Sero sat within the throne room alone. Most others had gone about their day but he had chosen to remain in the manor for the time being and prepare himself. His aura filled the chamber in a way that would suffocate any non ninja as he prepared his chakra and flexed it outwards before pulling it in like breathing over and over again. Light would fade from the room and return with each breath. Sero himself was in the center of the room. The designs on the painted windows depicting war scenes from long ago. Casting a glow over him time and time again. His grey eyes shifted across the chamber before he would kneel down as a grey pillow would form as if out of mist beneath his knee's. Settling back on his feet in his silver robes with fur around his shoulders. His silver hair spilling down around his shoulders and down his back. Flowing around him with the energy shifting through him. No weapon adorned his person and yet it felt like the room was filled with danger. Its stillness resting on the edge of a blade. Precarious as it was Sero seemed the calm constant. A being in his own element.

He had heard of Nozomi's battle. His rival pushed to her limits by a woman that was a renown criminal the world round. One Lamya by name. She was a potent med nin and a dangerous combatant. Tied tightly to the fall of the village Sunagakure. He would not underestimate this prey. Especially since the world wished her taken alive. He had a great amount of faith and knowledge in Nozomi's abilities and compared them to his own. Nothing to even slightly be scoffed at. She had won the last bout against her but this time Sero saw a challenge he wanted a turn at. To prove himself perhaps as Nozomi's equal. This woman would be an excellent example of his current capabilities. His training peaked as it were. The whole house seemed to shudder as he took in a breath of anticipation. Sharing in his excitement. A new challenger for him to conquer. If Nozomi allowed him his own shot. The room darkened as he settled back and stretched out his hands to either side with his palms up. A dark face with eight eyes forming around him from his chakra as he focused it. Bringing it to bear as he prepared his hunting ritual for someone worthy of every ounce of him.

The ceiling would begin to fill with mist as it swirled above and crackled with energy. A slow mass spinning in such a slow motion it seemed as if it threatened to accelerate at any moment. Yet nothing sealed another out of the chamber. From the mist above his entire arsenal of weapons would begin to emerge. A dance of swords and arrows, kunai and other assorted weapons floating methodically. As if to a tune only he could hear the weapons circled the room just above the level of a standing person. Dozens of them shifting as a skull mask slowly lowered down the center of the arsenal. His parted hands coming together to collect it before lowering it before himself. His silver eyes staring blankly into the empty black sockets of the mask. His hunter nin mask. He had not put it on for some time. Choosing instead to train the next generation. He could feel the difference of his power from the last time. Even Ayakashi was now a rival to him. As was this Hastur. The blades caught light from the windows and glinted red as if doused in blood. His hunting ritual beginning.

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Sero would pause as he had examined the mask for imperfections and found none. His mask had never been marked in battle but it was ritual all the same. Still the door creaking open behind him drew his attention. The blades shifted and turned. Every pointed object in the room shifted as one and their blades were directed towards the new entrant. His hands gently placed the mask down before him where he was kneeling down on the pillow in the center of the room. His right hand would raise and slowly the blades would turn away. He could feel her aura. The Iron spider had returned to visit him once more. Idly they would begin to circle once more as she fell inside the room. Stumbling for whatever reason and scattered the strongly scented food products. She would collect them he was sure but for now she was still. As if having accidentally stumbled into the den of a predator. Unsure of how it would react to her entrance. The door to her escape sliding closed behind her. Still he would take the hand he had gestured with the blades and use it once more to gesture her forward. His voice echoing in the hall like a dull and distant sound.

"Come and sit before me. Be welcomed in my hall child. You are safe from my designs for the time being."

He would wait for her to shift. Remaining still and at peace as his hands settled into his lap. If she approached another pillow would seem to form in front of him for her to settle onto. His own attention drawn to her and the mask placed between them as his dull grey eyes studied her. This close they seemed like the eyes of a man passed away some time ago. Almost faded from view. One might think him blind and yet those eyes seemed to pry. Seeking out every detail as if nothing could be hidden from him. He looked her over a moment before seeming to be satisfied. His hands would lift once more as a broadsword would lower from above and gently settle into his hands. His thin fingers running along the length of it as he studied it for imperfections he knew would not be there. Each weapon destined for the same process. He would shift its weight and check its balance in his hands before releasing it. Before it could fall to the floor it would split into mist and fade away. His attention fully on her once more. His voice splitting from between pale lips almost unnaturally. Like the dead speaking.

"I have read reports of your activities during the exams. You have done well and gained a reputation as the invincible Iron spider. A true champion in our midst and settling in Kiri with us. Truly our strength only builds to greater heights with you. Still, we gain nothing from from combat if we do not learn from it and improve. Tell me, what is it you learned while you were away?"

He would settle his hands in his lap again. His silver hair spilling around his shoulders as his aura faded slightly. Giving her room to breath as he waited to see what she had gained. He was in all appearances proud of her which seemed odd. Even he had not been a champion of the exams. Many people had lost a lot of ryo when he dropped out of the finals though. He had been assumed to be the victor at the time. Still he could not have won without killing and it had been forbidden. He had to surrender his placement. She however had crushed through the competition. She had risen above the masses.

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She would approach him as commanded and settle as best she could on the cushion provided. Her prosthetic leg lacking in the functionality it could have. He idly wondered why she had yet to weaponize it but at the same time understood it wasn't relevant to her chosen style of combat. Still one final back up weapon rarely did more harm than good for the holder. Still she would settle herself and listen to him as he would multitask paying attention to her and examining his blades. She spoke finally with more confidence than usual this time. “I've just completed my new bunraku puppet if I may show you that? As well as a new jutsu that I think will be useful for my new combat style.”. So there was not only a new puppet but a new style to go with it? She seemed rather happy with it so he would simply nod and rest his hands on his lap. Adjusting so his full attention was on the woman in front of him. If she was to be proud of a thing the least he could do was acknowledge it. If he were to approve of it however was entirely unclear.

After being acknowledged one of her hands would begin to twitch back and forth as the fingers danced. Feeding puppet string tendrils into her other hand to form a ball. Slowly the ball would gather all the strings before turning into its own shining energy source. With that she would twitch her finger and the ball would lead itself out of the hall. His grey eyes would study her without blinking until finally it could be heard. What many in the future might recount as the sound of death coming for them. A heavier metal clacked across the floor as it entered the manor than her last puppet. His head turned as he would glance over his shoulder well before it would enter the hall. Watching as the metal scorpion would barely fit within the doors frame. It would force its way in and with a lack of grace would find its position within the hall. Its presence more menacing than the spider. How interesting it was for her to switch species. Still she would speak and his attention would be drawn to her momentarily once more. Her voice carrying to him as he watched her. Studying her as he always did. His presence seeming to surround her.

“This is Doku Tsuki. It took a bit of trial and error but I'm very pleased with the results. I'm still working on the ammunition for the cannon on its tail there, but its got other things too... Its got a flamethrower, it can tunnel underground, make a sandstorm or fog... oh! And its got this sensory ability that I've made work. I can... feel? I guess it would be feel, everything around me. Like, even though I can't actually see the chef in the kitchen a few rooms over I can feel him walking about. Its... hard to explain.”

How interesting. This was more than simple control over a puppet without maintaining direct strings. She was using its abilities from outside of it. She had managed a stringless connection. Something highly useful for a puppet mistress. She was to be commended. What was more was an impressive sensory she had access to with such ease. He assumed it was similar to his own sage sensory. Still Sero would seem to raise to his feet in a fluid motion that was hardly normal for humans. With the grace of a breeze through fog. Next he was suddenly standing next to the puppet. His step having made not even the faintest sound as his hand brushed along the top of it and the tail. It was a strong and durable puppet. His hand tightened around the base of the tail and the metal wined but did not give to his grip as he only applied enough to test it. Not enough to damage it. Even he would find damaging this puppet with his bare hands more difficult. Though it became alarmingly clear he could. To consider what those fingers could do to unprotected flesh. His eyes shifted to her once more as he spoke. Pleased with her progress and yet still monotone.

"Durable and with a presence about it your targets won't forget should they survive it. You will quickly gain a reputation here. As for controlling it without a direct attachment. A milestone for any puppeteer. You are progressing quickly. I assume this was designed to cover whatever weaknesses you discovered during the exams. As for your ammo, have you considered commissioning the shop from Mizukage Ayakashi's family? The Iron Banner has a unique view on ammunition which is superior to most others in my opinion. I use their arrows myself."

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He would look over the puppet and consider its applications as the weapons began to shudder. His attention drawn back to them as he felt their pull. His influence over them waning with his concentration diverted. A sense of danger began to fall in the room around Nova as a few of the weapons began to shift and point their blades at her. As if the weapons were envious of his distraction. His weapons almost sentient in some way as if he commanded them like living things. An extension of his own chakra. However they did not shift beyond that. Making no move to attack her. However had it not been for her excitement she would feel the bloodlust easily. As it stood she would need to stretch out her senses to pick it up. She was exposed and taking the master attention away during this ritual. However they would not disobey their master. He controlled them and never the other way around. Still he would remove his hand from the puppet to satiate them for the time being. To give them comfort to discourage more of his precious weapons from turning on his student. She had worth to him now.

Still his attention had turned to the shifting moods of his weapons for just long enough that she had shifted to the puppet and opened it before he could answer with his suggestion. The clasps opening as with the spider and within she began to show him an assortment of weaponry. However for now he folded his hands in front of him. His wide brimmed sleeves sliding together to hide his hands entirely. A drill, a harpoon, an explosive and a stronger razor net than the one from before. His grey eyes watched without either approval or disapproval. However more weapons would shift as the ritual continued to be postponed. An intimate moment becoming intruded upon. Still he would ignore them as she asked her final questions. Inquiring as to if he had been at the exams and for whom he was preparing to hunt. He would frown now as so much had been said without him being allowed to respond to even her first question. Waiting a moment in silence as he let it sink in that her lips had led her too quickly in the conversation with her master. Only after a moment of silence would he speak once more to address her questions in order.

"As per your current weaponry, something with a bit of shrapnel spread would be a sufficient addition. Blanket an area with bits of anything moving quickly enough and you will cause sufficient damage and bleeding to your target. A bleeding enemy is one soon to fall to their own weakness. Gaining more and more ground over them. As for the exams, I cannot move in Kumo without alarms being raised. If I so much as approach the border I would likely be met with their most elite troops as a precaution. However my position grants me authority over those who had gone and reports were filed. As for who this is all for, that is the business of hunter nin and you are not one. That said this particular target is beyond you even with this tool. All of my students would simply be turned to the butcher if I brought any of you. For now you must go as I still need to finish preparing." With that he would turn from her. Not waiting for a bow or anything of the sort. For just as suddenly as he had faded from view and appeared next to her puppet he had returned to his seated position on his pillow. Another weapon floating down to his hands almost gleefully as he examined it. Returning to his ritual. The air in the room becoming difficult for even her to ignore the weapons intent for her. An intent which radiated great harm upon her.

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