☄ World Crossroads ↔ Takumi 匠

[Anonymous_Alcoholic]

Akio had been walking, walking along, minding his own business while he guarded the innocent merchant carriage when suddenly, as if on cue, he heard the twang! of a bowstring and felt three arrows, each with iron tips, rush for his back. Akio wasn't some average ninja, relying on simply his wits and keen reflexes, no, he had something more. He had a sense for ferromagnetic metals, specifically iron. And when he felt iron, he just had to shape it, control it, manipulate it like it was nothing, which to Akio, it was. Nothing but a tool, with which to crush the enemy. "Isamaru, get the archers!" Akio shouted orders, as always, but then again he was the unofficial leader of their duo. He was the smart one, after all. Akio took those arrows, those quality arrows, and sent them into the crowd of charging psychopaths, hoping he'd kill one or more before they managed to engage him in close-combat. Akio, meanwhile, slapped his hands together and went through some hand seals, chakra swelling in his chest until it expanded far beyond its natural limits, until Akio looked as if he would burst.

Hold it. Hold it. He thought as he ran forward, far enough to at least catch the first few attackers in the initial wave. He released all the mud he had been holding back, bathing the attackers in the slippery brown stuff. He didn't know if they were actually ninja, brigands, or hungry farmers, but they were getting a face-full of mud and whatever was attached to those arrows. With the mud expelled and flowing, Akio pulled a long, two-handed cleaver from his gourd, which was filled with iron sand ready to manipulate, and waited. He wasn't going to lose this carriage.

[240/320  

[Count-Swagula]

Isamaru was about to simply ask to stop and relax for a bit when he noticed Akio stop. Isamaru heard foot steps and rustling in the woods. He put his fingers together and a fine mist began to seep out just as Akio spit up mud at the enemies making a dash. Being safe from the arrows as long as Akio lived off the land. Isamaru should be ok. And with the mist, he doubted the robed figures would be able to do much in the mist. It streched through the trees and into a good portion of the forest. Isamaru bit his thumb and summoned a squad of hovering, hungrey, Pirahna. Isamaru didn't want to flood it, and Sgt. Chomps and his brothers and sisters moved rather well in the mist.

"Oi, arrow boys, I hope you're well fed." Isamaru said pointing in the direction of the arrows. Isamaru went from his cheerful sounding self, to almost an entirely different person. He sounded blood thirsty, and as if he were having fun. "we're hungry." Isamaru said licking his lips. The fish dashed into the mist. Chomping on anything that was in their way, from trees, to arrow slinging A-holes.  

[Mana_ecl Zetsuya]

The figure in the trees watched with carefree wonder. A simple understanding of the guards would be something to work wonders about. One deflected the trapped arrows, sending them soaring in the direction of the four zealots who moved prior to instruction. The four of them weren't very high on the scale of power. They knew, however, when to leap to the side. The arrows themselves detonated just after they punched into the soil, and fortunately the mud flowing in their direction had been avoided, one of the axe-men recovering quickly. With eyes like a mad man's, he sprinted forth ahead of the others. Hefted upon his shoulder, he was already moving to drop the head upon the broadsword wielding fellow.

Two of the others happened to split, leaping into the foliage to either side of the road, oddly yielding no particular noises. They moved carefully, so as to pick at the caravan the two guarded so.

The archers back followed orders as best they could. Their location was altered, moving south ever so slightly. Again, the robed figure flashed signals, the snapping of wood resounded. Sure, they weren't experienced, but a chimp could follow a signal, when trained to do so. Regrettably, there was one particular scream the head ninja disliked. Seemed one was falling victim to the feeding piranha. Again, the faint light flickered, and arrows flew again. An alteration however, their heads splintered, bits of iron removed, tags primed. There was no particular target yet again, as any damage in the area would do to further the objectives of the group.

Despite the mess of a group having such difficulty with just a pair of shinobi, the robed task master watched with joy. It wouldn't be long before they had the target spotted.
 

[Anonymous_Alcoholic]

Akio wasn't pleased that his initial assault had proved ineffective and, worst of all, a complete waste of precious chakra. He probably would have done better by throwing a lot of sand around and hoping for the best. Next time, I'm throwing shuriken. Akio snarled and met the axe-wielding b*****d with a clash of steel and sparks, testing his own iron-wrought muscle against the black-robed savage. Too bad Akio had more smarts than muscle, too bad for the mook, anyway, as Akio was not content to stand there pushing against some hairy savage while his friends killed the merchants. Akio pulled his pommel up and slid the axe down the blade, watching it slam into the ground beside his cleaver blade. Akio didn't bother raising it again, but he did sharpen the end of his cleaver and send it right into the chest of the axe-wielder. "Hate to impale and run, but you aren't worth the time." Akio told the large man and moved on, the sand inside his sword swirling as he shaped it into deadly projectiles ripe for the throwing.

Akio wasted no time in peppering the brush on each side of the carriage with small, sharpened iron pellets, in some attempt to turn each assailant into a corpse before the merchants fell. "Isamaru, take care of the archers! I still hear bowstrings!" Akio shouted another order again as he showered the brush with deadly iron, tensions flaring on each side, or so Akio imagined. He may have just killed a man in battle, as well as killed two more. Not that it wasn't self-defence, it was still a lot to swallow. He never killed someone before, not that now was the time to ruminate upon such a moral quandary, he still had a few seconds before the archers trained their bows on him and peppered him with arrows. Arrows without iron, I might add. Stupid adaptable enemies. Akio cursed their intelligence and waited for Isamaru to help him mop these guys up.  

[Count-Swagula]

The first assualt wasn't much to talk about, or brag about from these guys. Isamaru and Akio managed to handle it quite well. The mist still hung. Isamaru's blood was pumping and he checked back to see Akio handling himself pretty well. Now the arrows were really coming down. Isamaru didn't want to use much chakra, he didn't have a choice though. "I'm on it, these dress wearing gals ain't a thing!" Isamaru mocked throwing together handsigns. His natural chakra shot off of him in the form of sharp electric needles. "I got arrows too, and not gay little wood ones boys, here take a look!" Isamaru said bellowing with a laugh as the chidori senbon fired off into the woods. Isamaru had his fish swarmping out as well. They were knawing from tree to tree to anything the found. Isamaru could see fine through the mist. But not so well through trees.

People were probably dead, Isamaru's doing no doubt, but in this world. Isamaru was just learning what it was to be tough and not to flinch at death. He was a weapon, and while acting as such. He didn't need to show much regard for those who wanted his life. "Nayyy Aki-chan, just make sure those merchants keep their heads." Isamaru called He couldn't help the arrows that already were flying around him. But he could stop more from being fired off.

[chakra pool: 210/310]  

[Mana_ecl Zetsuya]

The archers were doing well, at the very least. More disciplined than the melee assault who was on the move. A garbled scream had escaped from the man who had encountered one of the shinobi. A valiant effort on the brute's part, but the one with the large sword had an advantage. Training and strength. Neither of which would be pushed over by the zealot axewielder. The marauders had more sense it seemed, up until the brutish shinobi let the iron loose. Screams. Agonized ones. They were down to a couple of hiding spearmen, and the lone swordsmen who'd been caught up in the mudstream.

A pleasing thunk! indicated that one of the arrows that had soared, despite its splintered shaft, punched into the wagon. A brief sizzling sound, and a detonation would likely be more than noticeable to the two, as a smoldering hole was punched into the wagon's cargo. Twine and various common goods were threatening to pool onto the road, but that wasn't their objective.

Down the road, more screams were heard. The archers fell, and much to the leader's displeasure, they'd only punched a single hole into the damned wagon. That meant that he had to do the dirty work. A muted sigh, as he dropped down, grabbing stones. Three stones of his own, wrapped in explosive tags. They were propelled for the wagon, as the spearmen charged forward. Not the most impressive assault, orders to duck aside when the brute sent forward iron to attack, if his assumptions were correct. The lightning throwing boy was nothing that truly worried the head. The lone swordsmen circled about, to flank that particular fellow. All disposable. All for the glory of the world.  

[Count-Swagula]

Isamaru looked around at the carriage, he noticed that a hole was blown through it. "Huh, they suppose they had bombs in them." Isamaru said looking over into the woods. He noticed archers hadent quite strung anymore arrows. He did notice the rocks being throw at the Carriage. "Nay Aki-chan! look out for them rocks." Isamaru called noticing out of the corner of his eye, a sword swinging fool charging his side. "Oh, hello there!" He said putting handsigns together, Isamaru began to expel a large stream of water from his gullet. Probably knocking the swordsman over. Isamaru jumped back and shot a bolt of lightening to fry the stupid b*****d. "You boys should just go home~" Isamaru said with a big smile on his face.


[Chakra pool: 160/310]  

[Mordred Killian]

After leaving the strange buildings of the Red Bean Jam country, Shigeru was weary and longed for rest. He had been gone from his home for a while but he could not go back just yet. In the Exams, Shigeru realized that he was not as strong as he wish he could be. To accomplish my mission I need to better equip myself and train in new ways. Ways that will cover my weaknesses. Shigeru thought to himself as he kept his eyes on the road ahead of him. It was abandoned as if nothing had ever taken place the last few days.

A few hours later, Shigeru could see activity beginning to show. There were more and more people walking in both directions on the road. Soon, Shigeru had passed by a crossroads. Roads led to the other villages but Shige knew where he was going. This place had opened not to loong ago. Maybe they will have what I am looking for.

Before Shigeru realized the sun had disappeared, lights came from ahead. There was much life ahead of him that Shigeru doubted his path and wondered if he had taken the wrong turn. The closer he got to the lights, the louder it became. Soon, Shigeru could see several shinobi laying seige to a wagon while another troop of ninja were effectively defending it. Shigeru began to jog towards the area while making sure to stay out of sight. He was tired and did not want to exert himself needlessly. Once he was a fair distance away, he continued to follow the wagon by the cover of the trees and tried to examine the wagon's contents. They look like goods headed for Takumi. Shigeru then noticed the shinobi defending the wagon. They were of another village but Shige could not see their symbol since they were out of his range of sight. The situation was getting messy with water and explosions covering the site. Shigeru was growing more and more anxious to step in. Before long, Shigeru had passed the whole debacle and left it behind. He remembered where it was he was headed and why. (Exit)


 

[Anonymous_Alcoholic]

Akio wasn't having as much fun as Isamaru, sadly.

He may have been taking his duty of guarding a merchant carriage way too seriously, or it could be the robed idiots trying to kill him, but he was feeling an insane amount of stress. Stress isn't good for me. Stupid bastards are trying to kill me with arrows and stress. I see what they're doing. Akio gritted his teeth and pulled the iron from his latest victims, two unfortunate spearman, when he heard a faint fizzle and found himself bracing for impact. Akio was sent flying backwards, managingto gain him footing back before he slammed into the ground and probably sustained some kind of serious injury, and God forbid he hurt himself on the job. Not that he wanted to get hurt on the job. I have to stop thinking. Akio shook his head and rushed forward to protect what was left of the carriage, and hopefully, the merchants as well. Maybe even deprive the robed goons from their quarry, whatever the hell it was. He wasn;t going to die without spiting someone, at the very least.

Akio sent more iron towards his opponents, hopefully taking out those explosive rocks and the leader guy. He'd need to be a little smarter about how he threw his iron, though, or he'd just waste his time and his iron. Akio sent it hurtling towards the spearmen, wondering if they'd jump into it by complete accident, and suddenly veered it off to te right, sending it between the makeshift phalanx and straight towards the leader guy. He could deal with spearmen, but the unarmed guy, who he assumed to be the leader, may prove to be a bit of a problem. Not for long, though.

[Sorry I haven't posted. Combo of writers block and virused computer. Sorry it ain't great, got a headache.]  

[Mana_ecl Zetsuya]

The last of the swordsmen fell. Broiled and fried by the fish-man in the back, who'd taken away his archers. They'd done a fine job however, in taking the two down in terms of fatigue. Least... That's what the robed figure assumed. Glistening eyes moved to avoid oncoming iron, but one of the spearmen turned back in a wild and crazed fear. The fellow was held by the robed leader, a fine human shield for the oncoming iron spear. Through the poor victim, it halted barely a couple of inches from his rib cage.

"My, my... Such experienced boys," the leader spoke up. A fine bass which boomed amidst the woods. He hadn't had much worries. Doton being a fine step for the man, he leaped back, fingers flickering, eyes settled on Isamaru, the fish boy. A plate of earth flipped through the air. No sights on Akio, intended to crush Isamaru along with the final spear holding zealot. Such a destructive move would grant him the time to grab hold of the vessel, at the very least.

(Apologies for delays. Starting to chip away at the writer's block I got.)  

[Count-Swagula]

Isamaru noticed Akio and his powerful iron, magic powers. He chuckled at the thought of calling them magical powers. Isamaru knew he was in combat, and the situation was indeed dire. He looked around and wondered what else could possibly be coming. These guys seemed pretty keen on not letting them live. Isamaru was keen on living. He heard the voice and looked around. "I just gotta get some clones out and" Isamaru stopped talking at the sight of a giant plate of ground coming at him. Isamaru's jaw dropped and he thought quickly to get away from this slab to crush him. He noticed the water he fried the last guy in. It flowed to the side of the chunin.

Isamaru put his feet in the water which wasn't more than a foot slide away and used a move he knew would come in handy. The water teleportation jutsu. Isamaru sank into the water as the stone flew at him. Isamaru moved through the water as it flowed out to the side. He saw the slab and let out a deep breath. "Thank jaysis." Isamaru said with a relieved smile.


(Sorry, no real writers block. Pokemon just owns my soul right now Mana XD)  

[Qastor]

Howaido whistled and traveled with hands in his pockets as he went to the Takumi village.  

[Qastor]

Fuyu traveled along the road to Takumi Kein hopefully by her side. he was a good boy so he could keep up for something simple like a Dash to takumi and back, right?  

[Azeiel The Risen]

Kein Uchiha
Gennin ۞ Dragon Of The North ۞ Kumogakure ۞ Two Tomoe Sharingan
Ryo:1300 両 ۞ AC: 2850

Kein kept pace with Fuyu rather easily. He didn't know why she treated him like a boy when he was a full four years older than her.