I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
After Akaran's training to utilize his fists like swords, the duo had spent a few days celebrating in Konohagakure. They were acting like stupid, indulgent tourists, and shared the nicest hotel because Akihiko refused to settle for the homey but underwhelming location Akaran had picked out. They were at the downstairs diner for breakfast when a ninja animal, a small pig, appeared by the table with an envelope sealed by a cheap but distinctive stamp.
Akihiko dismissed the courier after rewarding it with some of the raspberries from his bowl, quickly bringing his attention to the envelope with a furrowed brow. He worked it open with his butter knife. He didn't offer any explanation to Akaran and didn't give his oatmeal or crepes a second look as he read over the letter quickly. Then, releasing a breath he'd apparently been holding, he read a second time to comprehend things fully. He brought chakra to his fingertips momentarily, burning the letter in a rapid flame.
"I need to go." All the familiarity and warmth he'd developed in Akaran's presence was absent. He was the stoic hardass he'd been when they first met. "You can stay as long as you want; the room is all paid up, and so is the board." He took to his feet, hand drifting over the hilt of his katana as if he was checking to see that he had everything he needed.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:12 pm
β±β°β±Akaran was having an absolute blast in Konohagakure with Akihiko. The past several days passed by in a whirl of general debauchery and tomfoolery of the highest order. However, he felt a pit in his stomach form the moment the letter Akihiko received was burned up. Akihiko's stern expression was all too familiar to him but Akaran could tell that something was wrong after all of this time developing their friendship. When Akihiko stood up so too did Akaran. "Hey, what's wrong? Can I come too?" Akaran's eyes were filled with concern. He also hated the idea of Akihiko leaving him but even worse was the concept of them never meeting up again. Whatever it was, Akaran was determined to get to the bottom of it as he walked closer to Akihiko.
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Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
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ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:26 pm
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
It was like he was possessed by a totally different Akihiko. When Akaran rose to his feet with nothing but genuine concern and offered to help, Akihiko still flinched away, hand floating over to the hilt of his blade before he stilled, caught himself, and very forcibly exhaled slowly to release some tension.
"It's complicated. I have to go to the Land of Rivers. I owe someone... something. They're calling in a favor. I don't know all the details, just what I have to do." He grinded his teeth for a moment, torn internally because he had to fight against the emotions threatening to break down his defenses at the same time he had to resist speaking to Akaran so distantly. The Oni had done nothing to deserve it, and he would certainly see the coldness as punishment for some perceived wrong.
He wasn't ready to open up about the background behind his new mission, but he didn't need to push the Oni away after being one of the only people he could consider a friend. "You can come," he conceded after debating internally. "But there is nothing I won't put on the line to get this done right." It went unspoken that he wouldn't be afraid to burn their friendship if that was the cost.
But he knew that would be hard to do, even for him. Letting his shoulders drop for just a moment, he spoke quieter and gave a little more ground to Akaran. "I can't afford to ******** this up," he admitted before shaking his head of the vulnerability, straightening up. He moved to the exit of the diner, not slowing down one bit except at the last second to hold the door open a smidge longer for Akaran.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:44 pm
β±β°β±The Kaguya was completely befuddled by what was affecting Akihiko so strongly. He watched him reach for his blade before stopping himself. He's in pain. Akaran observed and felt a pang in his own heart as well. He held back to avoid overwhelming him because it was clear that he needed time and was not ready to talk about it yet. However, he felt relieved that he could accompany him on this mission. When Akihiko offered the oni some respite by giving an inch of vulnerability he nodded in understanding. The man was such a mystery to him and it was as exciting as it was off-balancing. Akihiko always had a clandestine air to him and he only hoped that this mission would not harm the vulnerable. If Akihiko was putting Akaran on the line then he was prepared to do the same if it meant stopping good people from getting hurt. Akaran was never the brightest crayon in the box but he felt confident in his ability to discern right from wrong. For all of the barriers Akihiko was constructing, Akaran had a few of his own. He could tell that there was goodness in his friend but how far was he willing to go for his greed? This was among many questions that caused Akaran great bedevilment but perhaps seeing this aspect of Akihiko's life would put at least some of them to rest. Akaran quietly followed Akihiko out of the building with an expression of support nonetheless.
_______________ βOut Of Contextβ Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―
Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
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ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:00 pm
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
Akihiko had initially planned to maintain his silence, but he figured Akaran was only putting up with the quiet because he wanted to support Akihiko. Like friends do. The guilt ate at him, negged at the back of his mind and made his tongue feel heavy. He sighed with displeasure as they made their way out of the fire country, explaining only after they had ducked into some cover under a bridge during a quick flash storm.
"Okay. You know that I offer a variety of services for hire, yeah? I've done a lot of things in my past to build up my fortune and my reputation. But one of the most important things was helping the Yamaoka family. They were my first job. And they helped me afterwards, since I'd been unknowingly struck with poison." He paused as lightning illuminated the sky, immediately followed by a rolling thunder. The storm would be over in a matter of minutes, but Akihiko didn't want to keep them in an awkward silence.
"The Yamaoka don't have much. Sharecroppers in the Land of Rivers, you see, under the Katagawa family, who operate all the businesses out there, above and under the table. Anyways. The Yamaoka-" He paused as his voice wavered, coughing into his fist and playing it off poorly before continuing. "The Yamaoka family have fallen into harsher debt with the Katagawa family because of the poor soil. The Katagawa family isn't very understanding and kidnapped their daughter. And I owe the Yamaoka family too much to let Chiyo fall victim. I just have to do this. You know?" What was usually a rhetorical question was being asked genuinely as Akihiko met Akaran's eyes.
He felt stupid for wanting to be understood, because he'd spent so much of his career intentionally distorting his own image to prevent others from figuring him out or rendering him predictable. But he felt different about Akaran, like he could trust the samurai with any stupid feelings trapped in his twisted heart. "I should have told you that before I let you come along. There's potentially an entire mafia waiting for me. For us. I'm sorry." If it was possible to accomplish this mission and not lose Akaran in the process, Akihiko wouldn't know who to thank.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:51 am
β±β°β±Akaran quietly walked beside Akihiko as dark clouds loomed. Perhaps this was an omen of what was to come but he supposed that the rainbow always followed. He followed Akihiko under the bridge and stood in front of him as he offered the full explanation. He began with vaguely stating that he offers a "variety of things" for hire as a mercenary. This caused his stomach to turn as he considered the possibility that his dear friend was taking him on some sort of thug mission. Akaran remained silent and allowed him to elaborate on the story of the Yamaoka family. He stared pensively into Akihiko's yellow eyes as if to figure out who he was really talking to. Was he talking to a thug for the highest bidder or the noble friend he was getting to know? The fact that he had ties to so many shady characters was not helping his concern. However, when Akihiko stated that he would not allow Chiyo to fall victim he felt even more conflicted as he saw the genuineness in Akihiko's eyes. When he apologized to him he would be able to see small tears well up in Akaran's eyes before he frustratingly shook his head to dismiss them. The frustration was boiling over in a caldera of constant uncertainty inside the oni's heart. He withheld his concerns for far too long and was shrugged off with every attempt to clear the air with this guy. Suddenly, Akaran's right forearm would horizontally push Akihiko's chest before pinning him against a beam under the bridge. "What the ******** do you get involved in ********?! What else aren't you saying?! Have we just been running around Konoha with blood money?! Answer me!" Akaran exploded in rage and just wanted to know the truth. Where did this guy stand? His eyes softened again as he looked at the ground but continued to use the strength of his arm against Akihiko's chest. "I know you care about people, A-ki-hi-ko so drop this tough guy s**t. You think I'm too soft and trusting to get it but that's bullshit and I'm tired of it." Akaran continued staring at Akihiko's face and waiting for him to clear the air before he finished his rant with hope. "And you bet your a** I'm gonna help you get Chi-yo back. I got you." The Kaguya stated plainly with the full knowledge of what he was getting into. Based on this story, Akaran knew it was the right course to take to help that family and support his friend but he was exhausted from being left in the dark. He continued pinning Akihiko and staring at him with a mixture of care, concern, and anger.
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Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
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ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:03 am
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
Akihiko yelped as Akaran moved against him, pushing him against the wall. His eyes narrowed at the Oni's questions and he remained quiet as he did some silent calculations. It wasn't in-line with the spirit of the other man's questions, but it wasn't technically a lie since the vast majority of his money wasn't made from contracted hits. "It's not blood money," he said as he met Akaran's heated gaze. "Not that any money is clean." He snorted as he tried to shrug off Akaran's arm to no avail.
"Tough guy? I- whatever. Sure. Tough guy act. Like you keep acting clueless, but look at you connecting dots now. Were you lying to me this whole time, too?" His voice sounded stupidly hurt, and he cleared his throat before he addressed the next remark. "I care about Chiyo but that doesn't make me a bleeding heart like you. You help me with Chiyo and then you're entitled to my employment history, but not a minute sooner." He set his jaw as he searched Akaran's face. He would regularly never divulge that kind of information, but it was clearly important to Akaran.
The rain suddenly came to a stop around the bridge. The sky was still dark, but they'd be able to travel unimpeded. His voice was soft and tired as he said, "Don't waste my time, Akaran." He didn't clarify his meaning, hoping the Oni would drop the interrogation for the time being.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:28 am
β±β°β±Akaran pinned Akihiko even harder when he tried to wiggle free in a huff. Confirmation that the money was not from offing people was reassuring at least. Blood money would have made their time together feel tainted in a way that Akaran would not tolerate. Nonetheless, his passionate anger spiked when Akihiko dared to accuse him of putting on an act. Next came the usual bleeding heart insult that only incensed the swordless swordsman further. Akihiko demanding that Akaran not waste his time was the straw that broke the camel's back as he yelled out in rage. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He then grabbed the mercenary and wrestled him to the dry ground on the bridge but to the side of the flowing water. He then raised his right fist before slamming it into the ground next to Akihiko's head. The Oni yelled over and over as he released his rage onto the ground just shy of actually harming Akihiko. Once his powerful punches released his anger, Akaran started much more lightly punching the pale man's shoulder in clear frustration. "I've been honest with you, a*****e! At least I'm not keeping secrets! And yeah, I care about people. I don't care what you think, p***k!" Akaran was obviously wounded by Akihiko's defensive accusations. But once he expressed his anger and set the record straight, he stood up and would pick up the other man in the process to help him get back on his feet. He did not even stop to dust himself off as he stomped off and walked back to the road. Akaran did realize that someone was in danger and time was of the essence. "Let's go then!" Akaran yelled out as he waited for Akihiko to take the lead. Fire was in Akaran's eyes as he was determined to help in this mission.
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Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
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ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:57 am
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
None of Akihiko's training or instincts came in when the samurai screamed in a passionate rage. He took Akihiko to the ground, and he felt out-of-body. The mercenary who didn't take s**t from anyone and who threatened or strongarmed anyone who dared inconvenience him felt thousands of miles away in the moment, a persona that he couldn't put on because he was completely unprepared for a real confrontation, because he was never supposed to need to be the reputable merc around friends. It rendered him ordinary and civilian instead of fast-acting killer, and his eyes were helplessly wide as he watched Akaran punch next to his head on the ground.
He was panting from the panic of it all while Akaran vented his frustrations, only able to get off the ground when Akaran had already stomped away. He was rendered mute by the event, head simultaneously empty and racing as he followed Akaran until he was able to take the lead himself.
The dark sky did nothing for his confused state as he led them into the Land of Rivers, the ground growing muddy and desaturated as the mineral wealth the area had once been renowned for was robbed of the soil year after year. They should have gone straight to the Yamaoka home to discuss details, but Akihiko didn't want them to see him so flustered or to sense the tension between him and Akaran.
They travelled by the countryside for about an hour, passing the Yamaoka home and many other sharecroppers. Their poverty was evident and their crops were unsightly, only strengthening Akihiko's resolve.
They came across a three-story building, deceptively plain and pale against the dark sky. There were three men out front smoking and laughing about something. Having been inside the building once before, he knew the first floor was decorated like a fancy bar with a runway-like stage in the front, something he suspected was used to host and show off their product before trafficking to the elite. The second and third floors would be weaponry and shady deals that needed less eyes than the auction party would offer. The basement was the one area he'd never been privy to, but he was absolutely certain they kept the girls down there; if not, he'd be sure to torture the words out of the one of the goons.
He turned to Akaran and explained the layout of the building briefly, as well as his expectations that the Katagawa family would mostly be present to discuss setting up the auction; after all, their practice was to not abduct girls until just before the auction to prevent any window of time for law enforcement. "I know we need to talk after this. But I want to say thank you, first. Despite what transpired earlier, I don't think I'd have a handle on this if I'd gone alone, and-"
"'Ey, who the ******** are you?" One of the goons up front shouted across the way, evidently seeing them from behind the stone wall that surrounded the property. And as if it were a summoning jutsu, a dozen men burst from the main door into the front of the property, looking around until they spotted the two men. They began to grab their weapons and prepare their projectile ninjutsu, pushing Akihiko into action. He formed one handseal and began something akin to a bolt of lightning, shooting over the wall and into the midst of the men to get right into the fight [ Lightning Transformation [ Raikou Henge no Jutsu ] | Rank D ].
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:09 pm
β±β°β±The redhead walked with Akihiko in a tense silence through the Land of Rivers. The only sound that Akaran made was quietly grumbling to himself about the audacity of Akihiko's attitude. He waited quietly and patiently when he spoke to the family and tried to avoid burdening them while their daughter was missing. The Oni stomped along again and only stopped to listen when they arrived to the destination. He looked around the area before narrowing his focus on the building. It did not look suspicious or outlandish in any way which made it more eery for him to imagine the horrors within. He sighed with a sense of defeat in their fight when Akihiko thanked him. The guilt of going off on him and calling him all of those names began overwhelming him before they were interrupted by some henchmen. Akaran immediately took his Lilly of the Valley stance by squaring his feet and extending his knife hands forward. The swordless samurai pierced the chest of his first challenger in his knife hands before unleashing a shockwave of chakra that rocked multiple nearby goons. His training served him well as his hands became potent cutting blades of their own. With those enemies dispatched, Akaran would run ahead along with Akihiko to press on with the rescue mission. Three armored goons in a row ran up to him before he chopped his right hand down and sliced through three of them as if his hand were a chakra-imbued blade. He was able to directly channel the bladed bukijutsu technique through his hand with ease.
_______________ βOut Of Contextβ Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―
Technique Used: β° First Stance: Lilly of the Valley | Rank B | Simple The primary offensive stance of Kyotouryuu is prepared with the user's left foot forward and pointed ahead, their right foot to the rear and angled sideways, the right hand forward with the palm facing ahead, and their left hand at the side but also directing the open palm forward. Any Kyotouryuu technique delivered from this stance is considered capable of inflicting wounds comparable to that of a sword after countless hours hardening their hands. Basic combat strikes retain cutting and stabbing capabilities from this stance when active. Swinging strikes can cut into flesh and thrusting strikes can impale or pierce. For each rank of the technique, the user's strength is increased by [1] point. This stance requires a single activation to enter, however, if a technique is executed from this stance, the user may return to it for no additional cost. β° Violet | Rank B | Simple The Kyotouryuu user simultaneously slams both of their knife hands into the torso of their opponent, unleashing a powerful and focused shock wave directly through the enemy's body. The resulting damage causes bloody blistering of the flesh inches around the struck that explode from the back of the user as well. The opponent is thrown twenty feet away from the user after being struck. This technique reduces the target's agility to zero for two posts. β° Helmet Splitter | Rank B | Complex This technique is a vertical downward slash designed to cleave bodies in half but gained it's name from it's innate ability to shatter armor pieces. When interacting with armor, this technique is treated as spiritual and when meeting armor that fails to resist completely, will cut into the target. Technique Active: β’ [ Technique Name ] β±β°β±β [ Rank ]
Status Effects: β’ None
Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
Offline
ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:34 pm
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
Akihiko was weirdly proud of Akaran's fighting abilities, utilizing his hands as swords just like he'd said he'd be able to after training with Masato. He had still been doubtful even after the training was complete, but there was something undeniably powerful in catching glimpses of the Oni cutting through opponents as if with a samurai blade. His glances were a little too generous, however, and he managed to get caught off guard by a goon who landed a hearty punch to Akihiko's jaw. The mercenary stumbled, caught himself, and charged at the man with his katana and no degree of mercy.
In his pursuit of revenge, he failed to pay enough attention to the blows Akaran was dealing with. One of the guards pulled a scroll out and opened it towards Akaran, an intricate but familiar seal present. It felt like time slowed down as he recognized it as one that would seal Akaran away; having no fuuinjutsu knowledge himself, it would take forever for him to find an expert he could trust while protecting the scroll and seal itself from damage lest Akaran be lost forever.
"No!" He shouted instinctively, going down to one knee as his hands formed the signature o-shaped seal for his clan. He utilized the kekkai tota and created a ball of particle chakra that became a beam of disintegrating power [ Advanced Formula: Particle Beam | Rank A ]. The man and his scroll were annihilated in the blink of an eye, along with a corner of the building due to the angle and further property damage farther away due to the distance of the beam technique.
He hadn't relied on his bloodline techniques since before he picked up being a mercenary, knowing the rarity of it could make him a target. He stared at his hands for a stupid moment before the screams of the battlefield shook him out of his reverie. The last of the men were slain by Akaran's hand, and it was time to charge the building.
"You alright?" He asked as he got back to his feet, feeling a little shaky after relying on such a draining technique. His hands shook as he sheathed his blade, ready for them to discuss a brief strategy before entering the building.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:47 pm
β±β°β±Akaran felt his anger grow when he saw Akihiko get punched in the face. It made carving through the onslaught of enemies far less guilt-ridden on the wandering warrior's part. He then raised his eyebrow when he watched one of them open a scroll and point it at him. He knew nothing about sealing and was always terrible at calligraphy so he was unsure of what to expect even as Akihiko came to his rescue. It was then that he watched Akihiko fire a beam of white light that completely pulverized the man and his scroll. He cleaned the blood from his hands and dusted himself off before Akaran looked over at Akihiko and walked up to him. "Yeah." He responded briefly as he quietly assessed that he took no damage. He then raised his hands to gently rub Akihiko's jaw. "You're bruising." His naturally passionate eyes had softened on Akihiko's face as he spoke with concern. It was a glimpse of his unusually tender feelings for his friend before he quickly retracted his hand as if correcting himself. "Let's go get Chi-yo." Akaran said gruffly to dismiss his sappy feelings that he let slip while he was still supposed to be mad at Akihiko.
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Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
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ghostfinch
Seeker
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:58 pm
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
All the tension in his body bled away when Akaran put his hands to Akihiko's face, as if he'd never known Akaran to be capable of violence in the first place. He let Akaran assess his injury until the Oni withdrew and redirected them to Chiyo. "Right," he said in agreement as he stood by the unguarded door way. Either all the security on the first floor had already been wiped away and they only had to worry about the basement security and the crime bosses upstairs, or the bosses had decided everyone should grab their product and leave before the two men stormed the building. Neither were pleasant thoughts.
"I think we should go for the basement first. The only risk is that the crime bosses will hear any commotion and come down packing, and we'll have to fight them on the stairs or while trying to leave the building. If we go upstairs for the bosses, we risk any guards downstairs moving their... product." He thought about it for just a moment before he made his decision. "I can't risk her getting taken somewhere. I won't be able to trace any fuuinjutsu they use to travel, if that's how they do it. Can you keep your eyes on the stairs when we get down there to make sure they won't corner us?" He only waited a moment for an affirmative before slipping in through the front door.
The first floor was the empty bar and runway type stage, with no security in sight. He didn't hear anything coming from upstairs at first, but they would likely have soundproofing for the shady dealings. He couldn't waste any more time on maybes. He made his way down the stairs and found a series of cells bare of any toiletries or basic human decency. It was filthy, strangely damp, and there were a few girls being shuffled in the very back of the room, towards a seal on a wall and someone he presumed was familiar with fuuinjutsu. "CHIYO!" He shouted as he saw the eight year old girl in torn up clothing at the end of the line, behind man-handled by a goon who ushered her forward. The girl in front of Chiyo was forced to touch the seal, and chakra pulsed from the seal as she was suddenly gone.
"No, you don't-" he snarled as the goon released Chiyo and threw a kunai his way with a strange fuuton technique behind it to speed it up. Akihiko didn't stand a chance to block the kunai; a strange tag was attached to the end of it, and the tag glowed as it made contact with Akihiko, throwing him backwards as a net exploded and kept him attached to the wall. "Akaran, get her!" He struggled against the chakra-infused restraint as he tried to reach a kunai from his side to cut the net off, but Chiyo was the last girl who needed to go through the teleportation seal and if Akaran couldn't get the girl in time, she'd be gone for good.
OOC:
Ephemeral Ozymandias
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:56 pm
β±β°β±Akihiko's strategy seemed sensible to Akaran although he was definitely not a strategist himself. The only plan that he could see was the direct path forward. Perhaps his powerful commitment was what carried him through for all of this time rather than working smarter. "Watch the stairs, no Chi-yo escape, got it." Akaran gave a succinct summary in response just to indicate that he understood his own role in the plan. As they passed through the building he watched the building unfold exactly as Akihiko described. Once they approached the cells he was prepared to jump into action. He identified the girl who Akihiko was calling out to as Chiyo. He watched as the guard threw a kunai at Akihiko but he had to try immensely to resist the urge to intercept it when he was ordered to get Chiyo. Akaran nodded before throwing himself forward with a powerful Whirlwind Movement technique before grabbing a hold of her and moving her away from the sealing formula.
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Technique Used: β° Whirlwind Movement | Rank B | Simple By exerting a higher strain on their body, the user is able to execute their techniques [1] point faster per rank of stamina applied to this technique. This technique requires no activation. Technique Active: β’ [ Technique Name ] β±β°β±β [ Rank ]
Status Effects: β’ None
Personal Attributes β±β°β± Swordless Swordsman | As a fastidious student of Kyotoryuu, he is able to use small and medium blade bukijutsu styles through his "knife hands" causing them to act as taijutsu techniques in effect while consuming bukijutsu slots. β±β°β± Wandering Warrior | The Soko Sento and Kote Art styles can be used with an unarmored body. β±β°β± Unyielding Willow | Grants [2] stat points rather than [1] for the mastery of stages three and six of the Dance of the Meadow style for a total of [4] stat points. The Endurance stat cap of the Kaguya increases by [1] to a maximum of [9]. Finally, if half the resource cost of a bone armor technique is spent then it gains the attributes of armor and this does not cost a combat action. If the bone armor technique is E-Rank then it is considered very light armor, D-C rank for light armor, B-A rank for medium armor, and S-S+ rank for heavy armor. β±β°β± Martial Paragon | The favored fighting styles of the Kaguya are Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, and they learn 1 extra technique per paragraph per body rank for a total of 6 at S+. In addition, the Kaguya is able to start off with 2 additional taijutsu or bukijutsu styles. Finally, all complex Dance of the Meadow techniques are treated as spiritual in collision with other complex techniques. β±β°β± Curse Born | Forbidden Seals, including Curse of the Blood Orchid, owned by this rpc have an additional 100 corrupted nature chakra stored in their seal. This increases their cap from 400 to 500. Also, the Kaguya is able to recover faster from the drawbacks of forbidden seals following the deactivation of the seal making the stat reductions last for three posts rather than five.
**LEARNED - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
**MISSION - [ -Rank | / Posts ]
kiiwispoet
Ephemeral Ozymandias Captain
Obsessive Prophet
Offline
ghostfinch
Seeker
Offline
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:10 pm
I'm getting by with my wicked ways β¦ I'm loading up and I'm taking names β¦ I wanna dig my way to hell β¦
Akihiko could relax just a little bit when Akaran had his hands on Chiyo and was away from the seal. He was able to think so much clearer now that she wasn't in danger anymore - and he cut himself out of the netting with ease. "Please get upstairs," he said to Akaran, and there was a darkness underneath the tone that suggested it was for Chiyo's benefit. "Akisuke, Akisuke!" Chiyo cried out in Akaran's arms, reaching an arm out to touch Akihiko after using her nickname for him. Akihiko, however, didn't hear her as he felt some visceral reaction take over - for anyone to hurt her was unbearable, completely unforgiveable.
He hoped Akaran would get upstairs in time for Chiyo to be spared the sight as he withdrew his blade, charging forward with a chakra step boost as he sliced both men in half, sparing no time to admire his own handiwork as he cast them both in flames. He didn't even get to watch the ash collect as he re-sheathed his sword, working his way back up the stairs and to the first floor. "We shouldn't bother with the bosses right now. They're either gone, or they're still here and they're going to slow us down in getting Chiyo away. And she's our priority. I can't lose her now. We need to get back to the Yamaoka estate."
He wiped the blood splatter off of his face with his sleeve. He noticed Chiyo had buried her head in Akaran's clothing as she cried. He leaned forward to look her in the eyes when he smiled warmly, becoming the same Akihiko that had celebrated in Konohagakure with Akaran. "Chi-Chi, it's time to go home. Are you ready to see Daddy?" She nodded numbly, tugging on Akaran's clothing as if asking to be picked up and carried. If Akaran picked her up, the duo could continue down the road. Otherwise, Akihiko would grab Chiyo and carry her despite the pain in his shoulder from being blown into the wall downstairs.
OOC: what about the other children, you ask? and paying retribution to the katagawas? soon
