Many weeks passed since the suna reclamation project came to an end. Kiri had returned with loot. Refugees. Verdandi wasn't quite sure if the administration had really reached their goals. After the villages were done looting the sand, there wasn't much left to rule over. But the whole success of the operation… many would until now not see it as a victory. Inabayama happened. So many mist warriors found their end on that day. Maybe Verd was under a wrong impression. Her friends and teachers, Mizuki and Takao both tried to kill each other. She was almost slaughtered twice on the battlefield. Chigetsu had been kidnapped and returned only with grievous wounds. Squad leader maigo and captain Nayoko from the leaf couldn't pin down their enemy. In the end. The forces of rebels had been dealt with. But at what cost? While Verd was getting her second field promotion for merit in battle, Ayakashi was supposedly sent to the medical ward. The sealer having caused her both emotional and physical harm. When Dandi last went to visit her aunt and see if she was… alive or well Aya was in deep slumber for recovery. It was good to see her now again. The wound on her shoulder and arm was just… Verd would shudder as she thought of the image in her head once more. Seeing the demon that would haunt her if she failed her family. Or the angel that would rescue her if she was in dire need. Being harmed to such a degree.

It was selfish to think of Aya as the unbeatable god that would always solve every problem that was a tad too big for Verdandi's own shoulders. Maybe her father was right. Maybe it was time to grow up a little. 'Act your rank' he would say. Hiding in your aunt's shadow when things went dark and hopeless. To rely on her. What if she ever needed someone to rely on? Did she fail her? Was she supposed to be there by her side? She didn't have the power. Not yet. First, she'd have to train the very spoils she unlocked in the land of wind. Being called a Jōnin didn't mean much if you weren't able to prove it with skill and wits. She was still a kid. Father was right. She had to grow up. Had to show that she could become worthy of this in due time. All that was needed. Was some training to refine herself. Some instructions from someone that was not afraid to point out even the smallest flaws in her motions. To punish her for her mistakes instantly. In a wise but not necessarily gentle way. Maybe today would be the same. Would depend on auntie's mood. How did she feel after the whole… operation? She seemed quite distanced for a while. It was time to figure it by asking her in person. There was no sense in constantly speculating over it. Maybe she was just too shy to ask them what's really going on. Would solve some irritations if she did it more often…

Verd mounted her black armor plates tightly to her skin. Barely the thickness of a feather. Allowing it to align well below her casual blue fabrics and the warm white covers for legs and chest and the yet incomplete chakra armor. The raven cloak would suit her well today. It was a day the kiri could be famous for. Mist thickly hung upon the lands. Sun still casually cascades past the grey clouds lingering even at one's feet. There was plenty of moisture in the air. Humid day alas. Verd enjoyed that. Being surrounded by one of her favourite elements in a cooler breeze of the day? Hmm it couldn't get much better for a Yuki Clan unless it'd be snowing. She enjoyed it anyhow. Mounting her family heirloom on her belt. The daikatana sitting tightly in its sheath. ANBU mask was casually sealed away into an item scroll. No need for that one today. But the accessories were put on her. What might look like jewellery were fine chakra enhanced items. Verd yet had to put them to good use. The mechanical mini-crossbow box was neatly tugged to her glove. It seemed like she was all set. Ready for that training Aya had promised her. It was always nice to get some alone time with auntie. Her being a busy bee after all. Leading villages and stuff. Gotta take a break once in a while and have some fun!

In due time. Verdandi would arrive at the training grounds. Avalanche. The by now fully-grown polar bear. Was slowly trotting his immense mass to the pond in the training grounds. Quickly dumping his fluffy butt in the water and starting to take a swim. He too enjoyed the weather being all humid and cold. But a swim in the cool pond was even better. Verd giggled. Watching her mighty pet shoo away any genin or students that were practicing the supernatural walking on the ponds surface. Marking his territory in a growling, grumpy but adorable way. They were scared. They didn't know how harmless he was in most cases. Verd would glare over the training grounds. Many of the young ones training their aim with projectiles. Some testing their martial arts skills out on each other. Others trying out their newest techniques or blades. Verd too had frozen this whole training ground more than once while testing out her Hyōton techniques. The raw potential behind the frost element. Verd was sure she still barely tapped it yet. Having yet to unlock its powerful abilities properly. Maybe something her aunt could help her with? Dandi went through the various projectiles that were available on the training grounds. Picking up some small bolts and tried to somehow get them to work with her mini crossbow. Seemingly having trouble with it at first until she managed to launch one of them off. Surprised at the nasty speed it had.

Last time they had met here. Verd was dreaming of the creature that was either angel or demon. Coming to haunt Verdandi. Dandi remembered that dream again. Back when she faced her as a Genin. Barely able to even see Ayakashi move at all. Armed with a rusty old sword. Verd was sure that she remembered something along the lines of… being lifted of mid-air during her frontal attack on aya and casually planted by her to the ground with a single finger. Something like that. Verd chuckled. She hoped this one wouldn't end quite the same way. Even though it was still sort of possible! Placing herself on a stone to sit on near the pond. Fiddling with her crossbow gearbox. Watching Avalanche casually swim around. It was a good day.

(1150)

Complementary image of Verdandi's memory:

The night had been silent...

Ayakashi had, had strange dreams while she had been embraced by the somnolence of her condition. Her minds eye racing through scenarios of the fight that she'd recently had with the former Hokage. The coma of her recovery was rife with training, rematch after rematch as her racing mind saught to conflate their skills and truly assert where each other lay. Ayakashi had been faster, stronger, tougher and more powerful than her opponent. His only advantage came from psychological warfare and preporation. He had hand-crafted the scenario in which the two of them had met from the very beginning. However, in doing so, having a real battle where loss of life and limb were at risk, Ayakashi felt as though she had awakened something new within herself. A beast had clawed its path to the surface, a beast that she had beleieved was tamed. Instead, it seemed that the depths of the beast within's range boasted little more than a glass ceiling which had been shattered by the voracity of their bout.

Ayakashi didn't like this unknown, however it seemed that her Hyouton imbalance had changed slightly, the demonic ice corruption within had compounded. A surgeon had come to meet her while she was recovering, attempting to wield a technique to remove some of the permafrost ice shrapnel from her body, however, as he had attempted to do so, the chakra scalpels he wielded to complete the task came into contact with Ayakashi's chakra system. Rather than simply sending a soft chill up their length and dropping the temperature of the room, the technique itself froze over, leaving him as well as hand with with surface burns, and an apology from the Mizukage. Aya needed to work through this strange change. Once her time in the hospital had come to an end, the call of the Mizukage had returned her to her office, relying more on the twins than she normally would have, each of them taking over a full twenty percent of her duties during her recovery rather than the usual five. The space allowed Ayakashi to train, and over a week, she, with the aid of her mother had developed something to replace what had been lost...

With a grin on her face, Aya would struggle to lift the automiton that was linked to her at the shoulder, raising the mechanical limb with sheer force of will. The phantom pain that allowed her to feel her fingers translating visually now as well as tangentally, allowing her mind to see and control an arm that was not a part of herself would not help the psychological component of her recovery. However, it would allow her to continue to train at her full capacity, or maybe even higher. Aya was not one to make the ninja tools in her family, however, this time there was an exception. Ayakashi's mother had refused to make the arm for her, but rather, instructed her daughter to perform the deed herself. Aya's mum consolodated the correct materials as well as the tools, even made the chemical components for the steel fire that would be required to forge the machine's plates. But in the end, it was Ayakashi who wielded the hammer at her mother's instruction.

A week of trial and error, a week of incorporating molds as well as her mother's masterworked mind in the construction of mechanical ninja tools. Ayakashi finally fit an arm into empty socket of what used to be there. The arm wasn't optimal yet, of that much she was certain, however she was going to need an opponent to calibrate it against. Remembering her niece Dandi, now having been appointed to the rank of captain of the ANBU black ops. Ayakashi had been proud of her progress, even if her father was a bit of a hot-head when he wanted to be. Ayakashi's one on one training with Dandi before the incursion into suna had been interesting none the less, having met up with Dandi several times over the months, playing with basic swordsmanship, more advanced techniques, chakra control and more. This time however, would be different, ayakashi wanted more than just a mock battle, a trial or some training spectacle. She wanted to see just what she'd learned during her time in the Kirigakure military.

[center]'It was time to put it all on the line.'

Entering the training are, Bai-hu and Ayakashi would wander. the mechanical arm tucked across her chest in a sling as she would look around at the others who were nearby. Ayakashi was wearing her usual attire with her usual equipment on her person. Ayakashi wore her light blue crystalline hair long down her back with few thin braided strands running through it on one side, not curving back into a dutch braid, simply falling to lay on her shoulder and uncovering the Byakugan that she proudly displays to the world on her left eye. Not wearing her mask, allowing her porcelain skin on show to the world as totally unmarked save for a single small diagonal scar stroke across the bridge of her nose. The eye revealed due to the parting of her hair is silvery blue rather than white with strands of sapphire glinting through it in dull radiance due to her repressed Hyoton chakra flowing through it. While a steel eye-patch like tiara curves diagonally around her head to cover her other eye, marked with the Kanji for 'seal' printed upon its surface.

As for her attire, Ayakashi wears a permafrost pendant of mineral-rich water around her neck that shimmers like a radiantly blue crystal gem of arctic ice. Donning the black cloaked shroud of the Mizukage, a long hooded ebony coat that fell to the backs of her knees with detailed navy blue wave-like trimmings at the base as well as the Kanji for 'Mizukage' Written down the centre of its back. Wearing it open only clipped by a copper chain at the top, she wears no shirt or clothing underneath it other than a bandaged wrap to keep her chest immobile and restrained should combat occur. On her back she has several implements, the sheath of her blade 'Changeling' slung diagonally across her back as well as her quiver of arrows overlaying a collapsed fuma shuriken. Her hands are never seen without the platinum gauntlets of her mothers. Famous and powerful artefacts laced with Fuinjutsu symbols amongst intricate designs and etchings that make them as much of a work of art as they are an exquisite piece of armour. Shortly up from them is a looped cord, slipping under her sleeve and connecting to a barbed needle. The last of her equipment layed on her hips, the mask she often wears linked to her belt beside now only a single bladeless hilt that hung for the world to see on chained clasps. All the while her legs are never without an improved variant of the kirigakure armour with the wedding band slipped into her boot.

As she approached, seeing Verdandi there at the training arena awaiting her, Ayakashi would smile faintly, waving with her living hand as it seemed that more and more of the Mizukage was becoming artifical. Ayakashi's eye was no longer living behind her iron eye patch, and now one of her entire arms had been replaced with a mechanical variant, whose brilliance hid beneath the shrouds long sleaves. "Well, well... It's nice to see you Danni, you're looking well. Sorry I'm a little late, getting ready is still a little difficult all things considered. So, uhh, cutting straight to the chase, I need a ha-, i mean, i need some help. I've recently made this..." Ayakashi would exclaim flexing the fingers of the arm that seemed to now have been re-attached to herself. Still wearing the steel armored glove that she normally donned, which, without context, it would be fair to clame that Ayakashi had simply somehow regrown another arm like some sort of amphibian.

"However, im sad to say, that I still haven't gotten used to it. I was hoping to find someone who would be able to push me a little bit with some swordplay, so, I figured i would come to you. "Ayakashi would punctuate the sintiment with a smile, happy to be seeing her niece again as well as how far she had come as a ninja as well as, as a person. Her pet, the beloved bear that hung around in the background in the pools seemed to be enjoying themselves as Bai-hu would simply rest beside the pool itself, observing the joyful bear with a single lazy eye as he seemed to want little more than to drift into the land of nod.

"But, fair warning, I dont want this to be one of our normal trainings. I'm looking for something visceral and desperate. I really need to push this, or else it just means that it's not going to be working optimally when i might really need it. So, if I may, I'd like to do away with the friendliness shared between most of our training sessions. I want to show you how ninja of the highest calibre fight in combat when fighting for their life. I'm sure you've seen many fights by now. But this one will be very different. I can assure you." Ayakashi would end, hoping that the reaction from her niece would be positive. Aya felt bad that she had simply thrust this burden onto her, but if it wasn't her, Ayakashi's next choice would have been Sero... and while Sero Osada was family of a sort, she still didn't want to show any kind of weakness or vulnerability while around him. Whether it be out of some warped sense of duty or some selfish pride hoping that she wouldn't look into his eyes and see her mentor staring back at her through them in disappointment.

'no, this needed to be done this way first.

Verdandi gazed over her auntie's frame as she approached. To her surprise there was a full arm back where she could have sworn to have seen a missing limb last time she visited the medical ward. Back in Kiri the hospital had been obviously nicer and more advanced tools then the makeshift tent in suna. But giving back an arm after you lost it wasn't quite something Verd was aware of that we can do now. After the initial greetings, hugs and necessities, Verd boldly started to poke around her auntie's arm and gently roamed her fingers along way. The Body Seal covering her Sharingan slowly lifted from its fuin seal. Allowing her left eye to slowly turn from its fake blue into deep red. Awakening the three tomoe from its slumber and letting it's unstoppable rotation circle begin once again. While the red eye wasn't as useful for scanning bodies and items as was her auntie's byakugan, it still allowed Verdandi some deeper insight over what was going on within that arm. The chakra flow obviously unnaturally reformed and the severed chakra lines were bluntly visible to hr eye. The flames of energy showing clear disturbed paths and incomplete pathways down towards the palm. Verd was pretty sure that Aya was very aware of these flaws within herself. Having the superior eye to see the chakra network to an even more detailed degree while the sharingan could barely make out the presence of the energy within the limb itself.

"Now that does look like you got quite some work ahead of you with that arm, my lady kage. I'm not an expert on medical stuff but it looks to me like your arm is still reforming its chakra valves and will require a lot of… enforced pressure to regrow the energy network within. You got quite a fancy device there though. Did grandma help you with that? I can smell Yuki Clan alloys in this monster… well yeah. It seems designed to allow chakra to flow through it. So, I guess some practice alone will open all valves to work around its current flaw. You getting used to controlling it seems to be a different topic though. But you're   'A y a k a s h i'    … come on. Should be but a blink of an eye for you now huhm?" Verdandi giggled. The woman before her was known for her sheer limitless talent. Verd wanted to lift the mood of the situation. She nodded. Giving auntie another short hug before slowly walking a bit into distance. Her different coloured eyes gently gazing towards the pets that were playing together. Or rather Avalanche was tossing some water at the big tiger and annoying him playfully. In time the large bear would crawl from the pond and move up beside the tiger to casually cuddle into him. The two ice born beasts seemingly having found their own little special type of friendship there. It was cute in a way to see how even huge monsters enjoy to have a cuddle buddy.

Verdandi exhaled once deeply. Despite being hearty, Aya was also a very demanding teacher. She didn't enjoy it to play around for all too long. 'Fine fine… geez' Verd would think to herself as she was obviously still scared of the prospect of actually fighting her master on 'equal grounds'. To face your own mentor like this was bound to make her heart race. Not unlike how Aya didn't wish to disappoint Sero, the ice princess would be devastated if her master would end up feeling that the prodigy she was raising was but a 'weakling' to her standards. Verd was biting her lower lip and one could see she was getting nervous over there. She tapped her earbud radio twice and gave a few rather short commands and her coordinates to the people that answered. She checked once more on her gear to be sure everything was were it should be. Her Sharingan was already in motion. Her legs were pumped with chakra. Verdandi's custom made ANBU armor was pulsating with energy. The greaves could passively enhance her movement speed from around 17 to 37 m/s. Probably her most important gear piece in this battle. Considering that her aunt naturally walked at such speed Verd would desperately need it. What she lacked in natural perception would have to be compensated by her sensory skills. But before either of them went too deep into potential tactics and mechanics Verdandi was sure that a simple start was in favour for both parties.

Within a certain perimeter of a good one hundred meter around them, a barrier started to raise. The people that were training within the range had been shoo'ed away by Verdandi's ANBU to move their training outside the barrier. This one was mostly there to make sure that none of the two Hyouton users attacks would accidentally splash onto the nearby village. Giving them a properly large amount of space to play with. Bai Hu and Avalanche seemed to have remained inside as they were probably less pansy about potential splash damage. It also forced the surrounding people a bit into distance, allowing the two some safety distance towards the genin and academy students lingering about. But the battlefield was set. Large wide-open space in the middle. Some forest parts at the corner of the barrier. The big pond with the cute animals sitting next to it right beside the two. A large source of water in combination with an ice user was always a scary thing to begin with. Moisture within the air as well as a long, dragon shaped gush of water would raise from the pond. The dragon slowly surrounding Verdandi with his body of water. Verd was as ready as she could get. Pulling her twin katana from their sheaths. One S-Rank blade in each hand. A sharingan glowing in her left eye. Her full ANBU armor pumping chakra passively through their fabrics and into her system. Empowering the princess. Giving her reason to believe in herself.

Aya was ready. She had been ready the moment she walked in here. Her senses and skills were still way off the chart. There was a reason why Verdandi admired this woman more than anyone. Mimicking her sometimes. Trying to become more alike her. In pursuit of becoming as strong as her someday. A strange and unlikely goal to have. But then again, the same one would have said about Verd turning into one of Kiri's strongest assets within a years' time or two. Unlikely things were happening already. Why stop there…

Within the blink of an eye, Verdandi was gone. Since Aya didn't know about Verd's unusual new speed, she'd find herself surprised. Within but a split second the distance she had casually walked backwards to prepare was crossed. The water dragon would come to impact first on Ayakashi. Its body merely meant to cause her to stagger and at best fall back within its knockback. But it was a mere, soft way of iniciating the battle. The dragon itself had no specific purpose other than that. Any of Aya's techniques would most likely be able to turn him about or freeze him to icy dust. He was of no importance. But with him moving the 'gong' to the battle would have started. Less than a second after the dragon would impact. So, would Verdandi. With a very determined and strong offensive stance. Her body lowered. Her legs close but apart. Her left leg forward ahead. Her ducking position making her whole body a rather small target. Easy to miss. Her arms swinging the two blades forward. Her attack obviously aiming both blades straight for Ayakashi's new arm. Expecting her to draw either of her blades and counter it. So, she could quickly slice again towards the arm. Then torso. Then waist. Legs. Quick attacks. Either should be able to be normally countered by aunt if she was properly ready to defend herself. A gentle intro to their battle at hand. A gentle way to see if the new arm was ready to keep up with Ayakashi's motions as intended.

Chakra 365 / 400:

1380 / 2530

Using list found here

'If only her father had seen this.‘

The thought of his daughter not only becoming a ninja in his footsteps, not only becoming the Mizukage of the most powerful and prestigious village next to the land of fire, but also taking her time to aid in the training of her niece, that had decided to follow in her footsteps would have made the family man and ANBU tokujonin beam with pride. This would go down as one of Ayakashi's proudest moments, as the sun cascaded through what trees surrounded the training glade, casting rays of sombre ephemeral ghost-light through the fields of rolling grass. Ayakashi could spy the eye of the Sharingan burning like a laser of thermal light and its lingering glow as it moved to and fro in the natural shifting of her nieces weight. Verd had grown up so quickly it was difficult to comprehend. Yet here they stood. Dandi would make a couple of comments about Ayakashi's arm and her ability to overcome this adversity, just like any other that she had been a part of. The feeling made Ayakashi feel a little better about herself, the fire of motivation had been lit, and it was time to bring it to a boil.

Taking a few steps backward and away, Ayakashi would face down Verdandi as an opponent, Drawing two blades from her sheaths, Ayakashi would immediately recognize the legendary Katana of the former Steel Shogun. The Kurosawa was a baleful blade, legendary to a fault and the sharpest non-chakra aligned blade in the world, it had proven itself time and time again against ninja, truly boasting itself as a weapon crafted for a samurai to topple ninja at the height of their power. Though she had never seen the other weapon Dandi used, Ayakashi could not help but furrow her face a little at the sight of the two blades. Indicating towards the one which was obviously made as a replica to credit the other. The monsterous blade that Ayakashi and her mother had a hand at forging not being in use yet. An act that made sense, Ayakashi knew the ins and outs of that weapon completely, it would be more than a bad idea to wield it against its co-creator, at least to begin with.

"I'm going to have to have words with that woman, arming my ninja with weapons so dangerous behind my back so they can be used against me in training. Not cool dandi, not cool at all. And just for that. I'm going to use these..."

Aya would move her hand to her waist, stomping the ground hard enough to create a small crater, fissures expanding from the earth like a pulse of power created its own wind force around her. The blade which was held in the boot of that leg ejecting and firing upwards, twisting and spinning as with a flick of her mechanical wrist, Ayakashi would draw the bladeless hilt from her belt, slamming the pommels of the weapons together as the dagger hovered in mid-air at the apex of the perfect unsheathing. Clipping the two weapons together, the wedding band was married to the Kusanagi. Flowing Hyouton chakra through her arm and into the sword, Ayakashi's eye would begin to glow brighter allowing the channeling of the chakra through the arm to ease somewhat. Kusanagi's blade was a harrowing beam of solid light. A weapon entirely constructed from chakra, rather than wrapped in a shell of some description. Wreathed in a pale phantasmal cerulean.

Ayakashi would wait for a moment, then finally in a blast the battle would begin. With a technique as rapid as the flittering wings of a dragonfly, a powerful beast of Suiton chakra forming and consolidating into a great wyrm would impose itself onto reality, tearing through the fabric of space as if it were paper put to the shredder and cascading towards Ayakashi in such a manner. Ayakashi's eye, as well as the lines of the chakra pathways along her arm, would light up in the same color as chakra would be flown through it, creating almost beautiful colored patterns across her prosthetic as butterfly-like wings would also emanate from Ayakashi's feet. Dandi wasn't the only one who had new toys to play with. So, in an instant, Ayakashi would leap from the ground in a single bound, vanishing from almost all perceivable sight moments before the dragon would impact her. The speed of her movement dragging her arms backwards as she flew for a microsecond, placing a foot onto the forehead of the dragon that was cast in her direction, knee bent to soak the momentum, her boots connecting with the suiton monster as if it were its mass in glass moving at such a rapid speed.

This was almost what it was like to fly... Ayakashi would run in an instant down the body of the wyrm, leaping off the end in a spiraling corkscrew somersault. Dandi's speed was impressive, equalling almost her own as she would blitz in her direction at rates nearing her own, though as she pursued the dragon in close quarters, hidden behind the rushing wall of lizard-shaped water, Ayakashi would leap over the top of Dandi with her maneuver, little more than a fleeting shadow before touching down on the ground behind her silent as the grave. The whistful slicing of Kusanagi in her hand would be enough to call attention to Ayakashi's location as she would point the tip of her blade in a fencer's stance towards her opponent's chest. Twisting her wrist to the right and bending her arm to strike downward from shoulder to hip, hoping that it would attack at Verdandi's back, however... something unprecedented began to be realized with Ayakashi's movements... They were more than off, they were bad.

Sluggish, amateurish, like a person was little more than a trained brawler than a skilled fighter. Ayakashi had meant to make a deft assault of cuts with her blade, but, the transmission of the attack seemed to emanate as wild flowing strikes with the weapon. No tightness, her attacks would overshoot before recoiling for the next strike, each of them was whole inches off their intended target, not nearing the intended speed of the strikes and limp-wristed at best when it came to the force and strength behind the blows. It was as if Ayakashi were a newly crowned Tokujonin once again. Ayakashi would make three strikes in total, the diagonal one from shoulder to hip, slicing across from hip to hip and stepping back to avoid counter-attack with her awesome speed, Ayakashi would almost leave a speed-based afterimage of herself in place for a moment, angling the tip of her blade for Dandi's heart before thrusting through her own fading hologram, having coiled her mechanical limb to her chest and thrusting out in a pierce to put the blade through Dandi's chest... armour and all.

'But what was going on!?'

The first cut was off by 2 inches, and the line she drew with the blade was hardly straight. Overshooting its mark, unable to halt its momentum, Ayakashi didn't flow one strike natrually into another, rather it was obviously as if it were 2 seperate strikes she had paused between. Each of them lacking the power to deliver the total damage she should be able to with the weapon she was wielding. The final thrust, likely to penetrate totally in force, but with a blow that was meant to target the nerve cluster of the heart, Ayakashi tracked the momentum of the blade, the arm struggling to hold the weight of the damn disembodied hilt and its weightless chakra blade, pulling the strike south as it was liekly to miss the heart of an enemy entirely... Ayakashi quickly became frustrated, showing it openly on her face as she would hope to enter skilled combat, her strikes from now would only prove to lose more and more of her skill as she became visibly upset at her scenario, her potential neutered by this arm and just how much she had lost, a harrowing battle playing out mentally within her as the trauma was remembered...

it wasn't ok, but all she could do was prepare for a counterattack as best she could.

Following her stab she would follow through with moving her back leg behind her, pivoting and spinning her upper body as she would hope to move past Dandi, facing her as she did so to transition from lunging forward to stepping backwards, all moving in exacltly the same direction, attempting to draw the blade back into a high defensive stance, recoiling the hilt at shoulder height with the blade still facing her opponent.

Chakra used:

Avalanche carefully rubbed his forehead against Bái Hǔ's neck and yawned once big. The monstrous powers of their masters at display in front of them seemed unusually crazy. While the elder beast probably had the perception to keep up with it to a certain degree. Avalanche was yet a young child in comparison. The speeds of blade clashing in front of him certainly escaping his senses. It would be a lie to say that Verdandi was able to follow every motion Ayakashi was moving with. When she kicked that water dragon aside she could have sworn the grand lady of the mist had disappeared on her path forward to it. Admitting to such a flaw so early in battle would only leave Verdandi ashamed of herself. She poured as much chakra in her Sharingan as she possibly could. The enhancement of the sharingan, caused by her body seal that she placed with fuinjutsu on her eye, was at least giving her a coloured trace over where Aya was moving. She could see a faint glow every now and then. However, something was clearly messing with Verdandi's chakra sensory. It seemed that whenever the shroud she was wearing would cloak her body. Ayakashi's aura would vanish. Verd would crunch her teeth. She wasn't used to being unable to rely on her sensory. She needed it a lot in situations like these. She'd have to work with her ears instead. Verdandi moved her concentration to her ears and let the ability of her earrings take effect.

The earrings could manipulate the decibels of noises surrounding them. Considering that the two of them were now in a barrier clad, isolated training cube. There was nothing else but Verdandi and Ayakashi here. Concentrating fully on her opponent would allow Verd to catch the slightest noise at comfortable audio level. The earplug effect of the earrings would also make sure that no noise would suddenly become too loud and break her concentration. She was perfectly suited with an A-Rank audio sensory there and would need to rely on it telling her where Ayakashi was whenever she exceeded Verdandi's visual perception. Being able to react towards it in time would be a different topic however. But. It was important to have SOMETHING at hand that somehow worked at least. Aya had replied towards Verd pulling her legendary samurai blade by unveiling the legendary phase blade. Verd wasn't particularly fond of that weapon. It was a scary blade that acted as if it had a mind of its own. Seeing it gently extend itself to the light-saber that it was, brought a slight shiver down Verd's spine. But it wasn't time to think anymore. Instincts were required. It was time to act. She moved further in. Commencing her potential offense. Using her unexpectedly high speed to keep up with Ayakashi's motions. Compensating her lack of perception by instinctively following her ears as guide as to where she should step forward to. Keeping a certain safety distance during her 'dash' movements to not needlessly speed-move into her opponents' blade.

Aya had speed-moved herself above Verdandi. Quickly dashing in behind her. Aiming the light-saber towards the princess with no specific intent to hit just yet. Giving Verd, using her audio sensory, enough time to retreat a few steps backwards just to make sure there was distance in between the two. The first charge was aimed shoulder-hip and gently parried by Kurosawa. It was unexpecting… easy to do so. The slices on hip level were easily parried as well, Kurosawa seemed to have no issue to guide each slice aside and making sure to broadly miss Verdandi's body as an actual target. The final attack, seemed to be more like Aya again. A dash leaving but an afterimage just to return for a frontal assault. But once more the power of the strike left much to desire. Verd had endured many lessons beneath the teaching palm of her sensei. This felt nothing like the usual Aya. She used to have little mercy on showing Verdandi any flaw in her defense's. Never holding much back despite for the sake of not accidentally killing her little niece. But now it felt like she was moving at a speed Verd could have only wished for to be facing back when she started learning under her master. Despite the lack of strength, the piercing attack was still majorly quick. Verd used Kurosawa once again to guide the Kusanagi's path while she herself, stepped casually to the side.

Considering Aya's strength put into the forward attack, both the gentle push of her own blade as well as the avoiding motion would be able to cancel the original idea of the attack. Watching Aya quickly twirl back into a defensive stance. Verd avoided, on purpose so far, to use the unknown Kurosewa blade to counter any of Aya's attacks. She would need it later. Right now, Aya's motions were traceable still. Kurosewa would have its appearance once the ice queen would find her strength to slice down at Verd at full power. The tuning fork was but a nasty ace that still remained in the princess's arsenal. She wasn't going to reveal it right away while it wasn't too necessary. But Verd had promised her master a fight, not just a gentle sword dance alike their first time and hence Aya would have to face her own troubles as Verdandi actually moved back into offense once again. Twice she sliced forward with both katana to hit the Kusanagi in tandem. A worthy duo to fight the legendary blade of the ice witch in tandem. Both katana would make a crunchy sound of conquest when their steel would slither along the chakra surface that the kusanagi's physical form was born of. A nasty noise to the ears. With pressure Verd would try to push the blade aside so she could move in for a famous X-shaped slice attack. Crossing her own blades to make use of her dual wielding.

It'd harshly depend on how strong Ayakashi's arm would be able to withstand the pressure of the dual blades. If the arm was still acting as weak as it did earlier. Verd would be able to push the Kusanagi down and aside, leaving Aya's chest open for the X-Shaped attack. However, if Aya would somehow regain enough power to pressure Verd's first dual slice aside, she'd be forced to retreat again on-spot. No matter the outcome of this step. Verd was already gathering ice and water around her. Ayakashi would be able to see how chakra was starting to layer over Verdandi's body. Slowly covering her in more and more ice until she'd be covered within it from head to toe. Giving her an armor that was almost ready for any attack the queen could come up with next.

Chakra 325 / 400:

1170 / 3700

Verdandi kept being swept into a myriad of surprises. The continuous failures of her aunt and mentor were both alluring and yet disturbing. Being used to spar with her sensei and kage, Verdandi had been faceplanted more than once within seconds into a battle. That is, whenever Aya was not satisfied with Dandi's performance. Having only recently picked up a new blade style with the dual wield, Verdandi was doing this all far from professionally. Her experience in wielding them like a 'legend' would was certainly lacking. But that's what she personally came to train here. She had expected her aunt to grab the blades in mid-air and then give some comment about how silly and untrained her movement would be. But instead Verdandi's rather basic and flawed move managed to pin her opponent weapon. Picking a wrong style put aside, Verdandi was still equipped with Jonin strength. Her speed surpassing any standards to her rank as well as her reaction time reaching into the powers only legends could deal with. Her skills were by far not on par with the unique skills Ayakashi had obtained, but they were deadly now. The legendary samurai blade and its twin were both able to cut anything that collided with them to shreds and pieces and paired with her Jonin strength the potential damage behind her blade was lethal, that if Aya had given in to her contemporary sorrows, Verdandi would have most likely not been able to stop the offense from slicing deep into her aunts armor.

Seeing Ayakashi give away so much of her usually impenetrable defense's left her pupil both to worry and yet also excited, considering she had never come this far as to corner her aunt. If it wasn't for the knowledge as to why Aya was giving in like that, she'd have felt proud for a second. But her mentor wasn't the kind that gave Verd a lot of slack. The outburst of determination and probably also frustration came with a lightning speed kick that connected with Verd's chin. The force quickly pressuring Verd into a spinning, unwanted backwards somersault. Could have easily been a K.O. move if it wasn't for Verdandi's ice armor. The imprint of Aya's boot left behind in the crystal layer over Verd's chin. The armor specifically made to swallow such kinetic damage. Leaving Verd to catch herself with her feet locking to the ground using supernatural walking. She knacked her head to the side. Showing that even through all the armor Aya's boot had sent an annoyingly painful thrust into Verd's body. It wasn't the first time Aya defended herself in a similar manner as this. Dandi still always grit her teeth at the slightly humiliating way she was treated with. Her sword skills and hand-to-hand combat was good in comparison to most standards. But how should she ever measure up to the close combat skill of a taijutsu god? The experience of a master of many blades? It would as always, be as insightful as it was frustrating.

Given the pause after the set-back. Verd took a deep breath. It was obviously not the time to test her new style. She'd sheath the mainhand blade slowly back into its hold. Showing a more determined, firm grip on her more defensive oriented weapon. Verdandi could see Aya vanishing again, the counter attack was eminent. There wasn't much time to prepare. But Verdandi had one specific powerful advantage at this point. Aya had no idea what Kurosewa was made of. She had never seen the blade and was completely unaware that meeting thy own weapon with it was but a nasty trap to begin with. Verdandi made herself small. With the Sharingan she would at least be able to tell if the blink of a moment's attack from her aunt would stride away from a frontal assault. Standing sideways. Going down to her knees. Supernatural walking would keep her steady and firm in position. Both hands tightly on the grip of her S-Rank blade. She had one job. One goal. To meet Aya's incoming attack with the sword. An overconfident lady such as an enraged, glowing, battle thirsty Aya would take the bait. She was sure of it. If Aya did take the bait. Whatever weapon or fist she'd meet with Kurosewa would have its worst day ever. The tuning-fork ability was made exactly to meet foes that were otherwise far stronger then Verdandi. Repelling any offensive attack by turning the used strength for said attack right against its user.

The stronger someone would meet Verdandi's blade, the stronger the defensive shockwave would become. While a powerful lady as Aya would most likely not drop her weapon as most would have to, the chances of her being both surprised and vulnerable for a split second was there. Verdandi was ready. For both ways to go down. If Verdandi could buy these few split seconds and cause Aya to be forced to deal with the repel-shock, she'd immediately turn to offense. Switching blades from Kurosewa to Kurosawa. Unsheathing the sharpest katana in existence with two hands once the other one safely returned to its holster, slicing it directly and instantly against Ayakashi's chest. The force of the blade, wielded as a sole weapon with both hands was dangerous and even able to cut through heavy armor. While switching blades might take one of these split seconds, Verdandi was a master of iaijutsu by now. Drawing in itself would be the very attack. Two palms pulling the blade from its sheath and slicing from bottom left, where her hip holsters keep the katana sheaths, aiming to the top right for a simple and clean diagonal upwards cut.

If Aya would, against Verdandi's wish and plan, find away to avoid meeting the blade in her offense. Verdandi would be most likely pushed backwards once again. For this scenario she could only hope that her ice armor would be ready to swallow yet another set-back and her reaction time would give her enough space to retreat in a somewhat safer manner than this last encounter with Ayakashi's boot.

Chakra 305 / 400:

1050 / 4750

There was little to say other than that Verdandi was in visible shock once her deadly blade actually connected to her aunt’s flesh. It was stupid indeed, to think that a weapon as hers wouldn’t do any damage. For so many years they had been training. For most of it, but a finger of Ayakashi’s might had been enough to deal with her little niece. But a little exhale of her anger would have been enough to end any battle in between the two. Despite Aya’s obvious handicap on the situation, Verd had never been before in a situation where she, herself was bolstered with strength to a level that allowed her such devastating powers as she held now, or the fact that Aya wasn’t just a holding back, but also literally fighting with herself. She wouldn’t let all of it yet however tarnish her victory. The first time she’d get to lay her weapon on her aunt. The first time to feel a tiny chance that she could stand somewhat close to her godlike mentor. It was a good feeling. But she could quickly determine that said feeling was a path to sloppiness, to acceptance as if she actually achieved her goals. Something that would make a lesser shinobi lazy and stop on their tracks to actual greatness. Verdandi was not like that. At least she would keep that belief in her tight grip. She had but tasted a little bit of luck and success. Even received the very words of praise from her mentor. She’d cherish the moment. But not let it blind her.

At the same time, she could feel guilt creep up her back. Seeing the wound on her aunt. Knowing well that despite it’s nasty look it was but a tiny scratch for the queen of demon ice. That it would take a hundred or more of these to see her budge seriously. But as Verdandi watched Aya’s eye turn to life, the veins of powerful chakra flow draining into her skin and the shimmery glow of pure frost exhaled from it’s usual silvery shine, Verd knew that Aya was also going to show Verd the consequences of coming oh so closer to the goddess’s pedestal. Being taken even somewhat seriously by her usually had rather dramatic consequences. Verd could feel a drop of sweat, a drop of pure angst rush down her forehead as the Mizukage gave her the nod that would sign her own stance in readiness for the next clash. Verdandi felt far from ready for this. The eminent fear of payback time was clouding her mind. But she would not tarnish this moment by chickening out of it now. Not after all the way she had come to raise pride in her aunt. Giving into her fears would only prove her unworthy in her mentor’s grace. She wouldn’t disappoint her like that. Not now. She nodded. Verdandi lifted her sword again. A single drop of red trickling down and over Verd’s palm as gravity brought it meet her skin, it felt heavy on her.

Verdandi was but a summary of her training. She had rushed through the ranks of the shinobi world unlike most if not any other in her generation. She surpassed her sparing partners. She leaped ahead of her squad despite promises, she overcame former teachers with her blunt will and determination. Many would have criticized her for putting her advance into power at such priority. Many would have called her out for being so needy of everyone’s approval that she was missing out on life. But was she really? She had enjoyed every step of her path. Be it the days as Gin’s apprentice. The days in Yuki no Kuni, training at the bottom of Heidel’s castle. The time she went through various of Kiri’s tests of merit with her Squad, proving herself as Chuunin. Facing Death Camp in a desperate attempt for Sero’s approval and at last, becoming part of the Suna Reclamation project. She still felt like they didn’t achieve what they really aimed for in the lands of wind. But despite the controversial result of their actions there, Verdandi was always true to her intentions. Fighting alongside any nation uncaring of ally or rival for the good of the refugees. For justice. This is how her father had taught her to be, this is the way Aya had exhaled her own persona onto her pupil. Forging a new, pure character of justice. As Verd would remain the vigilant symbol of Kiri’s intent.

And so Verdandi would make sure to exhale this intent even in this very battle. To show her aunt that she was undaunting and resistant to the whims of nature. That she could show her bravery in moments of little hope for victory. It was now. That Verdandi would show that her legendary weapon had brought more to her than just it’s steel. The weapon had found Verd in time of need. The weapon itself was far above Verdandi’s own young and infant will. The blade of Kurosawa exhaled General Mifune’s desire and love for justice. It had found a wielder that was worthy to continue the generals eternal wish for peace and freedom. With no mistake Aya would be able to see the very chakra spirit of Mifune watching over its new pupil. To hear the roar of the weapon as Verdandi readied herself in defense for Ayakashi’s coming. To see the chakra of the young dragon lady mold itself into her very own, growing will. Her Sharingan glaring forward, despite being inferior to the perfect eye resting in Ayakashi’s might, still able to see things that her normal eye would have long since given up on even trying to spy. The perception in her Sharingan raised to the levels of what they tend to call an S-Ranked ninja. A vision that had a chance to even keep up with the highest of speed motions. Even if it only came close to it, it would suffice. To react and prove that her powers of reaction were just as durable as her vision in that regard.

Ayakashi was moving. Split seconds. Microseconds were given in time. Verd lifted her blade. Gave it a short and gently budge of minimal strength to hover in the air as both her hands clapped together. At speed that went to the limits of a Jōnin she’d form the simple seal required to summon her technique. As the first microseconds passed, she gripped her floating blade once more before it even had a chance to heed gravity’s calling. Hyōton energies would surround her feet and the impact of Ayakashi’s onslaught was but a single breath away. It would happen. A rushing cloud of frost would be exhaled into the area. But Ayakashi’s offense would not budge from a simple cloud of frosty ice. Her attack was unstoppable. The legendary blade of the heavens would pierce into Verdandi’s stomach. Time and time again it’d find its way to stab through her body in what seemed but not even a second in time. Her palm moving so fast that even if Aya would have wished to abort her attack in fear of actually harming her niece, it would have been far too late. The muscles had already received their command and were executing it. When the stab for Verdandi’s neck came, the Mizukage however, must have realized Verdandi’s plot, the blade wouldn’t stop at least and cut the princess’s head straight off her shoulder.

Whomever was watching the play, would gasp and hold onto their breath as the shadow of Verdandi’s frame, her head dropped to the ground. Faint ladies would be screaming in a moment of fear over what the Mizukage might have just done to its own kin. Only Ayakashi herself would be able to really figure what was going on. In the mist of the Hyōton shadow surrounding them, the frosty cloud was disappearing. And the creature that Ayakashi had maimed and destroyed was but a perfect, sculpted frosty copy of Verdandi’s appearance. And with no mistake or any time of delay at hand. As the sculptures ice became brittle and weak. The firm grip of Verdandi’s both palms would force the Kurosawa through her frozen statue’s own stomach, breaking through the many holes that Aya’s machine-gun slices had formed. And aiming to directly pierce into the Mizukage’s already wounded stomach. While the princess herself made her position suddenly clear as she was but standing behind the very ice formation that gave shield and shelter to her from Ayakashi’s perfect offense. Close enough, that even the Byakugan would have had it’s troubles to see through her decoy to the very last split second of its execution. This fight was not over yet. Verdandi exhaled her will to give it her all one last time. To earn her aunt’s approval and not disappoint her mentor. Over that she could go home this night with what she deemed herself to be, having earned her pride.

Chakra 265 / 400:

1550 / 6300

Verdandi wasn’t as cocky as to believe that a single visual trick would do the deed to fool Ayakashi for good. She never had intended this to be a final strike. It was yet but another step in her plot. The statue itself only existed for a simple reason. To swallow the very damage that would have cut the princess to pieces. As Kurosawa, the legendary item destroyer and sharpest of blades, cut into the already damaged belly it’d force Ayakashi to move. A defensive act. One that would stop her attack that otherwise would have given chance to completely destroy the ice sculpture. But Verdandi still needed it. She never intended to attack Ayakashi with the blade. She wanted her aunt to back off and away from it. Considering Verd’s intentions, Aya might have found herself curious that her niece had long since abandoned her very own blade once it was stuck inside the sculpture. Her Byakugan allowing her to see what the young princess was doing. A series of multiple hand seals. Some of them she simply formed without intent of molding chakra with them. Any attempts to read the true nature of the techniques she created would be clouded, difficult to perceive. But for a moment it’d look as if she had left a spark of her own energies within her blade and the sculpture. But then again, the most confusing thing would happen. Just as Aya came around to attack Verdandi, still lingering behind the sculpture, barely having avoided Kusanagi’s initial pierce. Verd could see the blade coming for her. Just as it was about to taste the teen Jōnin’s blood she disappeared. Her hand seal set was complete. She had used a wind technique that was unknown to the Mizukage. One of Verdandi’s very own creations.

Slipstream Dash. Allowing Verdandi to surpass all her own speed limits for a single burst of movement. She would have no chance of seeing during the dash as the flash movement would by far surpass her abilities of perception. But doing a slipstream dash was a relatively simple concept. You only use it to move and never to attack. You need to see where you are going and you need to simply know that within the split second, after it’s execution, nothing will be in your path or trying to disturb your escape. Or you’d end up colliding with it brutally hard. Verdandi had yet no other direction in mind, then up. Into the sky. Right towards where the sun was shining brightly through the misty clouds of Kirigakure. To be honest. Verdandi had no clue how quickly Ayakashi would figure out where her niece had gone to. Was her perception able to see a slipstream dash? A movement surpassing even Aya’s common speeds? Was her Byakugan able to somehow trace the remains of chakra that were exhaled from her wind burst? Would she be able to keep up with the speed? Verdandi didn’t know and she had already made her peace with the fact that she could fail in her path.

But if she didn’t. If Verdandi was yet to manage her ascension into the heavens. If luck was on her side and Ayakashi would be left in surprise, left in a moment of trying to focus, of re-evaluation. Left in a moment of thought. Maybe to figure out Verdandi’s plot. Maybe to be wary of another offensive move from her niece. But all Verdandi needed was another split second. She was up in the hair. Gravity was about to call for her feathery weight, but for now the wind chakra of her slipstream dash kept her floating in the air above. When Aya’s eyes would find the cheeky princess, not one sun but two were up there, seemingly glowing brightly from the sky above. One was soon going to vanish behind the misty clouds of Kiri as it became clear as day that the other was nothing else but an insanely bright glowing ball of utterly pure chakra. It was growing. Thicker and thicker. Four inches. Eight. Sixteen. Verdandi had promised to give it her all. To exhale the very core of her powers and unleash them on Ayakashi. What was floating above Verd was but the highest amount of chakra she could possibly concentrate into one large orb. And the descension would begin soon. The princess seemingly falling from the sky. With a sun in her hands. One that could even bring destruction to a god. But would she simply let gravity lead her on a direct collision course with Ayakashi? Would she try to actually use the slipstream dash again and be so bold as to aim and force this ball of pure energy straight into Ayakashi? Wasn’t she aware that her aunt would be able to abuse the fact that Verd had little motion control as she was falling? There was something else to this plot. Another step in Verdandi’s attack. Another last try that’d change the very path of her Rasengan and defend her from an incoming interception. It was planned to happen. Would Ayakashi see through it all. Or would she have to accept that an incoming attack of this magnitude would force her to actually use a defensive move. Verdandi was curious. How would the goddess deal with an incoming attack that yet held promise of a trap in its very execution?


920 / 7220

Chakra 180 / 400:

Verdandi could see the surprise in her aunt’s all-seeing eye as it widened in response to the potent chakra that the princess had amassed Verdandi’s descension had come to its conclusion. Ayakashi was forging her own blade with powers that were seemingly about to be on-par with the incoming purity of the Rasengan. Verd couldn’t be sure just by plainly looking at the insane flame and chakra that was flowing into Aya’s weapon. But her body seal that empowered and enhanced the young Jōnin’s Sharingan allowed Verd to peek into the size and mass of chakra being molded. She could only guess that Aya had perfectly anticipated what was coming for her and created enough of a defense that would counter the unexpectedly large output of chakra from Verdandi’s own attack. But Verd had previously set in motion a plan that would leave the S-Rank technique as a mere distraction at this point. Sometimes using the trump card doesn’t necessarily mean it is the final step of a plan. Verdandi would have to time her attack in a way that was literally on-spot to the very last split second. What Ayakashi was not aware of yet at this point, was that Verdandi had mastered the ability to projectile her Rasengan just as well as she was able to forcefully push it into her opponent. But the moment of ‘ejection’ was something, while invisible to most people, Aya would certainly be able to spot. As the exhale of pressure would be emitted from Verdandi’s very own palm.

That very moment, only few meters away from Verdandi’s supposedly eminent impact with her Rasengan against the all-powerful blade of her aunt. The ‘eject’ pressure exhaled from her hand and would send the Rasengan at incredible speeds forth to actually meet Ayakashi’s blade in the confrontation of utter power. But the very second the Rasengan was exhaled. Verdandi completely vanished from behind the now completely independent chakra ball. Instead, a large chunk of a half-broken ice statue appeared in her place. Verdandi had used the Kawarimi no jutsu for the only known teleportation technique available to normal shinobi. In the breath of a split second, Verd now stood exactly where she had lifted off into the air. Only meters away from Ayakashi’s own location as she was getting ready to defend herself. Verd charged forward. Using her own body speed and not the slipstream dash as to be properly able to see what she was doing. Her palms have long since again returned together to form another large ball of chakra. It was by far not as impressive as the first one. But still powerful enough to get the Demon Ice Queen sweating. Verd was however shortly distracted by the actual impact of her first technique. The insanely bright light of her Rasengan incoming was a requirement for her to charge in. She didn’t want to be victim of her aunt somehow turning her own Rasengan against Verdandi. The princess had to be sure that the first interaction of powers was done.

She was specifically aiming for that very moment, after the insanely large flash of energy, that would emit from Aya’s blade denying the powerful Rasengan’s existence. It was that moment. Verdandi would try to speed in and push that new orb of raw power straight into Ayakashi’s mid-section. However, as much as planning might go. She’d see that between the ejection of her primary jutsu, the impact of the flashing lights, the teleportation of her own body back down to the ground, the forming of the new Rasengan and the actual attack. It was mere seconds indeed. But for a shinobi like Ayakashi, these mere seconds were most likely way enough to come up with a counter. But once again. Verdandi was maybe hoping for the off chance of getting this hit through. But it was not the final piece of her plan. Due to her insane reaction time, given by her very own specialization onto speed and dexterity, Verdandi was aiming to perform a rather inhuman task of mathematics and timing. As by the moment Verd would make her way to push that second Rasengan forth, the ball itself would only require her right palm to be guided manually. She didn’t want to eject this one as well. Considering that she was tight on time on account of the seconds passing by. But Verdandi’s left hand was completely free. Verd’s left palm was already moving to grip the long hilt of Kuraokami no Kiba.

Verd did not know if the second Rasengan would hit or not. She did not know if Ayakashi would retreat on this next attack. If she would counter the new ball of chakra with another sword technique. Hell, knowing Aya she could potentially even try to redirect Verdandi’s own path with that chakra orb. But Whatever her aunt was going to do to face the second coming of her niece’s mastery with the ultimate chakra orb techniques. She’d have to see that the unsheathing of her very own gifted heirloom was imminent. Knowing Verdandi’s skill in iaijutsu, Aya would have to face the fact that once that left hand would be able to pull that blade from its sheath and she was still within range of the insanely long range nodachi of her own family’s forge, the slice that’d aim from shoulder down to the very hip was as deadly as any attack of an S-Rank blade could potentially even be. Verd was excited adrenaline was pumping through her body. Desire and will for combat rose once again in her core. She could feel that the final climax of this battle was not long from revealing itself. But little did she anticipate the way that Aya was slowly re-discovering the powers to control her new arm. Should she be able to fully grasp the concept of wielding her limb before Verdandi’s attacks were executed. She’d most likely find herself at the bottom of yet another lesson of her aunt’s impenetrable power.


1030 / 8250

Chakra 125 / 400:

While Ayakashi seemed to have her own vision of her oh so potential defeat. Verdandi tasted her own surprise as her very primary attack struck. She hit her? How did she do that? Did she really manage to outrun the Mizukage in a race of time? A person that could, move at speeds that even outmatched Verdandi’s most crazed bursts with all the enhancements she even had? Was it possible? To actually beat her? But at the same time. Verdandi’s own greatest weakness would show on her face. She was supposed to be ANBU. She was supposed to be their leader now. Their commander. Their fiercest symbol of determination and loyalty. She was supposed to be a beacon of ruthless power. Of justice. Just like the very will of Mifune’s blade kept pushing her for. To be the avatar of the righteous. But this was Verdandi’s greatest and deepest weakness. None of this fight was justice. It was a sparing match. Meant to help Verdandi become stronger. Meant to make her grow in her failures. Just like the many dozen if not hundred times she had failed to even lay a finger on her aunt. She had been scared. The very moment her blade had cut this wound into Aya’s chest. It was the moment Verdandi, despite all determination. Had faced her own weakness and now once more. The very moment the Rasengan supposedly hit its target. Her face already lighted up in panic and deep regret. What had she done?

Verdandi wasn’t focused. She wasn’t ready to see this through. The very thought of harming her mentor to its fullest extent, to shame her and take her pride in a moment of weakness. After a battle she had fought against a cunning enemy that far by surpassed Verdandi’s greatest fears. By paying the ultimate price. By losing her very own arm to this monster and obtaining her victory in a way most bitter that one could easily mistake as her own loss just as well. Now, this Rasengan. This pure ball of chakra that Verdandi had mastered through sweat and tears. This cheat of a technique that shouldn’t even be part of her abilities. Was now going to harm and put insult to injury to the woman she worshipped like her most precious? Verdandi’s weakness was visible in her eye. Her visage of determination and power. Her will to push through any obstacles and obtain her victory. It was all gone. Panic and insecurity would raise within the chest of the barely eighteen-year-old young girl. Once again, she’d have to face that rising to power in such short time, did a lot to develop her strengths and skills. But it didn’t necessarily give her what is most important on a true battlefield. Experience. Verdandi should have seen the ruse of her own distorted vision. She should have been more secure in her knowledge that such an attack would not end her aunt. She should have trusted her own instincts and kept pushing.

Maybe, if she did pull that sword out, she was already gripping. Maybe, the blade of the insanely long nodachi would have still been able to reach it’s target and put another scratch on her aunt that Verd would have been proud of to think about in hindsight. But Verdandi was weak. Her insecurities got the better of her. Angst and panic had creeped up in her spine and corrupted her Sharingan-enhanced vision. She failed to see the true acts until it was already too late. This very, tiny second of fear and hesitation. Of her grip on her weapon but not pulling it out. It was a tiny failure. But lead immediately to Verdandi’s ultimate loss in this battle. Kusanagi was already in place. The palm that Aya had so much trouble even barely moving was now blinking from its position at lightspeed once again. The fierce fist of her gauntlet covered palm holding the very core of Verdandi’s attack at bay. She knew it was over. She knew she had once again failed and that once again, she was forced to accept her defeat and linger in the sore aftermath of her painfully obtained lesson. But this time. It was a lesson she was willing to hear more than any other before. Because, at its very core. Verdandi knew, that she had given her last chance of competition for the very reason that she was but human. That her ultimate respect for life was still existent.

That she’d rather see herself back down in the dirt, then her beloved ones harmed at her peril. That this would not have been justice and the very notion of it’s potential future, where Verd actually got her attack granted, was a future that terrified her far more than to face the truth of her ultimate defeat. Verdandi felt the kick meeting her chest. She could feel herself slipping. Her Daikatana slowly sinking back into its sheath. It’s will never put to actual use in this battle. The force of the kick was sending her flying, Aya’s weird palm grabbed on her and made sure that her niece would meet the ground. Would be led to her utter demolition and defeat once again. But as she moved, suspended by her own inability to control her body anymore. Verdandi was smiling. Realizing that she didn’t harm her. Brought her more pleasure than she could have thought of. Realizing that her idol and mentor. Once again proofed that there was no reason to doubt her. That she’d always remain the one to turn the tide around, when we all were but at our greatest and darkest moment. That she could count on the fact. That in the end, scratched and harmed, torn through the dirt and hurt. In the end. Ayakashi would never submit to defeat.

Verdandi closed her eyes. Her body was going limp. Her frost armor was still intact and she knew it would most likely swallow a good portion of the nasty impact she was about to face. She still was pretty sure that it was going to hurt. That Aya was going to make this but another lesson like oh so many before. But for once. Verd would find herself mistaken. She didn’t know at this point if Aya had willingly lost grip over her flail, maybe she failed to properly control it. But as Verdandi crashed against the very renewed and rebuilt wall of the barrier. She knew that there was never the amount of force behind this motion than there could have been. It still hurt. It still shook her. It still pushed her back down. Shattered the barrier once again, this time for its last time in this battle and still left Verdandi back down in the dirt. Crushing and consuming the very last of her armor. Shattering the frosty little layer of ice over Verd’s body into crackled little brittle pieces of broken snowflakes. The battle was over. If Aya had pushed her to the ground with all her might to the very last second. She would have most likely passed out and would not have been able to do much more than lay there and be a well decorative little knocked out princess on the floor. But the way she landed. Almost as if she had been safely placed there. Allowed Verd to pant, to breathe, to glare and to stare back at her opponent. To size her up from the distance and eventually. To laugh.

Verdandi’s body seal slowly closed over her Sharingan. Putting the powerful eye back to slumber. She found herself slightly weak in her knees as she stood up. For a moment there, she was sure to fall back down as she took the first step. But catching herself. The last remains of the brittle ice from her own broken frost armor dropping from her. She’d have to brush the pieces off her body. Inhaling once deeply. Taking a breather. Full force or not. Being hit by auntie was never something one just walks away from. Verd could see that her ice statue had fallen from its position in the air. Crashed on the ground. Its frosty shards splintering in all directions. Leaving behind the Kurosawa, stuck in the ground. She sighed. Mifune would be mad at her for having just abandoned his blade for the sake of her ruse and sneak attack. To cast away such a fine blade for the sake of pushing forward. She could literally hear his spirit lecturing her. But hopefully, in a somewhat proud way as well. Knowing she did all of this for the hope of giving her aunt the very thing she had asked for. A full out battle. No holding back. And while defeat always stings a little bit Verdandi would move towards her aunt and do what all good samurai would do when they were, once again, delivered by another great lesson to take in from their master.

Verdandi would press her palms together and bow deeply. The exhaustion still written in her face. The sweat droplets still running down on her, her breath still heavy and her body exhausted for pushing her limits in order to show her mentor that she was, indeed, going to the farthest edges of her capabilities and not let her down. “Thank you, Mizukage-sensei.” She would gasp shortly. Awaiting Aya’s final judgement over their spar and sharpening her ears for one more time. To be fair. Verdandi would most likely not be able to process any further lessons. She was woozy and out of juice. Once the conclusion of their meeting had been reached. Verd would slowly move towards Kurosawa. Pulling the blade from the ground. She could hear the faint whispers of Mifune in her mind again. As if it was telling her that she has been missed. With a soft smile, Verd would lift the blade and slowly drop it to fall into its sheath. Her eyes scanning the area. People were looking at them. The ANBU that had sealed the barrier over them bowed and quickly retreated, seeing as their direct presence was no longer required or wanted. Verdandi couldn’t really tell how she felt about being stared at. The people were smiling and happy. Verd didn’t know if they were cheering for her effort. Or just celebrating the fact that their great kage, was despite difficulties once again victorious. Their faith in their leader unbent and unbroken once more.

Verdandi gave a last glimpse to her teacher. She would soon see her again. Verdandi was working at the kage office now. The errand girl. The secretary. The one that would end up doing all the paperwork Aya had grown bored of. To talk about the use of ANBU forces. To have guidance in her wisdom and experience. To learn from her to be a better commander for her own countries’ forces.  Or even, to just be with her and show her that, despite this distance everyone tends to exhale once you have reached the very top of the food chain, that she was not up there all alone. That someone seemingly tiny and was growing bigger. Slowly fitting herself forcefully into the picture. And making sure that she had someone by her side that was caring for her. Neither a cold-hearted perfect killing machine like Sero, or a calculated and overly ambitious Nozomi could fit that picture. They were friends, comrades, maybe former teachers to her. But Aya needed this little voice in her office. This annoying, bickering and returning shrill voice of an eighteen-year-old little dumbass. That would sometimes remind her, of the most basic feelings and intentions that make us good humans. To sometimes wake her from all the worries that surround her. And show her that there are smiles and simple things that we all work for together and that justice will eventually prevail.

Verdandi smiled while she gazed to her aunt. Slowly flickering away into the distance.

[EXIT]


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