1 Force on the docks (Hanbei/Nk) Sun Aug 27, 2017 1:32 am
Rippa
D-rank
Rippa had maintained his residence at the sword saint compound while awaiting further summons to the Hokage's office. He was concerned with the rapid change of Kage but other than that was perfectly happy to be back among his men. His trip to Kumo had been nothing but fruitful he thought though not much in the way of fruit. There had been a shift in seating there as well so he wasn't able to meet with the Raikage. He had however met with a fairly prolific member of their jounin ranks and taught them a bit of ninjutsu. Hopefully by strengthening their forces konoha would be looked upon favorably by their neighbors in the mountains. Regardless it was no longer his issue. Instead he was taking the time being back home to relax a little. Skirmishes on the border were becoming smaller so it was mostly being handled by the ANBU patrols leaving his men alive and healthy. All was well within the division and yet something was different. The men had bred themselves night and day for combat. They lived through battle after battle and were constantly prepared for the next one. Being on leave had been nice for the first couple of days. After that a couple fights broke out and tempers were high. The men were in need of direction and release. They weren't blood thirsty animals but they were dogs of war being chained to a pillar. Alpha dog among them or no they were prone to misbehave.
He himself was laying in his cot in the barracks as the morning sun was just rising. His swords were still on the stand having been left to dry what little polish was left on them rather than being immediately re-sheathed. He was a creature of habit and his habits had him clean his weapons as often as was possible. In the compound it was safer to take apart the hilt of his weapons and clean it entirely. In the field he had to settle for a cloth being wiped across it here and there. Still his sky blue eyes would shift to the sound of boots slamming on wood as they drew nearer to his door. His body would shift upwards in one rapid motion as he spun. Grabbing his swords by the handles as his feet hit the ground and turning with crossbows pointed at the threat. Hammers cocked back. His men respected the barracks and under any normal circumstances wouldn't set boots on the wood of the barracks itself. It was disrespectful to ones home. Boots were removed prior to entering. That left another possibility. One he would confirm in a moments notice. Two shadows loomed in his door before it slammed open. A pair of masked bandits were there somehow within the village. Each with a katana in hand. How they got into the sword saint grounds was beyond him but he wouldn't spend time guessing. The moment they both slammed into the room with weapons drawn practically dripping killing intent he pulled the triggers on his crossbow.
The first man took a bolt through the eye and fell back to the ground with a thud. His body already dead before he hit the ground. The second managed to step into the crossbows path and take it to the shoulder. Before he could recover from it though Rippa had slid passed him in a step as his katana blade would slice the mans gut. In the end of that step he would be in the courtyard. A single drop of blood dripping from his blade. He would swish it so the blood would fall away before turning to face his attackers. The man he had caught in the shoulder pulled the bolt out and tossed it to the ground at Rippa's feet. An impressive throw since Rippa was several meters away and he was holding his guts in. The man pulled down his mask as he stumbled forward and spat at Rippa. Smiling through blood soaked teeth. "You may have saved yerself captain. But the docks is already ours. The village burns tonight!" With that he grinned and a surge of chakra happened on both his arm and the dead mans. Rippa saw it starting and immediately launched himself backwards. Not sure what would happen but glad he did. He could only shield his face and drop to a knee as two barely separate explosions rocked the barracks tearing his room to bits. A small fire started where the two men were now just stains on his walls.
Quickly men were assigned to put out the fire while the majority of the compound was raised to emergency status. Men armed themselves in full combat gear ranging from light to heavy armor. Men with spears shifted with men with swords and shields. Behind them men with bows and crossbows formed single file lines in four single file lines of eight. A total of eight swords and shields with sixteen spears and thirty two archers ready to go on a moments notice. Rippa himself was dressed in his command gear. A dark vest with a long red coat with the captain symbol on the back and a konoha headband stitched into each shoulder. Dark pants and boots on underneath with his belt of ammo tightened securely. His twin katana crossbow were fully loaded on his back crossed over each other. With that done he led the men in a rapid movement march to the docks. When they arrived fires had already started and people were fleeing the docks themselves. There were only two ramps up from the docks with wide stone staircases. As they arrived he positioned four swords and eight spears with two archers at each entrance. Along the ridge between the two ramps moving up the other thirty archers lined up and took aim waiting for any bandits to start funneling in through the single entrance to the docks. A cement gate that stood open with only smoke from the fires visible inside. Rippa stood behind the archers stroking his beard. Odd that they seemed to be waiting for them to charge. What would benefit them from close range combat?
1043
He himself was laying in his cot in the barracks as the morning sun was just rising. His swords were still on the stand having been left to dry what little polish was left on them rather than being immediately re-sheathed. He was a creature of habit and his habits had him clean his weapons as often as was possible. In the compound it was safer to take apart the hilt of his weapons and clean it entirely. In the field he had to settle for a cloth being wiped across it here and there. Still his sky blue eyes would shift to the sound of boots slamming on wood as they drew nearer to his door. His body would shift upwards in one rapid motion as he spun. Grabbing his swords by the handles as his feet hit the ground and turning with crossbows pointed at the threat. Hammers cocked back. His men respected the barracks and under any normal circumstances wouldn't set boots on the wood of the barracks itself. It was disrespectful to ones home. Boots were removed prior to entering. That left another possibility. One he would confirm in a moments notice. Two shadows loomed in his door before it slammed open. A pair of masked bandits were there somehow within the village. Each with a katana in hand. How they got into the sword saint grounds was beyond him but he wouldn't spend time guessing. The moment they both slammed into the room with weapons drawn practically dripping killing intent he pulled the triggers on his crossbow.
The first man took a bolt through the eye and fell back to the ground with a thud. His body already dead before he hit the ground. The second managed to step into the crossbows path and take it to the shoulder. Before he could recover from it though Rippa had slid passed him in a step as his katana blade would slice the mans gut. In the end of that step he would be in the courtyard. A single drop of blood dripping from his blade. He would swish it so the blood would fall away before turning to face his attackers. The man he had caught in the shoulder pulled the bolt out and tossed it to the ground at Rippa's feet. An impressive throw since Rippa was several meters away and he was holding his guts in. The man pulled down his mask as he stumbled forward and spat at Rippa. Smiling through blood soaked teeth. "You may have saved yerself captain. But the docks is already ours. The village burns tonight!" With that he grinned and a surge of chakra happened on both his arm and the dead mans. Rippa saw it starting and immediately launched himself backwards. Not sure what would happen but glad he did. He could only shield his face and drop to a knee as two barely separate explosions rocked the barracks tearing his room to bits. A small fire started where the two men were now just stains on his walls.
Quickly men were assigned to put out the fire while the majority of the compound was raised to emergency status. Men armed themselves in full combat gear ranging from light to heavy armor. Men with spears shifted with men with swords and shields. Behind them men with bows and crossbows formed single file lines in four single file lines of eight. A total of eight swords and shields with sixteen spears and thirty two archers ready to go on a moments notice. Rippa himself was dressed in his command gear. A dark vest with a long red coat with the captain symbol on the back and a konoha headband stitched into each shoulder. Dark pants and boots on underneath with his belt of ammo tightened securely. His twin katana crossbow were fully loaded on his back crossed over each other. With that done he led the men in a rapid movement march to the docks. When they arrived fires had already started and people were fleeing the docks themselves. There were only two ramps up from the docks with wide stone staircases. As they arrived he positioned four swords and eight spears with two archers at each entrance. Along the ridge between the two ramps moving up the other thirty archers lined up and took aim waiting for any bandits to start funneling in through the single entrance to the docks. A cement gate that stood open with only smoke from the fires visible inside. Rippa stood behind the archers stroking his beard. Odd that they seemed to be waiting for them to charge. What would benefit them from close range combat?
1043