Just Screwing Around (OPEN)

Today...was a boring day. Just like the day before, just like the day before the day befoer, and just like the day before the day before the current day. He had all but stopped going on missions and training for the sole fact that he had a soul-crushing realization that he wasn't making a dent on anything. Not in the world. Not in his village. Hell, even the sweets shop went on normally without him. He had been in the mountains for the last couple weeks, having found a cave hidden by a rock and using it as his forward base. He had hunted often, collecting tools that were thrown way out of the way or going into the village every once in a while to buy something with what meager money he could scrounge together by working at his grandmother's place as an actual cook. He took quick wash-offs in the local stream as to wash off any mud he put on himself while he was hunting for a boar, birds, or other wildlife that he could find in the mountains. His physique had thinned tremendously, no longer having that healthy muscular stature that he once had. He was still toned, however, he was visibly thinner and darker than he once was, having spent most of his days out in the sun rather than indoors like he did when he lived with his grandmother.

He had also grown a little beard, his testosterone from puberty kicking in and causing him to have a messy, shaggy goatee (albeit a small one) on his face. He had also gained various scars and lacerations on his body as well as some torn, ragged clothes from repeatedly going out to hunt the local wildlife. He stayed away from people as much as he possibly could, having become mostly shut out from the world.  He had turned inward instead of being that outward-focused person he once was, focusing on his inner prowess instead of his outer prowess. Sure, he had still gone into his Devil gene form from time to time, but he had no reason to use it. He was at peace with himself in this hermit-like state.

Hunter had spent a few weeks in the infirmary at the compound. His Chakra levels and his injured left arm had taken a toll on his health. Today though he was determined, though his left arm was now just badly bruised he felt his Chakra level was at the normal levels that they once were. He washed in the bathhouse before dressing. Today would mark the second time that Hunter would be wearing his Chuunin Jacket since he achieved the rank. He did not have a chance to alter it yet so it covered his back tattoo. But his harness would have to be re developed so that the weapons would fit comfortably. Hunter put on his pants, Belt, and Boots before tying his Kumo Headband around his forehead. He remembered the guards speaking of a wild man in the mountains, and this would be a good way for Hunter to get out. After he was dressed he grabbed Rebellion and held it close to him as he walked out of the room and into the courtyard where he rounded up Slow Death and hopped up onto his back as he gave his buddy a good scratch before telling him the plan.

“Ok Bud, we are going into the deep mountains where there are a series of caves. There is a rumor that a man of the wild is loose and I aim to put and end to it.” Hunter said as Slow Death took the orders and nodded as he knew that this would be a chance to get stronger as well.

The Guards, medical personel, and servants all looked and regarded Hunter differently, and he did not yet know how to feel about it so he just disregarded it, and no one questioned him when he said he was leaving for the day.

Soon Hunter arrived into the deep mountains as he began to look around and soon he found a good sized cave. He decided he would start his search here and he pointed to the cave as Slow Death nodded before pressing on.

He would be in his usual place, in the core of the hidden cave system in the mountains, haivng made a small camp there. On a spit, there was a boar, roasting ever slowly as Souji sharpened some of his kunai with a whetting stone he had found in the caves. There was a wonder that no one ever came by here. He had yet to see any ninja come by to even try to bring him back to the village, let alone stop him from his hunting. Not that he overhunted in the least. He got a boar every three days or so, making sure to use every part to necessitate his need for it. He'd still have some leftover supplies from when he was simply training in the mountains. He chuckled at the irony, the place he once used most often to train hard to become a great shinobi was a place that he retired to in order to move away from the shinobi life. Fate had a cruel way of working.

He heard footsteps emanating from one of the entrances of the cave, the echos being loud to his keenly trained ears. He had spent so long in the silence of the caves that he could feel the differences in the air, even if his ears had failed him. A jolt of electricity jumped over his skin, the crimson flash being a warning in his body that a strong enemy was coming.

He took a deep breath, casting his voice out in a way that it would bounce equally through all the caves, wanting the one looking for him to be confused. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice calm, yet weary.

Hunter soon came upon the caves, at least four Meters away when a voice erupted from the bowels of the cavern, sounding a bit menacing.  Hunter was un-phased by the voice as it seemed whoever was inside this cave was using the cavern like a giant megaphone.  Hunter made a face to show that whoever was inside was not stupid by any means.  He hopped off of his friend and reached out with his Chakra, using his newly acquired Chakra Senses to try and see if he could find out who it was.  He was able to soon reach out and he found he could sense the kid inside.  He could have been a bit younger, or older, but size did not matter as Hunter could not see inside just yet.  He switched on his Darkness Vision which now not only allowed him to see out and into the cavern, but see that there was boar on a spit, and the kid was as tall as Hunter was.  He began to walk towards the cavern taking a non-violent stance as he now stood at the mouth of the cavern and waited for the kid to speak again, but right now it was Hunter’s turn.

 “Yo…kid, get your ass out of there.  Why are you up n these damn mountains anyway.  You do not give off a violent stance, or voice…so quit with the act and come talk to me face to face.  I will not strike you down.  So…what will it be, shall I come in there or will you come to me?”  Hunter said as he knew he had now issued an ultimatum for the kid inside.  If he did not comply, he would be have to be taught a lesson even though Hunter knew not if the kid was a Genin, or higher.

Souji would sit down next to the fire, grabbing a canteen full of water and taking a refreshing gulp of the cooled liquid, setting it back down as he started to spin his lunch/dinner/breakfast around on the spit. He turned it gently, taking a moment to speak to the intruder before he spoke. "I am at peace here. What do you want?" He asked, following up with a soft statement. "And I'd rather not come to the forefront. I have no idea how many of you there are out there, and words mean nothing nowadays. I also have food here that i'd rather not burn, for I am quite hungry at the moment." He said simply as he continued to move around the cave, checking on various things as he kept a kunai in his hands, both to cut the meat when it was done and also to protect himself if this person should prove to be hostile.

He was moving non-hostilely through his cave, his movements listless and dull, his body seeming weary. His chakra was as calm as a still lake, though, at its core, it just seemed like embers in a flame. He was tired and his chakra and movements showed it.

Hunter sighed as he saw the kid sit down. He took his blade and with what seemed like little force he shoved Rebellion into the mouth of the cave. He looked back to Slow Death and didn’t even have to tell him to wait as the Giant Alligator Snapping Turtle walked to the sword and sat down and receeded into his shell. Hunter gave a quick pat onto his shell before walking into the cave. He didn’t ask for an invite, nor did he take the aggressive stance. He took a seat across from the kid and the spit as he was able to make out the outline of two Kunai as he switched off his heat vision so he could see regularly and saw that the kid had ragged clothes, the cavern was trashed out, and the Kunai he used were whittled down like someone had sharpened a stick. Hunter laughed before pointing to the boar.

“If you do not mind, I will take a leg, I have not eaten in a few hours and I am quite famished.” Hunter said as he put on his best smile. He probably looked odd to the kid, after all it seemed he had been in the mountains for quite some time. A Chuunin coming to see him was probably the LAST thing he wanted to see after a day of hunting ad cooking.

His ears twitched as he heard the distinct noise of a blade sinking into stone, his ears twitching a bit more as he heard the full pats of someone petting something. It must have been a pet. And by the frequency, it was some kind of turtle. It did not move, however, from what Souji's ears could tell him, and the man was alone. He took a slice out ot the side of the bore, taking the sliver of meat and putting it into his maw, chewing down on the soft, juicy flesh of the boar as he watched the man impede on his territory. While it irked him a little bit for a chuunin to just stride into his abode, he said and showed nothing, continuing to chew on the meat. He sighed gently, warily and calmly as he looked to the man.

With a flick of his wrist, the stick-like kunai sliced through the sinew, flesh, and bone of the pig's leg like a sharpened katana through paper, the sides somewhat brittle, but extra sharp thanks to how much he had sharpened it. "There." He said, handing the man the leg of the boar as he ate in silence, cutting off a chunk of the boar every once in a while, having cleaned and gutted it (obviously), and placed the organs someplace else for later use. "Lets cut to the chase. What brings you here?" He asked, not really paying much attention to the looks of the man as much as his bodily language.

Hunter ate the Boar leg and remained smiling the entire time as he did not take his eyes off of the kid. He did not need to look at his Kunai, nor did he have to activate his Jutsu. He simply ate the leg until nothing was left but bone. Hunter was satisfied with the Boar leg as he looked the kids eyes.

“So then, what is your name kid, and why are you out here. I realize I have ignored your question, but indulge me a little…” Hunter began as he realized he still had the bone as he put the bone on the cavern floor. “As you can see…I am unarmed…that you know of, but I mean you no harm. I am simply investigating a rumor I heard, and since I can probably see this as you being the culprit…I will extend an offer to you if everything goes right.” Hunter finished as he cleaned his hands and waited for the kid to reply.

His eyes flashed from their vibrant blue to a milky white and stayed there for a while as he spoke, a soft sigh coming from him as his question was sidestepped. "I expect and answer for my question after I answer yours. It's only common courtesy." He said as he began to speak to the man, his voice low. "My name is Souji Tendou. I am a Genin of the Hidden Cloud village...though, I have given up on my training and on my missions. I live out here in peace in the mountains, taking only what I will eat and eating only what I take. I do not interact with others unless I need to."

His voice carried and echoed in each of the caves, though it didn't travel too far thanks to how low his voice was at the moment. "I have, in the last month, caught 5 boars, 14 birds that have flown too close to the village, and some rabbits from the nearby crags." He said simply. "And I cannot trust you. No ninja is ever unarmed, whether they be great taijutsu masters or proficient enough in ninjutsu or Genjutsu that they are a threat." He said, cutting one of the other legs off and biting into it.

Hunter listened to Souji and kept his smile as the Genin spoke. Though he could not help but look at him and listen to his story as he described himself as being a man of the wild, no man in the Village of Kumokagure has heard of this inside this generation. Wildmen were few and far between, but it is usually due to the overactive environment. Hunter knew he expected an answer as he could tell the kid had some sort of ability to sense Chakra despite being a Genin.

“of course I would and will answer your questions….” Hunter began as Souji expressed his distrust in the Village Ninja. “I am Hunter Yagami, I live in the Compound here in the mountains away from the Village as well. I am a Chuunin of Kumokagure and a member of Team Four under the leadership of Sensei Yaju. I have come here to investigate rumors of there being a Wildman here in the mountains. Now another question…” Hunter began as he looked at him before taking a canteen out and drinking from it slowly before offering it to Souji, the aroma it gave off smelled of strawberry. Hunter showed he had no Kunai or any other weapon on him, and he even wore no gloves. “I know you do not believe me but I mean you no harm. So the question…WHY are you here? Why give up on your team and missions and the Village?” Hunter asked as he still held out the Canteen.