Dead bodies... troublesome problems at the very least. The bloody pulp that became of the three men who attacked him had become Maigo's problem. Shocked at what he had done after breaking through the rage only that of someone enduring psychosis, he had no idea what to do. Self defense was easy enough to argue, and yet he had gone beyond destroying the bodies, what most humans would consider excessive. It was anger embodied, his eyes had changed and his rage blinded him. A gruesome sight left in the wake of it all, but the shock of what he had done and could do, without so much as a second thought was... embarrassing was not the word, but so much as troubling. And now the bodies of these bandits were left there to rot away? No, he had to deal with them somehow, and how else to do that other than to seek out the help of Sero, the person who so embodied fear and destruction. He would certainly know what to do, how to handle it, right? After all that training session, and that mission, he'd had a glimpse at the man and his demeanor, the fear he could invoke and the power he held. That kind of experience doesn't just manifest itself naturally in a person, except for the bits where Maigo had gone from his normal self into a manic rage with little trigger more than his sister being attacked. Maybe he didn't leave burning bodies in piles in the wake of his rage, but he had damaged them, broken them in every way he knew, and in his own path he saw a glimpse of the same horrible truth. That for that instance, Maigo equated his own cruelty to Sero's, as ironic as that might be to the man who danced and scoffed at death itself.

Maigo remembered the island, the mist and the utter despair it entangled, he remembered the path and avoided it when journeying outward, but now he needed to find it. It wasn't far from him, following a path to his island, to Sero's manor, things gradually shifted. Letting the life of the air and environment fade away the further he drew near it. The path on the way was littered with jagged branches and overgrowing grass, everything becoming gradually more extreme as he continued on. A slight mist forming at his feet as he passed on, beyond his eye sight it grew thick and cut off his vision. But above all of that, it was silent, utterly silent. The wind could be heard, cutting through the branches and trees, but no leaves, no animals, as if they had all been scared away from the scene. And approaching the island, that detail only became more and more obvious.

Approaching the island, it seemed like the wreckage of battle and wars scattered across it, boats crashed and scattered at the shoreline and debris everywhere. If not war then great damaging storms of impossible magnitude, it was daunting to look around at it all. A few spiders scattered around on the bridge as he crossed it, it was all disgusting, almost to the point to distract him from his mission. His step speeding up as he didn't linger in any one place too long to admire, not a run but absolutely not a leisurely walk about the island. After some horrific and concerting walk from the introduction to his nightmares, he would arrive in the courtyard of the manor, the fog lifting away to some eerily degree. Cracked stone and broken windows on the manor and the courtyard worn away with the weather like the rest of the island. As haunting as the rest of it, he saved bated breathe to clam himself, slow exhale and gradual approach to the manor. What was most haunting about it all though, what would make Maigo swallow the lump in his throat was the pile of burnt bodies, making the entire area smell like fear. Something he'd noticed but couldn't pinpoint, horror incarnate. He didn't dare stare at any one feature for too long, instead ignoring the bodies and broken statues to head straight for the door.

Creaking wood underneath his feet, he quickly approached the door and knocked loudly, several pounds against it shaking it in its place. "Sero, you here?" he would call out loudly against the silence and knock again, just as heavy as the first knock. "I... uhhh.. need your help with something." Part of him hoped that no one was home, his presence horrifying enough as it was, and not wanting to linger in this place. But he had a problem to deal with, quickly to clear his mind, forbid he leave it and endure a far greater problem of letting three bodies bloodily rot away near the village, in the brush near that waterfall, a small oasis poisoned by his actions.

[831 words]

Sero moved along the tall grass away from any major roads on return from patrol. The sun burned the horizon behind him as if the sky had lit on fire where he came from. However he moves in silence and even when he passed with a distance eye sight of a merchant Sero saw him but not the other way around. Sero would pause and watch him a moment as he tested the limits of his new cloak against the tall grass before being satisfied the cloak had hidden him entirely from common eyes. The heritage item that had been left for him by his late father was useful at least for assisting him in his travels. Moving around common folk with blood on his clothes typically raised alarms. Shinobi had been called to investigate his movements before and he had been required to provide identification. Even as a captain he still had folk who didn't know him well enough to recognize him upon arriving within his aura's radius. Still within the hood of the cloak the sunken eyes of the skull mask let dead, grey eyes scan across the tall grass as he neared the bridge. Something else was off. He could tell he wasn't alone.

Sero would turn his face a little and lift his nose into the air with the mask allowing some of the fragrance in. There was fresh blood in the air. Not like the bag in his hand which smelled like fish but instead there was the smell of human blood. More human then the Hoshigaki he had slain anyway. The ones from the undersea city were strong and he was going to go poking around in their noggins to find out if there was anything unusual there. He had some human heads to compare them to so he would be able to run his experiments for now and get the opinion of a med nin later on his findings. No need to involve them now. Instead his interest was on the new scent. He would gradually approach the bridge as he would finally make out Maigo crossing quickly and making his way along. How interesting that the boy would be seeking him out. What was more so was that Sero was standing in the tall grass wearing basic hunter nin gear with black pants and a black tank top with the red cloak over it all and a sack of heads tied to his belt. His cloak was working well enough even Maigo wasn't capable of seeing him. The genjutsu specialist might even be jealous of the cloaks ability.

Still Sero would wait until Maigo had cleared the bridge because during his mission he had found his cloak had no effect without surroundings. On the open bridge he would be visible even to a farm hand. Still it had its uses. It certainly added power to the hidden mist jutsu which was enough to cause its effect to activate. Still he would wait a full minute after Maigo crossed into the mist covered bridge before shifting as well. Moving at the same speed he had seen Maigo moving and sliding across the bridge just as quickly. He noted the spiders crossing the bridge and rose an eye brow. They scattered back to the island as he arrived but that bridge would not be allowed to stand after today. He could not allow spiders to infect the mainland. He would not have someone trying to purge his land of some species they feared. The next head on that chopping block could just as easily be his own. Still as he reached the tree line he blended in again as he began to track Maigo straight towards his home. How interesting. He would pursue for now but at a distance. Choosing to follow the tracks until he got close enough to see Maigo crossing his courtyard.

Sero was curious now. The young man was once a student of the weapons Sero held for a breif lesson which ended with two kunai in his back. One could only begin to wonder what had brought him back and smelling of a fresh human kill. Once you ended enough life you began to smell the difference between human and animal blood. There was a purpose in Maigo's step and he didn't linger long anywhere other than straight to the door. Sero's head would tilt as he watched Maigo unseen for now. A mere ghost on an island of horrors. Still he could hear Maigo knock and call out. Seeking him for something. Something he needed Sero for. Still Sero would only then step forward as the aura of beasts would wash over Maigo. Some tainted chakra that blackened the lands and slowly strangled the soul to be around. Maigo would feel Sero and know he had been heard before a bag of humanoid heads smelling of fish would hit the ground behind him by several meters. If it drew Maigo's gaze he would see a ripple of red from seemingly out of thin air as if Sero had simply stepped into exhistence there as the cloak and his mask faded to mist while his armor remained as did the bag of heads with red soaking the bottom. When Sero spoke through his pale lips it was as if the dead had begun to speak in that dull, lifeless tone.

"What is it I wonder....that one would need me specifically for so much so they would risk coming here....would come to my home to ask me a favor....What indeed?"

941

Maigo's head held down, he didn't want to linger any more, his thoughts clouded his mind and his heart was beating from the anxiety of being stuck in the small hell hole of an island he found himself on. Wondering how it ever came to this as he pondered in the brief moment after knocking and calling out for Sero at his home. It was sudden, the shift of the air at the beck and call of that chakra, black and death filled, Maigo felt his chest drop a little again. He was adjusted, but not used to it, after all this would only be their... third meeting? The sound of a heavy thud behind him, but not the thud of a rock or anything, it was cushioned, different for whatever that bit of information would be worth. Maigo turned a cautious head with inquisitive eyes behind him, finding a bag of... heads? Laying on the ground. Human heads, but they couldn't be, could they? Maigo would gulp at the sight of it, this particular reason that he would be seeing out Sero and his... intricacies.

Out from this space stepped Sero behind some sort of cloak, stepping forward in his armor with a sort of aura about him. Lifeless as always and without little to warrant tone or anything, Maigo turned the rest of his body as he listened in, "What is it I wonder....that one would need me specifically for so much so they would risk coming here....would come to my home to ask me a favor....What indeed?" Maigo did his best not to show the anxiety he still felt from his chakra, he was at least getting a bit better at covering it up, but the heads were... excessive to the point.

Maigo took a second to gather himself, moving his attention away from the bloody bag of heads and towards Sero himself. He wanted to ask about it, but it wasn't curiosity, but concern more so... and still he didn't dare, just leave it as it was. His voice was a bit broken at first, his attention divided and confused in the environment, "Yeah, I uhhh..." a short pause to gulp the air in his throat, "I made a mess of sorts... and I know that you could probably help me out with it." His attention fell away into the distance, not wanting to own up to it perhaps. But even more so, ashamed of what he had done, it wasn't like him to act the way he had and to go as far as he did.

Their murder was on his hands, lost in his train of thought, he could certainly justify self defense for their killing, but to go as far as he did was hate. Nothing more, nothing less. The brutality of his mentality, and subjecting a family member to the action if she weren't unconscious just yet. His mind drew blank as he thought about the actions, he had no excuse, he knew what he did and yet... it felt right for some reason, his eyes drew into it and his body acted in that emotion. "I need to dispose of some bodies, but I've no idea how to do that, or where to take them... and dragging their mangled corpses through the streets won't do." he said with a bit of anger behind it, his head down slightly as his grip tightened.

He wasn't sure how Sero would respond or if he would accept his proposition, how he would react or if he would patronize the thought of Maigo being so worried about killing some bandits. He did worry about it, but it wasn't on the forefront of his mind for the time being, instead he brought his attention back up and waited for a response from Sero. Whatever he would choose to do, if he would volunteer to help, Maigo would lead him towards the waterfall where he had so beaten them and left their bodies covered under some brush. The waterfall raining down into a small spring, and lots of trees reigning high above the area and plants abundant, but stained all that would be blood and foot marks, scorches of jutsu and against the back wall. Would lay the three corpses that Maigo had beaten into different shades of black and blue, cuts across them and their blood pooled on the ground beneath them. It would be a sight for Maigo, to look back on what he had done, but would it have the same affect on Sero?

Would he wonder if Maigo were capable of it, or would he be so desensitized to it that he went on without question? Only time would tell if he even accepted Maigo's plea for help, or didn't have any questions of his own before hand.

[821 words, 1652 words total]

Sero watched the young Maigo as he stepped out of his comfort zone to confront Sero and on a day where his blood lust had only temporarily been sated too. He watched as Maigo slowly ripped his attention away from the bag of heads and back to Sero. It was a simple thing for Sero to have heads on him but for Maigo it was an unholy thing he supposed. Still his attention was divided away from analyzing how Maigo reacted to the stimulus he provided. While it was a note taken in his mind and put away he was far more interested in why Maigo would be seeking him out. "Yeah, I uhhh...I made a mess of sorts... and I know that you could probably help me out with it." Sero would tilt his head impatiently now. He was repeating himself in a way so the curiosity was waining and being replaced with impatience. Those cold grey eyes turning no pity or interest but instead he just watched Maigo with a dead, unblinking stare that never seemed to waver and sought out his inner most secrets. He already knew Maigo needed him for something. He would simply stand quietly as he waited for Maigo to finish.

"I need to dispose of some bodies, but I've no idea how to do that, or where to take them... and dragging their mangled corpses through the streets won't do."

Sero would let his eyes snap into a narrow gaze as he glared at Maigo then. Bodies to be disposed of? Sero did a lot of work keeping bandits and pirates away from the village but he never did it near the village and left evidence of it. How important it was that the citizens felt nothing could reach them was something Maigo should understand at his rank. leaving bodies somewhere was simply amateur. A witness could cause chaos and panic. There was a flash of something in that evil aura like a dull blade being drawn along Maigo's throat with anger behind it before a pale hand with black claw like nails would raise and indicate the road he had come from. At first Sero was silent but as it became apparent to him that It wasn't clear if he meant to leave or that he would help he spoke in a cold tone that seemed to chill the air more than his usual voice had.

"Lead on Uchiha."

He would wait for Maigo to pass him before keeping close on his heels. Those dead eyes never leaving him. Seeming to accuse him and dare him to defend himself. A shinobi of Maigo's rank should be capable of a clean kill or cleaning up what wasn't. With any luck the sunset had been a symbol for many to come home but for Maigo it would still seem like the sky burned in response to Sero's irritation. As they approached a waterfall some distance from the island and far closer to civilization Sero would growl as he could smell the burnt earth and blood pools. Not only had he left bodies he could already tell he left evidence of brutality. Even as they arrived he could tell the evidence of battle was everywhere. However as his eyes found the stained earth under some brush they fell on a young woman. Sero would recognize her as a genin from around the same class as Maigo himself. A girl who had gone rogue when her mother passed away and joined some bandits. Even now she would be kneeling over her comrades crying. Her Bandit tattoo clearly visible. However she would feel Sero approaching and her breath would catch as he stood next to Maigo. She would turn her head slowly showing more of her face with make up running down it. She eyed them both with a mixture of hate and fear. Before spitting at them and snarling. Grabbing a hold of a hatchet as she stood. Shaking as she stood between them and the corpses.

"I am going to tell the village what you two did....I...My friend might of been you...your enemies but they didn't deserve to die like this! No one does! I am going to bring this to the village and show them what you did even if I have to go through you! you....you...You Demons!"

Exactly what Sero had been hoping to avoid. A witness eager to expose the brutality of his world to the village. Bodies on his island were there to deter people away for their own safety and his privacy but had been gradually been removed over time. However this close to the village it was clearly a mistake. A lot of difference there when it came to scaring the locals. Not many even crossed his bridge and those that did knew not to draw closer in. But that was his land. This place was far too public. However there was only one nearby and she was wanted dead or alive and there she stood brandishing a weapon at him and threatening to ruin all his work. His knuckles cracked in a series of repeated pops as his hands flexed and he stepped towards her. The sheer force of his strength popping his own bones as he prepared to rip her head off too. Another bandit to the meat pile.

1847

The irritation at his meandering was clear, but when all was said and done, it seemed that he was able to recruit Sero to help him clean up his problem and handle the situation. It wasn't simple in any regard, dragging out the worry and anxiety of Maigo as best he could in his answer, his chakra reaching out with intent to kill. A simple, "Lead on Uchiha." was all that would come from it, other than giving Maigo a bit of anxiety to go along with it. Sero followed closely behind, almost uncomfortably so, as he led them through running through the forest and off the island to just a half mile or so away from the village.

Upon their arrival though Maigo came across the familiar memory of a girl, grown like he was now, several years older than last he remembered. The tattoo of the bandit group emblazoned on her shoulder, same as the other two men, the symbol of Maigo's hatred. The same blonde hair and soft facial features from the girl that Maigo knew in the academy class, proud and out spoken as always. One of the few that properly knew how to turn down Maigo's flirting attempts from back then, kneeling down over their corpses and examining the bodies. Maigo gulped as his stomach dropped, she was certainly a sight for sore eyes but from what he had heard from other mutual classmates was that she had run off after some tragic family affairs. His face quivered a bit as she stood up at the sound of their arrival, grabbing a hatchet and yelling out at them.

Maigo snapped back from a short fade back to their time as kids and training, taking the academy tests and all, back before he ever knew about his eyes and was in the situations back then. He wondered if she had gotten any better since their time at the academy, she was always good with weapons and such, but she'd left. Could she really grow any more by joining bandits and such, and her threats, that caused Maigo to twitch. He could talk his way through it, but how would Sero react? He wasn't the kind to take kindly to it, even Maigo breaking his rules during a spar made him feel like his death was impending. And her, threatening to report them and all, it was rather troublesome indeed, but was she really that far off with her assessment of calling them demons?

After what Maigo had done to them, and the chakra pressure that would no doubt be affecting her, far more than Maigo. His hand reached down and pulled it from its sheathe slowly as he watched her hand with a hatchet in it. Maigo turned his head slightly to see Sero cracking his knuckles and preparing, a quick flash to the bag of heads earlier and the burnt bodies. He would know no restraint, and Maigo couldn't let this girl die, he knew her, she could be saved from her fate and decisions. He had to at least try, if he didn't then her death would be his fault, activating his sharingan he turned back towards her and stepped forward, hoping he could break Sero's concentration and deal with this on his own.

"Mishiki, it's been so long, you ran from the village and became a bandit all in that time..." Maigo spoke, he knew he wanted to object. But she was emotional now, would she even recognize Maigo? Maybe his voice would give it away when he spoke, but he wouldn't give her time. Maigo knew one thing, that if he started bargaining then Sero would act on his own, he had to make sure that he didn't intervene, he had to understand that she couldn't die here too.

Maigo dashed forward as quickly as he could, her hatchet swung down but Maigo used his sword to parry and knock it away from his body. Then with his foot a heavy kick to her stomach to throw her a few meters into the water behind her. The force would give her something to think about and in the water, but it would only make it harder to convince her in the end.

With Mishiki gone for the moment, Maigo would turn back to Sero, set in his stance. His sword up in a defensive position across his chest, he spoke nervously towards him, "Sero, we're not killing her, there's no way that I'm gonna let that happen..." his voice nervous but his expression and his eyes were calm, watching Sero as he awaited whatever would happen next. He knew what he would be thinking, he knew that Sero wasn't going to go lightly on her or let her leave. She'd seen too much and threatened them all at the same time, and now, Maigo was the only thing standing in the way of her absolute death. They were here to take care of a few bodies, not kill every civilian that walked by, and Maigo knew the jig was up. But that didn't make confronting him any less horrifying than it was.

There was almost no way that Maigo would take a former friends life so easily, one he shared so many members with and still a citizen of the Land of Water. She should mean more to him than that, but it was the only justification that might reach Sero's mind if her cared at all for that sort of thing. Here's hoping...

[942 words, 2594 words total]

Sero was prepared to go forward as a wave of death and end the girl before she could even drop her hatchet. A single spray of blood later and the life would fade from her bodies and that desperate light in her eyes would fade away. He hated that light of hope without any reason behind it. As if somehow someone would rise above him with sheer willpower. He always felt like they were fools that wanted to die badly. Yet something about that light, the kind he hated and his own eyes didn't have was always causing him to use more caution. It always made him more careful even against the weak because some part of him was unsure. He shouldn't be....logic dictated that he should easily take them down and yet with their eyes shining they challenged him. Often they were maimed or killed quickly but he was too cautious for a clean kill usually. This time he would take the target dow quickly and ignore that light he was sure of it. However even as he shifted to move he would turn at a sound. Just his head shifting to the side as a sword was drawn from its sheath. Maigo was looking at him. His Sharingan was activated and his sword was out. For a moment Sero prepared to shift targets as needed but much to his surprise Maigo turned away and back to the girl. Was he really going to do this himself? Probably to spare the girl a terrible death. Either way it was dutiful so Sero would stand back and watch.

"Mishiki, it's been so long, you ran from the village and became a bandit all in that time..."

Interesting choice for words to start a battle. Still Sero tilted his head and watched like an unmoving statue of a corpse as Maigo charged forward. He was faster than he had been before. Sero felt the young man was almost on par with himself if not just a little slower. Too bad for her. Still he could feel the rush of wind as it rustled his shirt under his armor and watched as she managed a reflexive swing of her hatchet. Surprising considering her rank but no bother. His dead grey gaze would flick back and forth rapidly following Maigo's movements as he deflected it like it was no bother and slammed a foot into her chest sending her with a crash into the water where she surfaced with a gasp and splashed weakly. Easy prey really but his eyes narrowed as Maigo didn't persue. A quick kill would of been ideal but instead he watched as the young man turned those eyes back to him and glanced away from them to see him but not directly. Sharingan had a mythe about being bad to look at directly but he wouldn't test it. Instead his eyes shifted to the blade raised against him as Maigo spoke.

"Sero, we're not killing her, there's no way that I'm gonna let that happen..."

Sero would blink once slowly while keeping his senses open to Maigo and feeling about for any genjutsu that had been cast. He certainly spoke confident words so one could assume he already had a Genjutsu up. Sensing nothing out of order as of yet though Sero would shake as he suddenly began to chuckle before his silver hair threw back as he began to laugh uncontrollably. However the laugh was not one filled with Joy but instead seemed to wilt the world around them as light seemed to dim and the world seemed to feel like a fire burned nearby. Even the girl would feel the pressure and fear would envelop her like a snake cutting off her air as she would scream and try to run by swimming away. Her conviction torn from her by that madness that surrounded her. However before she could get far enough away Sero would shift his eyes to her and speak one phrase. "Kanashibari no Jutsu" From his lips it would sound like deaths name had been spoken and suddenly the water around her would shift as if something was passing through it before her arms and legs would be bound by something unseen dragging her down. Sero would quickly turn his eyes back to Maigo careful to never let him out of his senses.

"You think it wise to challenge your superior officer on a matter you requested him for? You know Kiri has a policy of not taking prisoners. Not only has she taken their symbol...the symbol of our enemy but she has threatened the peace of our village. Terroristic propaganda to turn the village against its own guardians and possibly cause rioting. You say you won't allow it but I do not recall giving either of you a choice. Normally I would end you for choosing to side with the enemy. However I invested time in you....So punishment will do for now. Regret this and when you recover wait until you have grown strong for your vengeance to take hold."

There it was again. A flick of a glance into those red eyes showed a light in them. Baseless hope for no reason other than honor and pride. Tossing your life away for someone you used to know was so foolish. Still it burned in those eyes as he glanced back to the blade. He hated that light. He wanted to snuff it out and show them reality. She drowned now so he would need to be quick. His fingers shifted in a random pattern before clicking into place as he stepped forward in a single step and almost flashed next to Maigo in an instant at A-3 speed. However there was more then that. He stood at Maigo's side so fast the wind took a moment to catch up to him and yet there was chakra formed at his elbow which was bent with his black tipped fingers pointed at Maigo like a spear. As soon as he landed in position a loud bang would sound and faster than A-3 reaction time would usually allow a burst of steam sent his claw/spear like hand slamming forward. Normally unarmed strikes would do little more than bruising however those nails would attempt to pierce the flesh of the shoulder of Maigo's sword arm and with the added force of the steam burst jutsu would plunge right through the muscles and tendons connecting the shoulder. Blood didn't even have time to spray out before the hand was yanked back and his free hand would reach out and grip the fingers of the other hand holding the blade hard enough to break every finger and keep the sword from moving before the hand that had just severed his shoulder would chop out and clock Maigo lightly in the throat so as to choke him as his fingers would wrap around and leave blood streaks from Maigo's own blood. If all this made it through neither hand would be able to use that sword. And Maigo wouldn't be able to speak as he was hoisted into the air.

"As punishment I will give you a nine point bind to hold you as you watch her die. No one alive should be capable of breaking free of that."

Sero spoke with confidence before he would use his grip on Maigo's neck to slam him to the ground. Letting the Katana hand go so the sword would hopefully clatter uselessly to the side. He was going to make Sure Maigo understood Sero was not to be questioned or played with. Even as Maigo would hit the ground Sero would speak again as he held out his right hand pointed palm out at Maigo and his left hand to the air above them forming a snake seal followed by an open hand sign. "Bāningu seigen" As he spoke five silver chains about the width of his fingers would fly out and wrap around Maigo sizzling the air and his clothing and flesh as they did. One around each limb and one over the torso binding him to the ground. As that happened a small cloud would open and out of it four flashes of silver would fly followed by immense pain as each limb was pierced. A Odachi in his left thigh through to the ground, a bastard sword in his right, his right arm had a rapier through it and his left a Yari. Nine points of painful restriction. It was monsterous but survivable. With that done Sero would stand and move to the fading bubbles. She was close to losing conciousness. He had used up too much time but Maigo needed to be held down for this.

Sero would move across the water. Seeming to walk across it like it was solid ground as he eyed around the bubbles a moment before his hand plunged into the liquid. The blood staining the water red before he yanked the girl up by her hair. She gasped and choked before she sobbed. She screamed as Sero hauled her like a sack of meat by her hair to Maigo. Kneeling her in front of the young man before shifting his grip from her hair to her throat with his claws digging in. She would begin to whimper and plead for her life then. Her scalp bleeding and her self half drowned. His other hand would reach down as she began to beg Maigo for help and plead not to die. Swearing she would do right by the village and that she would never tell on Maigo. It was then that Sero would begin to break her fingers as he spoke. One by one as she screamed each time as her fingers turned to crumpled heaps that might never be usable again. Bone sticking out of the flesh as he brutalized her hands.

"See Maigo...Hope is something not to be given to our enemies. They think you kind and would take advantage of it. One day she would remember this and try  and kill you instead. You had your chance to give her a peaceful death but now...her last moments will be of pain and death. Do you see now Maigo? I have no place for mercy. She is the enemy and she threatened us. I will not let that or disobedience to your headband slide. Watch now Uchiha. Watch with your proud eyes at what you have wrought for her."

Sero would smile a thin and pale smile before the fingers in her throat would dig in as she suddenly felt her air cut off. Unable to breath enough to beg anymore. Suddenly blood splurted around his fingers As he found his grip and ripped away her wind pipe and flesh. Blood splattering across Maigo's face as she choked and gurgled with her eyes showing shock and fear. He would drop her and her wind pipe then and stand. Letting her drop next to maigo as her lips still shifted as she plead for life silently unable to breath as blood trickled from her lips and tears poured from her eyes as the life faded away looking into Maigos. Her vibrant eyes forever filled with fear and shock as she laid dead without any hope of surviving. Sero was already moving away as he moved to collect the other bodies. Moving to do the work he had originally come to do. Dispose of the whole scene.

1942/3789

Spoiler:

Maigo nervously stood at the ready, his sharingan watching each movement as Sero blined at him, standing down the new obstacle in his path. A defiant laugh built up in his voice as Maigo clutched at his sword, was it patronizing his effort here? Not taking him seriously? Maigo wasn't sure if the amount he had grown was anywhere near enough to close the distance between them but it was something alright, any little distance would be worth it. Between the laugh and the sudden build up of his pressure, the horrifying sensation of fear, it was overwhelming and his nerves showed, though he wouldn't cower behind the fear of presence. His eyes were ready to endure the truth and to save a life he would endure the cost of such!

She may be a traitor but there was always redemption for anyone who sought it, he had to believe that. If there was no redemption, for the darkness growing in his heart and mind, then what was there for him? Death? To struggle on in darkness and abandon himself and his ideals in order to become some... monster basking in the power of strength? And his eyes... they grew in power as he entered the darkness, there had to be a redemption from it. What life was there worth living in the torment of a reality justified in its failures and regrets. That wasn't a life, not one that he could accept and his recent realizations brought him to the conclusion, to fight some ideology that may or may not exist. In fear of that toxic presence, Maigo would be unwavering, this was a fight he deemed worth fighting, mostly for his own sanity and then for a person whom he once considered a friend in a place where he kept so few of them.

His motionless concentration broken by Sero's first movement, the paralysis technique, but not on Maigo, on Mishiki instead. Maigo's eyes would expand in shock as he heard her splash under the waters surface, it would be moments before she would begin to drown. Sero put a timer on their fight, if Maigo was ever gonna get a chance to save her, he'd have to find a way to end this quickly or to split his attention. Maigo turned his head slightly to note her location, a bit of worry over the situation, it was a bit of a cheap move to force him to think on her and the time of the fight rather than defending himself. But that mattered not in the grand scheme of things, he was fighting Sero after all, and Maigo had shown that he didn't play fair in their training back then either so he shouldn't expect any mercy here.

Sero's words lashed out to break his attention, Maigo didn't want to strike against him, there was folly in attacking a teammate and no one who ever strikes against a comrade dies a decent death. But his words would delay, by the time he was done speaking her lungs would run out of air and so begins her slow and agonizing death. But Maigo anxiously listened to his words, gritting his teeth as a bead of sweat rolled to his eyebrow and off the side of his face. He was right though, there was nothing wise about his decision but it was his choice to become a barrier and protect a life, the mess he made was enough for one person and to lose someone who used to be close to him was a line he wasn't about to cross. Not for any old reason as being scared of being threatened at least. But it seemed that at least Maigo wasn't going to die yet, but no punishment of Sero's was for the weak at heart, Maigo gulped at his words to regret and remember.

Maigo exhaled and grew a confident stance as ever he could in the face of his enemy, raising his sword back to chest level and letting his eyes follow him, hoping that in his thoughts he might reconsider his actions. Then without warning, Sero burst forth in a quick flash, winding up next to Maigo, his eyes saw the movement but he briefly froze in place, wondering whether he was truly ready to take it this far, his hand gripped too tightly to the hilt of his sword. His hand quickly struck from after that, piercing deeply into Maigo's shoulder, almost disbelief at his movements, he was still faster than Maigo could imagine, he wouldn't be able to compete with him for more than moments at a time. Maigo's sword hand moved to him, but he was slow, building up speed and his hand was caught by Sero, crushed as quickly as it could against the hard material of the hilt. Blood began to pour from his shoulder and his arm began to fall limp as he moved again and hit Maigo in one clean motion in the throat. Hoisted in the air, the sound of his own coughing and blood lubricating the squeezing hand, brief silence as he was hosted up like a prize catch. Sero then gave his threat of punishment, a nine point bind, another gruesome torment, but if it came to that then all would be lost, Mishiki would be dead, he couldn't let that happen.

But that thought mattered not, in his struggle, his hand was release and katana fell free as he was forced heavily into the ground, crashing against it with a thud. Gritting his teeth at it all, he had to do something, his arms all but useless, a kick something, anything at all? But his life had been slowly deprived from him, so much that he would have to fight against, his hill had grown and he was rolling backwards down it from the way he came. Then came his hand seals as Maigo laid on the ground, he didn't bother to check them, his apathy was broken as he looked towards the water to see the ripple of bubbles slow to a cease, he was lost in thought. The chains burst out of the ground and grabbed hold of him as it chained him to the ground and burned his flesh. He cried out in pain grimacing and fighting against the chains as he wiggled and imitated a small seizure to free himself, fighting against something he knew he couldn't. Then came the next horrible part, each of his limbs pierced to the ground on top of the chains, sizzling away against his clothing and flesh. The pain was terrible, he almost immediately succeeded past it as he came close to passing out from the sudden extreme of all of it. He'd been stabbed before, that wasn't the worst part, but all at once with the chains and now as he watched Sero walk away from him and towards the water.

He walked above it, Maigo's eyes trained, every muscle twitch and push against his restraints cause the blades to cut a bit more and rip the flesh up, and the chains to scatter and burn a wider area, but he barked at it, yelling out all the same, "No, don't do it!" it was painful beyond reason and if it weren't what little will he had left keeping him afloat, he would have surrendered to the pain almost immediately. He grabbed her from the water, Maigo's eyes filled with cold anger and disappointment at his own failure and his face twisted in anger and shock all the same, he knew whatever was to come would be brutal beyond belief. Mishiki arose from the water choking and coughing up water, so much water and Maigo's eyes kept close watch on her face, that face he remembered from so long ago.

Screams filled the nearby area as Sero dragged her by the hair to him and knelt her down in front of him, whatever he was planning to do, Maigo's eyes carefully sought out to hers but she was concerned with her own life. Nothing Maigo could do but he needed something, if he could catch her eyes he could put her out of the misery of the pain with some genjutsu perhaps, something to put her to sleep, anything at all to avoid what was next. He owed her that much. Her pleads came afterwards, begging Maigo to save her, but there was nothing he could do, "Mishiki..." his lips formed barely audible, less than a whisper as he paused under the pain of his restraints. There was nothing he could do but he listened to her cries, her promises to change and recanting her earlier position. Sero spoke up over her and grabbed her hands, breaking her fingers one by one like some barbarian. Maigo gritted his teeth, and lashed further against the chains and weapons, any muscle in his body, letting them be thrashed and cut further to pieces. His arms were becoming little more than flesh now and he could feel it but his core and legs were still there, something he could do and he had to try.

Maigo hated his words, he didn't believe that she would hold a grudge, the failure of his chance, it was against everything he hoped for. Everything he needed to hope for, but her screams drowned the background of his words, a face of pure anger is all Sero would get as Maigo watched and grunted out, the moans of pain as he resisted. "Watch now Uchiha. Watch with your proud eyes at what you have wrought for her." the words rang out as everything slowed down and Maigo paused resisting against his restraints. A smile flashed and his hand moved, Maigo couldn't stop it, he hadn't the strength to even make an effort to break free and save her. He failed. It was as simple as that.

"Noo!" Maigo cried out with what little he had left, the short and gruntled cry was his last chance, watching his fingers cut into her, but what broke him, his spirits were her eyes. Her eyes full of tears and reflecting everything in their shine, the brown color in them began to fade, what was attentive hope and begging turned to nothingness and faded from him, his sharingan saw every detail in the loss of her life. Breath failed and her eyes lost what light they had as blood ran down, Maigo watched in disbelief as his hand pulled back and blood splattered out with gusto against the ground and on his face. Her head fell next to his as he looked on in disbelief, their eyes held as he watched that light flicker and fade, her life ended. Maigo's breathe broke and his eyes closed briefly to take in the blackness of that moment, the anger he felt and the rage, just like when he was watching his sister pummeled, he remembered the feeling emerging deep in his mind. It was somewhere in that darkness that something new emerged, something more vivid, a memory lost in time that flickered to his mind, a short vision of the past as he recollected everything.

[Flashback]

---

Mishiki sat outside the academy building with her lunch, a few rice balls sat in a box in an aesthetic manner, wrapped in seaweed as she picked one up and bit into it alone underneath a tree on that sunny day. It was calm and quiet, the birds chirping away with their songs of happiness and togetherness. Her calm and soothing silence was broken by Maigo's sudden appearance from behind the tree, taking a seat adjacent to her with his own brown paper sack containing his lunch.

"Hey pretty lady, room for two under this tree?" his dumb face glowed with the same smile he always had as he sat down next to her shoulder to shoulder. She couldn't help but exhale at his efforts,

"Fine Maigo but we're just eating lunch! Don't be a pig about it..." she said as she turned her head back to her lunch. Maigo smiled and snickered a bit as he nodded his head and spoke up, "That's fine! I just wanted the company of the cutest girl in class today is all..." he said unironically and began to dig into his lunch bag. What he hadn't noticed at the time, or had noticed but ignored was that she smiled at the comment and moved a bit closer to him, letting her shoulder rest against his arm for that brief moment.

They would carry on a short conversation about nothing, Maigo making stupid comments and her shutting down his attempts to flirt while they ate their lunch. It would carry on for a few minutes as they ate away in the serenity of the moment, at the time, Maigo was upset about everything but their conversation moved onto more serious topics. Mishiki was concerned about what he wanted to do, why he became a ninja and all. It hadn't struck him at the time, but those weren't small talk questions, she had wanted to find out about him, to see if Maigo was really someone she could get behind and consider a friend if not more.

But in Maigo's fashion he gave his own stupid response about being super strong and becoming one of the seven ninja swordsmen and becoming the best in all the land! Less for the glory though, he made it clear that he just thought they were cool at the time, but if he could make it there then he was absolutely strong, and therefore he could protect anyone he wanted to from anything, "...Maybe even a gorgeous bride and family down the road." he snickered on and nudged her arm a bit. She laughed at him and leaned against his arm slightly as she looked up at him,

"Maigo, you're a fool, you know that? But you've got heart... just make sure that while you're trying to take care of everyone that you take care of yourself..." she spoke and Maigo nodded with a small smile, he understood her words well enough. "Besides..." she continued on, "How are you gonna protect me and all that? You're never gonna be strong enough to join them. You can't even beat me in shuriken practice..." she snickered on.

[Return to present]

---

The memory faded upon Maigo standing up at pointing at her, yelling something about how they'd see about that, but he felt the pain of her and the loss of that life. Her words rang out like a bell against his head, every word and syllable like the gong and the memory as the aesthetic of it. He'd failed, she was precious to him and he failed to protect her to any degree, and now that was all for a loss, he was truly a fool wasn't he?

His eyes sprang open in new ferocity to see hers empty of all light, like his had consumed hers, the blood pooling up before her. It was... infuriating in every regard. The burns of the chains were growing severe, but he'd felt burns before, everything in his body demanded to break free and seek retribution for Mishiki, it wasn't fair that he'd failed. He couldn't! He wasn't that weak, he wouldn't allow this reality to consume him. If he could he'd have dove headfirst into hell to drag her soul from Tartarus and drag it to the surface with ungodly fervor. But that couldn't be so, instead his rage was now blinded by any sense of understanding, he was ready to lash out at anything and everything that caused him pain. To him, he saw only Mishiki's body and blood, with him laying next to it and the rest of the world in darkness.

With all the strength he could muster, Maigo built up raiton chakra in his hands and lashed out at the chains as best he could to break them, each hand delivering a violent electric shock to everything he could, the chains would burn even more and the weapons would tear at his flesh but he was done with the excuses and sacrifice of his own body. If he were able to break the chains, he would use his broken hand to remove each weapon from his legs in excruciating pain and cutting his hand further while his mouth gripped the spear from his left arm. Rotating it in air, he bit down against it and charged forward as quickly as he could at Sero, the only image he could see was tainted in her blood, his body hardly responding and his left arm limp flowing behind him. He would charge forward and attack with the Yari horizontally in his mouth, no longer concerned with what the future held or what would happen. He was on a mission for revenge and his chains that bound him before were now broken, in both a physical sense and mental sense. The only thing that bound him now was darkness and the blood pooling around him from those that he had lost in his lack of ability and determination.

[2922 words, 5516 words total]

Jutsu used:

Sero had turned to walk away from the young Maigo. He would wait to release the chains until after he passed out from blood loss and then seal his wounds. There would be no point to this particularly hard lesson if he bled to death. He had done a terrible thing by the eyes of citizens and the girl he had watched die. Even now Sero didn't doubt his own actions as correct. He had to teach Maigo that an enemy was an enemy. Things like I can save them or they can't fight back anymore didn't matter. It simply let them try again and again until one day you, the target of their attacks, would slip up and find it fatal. That was the reality Sero had known since he was a small child. He had been haunted by constant attempts on his life. Thugs looking to raid his manor for goods....Mafia and pirates wishing to claim it as their base of operations. Even his own clan wishing to reclaim his heritage from him. Again and again they came and still more continued to come at him. He killed them all and grew stronger. That was his reality and so he wouldn't lower his guard or allow those in his care to lower theirs. A harsh lesson indeed.

Still he shifted over almost gliding to one of the bodies and would kneel down. His knee pressing into the blood in the grass and soaking his clothing but he hardly cared. Nor did he feel it as he never did. Instead his pale hand coated in blood would reach down and grab the mans burnt hair and study the work done to him as he lifted his head. Maigo had certainly lost himself with these ones. It seemed to match the level Sero had gone out on the girl if not more so. Half the mans face was blackened and it was apparent that Maigo had burned him alive. Perhaps he had begun to enjoy killing as Sero had? Still it was a pity Sero wouldn't be able to teach him how to dispose of these messes. If nothing else he would clean it up and have someone else teach such things to Maigo while he kept some distance to let Maigo recover a little mentally. Surely he wouldn't challenge him head on again so soon. That would certainly be foolish.

Still the area would seem to dim of light and the air would crackle drawing Sero's attention to the chakra building up in the area. He would turn to look to Maigo while still kneeling there. Raiton bursting from the boy as he watched. If he kept that up he would probably stop most of his own bleeding. However it should be hopeless for him to break free after so much blood loss and damage to his limbs. Science dictated the boy shouldn't be able to move. The Raiton was probably just a burst of rage. Still the Chains peeled and turned to dust ever so slowly as Maigo erased them with sheer willpower and raiton. Sero took note on how it still affected the suiton properties of the liquid chains and slowly dropped the dead mans head before rising to his feet. Maigo was ripping the blades from his body now with little concern for more wounds to himself. It was interesting to see such power revealing itself in those blood shot eyes. He even claimed on of Sero's weapons in his teeth as the others fell to the ground. There he stood....a wild beast with clothes torn and burnt along with his flesh and blood running down his body. How much could he do with a body like that?

Still even with the blood loss Maigo's rage was too great. Sero's eyes widened in surprise as Maigo flew across the distance at him with his arms useless and his legs moving even with torn thighs. It had to be painful for maigo but still he came. Sero narrowed his eyes as he decided he would re-evaluate Maigo later. For now he had an armed combatant coming at him that was defying logic. Moving like that after being caught in a nine point restriction was madness. All the evidence suggested that shouldn't be possible. Still Sero moved to shift and evade the horizontal attack. However he was on wet grass soaked through and his footing took a second to catch. Damn if his confusion hadn't caused him to forget the terrain. He managed to lift his arm on the side the swing was coming from and slammed his armored forearm into the shaft. He could hear Maigo's teeth crack from the impact but the small blades on the side of the Yari pierced his arm as he danced away. His movements carrying him back as he glanced at his first wound. His own blood? Fascination filled him as he moved continuously outside of Maigo's range at a faster speed as he spoke. Utilizing the moment for the completion of the lesson.

"Thoughts like ' they can be saved' or 'I refuse to kill my childhood friend' are meaningless. They are the ones you show mercy by killing faster. Every criminal you put down, every bandit, pirate and soldier has a history. Some story of how they ended up before you. If you try and save them every time you will get yourself and team mates killed. It is a harsh lesson but one you must learn or lose those who rely on you. If you wish to change the world...change the facts and make it so you never have to lose anyone and can save the ones who would try and kill you, you must become stronger. If I must be your villain to help you change the world so I am no longer needed for a time, So be it."

4790

Maigo burst forth in furious rage, every bit of him defied what his mind might have called for him to do, no doubt his conscious would be begging him to fall and come to halt. But his mind, it had been sealed by his rage and the lock placed upon those chains were his eyes, condemning him to his choice and leaving no place for him to turn back to. The yari in his teeth he rushed forward, his eyes took note of Sero watching what he was doing, almost like he were confused and in disbelief at the sight. But Maigo had no concern for tactics, planning or the likes thereof. He had one sole thought on his mind and his charge spoke volumes for what that truly was. He saw Sero began to move, each step and twitch, it was clearer than it had ever been, a thought that a conscious Maigo might have noticed and heeded, but all he saw was the loss of footing. His eyes would briefly dilate as he saw his chance to strike and inflict damage upon him, the strike towards the side of his body, horizontally, the only real range of motion he had with the spear in his mouth.

It would do him little good, for all he could see and notice, Sero was still faster and more experienced than he was. Blocking the shaft of the spear with his forearm, it rang out and vibrated, grinding against his teeth as it cracked and tore from his mouth. He should consider himself lucky that he was able to put a cut on his arm, given his condition but it gave him no real satisfaction as Sero dashed away from his position. The spear fell and bounced lightly upon the ground, Maigo's eyes watched Sero briefly as his arms hung loosely at his side and the very act of standing creating aches in his knees and thighs. He watched Sero move, staying outside of his range, but Maigo watched calmly from that apathetic and nearly hunched over position as he spoke.

Every words that rang out was like a bell of infuriation, he had no want to hear it, the lecture about whatever reality he wished to impose. If you try and save them every time you will get yourself and team mates killed. It is a harsh lesson but one you must learn or lose those who rely on you. Those words caused him to grit his teeth even more as he squatted into his position, his eyes and body still turning to follow Sero wherever he would go, pivoting about that singular spot. "Change the facts... Become stronger..." he ran forward now trying to close the distance as he spoke, Sero seemed to be moving faster. Or was it that Maigo's body was starting to give out? The pain that had haunted him was subsiding in favor of nearly passing out, but he hadn't given up yet.

Couldn't give up. Not yet.

He continued forward, pressing whatever ground he could as Sero would be finishing his speech. There was no thought of to what Maigo would do once he made it to Sero, maybe try for a headbutt, a single shot, or maybe jumping up and kicking him, using the momentum of gravity to help apply force. It didn't matter, his eyes bloodshot and blood on his clothes. He was nearly painted red along with those eyes of his, and still, he carried on his advance, unable to do more than grunt and yell with his condition and mind set. His body in tatters, unable to speak, and rage in his heart, he was giving it all he could to press the combat, even though he knew that he didn't have much more in him physically.

[642 words, 6158 words total]

Sero would stand there across the stained field behind the waterfalls from the ancient terror that was the Uchiha. He could see how they had been so formidable in their time in history. Their bloodline was formidable and yet this one, this was not yet his time to rise beyond his opposition. He was to gifted to truly fall now but he was facing another one who was born a monster and had been born first. The difference there was Maigo had been born with the blood of a demon in him waiting to be unlocked. Sero had been born a hellspawn the moment he took his first hot breath into this world. He had been born so others would suffer him and had been given a single purpose as a shinobi of the village. He was what cleaned the messes of the village and those who would cause more knew his name. They knew the phantom would come for them if they became an issue and had to weigh that desperation to chance it. Few thought of the Osada that haunted all men was a myth anymore and Maigo knew it was truth. Still he stood across from Sero, his mind too far gone to see he would not win.

Sero noted the smell of his own fresh blood soaking his robes reached him and he realized his right arm had lost some functionality. He had a long mission to attend after this so he could no longer play this game with Maigo. He needed to stop his own bleeding and clean up as well as summon a med nin to the location for Maigo. This close to the village an emergency flare would do. However Maigo was still pressing him. It would only be a matter of time however. Even though the red in his eyes burned Sero could see him becoming weary. Blood soaked his wounds and clothes now and splashed on the ground around him when he moved. He could see Maigo moving ever so slowly now even with the eyes of the damned. Sero had been surprised that Maigo had the power to release himself of his 9 point bind technique but as with all men he had limits. His movements had become dull with blood loss and even now Sero doubted he would remain concious for long. He would be sure to stop his bleeding when he summoned the medic as well but for now he needed the young man to fade to sleep. That would require some gentle prodding.

Even as Maigo charged Sero the aura around Sero would shift to something like a charging beast rising up. His aura taking on a visible form of something of eyes and teeth with a gaping maw ready to bite down onto Maigo. With the Sharingan active he would see that black chakra dripping as if salivating over its masters impatience and only with those eyes would he glimpse the true power behind the monster before him. Never before had he felt what was within Sero so deeply. It was as if an infinetly empty hole reaching into the very pits of emptiness with hunger never ending. Like it wanted to do nothing more then consume all life and souls of the lost screamed from deep within. A silent scream that echoed endlessly into the distance with no sense of where it ended. So tainted was this chakra that the world withered and wilted and the waters blackened and switched up the waterfall as if fleeing the place. All wind faded away and every piece of living grass, moss or leaf wilted as Sero stepped into that charge. A hand that seemed to have soaked in the blood of a thousand victims raised up as claws closed, still coated in the blood from Maigo's shoulder and with utmost speed and power struck out over and over again as his other hand reached to grasp Maigo by the collar like a great hook fishing for him. Over and over Sero would swing at Maigo's face until that defiance faded. He would swing and batter the boy repeatedly until his own knuckled dripped blood and Maigo was limp only being sure not to kill him if any of it connected.

5505

Maigo watched during his attack, Sero's chakra flickered and scattered about in the darkness that it conjured around him. Hissing against the backdrop like hell was beginning to open up, but he didn't waver in his actions, he continued on towards his target. Broken. Beaten. Scarred. There was little to nothing left of him, and no hope for him continuing on. But he did despite it all. The rage in him left nothing, the fear and hatred at the center of it, the loss he felt and failure to act or protect her in the end. That failure was his fault. His mind recognized it as his eyes drove his actions. The monster in front of him took on a more fitting form with his chakra, the beast within him was obvious. If Sero's chakra were black as night and shaped as the monster ready to bite down and attack its prey, then Maigo's chakra would be red and wild, a bright flame in the face of a demon, fighting on without fear of the future or consequences therein.

He never meant for it to get that far, to even attempt to match Sero in ferocity or down the path of darkness. There was no control anymore, even in the facets of his mind that cried out, they were snuffed by his failure. His hatred being just that, failure. The rational part of him should have been terrified and at unease as he always had been before. But his eyes saw the form of it, they saw the darkness and the beacon at the middle of it, he wouldn't fear it this time. No more would he rely on his instincts to guide himself, he was letting his perception and observation drive him forward and lead his decisions. Maigo would have what chakra pressure of his own combat against Sero's, the horrifying terror of that empty black chakra against the embroiled and unfiltered flames of Maigo's own red chakra. The sight of it would be a bit grand, even if Maigo's own chakra were being all but snuffed out by Sero's in the end. The backdrop of chakra would fight against each other like paint on a canvas, and with two painters, one quickly losing control of the canvas in this fight.

Maigo closed the distance as quickly as he could, no idea what would happen when he would arrive, he leaded on with his head. Making Sero's next move easy beyond recognition, the claw that reached out and grabbed him by the collar and stopped his movement. Then with ferocity and speed like Maigo wasn't prepared for, Sero began to strike at him, his face becoming battered by each blow. At first he would deflect as best he could, turning his head and ducking out of the way, trying for glancing blows at best to minimize everything. It wouldn't last long however, a few blows in and his attempts at glancing would fail. A few more after that, and the light in his eyes would begin to fade, his consciousness was slowing down at that.

Was this everything? Everything faded and the last few glimpses caught Sero and his chakra in a rage, striking at him. What were jolts of pain at first faded away, he felt nothing. His mind revolved, he'd try to throw his life away at a petty attempt at revenge. Not even optimizing his attempt at it, he could feel it beginning to fade, any attempt at motion was stilled by a quickly approaching silence. While everything else slowed down, he could feel his mind beginning to race, was he slipping away to death? Or was he just falling into a coma here?

Past events raced in his mind, good times and bad, short stints of his memory raced by, everything he could remember in recent history. His vision held open by a crack, he felt like he could feel his sharingan fade away in exhaustion, but he had no control of it at that point. The light held open as a crack in his eye, defiant even in unconsciousness, he waited on for whatever would happen. For a rescue or left to rot away, to be found by someone else. Just as he'd left his enemies beaten and near death to pass away. Hopefully Sero wouldn't leave him at that, but he didn't have many hopes from here on out. All that he could perceive now was the faint flicker of light that was burning through the slight crack in his eyelids. The sound of the world faded away as he contemplated on what had brought him here and why this was the path he ended up on. A spirit journey of self introspection and inward reflection on his life. Assuming he survived to take heed of any of his own words and reflection, he was certainly going to change by a wide margin at the end of this adventure.

[842 words, 7000 words total]
[Exit Thread]

Training:

Sero would land blow after blow. At first maigo tried to avoid it but as time progressed closer and closer to more seconds ticking away more blows began to land. Blood splurting out from Maigo's face again and again as Sero didn't bother to slow. The lip split one, two and finally a third time with two splits on the bottom and one on the top lip. The nose was broken in three places and the left eye was gradually swelling closed. Still his enemy stared at him as he pummeled away. Such defiance was odd but expected when using non lethal tactics. He was proficient with a killing style but this was new to him. Still a gash opened up by his temple over his other eye and he began to slump until those eyes finally closed. Finally Sero would hold his fist and wait, studying the man to see if he was playing possum before being satisfied that was not the case. He would release the poor half corpse of Maigo and let him crumple to the ground. His fist dripping with the mans blood. Staining the grass beneath him even further with each drop. It was time to stop the bleeding for both Maigo and himself.

Idly he lifted the fist and opened it as he directed his palm to his weapons that had failed to hold Maigo down. Each of them fading to mist and away as if disgraced by their failure. With that cleared up Sero made a hand seal before his back bubbled with a black liquid at the small of his back. Out of it a black mist tail and a black liquid tail rose. Each several meters in length and swaying back and forth. Hissing in the cold air as if they were not as they appeared but instead something too hot for the air. Still, both tails would reach out with individual movements and begin to jab their tips down into Maigo's bleeding wounds and with a searing noise would burn each wound closed including the bleeding ones on his temple. Leaving the lip and nose alone. There would be scars on the young man from this. However Sero would be watching his back from that point forward. He felt he had woken a sleeping lion in Maigo and that was a danger to him. Still his tails would rise and face him before the air one would jet forward and close his own arm wound with a sizzle. One which Sero didn't care to flinch at.

Sero would then cross his arms and let the tails gather all the bodies and pieces around them aside from Maigo's and stack them in the pile of blood in the grass. As poorly hidden as it was there would be nothing but a questionable pile of dead ground there soon. Not even ashes. As soon as he was sure he had gathered all the parts he would release the tails and take in a deep breath before exhaling a thin mist. Easily seen through but it settled there oddly. Immediatly the birds in the surrounding tree's fled away with screeches of terror and wild life on the ground quickly followed even out of range. Everything within the mist began to peel as if their skin was just flaking away before fading to nothing into the air. Their clothes and flesh simply becoming nothing as it floated away and then their bones followed as if being peeled bit by bit and even the blood and grass remenants on the ground faded until nothing but a circle of dead earth remained and all evidence was destroyed. With that he would reach up and a seal would form in the palm of his hand. A flare colored to emergency summon medical help fired high above the tree's before bursting in brilliant light. With that he took one last glance at maigo before continuing on his way. He would keep tabs on that one.Even after he would finish the current mission he was assigned with the invisible thiefs he would be keeping an eye over his shoulder more for Maigo. He doubted the young man would be so aggressive as to break laws and attack his home or staff over this battle but he didn't trust anyone entirely. He slept with a kunai after all. Maigo would likely have hate and malice for him for years to come if not until it was satisfied. Considering the considerable willpower the Uchiha had just demonstrated he would need to find a way to make that up to him sooner rather then later. The longer he waited the stronger his new enemy would become. If he wasn't mistaken he was sure he had seen a glimpse of another tomoe forming in that eye. One more and the kid would have the Mangekyo. No small threat indeed.

6331/9000 Ninjutsu S to SS
Exit thread