- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Accept the spar.
Naruto Quest: The Endless War of the Shinobi Empires (AU, Rinnegan MC)
- Thread starter Megacookie
- Start date
Arc 3: Chapter 10
[] Accept the spar.
---
"Hey, Suigetsu, I'll take you up on the spar!" you said, turning his attention away from Long to you. His eyes widened and his smile went even wider, fully showing off his shark-like teeth.
"Oh, nice! Then I guess we better get started then!" Suigetsu happily exclaimed.
"Yes, hurry up and crush this fool so we no longer have to suffer his irritating existence." Long said, causing Suigetsu to turn his attention back towards him.
"You're really starting to piss me off, you dragon!" Suigetsu snarled, baring his teeth threateningly.
"Is that the only thing you can say? And gritting your teeth at me only proves that you are nothing more than a worthless stray." Long calmly responded. "Do not speak to me again."
"You-" Suigetsu began, but you stepped between the two of them.
"Just ignore him, he's...just being a jerk." you whispered, not wanting this to escalate any further. "If you ignore him, it'll get under his skin more than just insulting him."
You had no idea if that was true, but it was a smooth and easy lie, one which Suigetsu instantly bought as his eyes widened. He nodded and without another word walked some distance away, towards the area where he wanted to fight. It was at the edge of the manmade lake, most likely for him to more easily use water jutsu if you had to make a guess. You stood a few yards across from Suigetsu as he tilted his head from side to side, his neck cracking loudly as he did so.
"Alright, here are the rules! No killing blows, and no maiming! Winner is decided by knockout or forfeit! Sound good?" Suigetsu said, looking at you eagerly.
"Sounds good! Just don't get too upset when you lose!" you replied with a wink.
"That's my line!" Suigetsu responded, reaching back and pulling out his large sword. As he held the handle, he threateningly let its tip slam into the ground, a quiet warning of its weight, but after seeing Kai swing around something much larger and heavier, it failed to impress you. You made a hand seal and quietly activated your Clarity genjutsu, the world becoming sharper and clearer as a result of your increased focus.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Suigetsu shouted, rushing at you recklessly, using both hands to hold his sword. You could tell that wielding such a bulky weapon was slowing Suigetsu down somewhat as he got close and made a large swing on your left side. You ducked the slash, and from your crouching position, used one of your newly learned Taijutsu, the Rising Dragon Fist! Balling your hand into a fist, you leapt upwards and connected with a powerful uppercut to Suigetsu's chin. However, your fist suddenly kept going as Suigetsu's head exploded into water.
"What the heck?!" you shouted, watching Suigetsu's head reform, complete with a smug smile.
"Never fought a Hozuki before, eh?" Suigetsu responded before thrusting his foot forward, although you were fast enough to block the blow with your hands, but his strength sent you skidding backwards.
"Can't say I have, you can turn your body into water?" you asked. Now it made sense why Suigetsu rushed forward like that, he was practically immune to physical attacks!
"Heh, yep! That punch might've done some real damage if I wasn't paying attention!" Suigetsu boasted.
"His entire body is made of water, that's pretty impressive! Although I wonder, if he's made of water, then what will happen if I give him a shock?" you thought. There was only one way to find out! Suigetsu rushed forward once again, this time going for an overhead chop, a simplistic move that you avoided by shifting to the side, but Suigetsu had predicted your move and instantly swung his sword in your direction. It was a risk with how large the sword was, but you dodged by moving backwards, barely avoiding its sharp tip as it grazed your clothes.
You flowed lightning chakra into your fist and lunged forward at Suigetsu, whose eyes widened as he saw the lightning crackling around your hand. You slammed your fist into his stomach, and this time Suigetsu couldn't disperse into water. The lightning quickly coursed through his body as he yelled in pain, letting go of his sword and letting it fall as he jumped backwards to avoid more pain.
"Damn it!" Suigetsu cursed, kneeling on one knee and clutching the area you struck. "Course you'd know lightning jutsu, fuck!"
"Hmhm, sorry! I'm just full of surprises!" you taunted, sticking your tongue out playfully at Suigetsu.
"Well you did beat Kai and Ishako, I guess you have to be this strong at the very least." Suigetsu muttered, pulling one of his water bottles off his belt, opening the top and quickly chugging the entire thing in mere moments. Suigetsu's wound seemed to heal somewhat as he got back to his feet. "But I'm nowhere near done yet!"
Suigetsu chained together some hand seals and a large orb of water suddenly lifted from the lake next to Suigetsu, bursting and forming into hundreds upon hundreds of water shuriken! With a clap of his hands, Suigetsu sent the water shuriken towards you!
What will you do?
[] Use Earthen Armor to defend!
[] Open the First Gate and attempt to dodge!
[] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
[] Write In.
- Location
- Fifth Dimension
[X] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
canned Tomatoes
verified non-perishable
- Location
- Germany
[X] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
Arc 3: Chapter 11
[] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
---
Perhaps it was a foolish, reckless move, but you were curious to test out just how strong your new jutsu was. You ran forwards into the swarm of spinning, watery shuriken as your skin began to turn into a gunmetal gray as it hardened. Suigetsu's eyes widened but he quickly clapped his hands together once more, making all of the shuriken instantly crash upon you at once. Despite the crushing force of all the water, all you felt was some pressure against your body as you held your ground. The area was now shrouded in countless droplets raining down, and with you unharmed, you jumped out of the mist and towards Suigetsu.
"Holy shit!" Suigetsu cursed as he grabbed his sword and swung it at you. With your skin still covered in metal, you pivoted to the side and held out your hands to block the attack. The sound of metal clashing against itself rang out as the edge of Suigetsu's blade slammed into your open palms. In your mind, you could envision it perfectly. You would block the attack and grab onto the sword, using your metal chakra flow to manipulate the sword itself so Suigetsu would be forced to let go, and you'd take away his main fighting style!
Reality wasn't so pleasant.
You felt a violent quake painfully rip through your body, from your innards to your bones, which made you yelp in pain. Then Suigetsu followed through with his swing, his blade cutting into your metal skin. Thanks to your Clarity genjutsu, you managed to quickly suppress the pain and loosened your grip on the ground that you had unconsciously flowed chakra into, letting yourself fly backwards and tumble across the wet grass. Thankfully, your thin metal armor was easily strong enough to protect you from any hidden bumps or rocks within the grass and you regained control, rolling backwards into a one knee kneeling position.
"Okay, even with metal skin, taking a direct hit from someone as strong as Suigetsu who has a big sword is a no go." you thought, your skin turning back to normal. You looked at your palms, which had shallow, yet annoyingly painful cuts across them. "But if I didn't have that Metal Chakra Flow, that would have been the end of the fight! Well, lesson learned!"
You had no more time for thoughts as Suigetsu turned the lower half of his body into water, spraying it violently and using it as a jet of sword to fly right towards you at great speeds! You knew you weren't fast enough to simply dodge, so you flowed wind chakra through your hands and feet, the gust of air sending you directly upwards just before Suigetsu could strike! You quickly fell to the ground as Suigetsu reformed, giving you a look that was both amazement and confusion.
"What the hell! First lightning, then I think you turned your skin to metal, and now wind? Just how many elements can you use?!" Suigetsu asked. "Not even mentioning that metal isn't even part of the five elements! You got a Kekkei Genkai that gives you all those elements?"
"Heh, yeah something like that! I wasn't kidding about being full of surprises!" you replied, shaking your hands in order to stop the stinging sensation from your cuts.
"Well damn, it's getting clearer and clearer why you're turning into a real big shot here! I'm getting pumped!" Suigetsu happily exclaimed. "How about we take this up another notch!"
With a toothy grin, Suigetsu made a single hand seal with his free hand. His body began to swell up, almost like a balloon before it started compressing. Suigetsu was now about a foot taller and his body was extremely muscular, with veins bulging from underneath his skin. With his newfound bulk and height, his sword looked a lot more natural on him now.
"What the heck?!"
"The Hozuki Clan's Great Water Body jutsu! We can pump up our bodies with water to make us stronger, tougher, and way too much for you to handle!" Suigetsu boasted. "I'm gonna end this fight with one strike!"
"What's up with Mist ninja and being muscular freaks!? But if he's going all out, then so should I!" you thought. Multiple ideas went through your mind as you stared down the beefier Suigetsu.
"Here I come!" Suigetsu shouted, lunging at you with both hands wrapped around the handle of his sword.
What will you do?
[] Open the Second Gate, flow lightning chakra into your arms, and go in for for close combat!
[] Use your Siren's Scream to stun Suigetsu, then attempt to numb his limbs with Touch of Paralysis!
[] Combine your stretchy limbs technique along with Lightning Chakra Flow to fight Suigetsu at range!
[] Write in.
---
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay once again, life stuff happened but now I'm settled in. Thanks for waiting!
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Open the Second Gate, flow lightning chakra into your arms, and go in for for close combat!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Open the Second Gate, flow lightning chakra into your arms, and go in for for close combat!
canned Tomatoes
verified non-perishable
- Location
- Germany
[X] Open the Second Gate, flow lightning chakra into your arms, and go in for for close combat!
The friendship special!
The friendship special!
Arc 3: Chapter 12
[] Open the Second Gate, flow lightning chakra into your arms, and go in for for close combat!
---
If Suigetsu was going to get serious, then so were you! You flowed lightning chakra into your fists as you opened the Second Gate within your body. The rush of chakra flowed through your body, any aches and pains you had being soothed due to the effects of opening the Second Gate. To your own shock however was Suigetsu's newfound speed, as he was already in front of you! Wielding his massive blade with only one hand, he swiped it at you, now much faster than before!
You barely managed to dodge the attack, leaping to the side. You intended to counter with a lightning infused strike, but Suigetsu was already one step ahead of you, swinging his free arm right at your head. You could only raise your hands in an attempt to block the attack, and hopefully surge some lightning into him, but right before he touched your hands, his fist exploded into mist, obscuring your vision as water flew into your eyes.
Next thing you felt was the flat of Suigetsu's sword crashing against your body. Your vision blacked out for a moment, but when you came too, you realized you were flying backwards from the sheer power of Suigetsu's strike. If it wasn't for both your Clarity genjutsu and the fact you opened the Second Gate, you would have been knocked fully unconscious. Despite this, you were still too rattled to actually control your body, leaving you to slam painfully down onto the wet grass and slide until you came to a stop.
"You good?" Suigetsu said, his voice almost a whisper due to the ringing in your ears. You suddenly inhaled deeply, realizing that Suigetsu's attack knocked the wind out of you, your lungs burning as you took in deep gulps of air. You slowly got up, feeling woozy as you looked at Suigetsu.
"I'm fine..." you wheezed, your arms and ribs throbbing in agony. You don't think they were broken, but no doubt you'd be sore for a while. Then a cold, sobering thought entered your head.
"If this was a real fight, I'd be dead."
Even in his bulked up state, you could tell that Suigetsu was holding back from his full strength, not even counting the fact he used the flat of his blade rather than the edge.
"Even with the Second Gate...I can't match him. I have to think of something else!"
"Alright then, here I come!" Suigetsu shouted, rushing forward at you once again. Thankfully he was farther away so you had a moment to scan your surroundings, noticing that you were near the edge of the training arena now, where a thick line of trees were. Suigetsu was upon you now, but you were ready. As he tried to bludgeon you with the flat of his blade again, you used a substitution jutsu to swap places with a nearby branch, now hiding in the tree. You felt your entire body starting to burn, you could feel that your time was almost up with the Second Gate, and you were low on chakra. Suigetsu was looking around, trying to find you. With a deep breath, you made a single illusory clone and had it jump down at Suigetsu.
"Heh, got you!" Suigetsu exclaimed, thrusting his hand at the clone. To his shock, his arm went through it. It was only for a moment however, as he realized what was happening, his eyes now focused entirely on you up in the tree. With a single leap, he tried attacking you once more, but you used a combination of your gate enhanced speed and the body flicker technique to jump off the branch, landing at a good distance away from Suigetsu. Suigetsu smiled, showing all of his pointed teeth.
"You know, maybe it was a fluke that you beat Kai and Ishako! Along with that insane Kaguya guy...huh...guess you're just a big ol' fraud! All you can do is run!" Suigetsu smugly said. "Guess you can do some neat tricks, but I think it's time to end this once and for all!"
You didn't know if Suigetsu was trying to rile you up or actually insulting you, but there was one thing he said that was right. It was time to end this. You were near the lake now, the nearby field completely soaked from all of Suigetsu's water based fighting style, and you could see Long watching you intently with his arms crossed. It was clear he wasn't impressed.
"Say goodnight!" Suigetsu roared with bloodthirsty glee, once more rushing at you, a gleam in his eyes telling you he was going to make this the finishing blow.
What will you do?
Critical Moment!
[] It's time to use the technique that beat Kaitaikojo, use the Limb Switch Genjutsu.
[] With the field being soaked, your Lightning Surge jutsu should spread much further and hit Suigetsu!
[] Stand perfectly still, then nail Suigetsu with a lightning infused strike right before he hits you!
[] Write In.
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] With the field being soaked, your Lightning Surge jutsu should spread much further and hit Suigetsu!
canned Tomatoes
verified non-perishable
- Location
- Germany
[X] With the field being soaked, your Lightning Surge jutsu should spread much further and hit Suigetsu!
I think this is the better option than the perfectly timed melee attack. Probably not as sure to end the fight but also less likely to end poorly.
I think this is the better option than the perfectly timed melee attack. Probably not as sure to end the fight but also less likely to end poorly.
Arc 3: Chapter 13
[] With the field being soaked, your Lightning Surge jutsu should spread much further and hit Suigetsu!
---
With your Clarity active, you knew that you had only one last chance to win. With how badly Suigetsu took being hit by a lightning punch, you had a feeling he'd no doubt be finished if you managed to hit him with your Lightning Surge jutsu. With the area being wet, almost waterlogged, you knew your jutsu would move much faster than normal. You made hand seals as fast as you could, Suigetsu getting closer and closer by the moment. Then a thought, quick and transient, flashed in your mind.
"If I call out the attack and he dodges, I'm finished..."
As you slammed your hands into the ground, you quickly yelled "Earth Release: Earthen Armor!"
It was the most basic attempt at misdirection, but you could tell as your eyes flicked upward at Suigetsu, he bought it entirely. His grip on his sword got tighter and his muscles even seemed to grow slightly bigger as he prepared to cleave through any defense you might make. Lightning crackled around your hands and suddenly spread forward. Fanning out in a large cone shape, dancing across the moist field, it rapidly approached Suigetsu.
"OH FUCK!" Suigetsu roared, slamming his foot down in order to stop himself, but his foot quickly sank into the muddy earth. His momentum carried him forward, forcing him to roll across the grass and right into your Lightning Surge! Suigetsu screamed in pain as the lightning quickly spread all over his body, making him spasm and writhe as he tried to get away. However, it was far too late, as your jutsu had simply spread too far and wide.
"I give, I give, stop it!" Suigetsu cried out. You lifted your hands off the ground and at that moment you felt the Second Gate forcibly close within your body. Your entire body began to painfully ache, and with your lack of chakra, you almost felt yourself pass out. At that moment, you felt a gentle pressure wrapping around your body and you were lifted into the air.
"What is this foolishness?! I leave for a short while and I come back to you sprawled on the floor!" Jiao exclaimed, using her telekinesis to make her face you. Floating just behind her were some paper bags, which no doubt had the lunch she went out to get.
"Heh..." you mumbled, a small smile on your face. "Suigetsu over there...wanted a spar...and Long wanted to see me in action. Guess I'm a people pleaser..."
Long walked over to you and Jiao, his arms crossed and a look of disappointment on his face. "Indeed, that is what happened. There is no reason to be upset, as I allowed this fight to happen. Unless you wish to voice your displeasure to me?"
Upon Long's words, Jiao winced and shook her head. "No, I don't."
"Ugh..." Suigetsu groaned, now on his feet. His body was now normal sized, although you saw patches of his skin had turned into a white, jelly-like substance. He walked over to everyone else, shaking his head. "Man, I thought I had you, but lying about your jutsu? Damn..."
"Kinda figured that you'd get out of the way if I did anything else. Good fight though!" you said.
"Yeah...although something's still bothering me. Yeah you're strong, but just a couple of elemental jutsu couldn't beat Kai and Ishako. But...guess I can't complain after I lost, huh? Anyway, I'll get out of your hair, thanks for putting up with me!" Suigetsu said. He then limped away from the training field, leaving you, Jiao, and Long.
"Do you even want to eat after all that? Or can you even feed yourself?" Jiao asked, while an insult, you could feel some worry in there as well.
"I'll be fine, what did you get?" you asked, as Jiao floated you over to the nearby trees, gently sitting you down.
"Just some sandwiches." Jiao answered, removing the sandwiches from the bag with her powers. She made it fly into your hands, while Long simply took his out of the air. He then turned his attention towards you, disdain visible in his eyes.
"I expected much more from the woman who impressed my sister. What fool tries to match an opponent in close quarters when they are clearly beyond your skill?" Long asked, looking down at you, both literally and figuratively. "You only won because that idiot believed his opponent was being honest."
"Long-" Jiao began, but a glare from Long cut her off.
"Well...it's a spar, and I wanted to test out my new abilities. Since it was clear that this wasn't to the death, I figured-"
"You figured you could play around like a child with a new toy? This was a fight, and you should treat it as such." Long darkly said.
"I think you're taking it too seriously, I mean if this was a real fight, I could have used my genjutsu to-"
"Genjutsu...? Ah, that was it. That was the feeling I had while watching you, that something was missing. That is the art of illusions in your land, yes? Why didn't you use any?" Long inquired, his voice growing more annoyed with each word he spoke.
"As I said, I wanted to test out my new abilities, and I knew that if I used them, the fight would be over quickly. So..." you started, but quickly trailed off when you realized that Long was no doubt going to cut you off again. You felt a kernel of frustration growing in your chest, alongside all the pain in your body. Why were you being interrogated so harshly for a fight Long didn't even want to do!
"How is his weakness your issue? Should he fall to a simple illusion then that is simply his fault! Why weaken yourself to protect the pride and ego of your enemy? Even that ignorant stray realizes it's a dog-eat-dog world and all you did was give him false confidence!" Long growled. "You are absolutely pathetic!"
"Pathetic for engaging in a friendly spar and not treating it like a deathmatch? Do you even hear yourself, why are you so angry at me about this anyway! I won, right? Or are you mad that I didn't win well enough for your standards?" you shot back.
"Your softness will end in tragedy, I guarantee it." Long snarled. "I grow tired of you and your remarks, I will practice these hand seals on my own."
With one last glare, Long walked away from the training field. You sighed, your entire body aching as you did so.
"Maya...I apologize for Long's behavior." Jiao said quietly.
"You don't need to say sorry for him if he's being a jerk." you muttered.
"Even so, I understand why he said what he did. He grew up as the crown prince in Tiger, and out of all the nations in Qinguo, the royal family of Tiger is known as the most...volatile. Our Iron Court as it's called is one full of trickery, betrayal, and blood. Showing mercy is a quick way to find yourself dead." Jiao explained, her voice low.
"..."
That did help explain why Long was so offended over how you dealt with Suigetsu. To survive, he needed to never show weakness nor mercy. You looked at Jiao, remembering how she told you that Long picked her out of who knows how many siblings to be the one he found worthy. No doubt such an action not only painted a target on her, but also forced Long to become even more ruthless, to protect the only sibling he felt any affection for.
"I understand, Jiao. At least, I think I do. But if I showed ruthlessness and callousness to every enemy, then I don't think I'd be any better than any leader Jihopan has." you replied with a long sigh.
"I know. I'm not saying he's right, just explaining why." Jiao said.
"Yeah, I know. But I think it's time to dig in, don't you think?"
"Hmph, I suppose so."
You quickly tore into your sandwich, which had some meat and cheese in it, but after your fight it almost tasted heavenly! You and Jiao turned the conversation to more minor things, small talk with no true aim or meaning, just meant to fill the air. After the both of you finished eating, you decided that you were going to turn in for the day, as you needed the rest after such a strenuous day. With a bit of help from Jiao using her telekinesis, you returned to the inn and went to your room.
After a long, hot soak in the bath, you crawled into your bed and fell asleep before your head hit the pillow.
---
You awoke in the morning to a knock at your door. You groaned as you slowly and painfully got out of bed. After a moment to flatten out your bedhead, you opened the door, seeing the owner of the inn.
"You got a visitor in the lobby." He gruffly said. "Also, those two dragons you spent time with wanted me to tell you they'll be out today."
"Please don't call them that, and tell whoever is waiting for me that I'll be down in a moment." you kindly, yet firmly said.
"Hrm." the owner muttered, walking away from your door. Perhaps you should have asked who was visiting you, but too late now! You got properly dressed, and despite still having some aches and pains, you felt alright! You walked down the stairs of the inn and saw someone sitting in the lobby.
For a moment, you thought it was Suigetsu again, but as the man got up, you could tell it was someone else. Like Suigetsu, he wore a sleeveless top, although his was black compared to Suigetsu's purple, had shoulder length white hair, gray pants, a belt with a few water bottles tied to it, but most distinctly he wore wrappings around his neck. Finally, he had a large, odd shaped sword wrapped completely in bandages strapped to his back.
"Sorry for waking you up." the man said, his voice pleasant and kind.
"Oh, it's not a problem! Who are you?" you asked.
"I am Mangetsu Hozuki, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Specifically, the Tsunami of the Mist." he introduced, bowing his head politely. "You must be Maya Terumi, yes?"
"I am! Uh...did I do something wrong? Usually meeting one of the Seven Swordsmen is kinda..." you trailed off, remembering your ordeal with Hiricho.
"Haha, don't worry, you're not in trouble or anything." Mangetsu said with a smile. "I was curious when my little brother came home looking like he went through a war, especially on a day off. Then he told me that he sparred with the current rising star of the Mist. Between that and your deeds in putting away Gaikotsu and those...siblings, I figured I should pay a visit."
"Oh! Well, yeah, that's me! Although I hope you're not going to ask for a fight, I don't think I can do much more than walk around after what Suigetsu put me through." you nervously said. You could already tell that Mangetsu was stronger than Suigetsu, his chakra richer and more mature.
"Do not worry, I have no wish to fight you. As I said, I was just curious about the person who has made so many waves within the Mist Empire. Not even mentioning your alliance with Lord Byakuren, or the fact you are having a weapon made by Amakuni." Mangetsu said.
"You know about those things?"
"We of the Seven Swordsmen are the Mist Empire's most elite squadron, our rank is only under the Mizukage. As such, information is quite freely available to us." Mangetsu explained. "Although, hm..."
"Although?"
"I did remember that there is a meeting for us Swordsmen later, I wonder if they'd like the chance to meet you. Of course Hiricho already has, and told us about your great disrespect to him, but don't worry, we know how his temper flares up at the most minor of things." Mangetsu said with a smile. "I think it would be a great idea, myself."
"You think the rest of the Swordsmen want to meet me? I mean..." you trailed off. Honestly, you didn't know if you wanted to meet the Seven Swordsmen. Mangetsu seemed nice, Hiricho clearly had anger issues, but who knows how the rest of them would be? At the same time, perhaps meeting them would be a good thing? More allies in high places after all.
"Although I do need your answer now. It's fairly rare for all the Swordsmen to be here at once, considering the war and all. I hope that doesn't put any pressure on you." Mangetsu added.
"So it's go now, or lose the opportunity. Hrm...what should I do?" you thought.
What will you say?
[] Accept Mangetsu's offer and meet the other Swordsmen.
[] Decline Mangetsu's offer.
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Accept Mangetsu's offer and meet the other Swordsmen.
- Location
- Fifth Dimension
[X] Accept Mangetsu's offer and meet the other Swordsmen.
- Pronouns
- He
[X] Accept Mangetsu's offer and meet the other Swordsmen
Arc 3: Chapter 14
[] Accept Mangetsu's offer and meet the other Swordsmen.
---
"Sure, I'll go see everyone! I'd be honored." you said.
"That's good. Although, hm." Mangetsu said, putting a finger on his chin in thought. "Inviting you without telling Genji would probably get me in some deep trouble, do you mind if we got the clear from him?"
"Uh...sure, I don't mind, but who's Genji?" you asked.
"Heh, you really are from the sticks, huh? No problem, I can tell you on the way." Mangetsu lightly teased, showing a toothy smile. "Genji Jishima is the leader of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, the Head Swordsmen being the official title."
"Oh, yeah, that makes sense." you said. "If he's the Head Swordsmen, does that mean he's the strongest?"
"For what it's worth, I think he's the strongest, although I am biased a bit, I was his apprentice before I joined the Swordsmen." Mangetsu said. "Tell me, do you know about the other Swordsmen at all?"
"Not really, I admittedly haven't had much time to do my homework involving the top brass of the Mist..." you muttered, a small blush appearing across your face.
"That's fine, Lord Byakuren can be a real slave driver. How about this, while we go see Genji, I fill you in on everyone else? Seems fair." Mangetsu offered.
You nodded, "Yeah, that sounds good, I wouldn't want a repeat of the Hiricho thing."
"Don't worry about that, as I said, Hiricho is...unstable even at the best of times." Mangetsu said. "Anyway, if you need to get anything, now's the time."
"I'm fine, I'm ready to go!" you said with a smile. Mangetsu looked you over and then nodded, apparently agreeing. You both stood up and left the lobby. As always, it was a cool, misty morning and Mangetsu quickly took the lead, so you followed him. Mangetsu tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck as he turned his attention towards you.
"Alright, well, I already introduced myself, so I guess I'll go onto Hiricho, since you've already seen him." Mangetsu said. "Hiricho Kaguya, the Demon of the Mist, and uh...not a very popular person. He's strong no doubt, but as you've seen, he can have some wild mood swings. Nobody likes him other than Azira, guess they've been friends for awhile. Honestly, just stay away from him if you can, you'll be better off for it."
"I didn't know he would be that unpopular, he's the head of the Kaguya Clan, right?" you asked.
"Being the leader doesn't mean you're popular. Speaking personally here, I think he's a terrible person, even by the low standards of shinobi. What he's been doing to Gaikotsu is sickening, and it's clear he only leads his clan because everyone else is terrified of him. Tch..." Mangetsu muttered before shaking his head. "Look, the more I think of him, the more depressed I'll get."
You nodded, but a burning question remained deep in your throat. If Mangetsu hated what Hiricho was doing, why not do something about it? The rational and logical part of your mind told you it was most likely so he doesn't rock the boat, causing unneeded strife within the Swordsmen, but it still felt wrong. You took a deep breath and waited for Mangetsu to continue.
"Let's see, who's next." Mangetsu said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Ah, well I brought him up a bit earlier, so Azira Yuki. He's the Reaper of the Mist, and he lives up to that title quite well. Really skilled with Ice Release, and overall keeps to himself for the most part, but he's loyal and does what he's needed to do. Like I said before, he's friends with Hiricho, which I personally don't understand how they get along, but hey I guess it's not the weirdest thing."
"Reaper, Demon, Tsunami...these are some impressive titles." you said.
"Each Swordsmen inherits that title from whoever had it before, so it's a traditional thing. The very first Reaper of the Mist was actually Lord Byakuren." Mangetsu replied. "Of course with a system like that, sometimes you get a member that doesn't quite fit the title, but in the end just having that title means you're a big deal."
"I see, huh. So you took the spot of the previous Tsunami?" you asked.
"Yeah, I dueled my grandfather, Raigetsu, for it. After I beat him, he willingly stepped down and I became the new Tsunami." Mangetsu explained. "But enough about me, next we'll talk about the Beast of the Mist, Jinpachi Munashi."
You and Mangetsu now had reached the main town, the main street absolutely filled to the brim with people trying to squirm their way to their destinations. Mangetsu stopped talking for a moment and coughed loudly. Seemingly, everyone had heard him and quickly stopped, pressing themselves to the sides and forming a clear walkway down the center. You blinked a few times as Mangetsu walked ahead, with you quickly catching up. You looked from side to side, seeing the civilians staring at you and Mangetsu with a combination of respect, awe, confusion, and fear.
Mangetsu led you down the street until he turned into a much more empty side road and the people in the main street began to fill it out once more. You looked at Mangetsu and said, "What was that?"
"Oh, the civilians know better than to annoy a Swordsman of the Mist. They tend to stay out of our way." Mangetsu casually answered. You felt your stomach churn, seeing those varied stares. Mangetsu could have easily chosen a different path, or taken to the rooftops, but casually flexed his status upon those weaker than him. Perhaps it was truly nothing in the grand scheme, but it felt wrong to you.
"You okay?" Mangetsu asked, looking at you curiously.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just unexpected, heh." you said with a fake smile. "You can get back to talking about the Swordsmen, that's a bit more important I think!"
"True, true." Mangetsu said. "Alright, where was I? Oh yeah, Jinpachi. Like I said, he's the Beast of the Mist, and he's been around for a long, long time. He's a real shit talker, and loves getting under people's skin, only as much as he loves blowing up people with his sword. Loves a good battle too, but honestly he's a dependable sort if you get used to him."
"...I see." you muttered. Jinpachi didn't sound like the type of person you ever wanted to meet, but it was too late now.
"Yeah, I get it, he's a dick, but at least he's funny." Mangetsu said, as if that would suddenly make Jinpachi look better in your eyes. "Now, we got the true blue monsters of the Swordsmen, one of them literally blue in fact. His name is Kisame Hoshigaki, the Monster of the Mist. He looks more like a humanoid shark than anything, but his skills are the real deal, and that weird sword Samehada is easily the most terrifying sword out of the whole bunch."
"A humanoid shark? He really does sound like a monster..."
"Yeah, but don't let his looks fool you. He's actually pretty polite, although if you're his enemy then all bets are off." Mangetsu added, almost sounding like a warning rather than a description.
"You said his sword, Samehada is the most terrifying, in what way?" you asked, turning down another street with Mangetsu.
"Oh, well...my words can't do it justice, just hope you're never on the receiving end, yeah?" Mangetsu cryptically stated, clearly unwilling to go into more detail.
"Fine, fine. So there's only two left then, right? Genji and..." you trailed off, waiting for Mangetsu to continue.
"Musune Ide, the Lightning of the Mist, and the very first Jinchuriki of the Six Tails," Mangetsu stated gravely.
"Jinchuriki of the Six Tails?" you parroted, confused.
"Hm, yeah you wouldn't know that, would you? Alright, quick lesson then." Mangetsu sighed. "In Jihopan, there are nine extremely powerful demons known as the Tailed Beasts, or Bijuu. Each of them has a specific number of tails, and the amount of tails they have indicate how powerful they are. We thankfully managed to capture the Three and Six Tails and decided to seal them into people, not only because it's a safe way of containing them, but because said vessels can learn to use the beast's powers."
"...They put demons inside of people? Did they consent to such a thing?" you quietly asked, feeling a pit form in your stomach.
"Well, it's either putting them in people or trying to chain down a giant monster, so even if people didn't want to be a Jinchuriki, it's better they take the hit than an entire village, right?" Mangetsu casually responded.
"Awful...that's...so awful. Implanting demons into people? Does Mangetsu even hear himself? How can this be considered the only way to deal with the Tailed Beasts? Or was it just a way of making powerful weapons for the empires and the whole needs of the many line is just how they justify it? Ugh..."
Either ignoring or being oblivious to your dour reaction, Mangetsu continued on. "Anyway, Musune is the first of the Six Tailed Jinchuriki, and-"
"There's more Six Tailed Jinchuriki? Do you just take out the demon and implant it into someone else?" you quickly and firmly asked, trying to repress the horror that there could be more Jinchuriki than you ever thought possible.
"Ah, well, can't speak on that really. Confidential information. Although almost every other Empire has their own Jinchuriki anyway, so I wouldn't be surprised if what we know has already spread around." Mangetsu replied with a shrug.
"Jinchuriki...all over Jihopan." you muttered.
"Yeah, it kinda sucks, they're a pain in the ass to fight. But we're getting derailed here." Mangetsu said, pointedly trying to turn the conversation back to the Swordsmen. You nodded and let him continue. "So, Musune, she's been around a long time and she takes nobody's shit, pretty much Genji's right hand woman when it comes to leadership. Everyone respects her, although I don't know much more than that since she's pretty private in her personal life."
"I see."
"Yep, that's about it for her! Now we get to the final Swordsman, Genji Jishima! Although instead of me talking about him, you can just meet him now." Mangetsu said. You didn't realize it as you were more focused on the Jinchuriki, but you and Mangetsu were in front of a large gate. Peering through the iron bars, you saw that inside the gated area was a rather large and lavish looking mansion.
"This is...Genji's house?" you asked in awe. You had seen some pretty fancy places while you were in the Whirlpool, but this single mansion easily cleared them, except maybe for the Administration Building. A large lawn was in front of the mansion, with many skillfully shaped bushes dotting the grass, and a stone pathway that led up to the front door.
"Yep! Although I guess it's more correct to say it's Genji and Yagura's house." Mangetsu said.
"Yagura? Isn't he the Fourth Mizukage?"
"Glad you know that at least. Yeah, Yagura and Genji are married, but they don't like other people talking about their love life so I'll just shut up then." Mangetsu quickly whispered. You nodded as you felt an absolutely monstrous chakra suddenly emerge as the front door of the mansion opened. Your attention was instantly turned towards it, watching as a tall man with long, wavy dark brown hair walked down the stone path. As he got closer, you could see he also had a goatee, and strapped to his back was what looked like a normal katana, just extremely long, almost about as long as he was tall. He easily jumped over the gate and landed in front of you and Mangetsu.
The first thing you could notice now that he was up close was his intense glare, almost like he was attempting to stab someone purely by his gaze. The second was he would look rather handsome if it didn't look like his furrowed brows and deep scowl were etched into his face. His dark eyes looked at Mangetsu for a moment before sliding over to you.
"Maya Terumi..." Genji muttered, his voice deep. "Why are you here?"
"I went to see her before-" Mangetsu began to explain, but Genji calmly raised his hand.
"Let her speak, Mangetsu."
"Well, let's see. It started yesterday when Suigetsu challenged me to a spar, which I won. Mangetsu got curious to see who beat his little brother, so he came by to visit me. Then he told me that the Seven Swordsmen have been interested in seeing me, so we decided to go see you to make sure that's alright." you explained, now feeling less tense. Despite his intimidating demeanor, you had the feeling that Genji was the reasonable sort.
"Is that true, Mangetsu?" Genji asked, now turning his attention to the Hozuki.
"Yes, it is. Pretty much exactly how it happened." Mangetsu replied.
"I see. It is true the other Swordsmen have shown interest in you to varying degrees, even if Hiricho continues to call you insolent." Genji said. You had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes upon hearing that. "Tell me, Maya. What do you intend to get out of meeting the other Swordsmen?"
"Uh..."
"Genji, I'm the one who offered, I just knew everyone was interested in the rising superstar of the Mist, so I..." Mangetsu began, but trailed off as Genji shook his head.
"I want to hear Maya's reasoning. She may be Lord Byakuren's pet project, but we don't know much about her beyond that." Genji grimly replied, looking at you. You instantly realized that he didn't quite trust you, even after everything you've done, and he's trying to scope you out.
How will you answer?
[] Follow up on what Mangetsu was trying to say, that you're doing it to appease the interest of the Swordsmen.
[] Tell Genji that you would never pass up on the chance to see the Swordsmen, how could anyone worth their salt as a shinobi not take this opportunity?
[] Be completely honest and tell Genji that you're hoping to become allies with at least one member of the Swordsmen.
[] Write In.
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Tell Genji that you would never pass up on the chance to see the Swordsmen, how could anyone worth their salt as a shinobi not take this opportunity?
- Location
- Fifth Dimension
[X] Tell Genji that you would never pass up on the chance to see the Swordsmen, how could anyone worth their salt as a shinobi not take this opportunity?
Arc 3: Chapter 15
[] Tell Genji that you would never pass up on the chance to see the Swordsmen, how could anyone worth their salt as a shinobi not take this opportunity?
---
"Lord Genji," you began, bowing your head and sounding more serious. "The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist are some of the most famous shinobi in Jihopan, and once Mangetsu told me that they were interested in my feats, I couldn't pass up the opportunity not only to meet them, but also give them the chance to satisfy their curiosity. I believe any shinobi who has the slightest ounce of respect would think the same way I did about this."
You raised your head and found that Genji was staring at you, his dark eyes completely unreadable as he thought over what you said. After a moment, he spoke. "It is true. Both the fact that most would be quite honored to have gain the interest in the Swordsmen, along with having the chance to see them."
"Exactly! And since everyone is here-" Mangetsu began, but a fierce glare from Genji quickly made him shut up.
"You will speak when spoken to, Mangetsu." Genji firmly stated, causing the white haired man to nod nervously. Genji's attention went back towards you. "Maya, I have some questions I wish to ask. Answer them honestly."
"Yes sir." you automatically said, the weight of Genji's authority making you feel meek.
"My first question is this. When you were taken in to prison for interrogation, Zabuza, Haku, prison staff, and every eyewitnesses confirmed to me that you were male. Yet when the prison warden, Kira Satsujin, interrogated you, he discovered that you were unmistakably female." Genji said, carefully watching you. "I can tell you're a woman, very clearly so. So why did everyone think you're male?"
Your mind flashed back to that pervy prison warden and let out a disgusted sigh. You looked at Genji and answered, "I used a transformation jutsu, sir. I was nervous as a lone woman entering dangerous territory, so I thought I'd transform into a man for some measure of safety. Once I knew I was going to be interrogated, I figured honesty was the best policy and turned it off."
The lie came out smooth and easy, comfortably believable enough for anyone but the most suspicious. Genji didn't reveal anything with his face or body language, taking in your information for a moment as he asked his next question. "Why did you help quell Gaikotsu's rampage? You had only just received permission to stay in the Mist Empire, yet your first action was to risk life and limb against a truly dangerous man."
"When I heard that people were being killed, I just leapt into action. If I could save even one person, it was worth it, and thankfully we managed to stop Gaikotsu in the end. I wish I had a deeper reason, but I can't stand by while innocents die." you grimly said, your mind flashing back to your island being razed.
"...Very well. Lord Byakuren has already given me his account of your battle with Kaitaikojo and Ishako, and you managed to return from a mission to the Whirlpool. Throughout all of this, you have remained loyal to the Mist Empire." Genji said, his guard slightly lowering. "At this point only a paranoiac would believe you're against us."
"Thank you, Lord Genji."
"But keep this in mind, there's pros and cons for turning into a 'rising superstar' as Mangetsu said. Make sure to take care." Genji said. "Now follow me. The meeting is starting soon and it wouldn't do for the Head Swordsman to be late."
Both you and Mangetsu looked at each other for a moment as Genji walked off. You two followed him, going down the road.
"Sorry about that. Genji's just a bit high-strung, but he's a cool, really." Mangetsu apologize, his voice soft so Genji couldn't hear him,
"Don't worry, it's fine." you replied.
"Good...takes a load off my mind." Mangetsu said with a chuckle.
"It's rude to talk to someone behind their back. Literally, in this case." Genji firmly stated, causing both you and Mangetsu to jump.
The two of you went silent, following Genji towards the meeting spot. As you walked through the roads and streets, you had the idea to talk to Genji, since it seems like he trusts you going by the last conversation. Then again, you don't know if he'd even answer with how closely he keeps his cards to his chest...
What will you do?
[] Talk to Genji
-[] Ask about himself.
-[] Ask how he became the Head Swordsmen.
-[] Ask about any strong foes he fought.
-[] Just start some casual small talk.
-[] Write In
[] Keep to yourself, prepare yourself for meeting all the other swordsmen.
[] Something else? (Write In)
---
Sorry about the hiatus, life and stuff happened once again.
Last edited:
- Location
- Fifth Dimension
[X] Keep to yourself, prepare yourself for meeting all the other swordsmen.