'What happens when the absolute energy which moves the universe strikes that which is null and void?‘

Ayakashi's opponent seemed to be on point, the brief combined attack from the hunter captain, Nozomi, seemed to be sealed away at the deft fingertips of the Fuinjutsu master that stood defiantly before each of them, failing to succumb. But it seemed that there were yet more perils on the horizon. As Ayakashi turned in a brief moment to swing the Fuma shuriken away, she managed to catch a momentary glimpse of the battlefield at large. Yuki-dama, the ferocious Leonid also named Bai-hu had been cutting a swathe through the arena which had seemed to cease being a skirmish and had become a warzone. His once pure shimmering ivory fur stained crimson from the shoals of blood that seemed to have drenched the sand beyond the point it was able to absorb. Overcoming the earths' natural capacity to sweep it away, the pools of vitae intermingled as the guttural roars of the Tiger shook the hearts of men as, blade in its maw, it would strike and sever whatever it came into contact with, hunting down key ninja in the ranks of the attackers. Bai-hu had gathered that the enemy was far more coordinated than they seemed to be for men of their caliber. With a single roar and a flash of predatory intent so violent, those who could stare into the depths of the Tiger's chakra at the time would come face to face with their blood-soaked reaper as those men who stood out of the crowd would begin to drop, proving that a moment's hesitation on the battlefield spelt almost certain death.

Chakra coiling through Ayakashi's form as the voice within spoke its tantalizing jaunt. The first of Ayakashi's ice arrows seemed to be whisked away by yet another seal that Yosei drew from the seemingly limitless parchment of icons that draped across his person. His eye-opening up in a distortion of space itself as the bolt, having threatened to turn his entirety into little more than a statue resembling the former Hokage, was devoured by the seal. But in doing so, Ayakashi could not help but think, if only she could draw a blade across his skin, she would render almost every tool at his disposal null and void... Ayakashi needed more power, each item or weapon he sealed within his person was a blade that cut at the prideful soul of the Mizukage, enraging the bull as the matador would attempt to deliver her death by a thousand cuts... Vanishing from sight to seek a better angle, Ayakashi would appear skyward in place of her shuriken, soaring above the battlefield once again, gaining the chance to see the truest extent of the conflict that warred on beneath them... and war it did. Expanding into almost every direction as far as the eye could see, ninja fought against trained assailants of the sands. The air itself was alive with chakra, so much so that in her Sage mode, she could feel the breath of something massive and sinister beyond the veil pass her by, the eyes of giants upon her as she drew her next spear.

The arrow of the just launched from her platform at an increased pace, plummeting to earth in an attempt to skewer the shadow of flame that stood below her. Truly a clash between titans, the divine titan lashed out with purest crystal, descending in a crown of halos that framed the sun in a picturesque scene giving a sense of beauty in an ironic spite of the hellscape that lay beneath. A hellscape in which Yosei stood, the infernal titan clawing up at the heavens standing upon an island surrounded in rivers of blood and entrails, staring into the clear sapphire sky before coiling his blade into its sheath. Drawing it with a spark of infinity as the limitless electrical creation which bound the universe lept upwards raking its irradiant claw across the heavens in a scar that screamed with an eagles' cry. The shriek of the screaming lash shattering the technique of Ayakashi's design, splintering it into a thousandfold pieces that cascaded across the grisled earth beneath her, each shard detonating its portion of chakra into small flowers in the bloodsoaked rivers that lay around them, freezing them into ruby lotuses upon small shelves which dotted the landscape's lakes in their thousands.

But the crying blade that soared high into the skies bloodlust had not abated, its infinite power that encapsulated the raw spark of potential at the birth of all things sought to dethrone the goddess who floated high above them. Her bow hastily collapsing into that of a blade as she drew it to her side and clutched it tightly, chakra flowing through it in turn. As her chakra permeated through the weapon, a still rumble juxtaposed the cry of the brilliant blade before her, not because it bore sound, but because it was a source of true and perfect silence that stood in contrast to takas' chaos. As Taka's immanent rending stroke sought to overwhelm the Shadow of the Mist upon her golden throne, she would lash out with the opposite of what stood before her. Drawing her blade in a slash which mimicked the inception of Yosei's lightning, a wave of black hiemal energy would eclipse Ayakashi's form, devouring all light and revealing nothing beyond it as creation itself froze before it, stilling all of the forces that be. Limitless unfettered potential rising from the depths of creation and absolute void unleashed from the divine that stood above it were about to collide.

'Leaving only the question of... what happens?'

As the blasts came together there was no rumbling explosion that split the heavens and the earth, there was no tear that threatened to devour all those in attendance. As Yin and Yang collided with the opposing forces meeting in the middle, they became one. The blinding whiteness of the Raiton crashing against what refused to be lit as they merged together violently, curving symbolically around one another in a flicker of an instant before the two forces embraced each other like lost brothers. To say they were each nullified was a half-truth, perhaps more truthful to say; they were completed... but to those who would gaze upon them, they would flicker in an instant with a flash at its epicenter before ceasing to exist in the next. A thunderous silence erupting in the absence of Takas' hawk-like cry as it was contented by an opposing absolute silence

Landing twenty meters away, Ayakashi could not help but muse at the fact that the sound of Taka was something she remembered unleashed upon the wars against Seven Bells and his Lieutenants. If there was ever a semblance of doubt that the man that stood before her was indeed Mitsuhide, it had been devoured by the evidence that attempted to scorch the skies. The distinct echo that expanded for miles was unmistakable to all those who had heard it before, as well as the eyes of its wielder. But he hadn't aged a day... The man had for a moment flashed a look which resembled the Mitsuhide she remembered, giving her hope in that fleeting moment before the wave of controlling calm washed that passionate face away. Mitsuhide was once a man of uncontrollable rampaging zeal, something that drew Ayakashi towards him as a leader, having learned a lot from his example in governing her own nation, she felt betrayed when that noble man was so easily washed away with an exertion of control. It was her first reaction to become angered, but it quickly stilled, she didn't recognize this calm stranger, though seeing his true face so genuinely doubted her that it was false, but rather restrained with perfect self-control. Whatever had happened to him, it was undoubtedly that he had changed...

'He wasn't the Mitsuhide she knew anymore.'

Changeling warped into the shape of her bow once again, her Senjutsu eating through the bonds that had tethered the demonic ice venom that coursed through her veins, crumbling the ethereal chains and allowing the flow of chakra to activate through her body again, spreading the poisonous tendrils into the earth at her feet with each and every step she took, expanding a little further and gripping whatever came into contact with them as if it were attempting to drag everything it could clutch towards it in an effort to consume all it could with its icy grip. Changeling in one hand with nothing in her other, an immense chakra would begin to form in the kage's right fist. Streaks of steam expanding backward like a tailed comet as she would burst toward her opponent. The being within beginning to take more and more control of Ayakshi as the battle went on, so much so that the ice that Ayakashi continued to form began to cease to become even... the more she created the more course it seemed to become...

"I don't know what happened to you to make you become this Mitsuhide... you used to be so righteous, and full of passion. But now, it's like it's dead, or imprisoned by whatever dark motive holds sway over you... Whatever it is, I promise, I'll either shatter the bonds that bind you, or I'll shatter you and preserve what legacy can be salvaged from the shards."

Taking a running step, Ayakashi would vanish from sight, using the mastery of her own speed to vanish in such a controlled fashion by manipulating her Tenketsu in such a manner that she would veritably appear several meters behind Yosei. The distinct sound of her arrival immediately identifiable and his eyes more than capable of tracking her heading though not move in time with her speed. However, rather than attack her opponent directly from his rear, she would seek to predict that he would see through such a basic technique, more than capable of easily turning to face her after her personage had faded from his sights. Ayakashi would attempt to evade his vision, noting that as he might turn, she would sharply dart in tandem with his spin to hug his flank as he might move to the sound of the noise, keeping out of his immediate line of sight as well his customary low stance before leaping forward and cascading down with her Yuki-Oni no Ken! Intending to slam her fist into Yosei's ribs with such force that the pulse that emitted from it would seek to ensnare everything in its path and instantly douse any flames that would hope to leap from his skin moments after they attempted to exist. Failing that, Aya would follow through to collide with the earth they stood on. Should the blow meet the earth, there would be a distinct change to the ice Ayakashi formed, as almost thorned vine-like protrusions expanding along the surface of the hyouton, expanding across its surface with the massive release as Ayakashi seemed to seek to bring a forest of blades in her wake expanding in every direction with the kiss of any of her frigid chakra. The thorned vines seeking to wrap around and penetrate any living thing that they could grow around.

Regardless of the result, she would charge backward realizing only now that she was nearing the last of her family arrows, Aya would knock several, allowing five of them to fly in the direction of her opponent in a single parallel cluster, coiling and swerving with the flutter waltz technique to avoid all but the finest interception before breaking out in five separate directions. Each of the arrows intending to land about four meters away from his position at the moment of impact, each aimed for the ground all around him in an attempt to hold him in place. The archer knowing that if he should attempt to step on the ice or come into contact with the vines as it continued to spread and grow it would also spread up and along his body, hoping to grapple him for what came next, as a sixth arrow would be fired holding the dramatic pulse of the Demonic Ice Corruption technique for the center of his chest. The streaking mist of the arrow overwhelmed with a vast amount of Hyouton chakra spinning towards his chest as if it were to drill through it as the wind tunnel it flew through to keep it straight coiled like a linear cyclone towards its target.

The Demon-Ice-Witch would hold from the combination of attacks for a moment should her vision be clouded by the multiple pulses of her ice release. Should he evade them all however as unscathed as he was up until now, sealing them all away of weaving between them, cowardice in stark contrast to his former demeanor in the Seven Bells War, Ayakashi would finally have reached her final straw. Dropping changeling as the vines that continued to grow and spread around her would rise to clutch it as if their erratic and seemingly random growth were under the command of the womans' will. Slowly bringing her right arm forward, bending at the knees Aya would brace herself for what was to come. Steadying her wrist with her left hand, the Mizukage would lock eyes with Mitsuhide, her senjutsu chakra beginning to accumulate around her, before with a single command the emerald light erupted in a phantasmal pillar. Sure enough, following the spectacle small red orbs of purest chakra began to drip from her skin, running along her arm to her palm while small blue orbs began to be drawn in from the world around her within her aura, drawn to the red orbs as they amassed in a bubbling black center. More and more would begin to converge as Ayakashi drew her Hyouton's Yin release as well as the Yang release from her Senjutsu chakra, stripping them of any unneeded qualities and combining them together in a perfect ratio. Years of study into the nature of chakra, into history, into the movers and shifters of the universe to uncover the tenants of this technique... it all led to this moment.

As the ball began to expand, the ground around her would begin to split and crack, the power and influence of the orbs mass expanding as the Mizukage sought to compress the sphere into a more and more dense shape. The weight of the orbs' colossal volume as well as the power it radiated creating a crater within the ice in which Ayakashi stood seeking to sink her, only to be constantly broken and knitted together again by Ayakashi's demonic ice corruption technique, whose maintenance seemed to be the only reason why the weight of the sphere in her hands failed to cause her to be simply eaten by the shifting sands. For the first time in what felt like years, Aya found herself straining, her body feeling like it stood on a knifes' edge towards tearing apart under the weight of the orb in her hands as she fought to compress it into little more than a ten inch wide sphere, crackling with energy as it neared its completion and began to stabilize into a perfect globe. "With this sphere, I wield the will of my nation, to see a just world where no-one is beyond the reach of law. To create a world where all people can feel safe. That is the will of water... that is my ninja way! I dare you to show me yours!"

Leaning forward first, Aya would allow gravity to do the work for her as her posture would drop, her heel raising as she angled down to have the vines of her technique rise beneath it as she bent at the knees, bracing it and allowing her a platform to thrust of, the muscles in her legs fighting against the tonnage of the volatile cargo she carried in a single hand as she would put all of her strength into her legs. Bounding off with everything she had the earth and ice beneath and behind her would erupt into a wave of glistening shards of frozen sand reflecting the light around her like a prism of brilliant colors as she would charge head-first towards her enemy. Each step saw ice expand around her foot to create a platform, and as she pushed off it with all her power, that platform would detonate like crystal into little more than dust and shards bathing all that was behind Ayakashi in a symphony of light and color. A veritable cornucopia.

"Seal this! BIMUJUDAMA!!!"

With a final call, she would thrust out her arm holding a pale reflection of the strength that was once wielded by great beasts of negative chakra that walked the land. Only one ninja in the ninja world had seen this technique, but this was its global reveal. Ayakashi's ace in the hole, a revelation the likes of which had seldom been seen in three hundred years. Without any considerable knowledge of ninjutsu, Ayakashi was unable to project it or maintain its integrity in a way that she would like, but, with her unparalleled finesse in chakra flow, with her unprecedented speed closing the gap between them as she would reach out with her right hand to erase all evil that stood before her, she would seek to shatter any singular technique that could not stand against it. Let him put up barriers aplenty, Ayakashi could not wait to see the blood drain from his face as her tailless beast bomb would shatter them one after another before slamming the orb directly into his chest, and hurling him with it across the sands and into the heart of his troops before it exploded while using the force of the throw to push herself back and away also to steer clear of what was to follow.




[2947]

Chakra 150 / Sen 100:

Exit to here

The snake woman’s rage had once again gotten the better of her. Mitsuo had known it would happen, that her evil wouldn’t be contained and that she would attempt to wipe out the field here. The servant of the Mizukage acknowledged his words and ran to meet the snake head on, Mitsuo sitting back for a second to watch as the battle unfolded in front of him. She seemed to be fairly well trained, Mitsuo being impressed with her tenacity and the string of attacks that she had put together. She was attempting to stop the snake’s transformation, the chakra that was moving around her clearly being a tremendously powerful thing indeed...

It wasn’t just her though...

Chakra welled up in the dual of titans as well, these people whom he had considered to be his friends for so many years, and one whom he had thought dead for so long. He was still having a difficult time believing that this man whom he had grown up with, who had been taken away from him so long ago, was here today standing alive and unchanged in front of him. There were very few people in the shinobi world who Mitsuo respected and considered to be his equal, but two of those people were standing right here in front of him. He was considered to be the greatest swordsman in the world, a title he had earned over years of practice and mastery of the blade, but he believed that Ayakashi would defeat him in hand to hand combat and when it came to using his chakra to great efffect, nobody was Mitsuhide’s equal. Ayakashi had once offered him captaincy of the Seven Swords, but Mitsuo turned it down, not wanting to be chained down to any one village when his mission required him to be able to move...unfortunately he was chained right now...

The chakra that Ayakashi was building up was completely overwhelming and Mitsuo couldn’t help but think of the legends of old. When he was a child his father had told him stories of the Bijuu and their insane power, and this felt like what he had been described. Though Mitsuo had never truly believed in the existence of the Bijuu and by extension their shinobi hosts, he imagined this was as close to reality as it would ever get with them. The power was awesome, and could he harness that power...he would stop at nothing to wield it. With the power of a Bijuu amplifying him his goal of bringing the world to Utopia would be so much closer to his reach. It was funny, then, to feel that power as it built and to know that the man whom stood against her was a master of sealing. He didn’t even wonder if Mitsuhide would have a counter to it, he simply wondered how long he would wait to unleash that counter.

It saddened him that he wouldn’t have time to witness it...

Something entered the vicinity that there was no possible way Mitsuo could ignore. He could feel the shiver down his spine as pure evil washed over the area in a wave, feeling that before he could feel the presence of the being inside of it. Whatever it was, it was human, and that meant that Mitsuo could kill it. He didn’t want to turn his back on the snake witch in front of him, but It appeared that the Mizukage’s servant had her taken care of. He had a divine duty to uphold to eradicate evil from the world and bring justice to those who deserved it. He and Eizo left the battle behind them and made their way towards the centre of the corruption. As he ran, the heat radiating from his body continued to rise, the ground below him turning to glass with each step. He sheathed the sword and chain whip and pulled out his Sword of the Immortal Blaze from his back, the fire chakra emanating from him lighting the blade with molten fury.

The white and gold cloak that he wore on his shoulders would billow behind him, the roses on it shimmering in the sun. His robes and hat adorned with blue rose iconography, and the broach that was given to him by the Mizukage for protecting the village of Kirigakure were on full display. He was truly a sight to behold, the power of the sun radiating from him. This was the God of the Sun, the Hell Gate Dragon, the Sword Saint of Konoha. This was Mitsuo Sarutobi, Seventeenth Hokage, in all of his radiance, power emanating from him as he prepared to do what it was that he was put onto this earth for. The god of death empowered him with its lust for penance and its thirst for Justice, and he would deliver that today.

“It is a truly great day that the gods have gifted us, being of darkness. I have scoured the world and burnt the corruption of evil wherever I have found it, and I thought I’d have to leave this place unfulfilled...until this moment.” He glanced at the man in front of him, his gaudy white robes splattered while blood while Mitsuo’s were trimmed with gold and pristine. His barbaric display only confirmed to Mitsuo what he already know, he was a being of pure evil and he needed to be removed from the face of the earth. “Demon. Monster. You have the divine honour to die by the blade of the Sword Saint on this day. Be not worried, for your death will be swift. I am not one to draw out such things, as I am a merciful and compassionate man. You are a stain on the face of the earth, and your death will be a great service to the world...”

His sword of the immortal blaze was in his hand, fire dripping off of it as the sand beneath it turned to molten glass once more. His hands were close to one another on the handle, tip pointed up towards the individual’s face.

“Step to your death, demon...”

3779

Chakra - 390/500
Wings of the Saint and Eizo maintained

(Moving to Splinter Thread The god of the Sun vs the Father of Horrors

At first the Desert snake thought the Kiri nin would be foolish enough to dash at her while she was trying to show this world her true face, but alas things turned to be going wholly differently than she had imagined or even planned.

Some insolent people really did roam the battlefields that where now spreading through kaze no kuni, right now one of those particular insolent people had managed to get in the way of Lamya's idea to whipe the entirity of Inabayama with her most powerful technique, interrupting her desired motion of the flow in battle by surprising her even if only for a mere instant by substituting the fuuma shuriken which had done some, but relatively minor damage to yet again that very same arm which had been burned and healed earlier in Lamya's short struggle against that immensely overpowering that konoha stranger in simply connecting to said arm, with a cut through her bracers and lightly into her skin. However, unlike that man, the woman who now appeared to be using the White Serpent's momentary lapse in common sense and solid judgment due to her frustration, was no unknown individual for the Desert Serpent. It was after all this woman who had managed to use the surroundings and the battlefield to her great advantage during the Chuunin Exams in Kumogakure, but now they weren't on a bridge, now there was plenty of space and Lamya was not going to be overwhelmed by some upstart, cutthroat welp again.

It seemed that as Lamya was surprised and didn't fulfill the trail of her swing when the Kiri-nin appeared, was quite a mistake being instantly abused by the Hunter, who without remourse or any misgivings seemed to show her desire to strike down the Snake Empress with a single, finely tuned assault upon her, obviously with the intent of dishing out some serious punishment at Lamya. However, due to their encounter before, the Snake also knew not to underestimate the kiri-nin's adaptability and sheer battle prowess, no matter how much beyond the child's level the Snake ought to be.

In a practically instinctive reaction to this movement towards her, made by the child, Lamya instantly had her skin turn into a tough scaled exterior, all the while forcing a shockwave of chakra to burst outward from within her, with the intent of nullifying whatever the Shinobi prodigy had in mind, she was not going to allow the child to stab her with that sword, nor was she going to risk any surprises coming from that sword...after all, nozomi HAD seen what the snake scale armor did and did not defend against before...so it was only logical to assume she had remembered those things.

At verily the same time as her burst of chakra moved out of her, Lamya's hand reached upwards towards Nozomi's wrist, intending to keep that extended hand away from her at all cost, since despite not knowing what to expect from the kiri-nin, she did not think any of her moves were wasted moves, so all had to have reason and an extended hand was no exception, so without hesitation, Lamya attempted to grab Nozomi's wrist with her hand to prevent the kiri-nin's hand from even touching her skin and to effectively turn her arm away from herself while bracing herself with all her might to prevent the kiri-nin from crashing into her.

If Nozomi would no longer be moving, Lamya would suddenly raise her free hand with her fingers stretched out, aiming to hit the Kirigakure Hunter-nin with a jutsu specifically created to do as much damage within as little time and within the shortes range possible. With small orbs of pressurized air atop her fingers, Lamya aimed to jab her fingers against the underside of Nozomi's exposed ribcage on her swordwielding side, attempting to render armor and flesh alike torn to shreds by the violent vibrational pulse the small orbs would unleash upon Nozomi's torso when succesfull. "We both know that the Exhibition Match was but a prelude to this, so do please enjoy my full might in all its destructive glory."

If and only If she was successful with that offensive strike, Lamya would let go of the Kiri nin's wrist if she had managed to still be holding it and would jump back to allow herself some distance from the dangerous opponent she was facing, knowing that even if all she did would've been succesfull, there was no way it would fully deter the shinobi from launching another attack upon her yet again.

So in an attempt of preparing herself for basically each and any possible flaw any approach towards this kiri-nin may pose, the Rogue shinobi made a few swift handseals to cover herself with a film of medically charged chakra surrounding her, ready to take on the threat if her own retort did not have the appropriate effect of forcing a retreat to safety.

"Now thatn, what will it be, my little Hunter," the Desert Snake licked her lips while showing a menacing grin, though with an eerily subdued fury within her eyes still smoldering like embers waiting to be lit again. "Shall we continue this dance or do we do what is smartest, take care of our own."

It was no joke though, Lamya was worried, for even at this distance, she could feel that temperatures had dropped significantly and this could've only meant that the fight between the Sealer and the Demon Ice Witch had either neared its final stage or the curtain had already dropped. even if she could not afford any distractions for her own safety, she was certain that this meant either victory or utter and total defeat on her end. "tsk...I do hate the cold."

987/7013
+1600 wc from LINK
+2500 wc from LINK
+2500 WC from LINK

Total unused WC: 13.613 wc

- 10.000 wc Senjutsu S --> Legendary
- 1500 wc Weaponstyle Swordsmanship
- 1500 wc Weaponstyle Kenjutsu
-------------------------------------------

Discarding 613 wc

Sero would watch with cold eyes as one of the greatest of the chakra signatures approached him. Nearly flying from his position within the battle in a glory of katon chakra flying around him. Brilliant in its appearance. It's light shining in such a way That Sero almost had to avert his gaze. Still he held his ground as this man approached him. Tilting his head as this one seemed interesting. Mitsuo Sarutobi. He wasn't unaware of this man. Lawbreaker...He had his influences within Kiri and the rest of the world too but he had no respect for law and order. Simply what he considered justice. A judge, a Jury and an executioner. In this way though they were similar. The difference was Sero followed the laws set out by his superior while this man followed his own code. A vigilante. The beast would growl low As Sero would rest his hand on the sword hilt at his side. The man seemed confident and with good cause. If Sero could ever have picked a being to test his sword skills on this would have been him. Two masters of the blade arts clashing far enough away from everything that they would not have to hesitate to kill each other. Nor was there reason to hold back that killing intent. They were fighting his Kage and he stood with them as far as he could tell. Still the man would speak.

“It is a truly great day that the gods have gifted us, being of darkness. I have scoured the world and burnt the corruption of evil wherever I have found it, and I thought I’d have to leave this place unfulfilled...until this moment.” Corruption has been a part of Sero since the moment he was born. For Kiri he was the beast that stalked the darkest corners so the other beasts would fall in line. He was the driving source of power under the mizukages right hand. Nozomi and himself were the two beings capable of hunting any living being on the planet. This man in his clean robes would soon know of the torment they thrived in. His fire was not a thing to be feared but wholely familiar. Still he would continue. “Demon. Monster. You have the divine honour to die by the blade of the Sword Saint on this day. Be not worried, for your death will be swift. I am not one to draw out such things, as I am a merciful and compassionate man. You are a stain on the face of the earth, and your death will be a great service to the world...”

Honor....They always spoke of such things when he tormented them from the shadows. Murdering thoughts of safety and sanity. He was so certain that Sero would die swiftly by his hands. So sure of his own ability that Sero would narrow his eyes. He would normally have pulled free his suiton nature in a move to counter the man before him. However there was one thing these two shared. There was a pride the would beat within their hearts. Dull grey eyes would shift to the molten flames glassing the sands beneath the sword in his opponents hands. Its potent Katon energy flowing freely over the desert. The gorilla with him was not to be ignored either. Nor was the aura roasting the sands around him. Surely if Sero were to attempt to step within it without first dealing with the aura he would suffer greatly. Within this orb was the mans influence....Though a part of him wished to test it. To throw his own aura up against it and compare their power. Each of them putting their pride on the line against each other in a battle of sheer superiority. Sero would speak in turn to the mans comment with no emotion behind those dead grey eyes unwavering from the man before him.

"I have heard such claims time and time again, a haunting spirit and blight upon my home was all I was considered as an infant. Survival however in such places is not for the weak. Your faith will not be enough to overcome me. I am captain Osada Sero, leader of the seven swords and you will know my wrath. As such know my name so you may pass it on to the gatekeeper in the underworld."

With that Sero would hold out his hand. Pale fingers of his right hand shifting as the glass at his feet bubbled like it was boiling. From within the glass emerged a large, dark scythe. Smelling of sulfur and looking as if it had survived a fire. The scythe would rise before his hand and Sero would reach out and grasp it. As he did flames would erupt from the scythe itself and his aura would burst forth. Black chakra enveloping him like flames before falling away. Before the Sarutobi now stood the same man but with subtle changes. He seemed more dangerous and aware now. A ring of mist sat upon his head like a crown and in the center of his forehead a third eye would open as crimson flooded into his other eyes. He had activated his spider sage mode. Already he felt the power of the other as he gripped his scythe close. The beast above him would spread its maw and cackle. The sword saint had challenged him and the cackle would echo for the length of the battlefield.

With that Sero would shift as if he hadn't made a single preparation for movement before than. One moment standing still and the next the glass where he had been standing erupted in a shattered burst as he launched forward. Using the length of the flaming scythe to swing at Mitsuo's legs and remain outside of his range in his first attack. The heat of the fire was enough to glass the sands behind him long after he had passed over it and sent a wave of heat enough to glass the sands to the opposite side of Mitsuo even should he parry it. Creating a cone of red hot glass from the impact. Sero's hands were holding the shaft further down to add to his reach but separated so he could use the staff portion to block a counter attack. He expected one. His swing had come from the side opposite the ape with him to not provoke an opportunist.

1086
Exiting thread

400 chakra remaining after unsealing the S rank scythe and activating sage mode.

Continuing in splinter thread

Her speed was simply devastating. With Lamya's hesitation of surprise, she had already sealed her fate and the match was effectively over. She slammed into the snake woman at speeds higher than she could put together an effective counter against, her sword driving through the armor, stunning her and halting the reactionary defenses before she could actually pull them off. As her right hand made contact with Lamya's chest, her other jutsu activated, blasting through Lamya's armor and heart.

The two of them toppled to the ground, Nozomi still on Lamya, sword through her and hand over her chest, having penetrated through the armor with the blast. She had been nervous about it working out, and now that it had, she was able to relax a little bit, releasing the Raiton Viper technique, feeling her muscles relax once again as the chakra ceased to flow through her. Her breathing was jittery and fast, heart pumping a mile a minute as she realized that she had taken down the snake. Still, she knew she wouldn't die just from that, and her stunning sword would only work for so long. She needed someone to stabilize her.

She found herself asking for Mitsuo's help, or beginning to, but stopped short of that as she felt the monstrous presence of Sero, and noticed that Mitsuo was no longer around, having gone to find him. It seemed that Mitsuo had other things that interested him, even though he had just been saying that she needed to be purged from the world. Granted, Nozomi didn't want her dead, as she wanted to bring her in alive, but unforunately, it didn't appear that Mitsuo was going to help her in this manner. Looking around, there were no ANBU left within ear shot, and no medics around either.

Bringing in Lamya alive was a priority, but it didn't look like it was going to be a possibility, so the only real option she had was to sit here until she died, just to make sure she didn't pull anything. Looking down at the woman, she realized then how pretty she was. It was a bit weird of a thought, for such a dangerous person, and it didn't matter in the slightest, as she was responsible for the destruction of Sunagakure, but she had been brought low by Nozomi not once, but twice now. The threat level she warranted Nozomi had an appreciation for, but as she'd proven twice, planning and strategy can overcome even extreme thresholds of danger. So the thought just appeared for the first time. She'd only ever seen the woman as a danger, but now she thought of her as attractive.

The thought only lasted a moment, but that was all it took. Her face stretched, jaw breaking, and a new Lamya slid out, catching Nozomi by surprise. All she caught from her was a glare with such intense hatred that Nozomi froze for a moment, and that was all Lamya needed. She body flickered away, leaving the Hunter-nin Captain on an empty husk that used to be Lamya.

She knew that she wouldn't be able to catch up with her either, tracking her movements would be next to impossible. The armor made sensory techniques next to useless, and she had been an ANBU Captain as well, which gave her a very important knowledge on how to move without leaving a trail to be followed. With the hustle and bustle of the skirmish as it was, she was at a complete loss on how to track her. Tracking any one person through the warzone would have been next to impossible. Well, almost any one person. Sero stuck out like a beacon, and the clashes of Ayakashi and Mitsuhide were easy to find.

Standing up, she sighed, the blade of petals dissipating back into a small pile of petals as she ended her technique. Of course she'd slip through her finger again. She was hard to pin down, even with stunning. Her main plan now was to develop some fuuinjutsu that would let her disable the slippery criminal, and take her in alive. For the moment though, she was left unsure what to do. Sero and Mitsuo were fighting, and she knew Sero wouldn't want her to help him at all in a fight, rarely getting to let go and use his full power. She understood that, and had been disappointed that she didn't get the full power fight against Lamya that she'd wanted, even though she was relieved to not have to fight her at the same time.

Ayakashi had already told her to leave her fight alone, which left her basically alone. Looking around, she took a moment to catch her breath and steady her nerves. The fights would be winding down now that one of the leading powers had fled. Ayakashi would be winding hers down as well, and no matter how strong Mitsuhide was, he wouldn't beat her. Being able to fight on her level was a feat, but it didn't mean a victory was secured.

WC: 864
TWC: 3765

Sharp eyes would keep watch over the battlefield as four sets of hands transcribed the flow of the battlefield. Each set of eyes were careful about the placement of enemy ninja, taking care to make sure the male was well out of the way of any attacks. While he knew full well that he would not be able to assist much in any combat scenario, the young man also knew that information was the prime currency of war. If that was what this reclamation project was turning into, then he would see to it that Konoha came out on top as far as it went.

On and on the young male went, carefully capturing every second as it happened. Those hands of his clones and himself worked diligently, filling each notebook that they possessed until it could hold no more before moving onto a fresh one. Each volume spoke of the many wonders that those eyes witnessed, the effects of each technique as they happened, the blows traded between combatants and the damage of the surroundings. Even one notebook was dedicated to simply pictures of the landscape after each technique was performed to show each altered the terrain. There were even several pages dedicated to that masterful technique that the Mizukage used that seemed to have the greatest effect on the landscape: a technique that seemed ripped straight from the legends themselves with its destructive power…

The young man would keep at it for as long as he could, right up until the point that the Mizukage and her opponent vanished into thin air. A confused expression would form on four sets of faces as they witnessed this turn of events. Where did they go? What happened? Did they mutually kill each other? That could not be, there would be a body left if they did, surely.

Shaking his head, the young man would shift his attentions to the other combatants of the area. As he could from his vantage point, the forces of the combined nations were overcoming those of the rogue state. From what he could see, those who did not surrender their weapons died clutching them, something that Akusha expected to happen. Here and there, several rings of combatants have wide berths, as it seemed that their techniques were most potent against enemies. Scores of people moved against each other, but the battles seemed to be dying down… perhaps it was time to depart?

Yes, it was looking to be that time. The male had created volumes of information for Konohagakure no Sato’s benefit, and it was time to bring it home. With a flick of the the wrist, a blank notebook was produced and opened to an empty page. With a simple hand seal, the entirety of his work was sealed away into the blank page, leaving only a complex crest upon the page as the telltale sign that something was contained within. After gathering his writing utensils, the young man would dismiss his clones from existence and begin to make his way out of the area, taking care to avoid being see some of the still remaining forces. He would make his way to the nearest Konohagakure no Sato camp with the intent of turning in the information that he spent all this time gathering.

-Thread exit-

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551 | 2354

Often people told him it wasn’t so cut and dry, though that was something that Mitsuo disagreed with. Once evil took root in a person’s heart, it corrupted fully, and Mitsuo was proud to be a champion of what was good and just in the world. He refused to allow anything to shake that resolve, and the individual he had just fought was no exception to that rule. Though he knew he should have ended him and removed that stain from the face of the earth, the man known as Sero Osada had given Mitsuo the best fight he had had in years, and he had earned his respect...at least as a combatant. Mitsuo had decided that he would let him live this day, though he had warned him that should they cross paths in the future the man wouldn’t be so lucky.

The after effects of the battle could likely be seen on him, his hair a sweaty mess the likes of which it hadn’t been in years. He had the odd small cut, but no serious wounds, and otherwise appeared more tired than anything. His weapons were all sealed away as he marched back towards the battlefield, wanting to see...what had happened. Wanting to see the outcome between Mitsuhide and Ayakashi, two of his closest friends. Wanting to see if the Kiri woman had killed that evil snake woman Risu. Wanting to see if the settlement nearby had been destroyed or had managed to stand up to the carnage that had happened around them. The amount of shinobi who had come to this place and crossed blades was fairly low compared to the great wars of the past, but long had it been since a battle on this scale had taken place anywhere on the continent.

He would come into view just in time to see the Kirigakure woman standing alone in the clearing, the telltale signs of a sigh on her face. He wondered if it was a frustrated sigh, or a contempt one after the death of an enemy who needed to be purged from the face of the earth. He truly hoped that the latter was the case, but he knew that there was a fairly decent chance that it was the former...after all, Risu had once been Mitsuo’s head of ANBU and she was a great asset to him, phenomenal at her job when she was there...if not a tad unconventional. He was very disappointed that she had fallen so far from where he had believed she was, following the path of Ukiyo which was unfortunate...it had hurt him so much when she had fallen, and to see another whom he had put his trust in go the same was was truly unfortunate.

He was...relieved...that would likely be the term...to see that the woman stood in front of him and that the woman who referred to herself as Lamya hadn’t ended her. When he had left her alone he knew that had she fallen it would have been on his hands, something that he simply didn’t need on his conscience. The issue with something like that was that it could potentially attempt to distract him from his mission. He had the deaths that were caused by Lamya in the village of Sunagakure on his conscience already, and he didn’t need any more blood on his hands. It was the wicked and the corrupt of the world who deserved to perish and who would do so by his hand...they had to fall so that the rest would experience the world he would usher in for them, the era of peace and prosperity that his children, Kaia and Takazo, would be able to feel safe in.

“And though the world may continue to fall into darkness, I will be the light...I will rid this place of the evil and corruption that plagues it, and bring forth an era of peace...”

He walked towards the girl, activating a small fuuinjutsu seal on the palm of his hand and pulling a cigarette from the void. He placed the cigarette between his lips, and putting his finger and thumb together, caused a small flame to appear to light it. He drew the smoke deep into his lungs, allowing his head to swim as he made his last few steps.

“No darkness shall stand up to the purity that shall rise from this earth like a beacon, expelling all pain and suffering from the world.”

As he came to stand before the woman he inhaled once more, holding the smoke a little longer before passing it through his nose.

“I apologize for leaving you to fight the snake witch alone. Were it not for the entrance of a greater evil I’d have ensure hers was a stain that was removed from the world myself...I regret taking the blame for her actions in Sunagakure...they were truly unforgivable” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, drawing in once more, the cigarette quickly going from full to half gone. “Do you know of this Sero Osada? His evil is greater than any I have ever experienced...I find it difficult to believe that Lady Ayakashi named him the Captain of her Seven Swordsmen...a position she once offered myself...”

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She wasn't left alone long, although it felt like a while to her. The disappointment of letting Lamya slip through her fingers again washed over her, threatening to drown her. She didn't deserve to be a Hunter Nin, always letting her target get away. What did it matter if she could beat her in a fight, if she wasn't able to secure her? That would do precious little in the end.

Mitsuo had returned, and she had stopped feeling Sero's presence anymore. Looking the man over, she could tell there had been some sort of fight, but she didn't know exactly what had gone on. One thing was certain: Mitsuo was here, and Sero was not. That could only mean that Sero had lost the match, something that simply didn't happen. How strong was the Sword Saint?

As he summoned a cigarette, Nozomi moved towards him, holding out a hand. "Mind if I have one?" she asked, not wanting to ask the question that was on her mind just yet. Is Sero still alive? Did you kill him? If Mitsuo gave her a cigarette, she'd light it on her own the same way he had, unless he saw fit to light it for her. She wasn't usually a smoker, but occasionally she would so she could think a little bit, as it helped her focus a little better.

As he spoke, Nozomi couldn't help but give him an odd look. This man wasn't anything like she'd expected from the fabled Sword Saint, a hero by all rights to Kirigakure. He seemed a little... crazy. His mission was one she could understand, to cleanse the world from evil. That may as well be Nozomi's own job description as well, and she was a beacon of purity in Kirigakure. Where Sero was the darkness, she was the light. They were like a Yin and Yang, and balanced each other out. But he wasn't evil, and she wasn't good. They were both directed towards the same goal, which was ultimately the protection of Kirigakure, and it was fitting that they were kindred spirits.

Under normal circumstances, she may have ended up fighting him, for having gone to try and kill Sero Maybe he did kill him, I can't feel his aura anymore. Ignoring her thoughts, pushing it back in her head, she addressed him. "I think I've proven I can deal with her. I bested her on the bridge in Kumo, in front of an audience of Kage and shinobi alike, and now I've bested her in single combat once again. She may be physically superior, but I am a master of my craft."

Of course, she was referring to Lamya, even though she never spoke her name. "Unfortunately, she got away. I had her caught, but she... made a new body? I don't know, it was strange. If you had stayed, we may have been able to detain her, but I won't blame you for my mistakes. She got away from me twice, and that speaks to a deficiency in my own skills."

Part of her was mad with Mitsuo for having left, but she meant what she said. She couldn't blame anybody but herself, and would have to train further to ensure it didn't happen again. "Sero wasn't the greater evil. I don't even think he's evil anymore, if he ever could have been called such. There is a darkness about him, but it doesn't define him, or control him. He utilizes it as a tool, much the same as any shinobi would a shuriken, a sword. The good he's done for Kirigakure is insurmountable."

"So, yes. You could say I knew him. He was probably my closest friend, and I think I may have been his only. Of those I've called friend, he's the only one to never have lost my trust." she paused, and looked up to Mitsuo, having been avoiding making eye contact until that point. Locking a gaze on him, she finally asked the question she had been dreading. "Did you kill him?"

WC: 726
TWC: 4491

As the woman asked, Mitsuo unsealed another cigarette and handed it to her, glad to share what he had. He knew that smoking wasn’t the best habit, but it was one that had helped him through a lot of stress in his earlier life, and one that he had simply never gotten rid of. His muscles ached as he stood in one place, having a chance for the after effects of the battle he had just commenced to set in. It seemed he may have struck a chord when he had said he would have ended Risu’s life, the woman pointing out she could defeat her and apparently had in the past. Mitsuo hadn’t heard of this happening, but he nodded his acknowledgement that clearly she must have been quite a formidable opponent. For a second a crooked half smile crossed his face when she had mentioned that she had defeated her once again, but then she mentioned that she had got away and he sighed.

He couldn’t feel her presence, so he wondered if the woman had gotten away wounded and was defeated by another, or if she had simply escaped the area in general. It wasn’t necessarily his concern either way, but he shook his head regardless. “It is unfortunate that she managed to get away. I haven’t heard of this previous encounter, but unfortunately when one is held prisoner generally it doesn’t come with the benefits of taking in the views. Life in a cage is...well it’s not a life I’d have chosen if given the choice. I did ask them to hang me...” He chuckled at the comment, looking back towards the young woman and wondering how old she was. She didn’t look like she could be any older than his daughter, and it bothered Mitsuo to think that the world was the way it was where one so young was put into such situations...though of course he was once like that too.

When she began to speak about Sero, Mitsuo’s smile left his face. Her claim was simply incorrect, Sero clearly being the greater evil. He was a man who radiated evil, and Mitsuo had never felt the like in his life. He had proven to be a strong combatant, true, and that was why he had walked away from his encounter with the Sword of Justice with his life, but Mitsuo wouldn’t allow him that same courtesy if he met him a second time. It appeared that were he to have to face him again, he might also have to fight this woman, and while he would not back down, it would be unfortunate to have to end the life of one so young. He had no interest in such an encounter at all, and he hoped that were he to cross paths with Sero again it would be a one on one.

“You know...the person I was closest too in the world was my sensei. He taught me the way of the blade and had been training me since I was a child. He had always been there for me...even helped me forge my favourite sword. He and I went through everything together and I would have never believed that he could be an evil person either...except that he was. He had been behind so much death in Konoha and across the world, and when I went to Sunagakure I ended him without hesitation, because I knew that it was the right thing to do...just like killing your Sero Osada would be the right thing to do. He is corrupt to his core, and the good that he might occasionally do for your village is nothing compared to the harm that having him in a position such as the one he is in does to the credibility of Kiro and of the Mizukage...one of my best friends.”

He shook his head and sighed once more. “I will ease your mind though...I did not kill him. I know full well that I should have, but even I have my moments of poor judgment. He is a skilled combatant, and I told him as much...He impressed me today, and the next time I see him I will give him the respect of a quick death. I am not one to allow people to suffer...But before that, I have to talk to the Mizukage once more...which is another place he lives. I told him to go and make sure she was okay...for Mitsuhide is an opponent who is not someone who should be taken lightly...and their battle worries me greatly.” He took another draw on his cigarette, putting it down into the sand and putting it out under his boot.

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