Mission name: Clear Skies. [CRIME]
Mission rank: B
Objective: Remove the Hidden Cloud military bases from the Land of Frost.
Location: Minor Countries → Land of Frost
Reward: 750(B) ryo + 1EP
Mission Description: As a facet of the Fire Daimyō's desire to subjugate minor countries bordering the Fire Country, he has requested that Hidden Cloud's military presence in the neighboring minor country to the desired Land of Hotsprings, the Land of Frost, be diminished to aid the conquest.
Development References: http://www.narutosaga.com/t29383-oak-in-the-storm
Mission Details: Remove the Kumogakure-aligned military outposts from the Land of Frost. Outposts are manned by varying numbers of B-Rank shinobi possessing all ranges of specializations, elements, and equipment up to B-Rank. This mission can be opposed by others taking its brother mission, 'Coming Storm'. Participants in either mission gain rewards from both missions when completed in opposition of one another.

300/310:

Clear Skies:

Mission name: Coming Storm.
Mission rank: B
Objective: Defend the Hidden Cloud military bases from attack.
Location: Minor Countries → Land of Frost
Reward: 500 + 1EP
Mission Description: Several military bases in the neighboring minor country, the Land of Frost, are being attacked. Defend them.
Development References: http://www.narutosaga.com/t29383-oak-in-the-storm
Mission Details: Defend the military outposts from the Land of Frost. Opposition is determined by whoever takes its brother mission, 'Clear Skies'. Participants in either mission gain rewards from both missions when completed in opposition of one another.

A brief moment of reunion allowed the heir to clear himself of a few worries he had built up, though the brief moment of joy was overcome by the air of dread which surrounded the two shinobi. The Uchiha girl spoke of their next move, unsure whether they should proceed to the front lines or look for Sangetsu, the jonin that oversaw them. Without further delaying she moved down the hallway, the boy matching her pace and following just shortly behind. “I say we hold them off, we’d be useless searching for one specific individual beneath all this chaos.“ The heir made a case for the more immediate action certain that Sangetsu, wherever the man was, would come to realize that their forces were under siege. It wasn't easy to miss that fact after all . Even before giving his suggestion, it seemed as if Aikiko had already thought of the best course of action herself, leading the way to the fight. The two approached the staircases that would bring them below what were now bloodied bodies of water. He was ready for whatever awaited outside. His entire life all he had wanted was to serve his country and protect his people, now he would be given the opportunity to prove himself amidst the flames of the battlefield. Just before exiting the building and entering the battlefield, Aikiko paused and turned to face him. Though never quite managing to say heartfelt words directly, she had asked for him to be careful in a way that he could only assume would not bring embarrassment to herself. The gold eyed Sasaki smirked at her, head tilted upwards both in confidence and assurance almost telling her that no harm would come to him without the need to exchange actual words. By now it was a look that she was undoubtedly familiar with, a look he'd always give out to let others know just how invincible he felt. “As if you wouldn't terrorize my grave.” He quipped, words leaving his lips just before he could realize how inappropriate they were given the situation. His proud expression faded, eyes looked downwards, almost drifting elsewhere for a moment. He took a deep breath, eyes refocusing to meet hers. “I still need my friend, so don't do anything rash out there… don't die.” He spoke slowly, thoughts taking time to be formed into words out of fear that they would turn into reality. His words would remind of fate they would ultimately leave up in the air now that they were about to enter battle. He couldn't afford to be the same arrogant boy he had always been up to this point in his life. His prodigious skill with his clan’s kenjutsu had always given him a sense of superiority in combat, one that allowed him to face even the toughest foes without a single shred of fear in his mind. Always he charged head first, letting his instincts and pride take over instead of thoroughly planning his course of action. Sure he'd take a few cuts and bruises along the way, but his path always lead him to a victory that satisfied him truly, one accomplished out of nothing but pure skill. He forsook all notions of such thoughts and actions then and there. If he was going to protect others… If he was going to protect his home and those he cared for, then he would need to grow up. Following the Uchiha’s lead, Kyousuke leapt out of the door and into the fray. Immediately they were greeted with the sight of pure and utter destruction. Dead bodies from both sides already littered the surroundings, some soldiers tucked their tails in between their legs and retreated back into the building, not ready to risk their lives for fear of facing eternal nothingness. The unexpected attack was clearly dampening the morale of their troops, they were all unprepared for such a ferocious battle. Aikiko would grab one of the retreating soldiers and begin to bark out orders. Meanwhile, Kyousuke looked onwards to the coming onslaught. One of the retreating soldiers began to scream, informing all available ears of the perpetrators of this destruction. Konohagakure no Sato. He should have known right away who it was. Telling signs of flames that struck the main outpost should have been enough, Mizuki had once told him of the impulsive hokage that was often blinded by episodes of uncontrolled fury, a true madman. The enemy forces began to muster a thick cover of smoke, allowing them to cross the path to the outpost without fear of the archers raining volleys of arrows upon them from the one way mirror of the waterfall high ground. Still, many lives would be lost as those same archers would now simply aim for those visible behind the smoke. Something needed to be done if they were going to have a chance to defend against this attack, someone needed to organize the scrambled soldiers at the wayside. The heir released Kitetsu from its wooden scabbard, holding the katana’s hilt with his left hand. He raised the sword upwards above his head, funneling his raiton chakra throughout the blade to create a light just bright enough that would bring everyone's attention towards him. As the light faded from him his weapon, he felt all eyes glued to him, silent and awaiting orders. “Wind release users, clear up the smokescreen! We need every able swordsman at the front lines pushing them back once we get vision. Everyone else fire jutsu on those who make it past the water!” Pointing Kitetsu forwards, the surrounding soldiers mustered their might, roaring in unison. Kyousuke followed his partner forward. She mustered a wave of her own wind to clear the smoke at their front while the rest of the cover would all be swept away by one coordinated blow of wind. Once the way was clear everyone charged forwards, all united under one goal. Victory. Aikiko suddenly halting, the heir stopped beside his partner. She looked to two specific figures that seemed to be noteworthy enough to warrant hesitation from the Uchiha. Instinctively, Kyousuke wasted no time. He aimed the tip of the already drawn Kitetsu to the girl at his front, prepared to strike her with a sudden bolt of lightning, yet appearing only as if he was pointing to her with his katana. Though before he could strike her down, Aikiko began to speak. It seemed as if the other was someone she had known… family. The young swordsman’s golden eyes were locked to his target, merely listening in on the conversation and taking Aikiko's word that another Uchiha was on the opposing side. The Uchiha girl began to run her mouth in the same way she always would, a well placed attempt to provoke the opponents to a rash decision. As they talked, the Sasaki covered his right hand from the sights of the opponent. He switched his stance to stand sideward, mustering a string of hand seals with his single right hand and flowing chakra through the coat over his shoulder. “Stall your cousin. I can finish the other and we can trap your sibling two versus one. Give me the word and I'll fire.” Just standing beside her, his whisper would be heard only by Aikiko's ears, masking his plan with the noises of raging battle surrounding the four. Out of all possible match ups, this one seemed to be the best in his mind. He knew the other to be an Uchiha, and he knew Aikiko's skill in genjutsu to be superior to anyone else's, perfect to stall out a fight without sustaining damage. He wondered how she'd fair against another from her clan, yet he had the utmost confidence in her. The other girl to be his opponent was still a mystery, yet whoever she was or whatever skills she possessed would not matter. He'd make quick work of her and return to the aid of his friend. Upon hearing Aikiko acknowledge his plan and give out the command, the Sasaki heir would waste no time. Immediately he charged an overflow of lightning on his blade, all eventually accumulating and firing from Kitetsu’s thrusting edge. A crackling bolt shot through the air aimed to injure the opponent and send her flying back the opposite direction of her ally, effectively separating the two.

1418 | 2469

Mission:

210/230:

285/310:

250/310:

180/310:

All was going according to Aikiko's plan thus far. Her opponent had allowed himself to be trapped under layer after layer of genjutsu while her retreat continued. Had they paid attention to anything but each other they'd have noticed they had left the field and ended up next to a cliff side that overlooked a river. The river was mostly clear of rocks and the water was crystal clear indicating it wasn't moving too quickly. The trees surrounding them trembled in anticipation of the ruin their battle would surely cause. Aikiko was still focused on her enemies eyes and who they could belong to. To Aikiko's consternation, she saw her opponent open his tenketsu cleansing himself of the illusions she'd placed on him and then lowering himself into a crouch. The young man gathered an immense bit of chakra and for a moment he crouched. Aikiko tried her hardest to retreat but once he rose and jetted across the landscape his blade singing a thousand bird songs as it tore through the air towards her abdomen. The blade pierced through her body cleanly causing her to cry out in pain she found herself grabbing at the handle of the blade as her “cousin” leaned in. Aikiko began to hyperventilate as he bade her to die, Aikiko's sharingan once more made a connection with her enemies except this time when the connection was made, her vision flashed white for a second before memories of events she'd barely been involved in came flooding into her mind like a bit of divine revelation.

Aikiko heard a woman screaming, the scream sounded like a woman in pain and was very, very, familiar. It took moments for Aikiko to recognize it as belonging to her mother. Her mother was in a forest clearing and it was raining. The rain always fell in the Land of the Rain, where Aikiko knew she'd been born. The Uchiha heiress reasoned she must be viewing her birth. She'd never really been told about that night, since anytime she brought it up it was meant with hushed tones and dodgy answers. Aikiko figured something must have happened but never could imagine what she saw next. It was indeed her own mother, and it was in fact the night of Aikiko's birth however, to her bewilderment she saw another baby there. A baby boy being held by a man she'd never seen before, the immense man was holding her mother's hand with a free arm; his large frame was easily able to support the baby in a single massive palm. Not long after a baby girl was produced from her mother, the final push having been made. Aikiko saw an older woman, one she'd recognized only vaguely as her own grandmother. Aikiko was told that she died not long after her birth and that's why she never met her. “Ahiratsu, they tell me the boy was born first. You know what must be done, they will never accept a second child even if it's a woman. The first born of our family must always be the daughter. His sacrifice will make her strong.” The old woman, began to tell the man to crush the boy, kill him and be done with it she said.

Aikiko couldn't believe what she was seeing, she had had a twin brother and he was killed by her own family to secure their bloodline. Except the man refused, and began trying to wrench Aikiko free from the old woman. There was an unseen strength in the older woman who's eyes glowed with a power Aikiko had only heard tales of. The man froze in place and Ahiratsu started screaming at her mother, begging her to let him free of whatever sinister spell her Mangekyou Sharingan had placed on him. The man began to laugh madly, as the old woman spoke again, “This has gone on far too long Ahiratsu. I've tolerated you lying with this upstart oaf far too long. He has forgotten his place and so have you. You need to be taught that pla–” The old woman's speech was cut off when Ahiratsu thrust Kogarashi through the matriarch's throat, the old woman choked to death on her own blood as her fingers clawed at the wound opened up like a sanguine smile across her neck. Aikiko's mother was sobbing as she pleaded with this man who was apparently her father to take the boy and run, “You have to take him and run. If they find you here and her like this they'll kill us all. Leave before I have to kill you two, I beg you. Please j-just run.” This was a side of her mother she'd never seen, the cruel harsh woman she knew as her mother had been a completely different person before that night it seemed. As the man fled, Aikiko's mind began to return to the present and the very real excruciating pain in her abdomen. Somehow in Aikiko's mind she knew exactly who this man that was killing her was and she understood that it was what she deserved.

There was a majestic serpent made of wind ascending towards her near lifeless body in the air, it's jaws wide open ready to crush her frail body into a mist should it catch her. With the last of Aikiko's strength she reached for the handle of Kogarashi and flowed what chakra she could muster into it. Aikiko's voice was weak and broken but she managed to get one word out before the vortex of wind her blade created would drown out whatever the rest of speech was, “Brother....” The winds began to swirl violently, as an extraordinarily powerful whirlwind kicked up originating at the storied blade she'd wrapped her weak fingers around. If this was where she died, her twin would be coming with her. As the whirlwind kicked up, the light faded from her vision and Aikiko felt surprisingly tranquil at the thought that this was the last light she'd see in life. Aikiko hoped she rise again but this would be a fitting end for her should this be her last stand. Perhaps her sister would make a better heiress anyway. Aikiko let herself fade into the mercy of unconsciousness, the physical pain and mental strain having finally taken enough of a toll to put her to sleep.

• 1,800/1,800: B rank Quest Mission. (40% discount on WC from items used in main thread)
  
• 1,500/1,500: Suiton from nothing to B. (70% reduction on element training)
  
• 500/500: Training a B rank jutsu.(70% reduction on spec training)
  

Yoshihiro felt the rain upon his skin, and knew that something was very, very wrong.

Where had his opponent gone? Where had the battlefield? The river and the forest? Everything had changed so suddenly that he'd frozen in place still letting his mind remain mired in the heat of battle. He held his blades aloft, his enemy's blood splattered across his face and torso, eyes wide and panicking as his mind tried to discern what was happening. Was this another genjutsu?... No, no he'd cleansed his tenketsu. Plus, he hadn't seen any chakra leave the girl. She didn't have the time to form a trigger or hand seal before she'd been stabbed. So why then? Why was he here?

He stood atop a large boulder on the edge of a rocky stream. There was a dirt road behind him, a forest beyond that, but not much else save for a few signs. One said 'Hi no Kuni' pointing east, and the other 'Amegakure' pointing west. It seemed he was near the border between the two countries. This strange vision of his was trying to tell him something, he understood that, even if he failed to grasp how such a thing was possible. The last thing he remembered was seeing that girl reach for her blade and release a wind jutsu to collide with his dragon. The two had clashed and she had said... gah, it was no use, he couldn't remember anything past that.

"GAAAAH!" a gruff, loud voice shouted in pain.

Yojo spotted a large beast of a man stumble out of the dark treeline. They were huge, easily taller than Yoshihiro. The stranger was clad in waterlogged clothes, his dark tan and burly muscles adding beef to his already mountainous form. The black beard and salt-and-pepper hair they sported was wet from the downpour, a wild look to their brown eyes as they looked over their shoulder back the way they'd come. In the man's massive hand, a newborn was wrapped in cloth. "It's... It's okay, little raindrop. Keep crying, do not let the rain drown you out" the stranger pleaded. They looked down at their rib cage. A large windmill shuriken had embedded itself in their side. The gruff man swore, looking to the stream and stumbling across the rocky shoreline towards its edge. As they passed the boulder where Yojo stood, the Chunin could see numerous kunai, senbon, and shuriken impaled all along his back. They rendered him like a porcupine of steel and blood, the rain washing it all away as it seeped out of him.

At the water's edge, the man dropped to his knees. "Don't let... the rain... drown you- GAH!" he shouted again, the energy already leaving his voice as the extreme blood lost began to take its toll on the mammoth of a man.

A new figure had appeared, launching themselves from the underbrush, holding a sword which they impaled the stranger on through their back, pinning them down onto the rocky edge of the stream. Their black hair, black eyes, and black clothing were enough of a giveaway to the trained eye of Yojo. They were a shinobi, and by the clan crest on their back, they were Uchiha. The stranger howled in pain, dropping the child down onto the ground at the edge of the stream. "You can't escape, Yojimbo. Not after all you've done. Lady Ahiratsu has called for your immediate execution. She was always the professional, it is why she is the clan matriarch. Why her daughter will succeed her... I, however, am not a professional" the Uchiha said, pulling their blade out of the man's peppered back and letting the raindrops wash the man's blood from the blade. "-no, this is personal for me. Attacking my wife in childbirth and killing her mother? You are beyond redemption. The Oni will eviscerate you and devour your entrails for eternity in the hot naraka" the man said, inspecting the now pristenely clean blade. "I want you to feel yourself dying" he stated, moving past the nearly dead stranger and looking down at the wrapped baby.

"I want the last thing you see before you die to be taken from you. I want no one on this earth to remember you lived. I want Amegakure to wash you form history..." he announced, bringing his sword up next to his head and staring down at the baby. "I want the rain to drown you both" he stated before slashing downwards at the baby. Yojimbo, with what strength he had, reached for the husband's leg in some meager attempt to stop him, but it was no use. Yojo, form his vantage point, saw the blade move in slow motion as it descended, closer and closer until at last-

THUD

The husband'ss word rattled, a vibration running up it as it struck something hard that it could not pass thorugh. There was a moment of pausing, a silence filled only by the falling rain... "Heh... Heheheh" Yojimbo chuckled, blood coughing out of his mouth as he laid on the rocky shore. The husband's face was pale, his eyes wide, his sharingan woefully asleep. "No... No" he started, dropping his sword and grabbing the wrapped baby before pulling the cloth of it.

He now held a baby-sized rock in his hands.

A look of utter petrification and fear appeared on the man's face, limply dropping the rock onto the ground, staring off across the stream into the raining forest beyond. Yojo could see the gears in the strangers mind. He'd failed, he'd failed beyond any reproach. He looked down at Yojimbo, his calm and confident voice breaking down into a yell. "WHERE IS HE?" he shouted, grabbing the man by his salt-and-pepper hair so that his bloodied face could speak clearly. "You talk too much. No wonder she loved me more. You always were compensating for something, peasant" he coughed, a broken smile appearing on his face as he saw the fuming man's face grow darker. "WHERE... IS...HE?" he asked again, his grip on his katana growing tighter into a white knuckle grip.

"He's gone... You will never find him. Maybe you should've used your sharingan instead of underestimating what a simple blacksmith can think up" he said, his smile growing wider and more prevalent. The man scowled in both utter anger and utter helplessness. He'd been humiliated by this failure. "I want you to remember two things now, with what little strength I have left to say them: that Aikiko is not your child, and that out there, somewhere, my son, Ahiratsu's son, will live... He will live free from your family, free from your accursed clan, and free from the sister who will surpass the mother- as has happened this same night" he continued, slowly rising to his feet. Yojimbo yelled in pain, the large man eclipsing the stunned Uchiha as the weapons embedded in his back rattled with each movement he made. His body was gone, everything was now the result of sheer willpower. "-but most of all, in your darkest and most intimate moments, I want you to remember this: that one day, our son, or our daughter, will find out the truth- even if you've hidden it from the world. When they do, they will come home, find you, and kill you to claim their birthright" the middle-aged man prophesized.

"I came into this world on my feet, and I'm going to leave it on them too. I may be a peasant, a blacksmith, not even a shinobi... BUT I HAVE STOOD ABOVE YOU AND YOUR ACCURSED CLAN FOR ALL MY LIFE! AND WITH THE KAMI AS MY WITNESS, I WILL DIE ABOVE YOU" he proclaimed, watching as the Uchiha angrily began forming a string of hand seals. Their curse of hatred produly on display as they began yelling in anticipation of what would come next. A look of sublime acceptance appeared on Yojimbo's face as he awaited his fate, the rain dripping down the creases of his face, making him look younger and more hopeful for what may come after.

"I love you, Kiko. Please, be better than me, better than all of us" he whispered to the rain. He paused, prompting Yojo to focus in more intently. His heart was beating fast. Something about this seemed familiar to him, despite being so foreign.

"Be wiser than me, forgive me for abandoning you... Poor orphan of the rain..." he said in a strangely profound and soft voice.

"Poor Yoshihiro" he whispered.

Yojo's eyes snapped open to their fullest extent. Suddenly, everything made a dreadful amount of sense. His heart's beat reaching a fever pitch, his breath hot and dry despite the rain. W-What? This vision, it was telling him... It was telling him of his father? Of his mother?... Of his sister? He opened his mouth, he wanted to say something, anything, yet he couldn't think of what. So, he was left there in stunned silence as the Uchiha finished weaving his seals.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!" he shouted, inhaling ahead of the jutsu.

Helplessly, Yojo watched as an almightly flamethrower of Katon erupted from the Uchiha's mouth, engulfing Yojimbo instantly. Yojo saw the blacksmith's silhouette through the flame. At first it was intact, but, a few moments later, faded away into nothingness, his body reduced completely to ash. Even then, the flames grew. They grew larger and larger, brighter and brighter, until at last, they blinded Yojo entirely. His world became white, a second silence overtaking him at long last.

Total WC: 6069

• B-Rank Crime Mission Completion: 2175/2175 (including 40% reduction from Main Thread)
  
• Training Senjutsu,Nothing-D: 1500/1500 (70% reduction)
  
• Training Senjutsu, D-C: 1800/1800 (70% reduction)
  
• Training Senjutsu, C-B: 2100/2100 (Using 2100 out of 4385 WC from THIS THREAD) (70% reduction)
  
• Training Senjutsu, B-A: 2400/2400 (Using 2285 out of 4385 WC from THIS THREAD + 115 WC from this threat for total) (70% reduction)