Arriving at the makeshift camp, Mizuki would dust off the dirt on some of the furs and spread them anew for the visitors so they could be seated in certain comfort, inviting them to do so with a simple gesture of her hands. As she listened to the compliments and questions shared, she picked up her small reservoir of water and poured the purified liquid into a copper kettle before proceeding with cleaning up the remains of a previous little fire and renewing it with dried twigs and logs.

"I'm glad you two can appreciate the place. It is not much but it has served me well during my search for enlightenment in spirit and mind.", she replied to the two of them in kind. In a way, it was funny indeed how the three seemed to share taste and approach to certain things while being so different in origin and personality. She knew very little about the former Konoha-nin among them, only able to guess as to why a shinobi of her skill would be living in a home like this. She had been in Konoha before, but she wasn't aware of any shinobi living in places similar to this camp. Had the woman sought seclusion as well?

In comparison, though Daremo was a man of mysteries as well, Mizuki knew a thing or two about him. Despite his calm demeanour, there was something dark lurking within the man. The way he took out his enemies in the Siege of Inabayama, the necrotic jutsu, the pieces of the puzzle of his former ANBU life and now the revelation that he was an Iwa-nin before. A Village rumoured to thrive on corruption and the shadier side of organisation. While she was not sure to which extend the rumours were true, it somehow felt like the truth was not that far off.

"Hastur...", she took his name in her mouth as if she was tasting it for the first time but the slow sigh behind it revealed more about how she felt about the man than she wanted to let on. As her ranton chakra heated up and eventually set fire to the logs, she hung the copper kettle on the iron stand that was placed above it so the water for the tea could warm up. "Daremo is already aware of my true name and thus of who I am. I am Mizuki Raiu, diplomat of Kumogakure and the Herald of Hastur. Around the same time Sunagakure was destroyed by the three I travelled to every of the Villages to make his name known with the help of the black raiton rods. A regrettable action, now that I know what sinister man he is. A man who promised to cherish Kumogakure and has done nothing to protect or improve upon it. His god complex has turned the Village into a place of zealotry and thrown into chaos by visiting missing-nin and crazed Jashinists alike. Kumogakure is blinded by a black cloud and being sapped of its pride in martial arts to fuel the destructive tendencies of the Raikage."

Mizuki's eyes looked into the direction of Kumogakure even though the mountains before her would not allow her a clear sight of her homeland. The hermit had seen many visions during her meditations, of darkness and hidden despair. Not once something good coming from it. Just the thought about them made a knot within her stomach, but she remembered a few of the visions had revealed... hope.

"Unable to cope with the result of my actions I came here to find inner peace and enlightenment. I can't abandon Kumogakure, yet neither can I oppose a man whose power may well rival Mizukage Ayakashi's. Kumogakure is drowning in darkness. It needs saving. A benevolent force willing to take down the tyrant and give a Village too proud for its own good the respite it needs. You may well be the first familiar faces I meet in months, your colourful way of expressing your dislike for the dark god giving me hope not all have fallen under his spell. I risk much by revealing my identity to powers such as you, affiliated with Kumogakure, but intuition is a powerful guide if one is willing to listen."

The kettle would whistle in the dark of the night and be taken away from the fire heating it up. Pouring the hot water into the three cups, Mizuki then positioned the kettle beside her on a shabby wooden crate. Out of harm's way. Her hands would pick up a ceramic pot, letting the herbal scent go free as she removed its lid and added a spoonful of them to each of the tea cups, watching how the warm water quickly coloured as the herbs released their secrets. Finally, she handed both Amaya and Daremo a single cup before taking the last one for herself.

"A mixture of herbs from the Valley. You'll find that the tea unclouds the mind and lifts the spirits.", the hermit explained before blowing gently into her cup and taking a first sip with confidence. An unspoken answer to Daremo's former question if this was a bonus or a ruse, she'd visibly relax and smiled softly at the taste she had come to appreciate while living here. "After long months of seclusion, I have decided that I will oppose the man that I heralded and remind him gods can't live without the faith of mortals.  We need a Raikage who understands his duties towards his Village.

What I would ask of you, I do not ask lightly. I ask with confidence that your previous words were your true feelings concerning Hastur. You once stood by my side in Sunagakaure, Daremo, but this request my well push beyond our previous cooperation: if I would go to war to purify Kumogakure of its self-destructive darkness, would the two of you be willing to stand by my side? Would you be willing to raise arms and lend me your power? Unfortunately, I can not guarantee we will succeed or survive but nonetheless I plead upon your benevolence to deliver Kumogakure from Hastur with me."

Her plans were revealed, resting in the hands of two Kumo-nin that well had the power to slay her on the spot if they so wished. In Mizuki's eyes, it was what a true loyalist and defender of Kumogakure would do, but in the eyes of Hastur's followers it would be seen as treason towards the Raikage. With her request given, the unaswered question was: where laid their true loyalties? To the ruling hat or to the Village itself?

---

1124
Total: 7512

Amaya listened intently as her husband spoke, saying that there was no need to thank them: they wouldn’t have known what was going on had the girls not reached them and told them which was honestly true. They would have never known that this was more than just a one hit incident, nor that other houses had been targeted. It would have gone unnoticed to them, and it was a prospect that didn’t sit well with Amaya. Even though she wasn’t from Iwagakure there were just certain standards she held herself to, and there was a willingness about her to want to do the right thing despite all of the darkness she had witnessed during her tenure as a shinobi and from life in general. As they arrived in their location, Daremo having likewise agreed to a cup of tea, she found herself glancing over to her husband once more as another tidbit of his past was revealed: this spot was one he had been before, this being the last place he had seen his former lover turned missing-nin in over a decade. It was saddening to hear, but also spoke volumes of the depths that Daremo was willing to go for the people that he loved. It did make her wonder though how easily things could have gone differently had she decided to leave her former village in a less than legal way, but she had done it the right way for the sake of the twins and so that she could remain a constant presence in their lives.

As they reached the camp her calm stormy gray gaze would remain upon Mizuki, watching as several furs were dusted off and spread out, a simple gesture from the other woman indicating they were free to sit and get comfortable. While Amaya was hardly trusting of strangers there was something about the other woman that brought a kind of peace to Amaya, and so she sat quite gracefully upon one of the furs, watching quietly as she went about heating up some water for tea. As the woman formally introduced herself, explaining in more detail who she was, an eyebrow would raise in simple curiosity, her voice void of any kind of judgement as she listened to the woman’s words. From the way it was explained Mizuki had once been on Hastur’s side, traveling the villages and making his name known. Now, however, it had come to light the kind of man the self proclaimed god was, and thus her actions were some that she regretted. While Amaya couldn’t exactly relate to such a situation she found herself unable to blame Mizuki for it: she had clearly done what she thought was right at the time, Hastur’s true nature having not yet revealed itself at the time. It was her actions that had led her to this place, though she spoke as well of how she could not fully abandon Kumogakure. She also knew that going against Hastur alone was not wise, and that Daremo and herself had given Mizuki some form of hope that not everyone had come to align themselves with the darkness that was Hastur.

As Mizuki went about adding the hot water to three cups, followed by tea, she watched quietly while thinking over the woman’s words. When a cup was offered to her she would take it with a nod of thanks, wrapping her hands around the warm cup and enjoying the heat from it as well as the aroma given off. Amaya was naturally a fairly paranoid person, having been the personal medic of the Hokage for years it had simply been something ingrained upon her. Accepting food or drink from someone you didn’t know seemed foolish at best, and yet there was just something about Mizuki that made Amaya less weary: perhaps it was such honest words against Hastur, perhaps the way the woman seemed to visibly relax, or something else entirely she couldn’t quite put her finger upon.

Keeping her focus on Mizuki, while enjoying the warmth still given by the cup in her hands, she listened as the woman finished speaking, Amaya’s face remaining the impassive and emotionless mask it tended to be. What the woman wanted was dangerous, some would even say crazy: to try and take down Hastur, a man with so much power. Their actions would be treasonous at best, especially with so many blinded by Hastur’s words and mannerisms. The question was revealing in a way to Amaya, it showed her just how much Mizuki truly cared about the fate of the village, how much she cared about her home.

Before responding Amaya brought the cup up to her lips, sipping quietly at the tea it contained while mulling over her reply. What was being asked of them could not be taken lightly, and there were many things to consider, yet Amaya knew her answer already. ”When I was in Konoha I was the personal medic to Inuzuka Kenta when he was Hokage, and remained his medic even after he stepped down due to his illness. I found myself feeling more loyal to him than to the village itself…”, she spoke carefully, her body remaining relaxed as she contemplated the tea in front of her, not truly seeing it but rather her own past in her mind’s eye. ”With that said… when I moved to Kumogakure after marrying Daremo I did so because I felt it was the right place to settle. I did so for the protection of my family, because I thought they would be safest there, especially when it came to the safety of our children. Hastur has since ruined that safety by his actions and words. I do not want my children to grow up seeing their Kage as a tyrant, as a self proclaimed god with little care for the people. So yes, I am willing to help, to do whatever it takes regardless of the dangers we might face, if it means being able to ensure that there is a Raikage who actually cares about their people and their duties to their village.” She knew her words were treasonous, that this could very well be a plot that ended in death, but she felt strongly about it: there was a conviction within her soul to ensure that her children were safe and cared for, that they grew up in a place to where they were more than just peons in some self proclaimed gods eyes. After giving her answer her focus would shift upon her husband, wondering what his own would be while also wondering how he would respond to her own words.

---

1,120 | 8,355

Enlightenment, the word was brought up once more, and Daremo gazed at the woman before him. He knew what it meant to search for enlightenment. People did it to find a higher state of awareness or understanding of the world around them. Many Sages are said to experience a sense of enlightenment when they connect to the natural world and realize how insignificant they are on a grander scale. It gave them a better understanding of the world they live in, and how everything and everyone is connected to one another. And, to his immediate knowledge, Suzume was not a Sage in the shinobi sense of the world, of course, there was a chance she could have become one, but, he doubted it, for she mentioned searching for it.

The triviality of what Suzume meant of searching for enlightenment, and rather she had found what she was looking for, was dismissed from his thoughts for now. Sitting beside Amaya, the name of their Raikage was spoken with so much venom by Suzume that it surprised Daremo, the male raising a delicate eyebrow. From the one time working with her, when attempting to rescue the captured Anbu from Konoha’s grasp, she did not speak to the captors with such venom as she did when mentioning Hastur. Though this could be chalked up to the fact Hastur is affecting more than one person, and as morbid it might sound, one Anbu does not warrant much ire.

The stoic expression remained as Suzume revealed herself to Amaya, along with her ties to Hastur that went beyond just being under his command. A simple shinobi, she was not. She was tKumogakure’s diplomat, and more importantly, the Herald of the False God, Hastur. The person who was responsible for spreading the pseudo-God words and influence. Daremo already knew this about Mizuki. He knew about the important connection she had with Hastur. The mission that led him into the Seige of Inayabama was to make sure the Herald of Hastur was returned to safety. She was an invaluable piece to the Raikage with the higher-ups wanted to make sure was safe.

What he did not know was about the black raiton rods. He knew not what the purpose was for them with only assumptions being based on primitive pieces of evidence. He wonders what the man had planned when he ordered Mizuki to place the rods in every corner visited. Were the roads some transmitter or something? What was the reason for the rods? They obviously tie in with raiton somehow, but how, and for what purpose? Any questions regarding the rods would be held off for now. There was still time for him to ask about them, to see if she knew the true purpose of objects she placed or did she place them without caring about what they did.

That was another thing which was interesting about Mizuki. While she regretted her mistakes now, she seems to not have back then. If Hastur did not walk the path which he did, would she have still regretted her actions? Would she even care about the purpose of what the rods were for if Hastur did not go against what she stood for? Would this conversation even be happening if Mizuki still believed in Hastur’s words? For, from the standpoint of those rebelling against the pseudo-god, some could say Mizuki was the start of the problem, and thus should be removed accordingly.

Indeed, she was risking a lot in revealing the information to them. She knew not what their stance on the situation was. Daremo could have just been playing along to find more information about the rebellion before turning it in for Hastur. He could very well be an assassin sent to silence the rebellion, cutting off the heads of those spear charging the crusades against Hastur. She was playing a dangerous game by revealing her stance to a pair of Kumo-nins. Luckily for her,  Daremo was not some agent for Hastur. The only client he had died in Kaze no Kuni, thus he was acting on his own accord.

Right hand stretched out, his hand wrapping around the offered cup of tea, enjoying the heat emitting from it. Inhaling, the delicious aroma filled his nostrils, and Daremo nodded in thanks with a nod of approval coming soon after taking a delicate sip from the cup, “You made some wonderful tea.” he spoke, while thinking about the situation presented. Though the words were not said, he figured out why he and Amaya were brought here.. She needed help. She wanted to remove Hastur from Kumogakure no Sato in hopes it would heal the damage done. There was simply no way she could oppose Hastur by herself.

The question proposed of them was a heavy one. Would he help Mizuki oppose Hastur? Would he fight alongside her once more, but, instead of saving a person this time, he will be fighting for a nation? Could enter a dangerous zone at the risk of his twins losing their father? Does he truly care enough about Kumogakure no Sato to potentially risk breaking about his family? Is saving a country worth dying for? As he pondered on his decision, he would listen to Amaya speak. Her words helping him solidify his own stance on the matter. But, before answering, he needed to clear something up.

“Before giving my stance on this, I should clear something up.” He spoke, setting the empty cup down, and looking at the members in the clearing, “What I am about to say could very well jeopardize my stay within this country, and could lead to my execution if the daimyo finds out.” Glancing in the direction of Iwa, Daremo began to speak, “Does the name Guanyin Nanashi, sound familiar? The former Tsuchikage? The Pestilence of Iwa? The Sannin who died alongside a council member near the border of Kaze no Kuni?”, he gave them a moment to speak if they chose so, “I am that person. And as you can see, I did not die.” Never would he thought, he would be openly revealing the information to others. Sure, Lamya had figured it out on her own, but that was different, “I ask you not to ask why I killed the councilwoman, for the reason is a deeply personal one that extends before my time as an Iwa-nin.”

Sighing, Daremo stared at Mizuki, “Much like Amaya, I moved to Kumogakure no Sato after being apart of Konohagakure no Sato, to give me and my then wife a new start. Unfortunately, the Gods were not merciful, thus, my wife died, but, not before birthing twins. Eventually, I fell in love with Amaya, and we married. My duty is not to a village, but to my family. Hastur has threatened the livelihood of my family by allowing missing-nins to join the ranks and allowing an infection to fester in Lightning Country. In order to make sure my family is okay. To make sure they can walk the streets of Kumo without worry. To make sure they are not used by a tyrant, I will help you in the removal of Hastur. If it means I will need to bring the plague itself to Kumo to ensure Hastur is gone? So be it, I will do what is need to make sure Kumo is safe for not only my family but for the others who are suffering.”

Staring at Mizuki, “But, make no mistake. If any harm befalls on my twins, rather because of Hastur’s followers or rebellion members, I will make them wish for death, and show them why I was called the Pestilence of Iwa.”, the threat was spoken in a casual manner as if he was talking about some mundane topic of none importance. The manner which he spoke just told them how easy it was for him to take another life, and how comfortable he was with torturing one. Saying that Daremo spoke once more, “Are there others apart of this group of yours? Do you have a plan of actions? Earlier, you mentioned planting black raiton rods, do you know what they are for?”, he asked, wanting to know as much as possible.

---

1382[11517]

Mizuki would take slow sips of her own tea as she listened to the words of the woman and man sitting in her camp with her. Measuring their words in turn as they brought clarity to their identity and skill. The woman was the former, personal medic of the Hokage Kenta Inuzuka. The hermit couldn't say she knew much about the Hokage in question as Rippa Chi had already been instated by the time she was the chuunin travelling the world in Hastur's name, but the name of the former Hokage was not entirely unknown. It was more that she had not heard much about his exploits or his general standing within the world. Even then, holding a position of personal medic was nothing to scoff at. It meant that the woman before her was at least on par with former Raikage Lin Katonrai's medical knowledge. Hearing her admit the desire to take down a man that showed little care for his Village, and thus for her children living there, instantly provided a person of great power and knowledge to the cause. Just the thought alone of having someone with Lin's medical knowledge in the team was sufficient to make the hermit smile.

Daremo was not as quick to make decisions, on the other hand. And rightfully so, considering the mission ahead was nothing to take for a joke. His revelations, however, was not something she was familiar with. Guanyin Nanashi, former Tsuchikage? She had heard of the Guanyin's reputation as the undisputed leading clan in medical knowledge and she knew of two former Shadows leading Iwagakure, but other than a name she could not say in honesty that she knew of Nanashi. Even the moniker 'Pestilence of Iwa' did little more than nudge her acknowledgement of such an existence. Yes, she had heard about the reputation but she did not know the man himself. For all she knew, he could be taking the credit of a legend that had died years ago. However... There was no such indication in his words or intent. It was a fair assumption to make that he was speaking the truth on the matter. Guanyin Nanashi, former Tsuchikage, now stating he had feigned his death. How many people knew about this? And why was he telling her this now?

"I have no intention to harm the civilians of Kumogakure. I am not Hastur, who fails to discriminate between citizens and shinobi. Or anyone else and himself, for that matter. While I am aware that bring war to the man's doorsteps will not go peacefully, nor without casualties, if I can avoid collateral damage or bring civilians into safety I will do so. My mentor, Lin Katonrai would not have wanted me to sacrifice lives for my own good, like Hastur. She was a woman who believed in preserving life, and so do I."

But the hardest part of the conversation might not have been withstanding his casual threat. It was the plan itself. She had ideas, but she didn't have many allies at this point. It was one of the reasons she was looking to recruit the two of them to her cause. One of the reasons why she would soon have to leave Kazuki in the hands of Mameha and leave her solitary rock.

"I do not have many people at my side who openly seek to oppose the Raikage but I am a diplomat who travelled the lands, and therefore my influence is great. From Sunagakure, many of their refugees know my name and my desire to protect them. While allies might be a loose term, these refugees living Kumogakure may well aide us with small actions in our favour. Likewise, I hold many contacts in the other Villages that could provide us with insight and information on Hastur's movement outside of Kumogakure. After all, the eyes of the disregarded peasant serve just as fine as that of a shinobi."

She would leave her words hanging for them to take in what exactly they meant. The diplomat of Kumogakure having left impressions not only with shinobi but also with the peasants providing the rice and the refugees taken into their fold pretty much had an invisible army at her disposal.

"My grandfather was once a samurai once positioned at the court of the daimyo. While his desire to step down and become a ronin were never shared, I remain of samurai bloodline. I may not hold much influence but every samurai will recognise the Executioner Arts I was taught by his son, my father. In similar fashion, as a Raiu, I remain member of Kumogakure's elder clans and have therefore access to influence, reputation and riches the lesser clans have yet to build up. I can't say if the Raiu are willing to oppose Hastur from within, but I can plead the case and work on our clan's honour to protect Kumogakure first and foremost."

The second layer of her influence revealed, the first step towards narrowing her scope. If the people working the land did not suffice, then the people within Kumogakure herself could serve as another means to impact the plans towards a civil war. But this was not the end of it.

"Behind me lies a forgotten path that leads from Iwagakure into the Land of Lightning. The Trial of a Thousand Stairs, so it is called, a two day trek through the mountains and the storms. It was once a road for pilgrims and samurai alike, now forgotten by most. I do not have to tell you that as a native Kumo-nin, I know my own Village like it was my back yard. As genin, driven by dreams and naivety, I already attempted diplomacy between the varying crime factions. It allowed me to know the streets within the slums, and discover that my sister, a pirate on the loose, holds a modicum of presence there. Perhaps not sufficient to play the crime lord game there but enough for me to track her down and give her a reason to join us."

Streetwise. Local knowledge. The advantage of the political masquerade as diplomat within their own homeland. If these means would not allow her to bring in opposing forces unseen, then there was little else she could do. Hiding in public sight was Mizuki's strong point. Attracting attention from others, and thus equally guiding it away as she reeled in their attention and directed into new directions. A diplomat might not be the best warrior among their peers but diplomat-shinobi sure were insidious killers as their words lulled enemies into a false sense of security.

"This all I bid you as a means to get into position unseen or unheard. As for the plan...? No god can live without worship. Therefore we take those down that give him that. The Jashinists, the zealous loyalists. We disrupt communication, we assassinate his key figures, we force him to join a game of cat and mouse while we remain ahead in steps. The streets will block his vision, mingling with civilians granting us stealth in plain sight. It is a risk to take... but if he slays the civilians, he reveals his true colours and only weakens himself. If he leaves his throne to oppose us in person, he makes himself vulnerable. This is the plan of a simple hermit."

And with that she would take another sip of her cup, letting her plan play within their minds. The former medic, the former ANBU, both of them being of high rank could see the flaws and strengths. Both of them could add, alter or remove to the general idea with their own skills. Mizuki did not have skills such as theirs of her own, but that didn't mean there was no room for them to be added. It all rested in their hands now. A plan to mold further before it was being executed.

---

OOC: as the word count states, this plan is 'Leet' ;P

1337
Total: 8849

Amaya listened in silence as Daremo said his peace about what he felt about the idea of joining this rebellion. His answer was unsurprising to say the least: his concern was for his family above everything else, and ensuring that they could remain within lightning country. Anyone jeopardizing that would suffer the consequences, be they enemies or allies alike. What was surprising however was how Daremo opened up about who he was, a secret Amaya herself had been guarding since she had found out her best friend was still alive and well, instead of rotting in some tomb or grave somewhere. As Daremo began to ask questions Amaya kept her silence, sipping at the tea she had been given that she had ignored in favor of giving her own response. The questions that Daremo posed were ones she too had had, and she awaited eagerly to hear what it was Mizuki needed to say.

Intently Amaya listened as Mizuki started off by saying that she had no intentions of having harm befall the citizens of Kumogakure, something that Hastur wouldn’t have been so quick to ensure. It was a noble statement, or so Amaya thought, but it was also a difficult one to make - there was no telling what would happen within the confines of Kumogakure when the rebellion took hold, and no telling how Hastur would respond. For someone who fancied themselves a god amongst men, who viewed everyone else as beneath him, there was a high chance that he would stop at nothing to prove his power and secure his position, meaning that he could throw civilians well into harms way if he thought it would be a weakness of those within the rebellion. As Mizuki mentioned that she wished to preserve life, something that the previous Raikage did too, it made her wonder how well this rebellion would work: people died in situations like this, including people who weren’t involved. Death was inevitable.

As Mizuki went on to mention that she didn’t have many people on her side who openly opposed the current Raikage Amaya glanced at her husband, attempting to judge his reaction to such a response - all the while sipping at the delicious tea within her cup. Intently and quietly Amaya continued to listen as Mizuki went on further, taking in the knowledge for member, as well as the idea that Mizuki had, the plan that was being hatched.

Amaya, instead of responding to what Mizuki said simply turned her focus onto her husband, knowing the man well enough to know he would have a few choice words about the plan that had been laid out. She was curious to see if his thoughts were aligned to her own, but it was but a simple waiting game to find out. She would give her husband his time to say his peace while going to take another sip from her cup. It would be but a simple, familiar caw from above that would suddenly catch her attention as a harpy eagle, Riku, came into view. The eagle was alone, blood on its feathers which even from the birds height she could easily spot. In its beak Riku carried something which became clear the moment she outstretched her arm and the eagle landed upon it. Ignoring the talons digging into bare flesh Amaya turned her focus onto the patch of skin within her beak: a patch of skin that bore an all too familiar symbol - the Infinity Gang. As dread filled her she watched as the piece of flesh was dropped onto her lap, something she didn’t mind at all despite the blood. Instead, her thoughts were on the fact that Zaylee hadn’t followed after the bird, nor Mamoru for that matter. ”Riku, where’s Zaylee? And Mamoru?”, she asked the bird. An angry and distressed caw was the response the bird gave as she flew down to Amaya’s lap, pecking furiously at the patch of flesh lying there.

The bird was in a sense of urgency, easily sensed and saw, and it caused the fear of dread to only grow further. The way the bird was pecking at the symbol gave a simple sign: whatever was going on the Infinity Gang was involved. ”We have to go. Riku, do you know where Zaylee is?”, she would ask, watching as the bird hopped off of her lap and several steps away before coming back and doing it again, much like a dog would who wanted you to follow them. ”Is Mamoru with her?”, she would ask, curious if the pair were at least still together - the soft pipping noise that the bird made proved otherwise. Looking towards her husband, all thoughts of the previous conversation on hold for now, she would speak, ”I’ll head back to the okiya and check on them and Mamoru, you follow Riku and find Zaylee. Once I know that Mamoru is safe I’ll track you down.” But a moment would be spared to see if her husband had any issues with this before she would dart off, heading in the direction of the okiya they had left their children at while they visited family friends.

---

885 | 9,240

Training the Following Specializations:
Taijutsu B -> A: 9,240 - 3,000 = 6,240
Taijutsu A -> S: 6,240 - 4,000 = 2,240

Training the Following Jutsu:
Medical Fuin Style: Wound Transference (A-rank) 2,240 - 2,000 = 240

Daremo listened intently to Mizuki’s words. The woman before him making it clear that she did not want to intentionally harm the civilians. That she was no Hastur. She seemed to try to separate herself from the man she had once helped, from the person who’s agenda she progressed by following his words. While he did not know what all was said between the two, nor what conditions was made to put her in the position as a diplomat, he did wonder. Surely, she could have seen something amiss with the male before now? Did nothing she do for the Raikage seemed questionable? Did she ever stopped and think about the male’s orders, or was she just the obedient pet like so many others?

“What you are attempting is undoubtedly to bring causality and misfortune to those involved. Hastur does not strike me as the type of individual who values the lives of those below him. To him, the civilians are nothing more than pawns that can be easily sacrificed and replaced with the quickest. If you go through with this, you will need to shoulder the weight of all those who died, not only the innocent civilians but all those who died for their dreams and aspiration, even if they went against your own ideas. Are you ready to shoulder that burden? Have your time out in the wilderness gave you enough perspective and understanding to understand the weight that will be placed on your shoulders?”, Daremo asked.

The male had been through three skirmishes in his lifetime and seen the horrors that it bring. He has lived the nightmares of reliving all the times he allowed comrades and innocents be killed. He had been haunted by the spirits of the dead which cursed his very existences for not saving them. What Mizuki wanted to do would not be pretty. It will test Mizuki’s to her very core, and she would even come out stronger or break from it. Apart of him hope she would survive it intact, but, another part of him could care less. If one enters a war, they best be ready to shoulder the burden, even if it breaks them.

A frown marred his features at the admission of there not being many allies who support this cause. “Do you know the motives of the Sunagakure refugees who desire your protection? It should go without saying, be careful who you entertain for their motives might not always be pure. Spies are nice, but, we would need manpower to deal with Hastur and his supporters. We do not know who all is aligned with him, asides from the Jashin, thus, we need capable fighters willing to risk their lives to liberate Kumogakure no Sato.” Daremo spoke. While it was good to have allies, Daremo worried that some of these allies would only join for their own selfish goals that did not align with what Mizuki wanted. The diplomat would need to learn how to get the correct allies if she wished to make something out of this.

Storing the tidbit of information, regarding her grandfather once being apart of Daimyo’s court, Daremo continued to listen to Mizuki’s monologue. “We need to work on gaining the support, or at least a neutral stance, with the clans residing in Kumogakure no sato. Once we know who all are our allies and enemies within the village, the easier it would become for us to move about. Once that is established, we need to get in contact with the Daimyo. We need to have them on our side in this, unless, we want our actions to be seen as treason. I highly doubt they enjoy what Hastur is doing to their country. I hope your grandfather can find us a way to meet the Daimyo.” Daremo mentioned. The efforts to overthrow Hastur would be easier if the Daimyo was on their side. The Daimyo could also lend them the needed firepower to oppose the Raikage.

The Trial of a Thousand Stairs, the name would be put away, and remembered by Daremo. The path being an apparent way to return to Kumogakure no Sato unnoticed and undetected. He knew such information would come in handy the moment they start moving. Moving, was he really going to risk his family in this endeavor? There was no one waiting for him in all the other skirmishes he had. He had no obligations waiting for him, but now? Now, that is different, “Ver - - -” A familiar caw caused him to pause mid-sentence. A bad feeling emerged in the depths of his stomach at the sight of a bloody Riku flying towards them.

Where’s Zaylee? That was the first thought that came to mind upon seeing the bird alone. Riku was not the type of bird to leave Zaylee behind. The two were inseparable. So why was Riku here, and bloody? The feeling in his stomach grew, and Daremo exploded upon seeing the patch of skin with a familiar symbol on it, between Riku’s beak. The world shudder. The grass around him started dying, and the glass in his hand shattered into millions of pieces, as Daremo felt a maelstrom of emotions. “No. . “ he whispered, anger, fear, madness, desperation, hate, all these emotions were circulating wildly within him as the Infinity Gang symbol stared back at him; the piece of flesh being pecked by Riku.

Citrine eyes became devoid of life as the reality of the situation sunk in, his baby girl was kidnapped. Daremo snapped his head towards Amaya, her voice being the only thing that managed to pierce through his fogged and maelstrom mind. Nodding, “I will kill them all, and unleash the deepest hell on them.”, he murmured, following Riku out of the clearing and towards where Zaylee was kidnapped. He would apologize to Mizuki later, but, for right now, his daughter was taken.

---

990[12507]

Unusued WC: 12, 507

Training Senjutsu A -> S = 9,000
Training Fuuinjutsu B -> A = 3,000

Daremo's words were well chosen. Good questions to which the hermit owed an answer. Not just to him. Also to herself. Was she ready to shoulder the burden? She had lead before. She had shouldered the burden of many back when she guided the Suna-refugees away from the ongoing destruction. Did she know the true intent of all these members? No. Not at all. But she had seen their despair. Their need for guidance. Their search for hope. They had not been warriors but victims of Suna's unwanted destruction. Even if many of them knew the risks involved with living in a hidden village, they were civilians. Was there a risk? Yes. There was always a risk involved. But that one civilian would not have the means to pilfer all of the crucial information pertaining to Kumogakure. Unlike the kage who lead that same Village towards a downward spiral of self-destruction. One man, destroying the lives of thousands. Was Mizuki prepared to bear the burden of her choices? Yes. She was, for she believed that it was easier to handle a spying civilian than a mad god at the top.

"I understand it's difficult. It would be foolish to think that I can achieve this goal without losses. Do not misjudge my hope for blind naivety, I was actively trying to save people during the destruction of Suna and I have opposed the Dragon of Konoha twice. I believe I've seen my fair share of death, and felt the deadening sting it causes to mind and heart. However, that does not mean I can't hold up the ideal. For what more are we but beasts and monsters without a heart to care about others?"

She'd hear the words on swaying the native clans and the court of the Daimyo. She could do that. She was a member of one of Kumo's main clans, so she held an advantage there. The court of the Daimyo was a different matter, for a deluded lineage didn't mean a victory. In fact, the opposite was often the case since her grandfather was never restored in his honour. Even then, Hastur opposed the Daimyo. Knowing some were inclined to restore the balance properly might play to her advantage as well. It was worth a try.

The conversation would not come to a final conclusion on the matter, instead interrupted by a sudden urge for them to return and deal with personal matters of which Mizuki could only guess. From the sound of it, it was serious business as Daremo's 'hell' was not one Mizuki wanted to be part of - even if she had never seen him unleash it, she knew the man sufficiently to know he was a terror when all bets were off. Without a word of goodbye, the two stormed away to leave the hermit to herself. She had no conclusive answer, but since the two had not decided upon slaying her there was hope. She had a lot to prepare for, a lot to work for. But the future looked brighter than she had imagined in the last years. With peace of mind, Mizuki would finish her own cup of tea and find some rest for the night.

After all, a new day dawned.

---

[EXIT]

547
Total: 9'396