Sunagakure was once situated in a vast, arid desert characterized by scorching heat during the day, freezing temperatures at night, and frequent sandstorms. The village had been hidden within natural rock formations and sand dunes, providing both camouflage and defense against intruders. The surrounding landscape, with its sparse vegetation, scattered oases, and deep canyons, reflected the unforgiving nature of the Land of Wind.
The village's structures, once built to adapt to the harsh environment, were made from sandstone and clay to withstand the extreme temperatures. These buildings, with their domed or rectangular shapes and interconnected narrow pathways, had once stood as a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of its people.
Now, Sunagakure lies in ruins, a decayed shadow of its former glory. The buildings are mostly rubble, their remains half-buried under layers of drifting sand. The intricate pathways have crumbled, overtaken by the relentless desert winds. No villagers remain; the once-thriving population was displaced or destroyed during a terrible battle that left the village in desolation.
In the absence of its shinobi protectors, bandits have claimed the area, turning the ruins into a stronghold for their illicit activities. The silence of the desert is now broken only by the echo of their movements and the whisper of the wind through the decaying remnants of what was once the proud Village Hidden in the Sand.
However, a dramatic transformation has overtaken the landscape. A massive forest of towering sequoia trees, summoned by the Wood Style jutsu of a Senju clan shinobi, now dominates the area. These gigantic trees have erupted from the ground, obliterating any remaining traces of the artificial oasis and village beneath their sprawling roots and massive trunks. The sequoias' thick canopy casts deep shadows, starkly contrasting with the sun-bleached desert, creating a surreal and imposing new wilderness where the remnants of Sunagakure once stood.
The broken remains of Sunagakure rose from the dunes like the skeletal husk of a long-dead giant, its ruins weathered by decades of wind and sand. Jagged fragments of sandstone walls jutted from the ground, their inscriptions eroded beyond recognition. The oppressive silence of the desert hung heavy, broken only by the mournful wail of the wind that snaked through the shattered village. A heavy, coppery scent lingered in the air, a reminder of the battles and bloodshed that had turned this once-proud nation into a wasteland. Reika's footsteps were muffled by the thick sand that had claimed every corner, swallowing what little life might have lingered here.
"I can't believe it's really gone..." She stood stoically glancing over what little of the great village she had once memorized in her mind from the ancient map.
Standing on the outskirts of what was once a thriving community, Reika felt an unexpected connection to the ruins. The brokenness of the village mirrored the fracture within her own soul. Her red hair, tangled and dusted with sand, whipped in the wind as she gazed across the desolation. This place was not her home, but its abandonment and suffering resonated with her loss. The Sunagakure she had dreamed of restoring, a peaceful sanctuary for her people, seemed impossibly distant. And yet, standing in the ruins, she felt a flicker of resolve. Perhaps this was where she could begin again, even if the task seemed insurmountable.
As Reika ventured deeper into the ruins, signs of habitation emerged, though they were completely unwelcome. Ragged banners hung limply from makeshift camps, crude symbols of the bandits who had claimed the broken village as their own. Shoddy weapon racks and various discarded loot littered the landscape, evidence of their pillaging. Reika's steps slowed, her hand brushing against the crumbling wall of a dilapidated tower as crouched to observe the group. They were laughing, drunk on stolen ale and power, oblivious to her presence. A cold fury began to bubble within her. These parasites had taken root in the ruins of her dream. If Sunagakure were to have a future, it would not begin with them.
Reika crouched in the shadow of a crumbled wall, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the bandits below. Her heart hammered against her ribs as her fingers brushed the cool sandstone beneath her. The wind carried the scene of unwashed bodies and spilled ale, as her lips curled in disgust. They were scavengers, vermin who had sullied the bones of a once-great village, but the thought of killing them outright gnawed at her heart and her mind. They weren't warriors. They were pitiful and weak, headly deserving of her wrath. Her goal was peace, wasn't it? Could such peace ever be built on the graves of others, even if they were plundering bandits?
Her breath halted for a moment as a vision of herself, smaller, softer, and wide-eyed, materialized in her mind. The 10 year old Reika was dressed in the simple garb of her clan, her red braid loose and unruly. She stared up at the current Reika with pleading eyes, her voice trembling as it had in the cellar all those years ago. "This isn't what you wanted," the younger said slowly. "You dreamed of a Sunagakure where no one had to fight, where no one had to die for peace. You believed in something better than this. Don't let him, don't let Kaoru, take that away from you." Her words were filled with innocence and idealistic notions. The memory of Kaoru's betrayal, the screams, the flames, flickered in her mind, and for a moment, she hesitated, her chest tightening with guilt and uncertainty.
But then, the darker voice within her, molded by Kaoru's teachings, whispered its own counter. "Peach without strength is a dream for children," it hissed, smooth and persuasive. "These bandits will spread like weeds, choking any hope of rebuilding. A leader must be willing to make sacrifices, to carry the weight of blood on their hands if it means securing a future. You can't build anything in a world so broken without first tearing out the rot and dismantling the ways of the old." The older Reika straightened, her grip tightened around the kunai she had pulled from her pouch, sometime during her internal strife. The young version of herself faded into the shadows of her mind, her soft protests swallowed by the cold, unyielding logic of necessity. Reika's gaze hardened, and as she stepped forward, summoning the wood to her command, she resolved that if the price of her dream was blood, then so be it.
Amidst the fractured remains of Sunagakure, a dull glow shimmered deep within a half-collapsed courtyard, where sand and broken stone melded into the skeletons of once-proud buildings. Within this secluded nook, a band of rogue ninja had claimed a makeshift campsite—a ragged canvas tent pitched beside leaning walls, its shadow jagged and looming in the moonlight.
They were silent professionals turned to banditry, a cut above the petty thieves or drunken marauders who haunted lesser ruins. Their headbands, now scratched and defaced, marked them as former shinobi of various hidden villages. The three of them moved with casual efficiency, their every step careful not to rattle loose stone or grind too loudly against charred planks. Their gear—weathered satchels, kunai holsters, compact scroll cases—lay arranged within arm’s reach, a quiet testament to their discipline.
A tiny campfire crackled at the center of their gathering, its light carefully shielded by a half-ring of rubble to prevent it from flickering too far. The fire cast long shadows that danced over the broken walls, occasionally revealing a faint glint of steel in their eyes. They spoke rarely and in low murmurs, their voices blending into the soft hiss of desert wind through fissured stone. Snatches of their conversation carried through the ruins, just beyond clear understanding.
"Day after tomorrow at nightfall.." " Yeah... that little village won't make it..." "Enter from here...here...and you'll be posted, here."
Each syllable dripped with a calm confidence that no child would dare test. These were not men who roared or boasted; the weight of their subtlety was more frightening than any bellowing brute. The soft scrape of a kunai being sharpened against a whetstone, the barely audible chuff of someone setting a smoke signal tool in place, the quiet rustle of a map unfurled and folded again—it all painted a picture of a team biding time, preparing for something far grander than random ambushes.
Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2024 7:24 pm
Izanagi’s heart hammered as he pressed himself flat against the rubble, the gritty stone scratching at his cheek. He peered around broken masonry, wide eyes shining in the distant glow of a small campfire. Just beyond, he could make out a huddle of silhouettes—bandits, rogues, or something worse. Their hushed voices drifted to him on the desert breeze, and though he couldn’t catch every word, the talk of attacking a village set his blood boiling.
He hissed Kihone’s name under his breath, barely moving his lips.“Kiho… there’s… people!” All the bravado he’d worn like a coat of armor had suddenly shrunk two sizes too small. Still, if Kihone managed to catch a glimpse of Izanagi’s eyes, he’d see the fury smoldering there. Anger and fear danced together behind those dark irises, both ignited by the idea that these strangers might hurt their home.
“No… no way,” Izanagi gritted out, his voice barely above a whisper, his teeth clenched tight enough to ache. A smarter child might have stayed hidden, watching and waiting. A more patient ninja might have tried to slink away, to gather allies, or to make a plan. But Izanagi was neither of those things right now. He was a boy who’d had enough of feeling powerless. He was a child who fancied himself a hero.
Before Kihone could stop him, Izanagi moved. He leapt up with a burst of desperate courage and landed atop a chunk of collapsed wall. His makeshift cape—just an old blanket—flared behind him, and for a heartbeat, he felt like every storybook champion he’d ever admired. He raised his wooden stick, leveling it at the bandits as if it were a legendary blade capable of parting steel.
“I am Izanagi, the Sword-King!”he declared, voice cracking slightly but still pouring forth like a shout in the silence. “You won’t get your way! You won’t hurt my village! Surrender and flee or face me!”
The words echoed hollowly through the ruined streets, meeting no immediate reply from the men around the fire. Izanagi stood there, chest heaving, the firelight painting strange shapes on his face. Seconds ticked by, and the silence stretched thin as old rope. It was in that breathless pause that Izanagi’s stomach sank, and the weight of his reckless choice settled upon his shoulders. How small he must look to them, how laughable his so-called title must sound.
But he stood firm anyway, knuckles white against the rough wood of his stick, refusing to lower his gaze. He had made his move—there was no going back now.
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC goes here
Technique Used: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
Kihone was just a couple paces ahead of his little brother as they navigated the shattered alleys of what used to be the supposedly amazing Hidden Sand Village. Looking around, Kiho really wondered what it must have been like to live in a place like this. He couldn't even daydream about those theories as he also noticed the glow of an open flame just ahead. He whispered in reply, "Yeah... they're definitely bad guys..." At first, they stayed inconspicuous but that quickly became the undesirable course of action for both of the orphan boys who knew the cost that would be paid if they didn't protect their home. "If we have the strength to run, then we have the strength to fight. Right, Nagi?" Koroto's advice was enough to spur them both into action.
He jumped up onto a lower ledge of the broken wall beside Izanagi with his own bamboo stick in one hand and a handful of metal ball bearings in his other fist. Kihone flourished his modest weapon and followed up his brother's threat, "And I, Kihone the Full Metal Ninja, will help my brother in striking you jerks down as heroes of justice!!" He shouted with his chest puffed out as his own blanket cape billowed in the night wind against the contrast of the bright desert moon in the background behind them. Kihone focused his magnetic powers on the ball bearing being rolled under his thumb. He maneuvered it to be flicked at the the closest scheming rouge shinobi below them like a marble in a game of jax. The magnetic propulsion would launch the small iron ball with more velocity than even Kihone was ready for as he knocked himself back off the wall. "AGH!!" He yelped as he fell a short ways onto a sandy dune cushion behind the wall. "Oww...." He groaned as he started getting back onto his feet. As he looked around, he was almost sure he spotted something red up in the higher parts of the nearby ruins, but dismissed that as he returned his attention to fighting alongside his brother.
_______________ ≎Out Of Context≎ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ **LEARNED - Iron Bullet [ D-Rank | Magnet Release | Spiritual ]
From her position on the perch, Reika's eyes tracked every movement. The two boys were clearly outmatched, their bravado a stark contrast to the cold efficiency of the bandits. Her hand rested lightly on the kunai at her side, ready to strike at a moment's notice. She wasn't afraid of the bandits at all. She felt they were beneath her and she knew well how to deal with threats like them. Kaoru made sure of that, her mind hissed in disgust. What made Reika hesitate was the realization that these boys weren't just fighting for survival. They were fighting for something that's already gone. It was a bitter taste of truth and caused her expression to soften for a brief moment. I should know better than anyone that no one can rebuild what's already been lost.
The first boy, with his wooden stick held high in defiance, reminded Reika of herself before the destruction, before the fall of everything she had fought for. She had been the same, being filled with ideals, convinced that strength alone could protect a village. Her fingers tightened around the kunai, but she stayed still. These boys.. They haven't learned what it means to lose everything, have they? her mind questioned dispassionately. Her chest tightened with the weight of memories she'd long buried. She had once been like them, too naive to understand that fighting for a lost cause could leave you with nothing but more pain. Should I stop them, or should I let them learn for themselves?
Kihone's attack caught her attention as the iron ball dashed through the air, the speed surprising even the bandits. Reika couldn't help but admire the ingenuity, but her lips pressed hard together as the boy stumbled backward, his reckless energy of youth driving him back to his feet. So they fight, even when they know the odds are against them, she thought, her eyes narrowing in a mixture of respect and sorrow. But will they really be able to face the truth when it hits them? She could still hear the echoes of the screams from her own past, the ghosts of those she couldn't save, and wondered if these boys would one day feel the same.
As the situation escalated, Reika's body tensed. She could feel the pulse of battle in the air, and the rage simmering in her stirred. She was ready to attack, to end this fight before it got worse. But then, Izanagi's voice echoed through the night, and something in her gut twisted. 'You won't hurt my village!' He was fighting for a dream that mirrored her own, but it was too late for her to turn back. Her hand remained on the kunai, but she stayed hidden, the weight of the moment holding her in place. This is their fight, not mine, she told herself. But that doesn't mean I don't understand..
They broke their silence with mocking laughter that rolled off the cracked stone walls like shards of broken glass. One of the bandits, a lean man with a ragged scar slashed across his cheek, sneered down at Izanagi and Kihone as if they were vermin daring to bare tiny fangs. “Would you listen to these little heroes,” he drawled, hefting a short blade and tapping its tip against the rubble. “Sword-King? Full Metal Ninja? Tch, I’ve seen stray dogs with more bite than these two.”
His companion, stockier and heavier-set, snorted through crooked teeth. “Maybe the big one’s got some muscle” he said, nodding at Kihone’s effort with the iron ball, “but the other? Just a mouthy brat with a stick and a rag tied ’round his neck.” He stepped forward, boots scraping the dusty ground, and crooked a finger at Izanagi as if summoning a wayward pup. “I’ll wager one of ’em knows something useful, though. The little squeaker mentioned a village...Sorai, was it?” His eyes gleamed with a greedy light. “We’ve been meaning to pay that place a visit.”
The third bandit, wiry and quiet until now, cracked his knuckles and slid into the boys’ flank. “Hmph. That dusty hole supposed ta' have valuables tucked away. Food stores, maybe some trinkets to line our pockets. ’Course, these runts’ll never talk if we play nice.” He shrugged, feigning regret. “Guess we’ll just have to make an example of one...let the other sweat enough to sing like a caged bird.”
Scar-Cheek’s grin widened into a wolfish sneer. “Kill one, make the other guide us. Easy enough.” he agreed, tapping his blade faster now. He jerked his chin at Izanagi with casual cruelty. “This one keeps squeaking about ‘not hurting his village’? Let’s see how brave he is after we cut down his friend. That’ll teach ’em who’s in charge.”
The heavy-set bandit chuckled, flexing his broad shoulders. “Sounds fair. The loud one first, then. After that, I’m betting the other’ll be begging to take us straight to Sorai’s stash. Won’t even need to threaten him more than once.”
Their cruel banter filled the silence, words made sharper by the gleam of kunai and swords. Together they moved, fanning out to ensure neither child could escape. The scrape of steel on stone, the click of shifting footfalls...these were their opening notes. One bandit lunged at Izanagi, a well used katana raised and ready to carve fear into that young, defiant face. Another advanced toward Kihone, smirking at the memory of that clumsy metal trick. In their minds, the question was no longer if they would win, but how quickly they could wring screams and secrets from the would-be heroes who dared to stand in their path.
While the first two bandits rushed forward, the third bandit hung back, slipping into the deeper shadows just beyond the reach of the campfire’s glow. Unlike his companions, who wielded their weapons openly, this one took a more calculated approach.
He crouched low behind a half-collapsed pillar, observing the children’s reactions with keen, narrowed eyes. A kunai twirled slowly between his fingers as he considered his next move. Should one of the boys slip away, he’d be ready to intercept. If one of them showed unexpected skill or if help arrived, he’d be the unseen blade at their back. He kept his breathing steady, calm, and quiet, waiting for the perfect moment when fear and chaos would force a misstep. Then he’d strike, emerging like a viper with no mercy, ensuring the children had no easy exits and the bandits maintained every advantage.
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2024 2:38 pm
Terror sparked behind Izanagi’s eyes as the bandit lunged, blade flashing in the firelight. He raised his wooden stick, trying to remember every stance, every he'd taught himself through the countless exchanges between Koroto and Kihone had with him. He wasn't a kid playing...he was a future shinobi, learning how to fight for real...right? Reality would set in as the bandit’s blade didn’t just glance off or miss, but it came down hard, biting into the cheap wood. A sickening crack echoed through the ruins as Izanagi’s makeshift sword snapped in two. He stumbled back, heart pounding, holding only a jagged half now that was useless for anything but desperation. Fear surged up his spine like ice water, seizing his lungs so tightly he forgot how to breathe. He stumbled back, clutching the jagged half he had left, his knuckles white from gripping it too hard. The rest of the stick clattered to the ground at his feet, worthless debris in a world suddenly real and terrible.
He risked a glance around the bandit’s makeshift camp. Amid their scattered loot, he spotted something gleaming in the dim light: a real sword, likely taken off some unfortunate traveler. Without thinking, he dove for it, snatching it up in trembling hands as he skidded through the sands, a yell of desperation as he hefted it. "Gyaahhh!" Its weight felt alien, heavier and more solid than his splintered stick had ever been, a blade that felt impossibly heavy. It was weighted with the power of life and death, a skill that Izanagi did not know how to control or how to use to his advantage. He was breathing unevenly with heavy breath as the edge of the blade caught a stray beam of moonlight, as if urging him onward.
Fear mingled with a trembling surge of courage. If he could just land one good strike, he would be able to event he odds! Izanagi whirled, blade raised, and rushed the bandit. He screamed something half-formed, a call of defiance as he swung with every ounce of strength his small body could muster. [b]"Hyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-" His battle cry stopped abruptly.
To his shock, the bandit made no move to dodge. Instead, the rogue ninja stood firm, letting the sword’s edge connect with his chestplate. Izanagi’s arms jarred painfully as steel met reinforced armor with a hollow clang. The blade skittered uselessly against the protective plating. The bandit didn’t even flinch as his eyes seemed to glow like the eyes of wolves stalking their prey in the night. The bandit’s gaze was steady, pitiless, revealing the chasm of experience and power that separated them. Izanagi’s desperate heroism had amounted to nothing more than a harmless tap against a true shinobi’s defenses. His knuckles white around the hilt of the sword, Izanagi took his first step backwards, fear beginning to take hold of him in earnest now. His bravery had vanished....this was quite possibly the last mistake he'd make.
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC goes here
Technique Used: ▰ Basic Combat Block Rank E Blocked the swordstrike with the stick, but lost the weapon due to his inexperience. ▰ Basic Combat Slash | Rank E Slashed against the bandit, uneffectively. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
He knew far too late now that they had made a very poor choice in giving up their element of surprise just to declare themselves to a bunch of adults, let alone scary bandits like these. 'Oh crud. Okay... this is still nothing if we're going to be super ninja someday.' The thugs drooled over the opportunity to kill Izanagi and torture him for information about things he knew nothing of, bantering on and circling around them to make good on their threats. 'Focus, like Koroto taught us.' He softly snapped his free hand's fingers at his side, like he did when he studied, while starting to gather raiton chakra in his body; it caused him to wince a little as his body adjusted to having electricity actively flowing through it.
Kihone kept his bamboo stick's tip pointed toward the bandit circling around to his side of him and Izanagi; he barely even noticed how good his own form looked for his Deflecting Stance as he put his everything into proving that his training with his brothers meant anything at all. Contempt and courage were all that burned in his young, bright teal eyes as he tuned out most what they were saying, and paid more attention to how they were moving as he finished gathering raiton chakra in his body for a gambit that was formulating in his head. His inner monologue droned out the fear-mongering men skulking around him and his brother, 'I'll use the technique Koroto taught us and turn the tables on 'em... yeah.' What Kihone didn't anticipate or notice was how quickly his brother was demoralized when the adults started their counterattack against them.
The other bandit came at Kihone with similar ferocity, but he knew better than to fight the larger opponent head on. He used his agile stance to slip around a consecutive pair of swings aimed at his leg then head, slipping around to the side of the man where the campfire would be at his back. The bandit cackled at him for his lucky but futile evasions. The man creepily licked his blade while saying something about enjoying the sounds of children's screams. In that moment, Kihone witnessed his brother's sword bounce off of the other man's armor. He watched his blood-sworn brother freeze in terror as imminent death advanced upon him- just like when his parents died. "IZANAGI! SNAP OUT OF IT!!!" Kihone roared at his brother from beside the campfire, actually hoping all of the bandits would be looking at him when he did so. In that moment, he unleashed some of the raiton chakra he'd been charging in his body and caused himself to glow with painfully bright intensity, blinding anyone who did in fact look at him at the time.
"HEY! BIG, BLIND AND UGLY!" Kihone, sparking with the rest of the raiton chakra he had charged, shouted at the armored man towering over Izanagi. "LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE!!!!" Hopefully he was actually blinded as Kihone formed a ram hand seal while still trying to hold onto his stick. His body transformed into pure lightning chakra and exploded forward in a flash of electricity to slam into Scar-Cheek's body. This was the final part in his compulsory imitation of how Koroto easily bested him in a spar once. Granted, the fight only ended then because lives weren't on the line. If the electrified tackle was successful, Kihone would reappear between a momentarily paralyzed Scar-Cheek and his brother, his blindingly bright form ensuing; If he missed, he'd bounce off the nearest surface and try again.
Now he was actually feeling panicked that Izanagi could get badly hurt if he couldn't figure out how to fight. Kihone would use the distraction he made to grab Izanagi by the wrist and drag him as he ran for the nearest alley, "C'mon Nagi! Stealth Mode time!" Kiho implied that he should use the Shadowing Stealth skill to try and slip away. "Don't worry. I'll keep their attention while you hide, and maybe wait for an opportunity... or something? I'm really good at tag, 'kay?" Just like that, he shoved Izanagi away and ran his glowing butt back out to the front of the alley. "Feel the sparking sting of the Full Metal Ninja!" It wasn't like Kihone actually had anything in his bag that could definitively beat any of these guys, now that he was thinking about it. 'I just have to protect my brother and not get caught. If I have the strength to run, I have the strength to fight... and there's more than one way to fight.' Kihone reassured himself as he resumed his deflecting stance, determined to hold the line so that Izanagi would be safe. However, Kihone also hadn't noticed that he third man disappeared into the shadows; who could say if he'd also fallen for the blinding trick like the other two?
The cruel words of the bandits and the boy's desperate cries reverberated through the ruins, but Reika remained a phantom in the shadows, her body still, her hands clenched into trembling fists. Her red braid hung over her shoulder like a tether, grounding her as she fought against the urge to leap into the fray. She couldn't afford to be reckless, not again. Instead, she stayed hidden, her sharp eyes tracking every cruel smirk, every flicker of steel, and every spark of courage that ignited in the boy's defiant stances. The experienced one, Kihone, burned with raw energy, his body glowing with crackling lightning chakra. His younger companion, Izanagi, quaked with fear yet clutched his jagged blade with trembling resolve. Reika felt their determination like an ache in her chest, a painful reminder of her own failures, her own helplessness. These bandits weren't just oppressors, they were predators circling their prey with jeers and blades. Their words were dripping with greed and malice. Sorai village. The name struck a chord deep with her. It was a place they intended to pillage, a place she would not allow to fall into ruin, if she could help it.
Her breathing slowed, her rage crystalizing into icy precision. The sight of the boy, cornered but still defiant, lit a fire in her chest. She knew she couldn't confront the bandits openly, not yet, she she could not stand idly by. With silent determination, Reika closed her eyes, reaching out to the earth beneath her. The cool weight of the stone and soil welcomed her command as she molded it like clay in her mind. She felt the strain in her core as she summoned the chakra needed for her intervention, her heart hammering with both exertion and anger. As Kihone darted to shield his brother, Reika quickly moved her hands together to form the seals needed and projected her chakra outwards. Hand seals completed, she placed her worn gloved hand to the surface of the earth and suddenly a muted rumble stretched out from her position.
As Kihone's electrified dash neared its target, the ground beneath them roared to life with sudden, violent force. The dry, cracked desert floor fractured as jagged walls of stone erupted skyward, scattering debris in all directions. Rising to a height of ten feet, the walls formed an unyielding barrier between the bandits and the boys, their raw, uneven edges radiating an almost primal intensity. Around Izanagi, four walls emerged in precise alignment, creating a protective box with narrow gaps left deliberately at the corners. There was enough to allow movement but too tight for an attack to easily slip through. Behind the bandit Kihone had charged, another wall surged upward, cutting off his escape route, while three more sprang into place to trap the lurking shadowed bandit within his own prison of stone.
The air thrummed with the aftermath of Reika's chakra as she funneled her seething hatred into the earth itself, each wall a manifestation of her burning defiance. She remained unseen, her body concealed in the ruins like a ghost, but her presence was now undeniable. Every jagged stone, every towering barrier was an unspoken declaration of her fury and determination to halt the bandit's cruelty. From her hidden vantage, Reika wielded her rage as a silent weapon, protecting the boys who fought to defend their dreams and shielding a village that had yet to realize it needed saving.
Scar-Cheek’s mocking kick never found its mark, his leg slamming into a sudden, jagged wall of stone that surged from the earth. He grunted, jerking back and casting wild glances at the new barrier. “What the—?!” he spat, voice straining with irritation as he realized someone else was meddling. That someone was hidden, their chakra reshaping the battlefield into a maze of stone spikes and crude fortifications. Scar-Cheek’s fury flared anew at the thought of an unseen adversary.
Nearby, the heavy-set bandit wiped streaming eyes, cursing the lingering glare that Kihone’s lightning display had burned into his vision. He forced out hand seals, wresting moisture from the arid air until it flowed into a shimmering blade of water. He swung at the closest wall, each cleave sending stone shards clattering. Gritting his teeth, he carved a gap large enough to glimpse Kihone’s flickering form and barked, “Run all you like, kid! We’ll cut you down eventually!”
Then, as if to emphasize how swiftly tables could turn, the silent bandit unleashed his compressed wind blades. They tore through stone like paper, shredding Reika’s defenses. Debris exploded outward, gritty dust stinging eyes and throats. The protective enclosure around Izanagi was obliterated, the cover splintering into rubble. Any advantage gained by the sudden earth ramparts vanished in an instant, exposing the children once more beneath the moon’s cold stare.
Scar-Cheek’s eyes found Izanagi immediately. The boy who’d dared to swing at him, who’d tried so hard to play hero, now stood clear and vulnerable. Without hesitation, Scar-Cheek advanced, grim satisfaction twisting his scarred face. He wanted to deal with this unseen rescuer next—but first, he’d remove the noisy brat from the equation. He raised his blade, not to stab, but to slam the flat of it against the side of Izanagi’s head.
The strike connected with a dull, punishing thud meant to rattle the boy’s skull and drop him like a sack of rice. “Out of my way, runt,” Scar-Cheek hissed, voice dripping scorn. The child’s wooden swordsmanship and hollow bravado had meant nothing. This battle required no more heroics from him, just silence. Scar-Cheek’s gaze flicked across the ruins, searching for some sign of the mysterious manipulator. She—he—whoever it was would pay for interfering.
The heavy-set bandit, water-sword still in hand, sniffed and scanned the dust-choked darkness, relying on his ears and instinct now that his eyes still swam with lingering spots. “Where are you?” he growled, challenging both the kids and their hidden ally. “We’re not done here.”
The quiet bandit stepped out from behind the leaning rubble, wind still stirring at his fingertips. He didn’t speak, but his stance said enough. They were three seasoned predators, now fully aware of another threat. The children’s illusions of grandeur were shattered, the walls that shielded them turned to gravel. The bandits closed ranks, steel gleaming and chakra thrumming, ready to rip apart anyone bold—or foolish—enough to stand in their path.
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 3:20 pm
For an instant, Izanagi thought he was finished. The bandit’s blade, the cruel sneers, the glow of distant campfire flames dancing in hungry eyes...everything closed in on him. But then the ground groaned, shuddering beneath his makeshift sandals. A deep rumble rolled through the ruins. Before he could even flinch, walls of rough, earthen stone erupted with a crackling roar, boxing him in on all sides. A towering barricade replaced every avenue of attack, jagged edges and dusty slopes forming a shield between him and his tormentors.
He staggered back, eyes wide, heart pounding. One moment he’d been entirely exposed; the next he stood in a cramped fortress of stone. The shock of it sparked across his nerves for a moment. He pressed one trembling hand against the rough surface, feeling the grit of sand and soil cling to his fingertips. Whoever created these walls...whatever unseen savior...had given him a chance. For a precious breath, Izanagi’s fear ebbed, relief flooding his chest. Protected, if only by a fragile shell of stone, he could live another heartbeat, tell Koroto he was sorry he'd not listened. What he would do to have a second chance to pick a path tonight now.
But the respite lasted no longer than that stolen gasp. A sudden shriek tore through the quiet, slicing through the walls like invisible blades. Wind-blown debris exploded inward, stone shrapnel and dust choking the air. The world that had so briefly felt safe erupted into chaos. He threw up his arms, wincing as sharp fragments pelted his skin. In the span of a heartbeat, the little haven was obliterated, leaving him once again in the open, exposed to ruthless eyes and sharpened steel.
Izanagi’s vision blurred with panic and grit as the jagged stone walls that had shielded him moments before exploded into rubble under the silent bandit’s wind blades. He staggered back, heart hammering in his chest, dust clinging to his sweat-streaked face. Without the sheltering earth, the moonlight fell harshly on him, exposing the child he truly was So small, so afraid, and so far out of his depth.
His vision focused, causing a sharp jolt of terror to take hold. Scar-Cheek approached once more. The bandit moved in like a grim statue come to life, each step rattling Izanagi’s fragile nerves. Izanagi raised the salvaged sword in trembling hands, but before he could even attempt a swing, the flat of the rogue’s blade whistled through the darkness and slammed into the side of his head with crushing force.
“Gah!” The sound tore from Izanagi’s throat as he went flying, the world spinning in streaks of firelight and moonlit ruin. He crashed into a half-crumbling wall behind him, pain exploding through his shoulder and back. Sharp bits of stone tore into his flesh. The sword he’d salvaged fell limply at his side, just a few inches from his hand that now lied limp.
Izanagi had lost the light in his eyes, fading as he was knocked unconcious for what was only mere seconds, but to those who watched would feel like centuries. Soon enough, fight or flight took hold. He gasped, forcing ragged breaths past the agony that pulsed in every limb. His knees trembled, blood and dust mingling on his cheek. He tried to rise, struggling to plant his bloodied palms against the gritty rubble, but the weight of fear pressed harder than any stone. He was not a hero here—he was a terrified kid, his bravado stripped clean away.
“D-don’t…” he managed to choke out, voice frayed and weak, as though hoping the bandits would vanish if he just begged. The shine of metal and the gleam in their eyes offered no comfort. Something broke inside him then. He had believed, somehow, that courage alone might save them. Now, pain and terror taught him a cruel truth: no fairy-tale courage could stand against monsters like these.
His eyes shot to the blade once more. He needed it. His hand weakly moved to it, gripping it best he could. His legs wobbled as he forced himself upright, leaning heavily on the hilt as he thrust the blade to the earth. The world tilted, and he tasted copper in his mouth. Tears blurred his vision, but instinct drove him forward, away, anywhere but here. With a strangled sob, Izanagi twisted on his heel, ignoring the raw throb in his shoulder and the stab of broken stones underfoot, and bolted into the darkness of the ruins. He stumbled and slipped over loose debris, heart in his throat, desperately seeking some narrow crevice or collapsed corridor where he could hide. The clink of blades and ragged breathing of killers behind him urged him faster, desperation granting him speed his battered body could barely afford. "Big bro! We gotta go, run!"
He fled deeper into the labyrinth of broken walls and fallen archways, lungs burning with each gasp. The ruins swallowed him in their eerie silence, leaving only the distant echoes of bandits and the pounding of his panicked pulse in his ears.
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC goes here
▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
Kihone was on target in his electrified form to hit Scar-Cheek in the back, but barely missed when the rock walls suddenly sprang up. 'Wha?!' All he could do was continue onward and bounce off the wall in another direction. Right after that, he watched the same stone barriers succumb to wind blades that left his little brother in a rough state. Luckily, he had seemed to have evaded the gaze of the large guy that was attacking him earlier, and the last bandit seemed to be more interested in where the unexpected help was coming from. Kihone landed against a far away on the other side of the campfire as he watched Scar-Cheek hit his brother with the flat side of his sword, 'IZANAGI!' He screamed helplessly in his thoughts as he rushed to his brother's aid once again, the bright white lightning he'd transformed into burst into a blinding emerald green light that would once again blind anyone that looked at him. "WHY YOU!" Kihone roared as he zapped his way through to the other side of Izanagi's assailant.
With the man momentarily immobilized and blinded, Kihone stomped on the man's toes while ripping his sword from his grip amidst all the confusion. He once again heard big brother Koroto's voice in his head, "Always follow through, Kiho." More intentionally than ever before, Kihone applied this teaching in the moment. "LEAVE US ALONE!!" With his desperate, defiant cry he flipped the heavy blade over in hand and drove the end of it through the man's other foot. Lastly, he shoved his stomach as hard as he could and jumped back away toward a fleeing Izanagi with Scar-cheek's sword in his other hand, "Right! We have to warn everyone about the bad guys!" Kihone chased after his battered little brother and took him by the hand as he deactivated his Flashing Light technique to make it harder to spot them; the drastic changes in lighting might prove to their benefit in the escape. "Follow me, Nagi. I know where to go." He could vaguely remember what way they came from and remembered a few possible hiding spots along the way. "Stealth mode time, okay?" Before long, they'd reach a place to duck into hiding and hopefully tend to Izanagi's wounds.
Reika moved slightly into the shadows of a crumbling archway, her breath shallow as she watched the chaos unfold before her. Dust still covered the air, the remnants of her failed defense scattered in jagged shared across the battlefield. Her jaw tightened as she saw the boys struggling. The inexperienced one staggering, bloodied and barely holding onto his weapon while the experienced one darted desperately through the ruins, green light flashing as he attempted to shield his brother. The bandits regrouped quickly, their confidence unshaken, their laughter grating against her nerves. Their power was undeniable, each one wielding chakra with lethal precision, but what struck her more was their calculated maneuvers. Her intervention had done little to turn the tide and that pissed her off more than anything. These were not foes she could overpower through brute force, at least not the kind she'd prefer to reveal here. She wanted... needed to be smarter than them, quicker and more cunning.
Her eyes flickered between the bandits as they closed in on the boys, her mind racing with decisions to make. The one with the scar strikes to immobilize, not kill, for now. The heavy one used water style with dangerous skill and the silent one was truly unsettling with his powerful and skillful wind style. They were coordinated, their skills a rank above her current defenses, but they were also arrogant—too certain of their impending victory. They believed her an unseen interloper, a minor threat. They wouldn’t think that for long. Reika’s fingers tightened into fists, her chakra surging to her command as the decision solidified in her mind. If she did nothing, these men would push past the boys and set their sights on the village. That she couldn’t allow. She would strike, not from the shadows, but with a force they couldn’t ignore.
Clasping her gloved hands together, Reika exhaled sharply, her voice low and venomous as she hissed, Obey me, nature. Her left foot slammed into the compacted sand, the impact reverberating outward. In an instant, massive roots erupted from the ground, tearing through the ruins with violent force. Six-foot-thick tendrils, stretching thirty feet or more, smashed through stone and debris with ease, the sheer destruction raising clouds of dust that cloaked the boys’ retreat. The roots lashed toward the bandits, each strike aimed with lethal precision, their writhing forms intent on claiming lives. Reika’s chakra flared again as she formed a boulder within her hands, compacting it until it hummed with weight and density. With a sharp motion, she hurled it skyward, the massive rock growing as it ascended before crashing back toward the battlefield. It was a calculated move—a strike designed to crush the heavy-set bandit beneath its immense force, shattering stone and sending chaos rippling through the scene. Simultaneously, the stomp she’d planted moments earlier sent a jagged tremor and jet of water sharpened like a steel blade racing through the sand toward Scar-Cheek, aimed at unbalancing him and forcing him into the path of her lashing roots. Her control was precise, her intent merciless. Each move was aimed to devastate, to overwhelm, and to prove that she was not a force to be dismissed. If the bandits sought a third party, they would now meet her in full, her Wood Style a weapon she wielded without hesitation.
60 chakra used Learned: • Tree Limb Technique | C-Rank • Boulder Throw | C-Rank • Rising Water Cutter | C-Rank
