The forest smelled like blood, and Shinako regretted leaving the house. A string of poachings by petty bandits on the Nara grazing lands had demanded her attention, but she could have addressed that during daylight hours, or asked the Military Police to help her bring them to justice. It was her growing wanderlust that had driven her out of the maddening quiet of her ancestral home, and into the dark game-trails by the Naka river. The blue of her Kimono camouflaged her against the grey night-time hues of the trees, and she moved slowly. The paisley pattern of the garment almost looked like foliage, but she kept her senses open to the possibility of an ambush.

The bandits were not sophisticated, and showed no sign of a Shinobi’s guile or skill, but they carried bows and arrows as dangerous as any ninja might. Perhaps they had recently succeeded in bringing down another large buck, and were in the area skinning it. A loud splash of water broke across the Kunoichi’s ears as she moved and tracked, the scent of blood growing stronger and stronger. Shinako had, at least, taken the time to arm herself before embarking on this endeavor, and now took advantage of that fact, reaching to the small of her back and removing a single Kunai knife from her weapons pouch. She palmed the handle of the cold steel in her left hand, holding the weapon in a reverse grip and keeping it close to her chest.

Nothing could have prepared her for the scene. Rougher now, the terrain around the sandy banks of the Naka; and now, with an almost religious revelation, the sight of the river, and the still-wet corpses, blood black in the moonlight like oil, with a sheen that so shattered all who looked. Shinako’s lungs burned, and she expelled an audible gasp, her pulse immediately shooting to its upper limits. Her breathing began to get away from her, and she crouched down beside a tree, making herself as small as possible. What sort of monster, now hidden in the depths of the river, had done this?

The young woman’s eyes scanned the glinting surface of the river, which had become such a dark metaphor in her recent days. Even in the dark, it was not difficult for her to locate the figure of a man near the surface. Perhaps it was another corpse, if anything was to be gleaned from the stillness of it. Shinako’s shadow lay between her body and the scene, subconsciously acting as a buffer between herself and the horrors before her. Her mind raced with possibilities as she took in the stillness around her. Not even the normal sounds of the night permeated the deafening silence.

Shinako’s right hand reached down for a smooth river stone, about half the size of her own fist. Her fingers shook with fear, and the solid, cool surface of the rock calmed her slightly. The splash had been the last sound to come from the scene, and whoever floated beneath the surface of the river might still be alive. She had had enough of drowned men for one lifetime. A single name flashed through her mind as she raised her right arm and hurled the stone at the back of the floating figure.

550/550

Shinako’s eyes widened as the stranger drew his steel. There was enough distance between the two of them that she was not quite worried about physical attacks. The ten meters of water acted as a buffer of sorts, and it was probably the first time she was glad to be this near to a flowing body. The stranger was little more than a boy, but even by the low light of the moon Shinako could see the blood still clinging to the edges of his blades. If appearances were to be believed, the boy was not injured. Was it possible that he had killed all of the people that lay behind him? A shiver ran down Shinako’s spine as he spoke.

She tried to remain calm, not wishing to provoke a possible killer. She maintained her low, crouched position, keeping the right side of her body very close to the trunk of the tree. The massive arbor might provide cover from a ranged attack, or break line of sight between the two if she needed to escape. Her voice, at least, did not betray her fear in the moment.

“Put your weapons down, Dante-san….we can talk about what happened here.”

The Kunoichi took a gulp of air and swallowed hard, trying to stop the advancing dryness in her mouth. When she exhaled, the air around her face seemed hot. The boy’s red eyes glinted in the light reflected by the surface of the river, and it took every ounce of will Shinako had not to bolt into the forest. She should have told someone where she was going, at the very least, but here she was. The feeling was akin to being on an island, surrounded by sharks. Even from her tactically advantageous position, she could not help but feel exposed. She fed a miniscule amount of chakra into a gnarled log nestled in the roots of the tree, preparing for a high-speed substitution maneuver if the occasion should call for it. The sound of the stranger’s name did not comfort her. It was familiar, but she could not quite put her finger on where she had heard it.

“And what exactly is that?”

Her speech had become slightly disjointed, one idea not flowing smoothly into the next, as it often did when she was stressed.

“What happened here, I mean….”

Perhaps he would answer her question honestly. Confirmation of the actual circumstances would allow her to formulate her next move. Shinako brushed the bangs from her face with her right hand; she couldn’t afford to have any sort of obstruction if Uchiha Dante confirmed her suspicion. In a show of good will, Shinako raised the Kunai in her right hand, showing it clearly to the boy across the river and then placing it on the rocky sand in front of her. By her estimation, she would not be winning any close-quarters battles with blades any time soon, so she was not truly disarming herself. Her shadow tugged at her toe in anticipation.

Even though she was trying to disarm the tension of the situation, Shinako could not quite bring herself to smile. Normally the gesture came very easily, but there, by the river, surrounded by death and decay, the notion displaying that sort of kind signal made her feel sick.

550/1,100

All of her suspicions confirmed, there was but one course of action left. Shinako had to bring him in, and she hoped that Kyohei would know what to do with him. She avoided looking directly at the bodies, as they would only unnerve her more. It boded well that the boy was acquiescing to an arrest attempt. The young woman wished that she had handcuffs, or sturdy rope, but she had been expecting to scare off a few poachers, not to deal with a killer. Her brow furrowed with worry, noticing his few moments of discomfort. Perhaps he was wounded, and ready to give up.

“I’m glad we could figure all of this out. Now we have to go into town and report it.”

Shinako was once again grateful that her voice didn't break, though there was decidedly more gravel in it than there normally was. It was a well-practiced instrument, and seldom let her down.

“I’m going to cross the river now, and tie my sash around your wrists. Would that be alright, Dante-san?”

In the academy they had learned techniques for projecting confidence and authority. Her voice did just that, even though her hands were still shaking. She neglected once again to give him her name, and didn’t think it was safe to do so. The hint of something she might recognize in his name still lingered, but she did not devote any mental power to figuring it out. Instead, she thought about the list of tricks at her disposal should things go south here. As an Uchiha, his eyes would cut through the darkness even better than her own, and might even detect the clandestine movements of her shadow. Genjutsu was next to useless against eyes like that, so she would have to attempt to take his back, which would be difficult all alone.

If she were to march him back to town, she would have to keep him in front of her at all times. Falling quiet, she untied her sash in one quick movement of her left hand, allowing the silk garment to fall loosely into her hand. The opening at the front of her kimono revealed a bright yellow camisole that stood in stark contrast to the muted tones of the rest of the forest. It would be easy to identify and hit in a tussle, and Shinako made a mental note to burn the garment if she made it out of this. It was time to go.

Shinako did not wait for Uchiha Dante’s response. She had made it relatively clear that his choice in the matter was only superficial. The young woman stood from her position and circled around to her left, stepping out onto the surface of the water and concentrating on remaining above it. With measured steps, she walked a bit up-stream as she crossed. In this way, she would arrive at Dante’s back after making it to the other side of the banks, provided he did not turn to track her motion. She kept her eyes focused on him, searching to detect any hidden weapons and finding none. The scent of blood grew stronger as she crossed the Naka, and it almost made her wretch.

Everything about this triggered a keen sense of regret in Shinako. Her sharp eyes located Uchiha Dante’s shadow, in case she had to act to subdue him by less conventional means than her sash. She approached to within five meters and waited for him to place his hands behind his back. Her feet were now solidly on the far side of the river, and the dead men were at her back as she faced the direction from which she had come.

615/1,715

Things were getting bad. So close to her own home, there was no way that Shinako could allow this killer to slink back off into the darkness. She could not risk the possibility that he would kill again, even if his victims were poachers. Konoha was a place of law and order, and by his assertions about what the Shinobi of Konoha had to learn, the young woman was able to ascertain that he was not from the village. She wished that she had brought back-up with her, but for now all she could do was survive. As the stranger moved away from her, Shinako dropped her sash into the sand, freeing both of her hands to perform seals.

Analytical prowess was really her strongest suit, and Shinako’s mind started to move at a suitable rate for battle. Uchiha Dante utilized two long knives, but instead of closing the distance he widened it, giving the Kunoichi the impression that he was preparing either to escape or to perform a ranged attack. If Tenzo, Kyohei, and the rest of the Uchiha were any indication, that assault would come in the form of fire. The air around Shinako’s mouth felt hot as an oven, and her tongue was dry with adrenaline. The boy seemed young and brash, so she decided that she would make him earn every inch of his desired escape.

From this distance, Shinako could see that the tell-tale markings of the Sharingan were not present in the stranger’s eyes, and perceived that this might be an opening for an illusion. Sometimes, in battle, it was best to give an opponent a taste of their own medicine. The summoning of flames to scorch her foes was not quite in her wheel-house, but that would not stop her from pretending it was. Shinako rooted herself in place and formed five seals.

“I can’t afford to have a killer on the loose. Please excuse the heat.”

The young woman raised her hand to her mouth and allowed the illusion to take effect, giving off the impression that she had summoned a giant fireball. From this distance, the illusory attack would be more than an ample distraction, and perhaps would open an avenue for a more decisive attack. As any skilled user of Genjutsu would do, Shinako monitored her newfound opponent’s reaction to her technique. There were telltale signs that the victim had proven susceptible to this particular technique, and the first was their reaction to the immediate burning sensation, followed by the belief that they were actually on fire. She would know he had been taken in if he endeavored to defend himself against the intense flames of the illusion, and she was cautious to see what form his defense would take.

460/2,175

Chakra 185/200:

Flames hailed down on the man and it was time to make his escape. Certainly an amusing ability, but definitely not that of a normal person. A mere speculation only. Was this another genjutsu? If it was Dante glared at the flames. He attempted to open his mangekyou but to no avail. The best he could muster was a one tomoe. Thus, he decided not use his eyes until time was right.

As it was about to hit him, the chakra he was channeling to one of his tantos would finally be useful. He would use the so-called substitution Jutsu to disappear into the woods and glare at her from behind the trees, glaring he positioned himself behind her as he substituted. If she reacted to his substitution strangely then it would mean one thing. To her what appeared was merely him becoming a tanto, otherwise, she would see flames devour his body. As of now his body is yet to be trained properly. His speed residing at the base. 

He was different from others. Where an Uchiha would learn at their village, by a respectable instructor, Dante learned by the men that raped his sister and killed his family. He glared at the woman's back as he prepared to go in for the kill. He wouldn't kill her assuming he lands his combination. Instead, he would take her to his tiny hideout where healing supplements resided. The reason? She could feel pity for those criminals. Dante and his friends were considered criminals as children, even though they've been brainwashed and forced to kill for their masters. They were slaves, and as their destruction spread the villages decided that "They're beyond saving and should be killed." It was then that a squad made up of each village took the life of his comrades. A simple thought occurred to his head. Perhaps, if she was Kage, she would've shown mercy to his friends, perhaps.... No, he imagined what could never be, his friends are dead. This was a mere sign of weakness, and Dante dissipated such thoughts...

The young man's hatred burned further as he remembered those that had fallen. He had to be careful. His only solution against her is his combination of techniques. His combination could create an A-ranked technique but came with a heavy drawback, the chakra cost. Enraged he rushed with his technique "bullet" at the girl as her back faced him crossing ten meters in a single second and activating his other technique "Fire king" before unleashing six balls of flames the cover fifteen meters in a single second. Dante unleashed all six towards her controlling them. Since they were released with fire king mode, the technique was strengthened becoming a B-ranked technique.

Normally his technique would move at the base speed of C-ranked technique, which means it could pass 15 meters a second. However, as he made the distance between them non-existent with his jutsu "Bullet", and as he strengthened it to the next rank which is B-ranked. The technique had a base speed of twenty-five meters a second and between them were no more than a few centimeters. The range was increased to the base of the next range as well meaning the balls was now forty meters. Six balls of flames would strike her dealing minor third-degree burns.  Should she have an endurance capable of withstanding the damage from a B-ranked technique simply meant that Dante was in big trouble. However, should she attempt to dodge the flames she would need to cross twenty-five meters a second, or at least twenty meters a second assuming his calculations were correct. 

He aimed to knock her out and keep her safe, and it is that stupid mercy that touched him. While his cold exterior remains, the young man had a heart, he always did and it was why he could become a powerful shinobi. However, he was reduced to nothing but a genin, and that frustrated him.

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Chakra[100/150]:

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Note: I hate coding.

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words: 3335

It appeared that the killer’s prowess with illusion, or at least for spotting them, was not as advanced as some of his clansmen. He substituted to avoid the purely illusory flames, leaving his long-knife behind in his place. The Hellfire Genjutsu was a somewhat common and easily countered technique for most practitioners of Illusion Arts, and Uchiha Dante’s reaction to it betrayed that he was not as practiced as Shinako might have once believed. That boded well for her. For now, however, she would have to react to whatever counter the boy planned to launch.

The Kunoichi focused on her senses, utilizing her hearing to locate the second pop characteristic to the substitution jutsu. As was common, it manifested behind her, reaching her ears a split second later than the telltale sound of the first release of chakra where the tanto now lay on the ground. Much to Shinako’s confusion, the move was that of an amateur. Was it truly possible that her opponent had killed so many? His skills, even in the realm of combat where Shinako did not quite excel, showed the sloppy marks of a Genin. When she heard the flurry of motion behind her, she knew what was coming before it happened and delved into her own chakra reserves to counter.

The heat of the boy’s combined techniques was intense and terrifying, far beyond Shinako’s most recent estimation of his skill level. It was clear that he had put some thought into the ninjutsu. Even as she felt the rushing sensation of motion brought on by her own substitution technique, the deafening roar of flames and impact startled her. A moment later she was safely crouched behind the gnarled roots of the tree across the river, where she had prepared her substitution. The sound of the Katon technique unleashed by her foe would more than cover the sound of her escape, most likely leaving him in the dark about her location. She had to act quickly to maintain the deception, before he realized his technique had struck nothing but water and wood.

Her vision of the boy’s location was obscured from across the river by a wall of steam, debris, and smoke, though the light of the Fire Style technique illuminated the dark forest for a few brief moments. In the noise, she could not quite pin down his exact position with her ears either. All of her techniques required some degree of precision but one, and she would put that Jutsu to use now. Shinako formed four handseals and ten stones on the near side of the river levitated into the smoky air, glinting in the dying light as her chakra compressed them into rocky blades and hurled them forward.

The stones converged on the center of the steamy obstruction, though they retained enough spread that they would each land about a meter from one another. In this way, two of the projectiles, at most, might hit her foe. However, the technique was to serve as a distraction while the smoke cleared. As the stones flew, Shinako slipped behind the tree to her right, using its mass to further obscure the sight-line between the two. Drawing a tight angle around it, she headed back toward the river, this time taking the path around to her right. Once she made it to the other side of the bank, she looked back at the debris cloud to see if her distraction had connected, and whether she could reestablish visual contact with the target.

585/2,760

Chakra 170/200:

A substitution technique and beyond it his blade untouched. If the Jutsu she supposedly threw at him was really what he thought it to be. It should have damaged his blade, regardless of how weak it was. The Kunoichi was relentless. She launched another attack, and as he heard the stones pierced the wind he turned around and launched multiple blades of wind the destroyed the stones as they rushed towards him.

The Uchiha felt ashamed, if he had an ounce of his strength, this whole fight would have ended in a second. The cost for this fight would have been the entire forest set ablaze. Dante spoke loudly as he launched the blades. "Your conviction is weak lady Kunoichi. You've yet to live tragedy. Spoiled and raised a princess. Only when you've lost people you love, only when you feel hatred, only when you feel the despair of tragedy.... Only then will you understand the necessity of murder."

As her stones were destroyed by his wind strikes delivered to them he continued while walking to pick up his blade. "Genjutusu huh? There are a million ways to uncover if the opponent uses Genjutsu or not dear. I used my blade for a reason. Had I my eyes, this forest would be pitch black in undying flames."

He taunted, and before he sheathes his two swords. He spoke "Till we meet again Kunoichi." He spoke his final words and before long used his Body flicker Ninjutsu. Allowing him to poof away from the area into his safe haven far far far, from where the two had fought.

She was interesting, however, now the young man had gotten a proper evaluation of his body, and his movements along with his chakra.

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Jutsu used:

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WC TOTAL: 3627
[EXIT THREAD]