A few months had passed since Kagami and the forces of Kogarashi had invaded Arashigakure and war ensued. In the midst of the carnage, waves of snakes had appeared and assisted in defeating the enemy forces, but their origins were never discovered. After discovering this fact, Shinji began asking around of those who had joined in the fray if they had ever seen someone or something that might have possibly generated the serpentine forces. None of them had the slightest idea. Shinji became obsessed with solving the mystery, something that served to occupy his mind instead of dealing with the emotional turmoil he had been in.
He spent countless hours in libraries and harassing anyone with a knowledge of the species trying to get any clue. Eventually he came across an entry in an old book about historical and geographical landmarks. Towards the back it mentioned a place that was rumored to be a den for some of the deadliest snakes of the Shinobi world. Ryuchi Cave. Further research into the cave gave way to some discoveries that only served to deepen his intrigue in the matter. The cave was home to what was known as a Sage creature, an animal who knew the secrets to absorbing and manipulating nature energy in a way similar to chakra. Tales of the matriarch of this snake community were horrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. Soldiers turned to stone in her presence, a reptile with size enough to swallow men whole. Ginda the White.
Shinji turned to Toso, the Arashikage, and pleaded for permission to search for this cave. He mentioned that he believed that Ginda had something to do with the snakes who had appeared to assist in their victory over Kogarashi, and that he wanted to personally thank her and try and learn her secrets. Toso was hesitant to approve the journey, but he did want a full and accurate report of the war effort, and that missing piece of information was something that did beg even larger questions if it went unchecked. He assigned a Chunin to accompany Shinji, and sent them on their way.
The journey was fairly long. Multiple weeks of constant moving, only stopping every few days to rest and eat. The chunin made a note to Shinji that it was common for warriors to go a few days without eating or sleeping, and the experience would make him a better Shinobi. It was sound logic, but his compatriot was braindead when it came to directions. They took several wrong turns, and it was a miracle they had even reached the cave in the first place. The closer they got, the worse the chunin's sense of directions. The first cave that he saw, he assumed was the correct one, making the journey longer than it needed to be. Finally, somehow, they found Ryuchi Cave....
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 9:35 pm
-x- Rei -x-
❝Persevere. No matter what comes your way, you have to overcome it.❞
❖ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ⌈Arashigakure Genin⌉ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ❖
"Here we go, Ryuchi Cave!" The excitement in the Chunin's voice was wildly misplaced. He had said the exact same thing for the last four caves. Honestly, it was a mystery to Shinji how he had been assigned to escort the Genin on such a long trip if he couldn't even tell where his feet were placed in the world. Shinji just sighed as he lagged slightly behind his navigator. 'I sure hope so,' he thought. The suspense of finding Ginda was killing him. Figuratively, of course. As they stepped through the threshold into near complete darkness, a chill crept up the boy's spine.
Even though they could barely see ten feet in front of them, the area felt as if they were surrounded by malevolent creatures. The always-excited chunin seemed to be unaffected by the sense of danger, and instead was more preoccupied with searching his bag for a torch, which he proceeded to light to give them better visuals of exactly what they had gotten themselves into. The first thing Shinji noticed once the light cleared some of the darkness, was a mind-boggling skin that had been shed from one of the inhabitants. Another chill and a gust of wind from deep within the cave. First instinct? Leave. Second? Smack the ever-living s**t out of the navigator as he announced their presence.
"Hello~! We're looking for Ginda! Is she around?" Shinji couldn't help it. He snapped. "Shut up you idiot! They probably already know we're here!" Well... If they didn't before, they surely did now. The echo from Shinji's voice made him realize how loud he had gotten, his hand slapping over his gaping mouth. In the distance, he noticed the sound of shifting bodies. Not too close, but given the size of the shedding he had seen, that could change quickly.
❝That's the only way to protect those you want to protect.❞
OOC :: Idk exactly what his C-ranked chakra and stamina were lol. If I actually need them, I'll go in and figure it out at that point, but for now, I'm putting him around 500-600 range for both for GP.
Pineapple. What a sweet allure and enticing in the musty scent of the caverns. This young man was not a man or a boy, stuck in the age rut of between of who yet to experience the world outside of their first war. War that had been the clash two ancient dojutsu which lead to the extinction of one followed by the schism of time and space. The memory of war would trickle back to the young lad as he could swear he would.... smell pineapple?
The duo that stepped carelessly through the cave system would no longer hear the movement within and instead the scent of pineapple would linger. The light from a torch would let the scene reveal a large empty chamber, sand and rock along the floor and smooth stone. Both were the invaders of the cave and they were within the viper's nest as strange mental feeling would settle over each, Shinji in particular would feel... famished, tired and the thought of that pineapple would linger.
And then, the other would drop when they crept into the large chamber right as he would yell for his companion to be quiet. And quiet he fell as the weight of the world dropped him like a rock. Drool dribbled from the shinobi's mouth, eyes closed and in a lull of unconsciousness. Shinji would still... feel his hunger strangely enough while feeling heavier, eyes upon him deep in the cave system as the fire of the torch would reveal the silhouette of a man sitting cross-legged and hands in his lap.
A mental lapse would wash over Shinji as he would feel increasingly weaker again, famished and his mind drifting involuntarily to his past, slowly reliving the worse points and the high points. This lapse of memory would only be sickening contrasted by his favorite food and hunger for pineapples as the scent was even more overwhelmingly obnoxious with the dank scent of the cave, the cold breeze of the cave and the combination of contrasting highs and lows in his. Again, the war would flick back, and now the memory of seeing his comrade drop would replay a second time.
"Life is Motion..." a voice from the man spoke as he looked up with a blindfold over his eyes. "Excited that one was, careless. Annoying." He spoke again as he extended his hand outward as a small snake coiled out from the folds of his robe and on his arm. "You... More cautious, aware of danger. Seeing the unseen boogie man... or woman." The more he spoke, the stranger the memory lapse Shinji would suffer while the feeling of the physical drain weighed heavy on him.
"You must... move..." He said in a warning tone, the smallest smirk playing on his face as Shinji would begin to feel... off, like he knew this unknown man as a friend. But the words he spoke would speak warning regardless of his personal feelings being swept internally as the eyes upon him
Speed and Reflex of Shinji is reduced by 3 each as long as eyes remain locked on him. However upon sight of the unknown man (Zahara), he would feel the sense of nonthreatening aura while his words of warning speak through as such.
Hunger Technique [ Kiga no Jutsu ] | E Triggered by the musty scent of the cave, Shinji's mind would focus on Pineapple and he would smell pineapple. Almost annoyingly so while feeling the need to disregard his sense of danger and laze about... thinking about the mighty pineapple... Chikyuu no Myakuhaku [ Pulsating Earth ] | B The very ground Shinji walks own is fatiguing, was he out of shape or had the journey been taking its toll... The annoying taste for Pineapple would not help this feeling as he would swear something just didn't seem right. But that Pineapple... Maybe he was hungry? Oh. His friend collapsed. Uh oh. Time Reversal Technique [ Jigyaku no Jutsu ] - S Shinji will start to involuntarily wander his mind, triggered by the sight of Zahara and the smell of the cave as well. The sight of the man and the snake uncoiling within his clothing would make the mind wander even worse than it had been. Slowly... he would revisit his worse moments, pineapples and visit high points of his life all at the same time... while the fatigue built up, hunger... mental stray...
Come with Me & Passive -> The eyesight of this entity actively decreases the body's reflexes and efficiency, at the same time the careless wander of his mind of danger would be replaced with the calming nonthreatening aura of the individual sitting in the cave. Additionally... he might as well be questioning if his body really was acting up and question if he really was tired. That Pineapple man...
Heat Sense -> Allows sight via Heat. Zahara
Viper Sight | Rank: D | Cost Chakra Pit Vipers have incredible senses of smell and are able to see the heat given off of living bodies. With a little bit of focus and chakra, Ayeka is able to enhance her natural heat senses to extend for half a mile out, being able to even sense heat through the walls of buildings and other, relatively thin and chakra free, materials. Though powerful, this technique is easily fooled by many kinds of ninjutsu, and a savvy summoner will work within its limitations to bring out its full potential. Lasts 3 posts.
Smell By Taste | Rank: D | Cost: Chakra The snake can sense via "smell" and "taste" as well, capable of locating and relaying the information of anything with a scent within the area to the summoner once per post.
Wound Hound | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra If Ayeka is present when a target is wounded and they get a taste of blood, smell the fear or even see the target's wounded body, as long as they stay within a thread with the target they can detect the target until the wound is closed. ~~~~~~~~~~~
Come With Me | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Sight and Touch/Sound The target of Stalking Prey will have a genjutsu cast upon it by Hisoki that causes the target to perceive the summoner or it's allies as nonthreatening, while also masking the fact that it's body has had it's stats reduced, hiding that it is indeed the target of Stalking Prey at all. Lasts for three posts, affecting the target by touch and sight primarily, with sound being a secondary sense. The illusion is broken when the summoner, it's allies, or even Hisoki make a threatening action on the target.
Fight or Flight | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Touch Only This genjutsu focuses Hisoki's chakra on the target of Stalking Prey, causing their body heat to rise, sweat to pour off of their body and heartbeat to increase. This comes alongside a feeling of anxiety within the target, making them likely to make irrational and brash decisions unless kai'd. As a side effect, this skill forces the target to only use either offensive or defensive activations so long as the genjutsu remains active, and lasts for 3 posts.
Nightfall | Rank: B | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Varies This skill makes the target of Stalking Prey lose one sense. The typical use is to rob the target of their sense of sight, hence the name, however this skill can rob any of the five natural senses from the target for up to two posts. Has a one post cooldown after usage.
❝Persevere. No matter what comes your way, you have to overcome it.❞
❖ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ⌈Arashigakure Genin⌉ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ❖
All at once, the noises stopped. The sudden shifting of bodies disappeared, which should have been alarming, but it went wildly unnoticed by the young white-haired lad. Instead he was focusing on something even stranger. A familiar scent, one that shouldn't have been present in this cave. The musty, somewhat stale air was laced with a citrus glaze. Pineapple. His head, at first, began to fill with memories of cutting up fresh pineapples with his mom when he was younger; however, those sweet memories were short lived. A glance at the chunin who had joined him on this quest flashed Shinji's mind back to the aftermath of the war. Kogarashi soldiers had left many casualties in their rampage against Arashigakure. Shinji, young as he was at the time, had helped the medical teams to try and stabilize the wounded. Though he had no proficiency with eiseijutsu, growing up in a clan dedicated to using their own blood as a weapon did result in acquiring at least a basic level of medical training.
Shinji shook these images out of his mind and furrowed his brow. Something wasn't right. His stomach had, in the short time between when he noticed the scent of pineapple and their crossing into a larger area, developed a pit of hunger. It grumbled a cry to be satiated, but finding food in this cave was going to be nigh impossible. He tried to push the thought to the back of his mind, only to be met with a yawn. His brow furrowed deeper. It wasn't until his chunin companion dropped to the floor unconscious that these events seemed to be important. The falling of his partner seemed to add more weight to Shinji's body, the exhaustion washing over him in a sudden wave. The torch that had fallen with his partner rolled along the ground until the light revealed an entity sitting not-so-far away. Maybe the distance was farther than Shinji could discern, but sudden images from the war made the few seconds that he had seen the man stretch into an eternity, crippling his depth perception for a moment.
The weak feeling that had crashed into him increased exponentially, as well as the shifting memories that played in his head like some sort of doctored tape reel, made him feel sick to his stomach, with the lingering scent of sweet sweet citrus only adding to the nausea. Another sliver of images sprung up from the war, then he relived what had happened just a few moments ago. His head was spinning. It felt as if his body were standing still, but the world around him was contorting and twisting in sickening fashion. The swirling images that played in his mind shut off once he heard a voice. All at once, his vision collapsed from the memories and returned to the caves. The dark haired figure lifted his head, revealing blindfolded eyes, continuing to speak to Shinji in somewhat cryptic fashion. This stranger did make a fair point. The chunin was both careless, and annoying. Shinji narrowed his eyes, only to be thrust back into the land of fragmented peeks into his sullied past. He could hear the mans voice through these memories as if he were speaking through a veil. Then he was back.
Shinji saw the snake that had protruded from the mans robe, and at first he was entranced. Whatever danger this man should have been exhibiting to Shinji, it was nonexistent. Instead he felt as if they were friends, of sorts. Even stranger, that was exactly what caused panic to well up in Shinji's head. His eyes widened, disregarding whatever warning the man had been speaking. In one fluid, albeit slightly sluggish motion, Shinji reached into a pouch hidden beneath his jacket, towards his back, and produced a kunai knife, then used shunshin to flicker backwards several yards. The weakness he had been feeling left him huffing for breath afterwards, but his eyes were locked on the blindfolded man. Intensity brought on from extreme caution flared up in his crimson pupils. The Ketsueki clan didn't make friends but for rare occasions. And at his age, Shinji hadn't made any lasting connections. That was how the clan theorized they could make the saiketsu stronger. If one wasn't tied to any meaningless personal friendships, they could focus on controlling their chakra in order to influence the liquid running in their veins. Shinji had never agreed with this philosophy. In fact, he often wished he had the will to rebel against them. However, their insistence on isolation did have one upside: a sudden feeling of familiarity to a stranger would be cause for red-flags.
Zahara smiled widely as the motion of the intruder in the cave zipped back, cautiously more like, several meters with the use shunshin. He waved his hand and the ground would cease it chakra emanations from himself, a ninjutsu technique quelled from continuing further but to his invading friend it would just be a wave of the hand unless he was keen to sensing chakra. However the mere motion of his hand ceased the weakness he would be feeling even after moving back from and been near threatening to... fight an urge of falling asleep much like his friend. But now it ceased and the blindfolded male snapped his fingers afterward and looked upon the ground.
The snake flicked its tongue, testing the air as it went back into the folds of his clothing, coiling around all the while as it now just peeked out from his collar, beady eyes looking out and tongue flicking out again. "Motion is more than just movement, your friend there could be in danger." He said and looked upon the male directly, noting his patterns and breathing. The shape of a blade in hand and he glanced over to the crumpled body of the out cold intruder.
"I assume you smelled that scent?" He said suddenly, noting what Shinji had sensed when he first entered but now it was since faded. Pineapple no longer assailed his mind, no longer gave the insatiable hunger with the want to laze about disappeared. "Others smell it too. Varies from person to person, a simple trick but it works well to ward off most." he explained the phenominon, not revealing that it was a genjutsu as Zahara held both his hands in his lap again, head bent down so the hood obscured part of his face.
He was not disturbed by the arrival of these two but the denizens of the caverns were as Zahara smiled still. The sound of movement began again as the glowing eyes of yellow peered through the darkness behind the sitting man as the massive body revealed itself as Zahara snapped his fingers as he was dwarfed by this coiled beast. "Don't mind Hisoki," Zahara dispelled the camoflauge illusion upon the snake as the dropped torch still burned on the ground, bringing a portion of creature in light as the flame's light glistened off of his scales "those that speak the matron's name tend to get his attention."
"Life is motion, Motion is more than just moving. Learn to read the tell, not all is what it seems." Zahara finally spoke direct as he lifted his head to gaze directly at the intruder bearing the kunai, another smirk. "Your mind is still muddled, your body betrays those emotions within you. Focus. Then speak." He raised a single hand, tapping the side of his face to indicate 'think' as the memories of Shinji's past would surface back in full force yet again, this time focusing on all the dying people he had seen while the sense of fatigue would renew and even enforcing these memories.
"If you clear yourself, Hisoki will attack without provocation. I won't be able to stop him." Zahara smiled widely, warning the man as well as a hint of what he was going through. "Approach, and your phantoms will cease. Check to your friend and the mind will release, make sure they still draw breath at the least. Never abandon your comrades." Zahara spoke more cryptics again but kept his meaning clear, meaning the male would be released of the mental agony if he did what he was told. If he went around it, he warned that the large snake would engage without any warning.
"Why do you come here, and draw a weapon in the home of this nest?" He would say if the man remained neutral or at least not attacked, hands resting in his lap again as he stared ahead, unphased by the darkness of the cave as the torch still burnt away.
Viper Sight | Rank: D | Cost Chakra Pit Vipers have incredible senses of smell and are able to see the heat given off of living bodies. With a little bit of focus and chakra, Ayeka is able to enhance her natural heat senses to extend for half a mile out, being able to even sense heat through the walls of buildings and other, relatively thin and chakra free, materials. Though powerful, this technique is easily fooled by many kinds of ninjutsu, and a savvy summoner will work within its limitations to bring out its full potential. Lasts 3 posts.
Smell By Taste | Rank: D | Cost: Chakra The snake can sense via "smell" and "taste" as well, capable of locating and relaying the information of anything with a scent within the area to the summoner once per post.
Wound Hound | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra If Ayeka is present when a target is wounded and they get a taste of blood, smell the fear or even see the target's wounded body, as long as they stay within a thread with the target they can detect the target until the wound is closed. ~~~~~~~~~~~
Come With Me | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Sight and Touch/Sound The target of Stalking Prey will have a genjutsu cast upon it by Hisoki that causes the target to perceive the summoner or it's allies as nonthreatening, while also masking the fact that it's body has had it's stats reduced, hiding that it is indeed the target of Stalking Prey at all. Lasts for three posts, affecting the target by touch and sight primarily, with sound being a secondary sense. The illusion is broken when the summoner, it's allies, or even Hisoki make a threatening action on the target.
Fight or Flight | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Touch Only This genjutsu focuses Hisoki's chakra on the target of Stalking Prey, causing their body heat to rise, sweat to pour off of their body and heartbeat to increase. This comes alongside a feeling of anxiety within the target, making them likely to make irrational and brash decisions unless kai'd. As a side effect, this skill forces the target to only use either offensive or defensive activations so long as the genjutsu remains active, and lasts for 3 posts.
Nightfall | Rank: B | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Varies This skill makes the target of Stalking Prey lose one sense. The typical use is to rob the target of their sense of sight, hence the name, however this skill can rob any of the five natural senses from the target for up to two posts. Has a one post cooldown after usage.
❝Persevere. No matter what comes your way, you have to overcome it.❞
❖ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ⌈Arashigakure Genin⌉ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ❖
Shinji’s eyes never left the blindfolded man. They stayed trained upon his form as a wave of the hand seemed to dispel the weakness in the young boys body. Mentally, he was scrambling for answers. Who was this man? Why did the fatigue suddenly evaporate? Even more so, why was he speaking so cryptically? For a mere moment Shinji likened the man to Ginda. The thought brushed the forefront of Shinji’s mind before snippets of information pushed it back down. The Ginda from the books wasn’t a male. Nor was she human. Perhaps this entity wasn’t human either, but he definitely wasn’t a snake. Shinji’s eyes softened slightly and he lowered the knife in his hand a bit. Not so much to where he wouldn’t be able to make use of it, but enough to display that the feelings of panic that had ruptured his demeanor were quelled.
As the blindfolded stranger spoke, Shinji glanced at the chunin. ’Bold of this guy to assume he’s an ally,’ he thought. After all, the chunin had been nothing more than a distraction on this journey. His directions kept getting them lost, and he didn’t show any skills that might be deserving of the title. All the same, the guy was still an Arashi shinobi. On some rudimentary level, they were still comrades. ”Pineapple...” The word left the boys mouth as a whisper. If the entity had heard him, it would reveal the exact smell that he had picked up. A quick sniff of the air confirmed that the scent was gone, which resulted in the knife lowering slightly more. Shinji stood up straight, eyes wide at the return of the shifting bodies in the distance. Whatever phenomenon that had been influencing his senses seemed to be released. It should have been a relaxing thought, but instead it only increased the tension in his body. After all, hearing gigantic creatures moving about, knowing that at any moment they could be upon you, wasn’t exactly comforting.
Shinji glanced around him, trying to discern the exact direction the sounds were coming from. The echoes made it harder, but from what he could tell, he was all but surrounded. No matter which direction he would go, there would be a monster waiting for him. The only possible retreat was back the way he came, but the twists and turns of the caves would make that difficult at best. As his face returned to looking at Zahara, he noticed a pair of large yellow eyes behind the man. They seemed to glow with an unnatural hunger for the kill. Another snap of the fingers from the man. Whatever he had done, the resulting terror shook Shinji to his core. Slowly, the darkness melted away revealing coiled scales. As the shadows receded, the form only got bigger, until the entity that had seemed to be the biggest threat appeared similar to a mouse in comparison. Hisoka was the name given to this gargantuan creature, and the matron, he assumed, could only be Ginda. Another, slightly annoyed glance at his colleague, as the information pieced together.
As the man tapped the side of his head, telling Shinji to think, the white haired lad fell to his knees. The images of the dead and dying wounded crowded his mind, the weakness returning to his body in droves. He could still make out the voice that was speaking to him, but it seemed distant, nearly indistinguishable from the moans of the injured. The rapidly pulsating memories paused, focusing heavily on one instance. The man who Shinji had witnessed die personally. The one that had given him an inherited blade. The man had been struck by a powerful technique that ripped a hole through his abdomen, and charred the wound for good measure. Shinji had tried to save him. He employed every ounce of medical knowledge he had at his disposal to try and keep him alive. As the man, through these memories, reached out and grabbed Shinji’s wrist, tears began to well up in his eyes. What an awful thing this was. Whatever was triggering the memories, it was nearly succeeding at crippling him completely. However, in an attempt to block the images out, the strange, cryptic entity’s voice broke through clearly. Approach.
Shinji closed his eyes, knowing full well that the images wouldn’t be stopped by blocking his own vision, but it was as close as he could get. With shaking and heavy legs, the boy stood and took a few steps forward. He wobbled slightly before continuing. Slowly he opened his eyes, trained on the fallen chunin. The closer he got, the less prominent the memories became. A single tear fell down his cheek, but the rest were held back by an unseen dam of determination. Shinji kneeled beside the chunin and held an ear near his mouth. He heard felt faint gusts of breath on his lobes, and heard inhales in between. Alive. Unconscious, but alive. Shinji threw a slight glare at the blindfolded man, but immediately softened his gaze, remembering the giant snake lurking behind him.
”I’m here to find the one who had sent the armies of snakes to defend against the armies of Kogarashi. They deserve thanks, and that information is missing from our Kage’s report,” he responded, then proceeded to answer the second part of the question. ”The knife was drawn in defense. I didn’t know who or what you are, but clearly something was happening to us, or I suppose still is.” Shinji finished his sentence with a gesture to the chunin, but put the knife away all the same. If this man had any ill intent towards the two, they would already be dead.
Zahara smiled as the man stowed away the blade he had drawn upon him and his brethren. Still he sat in the darkness as he let the snakes coil in the darkness, watching the intruder in their nest while the man finally reached up and held a single seal beneath his chin. "Release." He uttered under his breath, a fluctuation of chakra radiating out from him and his blindfold fell away. At the same time, the still conscious trespasser would feel a wave of relief wash over themselves as the illusion that plagued the mind lifted.
The larger snake behind the kneeling man still slithered in darkness, deep amber eyes watching with intensity of fire and predatory instinct to strike at a moment's notice. Zahara's eyes were closed as the blindfold fell to his lap and he lowered the hood concealing the upper half of his face. Now he revealed himself in full, black hair and his eyes opened to reveal the same amber hue as the two snakes.
"Well, the snakes did not do it to defend against the Armies." Zahara began to speak as he rose to both his feet, pocketing his blindfold and now waving his left hand as his eyes settled on the man. Flames from the torch instantly wicked out, leaving the pair in complete darkness for a moment before the cave hummed with chakra and flames roared several feet above the ground in the cavern, brightly illuminating everything and then suddenly dying off as handmade torches were now burning, giving ample dim light. During the sudden darkness however, Shinji if he been paying attention to the numerous tunnels would catch the yellow eyes of countless snakes watching him before they would recede with the light.
Zahara walked forward two steps, thumbs hooked into the hem of his belt and a toothy grin on his face, the large snake slithering a few inches in response. "They did it because their former sage was murdered, a Kage of a now defunct village at that. A hundred were the blood price of their beloved Chie. The Serpents here hold no allegiance of their own, if I were not here they would kill you!" The last bit Zahara said with a bit of a sing songy tone and he smiled.
"As for who am I, I am the Sage of these Snakes and the de facto protector of them." He began to explain, taking a few more steps with a bit of a hop to his gait. "Pardon the whole cryptic s**t, I was taught by an old friend both the values of genjutsu and code talk. The name is... Pineapple... for now." A wider smile played on Zahara's face as the little snake from the folds of his clothes coiled around his shoulders, peeking over his left shoulder and flicking its tongue out.
"So who are you, boyo? What's the real reason you're here, you don't strike me as a Kage's lackey to make a dull report."
Viper Sight | Rank: D | Cost Chakra Pit Vipers have incredible senses of smell and are able to see the heat given off of living bodies. With a little bit of focus and chakra, Ayeka is able to enhance her natural heat senses to extend for half a mile out, being able to even sense heat through the walls of buildings and other, relatively thin and chakra free, materials. Though powerful, this technique is easily fooled by many kinds of ninjutsu, and a savvy summoner will work within its limitations to bring out its full potential. Lasts 3 posts.
Smell By Taste | Rank: D | Cost: Chakra The snake can sense via "smell" and "taste" as well, capable of locating and relaying the information of anything with a scent within the area to the summoner once per post.
Wound Hound | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra If Ayeka is present when a target is wounded and they get a taste of blood, smell the fear or even see the target's wounded body, as long as they stay within a thread with the target they can detect the target until the wound is closed. ~~~~~~~~~~~
Come With Me | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Sight and Touch/Sound The target of Stalking Prey will have a genjutsu cast upon it by Hisoki that causes the target to perceive the summoner or it's allies as nonthreatening, while also masking the fact that it's body has had it's stats reduced, hiding that it is indeed the target of Stalking Prey at all. Lasts for three posts, affecting the target by touch and sight primarily, with sound being a secondary sense. The illusion is broken when the summoner, it's allies, or even Hisoki make a threatening action on the target.
Fight or Flight | Rank: C | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Touch Only This genjutsu focuses Hisoki's chakra on the target of Stalking Prey, causing their body heat to rise, sweat to pour off of their body and heartbeat to increase. This comes alongside a feeling of anxiety within the target, making them likely to make irrational and brash decisions unless kai'd. As a side effect, this skill forces the target to only use either offensive or defensive activations so long as the genjutsu remains active, and lasts for 3 posts.
Nightfall | Rank: B | Cost: Chakra | Sense P/S: Varies This skill makes the target of Stalking Prey lose one sense. The typical use is to rob the target of their sense of sight, hence the name, however this skill can rob any of the five natural senses from the target for up to two posts. Has a one post cooldown after usage.
Evil Toaster Yokai
Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2019 5:31 pm
-x- Rei -x-
❝Persevere. No matter what comes your way, you have to overcome it.❞
❖ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ⌈Arashigakure Genin⌉ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ❖
The wave of relief washed over Shinji, clearing his mind and allowing him to fully absorb the situation he was in. A cave, shrouded almost completely in darkness, with an unknown amount of giant reptilian predators, and a man who clearly outclassed him in every way. This was, at best, a very unfavorable situation. At worst, it was a death sentence. Shinji's eyes narrowed as the blindfold fell from the man and widened again only when he noticed the mans eyes were identical to the behemoth lurking behind him. "The snakes weren't defending against the-" The boys question was cut off with a flickering of flame, then darkness, followed by an even larger flame above. That in itself wouldn't be enough to stop his query completely, but the revelation of numerous snakes that had been hidden just within the confines of the surrounding tunnels sent a chill down his spine.
Rather than pursue what he had wanted to ask, he listened as his question was answered, regardless of if the man knew of what he was wanting to ask. Shinji had never heard of this 'Chie' person, but from the way this stranger made it sound, she could have been the Uzukage. An interesting development, indeed. In reality, he could care less about Lord Arashikage's formal report, as this man would soon deduce, but it was good to note that the arrival of the snakes during the war was a revenge plot. However.... Shinji glanced at the various caves and crevices, then to Hisoki. Shinji felt as if he owed this man his life, for the various beasts not lunging at him right now. For that, he would keep the revelation to himself. It wouldn't do any good for Toso to know of that develpment anyway.
The man came close, which made Shinji rock to his feet. He did it slowly, so as not to appear threatening or, conversely, threatened, but his relaxed demeanor was something that could quickly change if need be. If this stranger was a seasoned veteran, Shinji was sure that he would notice this as well. A slight smirk played on the boys lips. Less from amusement, but more from annoyance and a false air of bravado. First he was cryptic, but now he's bounding about and speaking in a much more relaxed and playful tone. The change in demeanor from this man struck some hidden cord within Shinji, but he couldn't place why. Perhaps it was from all of the illusions that he had fallen prey to previously.
"Well, 'Pineapple', I guess it's no use hiding anything at this point. I'm clearly not in any position to lie to you. The name's Shinji, and the reason I'm here is to learn about you, as a matter of fact," his reply came with a matter-of-fact tone, but it was clear he wasn't speaking about the man in particular. More so, he was speaking about his title as a Sage. Shinji's interest in coming here in the first place was to learn about the sage creatures, and those who were taught their ways. If this.... Pineapple, as he wanted to be called, was indeed a Sage, then Shinji had inadvertently stumbled into the right predicament to find him.
A smile again crept across his face when the man known as Shinji mentioned a position of lying, he didn't comment on this remark but found amusement in it. He had ways to discern lies from truth, and other ways to pry into others with a probing technique as his smile grew wider. Even in the fire lit cavern Zahara's eyes had a glow about them as he continued pacing the floor, hands still hooked to his belt and he looked up toward the ceiling as he paced back and forth as the snake around his shoulders did not once break eye contact with Shinji.
"I hate to break it to you friend," Zahara spoke again as he paced the floor still with a smile on his face but the snake on his shoulder seemed to grow agitated while the larger black snake in the cave coiled about. Restless. "I am nobody, just a hermit in these caves. Just a fool who dances with death." As he spoke those words, the cave would seem to darken around the duo in Shinji's perspective as phantom serpents coiled in the shadows around the male.
Now facing the boy directly with a piercing stare with his amber eyes, the glow was gone as Zahara's smiled faded. The serpents in the growing darkness hissed out venomous words to the boy as Zahara took a single step, imitating the voices of the past as the mental images would flood back again to the war but only for a moment. "Would you like it if I asked about you?" was all he would say with a smirk as the phantoms dispersed and the darkness receded to reveal the cavern as before with the only difference being that the large black snake was coiled behind Shinji, a forked tongue flicking out to touch to back of his head as the coiled serpent shook its rattler.
He adjusted where he stood again, pacing and stepping away as his back turned to the lad yet the snake still watched Shinji from the shoulder perch of Zahara. "You're very dumb, or think you're very bold. But I think you're just dumb." Zahara went on to explain as he walked away from Shinji, beckoning him with one hand to follow suit and if he didn't, the large snake's rattler would increase in intensity and another flick of its tongue would tussel his hair.
"I call you dumb, because fear is a very wise emotion to have. Dumb because you came to a predator's den, that you disarmed yourself and willingly accept a stranger to be friendly," As if on cue, Shinji would witness the same darkening of the cavern again as the hisses of the phantom serpents returned in the back of his mind. Soon as Zahara spoke again, the illusions cleared and he was turned around with another smirk. "So. I'll ask again, why are you here, dumb dumb?" Nearby in the giant cavern they would be by a larger tunnel as the eyes of a creature stared at the pair from within.
Evil Toaster Yokai
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2019 7:32 pm
-x- Rei -x-
❝Persevere. No matter what comes your way, you have to overcome it.❞
❖ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ⌈Arashigakure Genin⌉ ▬▬ ❖ ▬▬ ❖
Shinji closed his eyes for a brief moment as the visions flooded back, and only reopened them when they had cleared. He chose to try and ignore the snakes in the darkness, but they still set him even more on edge than he already was. The feeling of a tongue connecting with the back of his head nearly made him jump, but the sound of the rattle told him that doing so would be a very bad idea. As Zahara gestured for him to walk, Shinji followed. One might assume that the white haired shinobi would take offense at being called dumb, but Shinji listened quietly instead of showing any displeasure.
"Don't get me wrong... I'm terrified. I didn't drop my weapon because I wasn't afraid. I just weighed my options. On one hand, I could have kept the knife out and try and fight my way out of here, or I could have put it away and taken you at your word. Either way...." Shinji glanced around the cavern, trying to make out the shapes writhing around just out of sight. "Either way, my best chance at getting out of here relies on you." As a sign of good faith, Shinji shifted his jacket, using his hands to take hold of the two kunai and various shuriken he had hidden away, and tossed them harmlessly to the side, then proceeded to sit down.
He was defenseless now. A dumb move, only further proving the Pineapple mans point, but it was done in the hopes that his next words would have a deeper effect than some surface level resonance for this man. "I came here in hopes to learn about the sage creatures, and about those who call themselves Sages. I want to learn."
Dumb he was, Zahara continue to believe in this foreigner to the sageland of Ryuchi Cave. A shake of the head and a sigh, for a long moment he waved his hands and signaled the various snakes in the cave hidden in the darkness of their tunnels. The slithering sound of scale on stone and sand was like cockroaches scuttling on an empty metal pail as they all moved away and receded deeper into the network of caves, Shinji was no longer deemed a threat to the snakes here as he waved them off with all except two remained nearby with the monster of a rattler lurking nearby.
Still he began to pace, the small creature coil around and out of his clothes once more and settled its sight on the intruder, tongue flicking out while Zahara paced the ground. Uncertain, yet intrigued. A grunt and snort came from the unconscious individual nearby and for a moment he forgotten there had been two of them.
This will be awkward. Zahara thought as he walked over to the lad and laid his palm flat against the side of the knocked out fool. He didn't bother to explain to Shinji and if the boy were to move, the large rattler nearby would hiss and renew its warning sound. With a weave of a few hand seals, he put the jutsu in place and made sure the second individual wouldn't wake up for a long time as he trapped him into a mental loop of dreams.
"He won't wake up for awhile, a trick I picked up during the first month I stayed here." Zahara explained as he turned back and walked slowly, motioning the large rattler to slither closer and paced back to where Shinji had been. "A ninjutsu to lengthen sleep, works on anyone knocked unconscious. Works when you're still awake too, but not nearly as effective. I say about, six hours. Maybe four."
Zahara was a few meters away from Shinji now as he approached and then stopped when the large creature slithered in view and then coiled before its sage. A single hand outstretched, he patted the creature's jaw and whispered something low to the ears.
"Now." was all he would say, and on command the large rattler yawned out its great maw, foot long fangs folded at the roof of its mouth But inbetween these massive fangs a large white scroll wrapped in red silken rope with a sheathed weapon as the bundle slid from the creature's maw and into his hands. After this exchange, Zahara uncoiled the red silk rope around the two foot long scroll while the large rattler receded away from the duo, coiling back in the darkness of a tunnel, away from the fire lit cavern.
Zahara sat as well, a large scroll worn across his back, settled just above his waist as it sat there with the blade worn along with the scroll. The skull pommel of the sword shook slightly as the handle move slightly as he crossed his legs and let out a sigh, loud and eaggerated. The pommel moved no more, yet the skull was staring right at Shinji. He smiled.
"Problem about learning." Zahara said. "You're not in motion, Shinji." He jabbed a thumb back at the sword upon his back and his smiled widened. "Meet my friend, he's a good boy and likes new people." The skull pommel subtlely stopped its gaze as if it never moved in the first place. "So. Like I said, you're not in motion." He quickly changed the subject and clasped his hands together, the little snake coiling around his left wrist as he did so. "But why do you want to learn?" Following up with the question, the snake flicked its tongue and looked at Shinji intently.
