"Your mission is simple, head to the village towards the east boarder and take out the group of bandits that continue to attack it. The village may be a small one, but it is in our country, show the bandits what happens when you decided to break out laws, and harm those belonging to this country" Zeref smirked, finally an interesting mission, a group of bandits needed to be dealt with, and there wasn't any 'no kill' order given, which meant Zeref didn't need to hold back. Just like the past few mission Zeref was teaming up with Tomohiro, one of his teammates, and would be meeting him outside of the village. This will be the third time they had to team up, both were still genin but they were being tasked with chunnin level missions. Was it cause the village was short on higher ranking shinobi, or was it because Zeref and Tomohiro made an effective team? Zeref wasn't to sure, he never bothered to ask the one who assigned the missions, but it didn't matter to Zeref. Pay him well, give him something interesting that allowed him to grow stronger and he would complete it.

Zeref left the administrator building and headed towards the gate to meet Tomohiro for their mission. From what Zeref was told the bandits wouldn't be anything two hard to take down, nor would there be many of them. Zeref figured he could do the mission himself, but the village denied him that request stating they wanted the duo to go together. The denial raised another question, why was the village so intent on pairing the two, yes they were teammates, but it was clear they both were above average genin, it would be cheaper to allow them to go solo, and yet they denied it at every turn. Zeref has seen this tactic before, when someone wanted a well built team, they would continue to put them together until two people become one, was the village attempting to do that with him and Tomohiro? If that was the case, they would regret trying to manipulate him, he could careless about Tomohiro, but he would not be used as a tool.

Zeref went through the gates of the village, the guard waving no longer bothering to ask why he was leaving, they were used to seeing Zeref going in and out of the village almost on the daily now. Zeref was most likely one of the most active shinobi of the village no matter the rank. He had just joined a few weeks ago, and already has nine missions complete, this about to be ten. That was about a mission every other day, and that was on top of sparing, team meetings, and other training. 

Zeref saw Tomohiro ahead and lift his hand in the air. "Yo, Tomohiro." Most days, and with most people Zeref would have to act a certain way, but Tomohiro wasn't as annoying as others. He didn't try and have small talk, or be friends with Zeref, no it was all about the mission, and completing it, it made Tomohiro a useful tool to have. "Ready for a different kind of hunt?" He was speaking of the boar hunting mission they had not to long ago, but this time they were hunting people. Usually the mission would be a non killing mission, but it seems the village was tired of trying that with the bandits, it was time to send them a message. something Zeref was born and trained to do, it was about time.

602

Tomohiro was a bit excited that they were able to take on a group of bandits. This was a mission he had been waiting for. It was another mission used to show their prowess as shinobi. The fact that the village elders allowed them to take on such a task was excruciatingly uplifting. He would get to go all out with chains attached. The young swordsman would finally be able to take on a suitable target. He didn’t like having to hold back because of certain rules. Though, rules were in place for specific reasons. This would be the most action he had seen in awhile outside of the boar mission. It seemed like each mission had escalated to something even more promising. His blade striking boar flesh excited him. Human flesh was a different story all together.

He had already been waiting by the gate for their mission to start. This mission would definitely solidify their standing as deserving to be chunin. Two C-Rank missions successfully completed. He wondered what could done about the two of them. So far, the answer would be nothing of their rank could possibly stop the duo. They seemed to mayhem and destruction where they roamed. Tomohiro enjoyed causing destruction lowkey. It was something about watching an object go up in flames that gave him a certain pleasure. As far as relationship wise, he and Zeref were nothing more than associates. They were just teammates that were able to handle missions effectively together. Tomohiro believed that shinobi should be more than teammates. Though the way things had been going between the two genin. It was for the best that they kept their relationship as is. There was nothing wrong with being called a comrade.

The air, though chilly, had been calming. Tomohiro had been lost in thought as he stood at the gate. The words of his sensei still rung through him about him learning other techniques that didn’t require katon. He was already well versed with a blade in hand. A sword just felt natural to him. It was like a extended part of his body. That was the way he had been trained. He was glad that his blade had been sharp and not a dull point.

A voice took him out of his own world into the present as Zeref lifted his hand. Tomohiro just bowed with a slightly wicked smile. He adjusted his kasa as Zeref asked, “Ready for a different kind of hunt?” Tomohiro nodded his head before speaking.

“We’ll make sure they know where there place is in the world. Let the slaughter begin.”

Tomohiro then turned to begin their journey to the village. This had been one of the furthest mission he had taken so far. It wasn’t everyday that a couple of genin were able to make there way to the border with just the two of them. Tomohiro figured that it was all a test to test their skill and probably loyalty. He didn’t push it past the elders of a shinobi village to do something like that. As he approached the village, he could smell burning wood. That wasn’t a good sign, but he couldn’t tell if it was a bonfire or if it was arson.

550

“We’ll make sure they know where there place is in the world. Let the slaughter begin.” Was the Answer given to the question Zeref asked. Although Zeref didn't have an issue with killing, but it seemed Tomohiro was seeking it out rather then it being another mission. It was one thing to kill off a bandit through orders, or self defense, but to seek out blood was another. Those who get lost in blood lust drew attention, unwanted attention. Zeref pushed the thoughts from his head and headed off towards the small village that keeps being attacked.

As they got closer Zeref noticed smoke rising through the horizon and the smell of burning wood, neither were good signs. Zeref looked at Tomohiro as he drew his sword from his back. "Circle around to the east side and flank them. If you see any bandits feel free to take them out." Zeref didn't wait for a response as he went to the west side of the village and button hooked inwards.

Leaping onto a roof Zeref used the smoke of the fire to hide his figure, in the center of the village was the group of bandits, guess they didn't move on from when the village sent out for help. Zeref counted five people in total, two were near the east side, which meant Tomohiro would come into contact with them, one was a few meters from Zeref, and the final two were in the middle. In the middle of the village with the two bandits were also the towns people, all on their knees, one bandit shouting at them. "If yall just paid your taxes, we wouldn't have to come here and collect it ourselves." No doubt the one speaking was the leader. Zeref didn't want to waste more time on this mission, the bandits were nothing to be to concerned about from the reports they got.

Zeref throw one kunai at the one bandit just below up, catching him in the shoulder, as she cried out in pain Zeref jumped down with his sword slashing it across his chest, blood spraying his face dabbing it with blood. Zeref stood up, the two bandits in the middle wide eyed at the site, which made sense. Zeref was now covered in blood, holding a sword, gauntlets on each hand and a burning building behind him, his eyes burned harder then the flames that were licking as his back. "I'm here to pay for their taxes."  Zeref bent down picking up his kunai clipping it back onto his belt before walking towards the center of the village.

"Who the hell are you?!"  The leader clearly was pissed off that one of his men were taken out like nothing more then a flea. Some of the village people started to slip away now that both the leader and the other were looking at Zeref. Zeref didn't need to see, or hear what happened to the other two bandits, he had full faith that Tomohiro has already taken them out and was most likely waiting for Zeref to give a sign to attack. It was another reason they worked so well together, commands could be given without words, or signs, both were able to assume the others ideas during missions, they were a well tuned machine.

Zeref leaned his sword on his shoulder looking at the two bandits in front of him. "Not sure why dead men wish to know my name." Two two bandits moved towards him and away from the hostages. Zeref throw his sword towards the two, it quickly melted and turned into five cannon balls at the last second, which then exploded sending shrapnel into the one bandit in the front, leaving him to lay on the ground in pain, the leader was mostly unharmed, was on ass. Zeref reformed his sword picking up up from the ground as he stood over the hurt bandit. "I, I know who you are, what you are." The hurt bandit tried to move away from Zeref, fear in his eyes. Zeref reached down picking up the bandit by the face, his hand gripping the sides of his jaw. "You speak to much. As Zeref spoke these words his gauntlet melted away and entered the bandits mouth sending molten steel down his throat, the bandit jerked a few times before going still as death took a hold of him. The steel slipped back up the now dead bandits throat reforming the gauntlet on Zerefs hand, dropping the dead body to the ground, his eyes locking in on the now terrified leader.

775/1377

Tomohiro nodded at Zeref to move to the east. The young Nakir bounded off to get a view on the situation. It didn’t take him long to get around to the east side of the village. He slipped between two houses almost stepping on a few chickens that had been running wild. Tomohiro could make out voices in the distance. They were threatening and didn’t sound quite happy. Tomohiro didn’t like those who threatened the weak. You couldn’t get stronger by taking action against the weak. The closer he got the voices then became clearer. There were two men, but he could tell that they were a bit distant from the corner he was nearing. He stopped at the corner of the house and removed his headband. He used it as a mirror to see what was happening around the corner.

“You should have given us our just do. Who else would protect you,” one said.

“Yep, you only brought this upon yourself. Boss would have let you carry on if usual if you weren’t late,” another stated.

Tomohiro noticed two bodies that had corralled a few villagers against a house. From here he couldn’t tell where the boss had been. It seemed like the smoke started to spread heavily on the ground. Tomohiro would need to take out the bandit in front of him. He tied his headband back as he used a cart between the houses to propel himself on to the roof. His rusted sword had been removed from it’s bamboo scabbard. A kunai had been drawn from his weapon pouch as he held the small weapon in his left hand. He reversed gripped the kunai while he held his katana in a forward grip. Today would be the last day that these bandits would breath.

The young Nakir ran on top of one roof and leaped to the other. The bandits were still verbally downgrading their hostages and had been distracted by their onslaught of words. Tomohiro leaped from the roof and slashed down with his katana toward one of the bandits neck. The liquid of life released from his neck. Tomohiro landed in a squatted position and stabbed the now shocked bandit in the neck twice with his kunai as he rose.

The young shinobi had blood that covered his hands and face. One young girl looked up to him like a hero. The gleam in her eyes toward Tomohiro’s emotionless face. Another villager that looked like he could have been her father pushed her along with the other retreating villagers. Tomohiro nodded toward the little girl before flourishing his blades to remove the blood. He sheathed his katana and placed the kunai in his bag. He started to move back to Zeref’s position. He hoped to have meet other bandits, but he didn’t seem to get his wish. Killing the two bandits made him excited. It was the first time he took the life of human beings...and he liked it.

The warmness of the red oil that stained his hands felt quite pleasant. He started to smile with a low chuckle. Was this what he sought as a shinobi. This feeling as amazing. The adrenaline that flowed through was like a lioness after a fresh hunt. Now, he knew what his grandfather had warned about. The madness that could possibly drive a man to lose sight of his goals. Tomohiro didn’t know a feeling like this existed. He had gotten close to this feeling many times before, but this was on a whole new scale. He glanced back toward his victims and liked seeing his work. Too bad that he wouldn’t be able to take on all of the bandits. He would have loved to salt the earth with their blood. The pain and shock of his victims falling was almost maddening that he could leap at ten bandits without a care.

As he moved through the light smoke, he could see Zeref gripping the sides of a bandits jaws. Tomohiro moved slowly as the leader seemed to be mostly unharmed, but he wanted to change that. The experienced genin ran up to the grounded leader and kneed him as he tried to get up and make a break for it. The leader started wiping the blood from his mouth as Tomohiro approached. The reaper was calling for his soul.

Tomohiro placed his boot onto the man’s chest. Zeref had taken out the last bandit during their first mission together. This time he wouldn’t let Zeref take what was he deemed as his kill. Though, he would make the man suffer. He didn’t care if the man had any family. Tomohiro just wanted to see the light leave his eyes. This was something Tomohiro wanted to do. The man’s eyes widened as Tomohiro slowly drew his blade. Katon chakra flowed through the rusted blade as he stabbed the leader of the bandits in the shoulder. He screamed at the searing pain that left a hole in him. Tomohiro’s eyes widened in slight excitement as he jabbed again to the leader’s other shoulder.

Watching the man suffer excited him. It was like an incoherent voice had been leading him to take his time, but his consciousness told him to hurry up and end it. Tomohiro placed the hot blade on the man’s stomach and aimed for his diaphragm. He thrusted his blade to end him. There were no more screams that could be heard as the leader’s body went into shock and ceased to move anymore. As the man lie dying. Tomohiro began to whisper to him, “Walk the shadows of the void.”

Tomohiro then turned to Zeref and started to walk to his direction. He shifted his kasa and started walking past his teammate. There was no point in addressing the villagers. His job was done. The mission was over. He would let the village or the villagers handle the clean up. The village mortician would probably deliver any report of the bodies status to the elders. Tomohiro hoped they knew what they were in for. The Nakir had gone from a spark to a small ember. What next would fuel the flames that burned within him?

[Thread Exit]

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100/100 words [+25 additional ryo]
3 words unused

Zeref watched as Tomohiro took care of the leader, making it more painful then need be perhaps, but he wasn't going to stop him. As the leaders life left him Tomohiro simply walked passed Zeref heading out of the small village. Zeref on the other hand looked around slightly, the villagers were already starting to put out the flames of their buildings, as well as dragging the bodies together, as if it was no big deal, maybe it wasn't either way Zeref didn't really care. The mission was completed with again little hassle, the only thing somewhat bothersome was Tomohiros building thirst for blood, Zeref would take care of it one way or another if it ended up becoming a problem for him. Zeref turned and headed out of the village.

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