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[[ Oh come on, now. Defense against a defense specialist? =P ]]

Areno knew that he'd been spotted, and what he'd seen happening to the two Kage below him was proof enough of Tate's threat. Areno would have to be careful... but firstly needed to deal with the jutsu screaming up at him. So he did the only thing he could do in the situation. "Kai!" He bellowed out, less from the need to form the word as the excrutiating pain he'd just induced upon himself.

With several large cracking and wet crunching noises, the Ryuugaikotsu Yoroi was jettisoned from Areno's body, descending into the ball of Chakra as Areno began to freefall from several hundred feet in the air.

The Genin didn't seem overly surprised by the pain, but falling was a different manner... this was something entirely new, and he only had one thought as how to save himself.

A moment before impact several metres away from Tate, Areno threw his arms up in an "X" before his face, and whispered drly, =Sunagakure=.

With nary a sound, the Sand Kaguya slipped silently beneath the disturbed sands, disappearing in sense and sight.

[[ Interesting, indeed. ]]

Kitsune would feel two pricks at her feet, enough to draw blood, but nothing too serious. She would then find she was unable to move said foot... the same pricking sensation simultaneously striking the sole of her left foot, as well. To Tate, he might see her long enough if she struggled... but she would quickly disappear beneath the desert sands, Kaguya-white bones growing up her body with alacrity. =Hone Seishin Byooin: Bone Asylum=

Unless the girl managed to rip off her own feet, she would be dragged under by an animated current of sand, drawing her deeper and deeper into the depths of the desert... to the point where the only thing keeping her alive was the slim egg-shaped cocoon of bone pressing around her, keeping her tightly entrapped. Obviously, there wasn't much air, either, and escape was generally impossible past the point of no return. Unless she managed to free herself mid-way, Kitsune was done.


As for Tate, before him materialized what could only be considered an elemental... it was comprised of sand caught up in swirling winds - all packed into the relative form of Areno's self. "Stronger than your will, invader. I think it would be wise if you gave back what you stole and left quietly... I have already killed a large sum of your men, and I have no qualms against destroying you should the opportunity present itself to me." - So spake the elemental that floated around Tate in a circle, 7 feet back away from him. =Suna Bunshin/Kaze Bunshin no jutsu=

Somewhere from underground, Areno smiled. They'd given away everything he needed to know, now. As for the elemental, the shuriken passed through its body and struck the ground... whence it picked up the weapon and held it offensively.

"You cannot destroy me any more than you can destroy the sky and the earth."

A troop of Suna Bunshin rose from the ground, partially-formed, they were featureless... just enough to be effective. Three rushed Kitsune from behind, and another hastened over to the Tate clone with its arms sharpened into hardened blades. So far, Tate was left alone...

The attacks were obvious at best, not enough to stick out, but not enough to keep from being noticed.

Somewhere further away, the final clone had been prepared by Areno. The clone leapt into the air and began to spin, its body coming apart in the process. "Nukaruumi Sunaarashi no jutsu!" =Quagmire Sandstorm=

As Kitsune would either still be watching, or turning to face her attackers, she'd find herself in dire straits if she hadn't moved to do one or the other. Without even an instant's notice, the part of the wall to which she was closest shot out in a great series of spikes, aimed for the side of her head and neck. Several others jutted out to prevent hand/leg movement: without seals, there wouldn't be a chance to use Kawarimi. "Sunaire..." =Sand Spines=

Behind the seemingly original Tate standing stock-still in the middle of the sand-ridden street, without warning, he would apparently find Areno standing back-to-back with him. "I won't let you accomplish what you came here to do... you may survive, you may defeat me, but you will not win."

Amidst the confusion of his original attack, the cocoon had been dragged under as well, and under the cover of the raging sandstorm now present, making it impossible to keep one's unprotected eyes open, he was attempting to fully submerge it, and take the cocoon away from Tate.

Areno smirked. "Because I follow the will of the desert, and its loud voice tells me to defeat you. Now, are we going to hide behind jutsu all day, or are you going to be a man and fight this poor Genin in the ancient ways? You... are confident about close-range combat, are you not?"

Far above, Daisan no Me tracked Kitsune with impeccable clarity.

As for anything below... woe betide if it was a person...

The Mist Shinobi picked up the Mizukage and moved him somewhere safer then the middle of the desert. Four of them stayed by his side, whilst the rest went forth to try and help the Kazekage and the Kaguya in any way possible.

The eye of sand dispersed under the attack as predicted.

However, Tate himself was not so lucky. As he had not bothered to turn and see the Kaguya boy, he would now be facing his error. Areno had thrown his body's weight to the right just as the attack would have connected. In doing so, Tate would find his arm instantly caught between Areno's bicep and armpit... and without time to react, Areno pivoted and spun his entire body to the left with one harsh swing that would bring Tate off of his feet and to the ground.

All of a sudden, as if from no where, a huge barrage of weapons, made from both ice and steel were released into the air towards Tate, he would have had to move long enough for Areno to recover a little or be cut into tiny pieces, none of the Mist shinobi dropped their guard after they threw the weapons, they all readied themselves for a counter if it came at them.