Sero wasn't sure exactly how this would go. He needed to meet with the Raikage it seemed. He stood there in a pair of grey pants with a zip up grey tank top with the rules pamphlet for foreign shinobi in his right hand. His grey hair hovered over his headband on either side of his face. Across his nose was an old cut with four stitches left in it from fishing wire. Still his grey eyes stared at the wording as they shifted slowly back and forth. It seemed that he would need to behave but it also seemed any missions that would keep him entertained required he meet with the Kage first. It wasn't like he felt any sense of dread. He had stood before his own Kage before and only felt a sense of usefulness for her. Individuals were merely tools and one with purpose was more valuable then one with none. The issue here was that he was under strict orders not to stir up any trouble. Still that was going to be a tiny issue if he was going to progress with any of his usual work while here. After all he could not hold back his aura. It wasn't something to do with chakra or willpower. He just constantly had a monstrous presence around him.

That was partially why he expected the Kage here already knew he was here. Sero was simply put a dangerous person. Not to the Kage obviously but to anyone who decided to go balls to the wall and take him on for funsies. People remembered it when they met him and almost always they submitted a report on it. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if he was under surveillance by now. Dead grey eyes lifted in a sudden twitching motion as they scanned the area around him. An empty street as he had chosen a back street with no windows and as his eyes scanned the roof he saw nothing there either. He doubted he would either. Any level of sensory would easily track him. He wasn't trying to hide anyway. If he was his ANBU gear would of equipped to him before he even stepped foot in the village and his own sensory would be activated. To be honest he wanted to summon at least a Kunai to his hand with the basic seal carved into his flesh for some reason. It was as if he was naked without it. Like he needed to be armed to feel comfortable. Perhaps that was exactly it. His weapons left him with a sense of security. Not that it would matter when facing a Kage anyway.

Truthfully Sero barely knew the mans name. If not for Gins known relation to him he doubted he would know even that. Still that was his hopeful way in to that meeting. Gins nephew might open a door his aura would normally bar. Still he was careful not to use any chakra or have a single weapon or armor on himself. His hands fell to his side as he pocketed the pamphlet and left his hands there with his palms out. It seemed to be a very submissive stance as he walked closer to the admin building. He knew he wouldn't get there even unarmed as he was because as he walked, Everyone within twenty meters of him could feel it even through buildings. It was as if something hungry was hunting. Some wild beast that was tearing at its chains to hunt down each and every one of them and tear out their throats. If it could be compared to something, it felt like pure, unfiltered killing intent. Sero had no intentions of violence but he doubted he would get near the Raikage with that aura. He just hoped as he walked ever closer to the administration building they wouldn't simply attack him. He could also hope that Gin had mentioned him and spoke of him to Sanosuke before. He could hope that Sanosuke would know of his aura and wouldn't take offense....if not then he might need to do what it takes to survive...a line of bodies between him and the gate.

709

Even from outside of his administration building, Sanosuke could sense the aura that this Kiri shinobi was giving outwards towards his surroundings. It made him uneasy. From the file he had on the boy and what Gin herself told him about this kid, Sanosuke would be able to handle himself should he go on a rampage and subdue him before he caused any trouble. But still getting to the seat of Raikage, you learned to never let your guard down for the smallest of packages can lead to nasty surprises. Taking a deep breath in, Sanosuke exhaled as he got out from behind the table and strode towards the bay window of his office building to look down upon the village. His sharp vision locked onto the boy that was scheduled to visit him regarding him being given clearance to take higher ranked missions than allowed by a foreign shinobi in Kumogakure. As part of the new foreign policy, he would have need to meet with him to get said clearance. And here he was now walking towards the administration building. From just looking at the kid he didn't look like anything special, but the aura around him revealed that he was very dangerous. It was important that none of his shinobi would attack at him out of fear of what he might do.

Hopefully the boy wasn't foolish enough to let his aura take control of him and attack someone out of bloodlust. That wouldn't help the situation at all. Letting out a sigh, Sanosuke allowed the breath he was holding in that entire time to be released to calm his nerves. After doing so this Sero's person's aura became that much more tolerable. It turned from a danger alarm flashing in every corner of his mind, to a slightly annoying scratch in the back of his mind to warn him that Sero was someone to be wary of. This was Gin's nephew? For one they both shared the silver hair family gene, but Gin was never this dangerous; well perhaps once a month when to her the world is her enemy. Walking over to his desk, Sanosuke pressed his intercom to talk to his secretary. "Aelita, tell all shinobi near the front entrance of the administration building that they are to remain calm and disregard the feeling on uneasiness that they are feeling. It is coming from our guest and must be treated as such. Also tell Sero that he may come directly to my office when he arrives." Sanosuke informed the pink haired chuunin that was working as his secretary.

"Yes my lord." The line went dead as she ended the call. Now he would wait for this Sero character to enter his office. It was time he met this strange boy face to face...

Sero was rather shocked when he didn't feel anything more then unease towards him as he approached. Eyes watched him as they always did, filled with mistrust and either fear or the urge to attack. It was normal for people to be wary of him. Still for some reason they let their eyes slide away from his when his grey gaze locked onto them. He knew they could feel him, they could always feel him. He could see how visibly tense some of them were. Yet this was too much like back home. When the individuals there had learned over time not to attack Sero. But that lesson had needed to be taught more then once. No, this was different. Even those with fight in their eyes forced themselves to look away as he approached the front doors. He began to wonder now, did they have orders not to engage him? Did the Raikage already put out those orders? If so the man was quick to evaluate a situation and act on it. The other option was more likely to him though being who the Mizukage was. No one bothered to step up to Sero because they had confidence in their own Kage to absolutely obliterate him if he tried anything. He clicked his tongue against his teeth at the thought of that being the case. Typical of people to underestimate him. No matter. He didn't intend to have it out here anyway. Not today.

Still as he made it up to the doors he lifted his pale right hand with claw like fingers moving towards the buildings main doors. He watched with a flick of his grey eyes as the glass trembled from his hand nearing it. It was then that he realized some part of him was...excited. He needed to calm himself before continuing forward. Someone strong was inside this building, just a little beyond the doors. Someone the world thought to be capable of any feat. His time with Gin was very similar. He wanted to fight this person even if the person was beyond their level. Gins training was like that. He was yet to mark her but when he did he would make sure it was deep enough to never be forgotten. He would build his own legend with the blood of those who doubted him. If this man was even stronger then Gin was then he wanted to achieve their level too. He had no doubt that the level of the Kages was in his reach. Only a matter of time now. Still he took a breath as a thin tendril of steam left his mouth on the exhale and his body temperature lowered to near normal levels. The glass slowly began to stop trembling as he struggled to bring his chakra under control until no sign of it remained...the aura was still there but the hungry beast behind it was caged and chained for the moment. Then he pushed open the door.

The secretary however had steeled herself to speak to him. It was a simple matter of calm eye contact and the words "You are expected. Head up to the Kages office and he will see you." But even with that Sero was impressed. Either the individual was also an experienced shinobi or she was an incredibly potent person with persistent willpower. He was rather glad she wasn't part of his mission. People with the ability to ignore his dark attributes typically died before he extracted what he wanted from them. Or torture took days instead of hours. Still his grey eyes slid passed her as he moved in a strange way. Instead of the typical sway of walking he seemed to nearly float along. He was walking but it was smooth as liquid as he almost slid along his way to the office. Only once he was there did he stop and knock. If allowed to enter he would step in and rapidly assess everything in there with his dead gaze passing along the room once and mapping it out from dangerous objects to distance between furniture. Then those eyes fell on the man himself and Sero nodded his head in greeting. The same level of respect his own Kage got. When he spoke his words sounded as dead as the cry of a vulture over a battlefield. He was as dreary as his aura suggested.

"Lord Raikage. My name is Osada Sero, Special Jounin of the Kirigakure forces and member of the ANBU division. I seek an audience with you in order to obtain something I want as per your announcement. Direct me to someone who needs to die, A rank and B rank missions and I will complete those contracts without fail. I never fail."

1510

The door alerted the Raikage of the kiri shinobi's presence. Even from up here, his hearing was still sharp enough to detect that much. It closed behind his door as he took steps towards his office from the upper floor. Aelita had just guided Sero towards the Raikage's through her directions to his office. She must really be shaken up from the pressure of having someone this close to them of this pressure. He'd have to let her take the rest of the day off. She's just a chuunin, and is probably close to peeing herself. From the time of day it was sunset as the sun was setting behind one of the many gigantic mountains that Kumo has for them. His office glowed in an orange light from the outside as light beams came in from the bay window. Footsteps traveling from one of the doors that leads to the upper level where his office was located reached his highly sensative ear. Step after step each one reached him and was getting louder by the minute. It wouldn't be long until the boy was before him. The reason why his back was turned was so that he could gaze out of the view of his village in an attempt to assist him in calming his nerves down for when Sero arrives.

Sanosuke took a deep breath in and breathed said breath out like the numerous times he's done so to calm himself down. For a child, he had such a killing intent that it left him baffled. This amount of pressure was something that would be coming off one of the serial murderers he'd came across in the past on either past missions or during his travels. But this was more intense; more purebred. Had he always been this way? Before he could answer his own mental question, the opening of his office door broke his concentration. He was here. Turning around to face him, Sanosuke looked at him. He was shorter than Sanosuke thought he would originally be. It was all Sanosuke could think about as the boy came into his presence. Just think of characteristics that would get his mind off of the terror that was before him. In short, the boy had the pressure of a monster. But thanks to his preemtive meditation, Sanosuke was sure he could handle being the boy's presence for long enough to see what he wanted without his face showing how unpleasant it was for the boy to be this close to him.

"Welcome to my village! Sero I must say I am very surprised, you're not nearly as tall as I thought when Gin told me you are." Sanosuke laughed as he sat back down in his own chair. He would summon a seat for Sero to sit in, however from how he was standing it looked as though he was just content on standing. Was there somewhere he had to go soon? "Tell me, what can I do for you?" That's when he spoke. His smile was wiped clean as he listened to Sero's words to take in all of what he said. Even his voice gave him chills that was making it so hard for him to pay attention. It just felt very similar to nails scratching on the blackboard, it sounded very much dead. Almost as much life as the sand of Sunagakure no Sato.

"Of course. I'll give you word on your partner whom you will be working with on these level missions as soon as possible." Sanosuke nodded. "But in the meantime, I hope you're finding everything to your liking in my village."

Sero tilted his head in a way that looked like a string snapped that had been holding up his head as Sanosuke spoke of a partner. He had hoped that he would be an exception but this man seemed to take him in stride. Perhaps that was something people on his level were capable of. It was almost a comforting thought really that people so strong had no interest in wiping him out before he reached their heights. That would be the case any way if he cared to be comforted. He was aware of the fact that the person in front of him was on an entirely different level. However he felt it was within his reach. He could reach those heights if he could survive the trials to get there. If people as soft as Gin and Ayakashi could reach these levels he could. Even his father had before he died and that man had let himself get weak rebuilding the village. A shameful mark to Sero. Still his dull grey eyes took in the man as he measured him before looking at the office itself. If he offended this man...this being then he needed to know the lay out. He didn't want to have to think about where to move next. He wanted to have the lay out memorized. As he did so his eyes seemed to race over everything in a pattern from top to bottom and it was obvious the way his lips twitched whenever he finished with an object that he was doing math.

Then suddenly his eyes snapped back to Sanosuke, that cold gaze staring into his eyes and searching. Looking into his soul and his very being with no hint of fear for that gap of power. Something was wrong with this kid. He just stood there but it was like he was prepared to swing some invisible weapon for the Raikages throat should he come at him. His hands flexed out the fingers so hard his knuckles popped as he calmed himself. He didn't come here to kill this being. Nor would he be able to in all likelihood if he had. Besides had he been sent on that mission explosives would be needed and he only had one. No for now he needed to focus on the question. What did he think of the village...or rather did he like it...Sero looked confused for a moment as he was unsure what his opinion mattered. He was just a soldier. Was it perhaps a trick question? Truth was he didn't know what to answer here. He had never really been in many social gatherings for obvious reasons. Still who would ask a question like that if they didn't want the tactical assessment that came with the answer? So Sero spoke slowly at first before falling into a dull and cold matter of fact tone.

"Sir, My assessment is that like with any village there are too many openings. Due to the impossible amount of ground to guard when it comes to patrols on can time entry into the village. This is however impossible to overcome. Even with sensory nin the population is too high to be able to pinpoint intruders. I understand you have no real reason to be on high alert, however that is my assessment. I have no doubt you have some measures that I as a foreigner have not been made aware of. I do not mind this as tactically that is sound judgement. As for my presence here... I am aware my presence bothers others. I have been keeping my distance unless one of the Kiri shinobi is threatened you should have no major incidents from me as my orders are not to kill unless I have to. As for this individual you send with me. Please make sure they are fully aware we will be taking missions with kill orders. I am not suited for anything more. "

2177

As he listened to Sero speak about his village, Sanosuke took notice of the boy tightening his fingers in some sort of exercise to constrain himself? To him it was like watching a boy too eager to sit still while on his way to a nearby festival. But Sero was something else. The reason why he couldn't sit still was because he was trying to not react on instinct. Sanosuke had a good idea what that instinct could be. Judging by his aura spilling over around him, it was related to the blood lust. So he really couldn't control his urges despite him wanting to fight someone that was more experienced and likely more stronger than he currently was. Looking at Sero, one could see the gears turn in his head and he was thinking of several ways of trying to assault Sanosuke but from his expressions none of his ideas would have little to no success. But still he listening to Sero words about his defenses he had about his village. They were good notes that he should keep in mind. Him being a foreigner, of course he wouldn't know about Navi running reconaissance around the village with the help of his ANBU agents using small chakra impulses to signal an OK for being peaceful. Kind of like a radar. If any of the impulses stopped receiving after a certain amount of time, Navi would run it back to him where plans will be made then. Of course Sero wouldn't notice since the small amounts of chakra that Navi needed to pick up was so small that it's very unlikely for someone to detect it.

But he decided to play dumb. "Oh is that right? I guess I will have to tighten up the village's defenses or else we might be in trouble won't we?" Sanosuke placed the bottom part of his right fist into his left palm as though he just thought of an idea. His eyes lit up as he made eye contact with Sero. The last part he chuckled off to look like he was at a loss. "Please have a seat. I'd like for us to talk for a bit before you return to your quarters. Gin has told me a few things about you. Like how you seem to acquire some of your father's small ticks." Sanosuke mused. Should he sit down in the chair he summoned, Sanosuke would use his chakra similar to telekinesis to levitate a pen from his disc and bring it slowly towards the bridge of his nose. One tick that Sero Sr had was the tendency of fighting the body's natural urges to go cross eyed when focusing on an object in the foreground. Sero Sr would have one eye on the object and the other looking at what they were looking at originally; in this case the idiot that was this close to him.

"Sorry, I was merely curious. I never got the chance to meet your father. I was around your age, a chuunin I believe, when I learned about him. From what I've heard, he sounds like quite the interesting character. Glad you take so much after him." Sanosuke said as he brought the pen back to him. He twirled the object in between his fingers as he spoke before returning it to his desk.

Sero seemed to stare at the man with a face void of expression. The man was chuckling at him for his observations? Was national security a joke? No, This person across from him was making fun of him. Perhaps that may have mattered to him should he truly care what others thought of him. The simple and possibly innocent chuckle was likely just a jest to test him. Of course...everything was a test. Still he could only ignore so much. The man was too powerful for him right that moment...he could practically feel the gap between them like an endless chasm. However he was simply more cautious due to it. He would not simply dive into it but rather examine the edges. Discover its depths and how to cross that gap. If one could do it he could as well. After all the only thing that truly meant anything to him was gaining power. At least that was what his goals had turned to. People were out of his reach and he could not accept that. So he would observe one of the worlds most powerful people before him and discover how to get to that point. At least that was what he though before the man spoke of Gin.

Sero's eyes widened and took on an almost feral look at the mention that Gin had revealed information about him. That damned woman had betrayed him? She called him family and some part of him had heard it and felt something about it. He had decided to only mark her to show her he could. Yet she proved to be like the others...she betrayed him to someone who may quickly become an enemy...How much had she revealed. However that Feral look trembled when this man mentioned the one person he hated most....He brought up his father....The pen...the levitation trick....all of it seemed to fade and in that moment the light Around Sero faded...shadow surrounded his eyes and that monstrous aura seemed to almost audibly growl....Killing intent flooded the room as Sero reached to his waste and gripped for a hilt that obviously wasn't there....Perhaps he was lucky that it wasn't because he had honestly blacked out for a split second. Steam rose in one tiny tendril from the corner of his mouth as trembling grey eyes took in Sanosuke and his office in a wide stare. When his hand grasped nothing though he seemed to snap back too as he looked down as if surprised there was no weapon to be found on his waist. He took a deep breath before bowing his head and speaking "I thank you for your time Raikage...however I would prefer it if you never mention that man again. I can not seem to control myself as well as I thought. If you will excuse me I need to find Gin and ask her a couple of questions" Without waiting for permission he turned and exited the office. The door slamming behind him as he left. Rage filling him still as he sought to leave the occupied areas of Kumo.

Exit thread
2707

Perception B-2 ~> B-3 900/900

1807
Boil clone technique trained 1000/1000

807 remaining.

"Raikage-sama" his assistant Amy said over the intercom, "Would you still like that tea you requested earlier?"

Sanosuke pressed the button to speak his response. "Yes, but tea for one." Sanosuke grunted as he pressed the button to release it from echoing his voice. At the moment he was currently alone in his office. Checking out his hands, he could tell that they were still shaking. He was afraid. Good, he was hoping that after so many years of being revered as one of the strongest shinobi currently that he forgot what fear was. We need fear to inspire us to get stronger and train diligently to overcome that fear. Without fear, humankind will get sloppy and too relax for the danger that's incoming. But that wasn't quite the case this time. Fortunately he was still very capable of experiencing fear that wasn't linked to his past.

The Kiri boy, Sero Jr, was quite the specimen. That was the killing intent that Gin warned him about that he should be wary of. He had to admit, it wasn't something to shake off. Had he not been warned about this earlier, he would've beleived from the aura the boy was giving out that he could kill Sanosuke despite their gap in skill. He just had to keep calm and remember that it was more of a large bark from a dog to get a rise out of him. However at full blast, Sero almost caused for Sanosuke to act on impulse to put the boy down. But he stopped himself before he could prepare the jutsu to rip his mind to shreds by force of ninjutsu besides traditional genjutsu. The boy parted his ways, bowed and left the office.

Clenching and unclenching his trembling fist, Sanosuke practiced his breath to get a hold of himself. That boy will definitely be someone to be careful around once he mature and grew older. In the meantime he needed something to cheer him up. Taking a peek left and right, Sanosuke opened up a secret compartment in his desk. When it opened it was an old radio that was tuned to his daily soaps: The Kunoichi and The Restless. His ears would be pricked to sense anyone approaching his office so he would shut down the contraption and continue about his work.