Daraku had a tinge of nervousness within himself, now. A sudden impulse, a burst of confidence, had overtaken him and convinced him to take the mission to hunt Io, murderer of the Mizukage herself, or so the rumors said. He was a formidable opponent, but for whatever reason, Daraku thought that he could take such an opponent. So, there he was, searching for the man keeping his hand tight around the hilt of Nisebi. He just had to power through this; even a man as self-centered, foolhardy, and narcissistic as he felt understandably nervous at the edge of a battle that would truly be either life or death. The mist in the air was thick, as he'd grown used to in this island nation. The cold air bit at his skin, leaving behind goosebumps. His eyes were the same icy white-blue shade that the sky held at that moment. His heart was pounding loudly. Though the physical responses were a clear indicator of how he felt, he denied himself, shaking off the nerves. This...Io, he doesn't stand a chance. Footsteps behind him finally wrenched him from his own mind, and he turned. He'd almost forgotten that the Sannin from his previous mission was accompanying him...heh. At least he had back-up if he needed it, it offered some reassurance that he wouldn't be massacred immediately.

Daraku wasn't a patient one, though, so he turned back around and continued forward. His squadmate, the Aisu, surely didn't need to walk side-by-side with him. They were no more than 5 meters apart, walking through the jungle-like area. Io's scouting team couldn't be too far, and with it, the target himself. Daraku moved past, stepping over exotic plants and moving around the giant trees that towered over him. He stopped at a larger one, using vines to reach its apex and looking out over this area of the island. A shift in the greenery near 40 meters or so away was a dead giveaway. Io and his men were here. Daraku turned to signal his partner for a moment, before turning back to watch the group. He couldn't get a direct view due to the vines and trees, but he knew where they were, and that was an advantage. He moved through the trees, staying as silent as possible as he hopped between branches and over vines, until he landed on a tree within 15 meters of them.

The Ishido wasn't quite sure what they were doing, but that was of no consequence to him. He reached into the pouch on his hip, taking out a few shuriken. He activated his kekkei genkai, keeping him completely hidden for the time being. He tossed two shuriken straight at the first two targets he saw on his right, likely Io's men, before hopping to a tree 10 meters to the west. A surprise attack and a diversion at the same time, it would offer some sort of help, if anything. He made an Ox hand seal and began preparing a medical ninjutsu to ensure he would be relatively safe if he charged in with his weapons. His mind was racing, thinking of a plan as best he could. Yuudai was still nearby somewhere, or so he hoped. The battle was beginning, and it was going to be a big one.

(572/5,000)

245/275:

Io longed to see this war over and done with, looking to the men he had at either side of him, he could hear that the battle had already begun. He had been caught out, and this was bad. His scouting party had been seperated from Mizuru as well as Seven Bells, but, he would just have to break the lines himself. He had already handed over the perfect Serum to Mizuru, which meant that his primary mission was already over. The two of them would most likely leave him here to deal as much damage to the population as he could. But, he was still not defenceless. Taking one of his potions from his belt, he sipped at it at first, enough to begin feeling the effects of the chakra laden vial slither down his throat and move down into his stomach... It would take a little while to process, moving from his stomach through the enzymes which would attempt to break it down for nutrients, then using the delivery method to ferry the chemicals through his body, to his muscles, through his blood. Like air...

Io opened his eyes and felt the strength of his potion run through him, gaining the mighty special characteristic he felt the adrenaline attempt to burn through the serum, but to no avail, it was not a physical thing which his body was not attune with, but, he could feel the lactic acid production in his body begin to cease, which could pose problematic, if he burnt himself out, that would be the end of him, but it meant the safety wheels were off when it came to his strength and his stamina. Which would be good for the short duration he intended to use it...

Whistling to his men, he thought it was time to rush the battlements. Io's elites began to rush from the buildings, and take to the streets, charging for the barricades which were made to hold Io in place, they would be crushed should this wave get close, ten men, each with their own specialities attempting to look for the slightest weakness in the barrier. Though, to another street Io witnessed something troubling. Two of his men dropped, and that drew him to a stop, ordering his men to halt at the same time, pooling in close to himself in a defensive formation... Someone was in here with him, in this quarantined death trap. A melancholic smirk crossed the older medic's face, this would be an interesting battle, the ninja sending in deep striking units to finish him off while he was separated from the herd.

"Smart little puppies..."

Things were seeming to move from bad to worse as misfortune seemed to strike, but, there was only one thing for it, he needed to throw everything he had at that barrier, and meet up with his main force. As the commander of this battle, he would have little choice but to crush what resistance there was. Clicking his fingers, two of his super-soldiers joined him, each medical marvels who regenerated non lethal wounds rapidly, and were virtually impossible to kill in one hit. Moved toward the barricade as Io attempted to grapple what little command he still had over the battle from his position, unable to send commands to the core of his force, knowing Seven Bells and Mizuru were making for their final destination...

The super Soldiers would handle the barricade, but in the mean time, he had more to worry about. Moving back into the quarantine, safe from direct line of sight of the barricade, he made himself visible to those who would attempt to destroy him. He would not go down so easily, saving his own chakra and calling his dozen men to defend himself, he was more than a match for any one ninja, if not any half dozen. Io knew he had the upper hand here... Kirigakure would fall...

Completed Mission:

Arrows Flew

Io stood as he and his men standing as a unified unit though they watched and waited, as a Hailstorm of shafts penetrated the entourage of the deadly ninja. The force of which dropped his surrounding dozen men. The archers dispersing as the successful sneak attack had been let fly, leaving Io to stand and mutter in surprise. Kiri ninja were not to be underestimated, and the country had the back of those who were brave enough to face him in combat.

For now, Io was open to attack, his allies in this area exterminated with a layer of black steel bolts.

The shuriken made their marks, hitting the two men and leaving them to fall, seemingly unconscious or maybe even dead. With two targets incapacitated thus far, why stop there? Daraku hopped to the ground, finding a solid footing a fair distance of 25 meters or so away so that he could remain unseen and silent to the powerful ninja. Stealth was always a safe tactic, if not the most advantageous. His eyes were set steady on Io as he reached behind him, searching for the weapon adjacent to Nisebi. The hand finally found the hilt of the flight blade, Hikō, and he enclosed his fingers around it as he slowly gave it a tug. It came out of its sheath without friction, a smooth silent flourish, and he held it out in front of him. Usually, the blade would appear to be a stark silver with Fūton chakra flowing throughout, but with his kekkei genkai active it was no more than a shadow in his eyes that would be entirely invisible to eyes at a further distance than his own.

Just as Daraku prepared to strike Io from afar, a sharp whistle escaped the man's mouth. Men flooded from the streets and buildings, numerous and solemn. They outnumbered Daraku, and Yuudai was still out in the greenery somewhere, so he needed to think quick. If they spotted him, he was a dead man, but even if he stayed hidden, he couldn't hit Io without having to kill them first. They surrounded Io in a barricade formation with little to no space between them. He crouched low, switching the weapon's position in his hand to a reverse grip. Just as he was ready sprint forward and attack them with full force, a synchronized noise erupted. The sound of things whizzing through the air, it seemed. Daraku's eyes looked up to the sky, and there it was. A rain of arrows from all directions, striking Io's men in a wave. They fell, one by one, pierced by the pitch black projectiles and left to bleed to death. Io was wide open and he held an expression of pure surprise. The perfect opportunity was now presented to Daraku, and this was his chance to attack before Io could put his guard up. My chance...!

Daraku kept Hikō held close as he used the remaining fingers that weren't wrapped around its hilt to form hand seals in sync with his other hand, holding a tiger hand seal and keeping the blade parallel to him. Hōsenka no Jutsu was one of his favorite techniques, as it held a lustrous beauty to it...and it would serve as a sufficient distraction, as well. He spouted a stream of fireballs from his mouth as he hopped left and right so that they seemed to be coming from every direction as they surrounded Io. Using the flames as a base and a focal point, he held Hikō horizontally and swung with all of his might. Fūton chakra was released all at once, creating a massive tunnel-vortex proceeding towards the flames surrounding Io. They melded and fueled one another to become a firestorm, with Io trapped within. Whether or not the combination attack would be successful, only time would tell. Nothing was visible through the flames, so all Daraku could do was jump to another tree to remain hidden and hope for the best, looking down intensely at the spinning blaze.

(1,153)

170/275:

Nerves would always play a vital factor, whether it be anticipating a blow or just thinking about the events ahead. No one knew what they were getting themselves into, what they would be potentially facing, if they would escape with their lives or not, but he had sworn that he would risk it all if he had to, as much as his mind wandered off to staying alive for them. This next task ahead of him placed him in an unfamiliar situation, yet it related to another just a few short days ago. Previously he had ventured off to thwart the efforts of the other commander of the Seven Bells clan, the female, though he had chosen to try and do so by himself, while he had managed to survive and defend the gates of the village with minimal injuries, he had help in doing so though help had come in the middle of the fight. Today was different; he would be working alongside of the individual with whom he had gone with on his previous mission, Daraku. First impressions of the male, he didn’t like him. Then again, Yuudai had a few selective people he enjoyed the company of. As long as Daraku would aid in the mission, the blonde-haired male was fine by his books. Their target was Io, whom they could potentially find by his lonesome or with company. The mission was essential for the Village Hidden in the Mist. It would be a small step, but one that was clearly needed. Taking out a commander and they’d be able to weaken their opposition. Slowly but surely, they would win… or they would die. In Yuudai’s eyes, Kirigakure no Sato would survive or he’d be going down with it, if it would come down to that.

He knew Daraku was there, there was no denying the fact that there were only two options for them in this task. Failure was definitely not the option. Serpent’s Tongue, Setsura, and his katana were all in their rightful places. The two katanas on his right with Serpent’s Tongue on his left side. All three blades would likely be needed, his two higher quality ones more so. There were too many variables out there, yet in the end just one needed to be eliminated at the moment. ‘He… will die.’ If he didn’t then this was all meaningless, a waste of time in essence. Io needed to be out of the picture. Then the rest would fall into place. Splitting off with Daraku had in essence been so if one fell in to a trap, the other could continue forward, they’d both eventually be in the fight regardless. Dodging vines, Yuudai noticed the signal Daraku had given off, signalling the location of Io and his lackeys. Now, it was time for the Aisu clan head to make his way around, to find a point of attack that would benefit them in their quest. Drawing out Serpent’s Tongue from its sheathe, heartbeat slowly accelerating, anticipation for the fight to come. His lips formed a slight frown at the thoughts his mind had earlier wandered off to. He needed to survive this. Daraku had seemingly gone on his way, likely already forming an attack of his own. Two men dropped. It had started. Then, arrows. More men fell, it seemed as if things were falling into plan, everything was seemingly moving on its own accord. It was to their advantage.

Drawing out Serpent’s Tongue, Yuudai allowed it to take his blood, a small price to be paid for the advantages he would gain. He would momentarily be unable to react as he normally would, but it would make due. With just the taste of blood, it would come to life, drawing a mental link with its owner. The amount of blood he had to relinquish to his weapon was a price, though already anticipating more blood to eventually escape his person; this would just be a drop in the pond. Letting go of the hilt of the Seventh Sword of the Mist, it would linger in the air, as commanded by Yuudai. He needed to wait to strike, and Serpent’s Tongue was the best method of attack at this particular moment. With a simple thought, the whip sword rushed out, darting towards his target, Io. Just as that was done, fireballs from various directions seemed to close in on Io, an attack likely from Daraku, though his ally certainly wasn’t done with just that, as a firestorm had formed from the various fireballs that were closing in on their opponent. Nothing could be seen from his perspective, but he knew Serpent’s Tongue would be lashing straight for Io. Hit or miss, the weapon would travel straight into the trees, disappearing from view, away from Yuudai. It wouldn’t do to have the weapon return to his person right now. While the weapon would make its trek to Io, Yuudai had already gathered chakra in his hands from his locations from the trees. 50 shards of ice were at his disposal to use at his own will. Moving through the greenery, likely hidden from view, they shards of ice would travel towards Io, all coming from various directions. The nature of Hyōton chakra allowed it so that they could easily travel through the firestorms without losing any power or speed. He had hoped at least something would be accomplished from this barrage, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

---

Chakra:325/350:

Io watched as his men fell around him, it would take time for him to call more, but it seemed that the people who surrounded him were intent on destroying his form. Looking to the attacks, he smiled and placed nothing but a finger to his forehead before the fireballs converged on his person as a sting from a blade hacked deep into his shoulder before retreating, the blood falling from his body, stinging and fading as Io stood in the centre of the fire-storm calmly, separating his mind from pain, feeling the bizarre sensation of his skin and his clothing blast away, much of the blast soaked by his own ANBU armour, while even more of himself was washed away from the tide, but as the flames fell, Io looked out to the people who had attacked him, his body weak, but his chakra flawless as he began to recover from the wounds almost instantaneously, the wounds closing rapidly as a small dot had been placed on his forehead, healing the wounds which had been placed on his body within moments. But from here, he was now in a prime position to counter-attack!

Rushing out at full force like a bullet for the sannin which had scored a blow on him, his face would look like stone, unfeeling, apathetic, entropic to the world around him, to the conflict as he searched within the deep vastness of the meaning of this battle, and his wavering beliefs in his lord. However, Gan Ning had given him the power to take life at his will, so, he would do so, charging faster than the retracting of Yuudai's whip, he would activate the full strength of his anti-Melee technique. The Murder Technique, Fenris claw exploded from his hand and ran up his arm, coloured in bright red chakra, coming to chakra scalpel tips, capable of ripping through everything they touched effortlessly without slowing on impact, be it flesh or bone, he aimed his single strike toward the head of his opponent, intending to cut Yuudai's head to ribbons before he could fully recall his sword and any of its remaining facets. Chances are he could not out-speed it, but, he did not need to worry about pain, their techniques, as far as he was considered right now, with the mark of fortune, he was immortal...

After striking Io would intend to follow through, hoping to have caught the Aisu by surprise with his attack, coming through the flames having taken the full brunt of both of their attacks to his person, without what even seemed like a hint of avoidance. Most ninja would fry, and the smell of cooked flesh was still rife and apparent within the slick-stream of Io's attack. Though, he could not see nor sense the location of the ninja who had thrown the fireballs, he felt the ranged sniper opponent would be the one who over time would take his toll, he was obviously striking from a stealthed location, there was little he could do about that, he was not a sensory ninja, so he would have to deal with the matter at hand.

His Gi had been ruined, revealing only his ANBU armour, with the kiri insignia upon it, looking at Yuudai with tired, dead, sunken eyes, he rushed forward again striking for locations of his major arteries, under his arm, neck, the inside of his thigh, all locations which if so much as nicked, would leave Yuudai with less than sixty seconds left to lift. Sweeping his claw like hands with al the lethality of lasers, he persisted in a passado of fatal blows using each of his Fenrisian claws. Io may be a madman, but he was a genius when it came to the creations of his jutsu, there was not a detail spared and his fighting style completely centred around ignoring any non lethal blow, in an attempt to land a lethal one... meaning that landing any damage on him without taking something in response would be almost impossible.

Chakra= 330:

Daraku looked out over the flames to see a new figure approach. It was Yuudai, no doubt, who carried a solemn expression and a weapon in hand. Without even a slight movement or hand seal, the weapon fragmented into many projectiles that launched themselves into the blazing flames. They seemed precisely targeted for Io and poised at specific angles. The fire only blazed brighter for a few more moments before burning out, only leaving smoke and ash in its wake. Io's disfigured body was in plain sight and although he was still standing, he appeared to be heavily injured. But, just as fast as he'd sustained such damage, he brought a hand to his forehead and  they began to heal rapidly. The wounds closed, bleeding stopped, and bruising lightened, until he was once again in prime condition for battle. With his glare set on Yuudai, his only visible target, Io ran ahead at full speed making him a blur to the naked eye. A veil of chakra overtook his arm, some sort of jutsu similar to an enhanced Chakra Scalpel.

Unsure of whether or not Yuudai would react to the attack quickly enough, Daraku wracked his brain, trying desperately to find a way to combat Io. The man had sustained heavy damage from both Daraku's wind and fire jutsu and Yuudai's assault from his unique weapon, yet it took him no time to heal the wounds and he then appeared to be unscathed. So what options did that leave the two? Despite Io's lack of reinforcements and manpower, he could sustain himself fairly well in a fight and regenerate efficiently when it was required. It was like no other ninja Daraku had seen, with medical ability surpassing his own, and all other medical ninja he knew. This was the true power of a medical savant, engineered to near-invincibility. The key idea there was near; no one was impervious to all. Even with healing potential that high, Io couldn't heal what was too far gone, and if he wasn't given the opportunity to heal whatsoever, Daraku and Yuudai would stand a fighting chance. The last remaining problem was how. A lethal and violently speedy assault would be necessary, but did either of the ninja have the jutsu or tools to do so?

It was worth a try. If Daraku didn't try, it would only be his death, anyhow, so he clenched a fist and braced himself. We can do this, we just need to be ready and relentless. But...can Yuudai survive Io's strike? he thought, knowing full well that with Io's speed, the attack was too far gone for him to have a shot at helping Yuudai defend or dodge it. That didn't mean he could provide some sort of support from his perch. He crouched to put pressure on the branch he was standing on until it snapped, before kicking it ahead and letting it land in the battlefield where Io was standing mere minutes ago. He decided that would be his method of saving himself if things got too heated in close combat. He landed on his feet and sprinted after Io, releasing his kekkei genkai as he ran so that he came into view but was still a surprise to those unaware of his presence previously.

Io persisted, using a barrage of blows from the chakra scalpel derived jutsu against Yuudai. Daraku couldn't clearly tell whether the hits were landing or not, as the two were blurs of speed, but either way, he kept Nisebi tight in his grip. He activated the blade in order to use its flames before chased after Io, swinging the burning weapon at the rogue with passionate conviction. "You will die here, today!"

(1,787/5,000)

160/275:

It was pointless to hope that the first few strikes would put upon an end to their enemy, just one of the many that needed to fall for the village itself to prosper. While his weapon had completed its duty for the moment, he would await its rushing return to his person. The icicles he had previously created had been thrown straight in to the fray; no thinking had been required on his end. Though the situation currently dictated that he would have just mere moments to react, as he wouldn’t be safe from his first assault, standing still would never be the best thing to do. The wind slightly picked up, blowing his in the process. The attack Daraku had launched upon Io would be substantial, but given his previous encounter with the goliath when he and Keiko had thwarted its attack, anything could be possible with this prestigious member within the Seven Bells Clan. Serpent’s Tongue which had earlier darted away out of view would be swivelling back; in order to aid the owner of the blood it had tasted recently. For now, Yuudai would need to deal with things accordingly, however the pieces would fall in to place.

Like a charging bull targeting the colour red, it was instantaneous, the dashing of Io out of the storm of fire. There were few options he had, knowing that the charging man would likely have something up his sleeve when it came to close-quarters combat. The tinge of red that was to follow, as if a sign of blood was to come was clear to the shinobi of Kirigakure no Sato, was made of pure chakra that enveloped his enemy’s arms, which essentially gave his opponent almost a foot in reach. The reach itself could be countered by Yuudai, but that wasn’t the issue… it was the momentum behind the individual that would be brutal to stop completely. With the way he charged, it was clear to Yuudai he was aiming high and ducking out of the way wasn’t an option he could afford to take at this moment, neither was taking the full force of the hit. He had one clear opening that he could choose to take, it would ultimately decide if he would survive the brunt of the damage or not. With him having some distance upon his target, it would be all he would need to activate a genjutsu upon his target in a matter of seconds. If it failed, he’d likely fall anyways, though if he succeeded, the jutsu would ultimately provide him with a sense of relief for a brief moment, allowing his to set up what he could ultimately turn the tide.

The only thing Yuudai could do was push himself backwards, kicking off the ground to gain just a bit more time for the technique to take place, though he didn’t come out unscathed, as the claws provided Io with enough reach to slash down the length of Yuudai’s left arm. Staring dead on into the eyes of the opposition as he propelled himself backward, Yuudai would maintain eye contact with his opponent should the man stare him down, after all one never took their eyes off the enemy. With both hand currently unoccupied, as Serpent’s Tongue was still making its trip back to Yuudai, and Setsura resting in its sheathe, Yuudai would quickly form the Rat Hand Seal and release the chakra necessary for his technique to take place. Genjutsu was an art; one not commonly practiced among shinobi in Kirigakure no Sato, so should it ever come in to use for a surprise attack, now would be the time. He knew he only had one opportunity to get this right, so should the technique land, he would have enough time to prepare his next technique safely. If not, he would have sufficient time to do so, but limited opportunities to dodge any further onslaught. He noticed some movement in the far reaches of his line of sight, but for now he would be keeping an eye on Io, seeing if his genjutsu would be taking effect and his own approach to the matters at hand. It would be up to the genjutsu to take over what needed to be done. Should Io’s momentum continue, he’d likely be able to land a hit, but Yuudai was hoping for something to stop it completely. Taking in a deep breath and releasing it thusly after, Yuudai would hope the technique would provide him with a more useful situation, but he was banking on Daraku cashing in at any one moment to land a hit, something which they could use to peg down there opponent a bit for just a few short seconds. Compressing the air in his mouth, mixing it with chakra, Yuudai hoped this technique would provide them with a better analysis on Io’s capabilities as of this moment, because as it stood, he was far more fearsome than the giant Yuudai had dealt with before. The justu known as Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere would be the one utilized by the Aisu, in hopes of doing something to thwart the efforts instead of being hit completely by the giant. The large sphere of oxygen released by Yuudai would be 5 meters in diameter, large and powerful enough to create an opening, and it would work as a safety net compared to his genjutsu. Serpent's Tongue would arrive soon.

---

Chakra: 285/350:

Io felt his finger nick his opponent, though his aim had to route, Io had a photographic memory of the body as well as its functions. crooking his finger, rather than causing a great big scrape down the length of his opponent's arm, he twisted his hand across and caused a single knick, crossing his finger across the brachial artery. A small less than a millimetre incision was enough to cause the wound to bleed badly, and cause blood to begin to run freely down Yuudai's arm. There was not a location on his body that he could route Io's attacks to, to make them any less lethal. Yuudai's life was on about a three minute or so timer, counting down and speeding up with any amount of high octane movement, fighting or simply stress.

Pulling back, Io was distracted by the appearance of the new ninja, though he had to keep his eyes on Yuudai, the new entrant became apparent. There was a hand symbol, a symbol for wisdom, trickery, manipulation, but it was too late. Suddenly, a familiar force charged at Io with speed comparative to his own, the phantom force of his master, Seven Bells, and all his fury, a look of rage betwixt sickening guile on his face as his blades crossed for the throat of the medical ninja. Io in response if not automatically dove to the side to feel the orb of wind nearly rip his arm from his socket, turning the limb to nothing but ribbons. Though ribbons was something the man could still work with. His arm dangled lifelessly at his side as the regeneration process sprung from his arm, creating and weaving together new tissue and ligaments as well as muscle fibre and arteries.

Even the blood pumping through his veins was being recreated to fill the void in which the damage was now done, although this wound was taking longer to achieve. Getting only to the stage of partial muscular regeneration building to the surface before he intended to attack once again. His arm hanging lifeless as he once again charged his opponent. The Aisu had met his last legs, and though Io only had one arm, that would not stop him from attacking with many at once. The Energy which surrounded his arms rose up to his neck and down his spine, expanding bone like tendrils of the red chakra scalpel energy into what looked like long, opposable wings which could be operated as close quarters weapons.

It was time to END this ninja!

Io span with the wings which spread out, causing a whirlwind of slashes directed at varying heights of Yuudai's body, from head, to toe, the spin alone would more than likely turn the Aisu ninja into more of a soup on the ground than a man as the mass murder technique had been activated... From a distance, Io looked inhuman. The glowing chakra bead on his forehead, his rapid regeneration, the bone like tendrils which extended out of his back and the buzzing sound the cutting weapons made as they hummed through the air. then the large inhuman claws which surrounded his hands, made him look more like a supernatural being than man. Looking to the rest of them, his chakra like a supernova of strength and resilience. This fight was coming into its adolescence.

Come at me Kiri Ninja... Try and make me bleed again~

chakra 300:

Daraku's blade held fast as it neared Io, but the criminal was one step ahead. He escaped its path narrowly, only to be struck by a wind technique that Yuudai had unleashed. It was a ball of air that hit hard, tearing away at Io's arm until there was near nothing left but revealed bone with shredded muscle desperately clinging to it. The arm hung there, unable to move, but still thriving. The regenerating technique that Io had activated previously had apparently remained in full effect and was now taking its course to bring the mangled appendage back from the brink of irreparable injury. Blood dripped from his fingers, but his other arm remained unscathed and surrounded with the chakra aura, ready to kill Yuudai. He didn't pay much attention to Daraku, keeping his gaze on Yuudai as the aura began to shift and change around his body. It moved from his arm and up his back until it formed blade-like wings. The wings hovered for a moment before wrapping around him and staying there as if guarding or preparing for an attack. Daraku knew better than to stay in the immediate vicinity of this stance, if only to protect himself. There was little he could do to protect Yuudai anyhow, and seeing as the man was a Sannin, there would be some way for him to get out of the attack's carnage.

So Daraku jumped back, narrowly avoiding his death but still suffering severe cuts all over his body. He let himself slip into a backwards somersault upon landing and started to landslide a few feet until he was next to a tree again. He would easily use this tree as cover if needed, and it would act as a sufficient place to hide once he reactivated his kekkei genkai. That wouldn't be at that moment, though, as he needed to provide his partner some sort of support in the fight rather than just hiding and waiting for it all to end. His wounds slowly began to heal, thanks to Yin Healing Wound Destruction, but now it was clear that close combat wasn't necessarily an option...one glance in Io's direction, and he saw the fruit of the previously seen stance. Io had unleashed a full spin, with his wings outspread, acting as a makeshift blender to shred all around him to pieces. The red glare cast by this technique shrouded the area, keeping Daraku from seeing just how Yuudai was handling it. Hopefully it was well; if Yuudai died, Daraku was screwed fighting this guy alone and he would have had to retreat. He thought as hard as he could of what he could possibly do...he didn't know many long-range jutsu that could be of help, but he wasn't going to give up without at least trying out the few he did have. He made a hand seal, with Nisebi still in-hand.

"Fūton: Shinkū o Setsudan!" Nisebi's flames only grew more intense as the Fūton chakra bolstered within. Daraku's wounds were completely healed by this point, and he was ready for another offense. Once his chakra was prepared and the sword shone brightly in the sunlight, he released the chakra in a horizontal wave that expanded as it proceeded towards Io. The projectile moved at a rapid pace, and it's sharpness and force were enough to dismember Io on contact. If Io was successfully struck, the remainder of the battle would be a piece of cake, but if not, Daraku needed to be quick on his feet and ready to go again. Yuudai would surely have his own part in the battle but it would take their combined efforts and teamwork to win the battle. The Fūton jutsu would have to suffice for the time being while he prepared his next strategy for attack...

(2,442/5,000)

140/275:

So this was how things were going to be, allowing him limited options to use at once, having to take care of this himself, ultimately being the best distraction at the current moment while Daraku would have to capitalize on any opportunity that would present itself to the stealthier shinobi. There were limitations that were placed on his body, there could only be certain methods of attack he could use at this current moment, but in the end it would be Daraku’s blow that would end this bout. Otherwise, Yuudai always had the one trick left in his sleeve, though this one would give him the advantage, it still presented the Aisu Sannin with an unfavourable situation in sticking well within range of the medic that opposed him. Taking in a single breath, Yuudai watched the damage that would occur from his previous technique on the blue-haired individual opposite of his position. The arm that had been hit, taking almost the entire brunt of the damage it could cause, resulted in the arm turning into nothing but shreds, ribbons if you will. Lifeless. In those conditions, the arm was clearly incapable of being used, but recalling knowledge of the medical prowess possessed by Io, he doubted it would deter the deadlines poised by his opponent. Quite possibly, there was a technique in this individual’s repertoire that could possibly allow him to overcome this newly formed limitation.

His weapon was hovering just out of sight, Serpent’s Tongue clearly being kept just out of combat for the time being. Everything needed to be dodged, everything. And then, it was just a simple game of cat and mouse, though it wouldn’t matter who the cat and whom the mouse would be. The ending would be the same if they kept in range of one another. He commanded Serpent’s Tongue to dart forward, coming within visual contact of the Sannin. He needed to do something, and the weapon would allow him just that. As for the incoming attacks, they would need to be avoided, lest he wish to be turned to shreds. Thus, without any hesitation on his end, he used a jutsu familiar to those of the Aisu clan, the Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors. Forming the mirrors in front of his person, just a bit over 7 meters away from himself, Yuudai raised his right hand in the air, Serpent’s Tongue’s hilt simply flying in to his grasp with relative ease. The mirror would surely be able to handle the brunt of the damage, thus allowing Yuudai time to move in to a position better suited for his plan, though regardless it was simple. He just needed one thing from Io.

It was time; there weren’t many options available that could provide a better outcome for himself and the Village Hidden in the Mist. The less options available sometimes possessed its own benefits. Less thinking, more doing. Without needing to calculate what technique to use at that particular moment, the response form Yuudai was practically instantaneous after the individuals arm was seen by the Aisu. A person’s body would not enjoy freezing temperatures, they would not be able to stand them after a while, but it seemed they would need to find a… more permanent solution to get rid of their current adversary. This would simply be the first step in the process. Just a little bit of preparation was needed, but the effect was practically instantaneous, as Yuudai released a burst of chakra. The technique would clearly have its own disadvantages, while he could easily fight in the conditions provided, he doubted his current ally would last in it, thus it would entirely be up to Yuudai until Daraku or himself could pick out the perfect moment. The cold burst of Hyōton chakra practically had an instantaneous effect on the area around Yuudai, as it provided him with a 30 meter radius centered on himself to work with. He already had an idea that Daraku would get an idea of what he was attempting to accomplish, and even if he didn’t Yuudai knew it would work out slowly. The effects of the technique would present themselves moment by moment, so long as the opposition kept within the given area Yuudai had predetermined. Seeing as how Io, so far, relied upon close range combat, it would clearly work in Yuudai’s benefit one way or another, but who knew what other techniques the opposition would possess. And with Io just previously charging straight at Yuudai, it seemed it would work out for the time being. Lashing out Serpent’s Tongue, he awaited Io’s next move. “Is there anything else you wish to say before your death?”

---

Chakra: 225/350:

Io's arm continued to heal, and as his chakra pathways through the arm had been regenerated the claw which covered it rebuilt itself once again as the chakra which flowed through the arm reconstituted itself, no longer severed with his missing body, his new arm filled with new blood, all stemming from the power of the mark of fortune dot on his forehead. His arm had finally reached the pinnacle of its health, though Io knew that the benefits of the mark of fortune technique were wearing off, and with that he was sure that he would have to rely on other techniques like creation rebirth and other self healing skills until its cool down time had passed and he was able to use it again.

Though as he attacked he was met with a wall, striking deep into ice thicker than he would have thought possible, the crystal ice mirrors was something he was not used to seeing on the battlefield, though, he was fighting the people of his homeland, he knew the Aisu well, and with them, memories of his childhood began to flood back in mass as his claws dug deep into the defence, harder than he remembered, the aisu which were sent after him he was able to cleave their mirrors into slate sheets, cutting them through and not slowing for a moment like a knife cutting through melted butter. Io met the end of his attack and used the ice wall to leap back more than ten meters, looking at the two opponents and not a moment too soon.

The ice on the ground began to melt, he smiled, outside in the heat of the world, only narrowly outrunning the expanding orb of a staggering thirty meters which encompassed the two and a little more, a technique like that could almost kill the two of them, though, it had absolutely no defensive property, it meant he was able to throw attacks in on them. If they thought that the infamous Io was limited to the skills of his fists, they were gravely mistaken, his skill in ninjutsu was more than able to contend with a lowly Sannin of the village of the Mist. Running backwards and retreating at his advanced speed for a brief moment, he performed three hand-seals with his claw before spinning about on his opponents and exhaled with a deep melancholy.

Io's mind was racing, but he began to think more and more than he was not simply holding off two ninja who were attempting to end his life, at this point he was not retreating, he was holding them off. Mizuru and the master would leave without him, without looking back if he was not back by the time in which they intended to leave for the homeland. Exhaling, fire exploded from his lungs in such a plume that it turned the corpses on the ground to ash instantly as it washed over the ground in a wave which spread outwards in a long graceful arc as he continued to exhale. The technique coving more than two thousand square meters of pure destruction as it eviscerated the land and scorched a scar into the earth.

His eyes re-focused looking at the Aisu, though his hyouton defensive techniques were potent against fire, fire scorched the pale skin of the ice user harsher than any other element should it make contact. Aisu, who were able to cover their own weakness, a blessed clan indeed. If only he were so lucky... He knew that there was no chance he was able to meet with the other's at this point, by the time he fought his way through the area they would be long gone, and he would not have the chakra to catch up by foot, so, he changed his strategy. Curling his tongue and piercing the heavens in a harrowing cry, four men suddenly appeared kneeling around him, dropping out of body flicker.

"Hold them off... I need to prepare something..."

The four ANBU looked at their opponents as Io opened his clothing and began to brew something in the midst of the battlefield, the four shadows, each bearing a missing ninja headband attacked the two who were attempting to end his life. Two of the ninja jumped, activating Shuriken Shadows, multiplying one kunai into three hundred a piece, scattering them down for the two ninja as the other two drew blades, and rushed them at full force. One of them diving head first into the aura of the ice without care for his own personal being, aiming to unleash a powerful flurry of blows while his backup unveiled explosive tags, and hurled them one after the other for the Sannin Yuudai.

Meanwhile the others mimicked the assault, first, the hail of kunai, followed up by an ANBU aiming for a series of sword strikes to keep the ninja busy before two explosive tags would be thrown at him from behind. This, obviously some form of trained sequence and routine opening attack assaulted from multiple fronts, as Io began to combine his chemicals, readying 'something' ... ... ... Though as he prepared, the glowing dot on his forehead faded, and the Mark of fortune was gone.

chakra 270:

Yuudai was prepared for Io's strike, using a multitude of ice walls to block the incoming strike. Daraku's wind technique then hit its mark, shredding into Io's flesh and leaving behind a few wounds. Io wasn't impressed by the looks of it, and he gave the both of them a look of scorn before jumping back. The Sannin activated another jutsu, one that Daraku observed from afar. A burst of chakra escaped his body, engulfing a large radius in cold air and causing frost to spawn slowly. He watched the ice solidify and multiply until a significant portion of the battlefield was coated in it, making for a field advantage towards Yuudai. Not for long, however, as Io was preparing a jutsu of his own at a range. He leaped into the air and spat a sea of flames on the ground, incinerating the corpses of his own men and charring the landscape, although the ice and cool air seemed to persist nonetheless. The flames were rapidly approaching Yuudai, but Daraku wasn't about to let it hit his ally so easily, not when he could do something about it. He leaped down from the tree and landed a fair distance in front of Yuudai. Io was far enough away to be unaffected by Yuudai's ice aura, and Daraku didn't want to freeze to death, he intercepted the flames at a sort of midpoint around 40 meters away from Yuudai and around a 20 meter distance from his opponent. His eyes moved up, meeting the burning blaze in front of him that were approaching fast. He wasn't afraid in the least. He slammed his hands into the ground, activating a ninjutsu.

"Shishienjin!" Almost as soon as the jutsu's name was called, a barrier of flames formed, taking on a violet hue. The flames collided with it, and raged violently against the jutsu, but to no avail. The barrier of Katon was essentially immune to the flames of his jutsu, and it eventually nullified the technique entirely, leaving Daraku and Yuudai unscathed. The landscape on the opposite side of the barrier was charred pitch-black and almost everything there was reduced to ash, but Io stood, facing the barrier. Daraku released the jutsu with a smirk, giving him an opening in case he had the chance to attack Io. "Nice try, though." he muttered, his eyes alight with success. Io looked up to the sky and let out an ear-piercing cry, for reasons unknown to Daraku. Despite his confusion, he figured the call was a bad thing, and braced himself for any incoming opposition. Surely enough, the call was a rally cry, and four ninja appeared, dressed in ANBU attire similar to that on the ANBU Daraku had killed back in Konoha. "So you're calling on your weaklings to do your dirty work? You must be getting tired." Daraku honestly couldn't say much more himself, his chakra was draining quickly and he was starting to feel exhausted but he was pushing through nonetheless. He wasn't going to let himself tire out until this Io freak was dead and gone.

The ANBU lackies began assaulting Yuudai with attacks and explosive tags, but before Daraku could intervene and help Yuudai fight back, he saw a rain of hundreds of shuriken descending down toward him. He figured he could use this as his own offense, by turning it to his advantage. He held Nisebi high over his head, and spun the blade with a flick of the wrist. He maintained the spin until it picked up momentum and added his chakra to the gesture. It kicked up a light wind at first, and expanded into a tornado around him. "Right, just keep trying! I'll kill every last one of you if you get between Io and I!" The shuriken collided with the tornado, which was acting as a barrier. They were deflected effortlessly, sent flying in all directions around him by the wind current. What had been an attack to subdue him had been transformed into a wide-range offense of his own, and he felt like a badass. They continued flying, their sharp points fast-moving towards the ANBU and Io. Yuudai was in the crossfire as well, however, so Daraku hoped that at least the Sannin was capable of blocking shuriken in addition to the attacks the remaining ANBU were throwing at him at the time.

(3,189/5,000)

105/275:

Ah, so it seemed that he definitely held a bag on hidden tricks, definitely not what he was accounting for, but in the end it worked out in favour of the Aisu Sannin, however momentary it would be. With one of the figure heads of the Seven Bells Clan relentlessly attacking him in close range for quite some time, the distance that was now created between them easily gave the Sannin room to breathe, the cold air tingling on his skin as the layer of ice that covered the ground around him plentifully was to his own advantage, allowing him the opportunity to make use of it however he would wish it. Though clearly the moment wouldn’t last as their opponent had other ideas, one that seemed to raise a reaction from the Aisu, though it was only the rise of a sole eyebrow in curiosity. While such a stance wouldn’t be approved on the battlefield, this battle would end in death, thus it not mattering much to him at this particular moment as he had time to gather his breath for mere moments. It appeared he would have some more time as Io had clearly launched a full stream of flames directed towards himself, it seemed that the battle would draw to an end soon. While he thought about defending himself against the jutsu, his ally, Daraku had already taken preparation for defending both of them from the flames that could easily turn them to ash. As the stream of flames approached, Daraku’s action to defend against the jutsu was simple, a barrier formed, easily defending against the flames that were thrown at the Aisu. He was glad that he wasn’t dealing with this alone, as Daraku had easily proved his worth to Yuudai. A man he could easily call an ally, though who knew when the next time they would be on the battlefield together. For now, his actions were enough. His eyes spotted four shinobi whom surrounded the member of the Seven Bells Clan they were planning on killing, as they appeared once their opponent released a cry to the skies.

Certainly things would be interesting for the time being, as this wasn’t something commonly seen, but since Io couldn’t continue to fight his own battle, having to rely on others, it would seem that Yuudai and Daraku would need to eliminate more individuals. Releasing the hilt of Serpent’s Tongue, the weapon darted directly upward, shooting in to the sky, roughly 20 meters above where Yuudai currently stood. His injured left hand, the blood trickling down his sleeve, grasped the hilt of Setsura, cleanly pulling her out of the sheathe while his right hand grasped his unnamed katana and drew it out as well. Then, it started. While Io would concoct… whatever a person of his nature would concoct, Yuudai’s attention was solely on the four new persons in the arena. All missing nin.

As the flurry of the blizzard that was circulating around the Aisu, he could spot the approach that was taken with his eyes. The first was entering the fray head first, charging directly into Yuudai’s technique and Yuudai himself. He was the centrepiece of this entire assault. Was he truly that much of a threat to them? He honestly doubted it, as he knew his own faults; something he would work on in time to remedy, but now was not the time. He needed to leave the fray, not be in the middle of whatever they were attempting to accomplish. Thus, without any hesitation on his end, before the first would close in on him, had already calculated some form of attack, though with the way things were going, he would have some bumps and bruises that would be needed to be taken care of. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind aiding them once again, but that was for a different time. As the first charged in head first, he swivelled around to spot another charging in, with the same method just on opposite ends. Quickly commanding Serpent’s Tongue to break apart, Yuudai would take care of the one’s behind him with the legendary weapon while he dealt with the other ones. As the twenty fragments would rain down on the ones now charging behind him, Yuudai pushed forward deciding to meet the sword wielder head on. His first strike would be with his unnamed katana, trying to meet the blade while Setsura was thrust forward, aiming to plunge in to the person’s stomach. He could hear the snapping that would occur from Serpent’s Tongue, as it had likely tasted blood and a kill. Then explosion blasted around him, some behind him, but he was just barely out of range, though the ones on either side of him grazed his right side, though not much damage was done, instead his left arm caught the edge of the explosive force, leaving second degree burns on it – he hated burns, leaving his arm limp for the moment. After having been cut open earlier and taking the brunt force, it would prove difficult to use it right now. It would heal, that much was certain, but it would definitely take a month or so to recover, with lower end medical techniques; though it could easily be healed by a seasoned medic. With his left hand barely holding on to Setsura, Yuudai sheathed the blade that was currently in his right hand, and grabbed Setsura with his right hand. At least two of them would be alive – the one’s that threw the explosives; Serpent’s Tongue would realign itself and continue to hover in the air as Yuudai gathered his thoughts, the storm around him was raging as much as it did earlier. Yuudai's demeanour instantly changed, no longer was it the calculative approach he was used to taking, instead was the look of someone who was seeking blood. "This will end now." He had enough of this battle.

---

Chakra: 180/350:

Io after crouching, neither of them had taken the chance to attack him while he was still, standing as one of his ninja were penetrated through the gut, while the other's two explosive tags detonated within the confines of the other ninja's defensive tornado, while his defence also seemed adequite, in holding off Io's men... This was unacceptable, Io jumped to the top of a roof before looking down on them with something held tightly in his grip. This wasn't the kind of medical vial which would prove beneficial to him upon consumption or injection... no... this had a far more potent... offensive nature. His eyes softened for a moment with what looked like remorse before they hardened into as cold and hard as stone. He cared not for the lives of his men, they were a means to an end, and they knew it... deep down.

Hurling the shining vial, a combination of chakra and raw genetic potential stripped from his own blood. The effect of the vial hitting would be gigantic, the force of the detonation would expand outwards in raw energy forcing his opponents to more than likely burn their substitution jutsu's if they weren't caught by the surprise. As his ANBU would be instantaneously vaporized by the ensuing explosion which would continue to spread outwards at twenty meters per second turning everything in its path into little more than particles. Though Io had poured chakra into the technique, leaving him dwindling, the entire nation of kiri would sight the explosion from the horizon, the plume of smoke which would rise to the heavens as onlookers rose their heads and knew, that something bad had happened.

Even Io had to leap away at speed before the range of the technique also consumed him into non existence...

Afterwards, Io's chakra was running low after that performance, he would not be able to make another vial, that much was certain, but he had a couple of other techniques up his sleeves. Looking to the edge of the 60m radius crater, Holding out a hand and catching some of the dust which blew in the wind, the remnants of the ninja he had sent to attack the duo, life returned to the components which made it, it was simple science, but it was something he found magical. Hopefully this move provided the chance he needed, the fear installed which would be able to give him the advantage in combat. But, even if he did not kill these two ninja, this fishing village would never be the same.

We are all born from ashes, and to ashes we will return... do you truly believe the deeds you perform will be remembered over the ages as valiant, or even significant? Do you think that wielding that sword makes you anything more than but flesh on bone which will wither and turn to nothing with the touch of time? What we fought for, was the immortality of Kirigakure, and I was its physician, you fake ninja with fake ideals and fake names are nothing to this world... you know nothing... you understand... nothing. And only exist to inhibit the greatness of others.

So, I will give you a final chance... Come at me with all you have ninja of Kirigakure. Show me the power you claim you possess and attempt to eradicate me... I promise you, it is not so easy.

Io spoke, holding his arms out in open invitation. His body free of scarring and pain, looking toward the two of them as he conjured the most basic form of chakra scalpels, taught to all medical ninja as they come of rank. Casted without the use of the tiger horse or rat seal due to his sheer mastery of the jutsu.

Chakra: 50:

The ANBU swarmed, attacking Yuudai's form with a barrage of close-range blows and paper bombs. The Sannin wasn't so easily overtaken, and he dashed between them, using his sword to attack in unique fashions alternating between slashes and an attack wherein the weapon fragmented and the separate parts horded the assailants individually. The blade-like fragments rained down, tearing through armor and flesh in a bloody symphony of blows, leaving the ANBU to fall to the ground holding their wounds in agony. It was a beautiful picture, although grim in reality. Daraku give a half-smile before his attention was brought back to the main opponent at hand, who was standing a fair distance away still. Io, the warrior who had survived thus far in the battle and seemed to be fully prepared to hold it out as long as he could, was beginning to lose his patience. A frown was embossed onto his face, unchanging as his body began to shift. His movements flowed and he jumped up to a nearby rooftop, keeping his eyes on everyone below. There was something up his sleeve, that was definite. Daraku just needed to be wary of exactly what it could be, because one wrong move could mean death in an instant. Io's hand slipped forward, revealing a small item in hand with a glowing aura of sorts surrrounding it. Whether this aura was produced by chakra or just a natural refraction of light, Daraku couldn't well discern, but it still was a foreboding sight. He braced himself to be as prepared as possible for whatever it was and whatever it could do.

Io, with a swift flick of the wrist, tossed the item down to them. As it descended upon the area, the sunlight passed through its glass exterior and revealed a luminescent fluid within, seemingly bolstered by chakra as well. Its glow only intensified as it fell, but at least now it was clear what it was. A vial containing a certain substance....it was reaching an extreme level of brightness that couldn't even be looked at directly without causing a headache and temporary blindness. Daraku tore his eyes away from the vial, not taking even a moment to hesitate and began sprinting. His superior reflexes from his assassin training in the Ishido clan was his greatest asset here, and he was able to react with the proficiency of one much stronger than his caliber would imply. He could now see what was happening in the mere fractions of a second before it occurred. This was a unique jutsu of some sort, and it was ready to explode. He had already gained a sufficient distance between himself and the vial as the detonation finally occurred with a deafening boom and an ironically angelic light. Everything turned white for a moment, and then it faded again to darkness. Daraku continued running but quickly fell to the ground, rolling over a few times before slamming hard into a building in his path. He managed enough will to turn his head over and take in the last waking moments of the explosion as the light faded and smoke rose to the sky in large plumes.

"What the fuck...that guy is crazy, he literally just obliterated everyone. W-where's Yuudai!?" The Ishido rose to his feet, reaching around to his back to feel the wounds. He had felt a burn across his flesh as he was running, obviously from the remainder of the blast that he simply could not outrun. He activated his most reliable medical ninjutsu to get immediate treatment to the area while he looked over the ruins of the area, nothing more than a massive crater lined with decrepit remnants of greenery, stone, and buildings.  His hand glowed with chakra and hovered over each burn, letting the pain ease away minute by minute. He couldn't stay here for long, whether or not Yuudai was alive...because Io was still out here, and he needed to be on full alert. He finally spotted the rogue, who breathing hard but somehow still able to fight. Io coughed out some lecture on how all were ashes and all were destined for the very same fate, and that this feeble act of resistance against him was never going to be remembered. Daraku knew that those words were wrong...this was a day to remember, and it would stay that way. Finally, Io's tone evened out as he spoke his last words to Daraku and Yuudai, who Daraku could hear moving then but still not in plain sight. "Show me the power you claim you possess and attempt to eradicate me... I promise you, it is not so easy. " his words resonated as he held out his hands, forming chakra scalpels on both of them.

"It's not going to be easy, but no one is invincible. Prepare to die!" Daraku yelled in response as he sheathed Nisebi and unleashed his opposite katana, Mugen Hikō. It's Fūton chakra whipped wildly around the edge of its razor-sharp blade, and he held it level to his eyes for a moment before charging at Io. His thoughts were racing, and it was all he could do but take an offensive stance and hope that Yuudai could provide some sort of support by immobilizing Io. "Yuudai, wherever you are, back me up here. I'll make this quick!"

(4,100/5,000)

80/275:

The pain would continue to be there, nor would it go away anytime soon unless someone was to use medical chakra to at least numb its existence. But with the amount of blood just flowing within his system, the adrenaline coursing through his veins, the injuries on his person would not stop him in the least. It seemed one way or another this battle would end, whether it ends in the favour of the current Mikukage’s Kirigakure no Sato or if it ends in the balance of the Seven Bells Clan, the outcome would be dealt with accordingly pending on whom dies on the current battlefield. Yuudai wouldn’t be the one that would need to deal with the results; he was just a piece playing his role, a pawn of sorts. Was it truly worth the risks involved? Maybe. The entirety of the numerous days of attacks launched upon his birthplace, the Village Hidden by Mist, brought forth many questions for the Sannin of the village, allowing him wander about his true reasons about being here. Those would be dealt with later, in an hour, tomorrow, whenever he had the time of day to resume his normal thought processes. For now, he had someone to kill.

Taking in deep breaths, knowing he had moments to figure out what exactly the blue-haired individual of the Seven Bells Clan was up to, Yuudai turned his glance towards the one person that could either kill him at this particular moment, or the one to be killed. Daraku had seemingly got out of the way, likely figuring it wouldn’t do to be clustered in one particular area in the present time, thus leaving Yuudai solely alone in the battlefield. “Serpent’s Tongue, return.” The weapon that had just recently returned to its normal form, after so much of it was layered in the blood of the dead ANBU ninjas aligned with Yuudai’s opponent, it looked as though it would not be done, but it would be for the time being. The weapon gently floated downwards to its owner before depositing itself in its sheathe by its own will. The connection between weapon and wielder would be disconnected from this moment onward. While it would provide useful for Yuudai to utilize it, he knew that he could expend much more chakra for the sake of having a weapon to use at his disposal; Setsura would be able to fill the void regardless. The raging storm that was humming just moments before, Absolute Zero, faded away just as quickly as it came for the exact same reasons he withdrew Serpent’s Tongue from the fray. Maintaining such a technique for lengthy periods of time did its number and the jutsu had done its task, in some sort of odd fashion. The battle was drawing closer to its conclusion and Absolute Zero was never thought to be used in executing manner, butter rather to provide distance or slowly kill away an opponent. Now, it would just be a matter of executing Io if he could get the chance.

He saw something glint in the light, something clear, a vile of sorts. Whether it be dangerous or not, which it would likely be considering Io had left the battle for the ANBU to occupy their time, so it was likely that the object he had thrown, Yuudai assumed, was clearly capable of severe damage, whether it act as a bomb or a poisonous gas, Yuudai would rather not find out at this particular moment in time. Already having known he needed to escape the vicinity, he turned his attention to the area where he had first entered the battlefield, the canopy of vines off in the distance. Surely, whatever was in that vile would not be able to reach him if he were to substitute that far away. He likely could have gotten away if he sprinted, but he couldn’t trust himself with taking such a risk right now. The substitution would be with the vines that he had pushed out of his way upon entering the clearing, more than enough distance to be placed between himself and the explosion that would occur in mere seconds.

Looking on from the outskirts of where he stood, his left arm pretty much dangling instead of attempting to support it to hold it up, Yuudai readied Setsura in his right hand, looking for a clear direction to approach Io in, though his ears clearly picked up two voices. One being Daraku’s first reaction to the explosion and clearly not knowing where the Kirigakure no Sato Sannin was located, though he wondered if the same would apply to Io, and then Io’s speech about their impending end. As Io began to speak, Yuudai had already broken off into a sprint, going around the outskirts of their previous battlefield, visually hidden by the scenery around himself, moving as soundlessly as he could. Death to Io alone was the only conclusion Yuudai could reason right now, so thus he set out to clearly assassinate him if he could. And then once again he heard Daraku speak, needing assistance in ending the life of Io of the Seven Bells Clan. He would, once he got close enough to end him, no matter how gruesome it would be, Io had caused far too much damage to the village that is home to Yuudai. Hopefully, Daraku would at least hold his own, if not know he was on his way.

---

Chakra: 175/350:

Io looked up at the two ninjas who came at him, but the enigmatic medical ninja had one more trick up his sleeve, their resolve was respect worthy, yes, he respected each of them as ninja, but was disheartened by their short sightedness. They could not comprehend the glory of everything he sought to achieve, but, it was now time to show each of them the true nature of the ninja they fought, Io did not feel the waves of tiredness wash over his body due to his severe lack of chakra. The Kirigakure missing ninja calling on some of the last chakra which coursed through his shoals of veins. His blood full while his body was in pristine condition, alabaster skin struck by the sunlight as he faced up against the two rushing opponents with their blades.

But something stirred beneath the surface...

No-one had known the clan from which Io had originated, no-one but seven bells truly knew the power which flowed through his DNA. Io ran some of the last of his chakra through his system, his skin rippling for a moment before turning a dark brown, his hair changing to a deep crimson-ruby red, teeth exploding into fangs as each of his arms lengthened considerably, becoming lengthy claws as well as producing another 2 arms from below them. At his back his spine split rapidly in two as two long prehensile tails which came to nasty looking spikes extended with small blade-like protrusions like razorblades growing from his back like a small carapace.

The chakra scalpel jutsu extended to the use on his two additional arms and tails as his form change was complete, looking at the two incoming ninja, the monster that was the now, lanky, speedy looking creature charged toward the Jounin, looking to take his strike head on, brutally raising his arm as if to sacrifice it he would guard in the same way which would allow Daraku to slash right through it, as the arm below it would strike moments after for the ninja's abdomen intending to eviscerate him horizontally.

Death staring Io in the face, after using this ability he finally realised that his chakra was dwindling, he would not last another round like this, so he needed to progress with his attack as much as possible, regardless on the damage that Daraku would be able to throw onto him, the monster would spin, looking for another target and striking at it with its two tails should Yuudai come within range rapidly. The tails would strike and whip at him one after the other at machine gun rates, one after the other, recoiling and thrusting again like full length lances!

Chakra: 15:

Daraku's path quickly sent him to his mark as he came upon his enemy. Io was desperate now, using every last bit of his chakra that he could to resist the assault. The problem was, Daraku was the same. His desperation equaled that of Io, and their matched wills made this battle all the more draining. Well, more so the fact that their wills weren't the full load of the fight...it was obvious that Io's skill level was above his, and with that imbalance, he had to rely on Yuudai to some extent lest he want to get reduced to shreds. So where was Yuudai at such dire a moment as this? Daraku couldn't find him, nor even hear him. With no sensory jutsu to aid in this search, he was left alone to face Io for the time being. He was sure Yuudai was there somewhere, preparing to strike, but without direct presence, Daraku could only hope as his feet guided him, his mind steadied him, and his arms emboldened him, with blade in hand, to rain a single blow down unto Io. One precise strike in the right place, with the blade of Boundless Flight, and the entire match would finally be over. But would he get the opportunity to prove himself in this? Would Io's superior power leave him to die under its might? As close as victory seemed, he could just as quickly die by the monster's hand.

The monster's hand. Mere feet away from the man, soul began to ring true to the somatic being. Io's figure shifted yet again, this time rather than arming itself with weapons of chakra and vials of explosives, becoming an entirely different form. His skin pulsed, his muscles shifted, his body enlarged, his features evolved. He became a hulking beast, a much more fitting existence for a man whose heart was buried in shadows and murder. Daraku's eyes rested in contact with Io's, never breaking eye contact through the whole metamorphosis. No simple jutsu, no aid from an item this time, this was something of greater caliber, and similarly dangerous by the looks of it. The chakra extended past the original borders of the scalpel technique, engulfing Io's newly spawned limbs and tails. He glowed intensely, an eyesore in this dull scenery of mist and sullen trees and decrepit buildings, shells of their original grandeur that were broken down by Io's assault. Daraku was running out of time and ideas, here. His chakra was draining too, and his limit wasn't far. Should he reach that limit, everything would end, and hope would end with it.

But Daraku's feet were still moving, still pushing him ever closer to the beast. With little time to react as his blade made contact with Io's first arm, his eyes caught sight of the underlying arm, bursting forward and ready to pierce his flesh. Thoughts scattered like raindrops on a window pane as he reached a point of pure fear. He had never wondered what death was really like until now. The pain, yes, that was nothing new. He'd felt the various wounds of battle, the lethal blows that lead to death, in the past...but he'd always had the supple time, circumstances, and chakra to heal the wounds before his heart finally stopped. He wouldn't have that privilege here. If the grotesque weapon of an arm managed to hit, he would die almost instantly, and if not instantly, slowly and painfully thereafter from blood loss. Was that the fate he was destined to all this time? His eyes were closing, he was giving up.  Death would be easier than living anyhow. Just...darkness, and quiet. It sounded nearly welcoming.

Daraku's mind didn't stop. His passion was gone but his logic was still searching for a solution, and that solution was found in the early moments of the battle. The branch. The branch is there, and its within reach. His eyes tore open, taking in the surroundings. There it sat, just behind Io. The branch that Daraku had cut down using his blade, saving it for future use. If there was a time to use it, now was that time. There was no other option. He moved from his current position with undetectable speed, leaving smoke in his wake. Io's attack struck, blasting the branch that acted as his substitute into hundreds of splinters that fell to the ground. Io didn't stop moving, though, and shifted into a spin, his tails whipping around him to act as an impermeable defense. Anyone coming within distance of those anytime soon would be skewered. But that wasn't an issue, Daraku was out of harm's way and had an opportunity. He kept his sword at his side, waiting for the chakra to build so that he could use its abiliy once more. "It's over, Io!" He released the chakra in one fell swing, resulting in a massive wave of wind chakra. It was poised to strike Io's upper chest and neck area, which would surely decapitate him if it made contact. Daraku fell to his knees after releasing the attack, breathing hard. His heart was practically pounding out of his chest, and he was feeling the beginnings of a headache. He was so weak...not in general, but the drain on his chakra system left him fatigued and disoriented. Clearly, this was his last resort, and if it didn't work, there wasn't much else left.

(5,036/5,000)

50/275:

Death was the only solution available; the death of his opponent kept playing within the dwelling of the Aisu’s mind. Yes, Yuudai was a pacifist, though over time the lines began to blur, making as black and white no longer would exist, only to be replaced by pure gray. If a solution presented itself, one that would bring about a favourable outcome to Yuudai’s beliefs, he would take it without hesitation, thus proving he would not hesitate on taking away a human life from this planet. Those of the Seven Bells Clan had shown their true colours over the passage of time and from what Yuudai had seen with his very own eyes, once they were killed, it would be enough to please him. To allow the only thing that mattered to him to be safe. His eyes focused upon the sole individual that he, or Daraku, would remove from existence, erasing any signs of life from the blue-haired Seven Bells commander. It wouldn’t prove to be too difficult of a task, as he still had enough chakra in his system to push out an array of attacks that Io would ultimately not be able to dodge at all, but in the same process, he had to worry about his lone ally in this battle. Apparently, the two of them seemed to be the only ones able to do anything of use at the current time.

Releasing out a deep breath, Yuudai continued his wide movement, one that would place him, eventually, on the outermost side of the makeshift battlefield. He needed some distance away from his opponent for this to work, but he could also manage in close range if things got too tight. He just didn't want to get too close to the opposition to give him the chance to pull out another trump card, if he had another one left Considering the attacks and regenerative abilities that Io had utilized, Yuudai deduced that he would be running on his last legs, especially given the disastrous vial that pretty much destroyed everything that was within the range of its explosion. It would be quick and destructive. If the blow should land, it’d be as simple as walking up to Io and slicing his head off. As he was getting closer, he watched the last few blows between Daraku Matsuro and the blue-haired shinobi of the Seven Bells Clan take to the stage. He was close enough – 20 meters – to Io and Daraku that he could launch his attack; he just hoped that Daraku would manage to get out of the close range vicinity of Io in time.

With Setsura held straight forward, the tip of the blade aimed towards Io, he began channelling a substantial amount of chakra in to the blade. It wouldn’t provide much room for a counter, if Io could spot one, but there was also the possibility that he wouldn’t even see it coming at all. Once the chakra had surged through the length of the blade, it was promptly released from the blade. Hyōton chakra would surge forth, then promptly splitting into five separate lengths of ice, each being a meter wide. All five took on the shape of a traditional Japanese dragon, spanning the length of 15 meters each. While they soared in to the sky, they would conveniently arc downward, aiming themselves to strike directly at Io. Now, it was just a matter of watching the results. All the while Yuudai was prepping the technique, Daraku had just substituted away from the proximity of Io.

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Chakra: 150/350: