A new day had emerged from the night skies. The day began with the chirps of the birds who had awakened from their slumber and the sun peeking from the mountain sides. Sousetsu could be seen making his way from the forest to the front gates of Konahagakure, the village in which he swore an oath to protect. The last time the Senju was seen was in the battle against the infamous Uchiha, Hao. The battle ended with the demise of the Uchiha outcast by the hands of the Hokage, Takeshi, another Senju named Ukiyo, an ANBU operative and Sousetsu himself. It seemed the Leaf force were stronger and more overwhelming than Hao had thought. He was proud of this accomplishment but did not show it. He looked scruffy and a little dirty from his travels away from the village.

The Senju had disappeared after that battle as he did not return to where he resided. Instead, Sousetsu began to seek out the many outcasts from various lands, saving many villagers from their fate. He did not know what the village hidden in the leaves would think of him or would it was like now. Was his team still alive? Was the Hokage still Takeshi? He did not know as he never searched for those answers. The northern gates opened slowly before him as he approached even further. He heard faint shouts of ninja on the opposite side of the wall. Once the door was fully opened Sousetsu glanced at the village with a grin on his face that he always wore. It seemed the same as when he had left it but a few new faces.

He began walking rather stoically into the village. He could be found wearing his usual attire of armour emblazoned with the Senju symbol worn over a simple black jumpsuit, with a distinctive white fur collar. This armour was constructed from numerous blue metal plates, formed into multiple protective guards along the wearers body, in particular: chest, waist, shoulders and upper arms. A katana could be seen laying across his lower back. The high frequency blade stood at three feet and three inches long, black customized handle with silver linings the outer blade. Of course, he had seen better days as the attire seemed to be worn out and was in need of a clean. The guards bowed before him as he walked past in which he bowed in reply. With smiles all round and a happy 'welcome back' from the many he walked by Sousetsu was finally home.

A group of civilians came over and bowed before him and spoke of the rumours. Some said he died in the battle against Hao, the younger crowd mentioned that he went on to battle the many monsters hidden in the world. He chuckled and nodded as he explained that his absence was due to a personal issue against missing ninja that turned their back on their villages. He was happy that so many people still thought of him and highly at that. He made his way to the town center with a small group that followed him around looking to hear about his travels. He picked up a small child and allowed him to sit on his shoulders while he held another child's hand as they walked down the street. Laughs could be heard within the distance and more smiles could be seen. Sousetsu simply grinned as he made his way around the village.

OOC: Continuing training from this: THREAD
Words: 4535/7000 [Senjutsu training C>B]
This post: 579 + 4535 = 5114/7000 [Senjutsu training C>B]

Soon, Sousetsu arrived at a fountain in an open area within the village park. The children had followed him on his short travel with the same desire to hear a story as the last. He lifted the child from his shoulders and sat on the rim of the fountain which now towered over them. The water was calm yet gave off spits of water as they crashed into the container behind them, leaping out and mildly splashing against the Senju's back. He sat with one leg crossed underneath him to cushion the seating position and the children took their places before. It was like he was about to read them all a bedtime story but the daylight said otherwise. This was just a story from a man that became what he is. His vast travels across the unexplored in the child's mind, he was an adventurer which every child wished to be. He began his story with another grin on his face. The young villagers looked pleased and eager to what he had to say and so he began his story."On my journey I met a child, much like all of you, who adored the many wonders of life. She always wanted to travel. I was paid to escort a man and his daughter to a village as bandits were seen from all over the area..."

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Sousetsu, a little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The waves crashed against the banks and the bridge could have been in better form. The father became weary of the situation and began to feel scared. Sousetsu ensured the man that no harm would come to them as he placed his hand upon his shoulder and nodded to move on. Sousetsu decided to take the lead and proceeded across the bridge, meanwhile, the man spoke to his daughter. "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The Senju glanced over the side of the bridge. Was this man afraid of heights? No, of course not. He was just worried for his daughters well-being which he could not relate as he has always been without child. The little girl replied, "No, Dad. You hold my hand." Sousetsu paused and turned to face them. The girl was so young and innocent yet her reply was questionable at first. The day was coming to an end as the sun was setting behind the horizon. They needed to move quickly if they were to reach the next town before midnight and before the bandits took advantage of this.

"What's the difference?" asked the puzzled father. Sousetsu began scanning the area in case of any sudden movements or abnormality, he couldn't be too cautious. "There's a big difference." replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go." Sousetsu looked back at the young girl and smiled slightly. She was wise. A gift to this world and to her father.

The next day, Sousetsu woke from his dream in a pool of sweat and gasping for air. He held his forehead with his right hand and dropped back onto his pillow, still breathing and sweating. He was dreaming like this for the past few weeks. He made the effort to go down and fix himself a glass of water and drinking it whole, wiping his mouth dry as he had finished. He then made his way and checked on the man's daughter who was sound asleep. But Sousetsu could not look at her without concern.

The following day, Sousetsu awoke and checked in on  the man's daughter. There she was with her brown locks of hair swaying in the breeze that an open window had created. She was reading a short novel, slightly advanced for her age, a book on the many journeys of a young boy. The Leaf Sannin came in with a false smile and greeted the young girl and her father. "Good morning!"  The little girl looked up and found the shinobi, her smile could have lit up the room if it wasn't already bright. The girl lunged herself towards the Senju, hugging him tightly and he did so in return. "Tell me a story, Sousetsu! One from your journeys!" The father shed a tear that ran down his face as he smiled honestly. Sousetsu placed a stool in front of her and sat on it. He told her of the times he had gone to fight, but not the bloodshed horror that he had witnessed. He spoke of the beautiful creatures and wildlife, the beautiful sights of mountains and the deep blue seas which glistened off the sun. He never spoke of the evil that the world had, only the positives.

This girl had never been allowed outside to see these things herself. She really did love stories of adventures on the outside world, for she was not a normal child. A few weeks after she had turned the age of six, she was diagnosed with a rare disease. But she was none the wiser. "Tell me what heaven is like!" She said. Sousetsu began to shed a tear also. He wiped them subtly and lifted his head with a smile "Heaven..? Well..." The Leaf ninja said as he began to explain. He said that heaven was filled with the ones she loved and that she could travel anywhere she wished to go, the world was her oyster there. She smiled and lay down her soft head against the pillow and looked at him. "It’s so bright...I can smell the air, it is so pure. Almost as if I’m headed there now, Sousetsu. Father..." She said as she drifted off to sleep, never to wake up again. The father broke down in tears, grasping her hand and took a moment. Sousetsu began realizing his dreams. He finally understood the importance of that which this young girl had once said. He thought to himself and forced a smiled as the man's daughter passed on.

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"In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours..." Sousetsu finished with another warm grin as he looked at the children in awe. Some were starting to well up in which the Sannin offered to comfort them with a hug or a pat on the head. He reassured them that this was not the end of their journey and that were was also another journey to take, but that would be long into the future.

Words: 6247/7000 [Senjutsu training C>B]

The Chita Sennin sat at his desk in his manor and sighed to himself. He had realised that his life had become a lot of doing paperwork recently, signing off on documents, filing reports and profiles on different shinobi, ones he was keeping tabs on for whatever reason. He looked at his mask and shook his head, the stress of the past while getting to him. Ever since the fight with Uchiha, Hao directly on the heels of the attack by the mysterious crystal user and the death of Tatsumaru, Mitsuo had been swamped with paperwork. The village was rebuilding and that meant that there were forms that needed to be filled out, papers to be filed and things to be signed, which fortunately for Mitsuo, usually fell to Ukiyo or Takeshi-sensei. His paperwork was more focused on his particular area of expertise, the ANBU Black Ops. He typically worked on recruitment forms and mission details, assigning the village watch shifts, and tracking missing-nin, which was what he was working on at this particular moment. The attack by Hao made it so the village was able to get rid of one of its most dangerous missing nin, but at the same time it created several more, two of which truly distressed and angered Mituso.

The first one was a young Uzumaki that Mitsuo had been tracking. His progress was starting to catch Mitsuo’s eye for a couple of reasons, both positive and negative. His name was Tsuneo and he had been doing a lot of good within the village, taking on many missions and helping out wherever he was needed. Mitsuo was impressed with the young man’s progress and was considering him for a member of his ANBU Black Ops when he hit the appropriate rank, but he also had his issues. He had some anger issues which, as Mitsuo knew oh too well, happened in the shinobi world. He was prone to bursts of anger himself but something about this boy stuck with Mitsuo as off. When Mitsuo and the rest of the task force who brought down Hao were fighting in their showdown with the SS ranked nukenin, Tsuneo had taken his chance to escape. Upon his return to the village Mitsuo had noticed fires blazing and went to investigate, some members of his ANBU Black Ops telling him that they had been busy with the other attacks at the time and had heard from witnesses that it was the young Uzumaki boy. He had left the village when the ANBU were busy saving it from the most dangerous missing nin in the world and had blown up a building on his way out, and Mitsuo had labeled him not just as a deserter, but as a coward as well. If he were to ever see this boy he would take great pleasure in cutting his heart out and holding it in front of the boy’s face, squeezing the life out of it as he watched.

The second one, and the one that had bothered him the most, was one of the village’s Sannin, Senju, Sousetsu. Sousetsu had been someone Mitsuo had considered a mentor and a friend. They had trained together when Mitsuo was just starting out in the ANBU and he never forgot that fateful day on the docks in the rain, as it was one of the best training sessions of his life. The Sannin had taken him to his limits and Mitsuo appreciated it more than anything. He and Sousetsu had fought against Hao together, standing up to the missing-nin and ultimately bringing him down. Sousetsu had even been the person to stop one of Hao’s most devastating attacks with an impressive display of suiton manipulation. Mitsuo held the man in the highest regard and all that did was add to the distress he felt when he was told that Sousetsu had disappeared. Mitsuo had been searching for any clue as to what had happened to the young Sannin, and had so far come up blank, not being able to find any trace of what had happened to his friend and only knowing that he had disappeared shortly after the defeat of Uchiha, Hao. He was still keeping an ear close to the ground though in the event that the Senju Sannin would reappear.

He was looking over his notes on Tsuneo, trying to figure out where the young man could have gotten off to but coming up short, when one of his agents made his way into Mitsuo’s office. Mitsuo nodded and the man bowed to Mitsuo, removing his mask and addressing the Head of Konoha’s ANBU. “Lord Chita,” the man’s voice was softer than Mitsuo had originally expected upon meeting him. His hair was grey and long, going down to his shoulders and spiked in front of his eyes. He was a Hatake named Akako, a man whom Mitsuo had recruited personally into his ANBU, and he was extremely skilled with gathering information. Mitsuo nodded to him, a gesture letting him know to continue, his own mask sitting on the desk. “I have new information reguarding the missing-nin Senju, Sousetsu. He has supposedly returned to the village and has been seen walking down the streets. Apparently it’s causing quite a stir with the local peoples, as Sousetsu is somewhat of a hero in town. Do you wish for us to engage?” Mitsuo stroked his chin and stood up from his desk, taking his mask into his hand.

“Thank you Inuza, and no do not engage the Senju Sannin.” He put the mask over his face, augmenting his voice and making it deeper, his long black hair falling over the front of the mask. “I will speak with him myself and then discern if he is a threat. I want you and three other agents to be on standby, prepared to act if needed. Get Tora, Kitsu, and Hyō and tell them to be prepared for battle. The Senju Sannin is someone to not be taken lightly and I hope we will not have to fight, but it is better to be prepared. Keep hidden so he cannot see you, we don’t want to make him hostile.” With that Inuza nodded and vanished in a whisp of smoke, going off to gather the agents that Mitsuo had requested, he himself dawning his ANBU armour and making his way out to find the Senju Sannin.

When Mitsuo finally caught up with the Sannin of the Leaf, he stood by and watched as he told a small child a story, the young girl watching him intently as he weaved his exciting tale of adventure and intrigue, something Mitsuo imagined had come from his personal experience when he had left the village. He smiled under his mask, noting the man’s natural charisma and how the people loved him. He found himself comforted and realised that this man would have never defected from the village, he loved it more than anything and anyone who lived in it. Mitsuo waited until he was finished telling his story before stepping out of the shadows, watching as the Sannin went to leave the child. He didn’t want to spook the child so he waited for Sousetsu to take a few steps in the opposite direction before stepping in front of him and resting his hand on the hilt of Seijin no Ken, something that was a bit of a habit for him. He didn’t do this to be threatening but because it was how he was comfortable.

“Senju, Sousetsu…It has been a while…” Mitsuo was smiling under his mask once again, the hollow and deep augmented voice booming out for the sannin to hear. “I was hoping you would be willing to answer a few questions for me about your sudden departure, perhaps come back to my office so we could have a chat?” Mitsuo stood by and awaited the answer from the Sannin. Should Sousetsu accept he would lead him back to the Sarutobi mansion and his office in the main building and were he to refuse Mitsuo would prepare to draw his weapon and defend himself if needed. He really hoped it wouldn’t come to that, though.


(Blade of Wind Training carried over from here. 2500/2500 Training Complete~ 95/2500 Dust Storm Technique)

The children of the Leaf village soon became frantic as they wanted to hear more stories from the Sannin. It appeared they wanted to hear of the battles judging by their actions of playing out imaginary scenes of sword fights and hand seals. Sousetsu could do nothing but giggle at the now excited young people who were letting their imaginations run wild. The Senju scanned the area quickly and noted an ANBU operative within range, lurking from the shadows. His face changed from a rather happy mood to a more neutral one. The ANBU shinobi's hand was resting upon a rather familiar blade, it could have been precaution or a style that he had become accustomed to but Sousetsu knew of the rules of the village. He was considered a missing ninja and so precautions had to be made. The Senju turned to the children and gave off that infamous grin once more before announcing that he would be back in due time, patting a few on the head before making his way to the ninja of the Leaf. “Senju, Sousetsu…It has been a while…” the man announced. Sousetsu nodded in agreement. “I was hoping you would be willing to answer a few questions for me about your sudden departure, perhaps come back to my office so we could have a chat?” He then bowed formally, accepting the invitation and unsheathed his high frequency blade and bestowed it upon the ANBU to take from him to show that he had no quarrel.

"I am well aware of the precautions the village must take. I had a sudden leave of absence and I do apologize dearly. I will answer to the best of my abilities, and truthfully at that. Please do not make a scene in front of the young ones..." Sousetsu spoke as he turned to look at the children happily playing as they awaited the return of the Sannin. He did not want to be seen as a vigilante of sorts in chains before them. "I will walk with you cooperatively." Sousetsu knew that within the village there would be more than just this operative, there were others surrounding his travels, he had been here long enough. They began their journey and all Sousetsu could think of was the blade that this man wielded. Why was it so familiar? It then dawned on him that this was the very ANBU agent that he fought the infamous Uchiha, Hao with. He grinned and slightly giggled. "Surely you were acknowledged with the fight against Hao? Your efforts were great and could not have been successful without you. You did the village proud that day, and no doubt that you have improved since then." Sousetsu smiled as they continued their journey.

It might have taken some time for their travel so Sousetsu decided to fill in the time by introducing another one of his stories he had to offer. "Have you ever heard of the 'Butcher General?' Everyone knows this general as 'The Butcher.' He is strong in battle, a skilled tactician, he has mastered the techniques of turning the specifics of topography and timing to his advantage, and he is outstanding, above all, in the skills of an individual warrior. Victory on the battlefield, however, does not lead straight to butchery. Many generals have been nicknamed for their military prowess, the Victorious, the Indomitable, the Invincible, but only one is known as the Butcher..."

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"Do you know why that is, Senju?" the general himself asks as he gloats over the vast mountain of corpses. Sousetsu did not reply. He entered the fray as a mercenary, but his exploits far outclassed those of the regular troops as he was a Sannin. For the general to call a man into his presence and speak to him face-to-face is apparently an honor beyond even most officers' wildest dreams. "Not just from winning battles." the general went on. "That would be too simple, just kill the enemy general. Take the big one's head and the battle's over. Right?"Sousetsu nodded in silence. That is how this battle should have ended instead of continuing for three days. The enemy general proposed a surrender on the first day. He offered his head in exchange for the lives of his men and villagers. But the Butcher rejected the offer and continued his all-out attack on an enemy that had lost the will to fight, annihilating them in the process.

The last day was used to burn down the forest into which the unresistant village had fled. "The real battle doesn't end when you raise the victory song on the battlefield. If even one person survives, the seed of hatred lives on. I'm talking about the desire for revenge. Nothing good can come from leaving that behind. You must cut the cause of future troubles at the root." This is why the troops under the general's command killed the young men of the village after they were through exterminating the enemy troops. They also killed the unarmed old people. They killed mothers fleeing with children in their arms. They killed the children they stripped from those mothers' corpses.

"Do you think I am cruel, Senju?" Asked the general. "I do." Sousetsu answered, nodding. The officers gathered around them went pale, but the Butcher himself smiled magnanimously and went on. "You didn't do any of those things, I gather." he giggled. "My job is to kill soldiers on the battlefield. My contract doesn't call for anything else." Sousetsu spoke as he stood stoically before him. "And i'm saying that that is a foolish line of thinking. The soldiers you killed have brothers and children. Do you plan to go on living in fear of their revenge? That is sheer stupidity. If you wipe out the entire family, you can live without such worries, you see." The general laughed uproariously, and the surrounding officers all smiled in response.

Sousetsu, however, his expression unchanged, started to walk away. "Where are you going, Senju?" the general shouted, demanding an answer "We are through talking, aren't we? My contract has ended." the Sannin replied. "Never mind that. Just wait." he ordered. As the general said this, several soldiers stand to block Sousetsu's way. "Listen, Senju. I've had reports of your performance from the front lines. What do you say to fighting under me from now on? You can exploit your martial talents to the full." he said with his arm outstretched. Sousetsu looked at the hand for one short moment and bowed his head down. "I am not interested." Sousetsu spoke softly, thinking of the lives he helped this man overcome. "What's that?" the general replied swiftly, looking the Sannin up and down. "I will never draw my sword on an innocent." Sousetsu assured the general as he was now looking him dead in the eye. 'The Butcher' was momentarily taken aback, the shock written clearly on his face.

"You still don't understand, do you? You should try reading a little history. You'll find that hatred only breeds more hatred. This is what inevitably brings down even the most prosperous nations and powers, which is why I make absolutely sure to sever it at the root." The general was most likely referring to the Uchiha Clan from the past years and their capabilities. "If you ask me, general, war and butchery are two different things. The same goes for valor and brutality. Let me tell you something about hatred, too, general. It doesn't evaporate from cutting off a life. It remains in the earth, in the clouds, in the wind. I have lived my life in that belief, and I intend to go on doing so. Butchery is the work of cowards. That is what I believe." Sousetsu spoke as his rage began to grow against this man. Not he was no man to Sousetsu. His fists tightened and was only moments away from striking.

The general glared at Sousetsu, and his men drew their swords. At that very moment, from within the scorched forest came the cries of soldiers. "Here are some! Five of them still left!" "No, six!" "Over there! They went that way!" Distracted by the shouts, the general commanded his men. "Hurry, capture them! Don't let even one of them get away! Hurry! Hurry! You can't let them escape!" The men blocking Sousetsu began to fidget, and none of them thought to stop him as he calmly walked away. "Do you hear me? You must not let them escape! If even one of them gets away. I'll have your heads-all of you!" The general's calls are clearly those of a coward. The Butcher presided over many battles after that and he burned countless villages to the ground, butchering all of their inhabitants. Then, one night, something happened.

The general felt a strange itching sensation on the back of his hand. It was different from an ordinary insect bite or skin eruption. It was deeper down
and felt like a kind of squirming. He clawed at his skin, but the itch would not subside. It was very strange as there was no redness or swelling or sign of a rash. The general had burnt yet another village to the ground that day. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, the village in times of peace had been extolled as the "Flowering Hamlet." In keeping with the name, the villagers poured their energies into cultivating flowers of their hues, and the ones in full bloom in this particular season had the colour of the setting sun.
Indeed, the entire village looked as if it had been dyed the color of a beautiful afterglow. This was the villager that the general burned down with flames far redder than any sunset. The villagers, who ran in circles begging for their lives, he killed on at a time. Far redder than the sunset, far redder than the flames was the blood that soaked into the earth. Shaking the hand that refused to stop itching, the general took a swallow of liquor and in that moment it happened.

Tearing through the thin skin of the back of his hand, a number of small grain-like things that emerged from within. No blood flowed. No pain accompanied them. Exactly the way plants sprout from the earth. No, the things that covered over the back of his before his very eyes were, unmistakably, plant sprouts. Horrified, the general took a razor to the back of his hand and tried to shave the things off. When the blade came in contact with them, however, they gave off sounds like human moans-sounds exactly like the moans of a human being dying in agony as his entire body is slashed by swords. Or like the moans of a person who is being burned alive. Holding the razor in one hand to shave the other, he could not cover his ears. His body was soaked in a greasy sweat by the time he succeeded in shaving the horrible things from the back of his hand. To salve his own anger, he shouted for the men who were supposed to be guarding him. He scolded them for not checking on him when the screams were heard. But the guards did not hear anything. The general glared at his guards, enraged, but after struggling to keep his welling anger in check, he shouted for them to leave. He was too upset to waste time on subordinates. Almost immediately, the itching attacked the back of his hand again.

But this time it was not limited to his hands as his whole body started to itch. Alone again, the general tore off his nightclothes and inspected his entire body in the moonlight seeping through the roof of the tent. The things were sprouting from everywhere now, and some even had leaves beginning to grown on them. The general raised a soundless scream and began wildly attacking the growths wherever he could reach them. Each one he cut from his body released a horrible moan. His bed sheets turned green before his eyes, and soon the numberless sprouts were transforming into numberless human corpses. They covered not only his bed, but the whole earth, before they melted into the darkness of night and vanished. One sleepless night followed another in endless succession. The horrible things kept sprouting from his skin however he cut them off. Ointments had no effect. He could not speak of this to his subordinates. If a rumor spread that strange plants were sprouting from the Butcher's body, it would embolden his enemies and discourage his allies. One of his subordinates might even try to take his head at night.

His cowardice had earned him, the name of the Butcher, and that same cowardice was what turned the general into a lonely, isolated man. He had no one he could tell about this. Each night the general would wage his lonely battle through, perhaps it could not be called a battle precisely. The things merely sprouted from his body and put up no resistance. When he took the razor to them, they would simply moan and fall away. What the general was engaged in on his own was less a battle than lonely butchery. Several more nights went by. The sprouting continued with undiminished force. The single fortunate aspect, perhaps, was that the things only sprouted in places on his body where the general could reach with his razor. This could as well have been a curse, however. The general had no choice but to go on shaving the things precisely because he could reach them. Precisely because he was able to perform the butchery by himself. He could not call for help. His lonely butchery continued. His sleepless nights continued.

The general's flesh wasted away. Why is this happening? the general asked himself. Why did this have to happen to me? This is a time of war. I am here on the battlefield. I have to kill the enemy in order to survive. In order to give myself future peace of mind, I have to kill them all, both armed and unarmed. He spent his days sprawled on his bed. Eyes open or closed, he would see images of his past scenes of butchery. Now he began to recall the words of a skilled but insolent mercenary, Sousetsu. Hatred doesn't evaporate from cutting off a life. It remains in the earth, in the clouds, in the wind. The general wanted to see that man again to see him and ask him again, "Have I been wrong all these years?" The man himself, a man of few words, would probably not answer his question. Still, the general wanted to see him again, that mercenary, Sousetsu. The sun went down. The night gradually deepened. As always, the itching started and the plants began to sprout.

The general, grasping the razor in fingers that now looked like withered branches, no longer had the strength to shave them off. His back began to itch. This was the first time the things had sprouted someplace beyond his reach as if they had been waiting for this opportune moment. Sprawled on his bed, the general let the razor drop from his hand. He didn't care anymore. The sprouts kept growing, creeping over him, and before long they had covered him completely. At that point his back split open and an unusually large sprout emerged. By dawn the sprout had fully matured, and before the cock crowed, it produced a single blossom the colour of an evening afterglow.

Months later. Visiting the old battlefield, Sousetsu found a flower garden there. Blooming in profusion are flowers of cleary different shape and color than the ones along its border. He was accompanied by a young lady. She was a genjutsu user who loved flowers. "Thank you, Sousetsu. she said softly as she looked upon the grave of the general.

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"I helped a village that was under attack by that man. They thought he went mad and ultimately ended his own life. I found that little girl and she showed me what she could do. I wanted the man to pay for his inhumane ways. I wanted people to be safe." Sousetsu ended his story with only regret that he had worked for this man. He did not know what he was capable of when he accepted the job but immediately hated his decision once he found the truth. 'Forgive me.' Sousetsu thought to himself asking the many people whose lives may have ended at his fault.

They soon arrived the Sarutobi compound. The great ninja clan that the village hidden in the leaves had to offer with their fire techniques and their training methods. It was all coming together. They arrived within the ANBU's office soon where Sousetsu stood stoically before the desk of the man. His clothes were still worn and tattered from his travels but this was a matter that could not wait. "Forgive my appearance." Sousetsu spoke in respect. The fabrics were wearing thin, scratches were visible and torn in various parts of the attire. Dirt and dust had gathered on his flak jacket and smudges on his face.  His hands were by his side within view of the man for any sudden movements. He wanted this to go as smoothly as possible. He  took note of the room. Fine wood that was well varnished and gave off a hint of oak. The desk was organised but cluttered with stacks of paperwork on the rims. He was offered a seat by the man in which he honored by seating opposite him. Another smile was given from the Senju. He finally realized who this man was and became more at ease with this discovery. "How are you, Mitsuo?"

Words: 7000/7000 [Senjutsu training C>B Complete]
Words: 2215/8000 [Senjutsu training B>A]

It was impossible to deny that the people loved Sousetsu. As far as Mitsuo was concerned he was one of the great living heroes of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He had never seen one person that carried himself in the way that Sousetsu did, and his natural charisma was enticing. The children absolutely loved him and Mitsuo could see that they were waiting for his return, eagerly awaiting the storyteller to engage their minds in another enticing tail of action and adventure. Mitsuo couldn’t help but smile and he almost felt a little bad to be taking the man away from the children, waving to them as Sousetsu surrendered himself to Mitsuo. "I am well aware of the precautions the village must take. I had a sudden leave of absence and I do apologize dearly. I will answer to the best of my abilities, and truthfully at that. Please do not make a scene in front of the young ones..." Even in this situation he was so respectful, so well composed, Mitsuo admired him so much. "I will walk with you cooperatively."

“Sousetsu, I do not believe there is any reason for me to take you away in chains. You are a hero to this village and its people; I will not ruin that image for them. Thank you for cooperating.” They began their walk towards the Sarutobi compound and Mitsuo noticed that Sousetsu was looking at his blade, Seijin no Ken. He’s trying to figure out who I am. I suppose the sword is fairly obviously mine, it’s so unique. Mitsuo wasn’t surprised at all when Sousetsu realized he was the ANBU whom he had stood beside in the fight against Hao.

"Surely you were acknowledged with the fight against Hao? Your efforts were great and could not have been successful without you. You did the village proud that day, and no doubt that you have improved since then." Mitsuo smiled once more. He did recognize him and it made Mitsuo happy to know that he wasn’t just another mask to Sousetsu. He wasn’t sure if Sousetsu realised the rank that he held though, as the only person who could have given him true praise was Takeshi, which he had. Takeshi-sensei had expressed his pride to Mitsuo and it was one of his crowning achievements. He was seen as a hero, and even if most people didn’t know it was him, the person who mattered did.

“The Hokage-dono expressed his appreciation for my acts in the battle with Uchiha, Hao, and I was extremely proud to hear him say that. I do not seek glory, if I did I would not wear this mask. I simply seek to protect the village that I love.” He turned to face Sousetsu once more. “And do not underplay your part in the defeat of the missing nin, Hao. If it wasn’t for you we would have all died. You saved my life and you saved the village. You are a true hero.” Mitsuo smiled and as they walked Sousetsu began to tell him a story. The story was not one that Mitsuo had ever heard before and it surprised him, it was of a time in Sousetsu’s life that he clearly wasn’t proud of. It took them the length of their walk and Mitsuo soaked it in the entire time, listening to the sound of Sousetsu’s voice and taking it to heart as they made their way towards the Sarutobi manor. When he had finished his story Mitsuo simply stood in silence, opening the door to the Sarutobi Compound’s main building and leading Sousetsu into his office. He offered the Senju Sannin a seat and took one himself, smiling once again when Sousetsu spoke again.

"Forgive my appearance.” He sat and examined the room before smiling. “How are you, Mitsuo?" Mitsuo shook his head and removed his mask, placing it beside him on his desk before standing up and placing his Katana and his Tanto on their holder, his bastardsword going to rest on a wall mount. He chuckled softly and removed the ANBU armour that he wore, instead wearing only his normal armour, a chainmail sleeveless shirt and his bracers and gauntlets. He sat down once more and interlocked his fingers, looking down at his desk and then back up to the Sannin sitting in front of him. “I am not going to lie to you Sousetsu, I am stressed out. I am the head of Konoha’s ANBU, I am one of the busiest men in the village, but at the same time I am happy. Do you want to know why I am happy Sousetsu?” He paused for a second, smiling to the Senju Sannin. “I am happy because I no longer have to worry about what happened to one of the most powerful shinobi in the village, and a man who I consider to be a friend.” The head of the Sarutobi clan and the head of the Senju clan exchanged glances and Mitsuo’s grin didn’t leave his face. “I am so happy you are home Sousetsu, I was worried about what had happened to one of the shining lights of our village in on of its darkest times.” He noticed young man had entered the room and placed two cups of tea before both Sousetsu and Mitsuo, Mitsuo smiling and nodding at Hyuga, Kimaru as he bowed slightly and left the room once more.

“Now that you know my secret, Sousetsu, I have a story to tell you. It is a story I have only ever told two other people, one of them being my sensei, the fifteenth Hokage, Takeshi.” He chuckled softly to himself at formally saying the title of his sensei, it still felt so odd to him. “And the second being my lover, Kimaru, whom I don’t believe you’ve ever met. First, though, I’ll pose you a question. Why would someone choose this life? Why would someone forego their own identity and live a life of secrets? Is it really worth it?” He paused for a second again after asking his rhetorical questions. Whether Sousetsu answered or not he would continue on. “Why would I become a member of the ANBU? Well there is a simple answer, of course, but it is not the answer that is important, but the journey to the answer…

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I remember still the feeling of loss at the deaths of my mother and my brother; their deaths haunt my dreams to this day. My mother died in my arms when I was a young child. I remember she was absolutely beautiful, her red hair was always kept short and her fiery passion matched the colour perfectly. She was an Uzumaki, as some people would remember, though you would have been rather young as well. She and her squad had just been on a mission together and I had overheard a messenger telling Father that she would be returning that night, so after my father thought I had gone to sleep I snuck out and went to wait at the village gates. I could see them approaching from the distance and I remember seeing her at one of the sides of their diamond formation, and when I saw her it made me smile. I was so happy that my mother had returned after so long. That moment though, my entire life changed. I could see what my mother couldn’t as a group of shinobi dropped from the trees and ambushed them, killing my mother and her Senju companion before the other two were able to fight them off. I ran up to her and held her in my arms as the life left her body…It was a moment that I would never forget… The moment I decided I would live for revenge…

My brother’s death would change my perception once again. I don’t know what it is about having a family member die in your arms that changes you, but his death has always stayed with me, with no chance of escape. He and I were always close, and naturally we developed a bit of a sibling rivalry. He had mastered the art of Sealing like my mother and I had mastered the sword, like our father, and we often argued about which was more useful. The truth of steel is one that cannot be argued, I would always say. His favourite retort was that he could make my sword disappear any time he truly wanted to. He was right of course, but I would never tell him that. Without my sword I didn’t have much then, unlike now of course. He and I went on a mission together with our sensei Akako, and Kimaru and it was the greatest failure of my life. We hadn’t even gotten off of the Konohagakure no Kato docks when we were encased in a thick mist and our charge was killed outright. I rushed forward to try to attack the source of the mist and I heard my brother scream behind me. My sensei went forward to deal with the enemy shinobi while I ran back to see what had happened to Munoto. He was lying on the ground, a massive hole in his chest, but clinging onto life just long enough to get out his final words to me…

“Mitsuo… you need to live on…Make father proud… Never forget me…or mother…And make sure you protect the village…Protect Kimaru…protect…” He never got to finish what he was saying. I closed his eyes and screamed bloody murder to the heavens. I still hear his words in my head, he gave me his will of fire, just as my mother had, and just as my father would come to do. My brother was a hero, or at least to me he was. When he died I slipped into a deep depression, nothing anyone could say would snap me out of it, I didn’t want to be snapped out of it I guess. I was being foolish of course, but eventually Kimaru came to me. I had thought I had pushed Kimaru away, but he was always there for me… He never gave up on me, and he never let me forget that I was a Sarutobi, and whether or not I liked it, it was my duty to protect the village. My father sat me down one day and told me the story of the Third Hokage, who was a member of my clan, and when I heard about him it changed me a little bit. I became more determined to help the village, to help my people. I found the one thing that was truly worth protecting in the village and its people. I know it might sound corny, but that’s exactly what happened.

My father’s death happened just before I told Takeshi I wanted to become ANBU. Where Kimaru was my sun, my father was my rock. He was the one who always kept me grounded and focused on my goals. He was a wonderful man and I am sad that I couldn’t have been there to tell him I loved him before he died. He gave his life protecting the village, just as he always thought he would. I remember him telling me he wouldn’t see old age, that it would be a shame to die in his bed when he could die protecting the hidden leaf. I always joked around that if he wanted to die so soon he would eventually get his wish, but I couldn’t believe it when I heard that he did. He died when I was away to the chuunin exams, in Sunagakure no Kato. The crystal user attacked the village, and he was one of the people who tried to protect the villagers. He was in a building near the attacks helping a woman and her child escape the building. The two of them were able to get out alive because of him and they ran while he stayed behind to see if anyone else was in need. He never could have imagined that the BASTARD Tatsumaru would bring down a quarter of the village, including the building my father was in. He died in the blast, or at least that’s what I was told… My father died a hero, and when I got back from the chuunin exams everything had changed. Takeshi took me aside and told me what had happened to my father, and how he had died, and it steeled my decision, sealing it in blood. I finally had reached my final straw, and I told Takeshi that I wanted to be ANBU, that I wanted to protect the village against scum like the crystal user, and Tatsumaru… I became ANBU because I loved the village, my entire family had entrusted me with their will of fire, and I was going to pay it back in full…

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“So to answer my questions I didn’t choose this life, it chose me. I gave up my identity for something that my parents believed in which was protecting the village and its people, people like you, Takeshi, the children you were speaking to earlier… Was it really worth it? Absolutely and without any shadow of a doubt. I would make the decision again and again if I was ever asked to do so. I love this village, and I know you do too Sousetsu, that is why I asked you here. I don’t want to believe that you left our village out of ill will, but it is my duty to protect the village from potential threats, so I must ask you… Why did you leave?” The Chita Sennin rested his hands on the desk smiled softly to show he held no ill will towards the Senju Sannin. He was prepared to listen to whatever Sousetsu had to tell him.


(2414/2500 Dust Storm Technique)

Sousetsu observed Mitsuo as he removed the mask to show the man that he once sparred with. He continued to disarm himself of all the weapons he carried and placed them in their respective holders. A tanto, a katana and a bastard sword. Quite impressive that he could carry these and still prove to be quite swift and hidden. He sat down before the Sannin of the leaf and interlocked his fingers which indicated a hint of seriousness was about to come his way. “I am not going to lie to you Sousetsu, I am stressed out. I am the head of Konoha’s ANBU, I am one of the busiest men in the village, but at the same time I am happy. Do you want to know why I am happy, Sousetsu?” Sousetsu sat in silence and swallowed deeply awaiting his answer with his ears to lend the Chita Sennin. It came as a surprise that he was the head of the ANBU, a truly stressful yet respectful role. He was close to the Hokage despite being his underling also. The Senju knew he would amount to something and he thought that he could serve his purpose with this role rightfully. He was proud of Mitsuo. "“I am happy because I no longer have to worry about what happened to one of the most powerful shinobi in the village, and a man who I consider to be a friend.” Mitsuo spoke with sincerity. Sousetsu's face went from a near blank expression to his infamous grin. He nodded, almost like a bow and looked back up at his old friend. "You need not worry about me, Mitsuo. I cannot die just yet." Sousetsu giggled slightly. "I appreciate your concern and I do apologize for making things harder than they had to be, my friend." He smiled with empathy.

Mitsuo went on to tell Sousetsu of dark times in Konahagakure and that one of the bright lights, which symbolized Sousetsu, was not there to help shine. Sousetsu simply grinned at this and looked at Mitsuo dead on. "I left the village in good hands, Mitsuo." Before long, an assistant of some sort entered the room with tea and placed it on the desk between the two. He thanked the man with a bow where he sat and turned back to see the ANBU head. Once the assistant left, Mitsuo continued. He spoke of a story that must be told. The honor was all Sousetu's as this story was only ever told to two others, the Hokage, and his lover, which Sousetsu was not familiar with. Rhetorical questions then escaped the Chita Sennin's lips. Why would someone choose this life? Why would someone forego their own identity and live a life of secrets? Is it really worth it? Sousetsu simply sat in silence and analyzed the questions hoping to find the answers to these himself. He remained silent however and continued to lend his ears. Why did Mitsuo become ANBU? It was indeed an enticing question which he would be told in due time.

Sousetsu grasped the cup of tea before him as the story began. The story began with tragedy in which one would wish was fiction but was not. The death of a family member caused by ambushes outside the village gates. Wanting revenge. His brother dying in his arms was quite a touching story that Sousetsu felt deeply sorry for Mitsuo. He did not know the full details and so he could only imagine the scenarios. It seemed the Sarutobi's family were skilled with weapons and yet the brother  created a sibling rivalry with his fuuinjutsu. As the story went on so did the last wishes of his family members. One by one they were cut off like some murder/mystery novel. It seemed his father was the last to die before he joined the ANBU. Protecting the village was very noble and Mitsuo's family all seemed to follow that ideal. It seemed the Chita Sennin and Sousetsu had much more in common than they thought. Mitsuo looked up to the third Hokage, who was also a Sarutobi, while Sousetsu looked up to the Second, who was also a Senju who surpassed many in the water techniques. They did not die in vain as Sousetsu thought highly of Mitsuo in his family's stead. The Sarutobi had Sousetsu's full attention once the 'crystal user' came into the story. He was there after all and with the Hokage at the time, Tatsumaru. Sousetsu never thought that Tatsumaru was an appropriate choice to lead this village, he was too 'aggressive' for his liking. A good leader ensures the safety of where his people reside, not destroy it. Mitsuo's father was in the blast radius of the technique that day. Sousetsu remembered as he watched the bright light before impact, it was blinding yet, was it really necessary? For the male Senju was almost in the fight alongside his ninja kin. It touched Sousetsu deeply as he did not manage to save Mitsuo's father as he tried to evacuate the villagers. How could he miss him? His jaw tightened as he was lost in his train of thought thinking of any other possible outcomes, but in the end, it wouldn't matter. What was done was done.

Sousetsu took a large gulp of tea and swallowed it three times before it was all gone as he stared intently at the words coming from the man's mouth before him. “So to answer my questions I didn’t choose this life, it chose me. I gave up my identity for something that my parents believed in which was protecting the village and its people, people like you, Takeshi, the children you were speaking to earlier… Was it really worth it? Absolutely and without any shadow of a doubt. I would make the decision again and again if I was ever asked to do so. I love this village, and I know you do too Sousetsu, that is why I asked you here. I don’t want to believe that you left our village out of ill will, but it is my duty to protect the village from potential threats, so I must ask you… Why did you leave?” Sousetsu looked up to the window behind Mitsuo. He looked at the leaves of the trees in the distance sit still with almost no breeze. He smiled to himself and looked back to his companion. "I left, because I had to. The leaves are so peaceful now. There was no trouble while I was gone, was there?" Sousetsu finished with taking another sip of the tea.

"You see, the stories you have heard. The little girl, the butcher general, think of the good that came from that. We will never see the general again as his days came to an end. The girl had her last wishes of hearing stories from a traveler. But the real reason why I left, was because I had to find that very 'crystal user' from your story." Sousetsu finished off the tea and placed it back on the tray before him, dabbing his mouth for any wetness with a tissue he had within his pocket. "I was there when the village was attacked by him and when Tatsumaru foolishly took half the village with him to his grave. That man escaped before I reached the battlefield. I was not fast enough that day and wished to help others escape before joining my comrades. After the battle with Hao, I realized that perhaps I am ready to to bring an end to him. I flickered away and began my journey with the adrenaline I had received that fight. I wanted to end the threat once and for all. But alas, I could not find him. I had no money. No food. So I had to work in order to keep my journey afloat. The trails would grow cold as my time was given to whoever hired me. But I have learned a lot on my travels. I do regret working for some people but others was an honor. I came back once I was hired as an escort of some political figure and we were arriving close by."

Sousetsu looked back to the trees from the other side of the window. They were peaceful. Just the way he intended it to be. But for how long? The threat of the crystal user was still out there. It was on individual that Sousetsu wished he could take down. What he had done to the village, and now what he had done to Mitsuo's father. But now was the time for Sousetsu to lay low as he was beginning to make a name for himself. He did not wish for his reputation to fall on criminals ears. He must remain silent and out of sight for now. Something dawned on the Senju out of the blue. He giggled slightly and looked up to Mitsuo once again. "Say, Mitsuo. Where did these rumours about my death or taking down monsters come from?"

Words: 3735/8000 [Senjutsu training B>A]

Mitsuo smiled when Sousetsu asked him the question. He had heard these rumours and stories as well and as far as he was concerned that’s all they were, rumours and stories. He chuckled about it and stood up for a second, reflecting on where he had first heard it. Who had told him that Sousetsu Senju was dead? He should remember this; he was quite distressed when he heard the news, but at the same time refused to believe it. He thought it was one of his ANBU agents, and chalked it up to someone not being thorough enough with their search. “I have heard these stories too, though I can’t tell you of the origin, for in truth I do not know.” He sighed softly and stood up from his desk, the oak feeling cool under his fingers as he pushed up from his seated position. He turned around and stared out the window, leaning on a bookshelf so his back wasn’t turned to Sousetsu, a politeness thing more than distrust.

“Do you know what I see when I look out this window, Sousetsu?” He paused for a second, looking out towards the gates of the Sarutobi Compound, where he had a perfect view of the Academy. “I see hope. There is hope for the future of Konoha, Sousetsu. That hope lives in these children, it lives in Takeshi, it lives in you, and it lives in me. A great man once said ‘It doesn't matter what you do, if you live and die as you like. However, no matter what road you end up taking, remember to protect the people that are precious to you.’ That man was my ancestor, Hiruzen Sarutobi. I believe that on your travels you have always kept our village in your hearts and thoughts, and I know that you would fight to protect our fair village…” He frowned as he began his next sentence. “This village is dying, Sosuetsu. There is a corruption here, and it has slowly been eating away at the Village Hidden in the Leaves. That is why I do what I do.” He chuckled to himself, the trademark smirk returning to his face. He was thinking of his great great great great great grandfather (he wasn’t truly sure how many greats there were, but it was a lot) and another quote came to mind that seemed oddly appropriate for the situation. “When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew.” He said these words slowly and carefully, making sure to enunciate each word and make sure the weight of the Third Hokage’s words set in.

“I strive to be like the man whose blood I share, I strive to protect the village in everything I do. One day I will die for this village, and I will be proud to have died in service of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I am Mitsuo Hiruzen Sarutobi, proud protector of Konohagakure no Kato, and I am proud to call such a noble man as you my friend.” He walked up to Sousetsu, awaiting his answer to his words before shaking his hand and smiling. “Thank you for meeting with me today, Sousetsu. It was truly inspiring as always. I’m afraid I have a pressing matter that I must attend to now, a mission of some importance. Your Will of Fire is strong, Sousetsu, and it makes me proud to see such a thing.” With these words, Mitsuo led the Sannin Senju out of his office and his house, dawned his ANBU gear once more, and departed to protect the village, as he always did.

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EXIT THREAD
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(2500/2500 Dust Storm Technique learned~ 233 left)