Kojino’s Pilgrimage

[Etherious Virgil]

This great big world was a place of wonder. Growing up, Kojino was taught from a young age that nothing was ever permanent. Eventually, the end will catch up, and when that time comes for him or for others, not to be afraid. He had seen plenty of people pass on by now. Elderly folk who couldn’t stand another day, casualties of battles, and of course accidents happen daily. In the life of a shinobi, life was assured to be finite. However, knowing all of this, there was this gnawing sensation in his mind that he wasn’t grasping the full scope of how short life could really be. After graduating from the academy, Kojino requested permission to leave the village as part of his religious pilgrimage. The request was granted, although tentatively due to his fresh genin status at the time of his departure. He was told that he would occasionally be tracked and watched by a special ops agent to confirm his whereabouts and report on what Kojino had been doing. All of this was fine, of course. His first year was spent visiting smaller villages, some of them better off than others. He saw, very early on, how frail the human condition truly was.

One particular area left quite an impression on Kojino. It was an older village, one that had been fortified by stone walls until recent events. Now, in place of the wall, was rubble and scorched earth. Burnt houses dotted the inner section of the town, with very few escaping major damage. It had been the site of some sort of struggle between forces. The perpetrators of such chaos, Koji would never know, but it seemed like they got what they wanted. The few people left in the town were frail. With limited food available to them, they struggled to keep their strength up. Some were sick, some had already passed away in the street. He stayed here for a few days, hunting wild animals for them, preparing his quarries as meals for the villagers, offering them assistance in any way he could.  

[Etherious Virgil]

Learning Sage Mode from Monk NPC
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After Kojino’s experience at the war torn village, he decided he needed to do some introspection. He had just seen firsthand the frailty of civilization in this shinobi world, and with it he was given hands on experience with the ephemeral state of life. It was short, and could be taken away at any minute by almost anything. He found himself on the steps of a temple. Standing at the door was a monk, older than anyone Kojino had ever met before, but he seemed to still be brimming with life. After a short conversation, the monk ushered Koji inside.

The monk instructed Kojino on the process of meditation. He had never done something like this before, so a teacher was largely helpful. The monk explained that, given the reason for Kojino’s visit, it might be more helpful for him to tune into the thrumming pulse of the world than to just ponder its mysteries. Koji sat, crossing his legs in front of him. The monk showed him a helpful way to place his hands, a circle made of his fingers and thumbs. It would help to provide a fully circular network, is the way it had been explained. This process took a few tries. He would clear his mind, opening himself up to his surroundings, then the monk would interrupt him with a strike from a pole he was holding. The monk provided no explanation for the pole, or why he was beating Kojino with it, but instead simply stated it was for the best, and encouraged him to continue.

Kojino sat as still as he could. He cleared his mind, focusing on the sounds around him. The monk talked to him for a few moments, easing him into the process. “Now, make sure to regulate your breathing. Clear your mind, feel the ground beneath your feet, the air in your lungs. Slowly feel out to the world around you with your mind. Think about what you feel, what you smell.”

Kojino did what he was told. After a while, the monk stopped giving instructions, but no beatings came. Kojino mentally followed the flow of air through his body. It felt different now. He could track it through his lungs, and further track a new sensation down throughout the rest of his body with each breath. He felt weightless, as if any second now he would float into the sky. At the same time, though, he felt grounded, safe.

Turning his attention outward, he could sense the monk in front of him. Beyond that, he was aware of a flock of birds outside, and a deer roaming around nearby. With each passing moment, Kojino’s awareness of the world around him grew. He could feel every inch of his body with absolute clarity. With each gust of wind outside, or a step from a nearby animal, Kojino felt a pulse reach him. It echoed inside his body, bouncing around every crevice. The echo died down, settling in the core of his being, a warm sensation washing over his body. This must have been the thrumming pulse of nature that the monk had mentioned before. Kojino sat a few more moments, feeling his surroundings and taking in all that he could. The monk was no longer in the temple.

Kojino stood tall, stretching his legs after having sat for so long. When he left, the monk was standing outside the door, patiently observing the horizon. “You are now one with the world, my child.” Kojino bowed to the monk. He asked if there was anything more that his mentor could teach, but only a shake of the head was given as reply. Kojino thanked the elderly man before leaving the temple. He would make a note to visit again in the future. Perhaps as an equal to his meditation mentor, or perhaps as a friend.  

[Etherious Virgil]

[b]Title:[/b] In Service of the Lord [x12]
[b]Rank:[/b] B
[b]Reputation:[/b] 0
[b]Impact:[/b] 0
[b]Information:[/b] In order to gain an even deeper appreciation for the transience of life, Kojino travelled the countryside. He offered help as a nameless stranger where he could, and formed a deeper appreciation for the time he had on this earth.

Kojino’s new connection to nature was proving helpful in his search for spiritual growth. The air in his lungs was now more invigorating than it was before, the ground seemed to hold him better, and every motion of his body felt filled with a sense of purpose. Whether this was due to some inflated form of confidence or was actually stemming from the natural chakra he was accumulating was debatable at best. Regardless he felt as if anything was possible now. And he had Zelel to thank. After all, life was short, and gifts like these only served to accentuate that point. If life was infinite in its length, then surely this feeling of connection would not be quite so thrilling.

The shinobi world had been rocked with recent events. Koji was not sure of the exact proceedings, but whispers made it to even his ears. War, betrayal, theft; the rumor mill had produced plenty of stories. His current interests weren’t tied up in any of the events he had missed. Instead, he was focused on the aftermath. Plenty of places had been swept up in the chaos. That meant plenty of people in need of assistance. This was his mission.

From town to town Kojino traveled, assisting where he could in the procurement of food and water for those who could not get it themselves. Others who were more able bodied would take over the gathering while Kojino tended to the young children, occupying them so that their parents would not worry whilst they busied themselves with work. Kojino enjoyed the help he offered. If gave him a sense of accomplishment to know he could lighten the load of others.

During the night, after the children were sound asleep and adults were exhausted from their daily efforts, Kojino set to work repairing as much of the damage to the area as he could. He was not the best at carpentry, but he used the little knowledge he did have to repair some of the affected homes, reinstating them as working shelters. Roads and businesses that were caught in the battles were also fixed to the best of his ability. When he would be asked his identity, or why he was so intent on helping them, he gave little information. His replies were simple. The work was done in the name of Zelel. He continued this trend of being the “nameless” visitor for quite some time.

Years would pass like this. There were many places in need of assistance. The villages paid little mind to these smaller towns. As such, they would have been left to disrepair for a long time if it weren’t for their nameless savior. Of course, Koji could not blame the villages for that. After all, the shinobi world was a busy one. There was always something that needed their attention, and the ever shifting level of priorities often overlooked the everyday folk. In their stead, Kojino Futonabe would provide them much needed relief.

Kojino’s constant activity left little time for him to rest on his own. The time that he did have was precious because of this. His private moments were spent in solemn meditation. Most of the time he would sit either beneath a waterfall or in the midst of a wooded area. He required no praise for his deeds. All he needed was the experience he gained on his travels. Koji wasn’t necessarily interested in getting stronger. He was sure that he was plenty strong as it stood. All he wanted was to get all he could out of this temporary existence.

If nothing more, he could hope that his services to these places would create a lasting impression. A sort of “pay-it-forward” mentality of being good to your neighbors. Additionally, spreading the good name of Zelel is also a bonus to his dealings in these lands. Perhaps his service to his patron would bring him good fortune, but the likelihood of acknowledgment on that scale was infinitesimally small. Though, that did mean there was a chance.