The mission:

Sero stood at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the shoreline. He had eradicated several of these camps before but they still had remnants popping up here and there. Each slightly stronger than the last but none of them capable of stopping him once he began. However today he wasn't here as an operator with the sole purpose of wiping out the enemy force. He was waiting for a couple of select individuals he was eager to test. He wanted to engage them in a live combat situation where there was no hope of any real back up. To see if they could follow his orders and work as a three man unit or not. His grey eyes took on the mist rolling in over the area and back to the small fortress sitting there with his targets preforming their daily worship. A single bridge of land wide enough for a single wagon led into the tiny island with a two story stone fortress there. It couldn't of been more then thirty meters of bridge with a forty meter diameter island. He looked back behind him along the grey hill leading up to the spot on the cliff he was on. He stood there with his grey hair catching the breeze and his tank top visible with his grey long coat over it seeming to ignore the breeze and remain still. Grey ninja pants and combat boots decorated his lower half and grey gloves covered his hands. He was wearing his headband around his neck but he didn't appear to be armed. He never did.

Earlier that day

Sero had made his way into the mission office. His aura suppressed as much as possible but it hardly mattered. Every shinobi under special jounin rank there froze the moment he walked in and seemed to refuse to move. One genin boy feinted as he walked in front of him but he hardly cared for weakness. He was known in these parts and yet they still seemed hesitant when he arrived for missions. Still he approached the B rank counter and the proctor there. He glanced at the old man who seemed to be the only one who acted bored with Sero there. Quietly Sero reached down and signed the mission for the blue turban rebellion before signing two other names. Out of his inner coat pocket he handed the man two identical maps. Each with the spot on the cliff marked on it. When he spoke he did so in a cold tone.

"I wrote down the names of one chunnin and one genin for this mission. They will be accompanying me on this mission. Inform them of such and provide them with the maps with instructions to meet me there. Do this on my authority as Jounin." And with that he turned and moved out of the office allowing everyone to breath again and tend to the feinted genin.

Present time

Sero now stood at the top of the cliff waiting on both of them. He knew the notices would be delivered and both of them knew better than to ignore his orders without reason. Still he had a plan to keep the two of them alive and the location and timing were crucial to it. Still they needed to arrive soon. Once prayer was done this faction always moved. They would surely have a target in mind by now for how to strike at Kirigakure. The prayer would last all morning to their sea god though. He was familiar enough with their tactics and traditions. To him though it was foolish. Only one god existed in his mind. One thing was inevitable to all living things and that was death. Nothing was truly immortal. Still he felt his patience slipping as he waited for the two of them to arrive. His irritation revealing itself as any plant life on the cliff wilted under the pressure of his aura.

662

Maigo sat in his home casually eating away at his breakfast, nothing special some simple cereal in milk and a glass of water. Reading away at some history manual on the prominent clans of the world, taking special notice of the Uchiha and their abilities. It wasn't the sort of his normal reading, typically he might enjoy reading things of a more fictional variety, a good comic series or even some popular novel during his spare time, should he even be reading at all. His house was empty as he sat there and came a knock at the door, so early in the morning, he wondered for a brief moment before approaching the door in his house clothes. Arriving at the door after a moment, another heavier knock appeared at the door, a Kirigakure ninja stood before him, his headband wrapped on his forehead. He stepped towards Maigo and held out a piece of parchment towards him, he began to speak towards him, "You've been requested for a mission, Sero is expecting you at the location marked on this map, and if I were you I wouldn't keep him waiting very long." he spoke snidely as he looked Maigo over, spoon in mouth with shorts a t-shirt and his socks on. He growled a little before he sped off, flickering away in front of Maigo's face and off to the rooftops, Maigo shrugged for a second and opened the map.

The location that was marked was a cliff-side near a nearby island, marked into the map, it wouldn't take him long to get there but he had no time to dawdle around. He picked up his bowl of cereal and using it like a cup, began to chug the substance while heading to the sink to put everything away. He didn't bother to wash them, he just set his utensils in the sink when he was done eating and wiped away the excess milk from his lip with his forearm. Then he sped off to his room to get ready, black pants replaced his shorts and he lost his t shirt in favor of his jacket that he tied with a brown belt lookely around his body. Then he hurried and tied his pouch on the belt holding his pants up and his kunai in pouch to his leg. As he sped towards the door, he grabbed his sword and stuck that into the brown belt as well, and slid his black sandals on.

Map in hand he headed out quickly, locking the door behind him and speeding off into the distance using rooftops to accelerate him from place to place and to stay out of traffic. It wouldn't be but an hour or two, he would rush up to the cliffside as mid day arrived. He saw Sero in nearly all grey again, waiting at the top of the cliff, presumably for them to arrive. Maigo ran up from behind and slowed to a walk once he reached a few feet from behind him, the aura around him was still teeming at the edge. There was no way he'd ever get fully used to it, he didn't bother waving or anything of the sort but instead approached him and stood next to him, "Morning sir, you requested for a mission. What do we have." Maigo spoke without making eye contact with him. Instead, he averted his attention towards the island that sat below the cliffside. A small land bridge and a slightly larger island with a grey fortress set in the very center of it. He didn't know for sure, but he had a good idea that their mission would be to get in there somehow and cause their own chaos.

[634 words]

Sero watched as the two of them arrived moving up the cliff on the less steep side as he had come. After all the village was in that direction so that made some sense. Still his grey eyes took them in and he seemed to almost gaze through them. Maigo had made it slightly ahead of Aozame but both were here with plenty of time before the group below them would break for the end of mass and set about their mission of destruction. Fanatics worshiping some deity of the sea....oh how they annoyed him. They were pests but much like pests they were a pestilence upon the nation. He could of wiped them out but for the time being he had kept quiet. They wouldn't of even seen him coming. He knew all their tricks and he could hurt them from the inside out. They never would of known what hit them. He could make them suffer and get under their skin and be their devil within. However he wasn't here just to eliminate them. Today was a tactical lesson. After all he had a student here with them and someone that could provide her ample back up. Or rather she would be his back up.

He looked to them both as he surveyed them for a moment. He knew their equipment was lacking in comparison to his but that was to be expected from most of the people in Kirigakure. Still they were armed about as well as the enemy was. Less a question about firepower and more about numbers. Tactics would be required to survive this kind of situation or sheer numbers would overwhelm them. Not that he would allow either of them to die but if they charged in and ignored his orders there would be hell to pay. He wouldn't let them die but he wouldn't prevent a few painful injuries before stepping in. Still that was assuming they were not willing to follow his orders. His tactics would prove simple but at the same time advanced for a genin and a chunnin. He had selected them for their specific talents though. The bridge was a narrow one. Only two people across with the sea water lapping at the sides. He almost smiled at the simplicity of it. Still he turned back to them and lifted a pale finger to indicate the bridge as he spoke. His voice cold and his words like destiny and death descending upon the enemy.

"Below us is a bridge leading to the Blue turban rebels. A group of fanatics that believe there is a sea god which rules all and fear it. Yet they position themselves in a location surrounded by it and worship it before raiding our farm lands. As we speak their worship is ending. Our mission is to end anyone coming across that bridge. Aozame you will position yourself in the water. Keep them spread out. If more than one of them group up in a charge its your job to spread them out with jutsu or dragging them to their death in the water where you have the advantage. Maigo...I want you positioned at the end of the bridge. Anyone who gets to you I want cut down. When their leader appears do not engage him. I will hide myself until that moment and eliminate him before he reaches the end of the bridge. Here is the challenge for extra credit. If the two of you manage to eliminate all the soldiers before the leader reaches the end of the bridge...I will pay for the two of you to enjoy a fine dining experience." With that he waited long enough for affirmation before he stepped back and seemed to blur out of existence. One moment he was there and tormenting their minds just being close to them and looking at them with dead grey eyes and the next...there was no hint he was even still in the area.

1333

As Maigo stood there, almost immediately behind him another young girl arrived, he looked over her briefly as she arrived. She was rather attractive, and had this not been a mission with the living embodiment of fear less than 10 feet away, he might crack a joke or two. Still, he would know better than to not be on his absolute greatest behavior as long as Sero was around. He knew that around Dameon sensei and Sero was much less forgiving than the psychopath he knew before. She quickly approached, the oddest broadsword in tow with her, and reported for the mission, which was nothing strange, assaulting a small fort would take no shortage of man power. He looked at the two of them briefly, his gaze as haunting as it ever was, then he began to explain the mission and their roles in it. A worshiping group of fanatics and their plot to raid the surrounding lands for food and resources, then Sero went into their roles. The girl, Aozame, would be taking to the water and keeping up with the excess ones that fall in to the water or try to swim around. Maigo's job would be crowd control and keeping them on the island, keep all of the ninja busy and cut down anyone who dared to approach.

Once their leader approached, he wasn't to touch him, but to leave their leader for Sero when the time was ready. It followed suit by a small challenge, finish off all the ninja before their leader gets to the end of the bridge then they'd be rewarded. A challenge on top of the mission! Extra credit was always a bonus and Maigo would never turn down a free lunch, now he just had to play it cool for now. Maigo nodded calmly in agreement, "Got it, that'll be no problem." he said as he looked back down towards the bridge. When everything was done and said, Sero stepped back and vanished into thin air, leaving the two of them at the top of the hill to prepare themselves. Leaving Maigo and the girl there where they stood, not a trace of Sero, like he had never even been there.

Maigo turned towards the girl that was with him, "Aozame, is it? I'm Maigo Mugetsu." he would smile as he spoke, getting the semantics out of the way. He continued on, "I hope you know some good wide area suiton jutsu, sweep them off the bridge and all, otherwise I'll kick what I can to you otherwise." he'd say as he looked back towards the bridge. It couldn't be but 3 or 4 meters wide at best, which means he'd only have to directly confront two or three men at a time, assuming they didn't completely out match him then this wouldn't be bad at all. If Aozame had anything to say, he'd hear it out otherwise he would stretch his neck and speak out, "Well, I'm going to go get into position before they start their little venture." He then took a step and jumped forward, sliding feet first down the steep hill that laid in front of them and headed towards the land bridge. A trail of dirt and grass kicked up behind him as he slid downwards.

He approached the land bridge, singly standing towards the castle, he declined to focus on Aozame as she got into position wherever she would choose, instead Maigo would begin to stretch. Then he would draw his sword and activate his single tomoe sharingan in anticipation of these rebel bandit people to show up and meet him head on. In the meantime, he'd continue to stretch and focus his perception on the castle ahead of him, taking a few slow steps onto the bridge so that he would actually be on the bridge. With every passing second he would grow more anxious at meeting them head on, planning every line of attack, when Aozame was ready, he would briefly look at her and nod, he had no idea where Sero was but he figured that he would see that as well.

[704 words, 1338 words total]
[+1 to RT from 1-tomoe sharingan == C-1 RT]

195/200 Chakra:

Sero had faded away from vision into the mist but his dull gaze was far sharper than the grey orbs suggested. He didn't need to be nearly as close as the genin or chunnin did to see everything clearly. Nothing on that island was beyond his perception capabilities. Not even the dew dripping down the walls like moisture or the leader watching from the window on the top floor. His eyes slid to watch the other two as they prepared themselves for the event to come. Live battle might actually be new to them but less so to his own student. She had faced off against a life and death situation before truly meeting him. He had been sure to get that experience instilled in her early on. In the water she would have the advantage over anyone unable to use supernatural walking practice or preform under water combat effectively. She was unique in that way when it came to aqua tactics and with an enemy that could not utilize raiton of these limited capabilities at worst she would struggle and suffer a couple of injuries just due to their raw physical superiority to her. As for Maigo, he had tested the boy himself before and in comparison to facing Sero these soldiers would be little more than paper weights crossing his path. He would cut them down with skill befitting a Kiri shinobi. His Sharingan already activated Sero felt he was at least taking this seriously. Still these were the remnants of a once larger force. A group from his fathers time that were seeking out a way to conquer the land in order to pacify it or something along those lines. Sero was never really one for asking questions. His methods with these people only required landing on the island and utilizing a single jutsu to demolish the fortress and everyone inside. Today was simply used to force two lower ranked individuals to work together with tactics. If they began to fail wiping out the whole island was still an option.

His gaze shifted yet again as the great double doors creaked open and he watched a group of men slipping out to cross the bridge. Armed as they were the people there were marked as the advanced force. Obviously a group that would scout ahead and find a farm with no guards and a crop prepared. They would kill the farmers there and refill their own stocks with help from the others. Slaying innocents for religious belief was still murder. He did not approve for how they reasoned around it. He killed for purpose where they killed out of zealotry. It was different. Still they caught sight of Maigo and six of them charged ahead of the others. Excited folks to be sure. He wondered if they would see the trap before it was too late. However as their poor positioning had proved they had no idea of what was about to happen. A swivel of their heads told him Aozame had brought attention to herself before she attacked. Had they jutsu to defend with that would of been a major flaw. He frowned at that but still a wave of water smashed against the bridge and washed all six men off of it. So she would be able to handle them even as they struggled to stay afloat with all that clothing and armor. One even held his weapon still. However if she was too confident in herself that weapon could still harm her. He would try and watch to see if she would take heed of that factor.

As if via a cue as the six men were washed off the bridge with injuries from the jutsu a horn sounded in the fortress. Sero shifted his stance on the high boulder as a wave crashed against the base of it and retreated. So the leader had seen it from his perch and taken the steps to call his men to battle. It would truly prove challenging now since Aozame had been found out and had her six men to deal with. Maigo would be tasked with the rest. He would have to push himself and use his power for this one. Six men had been washed away but in their place nine people charged out of the fortress all wielding spears with tiny flags of blue on the end. Spears could be challenging to a swordsman but Maigo had been present for a lesson on them. He would know that once he got within range of his sword the effectiveness of spears dropped dramatically. Still they ran a little scattered across the bridge towards him. by the time the first would reach him the last would just now be entering the bridge. For the full utilization of their spears they would attack him one at a time full speed. Stab at him and move passed him to let the next strike at him while attempting to strike at his back. At least that was their usual pattern. The first one jumped up in the air in poor form to try and drive the spear straight down into Maigo leaving himself with massive openings. For the moment Sero simply remained on his boulder and watched.

2213

Maigo stood at the end of the bridge, in the brief moments of peace as he and Aozame set themselves up for the impending battle, Maigo took in the moments and the sight of it. His experience thus far in life had proven to him that tranquility was a common denominator of most battle he had come to take part in. He began to stretch himself at the end of the bridge while he prepped himself, pulling his arms across his body and his heel up to his butt, feeling the tension and pulling on his muscles. At the end of the fortress the doors creaked open and a few men spilled out, the crashing water and cool breeze still ran over Maigo as he waited for them to realize that they had a guest. Maigo began to take small and slow steps towards the fort as they came to their senses, mist of crashing waves sprinkled around him between his steps, their blatant charge towards him began. Maigo called out with heavy amounts of sarcasm in his voice, "No! No! Don't run, I'll come to you, just give me a second, I like to take my time!" he waved belligerently and yelled at them. A slight chuckle cracked his lips as he watched them charge forward and directly into Aozame's trap. They watched as a wave washed over them and sent them into the water, rather embarrassing as he watched them scramble about and try to hold on, futile efforts at best.

Still, Maigo continued his slow and dutiful walk up the bridge, having only covered a meter or so before he took his hands from his pockets and rested one on the hilt of his sword. More charged out from the fortress as if in cue, the next lines of the battle left for him to take on directly, slightly more men than the first line but if they were of similar skill it would be of no consequence for him to deal with. They all carried spears and ran in a shotty line at him, like they were all vying for the first shot at stabbing Maigo. He cracked a smile as he drew his sword and began to run at them in return, with each step he would pick up speed and aim to meet them at the halfway point of the land bridge. They poured out as Maigo engaged them, he ignored the number that he would have to deal with specifically and instead decided to take them on one at a time.

His eyes focused in on his opponent, his sword in his right arm, he watched the first one leap up into the air and take his spear down to him, trying to impale him quickly. Executed like an amateur, which would be even more coming from Maigo, as he was no expert in Sojutsu, but for now, he was carrying his katana and in form, the grace he could carry with it could match anyone of equal skill. Maigo slid as he came into contact, sliding underneath his stab entirely and spinning with his katana, the blade coming into contact with the back of his heels but a few inches up. It would be a painful landing for the first warrior, and the second followed behind him, stabbing straight ahead at Maigo who was set low to the ground from his slide. His stab was angled down from standing, another easy evasion as Maigo jumped up and began to tumble just above the ground, his sword sticking out. A quick slash across his chest as he fell back to the ground and jumped down on his spear with his left foot, causing it to splinter and break under the force applied and the torque applied from his hands and the ground in return.

One dead and one in for a serious amount of pain, more came forward, Maigo side stepped the next guy, letting his spear hit the back of the second bandit. A quick step in and spin off his forward heel, and his blade would come into contact with the bandits neck, blood spewing forth upon Maigo and the ground. Then Maigo set his shoulder into the chest of the third bandit, the first one should be making his acquaintance with the ground heavily as his legs would fail to hold him up. Then using the third bandit in line as a guard, Maigo would push him forward towards the fourth and fifth, aiming to disrupt their path at him. The fourth wouldn't have time to react properly and would also stab his ally in the back, the fifth guy side stepped and pointed his spear towards the side to avoid another impalement. A push off the body and a quick step up into a close range slash across ones chest and a stab into the neck of the next. These men were falling quicker than he anticipated, whether that be from their own lack of skill or if Maigo had truly gotten that much better, these bandits used to take more than the flick of his wrist to cut down. If it weren't for their sheer numbers, and his recent bukijutsu training, he might find this many times over more difficult.

Maigo had now taken down, basically killing four and leaving one for dead, whom he would have to go back for at some point, and faced down three more bandits. If they weren't spooked by their friends falling apart then they wouldn't be by anything, Maigo jumped back over the bodies of their fallen comrades, putting a good distance between the three of them and Maigo. Their only path to him would be to step over their fallen and bleeding comrades, Maigo would take a step up to the first one and with a quick slash, he would cut his neck as well. Staring down the last three with as cold a kill as only Sero himself could deliver, blood on his clothes and small splatters on his face, only further enhancing the dread his eyes would create if they stared at him. Maigo jumped back another leap, to further space them out, it would ordinarily be stupid for Maigo to distance himself against their spears especially since he was using his own sword but he was about to switch to a different strategy for the last three. They would undoubtedly switch their attack style, if they were any but capable and perceptive, if nothing else to a more conservative approach.

Maigo would quickly sheathe his sword and weave signs immediately after, sitting down into his stance and keeping his mass lower to the ground in order to move if necessary. Ram-> Snake-> Ox-> Bird-> Dragon-> Horse. It would take him no time at all to weave the hand signs together as he focused in on his three opponents, their vision would slowly fail them, blurring away into darkness. Maigo didn't imagine they would be perceptive enough to work around it, his eyes would watch as they lost their vision and begin to stumble about in their own fear. And even if they could, the immediate shock and change would be enough to give Maigo his opening to strike.

First, he drew forth the three shuriken he kept in his pouch and threw all three of them forward at his first opponent. His aim would be as true as it ever were as he rushed forward and jumped back over the bodies, drawing his sword and charging back in for the final blows that he could deliver. The first one would be feeling the sting of the shuriken, though all three of them would be reeling from their new blindness, the first one slashed wildly, it took nothing more than Maigo jumping slightly over him to deal a lethal blow with his sword again. So much blood spilled, it would be flowing from all of their cuts and off his sword now, but there was still two more enemies to take on. There was no time for remorse or regret or contemplating the existential struggle of a ninja as long as his blade still needed to be swung. Two more now, both of them shaking and panicking to take in their surroundings, looking for any clue to go off of in order to read their current situation, Maigo wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Two more quick cuts as he danced around them and their weapons, more blood spilled and spraying out from their bodies as they fell ot the ground with a thud.

Maigo stood there both hands on his sword as his breathe was heavy, almost panting, covered in small splotches of blood and spatter everywhere. The land bridge was beginning to be painted red with their blood, thickest around their bodies it would begin to seep into the water. No more waves crashed against the bridge though, there would be no water to wash away Maigo's sin, the death of these men however innocent or not that they might have been was over. No recognition of their deeds or their lives, forfeited at the cost of Maigo's will to complete the mission. Sure, the argument could be made that he saved the farmers and people of his nation by helping to secure it, and that they were at the very least involved. But in the moment, he counted nine men, either dead or soon to be at his own hands, where he probably could have subdued them and maybe arrested them. Argument was in favor of keeping them and rehabilitating them to society, gathering info on their group as a whole, but now there was nothing left of that. Only their blood and the silent breeze that ran over him now, his eyes gazed upon the fortress as he stood slightly slouched over and blood dripping from his weapon.

[1653 words, 2991 words total]
[+1 to RT from 1 tomoe Sharingan]

165/200 Chakra:

Sero watched from his boulder as wave after wave crashed against the base of it. Neither of them were using mass attacks which made the fights more gruesome but he wasn't one to complain about blood. Sharks would be drawn near the shore soon by all the blood seeping off the land bridge and the blood already in the water. His arms were crossed above his stomach as he tilted his head and watched each of them fight their targets with blades rather than ninjutsu. Actually, as he watched he became increasingly aware he hadn't seen Maigo use any jutsu for the whole fight. Had the individual given himself a handicap beyond what Sero had ordered? It was interesting if he did and it further served to balance him with Aozame in the water. She had started off combat forcing the enemy into her territory and dealing damage to them with a spread shot jutsu. All in all the tactic had worked out in the end because all the casualties were one sided. Not a single injury on his team. However his eyes drifted to the fortress. The main event had yet to begin. Within those walls was an individual neither Maigo nor Aozame was fully prepared to handle.

Sero had approached this area before and gathered intelligence on the location. After all knowledge was power. He intended to be fully prepared for the scenario at hand and so he knew the woman who ran this division was not one to charge out as her men fought. She was a Zealot that would let her men die with honor in battle rather than save them even if she could. Approximately of Special Jounin capabilities and focused in Suiton jutsu and lance combat. However unlike most lance users she did not use heavy armor. She widely preferred to wear blue silks and attacked with the lance more like a rapier with quick jabbing attacks. She would tear through the two of them like it was funny if given the opportunity. Had Maigo been given more time to reach his full potential as Chunnin and Aozame more prepared...they may not need Sero. However for the time being he did not have confidence enough in them for that battle. Even if they had wiped out a dozen enemies all just as strong as themselves. His grey gaze shifted back to them before he planted his feet on the boulder. The rock cracked and crumbled around his feet as he launched back towards them through the mist. Ready to finish it.

Sero landed on the bridge behind Maigo closer to the mainland and quietly walked passed him and his student. He wouldn't say a word as he looked at the fortress ahead. Ignoring the sheer carnage he stepped through as he stopped a mere 10 meters from the front door. He looked up at the building with a dull gaze before he quietly began. Slowly he breathed in a deep gasp of air and held it before leaning down to one knee. As he did so the moment his knee touched the ground all the grass on the bridge wilted and blackened away to nothing. Darkened dirt was all that was left. The sheer pressure of all the chakra being used would lift tiny pebbles up off the ground ever so slightly. His fingers would shift into a slow bull, ram, dragon, rabbit, ox, Dragon. He reached down with both hands and placed them on the ground and the moment he made contact he exhaled. The ground in front of him rose up and a liquid Chinese dragon tinted green. At the same time he exhaled and a green mist dragon shot forth. In less then half a second the two dragons spun around each other and both crashed through the fortress. The two dragons melted away the stone and everything in it before flying off into the sky and fading away. Where the fortress one stood was just the melted edges of a foundation and the warrior within was burned away to nothing. Sero moved back down the bridge passed them speaking as he went.

"You two passed. You followed orders. I will turn in the mission ahead of you. Your meal voucher will be waiting for you there." He nodded to them once more and then...he faded away into the mist again.

Exit thread
2948

1500/1500 mission complete
1000/1000 Speed to A-1
448 remaining

Maigo stood at the center of the strait, slouched over at his shoulders and recovering his breathe quickly, a light pant could be heard by someone within his personal space. The bodies of the men in front of him, some dead already and others gasping in for their last breathes, but a quiet stillness fell over the area as Aozame jumped up to join him. The only sound filling the air was that of the bloody waves crashing against the land, not a bird to hear and no one else from within fort, at least for the moment. Maigo stood himself up, leaning his shoulders back to crack them and rotating his head around, stretching his joints as he looked on the castle. Aozame spoke up towards him, "You think we'll be getting that meal?" The question a bit to lighten the mood, who knows what else that would have left in their mission, but Maigo cracked a smile and a small chuckle followed. It was like Aozame stole his thunder, himself being the normally cheery one but on a mission, and taking things seriously, his mood would be very much different from his normal self. He didn't really have anything for the situation at hand, but he spoke up briefly anyways, "Well, they are all dead and/or dying, so as long as there's no asterik in his terms, then I'm expecting it!" he got his bit off, his attention almost entirely on the fortress ahead of them.

Then with a quick thud behind him, Sero landed on the bridge a little ways behind them. Walking towards the castle almost like he was in a trance, Maigo turned his head and let his eyes follow the ghost like man as he eyed in his prey. Maigo would step back as Sero reached near the fortress and began to build his chakra, just as ominous as that time training with Nozomi, the sheer death within was staggering, just as much now as it was back then. Something he wouldn't adjust to ever in his life and after having to live through the presence a second time, he took another few steps back and his reflexes caused him to hold onto the hilt of his sword. He watched as the jutsu swept through the fortress, two large dragons crashed through and scorched the stone of the fortress. Melting it away in scars and into nothing but a puddle of stone and burnt wood, the foundation and nothing else left before them. Then turning back to them he looked at both Maigo and Aozame, not stopping but speaking as he walked by them, "You two passed. You followed orders. I will turn in the mission ahead of you. Your meal voucher will be waiting for you there."

Maigo breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed himself, at least the mission was done and that's all he would care for really. A quick nod as he separated himself from them and then disappearing off into the mist. Maigo cracked the knuckles in his hand as he turned towards Aozame and spoke up, "Well, I guess that means we did good?" he shook his head and laughed to himself. He added on, "I'm going to go and report in for the mission, I don't know if you're heading there also, but you're more than welcome to join me..." he gave a slight half smile along with it. As if his presence was worth being excited about, and it was doubtful that Aozame would share that feeling in any fashion. "And if you're lucky, I might even invite you to dinner with me! It's on Sero after all... So you can spend time with me, I get a hot date. It's a win-win scenario" he added on with gusto at the end as he began to walk down the strait with a heavy laugh.

With that, if Ao would accept his offer and join him to the missions office, he would accompany her. That was assuming that she didn't just slap him and leave right in that instance, or take it further and try to beat him into a pulp. Either way, first was to turn in the mission and the details of the rest of his afternoon would be sorted out after that was taken care of.

[738 words, 3729 words total]
[Mission Complete]
[Exit Thread]

Training: