TEAM MISSION ONE:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Well...this would be interesting. Zen had just accepted a mission for him and his newly formed Team Gamma. The scroll said that a nearby sub-village was robbed by three unknown ninja. They were wearing Kumo flak jackets, but Zen knew about all the relationships that Iwa had with other countries. That Kumo was hostile toward Iwa was probably not the case. If they were....well, it was like them to do something of more grandeur.
Either way....Zen made his way out of the Rokudaime Tsuchikage complex. It was indeed the largest structure in the Village Hiding-in-Stones. More than that, it was a very maze-like building with the bazaar-like market that was on the first floor. Even Zen, who had gone through that building at least a hundred times, could easily get lost. It shifted every day.....
Finally finding his way out, Zen made his way to the redezvous point. He would meet his team at a small outpost outside of the village. It was halfway between the robbed village and the Hidden Stone. It had access to many other places, as well....
He detected some figures approaching his vantage point. He was on top of a plateau-like pillar of earth, no more than 5 feet higher than the surrounding ground.
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The loot. It was so much for a practically nonexistent store. At least 20000 ryo, which was the best haul they'd had in years. And Nojuku wasn't even halfway through it. He sat counting it, while his comrades talked on. Worthless word, if you asked him. "Furou, Sasurai! Come help me with this, huh? By myself it'll take another five hours!" They always did what he asked.... It was like he was the oldest of the three.
[301/4000]

Makato had woken up earlier than usual, at around 5:00 AM. After he had woken up, he made himself some ramen, poured a glass of milk and made his way onto the roof of his house. Here he would eat and watch the sunrise. The reason he had woken up so early was because he didn't want to be late for this mission, as it was the most important mission he had ever been accepted to do. There was actually a few hours from the point he had woken up until the mission actually started, but Makato needed to warm up. His team was to meet and stop three robbers. It was an A-ranked mission. Makato wasn't scared yet, only excited. He finally was going on a mission that was of real importance to his community: Iwagakure. As the sun peeked over the mountains, Makato slurped up his noodles and drank the broth. He then drank his entire glass of milk before coming back inside and changing into his clothes.

Today he would wear special clothing. He wore his usual shirt. A white t-shirt with black kanji written on the front. The kanji symbol today was the symbol for "courage". He wore black pants and his usual brown shoes. Today, however, he would wear a headband that his father had given to him, passed down for generations in the Kobayashi family. The headband was checkered orange and brown, and had two long pieces of cloth trailing from the end of it. Makato came downstairs and wrapped the headband around his forehead. His orange hair came down, almost covering the headband completely. Makato's mother wasn't awake, so he left her an "I love you" note and departed, not quite knowing whether or not he would return.

He walked through the cold morning air of Iwagakure. The mission did not start until later, but he wanted to get some practice in before the mission. He stopped at a few different training spots, meditating and practicing kendo style with his blade. When it came time to go on the mission, the sun was at it's peak in the sky. Only a bit passed noon. Makato walked to where he was told to meet up with his teammates. He was quite excited to see them all again. As he approached the rendezvous spot outside the village, it had marked the first time that he had ever left Iwagakure. It didn't feel like too much of a big deal, it only made Makato happier. He walked with his hands behind his head as he approached his sensai, Zenchi.

"Hey there.." he said with a close-eyed grin.

Gahh, the sun was up and shining in his face. It was a terrible reminder of the hours he spent out gazing at the cosmos.It was a nice night, full of philosophical conundrums. He often wondered how a human being can go to bed laying straight on ones back, and wake up like he went through an exorcism. But he put the question in the back of his mind. To day was going to be a good day. Today was the day they were going to do something that mattered to the hidden stone.

Getting up out of his bed clad only in his boxers he went through the normal routine. Eat, shower, brush teeth, clothe, and finally say bye to his parents and walk out of the door. The sun shone in the sky and hurt Migoto's eyes, requiring him to squint for a bit. Hopefully he wasn't going to be late. You know what they say, you never get a second chance at a first impression.

He was sure he was running a bit behind schedule, so he ran. Ran through the marketing district, then out of the village gates. After a few solid minutes at running he was a little winded, so he walked the rest of the day. Enjoying the flora and fauna that grew about. Finally getting close to the


rendezvous point. He saw Makato sporting his signature orange hair chatting with there sensei, Zenchi. They were both very layed back guys. Which is why Migoto liked them so much. They matched emotionally, like friends would.

Strolling up to the pair with his hand waving," Hey guys, nice day to capture some punks, eh?"

WC: 280/2500

Alessi wasn't in too good of a mood that morning. This happened from time to time when she couldn't sleep or had a bad dream. Being tired had absolutely nothing to do with it at all though. Her morning started out very difficult. Waking up at about 5:10 in the morning, she fell off her bed and had to push herself to go get ready for the mission her and her squad had today. This mission would be a little more dangerous, so she would have to take extra care today. Putting on her typical dress, she made sure she would be able to move some during any action she would have to do. According to what she heard about the mission, they would possibly have to fight someone. It didn't scare her much. The faith she had in her squad was incredibly high.

After lazily making breakfast and eating it, she wandered throughout Iwa for a bit in order to wake up a little bit. The sun was brightly shining on her, so she gained a little bit of awareness from it. It worked for the most part, but she still felt a tad bit sleepy. Eventually, Alessi arrived at the meeting place and saw that all of her teammates were already there. They looked a lot better than she did, but she managed to form a grin and wave at them as she walked up. "Hi guys..." Her voice wasn't too full of pep, but she tried to force it out. Least she would have time to relax after the mission.

Word Count: 263/1100

Spoiler:

Right....his students were here. Makato was his happy-go-lucky self, Migoto was in a good mood, as well...Alessi? She seemed to stifle some bad mood or other... He didn't even want to ask. If he had learned anything about females, it's that you never ask if something's wrong. Zen was still rather naive about them, despite his rank... He supposed that was to be attributed to his age.

They had to get going soon; the crime had only been committed yesterday. If they were as far away as Rockhenge...well, they'd have to go full speed ahead. These crooks weren't about to slow down for the three of them, after all.

"Hello, Team Gamma. I trust you've been unrelenting in your training; we're going to need it. These people are no ordinary punks; they're quite dangerous, actually. Three powerful ninja that you will have to keep your guard up against constantly. These scrolls contain some valuable information on them... be sure to read up. We leave in two minutes."

Zen hoped he could live up to his rank....the Kyouga could not bear to see his comrades hurt. It would also be demeaning to him personally if he couldn't protect the squad assigned to him. He needed a plan. Plans always made everything go smoother. So, Zen went up to each of his charges and individually gave them a sort of 'role'.

"Alessi. Naturally, we're going to need your expertise... Please stay out of the line of fire if possible. It would not do well for our Medical-nin to get hurt, non? Of course, you're free to exploit any openings you see." Medic-zoned. With that, he headed to the next.

"Makato... You've come into possession of a sword, it seems. Needless to say, I'd like to have you face off against our opponent that also wields one. I must warn you, he trades finesse for brute force." And, finally...

"Migoto....You, overall, are....more balanced in tactics. You can hit hard, but at the same time go on the defensive if need be. You'll stick with me, and we'll assist where needed. Though, for the most part, you'll be fighting the eldest of the three."

And to all three, he said: "Everyone, as you know, there is a Genjutsu user among these three criminals. Please do your best to avert your eyes from any suspicious behavior by the youngest one. If you find yourself caught, do not, and I repeat, do NOT try and break it yourself. If it's the last thing you can do before being trapped, call me. I can break you out of Genjutsu, as I'm a specialist as well. Now... shall we get going? To Rockhenge."

Zen started towards his Team's destination.
-------
All right. Time to leave this weird place behind....there was just a vibe of wrongness here. He could tell that his two accomplices---could he call them friends?--felt the same way.
Furou was just....ugh. He wanted to ditch this place as soon as possible. After all, they needed to hit up another one of those villages. Veritably a good source of funds. The three had almost finished counting.....
[830/3500]

Another kenjutsu user, eh? Makato was excited, he'd finally be able to test his new blade in combat. He felt at the orange hilt of the blade, running his palm across the cloth of it. A smirk crept across his face as he imagined using it in the near future. He took the scroll in his hands, not opening it yet as his sensai was describing the battle tactics to them. Makato considered the fact that the sensai had told them all that they were going up against highly skilled ninja, but it did not scare him. He had faith in his sensai to protect them, his teammates to do their parts, and he definitely had faith in himself. He was excited even about the battle plan. All Makato had to do was what he was best at. Battle strategically with his blade. And now that he had acquired a real katana, he was overconfident. All he had to do if caught in a genjutsu was to call to his sensai for help. Makato followed Zen out of Iwa, towards the destination where they would fight the lot. Makato then began to read the mission scroll, looking at the bio of each of the people they were to face.

A B-ranked Swordsman... the young genin thought to himself. And he uses a hand-and-a-half sword, much stronger than my katana. But slower... I'll have to be careful.

The eldest of the three? With his sensei? Wow. This was a dream come true, he must have proved himself in the little spar they had. Even though this would probably prove a long, and dangerous fight. He was ready. Listening to his sensei go over the rest of the tactics, he thought to himself. Since he would practically shadow his mentor, would he too have to battle the genjutsu user? The thought was unnerving at best. Not being able to tell if the world was real or not. That would be hellish. But he forced the thought from his mind. All he had to do was focus at his enemies chest, if he didn't focus on his eyes. That lowered the chance of him getting caught dramatically.

Taking the mission scroll, he read about the eldest brother.He was truly a force to be reckoned with. Skilled in fire, water, ninjutsu, and taijutsu. Along with enhanced strength, Migoto would have to be on his guard more than ever. An advantage he did have though was his earth jutsu, it was decent against fire. Along with his lightning jutsu he could overcome him elementally. Pysically he would have to out smart and out pace him with speed.

It would be a challenge but he would be ready for it. " Sensei, ill be like your shadow" Migoto said with a grin. With that, he followed the group to stop the three evil doers.

WC: 242
Total: 522/2500

Alessi blinked a few times at her sensei's orders. She had been medic-zoned and forced to sit back as the others did a majority of the work. It ticked her off slightly, but she let it go. Depending on how the situation plays out, she'll decided what would be right. Her chakra scalpel would definitely come in handy if one of the gang members got too close to her. She would unfortunately have to stay back in case Makato, Migoto, or even Zenchi got injured. Being the only medic there, she would be heavily relied on to heal her teammates. Shaking her head, she came to the conclusion that it was reasonable that she was medic-zoned. Though she still didn't like the fact that she was going to be doing so.

With a sigh, Alessi followed Zenchi, but stuck closer to Makato. Her mind was still racing on what she would encounter, how their opponents would react, and what the consequences of her actions would be. "Zenchi... Can you promise me that no one will get too hurt...?" She already knew the answer, but hearing it from someone else would make her feel less stressed out.

Word Count: 432/1100

Oh-ho. Seems that Migoto was quite confident. Saying he'd be Zenchi's shadow...well, he didn't know if his student had the means to that end, but it was a nice mood booster. Makato...he didn't say anything in reply to Zen's instruction. He was probably thinking of what he would do. Despite being so happy-go-lucky, Makato was surprisingly pensive and deep-thinking. Alessi... posed a question that Zen was not at all inclined to answer. She asked him to promise her.... to promise that no one would get 'too hurt'. He hated being asked things like this; he was a realist, and knew that there was a possibility that even he would be killed. "Alessi...I can't promise you anything. In reality, one of the people we'll be facing is probably stronger than me. So... We just have to work together. I will do my very best to make sure none of you get too injured...but the rest is up to chance. And I know I can trust you to be the safety net for that possibility." Though he didn't want to admit it.... Jutsu repertoire did play a role in how well a ninja could perform his or her duties. And right now.... Zen didn't have any more jutsu variety than a Genin of his clan would. He needed to get better... and he had just the technique to do it. Something that no other Kyouga could.

[1068/3500]

Makato continued to ponder the possibilities of the battle only for a short time as they walked. He had already decided his tactics, and it wasn't necessary for him to linger on it anymore. He rolled the scroll up and shoved it in his pockets in case he needed it again during the battle. Makato then was just relaxed. Even as his sensai told them that they have a chance of dying, Makato was quite relaxed. He already knew that. Makato's biggest fear was, indeed, death, but he was so confident in his abilities right now that he wouldn't be scared until he actually noticed that his opponents would have the capacity to kill him. Makato smiled:

"Hah! Quit being so worried, guys. As long as you're protected under my blade, nothing can happen." Makato had a bit of a playful tone, yet he was completely serious.

Still dwelling on how he can out smart or overpower his foe, Makato's comment broke through to him. He indeed was quite confident in his abilities. As was all of the squad. Sure there was a possibility of death, but that was trivial. Migoto saw death as a final answer to ones questions after a lifetime of searching. Only to be met once you are ready. "Protect us? You sure that blade won't break if someone breathed on it", Migoto teased. Everyone was thinking of the mission, a little humor would do them some good. Humor was one of Migoto's specialty.His mantra was don't worry,be happy. The montra basically meant don't sweat the small things, laugh often, and live it up.

WC: 123
total:645/2500

Alessi sighed and nodded upon receiving the answer she expected. Though Zenchi seemed to add a bit of some extra information. The fact that they would possibly be facing someone stronger than Zenchi amazed her. Being one to see her sensei's attacks and jutsus, to think there was someone a bit stronger rather frightened her. Alessi immediately shook the thought out of her head, she couldn't think about such things at the moment. If anything, she should be confident and steadfast. She did feel a little more confident that Zenchi thought she would be of the utmost importance if someone happened to get a serious cut. Then there was the issue of blood. Ugh... just the thought of blood made her skin crawl.

To let her mind focus on something else, she turned her attention to her teammate's banter. They were definitely a comical two. She giggled slightly at Migoto's jest. Slowing her pace to match up with Makato's and Migoto, she grinned at both of them. She didn't say a word though. She just listened.

Word Count: 608/1100

Zen was filling his head with thoughts now. An organized chaos was flying through his mind at this point. fRight now, he was just trying to have an answer. To all the questions. Alessi's earlier proposal for his promise...perturbed him.

So, he would just have to be ready. At least they had the element of surprise....

He made the signal to his team; a minute, snappy wave of his hand, palm still facing forward so they could only see the back of his hand. Either way, the subsequent point--also snappy--meant that they were getting close. The rock positioning was coming into view....a round, stout formation of stones. Fifty meters, at best. Forty...thirty....

Well, time to move in.
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Furou shifted, rather uneasily. It was the basic principle of vagabonds like them to not stay in one place for very long....But he wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. He didn't like the way that....he couldn't describe it well. It was like 'the hills have eyes', rocks edition. This place just had a bad aura around it...
[right]Nojuku heard something. It sounded like...footsteps? Nah, I'm probably just freaked out because of this creepy rock-whominawhatzit. "Let's get a move on, eh?! Now that we're all packed up."

[1282/3500]

"Real funny.."

Makato continued walking with the team, even more relaxed after Migoto had made his joke. Makato knew that his promise may have sounded off-the-wall, but it was true in his heart. If he were to fail any of his teammates, or his sensai, by letting them get injured or killed, it would bring him extreme dishonor and shame. Migoto and Alessi had become Makato's best friends, and he couldn't allow them to be hurt. Makato was relaxed, however, the closer they got, the more anxious he became. Makato could see a large rock off in the distance, and as his team grew silent, he figured that the objectives were hidden behind the rock. Makato was silent too, now, creeping up towards the rock, using his chakra flow abilities to keep as silent as possible while approaching. As he looked towards his sensei, Zenchi, he was slightly confused. He was not exactly sure what the signals had meant, seeing as they had never discussed them beforehand. However, they seemed pretty self-explanatory: Move forward. Makato decided that that's probably what the signs meant, so he treated them as such, hoping to act in correspondence with his teammates.

[wc-1508]
Makato approached the rock with caution, holding his breath as he neared ten feet of it. He was ahead of his teammates already, so he was going to try and be the first to make a move. he had to be sneaky, however. He scaled the top of the rock, careful to make no sounds. As he scaled the rock, his breathing was kept light, but he could not help his heart from pounding. This was Makato's first time entering real combat. Right beyond this rock, In Makato's eyes, was his entrance into manhood. Could he overcome the challenge and walk away with this life? He hoped so. As he neared the very top of the rock, he would peak down below it. They were all there. One, two and three. Furo, the smallest one, the largest one, Sasurai, and Nojuku.

"Let's get a move on, eh?! Now that we're all packed up."

Makato watched the man speak, his yellow spiky hair intimidating him slightly. Positioning himself up on the rock with his knees, he grabbed the hilt of his sword gently. He thought quickly before acting; he would be soon plunging into the most important battle of his life. I can do this, I've been training all of my life. I just can't underestimate him... this guy's no joke. No joke. No juke-u. Nojuku. Hahaha.

In that moment, the young boy was calmed again. Seriousness was not the kind of person Makato was, although he realized himself starting to change into that type of person- a person like his father. He would never be like that. If this were the moment that he would enter manhood, he would indeed do it the right way: smiling. He readied his hands. The shinobi was preparing to make a large leap, so that he was facing Nojuku's back. The other two ninja were infront of Nojuku anyways, so Makato could jump down and still face all three of them. He then pounced, his clothes rippling as he quickly made his decent onto his opponent. For the first time, Makato unsheathed his blade in combat. He grabbed the orange hilt, then extracted the 73 centimeter blade from it's sheath. As Makato lifted the blade above his head, the tip of it shined in the sky. Although Makato was probably already detected, the team of three would have little time to react.

He came down behind Nojuku, slicing at his left shoulder before landing. As he came down, he could see the money. Makato was attempting to make the man drop the money by cutting directly into his shoulder blade. The attack was a downward diagnol slash, Makato having both hands behind the force of the slash. The battle had begun.

Migoto knew his intent was pure, but in the ninja world. Survival was not a guarantee, especially when facing enemy ninja. The mission was to take them alive for questioning. This was an odd request, usually it was a kill on sight. While the enemy can use their power to its fullest extent. They must dial it back to avoid the targets death. It would be tricky, yet a challenge. This is what made ninja strong, overcoming obstacles.

His team grew more and more quiet as they neared the targets. He could hear murmurs and stray voices up ahead. His squad was silent in their approach, like lions in the brush they crept closer.As him and his team neared the vagabonds lair, Migoto noticed Makato. He was taking the initiative. He was ahead of the team, going to plan his own ambush. He was behind the rock just as Makato was ready to pounce. Taking a peek around the rock he was the three of them, wallowing in their new found wealth. They were practically in a row, Migoto's target on the far left. He was indeed the oldest and it showed. Makato's was in the middle.They were gluttons of money, praying on the weak, thinking only of themselves. There greed was unforgivable, Migoto hoped after they were interrogated they were executed for their crimes.

As Makato leaped down onto his target like a hawk, Migoto rounded to corner to his. Since his target was busy observing his sibling, he would probably not see Migoto's attack. It was a swift side kick, aimed at the target stomach. Since Migoto's Taijutsu was honed, the kick if it connected would do some damage. It would at the most make him fold in on himself and be open for further attack. At the least he would be steadfast and it would take more than a kick to injure him.

WC: 318
Total: 963/2500

Looking forward for a moment, Alessi could see that Zenchi was giving a signal that they were getting closer and closer to their target destination. She wasn't too worried about herself getting injured in the upcoming confrontation, but more of her squad as a whole getting injured. Though she knew the possibilities were quite endless for injuries, all she could do was hope. With a soft sigh, she moved up a little closer to Zenchi to get a good look of what was ahead.

"Let's get a move on, eh?! Now that we're all packed up."

The sound of the voice hit Alessi almost instantly. It wasn't one of her teammate or her sensei, but an unfamiliar voice. She quickly crouched down to quell any sound her feet made. Being held back by Zenchi's medic-zone, she would have to wait for someone else to react first. Just as she finished her thought, Makato ran out, follow closely behind by Migoto. Now was the best time for her to go in and actually try to do some damage. Attacking last was possibly the smartest thing she could do at the time. While the enemies were focused on who went first, it would be simple enough for her to incapacitate them.

Seeing how Makato took the eldest brother and Migoto took another, her only option was to strike at the only available brother. Since the two attacks by her teammates gained the most attention, it would be a pretty easy strike. Not thinking, she ran in and quickly caught up to the others. With a leap, she clenched her fist and brought it down with a load of force behind it. She aimed high around her target's head/face. If it made contact, it would definitely cause her enemy to stagger. Even if it didn't hit, she would roll out of her decent and get a good distance from the fight. Her job being a medic rose above all else, so she would only go for openings and distractions. Alessi's agility would come in handy for that.

Word Count: 940/1100

Bad. Bad. Badbadbadbadbad.

They had let their guard down.

Nojuku thought it was just his paranoia when he heard footsteps....no. He was wrong. Well, he was wrong about being wrong. So he was....right? Right. Anyway....the loot could wait. Money didn't walk. But these vigilante cops....well, they'd do anything they could to get a bounty, wouldn't they?

The first kid attacked. He...that one. A sword wielder. He didn't look very good at it, from his looks...but that wouldn't matter at the moment. He, no, all three of them--after all, he was the most perceptive--had been caught off guard. Their only hope was to dodge. And even those chances were slimming....

Nojuku turned his head, and seeing the carrot-top descending on him, hawk-like, he had no choice but to roll out of the way. In contrast to what seemed like an attempted straight slash, the kid's katana grazed the middle thief's forearm. It took off a 1-inch-wide strip of the outer layer of skin, from his elbow to a little above his wrist. This kid.... was seriously getting on his nerves, and he'd only been in Nojuku's sight for about five seconds. He drew Arasoi, and readied a retaliating strike; a two-handed strike meant for a sword that was usually wielded with one. Though, his sword was notably stronger, and as a result heavier, than others of its kind. It was all-out; if they didn't finish off these guys quickly, the Stone ninja--he saw the headbands--would finish them off by sheer numbers. So, Nojuku put every ounce of strength he had behind the two-hit combo of a horizontal and diagonal slash. He would step in-between slashes, allowing him to advance if his orange-haired target retreated.

Spoiler:

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Oh. A surprise attack?

Sasurai was...well, surprised. What else could he be? It wasn't as if they expected to be caught.... He supposed he would have to fight, since Nojuku was already engaged.

Then, all air went out of his lungs. Another....?

One came attacking after another....underhanded, but then again, the three of them used the same tactics. Sasurai was shocked by the blow, for sure, but his honed body let him somewhat shrug off the damage. He couldn't allow them--especially this one, quite fast-- to interfere with the other battles. Especially Furou...he was rather frail. The one that needed the most protection.

Sasurai attempted to grab the young man that attacked him. By the shirt, he would attempt to turn around and use the momentum to throw him. If successful... "Fire Style...Burst!" He would launch towards the boy, wherever he was, and use his speed to power a punch. With his skill, it would easily cause severe bruising and pain. This was a B-ranked technique....he would have to spend his chakra wisely if he wanted to protect the others.

Spoiler:

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Idiots. What were they doing, getting into a fight like this? Four-on-three? Not very good odds, even if they looked like squirts that were fresh out of the Academy. "Fuuton: Renku...DAAAAN!" Of course, that's not actually what he was doing. Ninjutsu was for people who didn't know how to trick people. This fake attack would feel like a Sannin was doing it; even the rocks forming this creepy formation would seem to be blown out of sight. Everything would be reduced to a dusty plain. At least, while they were in the Genjutsu....
His hand seals preceding this technique betrayed no hint of the fact that what he was doing was a mere illusion. But, there was one catch, one little thing: The fist. Oh, it hurt like a mother.
So, that girl was probably the only one to not be in the Genjutsu. He would have to deal with her, it seemed.... Man, that smarted.

Spoiler:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This....was a problem. Zen hadn't expected Makato to jump in so soon...he hadn't given the order to move out yet....
No matter. They were all facing their respective enemies.... Zen would just jump in as needed. Wherever someone called him, he'd be there. The three fights weren't too far away from each other, after all.

[1972/3500]

[OOC: Wasn't sure about the genjutsu. It's only cast when someone looks at the person casting it, yet my character's completely focus on Nojuku, so... eh.]

Makato celebrated in his head. He knew that since he was going against a higher ranked shinobi, his attack probably wouldn't kill him or land a major injury, but he was indeed content. Now, to defeat his opponent, all he had to do was remember what his father had taught. him. When you injure your opponent, play off of their injuries. Once they are injured and you are not, the battle is already in your favor. Makato landed after cutting the gash in his opponents arm. This was good for him, the cut, because he was really only afraid of his opponents strength with his blade. Now that it was hindered by the cut in his opponents arm, Makato was more confident. His opponent tumbled away, and Makato readied his traditional kendo stance. His left hand above his right hand, both grasping the hilt. His left foot in front of his right foot, ready to step forward backward, to the side or stand his ground. He was now waiting for his opponent to attack back, which he did.

The hairs on the back of Makato's neck stood up. With the upcoming horizontal strike, he could already feel the power behind his blade before it made contact. He could tell that trying to parry with his blade would be futile, as his opponent would probably just overpower him. He couldn't let that happen. Makato spread his arms, keeping his katana in his right hand. When the first horizontal slash came, Makato ducked quickly, then sidestepped to the left. As he sidestepped, his opponent made another diagonal slash. Makato was now out of range from the attack, by about 2 meters. While his opponent was at the end of his diagonal slashing motion, Makato decided to try and take advantage of it. He gripped his blade once again with both hands and stepped forward, covering a meter and a half of space with a light jump then striking once again at his opponent. This strike would be a stab directly into his opponent's right shoulder.

His kick connected with the oldest villain, making a smack as it connected with his center of mass. There sneak attack went off without a hitch. They would now have to finish these guys off and arrest them. That,without a doubt would be the most challenging part. Taking on three B-ranked shinobi was perilous enough. but going for an arrest instead of an elimination, that was even more dangerous than the fight. But, it was there duty to rid the land of these three thieves regardless.

Still feeling cocky about landing his blow he hadn't noticed his opponent; with his superior training and endurance. Shrugged off the kick with only minor damage. He knew he would be tough and should have anticipated this. With his leg still firmly planted in his gut, his opponent reached out and grabbed hold of his shirt, heaving him with great strength. Being in such a close proximity with his target, it would have been impossible to avoid the throw.

Migoto was sent flying, he rolled on his back, head over heels until he attempted to stop himself. He used his powerful legs to slide the rest of the way to a stop.Due to the hard rock and gravel, Migoto collected a few scrapes on his arms and legs, also a bruise on his back where he landed.He got into his Muay Thai stance within a moments notice. Feet shoulder width apart. arms close to his core, to protect from oncoming strikes. Just as he was getting in his stance. His opponent came rushing at him with incredible speed. Had an arm cocked, specifically for him. Instinctively, Migoto rolled to the side of his opponent, intent on getting in his blind spot. Once there he pushed off of his legs, doing a short jump. He aimed a downward punch straight in the back of his opponents head. If Migoto's theory was right, his opponent would be going to fast to counter.


WC: 315
Total: 1278/2500

Alessi looked up to see one of the men making hand signs and seeming to focus on either Makato or Migo. Just from the way he looked at them, she could tell he was a genjutsu user. Her mind started to fight with itself trying to decide whether or not she should go in and punch the guy, or stay back in case one of them gets hurt. Go, don't go, go, don't go. "Screw it...!" With a quick push, she bolted towards the genjutsu user full speed. As she ran, she averted her eyes to make sure there was no chance of her being caught in an illusion. Making a few hand signs, she focused into the palms of both of her hands and spread it out evenly to make her chakra scalpels. Bringing her hand apart, she approached the man and took a slice at his right leg and right arm. Both were pretty open considering he was facing her teammates.Whether or not she hit, she would then run past him and keep her distance.

Pivoting with one foot, she would change her direction and would yet again be facing the fight. Being the medic was her main priority, but that didn't keep her out of combat. Alessi was trying to train herself to be a combat medic after all.

Chakra 60/80:

Word Count: 1162/1100

[OOC: Everyone, you still have to list your jutsu and chakra, even if this is just an NPC fight.]

Great. First she punched him, then seemingly no one got caught in his Genjutsu... it was time for Furou to up the ante. He wasn't too far away from either of his comrades in crime, or those that they were fighting. So, he should be able to do this just fine..."Infinite Darkness Jutsu!" Making the Tiger seal, it wouldn't matter this time around if these brats looked at him. Furou could just focus his chakra onto them, instead of needing a visual trigger. Their precious sense of sight would be robbed from them, robbed like the money they were about to get away with. The girl....she was coming around for an attack. Although....the chakra cloaking her hands was a bad sign. She shouldn't be able to see him--or anything--now... And neither could the other three. Furou stood to see what would happen next.

Spoiler:

~~~~~
So, Furou was bringing out the big guns. From what he heard, the little one was going to use one of the best illusions in his arsenal: Kokuangyo no Jutsu. Great for working together. Nojuku figured that he should start to get more serious as well; these might be kids, but they're pretty good for their age. The only thing other than wielding his sword that he was good at: Chakra flow. He would need it....the kid was on the offensive before the illusion had taken effect. He was attempting a thrusting attack... Now! From his follow-through position on his swing. Nojuku quickly raised the hilt of his blade; the boy had actually stabbed his cross-guard. It was quite firmly wedged in there. Nojuku probably wouldn't have been able to react that fast if it wasn't for his Fuuton chakra flow; he effortlessly reduced air resistance around his body to let him move faster, if only for a moment. Now that he had blocked, though.... it was time to go on the offensive. Get ready for a world of pain, kid.... The swordsman was not sure if the kid's blade was still stuck in his own....wouldn't matter, anyway. He could approach the kid without him knowing....Nojuku prepared his blade, then made a forceful horizontal strike.

Spoiler:

~~~~~~~~
Right....this young one was quite skilled in Taijutsu. He had managed to dodge his ultra-fast strike. Quite impressive for a Genin. A Muay Thai user, from the looks of it...and a rather skilled one. The eldest accomplice had no choice but to..."Suiton....Suijinheki!" He didn't even need to spit out the water....It rose from the ground below him. A swirling tornado of water enveloped Sasurai; it cushioned the blow that he received, but didn't totally block it. The water, after a few moments, settled, while Sasurai rubbed the back of his head. He concentrated chakra to his fist; after rushing up to the boy, he would strike him with his non-chakra-enhanced fist, then deliver a palm strike with the other. It could easily send a grown man flying....if the boy did not have good hearing, this would be simple.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This....was bad. An extremely powerful Genjutsu....he would have to get his students out of it post-haste. After Releasing himself, he quickly signed for the Mirror Creation technique, and sent a few of them to each of his students. At least while they were under the illusion, he could protect them..."Light Screen..."

First was Alessi. She was their medic...she could heal any of the--hopefully reduced--damage the others took. "Kai! Release!" he said, as he laid a half-Tiger on Alessi's neck. Now...they just needed to get to the others.
[2586/3500. Mission WC complete. From here on out, I'll only be counting Zen's words for his training.]

135/160:

Makato's eyes flared as his attack was stopped. Everything about his body and face indicated that Makato was extremely stunned. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, he froze in place, his muscles became even more tense. He was completely stopped. His opponent had used his own momentum against him, and had done it so quickly. How, Makato wondered, could someone react to an attach so quickly while still being in the process of another attack? Makato knew he was in for something big with this guy. He was good. As his blade was caught in the man's blade, he pulled back and jumped a bit backwards, leaving his blade dangling at his sides as he slowly stepped backwards. He watched the man's movements, still a bit stunned from the parry. Just then, Makato was met with a huge attack.

The man before him made a huge horizontal slash right towards Makato's stomach section. It was such a quick slash that Makato had no time or proper reactions to dodge. The most he could do, as he looked into Nojuku's eyes, was slightly raise his blade upwards by folding his elbow up. He couldn't put to much resistance into it though. Infact, the only thing that allowed him to do what he was doing was his ambidexterity. His opponent was slashing him, and Makato's katana met with his, the tip of Makato's blade pointing upwards towards his opponents face. Makato's block would not save him completely, though. Just as the two blades met, a spark was created, and Makato's entire world went black. He couldn't see anything: his teammates, his enemies, his sensai. Only blackness. He would then feel an immense pain which was about to ensue, which would let Makato know he was still alive and fighting. The strength of his opponent as well as his opponent's blade had far outmatched his own. After the two blades clashed, Nojuku's blade pushed Makato's own blade into the side of his stomach, cutting through an inch at first. Makato then grew even weaker, as his opponent kept pushing the blade into him. The cut had grew to be 2 inches deep, only because the light screen had also helped Makato block the attack.

The young genin knew that it was only a genjutsu technique. Normally, most genin would be so caught up in the fight at this moment, that they would believe they had temporarily gone blind. This is when the core of makato's abilities kicked in. His chakra flow abilities. Everything was dark, yes, although he could still hear. He still applied the same force to the opposing blade, however, because although he could not see, he could still feel. The pain of the blade was absolutely still a factor of Makato's senses.

Makato was losing consciousness, even with all of his adrenline, as the blade was twsting, turning and going deeper into his stomach. His eyes were shut tight, teeth clenched, hanging on for life by struggling as much as he could against his opponent. It was clear, however, that Makato would lose the strength battle and Nojuku would slice straight through the young genin's stomach. His life did not flash before his eyes, however. This could not be the end for the young Iwa genin. This is why Makato had to take another approach. Now reaching over and grabbing the hilt of his blade with his other hand, still clenching his muscles, he now had two hands on the blade. This was not to give him more strength against the cut, however. The genin angled his blade downwards. To do this, he had to cut through his own skin. He was able to do all of this also because he could feel his movements. Part of becoming a kenjutsu master or a chakra flow master was being able to function with only the sense of chakra or feel.

"AHHHHHHH!"

The boy would open his mouth to scream, and could hear it. Hearing his voice was another thing that brought him closer to reality. He knew the blindness was only an illusion, and would soon pass. Once he had angled it correctly, the tip of Makato's blade was aimed directly at his opponent's chest. The heart. He remembered his opponents position for a couple of reasons. First being how focused he was on the attack before he went blind, and second being the angle that he could feel his opponents blade. He then quickly performed a couple of hand seals. "Flying Sparrow." The young genin whispered in a tired tone, his own blood leaking down onto the floor. In an instant, a long extension of chakra would expel from his blade. It would go straight outwards, and, being as hard and sharp as the material of his katana, would most likely pierce Nojuku through his heart as it was created.

Spoiler:

Migoto put all of his strength into the punch, but something didn't seem right. His punch connected fine, but the texture of his opponent; was off. Instead of hearing a sharp smack, he heard a plop, instead of skin, he felt cold liquid. Only after jumping back from his attack did he see. It was a jutsu, Suiton to be exact. It had partially protected his opponent from the blow. Migoto was in shock. He was up against a far superior force here. The three brothers had honed there skills of cooperation, while his team had not. Nevertheless, they would find a way to come out triumphant.

From a few feet away,MigotO could see his opponent recover from the blow, it only caused him to rub his head in pain. Migoto once again got into his Muay Thai stance. Feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms raised to protects from attack. He steeled his resolve. But in an instant, his opponent was gone. All Migoto could see was black. His teammates he couldn't see, it was as if someone had placed a cloth over his eyes. Still in his stance he called out, "Guys! Are you still there? I can't see anything and i need some help." For the moment he was on his own, he was in a genjutsu and his opponent was on the offensive. His opponent was directly in front of him, atleast that was the last place he was seen. Moving around to his back would take to much time and effort. So Migoto knew he would be coming directly for him.

Remembering Zenchi was a genjutsu expert, he anticipated he was still free." Zenchi, i can't see anything. Say something and i will come towards your voice." Migoto started to back up, carful not to mentally lose sight of the place his opponent was last at. Getting only a few feet back, he could here the gravel and dirt crunch in front of him as something barreled towords him. It was most likely his opponent. Migoto couldn't stand a chance at blocking any attacks blinded. So he swiftfully started to jump back as fast as he could.

Ever careful of his approaching opponent. He could here him drawing near.When the footsteps were only a foot away, Migoto felt it. The first blow connected, but not directly. Having his hands at the ready, and his arms protecting his face and core. The hit connected with his arm, them skimmed through to his chest. It hurt, but not as much as a direct hit would. The next strike was much more damaging. The other was faster, stronger, and more accurate than the first;obviously chakra was at work. This strike slipped past his guard and into his solarplexis. The wind was shot from his lungs and he was thrown back a few feet and landed on the ground. His lungs burned and his chest ached, he started to gasp for air. After a few moments he acquired his second wind.Getting on one knee he waited for his opponent again. If his opponent came at him with another powerful punch, he would wait until the last second and roll to the side. Then, immediately after the roll, throw a hard kick where he thought his opponent would be at. With the increased range, it would serve better than a blind punch.

WC: 568
Total: 1846

Alessi slowed her pace until she came to a complete stop. Her view had darkened and she was utterly blind to her surroundings. She could hear the fight continuing around her. Her chakra scalpels quickly faded away and left her standing defenseless. Closing her eyes, she took a defensive stance and waited for any sound coming at her. Alessi was paranoid that something was going to hit her. Quickly turning at the sound of a scream, she tried to put a face to the voice. Her heart sank the moment she realized whose voice it was. "Makato...!" This was not good. Makato was obviously hurt, and sounded like he was in an incredible amount of pain. Just as she heard the yell, she felt a tap on the back of her neck and her vision was restored.

Looking up, she could see that Zenchi was standing right next to her. Putting two and two together, it was somewhat obvious that Zenchi had broken the genjutsu on her. However, there would be no gratitude for that moment. She needed to go to Makato and see his condition. In a flash, she bolted for Makato and slid down to the ground to treat his wound. Her hands were shaking and a little hesitant with all the blood that Makato had lost. Alessi wasn't particularly fond of blood, but she ignored her fearful thoughts. Rubbing her hands together, she formed a green healing chakra in her hands and put it into the form of a ball. Pressing it on Makato's stab wound, she exhaled and focused on it to make sure her teammate would stay alive. "Makato... hang on..." Her hands were still quite shaky, but the healing effect was still happening. All she had to hope for now is that the others would be able to cover her as she healed Makato.

Chakra 45/80:

Word Count: 1472/1100

"You...gotta be fuckin' kidding me..."

Nojuku fell over. Flat on his back....how...how could he let this happen? He had almost gone halfway through that kid...when....something happened. His sword extended...somehow. He...needed to get help...fast. He was going...going unconscious. He screamed before his will flickered out....he had a minute or two...
------------
Oh, no. nononononono

This was going horribly... everything had somehow fallen apart.... Furou needed to somehow patch things up here... "Magen....Hellfire jutsu!" They needed time to regroup...from the look of things, Nojuku was hurt really bad. Hopefully this would drive them off...a giant ball of flame descending from the sky. It was extremely realistic; it felt like it was heating up already, and Furou was only partially in his own illusion. The sweat that came from the phantom heat would add to the verisimilitude of the illusion. They would have no choice but to run...they would never know it was an illusion. It looked and felt like the real thing.
~~~~~~~
Damn...this was getting far too severe. Sasurai used the cover of the Infinite Darkness Jutsu to get away from his foe....who seemed otherwise prepared. The other illusion dissipated, since the new one--so he heard Furou--would require sight. Sasurai rushed over to Nojuku, and quickly picked him up. They needed to move somewhere else....or they'd be attacked while they were healing. Nojuku started the Heavenly Palm jutsu...it was a bit advanced, but he had to get Nojuku up on his feet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A wall of fire....it was getting hot....this wasn't making sense. In the heat of the moment--no pun intended--probably only one as calm and collected as Zen could have noticed. Furou was not one with a Katon affinity...what was this inferno, then?

He needed to stop this... their targets were getting away. "Release!" And now the real fight started. Zen augmented his speed with light, the very weapon he would choose. His entire body was now flooding with chakra, and now they were going to get it. "Light-Speed...and Ethereal Blade." And then he vanished. No one---maybe Sasurai---could have seen it. But this was a Special Jounin with a speed boost. He actually felt a bit....of a rush. Like he was just a little bit faster, stronger. Besides his Kousoku no Jutsu, that was. He reappeared behind the three thieves....time for a bit of revenge. Finally, he could use this jutsu for himself...he could feel it. The chakra pulsing through his body...he didn't have to rely on a Clone for assistance anymore. His hands started to warm up....and then beams of energy shot out of them. Controlled; not like a blast or anything. It was condensed light. It felt ever so good to just smack him; Furou went to the ground without a hitch. The flames started to go out a little....at least Alessi would not be in much distress, they were quite far away. All he had to do was hold them off, wear them down... Migoto needed to get here fast.

[2838/3500]