The crescent moon cast its light over an open field. It was soft and tender. The lights in the buildings were extinguished, for the most part, allowing the stars in the sky to come out in clear view. She had forgotten that the weather in Konoha was so warm and pleasant. The skies were usually in clear view, not a single cloud to hide their beauty. It was the exact opposite of Kirigakure, with its damp and grey weather that perpetually surrounded the village in a thick fog. The young woman had grown used to it over the past several months, though she still much preferred the calm winds of Konoha. She stood among the tall grass, a black hood covering her silver hair and most of her face. Her weapons were strapped to her side and ready to be accessed at any time. She often carried them sealed within scrolls. However, she knew that for something like this, she would rather not have to waste time to access the tools that could potentially make the difference between failure and success. Every second was important, she knew that.

She ran, her footsteps barely making a sound. The wind helped to hide the sound of her feet grazing against the blades of grass. The compound where her target resided was in sight - a Senju, first in line to inherit the will of his wealthy father, who was on his deathbed. He was an only child, but there was someone - his cousin and supposed best friend - who wanted the money and was willing to kill for it. The man apparently had a young son and a lovely wife. Gin always made it her purpose to know exactly who she was after and why. This was no exception.

Judging by the position of the moon in the sky, it was roughly past midnight. She had been given an itinerary of the man's daily habits to follow as a rough guideline. Now was her best opening. If everything the note said was true, he would be sipping on a glass of whiskey in his living room while his wife and child were sleeping.

She silently made her way through the compound. The house was dead in the middle of it all. This would make her potential escape more complicated. She found the exact house - it fit the description accurately, slightly larger than the rest and slightly more extravagant, but still in line with the rest of the Senju households. The lock was surprisingly easy to pick. She could see from the small peephole using the zoom in her eye. The man was there, she could see his silhouette.

The young woman entered the room silently. The man's back faced her as he sat in his chair. He would briefly see her frame in the mirror, but it would be too late. As he turned to see her, she rushed to cover his mouth. She reached for a kunai and twirled it in her hand before running it swiftly across the man's throat. In a few seconds, gripping his throat and smearing his bloody hand on Gin's cloak, he was dead. Had Gin been of the religious sort, she would have offered a prayer for him.

"Daddy, I can't sleep, I-"

The voice of a young boy almost echoed through the halls. How had she not noticed his steps coming from behind?! How could she have been so careless?!

The young boy - maybe about nine or ten years old - with dazzling blue eyes and a tuft of brown hair, stared at her in shock. His mouth was gaped open. He took one step back followed by another. He saw her. He saw Gin's face, clear as day, and screamed before she was able to stab his heart with the same kunai that was still stained with his father's blood. Tears filled his eyes as his small hands gripped Gin's shoulders. It almost felt as if the dying boy was hugging her for comfort.

The mother would be alerted.

The boy was dying in her arms, struggling to breathe.

Shit.

Why did she have to be so slow at a time like this?!

The woman rushed at the sound off her son's screams. The scene before her was horrifying, to say the least. Setting the body of the dead boy on the ground, she moved. The mother was inevitably next. Shocked and still screaming, she was an easy target. At this point, blood covered Gin's silver hair and black clothes like spots of paint on a blank canvas.

She had to run. She had a narrow frame of opportunity before the entire clan was at the door. Having no time to waste, she broke through the window.

He tossed and turned. His mind was elsewhere as his body flailed back and fourth between the bed sheets and the open air. The nightmare began to creep further into his minds abyss as Sousetsu let out soft moans. He dreamed about him again, the crystal user from some time ago. The buildings faded into nothing while the cries of the innocent accompanied the cries of the slaughtered. Blood spewed like a flowing river as Sousetsu stood in the middle of a dark labyrinth. He looked down at the blood with a pale complexion and disbelief in his eyes. He didn't make it in time, he couldn't save them. The room began to warp as the walls began to cry around him. Their blood soaked tears turned to questions. 'Why?' they would speak. He let out a roar, apologizing to those he had failed, but no sound escaped his mouth. He could not answer. There was no justification.

'Why?'

The crying stopped almost instantly. The blood had vanished and another door appeared before him. He felt the sweat run down his face, his cheek bones more defined than ever as the very life force seemed to be escaping his grasp. This was the door to salvation. It had to be. He could finally wake. He reached for the door handle but it began to tremor causing him to step back in slight fear. The door creaked open to reveal someone he once knew. Ukiyo stood with the widest grin, so wide that they almost reached her ears. The manic laugh sounded like a screech, clutching his ears from the agony and looking down once more to divert his eyes. Branches emerged from his chest as did clumps of flesh. He did not feel the pain however, but his eyes grew darker and the beating of within his chest began to slow its pace. He looked back up to the fellow Senju who was now long dead, but her memory still remained with Sousetsu even now.

"You couldn't protect them! But you could protect me! A killer! How many lives must you take!"

"I..."

"It's too late, Sousetsu! The blood is still on your hands!"

The Sannin inhaled with a great quiver before looking down at his blood soaked hands. His teeth almost came to a grind and his eyes darted wider than ever before. Her laugh echoed through the dark room and the branches were still seeping their way out of his abdomen. Was it all his fault? How many had to do die under his supervision? Under his role as a Sannin, the great protector of the leaf, who had he saved? Sousetsu was never one to cry but his eyes began to water, his veins pulsed, the quiver of his lips still went on.

With a clenched jaw and swallowed down what he could he inhaled deeply through his nose. No, he could not carry such a burden. He had helped so many that he had stories that could last for days. He closed his eyes yet a single tear managed to escape and run down his face. As it reached the ground, the sound of the tear echoed louder than Ukiyo. Silence filled the room before another roar escaped the Azure Beast. The branches receded, the blood faded and the door slammed on Ukiyo. A familiar scream could be heard that began to harmonize with his own.

He awoke. Sitting up with haste he noticed that cold sweat filled the bed and the scream had not yet left. His eyes darted across to the window before he leaped from his slumber. He could be seen in a black sleeveless jumpsuit as he made his way down the stairs, grabbing his blade and his armour  as he made his way. The sounds of shards from glass could be heard shattering causing him to halt for a slight moment thinking of the possibility of a robbery nearby Upon leaving his home, he could be seen wearing armour emblazoned with the Senju symbol with a distinctive white fur collar. The armour was constructed from numerous blue metal plates, formed into multiple protective guards along his body, in particular: chest, waist, shoulders and upper arms. His high frequency blade had found its way to his lower back, laying across in a diagonal fashion.

He sprinted, soon finding the house in question where the cries of a woman were once heard in great distress. He entered without warning and had seen blood filling the room slowly before turning his attention to the woman next to a child. He approached them and knelt to look at the new found corpses. He was young and blood soaked his clothes. Their eyes lost their light. Sousetsu knew death all to well, it was almost like greeting an old nemesis. Fear flooded his face before he turned his attention to the man who lay on a chair, his arms lifeless. Before long, the hallway was soon flooded with more Senju,

"What happened?!"

"Inform any shinobi that there is an intruder, and get these three to the hospital! he ordered. it was all he could think of in the heat of the moment before stoically leaving the building, passing all those who could tell he was filled with anger. His face was stern, his jaw was locked, and there was power in his footsteps. He looked up at the moonlit sky before back to the glass shards from the window. There was only one exit nearby. Sousetsu vanished into the night before reappearing on several rooftops and analyzing any signs of movement and it seemed fate had knocked on his door once again.

He noticed the shadowy figure, making its escape. Vanishing once more Sousetsu soon arrived outside the exit, waiting for the figure to appear. His headband wore the Senju insignia, his armour represented their battle prowess, and his blade was ready to be withdrawn at any moment. His stood with his stoic stance, his legs were shoulder width apart and his arms were crossed. His eyes seemed to pierce through any who dared stare him down and his jaw clenched once again.

"Show yourself!" he roared with tremendous might as the shadowy figure was approaching.

It wasn't difficult to follow where Gin was going. People had crowded along the streets, blocking her way towards the compound's exit. Well, way to make things interesting, to say the least. She had added three men to her death count while she ran. They had been easy to dispatch. She hadn't even stopped running. She sidestepped, moving around the first one so that his back faced her. She gripped his neck tightly and twisted it in one swift motion. He died before he even realized what was happening. Gin didn't stop moving. The second man charged towards her in a blind rage. She lowered her stance and with one swift movement, knocked him off balance. The rammed the kunai through his forehead as he fell over her.

She moved gracefully, as if dancing. That was what it was, really, a dance of death. She moved by instinct, almost automatically before her mind could process the depths of the massacre around her. Before she knew it, the third man was lying in a pool of his own blood, adding more crimson stains to her black robes.

She turned when a man, dressed fully in armor and with the Senju symbol on his forehead protector, blocked the entrance. It looked like in the mess of it all, he had been smart enough to get his gear ready before charging ahead blind. She could feel it - this was the challenge that she was anticipating. She almost felt giddy with excitement. That was the only thing on her mind. She bore no regrets for the people that she had just killed. She was a blade, being wielded by someone else, doing the bidding of her current master. As far as she was concerned, no blood was on her hands.

She simply looked at the man in front of her and tilted her head to the side. "Here I am, nothing to hide," she said, spreading her arms as if to reveal the dead bodies that lay scattered several meters behind her. She was standing about two meters away from him. Her mechanical hand - Devil Bringer, which she had equipped for the night - wrapped itself around the hilt of one of her blades. She would use Sabaku no Bara for now - a regular katana for all intents and purposes. Until prodded to unleash her full power, this would do for now. She would maintain the distance between them as it was for now. She was slow, she knew that.

Furthermore, she knew little of what this man was capable of. However, she would use her raw strength and endurance to her advantage. She let the chakra flow through her, accelerating as it ran its course throughout her body - prosthetic arm included. She could feel the surge of strength adding to her. It was exhilarating. So why not start things off with a bang?

The former Kazekage smirked, her expression still hidden by the hood that she wore. She raised her sword in the air and smashed the ground, creating a large ditch - three meters long, two meters wide and three meters deep - originating from the place where the sword had touched the ground. The chakra - moving s quickly through the mechanical arm - tore her sleeve, revealing what seemed to be a limb that should belong on a demon. She braced herself for any response. She would need to focus for this to turn out well.

Jutsu Used:

Items in Use:

She came closer, approaching Sousetsu with little anticipation. Her arms spread, "Here I am, nothing to hide," it spoke as bodies could be seen behind the hooded figure, lifeless. Sousetsu glanced for a brief moment, not letting his stoic presence fall in the slightest, before looking back. He could tell that the voice was feminine.

'A kunoichi?'

He remained calm, breathing in through his nose while his jaw clenched once more becoming more intimidating to look. This was not the crystal user he had sought, this was someone he was unfamiliar with. He knew nothing of her, or why she was here. Why did she attack that specific family? Why not the Hokage? The more his mind wandered the more he became curious. He could do nothing as of yet, only analyze.

With her sword now equipped it was raised and slammed on the ground before them. A rather loud noise of a clash between metal and solid earth could be heard for a short distance. He leaped back three metres as the ground began to concave. He heard no words of a jutsu.

'This is her strength...No...'

His thoughts were cut off as he had noticed that the blade wielding arm was unlike any other he had seen. It was rather demonic, an arm that could bring fear to the common man with a glance. He looked down as his eyes closed before smirking as he looked back. "I can tell you are an experienced shinobi... But a careless one." he spoke regarding the arm. It was not natural. It was not a technique. It was prosthetic. He assumed it was the cause of a previous heated battle that went awry for the kunoichi. He placed his hand upon his own blades handle quite loosely, unsure if he should withdraw it or not as he continued to think of the situation.

'She could not escape in time...'

Did she not face the Hokage knowing that she would not escape his grasp? Or get away with special forces tracking her? It didn't make sense. Why would she attack a specific family? Or was it the family she was attacking?

'The child and mother were not near the father as he lay lifeless in the chair. He was not warned nor did he move if he heard their screams. He was the target...'

His mind seemed to be fitting pieces together.

'The child and mother were witnesses...'

It became clear that this was a hit. The house that he knew all too well within the Senju compound belonged to those who were fairly wealthy. The man was a good man who worked hard to support the family and bring a small sense of fame to the Senju name. The wife was loving, a kind soul who put others before herself. The child... Was pure... And had yet to flourish into a great man. To kill a child was unforgivable.

"Sousetsu Senju." he stated as if he was giving an answer to a question with full knowledge of the answer. To Sousetsu, giving his name in battle was something he had always done in honor of an unwritten code. To give the name to those who faced him so if they lived, they could tell the story of their battle knowing their opponent or die knowing who had slain them. None who lived returned and so he could only hope they would remain out there, in the wild, remembering and revering him.

Her abilities were still unknown to the Senju, but he could adapt as a tactician of the battlefield. His hand denied the hilt of his blade for a small moment, almost hesitant. He could not hold back. This was his stand, this was his fight. Instantly, Sousetsu was leaping through the air with his blade withdrawn and slashing down towards his new found opponent before a rather large whirlpool surrounded his weapon at ten metres in length and three metres in width. It was a technique that most had faced who ever crossed him.

"Suiton: Ōuzu Matoi no Jutsu!"



Chakra: 340/370

Jutsu:

Weapon:

Armour:

So that was this man's name. Gin would stare at him as he leaped backwards in order to void falling inside the pit. Again, she would stay where she was. There was now a total of five meters between them. The debris cleared rather quickly, not that it limited the view of her mechanical eye in the least. It was an advantage really, to not have to flinch due to such minor things. She knew all too well that those seconds of hesitation could be the difference between life and death. The young woman let out a chuckle at his comment, his statement that she was careless. To be honest, it almost always seemed that way. However, he offered her a valuable piece of information as well: his last name. A Senju. He was a mokuton user, which meant that he could manipulate water and earth as well.

She examined every part of him with clear detail. Her perception was rather good, albeit, not the best, but she was able to see and hear extremely well compared to most people.

She would not lose sight of this man.

Her thoughts were racing as she tried to come up with the path that would lead her not only to victory, but to get the most out of this fight. She would see exactly what this man was made of, what his skills were. She would push his limits and hope that he could do the same. Those few seconds - his hand twitching as if hesitating to grab at the hilt, as if deciding if it was the best path to take. A spark of lightning - almost unseen by the naked eye, it would have required something akin to a doujutsu to see - left the tip of her finger and made its way towards Sousetsu.

The technique would strike silently and quickly, moving through the air and reaching his location before he could fully draw his sword. If the initial part of the technique hit him, he would feel no pain. In fact, he would barely notice it until he suddenly felt his senses slowing down. His vision would no longer be as clear, his hearing would lose its accuracy. In the meantime, surge of chakra would travel through Gin's body, sending it into overdrive. Sword in hand, at that very instant, she would move towards him, closing the five meter distance between them before he could move to strike with his own technique.

Gin was usually slow as anyone of her rank could get. However, this technique allowed her to increase her speed exponentially, to the point where she could close the distance between them in less than a second. Having been careful to follow his movements beforehand, she would adjust her trajectory to follow towards were he was, albeit, in a straight line. Once she reached his location, she would aim two strikes at key places: She would aim the first at his chest. With her increased strength, his armor would most likely cave in, resulting in shattered ribs and a potential pierced lung as a result. The second strike would be aimed at the arm that was holding the sword. To be exact, she would aim to sever it from slightly above the elbow, exactly where his arm ended. Even if he didn't take the full hit, her added strength would make it so that the bones in his arm and chest were broken into pieces.

After performing her two strikes, regardless of whether they connected exactly where she wanted them to, she would just as quickly return to her initial position. A strong burst of wind would emanate from her and quickly make its way towards Sousetsu's position. If he still managed to create the whirlpool of water around his sword and went to attack Gin with it, the gust of wind would be strong enough not only to blow him backwards - thus keeping her out of his jutsu's range - but would also shatter the bones in his upper legs, which was where she would aim the final strike of her jutsu.

Chakra: 265/325

Jutsu Used:

As he leaped into the air, his could sense chakra from a great distance away. His sage mode was beginning and the ability to sense chakra came first as the transformation was lazily. As his blade was being withdrawn he noticed a disturbance within his new found opponents chakra. It was emitting chakra to her fingertips. The blade was halfway from becoming fully unsheated and timed seemed to come to a still. His fingernails sharpened as the transformation was beginning, possibly going unnoticed much like the opponents jutsu. His hesitation in drawing his blade was whether or not he had a fail-safe. Sousetsu was never one to charge in on the offensive, he was a tactician, and like a tactician he  had conjured up a plan. Lightening left her fingers, shooting up towards the Senju's position. Over the years, Sousetsu rarely fought against a lightening user, their abilities were almost alien to him. But he knew they were used for piercing or as excessive force and by the looks of this discreet technique, he was to be pierced. Time seemed to return, the lightening had reached his torso as the blade formed the whirlpool above his head, ready to strike downwards.

To his surprise, the kunoichi was within arms reach before he could strike with his vortex and two blows were met. Sousetsu's armour caved in as the blade pierced. Blood spat from his mouth and was soon followed by the severing of his arm. His eyes grew pale, his skin lost its colour. Time slowed once again. Silence was heard. The wildlife receded their songs and the trees leaves refused to bristle off one another. The rays of the moonlight overlooked the two in this precious moment.

Before a puff of smoke consumed Sousetsu, a log in his stead.

Sousetsu stood seven metres from his initial spot, in the distance with his arms crossed as if he had never moved. His face covered with red with hints of gold markings. His hair became long and scruffy with a few braids, his hands and feet like that of a beast. Chakra still emitted however from the female user and was soon followed with a large gust of wind. His eyes widened before water carried him back with great speed and to a place where the wind blew less violently. It was quite the distance away.

Unfortunately, Sousetsu had not reached the safe zone in time. A sense of sharp pain revealed themselves upon his lower body. A small grunt was heard from the Senju as he looked down to find two rather large and deep cuts along each leg. His leggings were torn and the blood seeped through. The water still rushed beneath his feet as he hastily checked how serious his wounds were.

'Two inches... This has to end quickly.'

His mind raced as his eyes widened once more. A wound such as this would cause the user to pass out if medical attention was not applied. He removed his hand wraps and proceeded to place them around each leg, slowing the process of blood loss. It only bought him a short time, but this was crucial.

'She was slow... What was that?'

With little knowledge of the lightening element he could not say for certain that the cause was because of it or that she was hiding her true speed. But one thing was for certain...

'She is strong.'

Tearing through his substitution like a wild animal on its prey, the woman was ruthless. She gave an impressive performance, and one that did not give Sousetsu the answers in full. He tested her strength. The two bolts of lightning remained a mystery. He knew that they would pierce and they were subtle, maybe they were too throw him off guard with a surprise factor? A sudden jolt would surely cause one to flinch in his time of need. Her power exceeded his own in physical prowess, close combat seemed to be out of the question for now. Her weapons seemed all the powerful too. This woman was proving difficult to figure out, even for the Senju. He had to rely on his ability to sense chakra, while keeping her at a distance. Quite the challenge.

He had no intention of moving, he needed her to bring the fight to him. They were in his soil, his homeland, the odds should be in his favour.

'She's careless.'

It must have been true. Her wounds proved that fact. Maybe it was because of her monstrous strength that she was willing to strike at close quarters, viable for counter attacks. He thought for what felt like some time before he seen the figure in the distance. He needed more to study her abilities further. He needed her attention. With a few hand seals a dragon emerged from the earth behind him. A water dragon to be exact. "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu."

The dragon dashed in her direction and reached her general area almost instantly. Surely this would grab her attention to pursue him. The roar of the dragon still rung in his ears as it flew passed until it could be heard in the distance. What more did this woman have to offer?

Chakra: 285/370

Sage mode:

Jutsu:

The swift changes of the human body - the growth of nails and hair, the darkening of the skin until it became another shade entirely - were always a sight to behold. She had seen Sanosuke change like that once or twice before. There was no mistaking the fact that this was sage mode. It was also prof that he had started taking her seriously as an opponent. She might as well offer him the same treatment. She sheathed the regular katana as the man swiftly wrapped the bandages around his legs. She had seen the gashes of blood. With how much he had to move, how much his heart rate would inevitably accelerate during the fight, it wouldn't be long before he passed out from blood loss.

Gin wrapped her hand around the hilt of the other sword that she carried around her waist. It was a slightly curved blade with a skull carved out of the metal right above its hilt. Once drawn, the eyes of the skull began to glow a macabre shade of green. It was said that the sword lit up with the energy of the souls it had stolen or something long those lines. The former Kazeage cared little for such lore. All she knew for certain was that the blade was one of the most powerful weapons that she had ever had the honor to wield.

Her warped sense of honor kept her from attacking the man as he tried his best to put off the inevitable. All the while, she dismissed the jutsu that she had been using before in order to augment her strength. He had switched into Sage Mode, something that Gin knew drained a decent amount of chakra. She had to be careful with his newly gained sensory capabilities, however. She couldn't let her guard down. If she conserved her own, she could wait the fight out. Usually, that wasn't the way she dealt with things. It seemed cowardly to do virtually nothing while her opponent ran out of energy, but this is what she would do for the time being.

She watched the man carefully. She braced herself, holding Soul Cutter in the palm of her prosthetic arm. She could feel the sword's power emanating. Sousetsu's hands moved, forming different seals. Gin braced herself in response, readying her blade. A stream of water shot from behind the man, quickly shaping itself into a dragon that rushed towards her. At that instant, her arm moved. Almost instantly, the dragon collided with her blade. The current of water split exactly where Gin had cut the jutsu. The blade cut and dispersed the chakra in the technique. As it kept clashing against the sword, it harmlessly split the dragon in two perfect halves around the young woman.

"That all you've got?" She would ask.

As they stood now - around thirty three meters away from each other - Gin would have enough time to react to most of the attacks he threw at her. Nevertheless, she would be unable to attack him directly unless she spend a considerable amount of chakra. Even so, she doubted that the attacks she had that could reach him would do much. After all, they were fire-based and he seemed to be a more than capable water user. For now, she would stick to staying where she was and parrying his attacks in hopes of exhausting him.

[Chakra: 265/325]

Weapons Used:

The bandages began to grow wet with a hue of red. His breathing began to quicken in pace as he grew more exhausted with each drop of blood began to leave his body. The wind technique was truly harsh and his misjudgment in speed and range made him suffer the consequence. He could have been quicker. He could have declined this technique the opportunity to have an effect on him. He did not fail however, he made a mistake. One that he could learn from. He inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled calmly from his mouth. Gazing at his opponent, he watched as the figure withdrew another weapon in exchange for their current. A dark aura surrounded the ninja before him as the blade was greater in size a gave off glow of the shade of green. He had never seen a weapon like it. Never before had he witnessed such a blade that he would dare call a 'demon' itself. But it appeared luck was not his side this day.

He held his own weapon tightly around its hilt. The blood trickling down his leg with a warm feeling that shook him slightly. His jaw clenched and his face wore a stern expression. He still did not know of her abilities but he would be sure to assume that she did not know about him also. This was a precaution on her behalf as the man was now revealed as the sage he was. His water technique was sliced in twain. His eyes widened. This was no jutsu, this was the power of that demonic blade. He should not be here alone. He needed support. But would he really want another persons life at risk? This was the Sannin's last stand before an enemy. He was never there when they needed him, at least not on time. Was this fate? Was this his punishment for not having been there to help others in their time of need. Was this the reaper?

"That all you've got?" she asked, mockingly.

A reaper come to collect the soul of a man still in his prime. Why would fate play a hand such as this  to a man with so much to lose? Monstrous strength accompanied with a blade to negate the use of many techniques. He could only judge now, he had to assume. A technique such as the one Sousetsu had used was still advanced although common. It was well known for its speed and impact it had upon the person and this 'demon' before him mocked it as if it was nothing.

'It can't be helped...'

His hands hastily made its new combination, one which had rarely been seen. "Suiton: Suiryū Kōbaku!" The jet stream of water shot beneath the Senju. Accelerating towards the mysterious shinobi, as the earth that surrounded the two became a flowing field of water. The water carried his feet around the many dense water bullets that shot into the air which was unknowingly forming a cloud above them as he transfixed his gaze upon with his blade tightly in his grasp, moving at an accelerating speed. As he came within fifteen metres of the woman he swung his blade as if he was preparing to swing for another, but returned it to its sheath once more and used a serpent hand seal.

"Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan!"

Instantly, the field of vision towards Sousetsu was blocked by another water bullet that was shooting up into the air. As it was gone so was he. The area around the assailant was now greeted with a rapid growth of woodland, attempting to trap her with its many branches and vines that covered such a vast area, fifty metres in fact. The sounds of crumbling earth and stretching branches was one to remember, and the very sight of it was remarkable, like a world wonder. Sousetsu's head emerged from the water cloud above as his body seemed to become one with the liquid state, he was not a sage anymore though as his regular appearance seemed to dwell from what could be seen.

While in sage mode he could detect the locations of the areas that the water bullets emerged from and purposely merged with the last as he used it to block the line of sight between himself and his opponent. She would be none the wiser. A strategy he had used long ago with a woman who still haunted his dreams. It was almost as if the nightmare prepared him for what was in store this night. The feint with his blade allowed the appearance of blade strike but prevented the knowledge of another technique with such haste before disappearing. Being prepared for a technique such as this would take quite the cunning but the words kept reminding him thus far: 'She was careless.' Of course, the sage mode must have been given in exchange along with a great deal of chakra. He was being pushed, tormented, and mocked. This would not be so easily forgiven and so he showed the true potential of the Senju right before her very eyes in one sudden move.

Sage mode= 10 chakra

Chakra: 200/370

Jutsu:

The wind carried the smell of blood in the air. Whether it was from Sousetsu's gaping wounds or the dead bodies surrounding the area, Gin couldn't really tell. The weight of her actions would sink in later. Right now, there was another task at hand, something to take care of. Truth be told, she was enjoying herself. The young woman felt like she was being challenged in a way that she hadn't been in months. She had to react quickly and consider her next actions in a fraction of a second. Not only that, but she could g all out with no real worries about consequences. There was no one to protect, no one to look after, no one to hold back for. This was a real fight, with everything on the line and no one to restrain her.

Just as she finished speaking, taunting Sousetsu, a stream of electricity flowed through her hand. In a split second, a second sword materialized in her free hand. She saw his hands move. She needed to act quickly, possibly preemptively if she could. The problem was the limited range of this technique. However, judging from what he had used up until now, this was likely a water jutsu. If she timed her actions right she could counter the technique. A large pool of water began to form around the area. At the same time, the man began to move.

All the while, Gin swung the sword that had just appeared in her hand. It had a curious ability, that weapon. As she swung her sword through the air - in less than a second - three afterimages of the weapon would solidify. At that instant, each would follow its own target. The first two would go straight towards Sousetsu himself in order to pierce through the center of his stomach and chest, easily bypassing his armor. At this point, he was standing around fifteen meters away from Gin. The projectile seemed to be of the sort that simply followed a straight path. However, it had the ability to follow its target effectively and swiftly without losing speed.

The last projectile - which set off at the same time - would strike at the jutsu itself in order to disperse it. Specifically, if would go straight towards the water one meter away from where Gin was standing. The water would soon dissipate.

However, focusing on this meant that she had little to no time to react to the ascending bullets of water. She didn't move from where she was in time. A bullet hit the side of her torso, heavily bruising the left side of her rib cage. Had her endurance been weaker, it would have shattered several of her ribs. Before any other bullets could emerge, the jutsu would disperse, having been negated by the charge of Raiton chakra from the projectile.

But the ground shifted underneath Gin's feet. Was this some sort of Doton jutsu? Or would water come out from underneath? Gin's eyes widened, soon realizing that it was neither of them. A forest grew out from the ground, seemingly out of nowhere, meant to trap her. Well, there was only one way she knew how to deal with this type of jutsu. She could only hope that she wouldn't burn herself to a crisp in the process.

An insurmountable amount of heat enveloped Soul Cutter. She would have a limited time to escape the forest or to render it a pile of ashes. Gin would take either of the two at this point. She would jump from one branch to another. The heat made it so that everything that came within five meters of her blade would incinerate instantly. She knew that the growth rate of the trees was unpredictable and was likely controlled entirely by Sousetsu.

What she wouldn't have given for Sage Mode at that point - the ability to sense where the trees would grow next, to be specific.

Nevertheless, she would move swiftly, hacking through the branches, which were beginning to catch fire. The flames would begin to spread in seconds as the trees that were closest to Gin turned to ashes. Well, worst case scenario, she had wind jutsu that could disperse both the flames and the smoke in order to momentarily keep her safe.

Chakra: 175/325

Jutsu Used:

From the view of the cloud of water, Sousetsu watched as his technique had begun. It was an extraordinary ability from the first that made its way down the generations to this particular Senju and had not been used in such a long time. A refreshing technique that the Sannin was grateful to witness let alone perform. Before long, blades emerged from the opponent, one lingered in her free hand before two appeared in the form of light which then darted towards Sousetsu with formidable speed. The water technique was beginning to dissipate, the figure below had negated it with the new blade in her hand and so the cloud was not ready to fulfill its duty, disappearing also leaving the Senju in his own puddle-like form. The two lightened blades rushed him. His eyes widened before fully emerging himself with the water to leave now sign of his appearance which then dropped down passed the blades and splashing over the wooden technique with the swords diverting to find him. Hastily, the wood formed around the larger form of water as the droplets edged their way closer to join it. One blade pierced the wood but could not sink further to the other side while the other sunk where the water now resided.

With his defensive maneuver of taking shelter within his own technique he could reform and so he did. The droplets joined onto the small pool of water and before long, Sousetsu emerged in his normal form. He looked up towards the blade lodged into the wood, inspecting it briefly before turning to find the other which now lay within his left shoulder. With widened eyes it seemed the shock had numbed the pain for a small moment in time. It was a clean pierce, nailing him into the ground. With further exertions of breath he forced himself to his feet only now feeling the pain that came all at once. Blood spewed from his shoulder and cries escaped his lips with the lowest frequency he could muster. Sweat now poured from the Senju as the battle was growing too overwhelming for him.

He turned to face his opponent in the distance wielding a fiery blade. He panted as he caressed one leg, trying to sooth the pain and checking the level of blood before checking to his shoulder. He did not have long. He needed medical attention. The deep forest was coming to a halt as the blade slowed its process. He watched the fire consumed the woodland that tried to entrap her making the task seem near impossible. Sweat began to emit fruther from the man and his complexion was growing even more pale as each moment passed. He stood tall and leaped to the top of his own technique so he could watch over her and pondered at the situation at hand. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying his best to catch his breath before he spoke.

"Why did you kill the mother and child!?"

The wooden technique halted finally, buying the time he needed. It was almost as if he called a time-out in the midst of everything. He hands were clenched tight, his face was stern and his voice was strong, almost like a lions roar. The wind breezed passed which carried his words through the air towards the kunoichi. His hair flailed back and forth in the direction of the wind that blew. The sweat grew colder as the night was still ageing on. Call it common courtesy that he would pause his abilities to give time for an answer. All was calm and tranquil aside from the blade with roaring flames. It would not be long before others would arrive, or maybe they had and stood on the sidelines unwilling to enter the battlefield with the high level techniques that the two shared in the heat of battle.

"Their cries for help were already heard. Help was already on their way... Yet you murdered them in cold blood!"

His battle stance along with his short panting allowed his shoulders to show their up and down movements as he still awaited the answer. His bandaged legs still laced with blood red and giving off a rather warm feeling yet shaken up. Many lights were now emitting from the buildings that resided in the village hidden in the leaves. The village was awake in the night time. Soon the many residents and ninja alike would aid Sousetsu in the battle against the cloaked woman. The moon shone over the two giving them shadows that stretched over the area. He scanned the woman once more, her blade was powerful, he attitude and endurance was monstrous. The heat was fed as she went near the wooden technique. Sousetsu was renowned for his ability with water but also for his wits in battle. He had to wait this out.

-10 Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan

190/370 Chakra

The smell of ashes and burnt wood began to fill the air. The smoke drifted into the night's sky as the forest kept on spreading the fire. Gin emerged from the flames, standing about twenty meters in front of Sousetsu as the fire roared on behind her. Her face was still hidden behind the hood of her cloak, only her eyes visible through it. He was injured now, more so than before, Her projectile had pierced cleanly through his shoulder. His subclavian vein was no doubt punctured. It would be bleeding profusely. It was only a matter of time before he passed out. It was rather... amusing, how he wanted answers, how he seemingly wanted to understand the thought process behind Gin's actions.

Truth be told, she knew little of it herself. More often than not, she acted on instinct. Her actions were impulsive. She would only come to realize what she was doing or what she had done when it was too late to do anything about it. "They saw my face," she answered simply. "I couldn't let them give out my identity to the ANBU, lest I end up with about five other self-righteous bastards like you on my doorstep. I prefer one on one fights," she elaborated casually. She spoke of her actions as if hey were nothing. Her own moral code usually prevented her from hurting the innocent, but there were exceptions. Her family took priority. If her identity were revealed, they became targets. She protected her own above all else. It was the only thing that truly mattered to the young woman.

The former Kazekage scoffed when she saw the lights begin to turn on in the distance, no doubt reacting to the sounds of battle and the signs of a forest fire in the Senju Compound. No doubt help would be coming for him soon. In his weakened state, there was little more that he could do on his own. Nevertheless, Gin would stay alert as always. After all, she was at a disadvantage, in a way. This was his territory, crawling with his allies. "I'm guessing that at this point, you're wondering who I am, who hired me and all that bullshit," she began again.

Her blade was still covered in the intense heat that would light almost everything it came across on fire. If she had been fast enough, she would have caught up to him to begin an onslaught of strikes with the deadly blades in her hands. Her grip tightened. Tempting as it was to close the distance between them, she knew her limitations. Without the help of her techniques, she was as slow as anyone could get. Therefore, she stayed where she was, ready to react to anything else that came her way.

"You probably also know I won't answer any of those questions because... well, what's the fun in that? You can find out on your own, can't you? Someone as handsome and strong as you are. You're bound to be resourceful," she was being mocking and taunting at this point. She smirked. There was something about the tone she used that spoke of a challenge.

It was likely that the forest would regrow around her. However, she waved the lightning blade - Yajirushi - through the air once again. Three projectiles materialized once more. They would close the distance between her and Sousetsu in less than half a second. One would be aimed at his stomach once again. At the same time, the other two would be aimed at each of his thighs in order to completely cripple his movement. Of course, the projectiles would closely follow him as they did before. If the projectiles stabbed at least one of his legs, Gin would proceed to pull a small, yellow grenade from her weapon's belt, holding it in the same hand as Soul Cutter. Calculating the distance to where he would be, she would throw the grenade straight at his lower arm in order to sever it if it made direct contact with the explosion.


-30 Yajirushi Projectiles
-10 Yajirushi Maintenance

[Reaction Timing C2 to B3 - 4072/3800]

"They saw my face," she answered bluntly. Sousetsu's teeth began to grind, almost as if he was showing his fangs to warn off other beasts from stealing his prey. He was right to assume this before.

'The child and mother were witnesses...'

"I couldn't let them give out my identity to the ANBU, lest I end up with about five other self-righteous bastards like you on my doorstep. I prefer one on one fights," The Senju's anger was stirring up as the blood continued to leave his body slowly but surely. He ignored this at this current moment in time however as he was too transfixed with the opponent in the distance before him. The figure spoke with no remorse, as if this was just business as usual, an everyday occurrence. His blood boiled and he could almost feel the heat of the fluid leaving his shoulder and legs to confirm this. His eyes became weary and baggy showing the lack of energy finally coming as a hindrance to his situation. Was it the end? Had the reaper come to collect his soul for her blade to glow another shade of green?

He examined the burnt wood that surrounded her. 'Five metres...' he thought to himself as he figured the distance from an observation. His eyes shifted back to her, his teeth no longer showing its fangs as he was now lacking the energy and will power to do so.

"I'm guessing that at this point, you're wondering who I am, who hired me and all that bullshit," she continued. Of course, he did. As soon as he figured this was a hit, he initially thought of the contractor in question. Someone willing to pay a high price for someone such as this monster before him to infiltrate the village hidden in the leaves and kill a man and his family. Truly despicable and unforgivable in any sense. He grip tightened around her blade once more. She was ready for another wave of attacks but the tactician may not be able to counter them. His spirit was draining with the blood.

"You probably also know I won't answer any of those questions because... well, what's the fun in that? You can find out on your own, can't you? Someone as handsome and strong as you are. You're bound to be resourceful," she spoke with more mocking involved. He ignored the remarks on his looks and strength as he could not find this person to be the sincere type. She was right however, he was resourceful. He lifted his head up slightly, clenching his jaw once again in the process. She was right. He could not die here. He would find the contractor and this assailant at a later time. This was unfinished business and it was his job alone. Maybe he was strong enough for her, but not at his current weakened state. He already gathered so much information on this battle alone, he would be prepared next time. He needed to further his own abilities and more importantly, be prepared.

A familiar technique began to form around her once more. More projectiles were sure to be on their way towards him. To finish him. His eyes seemed to lose their spark of the will of fire and into hopelessness. He was ready to accept this fate before him. The blades began to launch simultaneously.

"Sousetsu-Sama!"

The Senju turned hastily to find a row of ANBU ninja rushing to his aid. The masks that represented the wildlife surrounding the land of fire had never looked so relieving until this moment. Three of the agents took the impacts of the technique before turning to clouds of smoke and being replaced with logs. His weary eyes looked in disbelief before he attempted to smile and thank his comrades. It was the sealing and capture and detain corps with support. Around twenty ANBU surrounded the area in long coats with colours of green, blue, red and yellow accompanying their masks of animal representations. It looked as if it was a cult preparing for a ritual but why so many?

"Once we seen the wooden technique, we knew you were being pushed. We had to be cautious." the squad leader explained, as if Sousetsu had already asked about their numbers. "Take him to the medical corps!" he ordered. Instantly, three of the twenty ANBU appeared surrounding him ready for preparing him for movement. Sousetsu stood tall, or so he attempted with his hand covering the wound on his shoulder once more. He looked at his opponent once more, the determination returning to his eyes as his will returned.

"Yes. I will." he assured the cloaked figure. He would find the root of where this contract stemmed from.

Suddenly, the four disappeared into the distance under the shadow of the moonlit sky. The remaining ANBU would not let the assailant pass them by. They would proceed as they deemed fit. They knew that injuring the Sannin to this extent proved to be a task for one who was far more advanced and experienced than the average shinobi. This mysterious woman was no doubt S-rank, that much was determined. As he was escorted away, he turned back to see the distant figures that stood their ground. He would not forget this day. It would possibly haunt him also, like the nightmares that he already experienced most nights of his previous opponents who escaped his grasp. The crystal user, the lone Senju, and now the mysterious wielder of blades.



Words: 5185

The ANBU were bound to come at some point. Gin watched ass Sousetsu was being carried away from the scene. He would survive - that was a given. If she had wanted to, maybe she could have finished him off before the ANBU carried him away. But no... the prospect of this twisted game of cat and mouse - with their roles alternating in a fight for power and dominance - was more than enough for her to want to let him live. He was now her prey, and she was his. She wouldn't let anyone get in the way of that while she could still have her fun. Of course, all of that relied on her being able to escape the situation. She let out a sigh. How she hated the meddlesome nature of the ANBU. Their sole purpose irked her. As evidenced by her actions only moments ago, she wasn't keen on stealth and its implications. It meant hiding - the coward's way of seeking survival.

Now the former Kazekage was faced with something that she hated only slightly less - fighting more than one person at once. She looked around her, counting the amount of people that were now about to face her - seventeen in total. The weapon in her hand - Yajirushi - shifted and changed. The result was a giant mallet, bladed on each side. She swung it against the ground. It rapidly shifted, ripping off the roots of what was left of Sousetu's technique. Burning pieces of wood falling to the ground scattered five of the ANBU. Spikes emerged from the ground as it shook violently. A giant crater was left behind where Gin had struck the ground, blasting several of the ANBU meters away.

The ones left standing charged towards her in unison. At this point, Gin's body moved on its own. Their jutsu caught in Soul Cutter's grasp, dispersed and shattered. Jishin disappeared from her hand. Those unlucky enough to get within range of her blade were incinerated as it touched them. She felt her fist go through the chest of an unlucky young woman - likely the age of Chie and Reiko. That was the only thing that registered as she swung her fists and blade in unison. Her leg collided against someone's neck, breaking it instantly. The heat emanating from Soul Cutter disfigured a man's face severely before the blade itself dismembered him.

It was a dance macabre - a dance of death to the tune of screams and pleas for mercy that fell on deaf ears.

The young woman moved gracefully - tufts of silver hair glistening in the moonlight, stained with blood. It was all over in a matter of minutes. Dismembered bodies riddled the area. Blood stained the ground in thick puddles. There was no one left to report what had happened. Gin panted lightly as she sheathed her sword. All that was left was to leave. No one would follow her now. Stepping calmly away from the outskirts of the Senju compound, Gin Kuroka disappeared into the night.


[Training Speed from C to C1: 782/575]