was wearing something that looked an awful lot like a Konoha Flak Jacket, it had bothered him even after he was told that it was Iwa shinobi who had killed his mother, even though they became the target of his hatred for a very long time. Mitsuo ran out to hold his mother, tears staining his face as he held her in his arms. She smiled at him and stroked his cheek before he watched as the light left her eyes, all that was left was the symbol beside her head; a symbol he would see a few more times at least in his life…

Mother's death was only the beginning Nii-san...You were next...

When they made it to the docks the contact that their employer, Mr. Yamamoto, was supposed to meet was nowhere to be seen. This, of course, made Mr. Yamamoto nervous as he had remarked that the man they were supposed to meet was never late. Mitsuo and Kimaru were watching intently making sure they wouldn’t miss him if he showed up and they would quickly realise what had happened. Mr. Yamamoto stared in shocked silence directly towards the water and Mitsuo’s eyes snapped there right away, seeing the man standing on the river and realising what was happening. The entire area suddenly became covered in a thick fog and Mitsuo felt something hit the ground behind him, turning around and realising it was Mr. Yamamoto, who had fallen dead, a hole between his eyes. Mitsuo and Kimaru both made their way towards where their Sensei was standing to try to engage the shinobi who was the source of the fog. Neither of them could have seen what happened next coming.

Mitsuo heard a scream in anguish cut the air and he quickly realized it was the voice of his twin brother. He rushed back to meet him, Kimaru coming with him as Mitsuo rushed forward to where his brother was. He could see the man who was running away with a polearm weapon on his back, one that now looking back Mitsuo realised was oddly familiar, intricate design carved into the haft that featured the symbol of whatever it was Mitsuo was seeking. He watched as he dropped a wooden trinket on the ground, the calling card of the group. Mitsuo knew that it was no coincidence that these were dropped at the murder of each of his family members but he was no longer able to concentrate on that part. This was the worst part of the memory and Mitsuo would have to relive it one more time.

He rushed forward, his brother with a massive hole carved in his chest as Mitsuo scooped him into his arms. He looked down into his brother’s eyes, blue as the ocean on a clear day, and ran his fingers through his brother’s hair, stroking his cheek and trying not to cry onto his face. “Mitsuo…” Munoto’s voice was weak and cracking, Mitsuo knowing that it was taking him everything to hold on and say these words. Mitsuo’s tears were flowing, Kimaru standing back and hiding his own tears at the situation as Munoto continued. “You…you need to live on…Make father…proud…” He coughed up blood and looked back towards him. “Ne…Never forget…me…or mother…And make su…make sure you protect…the village…Protect…Kimaru…protect…” Mitsuo watched as the light slipped from his brother’s eyes, completely glossing over and turning grey. He touched his cold cheek once more and began to feel the rain falling on them.

“Nii-san?” His voice cracked and he already knew what he was trying to confirm. The tears flowed freely from Mitsuo’s eyes, falling to the ground and onto his dead brother as he looked towards the sky and let out a piercing scream. Akako sensei made his way over to meet them, returning his weapon to its place and putting his hand on Kimaru’s shoulder as they watched the horror scene unfold in front of them. There was nothing any of them could have done. This was an ambush and they didn’t come into it prepared. Mitsuo would blame himself for the death of his brother every day for the rest of his life…

And as though it couldn't end there Nii-san...that would have been a mercy, but no, I could not be so lucky...

Mitsuo returned to the town in wake of the destruction at the hands of the now deceased Hokage, Tatsumaru. He looked around in horror as he saw fallen buildings and fire set ablaze to the entire village of Konohagakure no Kato. His sensei, Takeshi Uzumaki, had summoned him back to the village from his time in Suna due to the destruction that had happened while he had been away. He looked on the scene, absolutely shocked by the carnage that a member of their own village had created and all of the pain and death that surrounded him. He heard people screaming in pain and others crying over the loss of loved ones, a cry that Mitsuo had become all too familiar with. He noticed that one of the guards was approaching the newly promoted Chuunin with a sad look on his face.

“I’m glad you’re back Mitsuo, you can still speak with him before he’s gone…” The man’s voice trailed off and Mitsuo felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach, the words instantly confirming one of Mitsuo’s greatest fears. One of the people that he cared about had been injured in this attack. He made his way through the rubble, following the guard and terrified to ask the question that he knew he had to.

“Wh...who is it?” Mitsuo’s voice was breaking already, tears beginning to form and misting his glasses as he went with the man.

“It was your father...He was helping evacuate the village during the attack, but Tatsumaru,” the guard spat as he said the Hokage’s name, “he blew up the building that your dad was inside of. He managed to get everyone out before it went down, and was making sure there was nobody else when the explosion happened. It collapsed the building on top of him. We managed to find him and he’s still conscious, but…” he trailed off once more and Mitsuo knew what the words were that he wasn’t saying. His father was going to die, of that there was no doubt. Mitsuo had experienced it already twice in his life. His last remaining family member was going to pass on, and he was once again powerless to stop it. As they got to the rubble, Mitsuo saw his father, half crushed laying under a large rock, blood covering his face and seeping from his mouth and nose.

“L...little Mitsu...I’m...I’m sorry Mitsu…” His voice was faint and Mitsuo felt the hot tears streaking down his cheek. His father lifted his hand towards Mitsuo’s face and began to wipe the tears away, the dust and dirt caked onto his hand blending with the tears before Mitsuo felt his father’s hand go limp and fall away from him. Mitsuo watched as his father’s eyes glazed over, his life leaving his eyes. He screamed out in anguish and held his father close to him, getting the blood of a family member all over himself once more. He had lost so much already, but now his entire family was gone, leaving only Mitsuo behind…

And of course Nii-san, then there was Kimaru...he was my rock, and the only thing that got me through the death of my father. He was one of the few people I could turn to in my darkest times...And then that too was taken from me…

The sky was black and rumbled with the crashing of thunder, splitting with the white slashes of lightning and pouring down all over the land with a heavy rain. Mitsuo stared directly up into the sky, the water making his glasses nearly useless, droplets dripping down his face that were more than just rain. He could taste the salty tears making their way down his cheek and he screamed bloody murder into the heavens above. A cold hand touched his cheek and he could barely bring himself to look down at the sight that was unfolding below him. He could feel the warm liquid pooling on the ground below him reaching out and soaking his knees, the irony tang of blood thick in the air. He lowered his head and sobbed, his lips pressing to those of the man who was dying in his arms as he kissed him one last time, feeling the life leave him in that last moment, which seemed much too short for Sarutobi, Mitsuo as the light left Kimaru Hyuga’s eyes. He yelled out once again, the horror of the situation truly sinking in. The man whom he had loved for the past three years, and whom he had known all of his life, was dead. The fact was undeniable. He found it difficult to face the fact and he could do nothing but watch as the silhouette of the man who had done the deed disappeared into the distance.

How could I have let this happen, Kimaru? Why wasn’t I fast enough, why wasn’t I strong enough? Why wasn’t it me? Everyone I love, every last one, dies… My mother…My brother…My father…now you… What is it about me? Why does death surround me? Why can’t I just be happy… His eyes were painted completely red and the salty tears were beginning to sting the cuts around his face from the battle that had ensued. Mitsuo ran his hands along the young Hyuga’s cheek and closed his eyes, the cold flesh wet from the rain and blood. He felt as though his heart had been torn out of his chest and smashed with a tenderizer, pulverized into a fine mush and then lit on fire, made to slowly burn until it was nothing but ash. He couldn’t believe what had happened, and wasn’t sure he would ever be able to accept it. He set down his mask and rested his forehead on Kimaru’s, looking into the blank and lifeless eyes of the beautiful man in front of him. He knew nothing would ever be the same and he knew it was his fault. It was a pain that was like no other he had ever felt. He thought back to the day that he had the Karisuma eye implanted into his left eye socket, the stabbing burning feeling that was intense as a thousand sons when Strafe Aisu had dug a kunai into his eye socket and dug out his destroyed eye. This was much more intense though, as Strafe had severed the nerves, eventually numbing him to the pain, though this was a pain that would last a lifetime. When he thought of all of the time they had spent together, all of the love they had shared, and that it would come to something like this, it made him sick.

He almost couldn’t bring himself to do it, his hands closing the young Hyuga’s eyes and resting on his forehead. He shuddered to think of what he would have to do next, as was his duty as an ANBU Black Ops agent. He began forming hand signs quickly, an intricate string of them more complex than any other jutsu he knew and the tears continued to fall down his face as he did this. Each hand sign seemed to stretch an eternity even though they took fractions of a second to form from his training, and he couldn’t bear to think of what he was about to do to his lover. He eventually finished through his string and placed his hand on Kimaru’s forehead once more, sending his chakra into the young man’s body and performing what was basically an ANBU agent’s last rights. The chakra pulsed through the young man’s body in waves, building up inside of him before he was consumed in a flash of bright light and then there was nothing left of the body, save for the mask which Mitsuo had saved. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head before beginning to throw up violently, the entire world spinning around him as he nearly collapsed onto the ground unconscious, the storm above more violent than any Mitsuo had ever seen before…

After that I faked my death and left the village, forced to serve it from the shadows. I was branded a missing ninja, everything I did from that point on being done from the shadows. He thinks I know nothing of shadows, Nii-san, but he knows nothing of Mitsuo…

In quick succession the death of his best friend, Ukiyo Senju, the war of the Seven Bells and the battle where he was arrested, and then the charging of the Aoi Bara, where he had to leave behind his life, his love Strafe Aisu, and his adopted daughter Kaia-Mai behind flashed through his mind. It had been three long and painful years spent travelling with nothing to keep himself occupied during his exile other than his painful memories from the past. They tore him up inside, each memory constantly nagging at Mitsuo. He felt a tear running down his face and snapped back to reality, realizing that Tsuneo was sitting down and that Mitsuo was crying in front of him. He wiped the tear before stating in an angry voice, “You know NOTHING of what I have been through! I have spent the LAST THREE YEARS in exile due to my time spent in the shadows. I have lost everyone I have ever loved, and have nobody left in this world. I don’t even know if my daughter is still alive, but with my luck, I doubt it. I was forced to leave the village, I was shamed, I worked as a shadow for years, and when I was discovered again I was put in chains and nearly sentenced to death at the hands of a man I once looked up to!” His face was red, and he took a second to compose himself, taking a few breaths and letting his heart rate fall before finishing his cigarette and reaching into his bag for his mask, so that Tsuneo would no longer see his tears.

In his state he didn’t realize that he had instinctively reached for the wrong of his two masks, the one that he had pulled out and placed over his face being the wolf mask of the Aoi Bara. It was a fatal mistake, but Mitsuo wasn’t in a state to care right now, or even notice for that matter. It was on his face for a few minutes as he calmed down before he ran his fingers over the front of the mask and noticed his mistake. His eyes widened slightly from behind the mask, but he did not allow his shock to show through action and instead moved over to sit beside Tsuneo.

“So,” he spoke more softly now, the anger having faded from him. “Why are you looking for us?” There was no way Tsuneo didn’t know he was Aoi Bara now, he removed the mask and put it in his bag once more, his face back to normal. “And why must you be so loud about it? Nobody can know we are still alive, if they did they would hunt each of us to the man and kill us all. I won’t have that happen.” He had greatly hoped that nobody had seen that, but he didn’t feel any other presences around him and assumed he was safe. He simply looked at the mask in his bag and sighed, just another painful reminder of all that he had lost...

(6398)

His eyes, I was mistaken.... He was, no he is... Just like me... I never knew a thing beside the fact that he was a star in Konoha's sky, but he is now, no he's always been in the darkness. Just as I have been. How could I judge so stupidly? It happened to me too... The loss.....I was just a seven year old genin, I was always cheerful, always laughing, always playing around, and always dreaming. Until one day, I lost everything I ever had.


Tsuneo's first tragedy was when he was a mere boy of seven years, and as he was returning home to his family. Excited about the praise he'd get once he'd tell them he became a genin. He returned home opened the door and his family surprised him with a big happy birthday to which he started crying and laughing happily. They sat together, smiling, laughing, and eating a cake his mother had baked. That day was almost the best day in his life. Midnight came, and he heard sounds of conflict, and it was true his sister was awake and watching through the door as it was slightly open. He got out of the room in a rush and his sister tried to stop him but failed. His father was shocked and as his eyes widened  he went to hug his son and his daughter. Tsuneo's mother did the same thing, and it bothered Tsuneo that she was crying. Tsuneo's father spoke saying his final words to his son "Tsuneo my son, know that I will always be proud of you my son.." His tears began falling as his voice crumbled "I-I am sorry... I will have to leave you for the time being." His father whispered his final words "I love you my son.." His mother spoke as well as she kissed his forehead "Don't forget to brush your teeth you lazy child!" Her voice was crumbling as did Tsuneo's eyes with tears as he spoke"Momy where are you guys going? Please don't go, stay!" She replied with tears falling and a broken smile "We can't.. Now now, who exactly are you? My son Tsuneo is strong he would never cry! Smile my sweet Tsuneo. Tsuneo keep getting stronger, and never stop believing in yourself okay honey?" Tsuneo barely held his tears in his eyes before his father spoke to the man saying "Not here please-" Before he could continue his sentence his head was removed, and as his wife screamed in agony , Tsuneo screamed his lungs out, fear, sadness, despair, and before long his mother's head was removed silencing her screams. Tsuneo cried as he rushed to his mother screaming "Mommy Mommy please please." He kept crying and as the man aimed his blade at Tsuneo's head, his sister dashed towards Tsuneo and ran with him to the other room where she hid him under the bed after hugging him "Tsuneo you were the best little brother I could ask for" were the last words before her head dropped. The man could find no trace of Tsuneo and even though he looked under the bed he saw nothing. His sister had hidden him.


Few hours passed the man left, and as the police came they could find nothing but a child crying surrounded with the corpses of his family. Screaming and crying, sad and afraid, angry and alone. Tsuneo would hug the corpses and beg his family to get  up and what could he know he was a boy of seven years old. That was the first tragedy to occur to the boy now known as the centipede. He lost his father, mother, and sister. and as the police moved him away he screamed "NO NO WAIT I STILL DIDN'T TELL THEM I DIDN'T TELL THEM I GRADUATED." As he said those words he fell into unconsciousness. He found himself suddenly happy with his mother, father, and sister all alive and well, but that picture broke as he awoke from the dream it was tot he ceiling of a cold hospital alone on the bed of weakness that attested to his weakness, to his idiocy, to his inability that he could do nothing about but cry his eyes and lungs out. Mother...Father... Big sis...I miss you guys.... I wish you guys were with me... I wish I was surrounded with you guys I want to see you...I want to see you all so bad....That was not the only tragedy that occurred to me. I became stronger... I became a chunin, and I grew a little, and I am now fifteen years old... I wanted to become the hokage but... The village had something else in mind for me.



"your action will be highly valued , and you might reach the hokage position quiet fast if you cooperate with us."


"Yes sir I am happy to help."




I was then taken into an underground prison where I was forced to live the tragedy of my family over and over, and I kept watching helplessly. They would die over and over and over, and I could do nothing but watch.. "Uzumaki Tsuneo, Uchiha satoru, Senju Kamizaki, your next mission will be your final mission. You are to exterminate the Kurokara clan, Tsuneo is to scout the area,  and you two will eliminate everyone. From then on you are to take your lives in order to protect the village from any leakage of secrets. Commence operation "Centipede"." Tsuneo fist bumped his two friends as they moved in the shadows, and a heavy feeling of despair lingered within them as their dreams were crushed. Tsuneo scouted the area, and his two friends murdered everyone of that clan, and he could feel their souls dying as they take each life. Tsuneo saw a boy just like him that day, crying, screaming, and searching, searching for his loved ones not believing they were slain. His friend Satoru saw the boy and moved emotionless to kill, Tsuneo tried to protect the boy however he failed as the Uchiha had already stabbed the boy's heart, angered Tsuneo's switch flipped. A psychological switch placed inside him by the crafty division. Tsuneo had moved, taken the sword, and pierced the Uchiha's heart. His friend smiled as Tsuneo regained his personality "Heh, with that the hypnosis is gone Tsuneo... Go, live for us Kamizaki is already dead... He died protecting me, and with the life he gave me I'll set you free. Please, live for us..." His friend had fallen to his death at his hands. Tsuneo screamed in agony as tears streamed down his face. He cried his eyes out as he held both of his friends one on his back  and the other in his hands. Tsuneo buried the two soldiers, and lit the building on fire, taking the blame, and becoming a rogue. I am sorry Satoru...Kamizaki... I was still too weak, and I curse my weakness.... He left with the Aoi Bara, and as he lived in the wild he was beaten, hurt, poisoned, and in many times he almost died. Tsuneo was beaten and hurt, and was in a war-zone. Kirigakure's war against seven bells did not help him. During the war he entered the army as a free-lancer. Tsuneo, would participate in the brutal war against seven bells, a war in which he knew how weak he was, and a war in which he killed his very best friend whom he thought was alive...

Had I the power, had I the resolve... You would be alive and well now. You've always stood by my side, and what did I do? Kill you... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.....Am I forced to keep taking the lives of those I love? "I'll save the villagers, all of them.. I am no longer weak!" Is what he convinced himself with before reaching the city full of blood and corpses. He attacked the group of scum otherwise known as seven bells' squadrons. Tsuneo destroy them all except their leader, and to Tsuneo's shock it was his friend, his best friend.. "Souji?!? What the hell are you doing with these scum?!?!" He replied with nothing but the sword. Tsuneo incapable of doing anything but fight back fought back. "You traitor" Tsuneo yelled but his friend replied "Oh yeah? And what are you?" Tsuneo angered spoke "You know nothing about me!" They fought, they clashed, they brawled, and they stopped as one of them fell...  Souji finally opened his heart to Tsuneo as Tsuneo murdered him "You were always strong and brave... Never let anything stop you bud!" Pausing as he coughed blood on Tsuneo's face "Please Tsune, Please rescue my sister... My dear best friend" Souji uttered those words as he died with tears falling from his eyes...























Tsuneo has suffered a lot, and guilt, pain, despair, hatred, unhappiness, loneliness, and sadness grip at his heart. Tsuneo for the first time witnessed a kindred soul. They both have suffered greatly, Tsuneo could tell from the eyes of the man and was shocked as he cried while he stood there silently. Tears fell from his eyes and in those tears Tsuneo saw years of hurt. Tsuneo's eyes could take no more and as the man cried his tears down his cheeks, Tsuneo's past burned his heart and ached his eyes into tears as well. Tsuneo was given a few words before he hid his tears.


“You know NOTHING of what I have been through! I have spent the LAST THREE YEARS in exile due to my time spent in the shadows. I have lost everyone I have ever loved, and have nobody left in this world. I don’t even know if my daughter is still alive, but with my luck, I doubt it. I was forced to leave the village, I was shamed, I worked as a shadow for years, and when I was discovered again I was put in chains and nearly sentenced to death at the hands of a man I once looked up to!”



Tsuneo stood up and walked towards the man as his eyes looked at him with extreme pain and sadness. Tsuneo spoke with a breaking voice "I am sorry.... You've been through a lot haven't you.... I apologize for judging you." Tsuneo patted the man's shoulder as he looked at him with sad eyes, and uncontrollably a tears escaped Tsuneo's eye and rolled down his cheeks. The eye which looked straight into Mitsuo's eyes.

Mitsuo smiled at the young Uzumaki's apology, a complete change from his previous state of being. He had gone from full on crazy to more of the subdued person that Mitsuo had known back when they were in Konoha. When he spoke about how he was looking for his "family", Mitsuo simply ignored it. He wasn't going to respond to the topic of Aoi Bara because he simply didn't want to be overheard. They were all wanted in this village, and Mitsuo had no interest in getting in trouble. He looked towards the other Konoha nin and knew that he had felt great pain as well, Mitsuo smirking a little bit as he stood up and took a few steps away, looking around them. "You know, there's a temple under this rock, it's supposed to be quite amazing. We should check it out." He would wait until Tsuneo was following him and then make his way towards the edge of the rock, using the supernatural walking technique in order to make it to the underside.

The temple was unlike anything Mitsuo had ever seen before. It was completely upside down and from the standpoint of a logical architect, made absolutely no sense. Mitsuo, fortunately, wasn't an architect and therefore wasn't bother but more awe stricken by the structure. He had been wanting to visit this place for many years, as it was somewhere his old master had told him was absolutely worth checking out. He made his way into the entry way and then dropped from the "floor" onto the "ceiling" of the building. He would wait until Tsuneo would join him before speaking once more.

"So, I don't know why you came here. I'm not sure if you're here to kill criminals or to look for ghosts, but I came here with only one thing in mind." Mitsuo pulled out the Twin Blades, Justice and Retribution once more, and looked towards Tsuneo, holding them in his hands blades pointed towards the ground and i nfront of his feet. "I came here to train. Not to train with jutsus or chakra, just a good old fasioned training session, like my master taught me to do. I've been feeling a little out of shape since I had to leave these lands, and I really need to work to get back to where I believe I should be." He pointed one of the blades towards Tsuneo. "Now, I don't know if you want to train or not, or even if you know how to use a sword, but I damn well know that sparring is always better with a partner." He would spin the sword on his hand, holding onto the crosshilt as he presented the hilt and pommel to the man he was standing with.

Mitsuo had taken a few students in his time in Konoha, and had taught only one of them the art of the blade. From what he had been told, that man was now the head of the ANBU, as well as the so called "Sword Saints devision" which had been named in memory of Mitsuo after his supposed passing. Mitsuo was a man who knew his way around a blade better than most, and while he may not have been the best in the world, nobody had ever proven to him that he wasn't. He had never lost a fight, nor a duel, and therefore was still the best. He was also known to be somewhat of a hard ass when it came to training people, having caused major injuries to people in the past, as well as having killed one of the genin who was training under him when they had screwed up. He would always hold true to the fact that it was in fact that genin's fault, but it was something that he would always remember.

While he held the blades in his hand, Mitsuo found a sort of peace and comfort. He had missed the feeling of his swords and, as he hadn't been training in a long time, it was more than a welcome feeling to have once again. He could feel the familiarity with the weapons flood back through him and was excited at the possibility of having someone to spar with after so many years, as since Rippa he had only ever trained alone. A pell was fine and good, but nothing compared to having a living moving partner to wort with. He spun the sword he wasn't offering away in his hand once or twice before holding it in a ready position, preparing for his opponent to either take his blade, or preparing to start working through his sword stances if he didn't.

(7200)

I've always wanted to learn the sword.

Mitsuo chuckled at this, he hadn't trained someone with the sword in a while, but he was known for being a ruthless teacher. He had killed a student and seriously injured many others, a rare few being able to keep up with him. He imagined that this man, if any, would be able to keep up with him. He seemed like he was more durable than most, or at least if he was to be believed. Mitsuo spun the sword in his hand once more and looked towards the weapon in Tsuneo's as well.

"First lesson then, Tsuneo; These aren't toys, they are extremely lethal murder tools. The sword in your hand is called Justice, and it is tremendously powerful. With that pommel I can smash the bones of any man, and with the blade I can easily sever a man's head from his body. If you cut yourself with it by accident it can go right through an arm, so trust me when I saw that taking it slow isn't a bad thing to get you started out. Now that being said, I am not a fan of taking it slow. I want you to attack me and I will block you. Be careful not to harm yourself, and keep in mind, if you do anything to harm my blades I will kill you so fast that you wouldn't know what hit you. I don't want to do that, and I'm sure you don't want it either, so I don't see it being an issue."

Mitsuo took a defensive stance, his left hand behind his back, right hand forward with the blade in it, elbow slightly bent at about a thirty degree angle and tip of the blade pointed at Tsuneo's face. His right foot was forward, knee bent and toe pointing to his target, while his left foot was about shoulder's width behind the first, toe pointed slightly off to the side. He was ready, always ready, to take on this opponent, and if Tsuneo did not attack him after he had told him to, Mitsuo would do what he had done in the past, rush him and force him to defend. once put on the defense there was no way that Tsuneo could beat the sword saint of konoha in a fight. He was curious to see if Tsuneo had some instincts with the blade, as he was not known to be a physical attacker, but Mitsuo would soon see what he could do.

"When ever you're ready then!"

(7643)

Mitsuo cringed slightly as he saw one of his precious blades hit the ground. They were finely honed blades made for Mitsuo by a master swordsmith and he hated to see them mishandled so. He decided to try to not let it upset him, though, as he didn't feel the need to injure anyone today, not over something like that anyway. If Tsuneo got injured doing something stupid, well that happens. Mitsuo would not punish him for dropping his blade. When Tsuneo said not to laugh Mitsuo easily complied, as he didn't find anything humerous in someone dropping such a blade. He kept still, not breaking his concentration, not even at the mention of the legendary blade that the young man had apparently faced off against. Mitsuo knew the blade, and its holder, who was one of two people who outranked him in the Aoi Bara. She was someone who Mitsuo had wanted to spar with for a long time, and he had great respect for her. He found it facinating that this young man knew who she was and had survived training with her, though he was sure he didn't come out of it unscathed.

He watched the boy close his eyes, something that was completely foolish in a true battle, though Mitsuo wasn't going to rush in and call him out on it...this time. If it happened again he would make the boy pay for his foolishness, but he wanted to see what he had in him. When he began to move Mitsuo wanted to shake his head. His footing was all off, he was holding a one handed sword in two hands, making his grip shaky and not easy to manover with. There wasn't enough room on the hilt of the blade for Tsuneo to grip it with both hands, hence the name "hand in a half", and Mitsuo knew this. He could easily take the blade from his hands, which he would have to show him how to properly keep hold of it. He was simply starting out, so Mitsuo wouldn't demand a pound of flesh or anything, but he would set him straight as to the proper care to take with a sword.

The attack itself was a simple overhand slash, something that was a good foundation for all people. Mitsuo watched him take a high guard and in the moment it took him to step into him Mitsuo had already decided what he was going to do. Mitsuo quick stepped into him, his right foot going between Tsuneo's legs and his left hand pulling the tanto from his tsuba. The tanto would come up to intercept the blade at the middie of the blade to the guard of the tanto, giving Mitsuo a superior position on the blades. His own sword would come down and smack into Tsuneo's left leg with the flat, which would already be off balance from the attack and Mitsuo's step. Once that had happened he would spin the blade in his hand and punch into Tsuneo's chest, not smashing with the pommel of the sword, as he didn't want him to break any ribs and have trouble breathing, but with his fist. He knew that he wasn't as strong as he had once been, so bruised ribs that may inconvienence him would probably be all that he would get. The idea of the attack would be to get Tsuneo to fall on his back.

There were a few situations that could happen that Mitsuo could think of. One of them was the obvious, Tsuneo moves his right knee into Mitsuo's groin, causing him great discomfort and likely throwing him off balance. This was certainly something that would give him an advantage, but he assumed that Tsuneo knew enough of Mitsuo that he knew that he would kill him if he tried something like that, or at least take his leg. Were that to be the case Mitsuo would instead smash his right knee into Tsuneo's, breaking it and causing him to collapse while smacking him on the head instead with the flat of his blade. The hit would certainly ring and he would feel it for a while, but he didn't think this route was super likely.

It was possible that Tsuneo would try to stop in mid run and kick Mitsuo away, but if he tried to do something like this, Mitsuo's attack would have the same effect. Mitsuo could do a few things in this case. He could cut of Tsuneo's leg with his sword arm, which would likely cause him to drop the sword and them Mitsuo would be free to drive his tanto into his neck, though this was a little more intense than Mitsuo was willing to do. It was more likely anyway that due to the speed at which they were both moving Tsuneo trying to stop would put him more off balance and Mitsuo would knock him down before he had the chance to lift his leg. He would fall on the ground and Mitsuo would be able to do whatever he wanted, likely putting a blade to his throat. Due to the momentum and proximity of their attacks it would not be smart to try to take his momentum from the forward direction, as it would be easy for Mitsuo to put him off balance, and it would be a slow reaction.

The most likely scenario, ssuming Tsuneo was as shocked by the attack as Mitsuo expected him to be and due to him having no prior experience with the blade, Mitsuo would take the blade once more, spin it and point the tip at Tsuneo's throat, slicing his chin instead and smirking. "You're dead." His voice was very serious, no hint of the joking tone that he often carried. "Stand up, try it again." He would go back to his stance, this time with the tanto in his left hand, prepared to parry his opponent's strike again. Obsticles were always something you had to deal with. He would again stand on the defensive, not wanting to rush at an inexperienced fighter just yet, knowing full well what had happened the last time he did that.

No matter what happened, Mitsuo would enjoy it, as this was the most fun Mitsuo had had in years.

(8718)

Tsuneo was on the ground. This was the first time he had ever fought with a swordsman as a swordsman. If one can call Tsuneo that. Tsuneo got up as his new master spoke:


"You're dead."



 "Stand up, try it again."



Tsuneo was done messing around. He has been a weakling for many years. Tsuneo's eyes sharpened as he glared at Mitsuo. Tsuneo's eyes would watch every single twitch Mitsuo would make, analyze his stance, and plan his next assault based on his prior failure. Tsuneo began waving the sword and spinning it with slightly more profession. He was definitely better at handling the sword from that one clash. A second ago it was as if a genin was holding the sword. However, that all changed. His grip was that of a much higher shinobi. Tsuneo spun the sword faster in his hands. "Sorry for dropping you sword earlier. That was rude." His words, spoken through a cold calm voice. "I'll make sure it does not happen again." Tsuneo ended his small exercise with the sword as he was done waving and spinning it. It was the time to show Tsuneo's true resolve.

---

WC:7820

Bukijutsu(Kenjutsu)

D rank -> C rank: 3000/3000 words
C rank –> B rank: 4000/4000 words


Remaining words: 820

Mitsuo chuckled to himself. The boy had held a sword for what? thirty seconds? And he thought he was some kind of master. The apology was good, because Mitsuo's blades were his life, and he didn't want to see anyone treating his property with such disrespect. While he didn't seem like it, in his dismisive attitute towards the young Uzumaki, Mitsuo was actually impressed by his conviction and the fact that he was so intent on learning the blade. He knew that with time he could certainly become good with it, perhaps even good enough to follow Mitsuo into battle as a part of the Sword Saint Division whenever he took that back over. He had trained a handful of people in the blade, and generally they didn't show the same kind of drive to be good as this boy did. Mitsuo didn't waver, however, his stance and his glare remaining the same. He watched as Tsuneo prepared to come at him again, his stance a little better but still clunky and his grip on the blade matching Mitsuo's previous one, which was good. Holding a hand in a half sword in two hands was silly, and Mitsuo was glad that he was realising that the stance was clunky.

He wasn't sure if he was good at what he did, honestly Mitsuo thought he was kind of an asshole, though he had heard that Rippa had done well for himself. He hadn't heard much of his other students as of yet, though he knew one of them hadn't made it through his training. He had not intended on leading squads again or training Genin, as it was simply too dangerous to go through Mitsuo's training at such a stage in your power. He was not someone who was particularly careful with his trainees and he had broken someone in the past, or a few people, though one had not made it through. It was something he thought of often and he was thinking of it even now. Memories of that day flashed through his head as he prepared for the next attack of the much less experienced swordsman in front of him.

Mitsuo watched as he came at him, seeing him move towards his left side. He wasn't sure if he was moving to it because it had the weaker weapon or not, but he didn't particularly care. He tried to do some form of sword spin and Mitsuo noticed that the grip on the sword was no longer what it had to be, which was exactly the kind of opening he was looking for. When Tsuneo spun the sword Mitsuo would bring his sword into a hanging guard over his left arm, meeting Tsuneo's blade as he clearly wanted, while his left hand would come up to Tsuneo's grip on the sword, the Tanto being spun quickly in Mitsuo's hand as he sunk it into Tsuneo's forearm and plucked the sword from his opponent's hand with his now free hand. Even had this not been the case Mitsuo's sword was now on the inside angle of his opponent's sword and all he would have to do is turn his wrist and drop his elbow to end his opponent's life. With Tsuneo's sword in his hand he brought the pommel into the side of Tsuneo's head, smashing into it with just enough force to stun him, not enough to break anything or do any serious damage to him. As he would smash the pommel into his head he would also kick out the back of his knees and Tsuneo would be forced to the ground.

"You were dead that time before I took your sword, I could have killed you in three different ways. When you're just starting out you should avoid doing fancy spins and such with a blade. You need to focus on the basics, which unfortunately you do not know. You have a lot to learn about swords or the proper way to respect them and your opponents. Flair is not something that should be used as an attack, as it will only weaken your position until you know what you're doing. You gave me the sword, and I took it from you. Be happy I spared your life..." He turned his back on the young Uzumaki, his swords back in the holsters on his back and his tanto going back into its guard as well. He had a smile on his face though when he wasn't looking at Tsuneo. The boy had the fire inside of him, he had the drive to become someone much better than he was, and Mitsuo wanted to bring that out of him. He knew that in order to make it burn brighter though he would have to make Tsuneo wait and want it even more.

"I beat you today, always remember it. Make this victory hurt, make it burn in your mind...Make it drive you to do better. I want you to think about me smashing you with my sword whenever you close your eyes and I want it to drive you to become a better swordsman, to become one of the best even." The smile didn't leave his face as he began to walk away from Tsuneo, leaving him there on the ground with his bruises, cracked bones, broken pride, and the weight of Mitsuo's words bearing down on his shoulders. "When that fire becomes too much come and find me again, and I will teach you how to wield it properly, how to truly become a master. Never let it go out, never forget. The will of fire lives in every shinobi to come out of Konoha, and I can feel it in you. You must make it burn brightly!" With those words he left the scene of his attack, Tsuneo still kneeling on the ground as he left. Mitsuo knew that he would come to find him, he knew that he would want more, and when he did he would teach him all that he could. He would make him his disciple, and there would be nothing to stop him when he was ready...

(9773)

{Exit Thread}

The Speech

Audio and voice recording >>

Endurance D3 -> A 6500 words
Perception C -> B 2575 words
Strength D -> D1 325 words

9400/9773

Tsuneo smiled, his moves were anticipated, his attacks were nulled, and eventually; he lost. He was a total beginner, barely thirty seconds have passed since he first wielded the sword, and he was up against Sautobi Mitsuo. The god of swords, a man that held the sword since the start. A man the grew with the sword, a man in which the weakest of swords would become the strongest of the strongest. The swordsman, Mitsuo. Despite that, loss felt bitter. Defeat, the one and only thing he hated the most. The thing that he had hated more than anything, defeat. Despite the miraculous amount of disadvantages, despite everything. Tsuneo lost.




"Ah,  I've lost against Shinobu-Sensei, I've lost against Mizukage Ayakashi, I've lost against Mitsuo.... Sensei. Heh this is so frustrating."




Despite that he smiled, he had a gentle small smile on his face the white haired young lad had lost another battle. Tsuneo accepted the truth, but didn't at the same time. Tsuneo is weak. He aims to change that fact. Tsuneo's whole body was in pain, he had a couple of fractures and broken bones. He could not get up for quite the while. Tsuneo created his Matoryoshika clone and sealed himself safe in the clone. He then left the area following Mitsuo.


A man he respected before their spar, and respects even more now. He followed his footsteps out of the area, and he planned on following his footsteps int he art of the blade. The young lad was bitter, but happy at the same time. He was also afraid of losing another fight. These emotions burnt into a single flame of determination. Tsuneo has grown, and there was no doubt in that. However, he remains a weakling. Tsuneo knew that. With that knowledge he shall go forward. 


"You were dead that time before I took your sword, I could have killed you in three different ways. When you're just starting out you should avoid doing fancy spins and such with a blade. You need to focus on the basics, which unfortunately you do not know. You have a lot to learn about swords or the proper way to respect them and your opponents. Flair is not something that should be used as an attack, as it will only weaken your position until you know what you're doing. You gave me the sword, and I took it from you. Be happy I spared your life..."





"I beat you today, always remember it. Make this victory hurt, make it burn in your mind...Make it drive you to do better. I want you to think about me smashing you with my sword whenever you close your eyes and I want it to drive you to become a better swordsman, to become one of the best even." 





"When that fire becomes too much come and find me again, and I will teach you how to wield it properly, how to truly become a master. Never let it go out, never forget. The will of fire lives in every shinobi to come out of Konoha, and I can feel it in you. You must make it burn brightly!" 

---

IGNORE PAST DISTRIBUTION OF WORDCOUNT
TOTAL WC: 13557
Learning Bukijutsu(Kenjutsu)---->D-Rank--->1500 words

13557-1500= 12057 Words  left

Senjutsu D-->C---->6000 Words

12057-6000= 6057 words left for later.