Oh Shit...THOSE TWO KNOW EACHOTHER!?

Kuro noted the sense of distaste that he felt from Echo when he mentioned his last name and how it need not be mentioned. So he was not the only one with a horrid family life. Well, what used to be a family life, considering he had directly murdered his parents, accidentally caused his cousin's death, and by a simple lack of being there, caused the first person to earn his respect to die. He shrugged. "Join the club on that. My family sold me as a slave when I was like ten." Or maybe eight? He couldnt really remember. Age was never important for the man who gave better advice than the wisest of old men, yet was more immature than teenagers who experimented due to hormones. He was a living paradox, but then... werent all humans? That was what made them so interesting. Most animals, when faced with obstacles will either destroy the obstacle or give up. Humans had the resolve to continue beating at it until they mastered it completely and utterly. Humans had that annoying yet awe-inspiring thing called will. It was what let them live past their limits, to find the fullest extent of power. Even the weakest human could adapt and change at a rate no other animal could match.

Willpower... what an interesting thing. He could sense Echo was close to finding his own source of Haki. To be honest, Haki was more about forcing things to change with just your will. Reading intentions was easy, as was blocking with Haki, but both required an insane willpower that few man possessed. It could be trained, yes, but few could stand the training without giving up. It was what separated the weak willed from the strong willed. Those who could move furniture from those who could move fucking mountains. Sometimes that was even literal. Kuro reminded himself to move one of Kumo's mountains when he finally got home. Maybe cut one in half or something, scare the hell out of everyone.

"Haki is really just a lack of hesitation. Its what will originally empower you. Think of why you want power, why you must become strong, then all those doubts you have about them? Lose them. Think that your goal, whatever it may be, is a fact of life. Not something to be negotiated, not a possibility, but the absolute truth. That will help you with Haki... after that, well its mostly unlocked by need, even if it is powered by willpower." Kuro shrugged. "Im not the best teacher, but Im probably the only one in the Elemental Nations with this knowledge. And Im not exactly a follower... but she is a..." Was she a friend? He had really only interacted with her twice, but he trusted her. He could never tell how she or her sister had felt about him. Their father had made it clear that he was grateful, but the two sisters were about as easy to read as hieroglyphics. "Id say a friend, but Im not sure."

Echo looks sympathetic for a moment, but shakes that feeling off after another moment, having a feeling that this man, like him just fucking despises sympathy. Echo feels like people look down on him when that occurs, he's also surprised with how forthcoming the man is, it shows trust or perhaps just a lack of caring. However Echo won't return the favor, not currently anyway, he's from Konoha but he REALLY fucking hates talking about his Clan, he's been holding back the urge to wipe them out ever since he became ANBU, then they all ended up dead anyway...or at least most of them.

There are a few Elders, remaining but it won't be too long before they decide to try and leash him, then he'll kill them. He's just under Navi in the chain of command, holding seniority in the mass majority of Konoha, if the Uchiha clan tries to keep him under there thumb he'll simply tear it off and jam it into there eye.
He's free. His only chains are the ones he decides to keep, Family, Friends...Nice chains, he likes his Home. Konoha is his favorite place on the continent, nothing else compares to it for him...
The people are relatively friendly, the weather is almost always nice, lately he's even seen a few of his old buddies from the streets coming into large housing sections...
Life there is good, he wants to keep it that way. "It definitely sounds different from anything I've ever come across, this will be interesting...Thanks for the briefing, I'll be sure to master whatever Haki actually is in no time" Echo declares with a smirk, he's Echo the Invincible, while not a prodigy in the traditional sense like most Uchiha he has a way of innovating old techniques into something completely different simply from the theory and other applications of said technique.
Fuujin no Tenkei was originally an attempt to fly via Great Breakthrough and Kamaitachi...
It ended up becoming part of his monicker, what made him so devastatingly powerful.

He's really sad that the winds have changed so much, not even responding to him as well as before..A sign that something is definitely wrong with..something...
So many paths, so many chances...All in the hands of that egomaniac, he can't PLAN for this, Echo knows every possibility, most of them are VERY bad if Viper actually reaches his goal...No matter what contingency falls into place, something else topples over..
And fire consumes the world.
Echo hums in slight amusement "Heeh~? Maa, guess it can't be helped. Still if she heard that I think she'd be sad don't you?" He asks with a shrug of his shoulders "She's pretty insecure and she's still trying not to eat!" Echo says working himself into a paternal instinct fueled rage, along with one as an instructor of ANBU Operatives. "Doesn't she know Shinobi burn more calories then a normal human just from roof hopping!? She doesn't need to diet as long as she keeps active in her training! The fact that she passed out last month only proves it!!" Echo states crossing his arms and scoffing "Seriously, kids these days are way too fuckin' stubborn." He says very much of the mind currently that, he doesn't give a shit what village there a Kage of, his kids better eat there damn food or he'll come down there and funnel it down there throat!

Echo's an Uncle that's played Father-figure for years now, three kids, one teenage niece, hell he's practically had to teach NAVI how to act around people! He's got way too much instinct for a guy as shady as him.

Kuro sighed. "Its not like that, man. I like her and all, but she acts so weird around me." He thought back to the times she had seemed so embarrassed over him wearing a muscle shirt of all things. Then again, he needed to remind himself, she was not raised in the same open family he was, where nudity was natural and clothing was optional... until you know, the whole slavery bullshit which actually ended up making him one of the strongest people there were at the moment... funny how things work out in the end. "Honestly I think she may hate me." Kuro sighed. "I was her sister's bodyguard, before she died." His voice was laced with more sorrow than it should have been, he noted. "I taught her a little, but she eventually surpassed me... then I just kind of lost it at her, which was around the time I killed that kage... never did learn his name. Right afterwards I had to fight Sanbi though, and that was a real pain. Punched it in the face though. Those were fun days." Kuro laughed. "Oh, right, back on track. Basically I lost my shit and attacked a kage, bijuu, and village all in the same day, with some help of course, before heading back to Kumo... I disappeared for a while after that and when I come back Minatsuki is dead. Then I learn she had a sister of all things, Misaki, and... lets just call our first two meetings interesting. Especially when Koroshi challenged me to a race and I literally embedded myself into a wall near Misaki. That was just fucking awesome. Still though, she tends to act strange as hell around me, maybe she blames me for her sister's death... possible, and likely." Kuro sighed.

If you are staring at your screen dumbfounded at how a missing ninja just confessed his life story to someone he half-knows, the answers are quite simply. Though Kuro is called a missing ninja, he has no bounty, and nothing to really fear. Further, his 'life story' as you may think of it was really just a summary of events that had happened since he and Minatsuki originally left Tengakure. And naturally, Kuro is a very instinctive person, so when he decides to trust someone just from meeting them, he does so with gusto. This means if he trusts you with instinct, he trusts you deeply just as soon as he meets you. Both a good and bad thing, as some people do not register to his instincts and thus, threats may go undetected. Thankfully, his insane judgment had not steered him wrong before now. If it had, well, he would be dead. Deader than dead actually. He would be the equivalent of someone killing someone, edo tensei-ing them, only to kill them again. That is just how dead he would be, if his instincts were not so impressive.

"I think I may head back to Kumo soon, try and resolve whatever problems exist between us, you know? Bah, sorry I doubt you care to hear about my problems, and I certainly dont like pity so this conversation is pointless... however." Kuro glanced at Echo, rinnegan active. "Do you know anything about Wind, Fire, or Lightning? Im trying to master all the elements, and I am having trouble with wind and fire in particular." He chuckled. "Sure I could convince Kurisu, Misaki, or Yaju to help with lightning." That last part was mostly an audible mumble, but it was still likely heard, judging from the fact that Echo was not deaf in both ears at the moment... hopefully, otherwise Kuro was getting far too predictable.

Echo listens to the mans words quietly and respectively, nodding and frowning slightly. This guy is more then he seems at first glance, he's a psychopath sure..But Echo see's a good guy in there, well..Not THAT good, but still this person is human in the sense that he's not above emotional attachments..Nobody is really. Echo decides to ignore the other facts that may or may not be connected to Kirigakure and simply file them away with his 'Slap Viper' with it folder to be used at a later date. However Echo's eyes flick towards a bar nearby as the man begins wrapping up..

Echo raises his right hand and waves away the apology "Hey! Hey! Kuro my man, everybody's gotta open up sometime yeah? Besides, I'd be a shitty Sage if I didn't listen to peoples problems...Wise mans gotta be wise, otherwise he's a know-it-all jackass." Echo states with a bit of a grin before he gestures towards the bar with his head for a favored Shinobi past-time.
Drinking. He walks and if the man follows he continues speaking "Listen, my family ain't exactly forgiving...Nor are we merciful, if she blamed you for anything you wouldn't have to be thinking about it....You'd have 5' whatever of lightning covered teenage Raikage trying to take your head off!" He says gesturing his hands upwards in a showy manner. "In any case, you do need to go back and have a talk, that's a good idea..If nothing else but to clear any guilt you might have..." He says slowing his pace a bit so he can walk aside his new buddy..Which is weird.. "Nobody can be everywhere at once, we're all human...We've all got..certain hang-ups that every once in awhile keep us from doing what we have too...And most of the time when these resurface...The collateral damage hurts more then just physically.." He says with a bit of a sigh before he presses on. "All you can do is learn, press on and try to redeem yourself...But never giving up is something that a very important figure taught the world hundreds and hundreds of years ago...Right?" He asks with a small smile "Even if I kinda hate that guy...That point I can agree with." He says with a shrug, revealing his slight disdain for this figure...something most would consider almost blasphemous....He'd most likely be lynched if he wasn't so powerful..

Still that last point catches up with his mind and he simply responds "I happen to be one of the most respected master of Wind Techniques on this continent." He states with no ego, this is something he's got pride in, this is an undisputed fact....When someone asks for a master of Wind Jutsu in Konoha..One usually thinks of Echo Uchiha. If there not from Konoha, they think of the monstrous ANBU that terrorized the Sky Nation, the masked Kitsune commander of the ANBU Corps of the Fire Nation...

While still active TECHNICALLY, he is marked under being on personal leave....Which is true..
When Konoha needs Kitsune again, that's when he'll go back on active ANBU duty..
Symbols are what makes Konoha strong..Not so much the Shinobi..but the symbols that keep morale strong..
The imposing form of Kitsune was an example to all aspiring ANBU, then Ferret appeared and Echo the Invincible resurfaced, Ferret as a shadow and Echo as a shining beacon of power..

The Angel of Death and the Wind God were symbols of the Crimson God's power in the past, now Echo is a wanderer...And Navi the Swift is a large enough symbol for Konoha to remain in power...
Kuushou the Burning Sky is another symbol for his own designs.

The Will of Fire is something that makes Konoha strong, the symbols it produces every couple of generations make it a beacon of hope and death depending on which side of the battlefield your on..

Zachariah Delamore figured that out fast when he found just what Echo could do in simple border skirmishes, to hundreds of Shinobi single handedly..
Kiri was sunk, he wasn't even present..if he was, even by himself the result would have been the same...

But I digress, Wind is something Echo is very skilled with, being in tune with nature and the state of time, he's a bit empathic with the spirits of the wind, which gives him his edge.

Kuro chuckled. "yeah I suppose so." Remembering how fond the raikage were of Lightning Armor, Kuro knew it would be a hassle to deal with them. Granted, he absolutely could not kill or hurt any of them, due to emotional attachment, but he would rather not deal with them trying to do so to him. "Its a bit annoying though, being utterly unable to read her actual emotions. Sometimes its like trying to read another language. Maybe Im just not a people person." As true as that last statement was, he often read normal people with ease. Though... could kage class people be considered 'normal'? He doubted it. "And a sage, huh? Thats cool. Always enjoyed nature myself, and I might even make something that uses natural chakra." More rambling, yep he was definitely losing his mind. "I suppose my Tree of Life doesnt count, so another jutsu would be nice." Kuro mused aloud. 

Kuro grinned. "Any chance you are willing to try teaching me some wind element? Like I said, trying to master all of the elements." Wind was one of the ones he understood as a person, but failed at chakra, much like lightning. The concept of being free... "some advice will do, really, Ive never had an actual teacher." At least not a real teacher, he was just told things, or given advice. No one bothered to teach him anything, he learned it all himself, which made his power that much more impressive. "Anyway, you got anywhere you want to be? I think I might visit Koroshi, back in Suna." Kuro noted this man seemed to be completely uninterested by him knowing several kage on a personal level, including his race with Koroshi. 

{Short post, been busy with BL and OPR and work. x.x}

Echo chuckles slightly at the mention of his Niece being hard to read before he retorts with "Being the wisest man on the planet, being of unmatched resourcefulness and quick thinking...Even being timeless...Will still never help you understand a woman my friend." Echo states his grin making it clear he's enjoying this conversation...He doesn't get to do this much! He's got plenty of people that look up to him and that speak with him..But he doesn't actually have that many friends! He's pretty sure Navi counts, in fact Navi might be his only friend!

He can't help if he's a bit of an abrasive personality and has a habit of being generally destructive! Kurisu could..Possibly count, but they only really have spoken a few times, he's a Brother, an adopted Brother but a brother no less..
Still, friends are hard things for the existence known as Echo Uchiha to come by, especially in this world of Shinobi where they might just have to kill each other at any given moment.
Still he nods his acceptance "Yeah sure, I can show you a few things and yeah I do gotta head back to my disciples in Takigakure, you got room for one more?" Echo asks vaguely noting that there are three scenarios which will lead to his inevitable death, however the millions of other pathways...are just fun enough for him to risk it...

And Echo likes living a LOT, so that should tell someone something about how much fun that could possibly hold for the two Shinobi.

Kuro shrugged, being the lazy shit he was. He had never thought of Misaki specifically as a woman, just a human. It didnt matter. He simply touched Echo's shoulder and teleported the fuck away, because the person controlling Kuro is a lazy shit who could not honestly come up with more and made Echo and his disciples wait too long.

{EXIT}

5145 words
2k for Tier 1 Kenbunshoku Haki
3k for Wind element
145 words to charity.

[Exit, I'm back from Vegas and way too hungover to type shit, but I'ma coming guys!]

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