The Terror of the Forest (IO) (Salzem, Kasai)

Salzem crawled his way out of his self loathing as they came into a clearing where a rather large carcass of a bird or what looks like a bird. It was mauled by some massive beast and the ground surrounding it seemed to have been scorched by intense focused fire or something of that nature. What to make of this?

"There's nothing to make of. We should keep the burns and bite marks in mind and move on." Salzem said, eyeing up the tracks leading deeper into the forest. Salzem had his suspicions about this creature. It was not something that any novice could summon so the person who did it must have some kind of intentions of summoning this beast. Salzem honestly doubted it was in the best of intentions for Konoha. The village had slowly been lowering on Salzem's list of cares for a long while. His patients was wearing thin with everything that has been going on, or more accurately, what "hasn't" been going on. Salzem's kept his frustration down, or at least tried. He moved forward, following the tracks.
The Creature may be a dragon... Salzem thought. How would we get it down from the air...?

Upon hearing Draconis's approval, Kasai knelt, pricked a small bit of his thumb, and attempted to summon the ape. Surprisingly, Kasai believed to have worked, as a very normal, and actually completely average looking Orangutan appeared in a puff of smoke. Of course, he was far from normal, and one of the strongest users of fire jutsu that Kasai knew, but his simple appearance also gave him the advantage of surprise. (-150 ap)

The ape only looked around for a second, and then nodded solemnly to Kasai. It seemed as if the red beast knew exactly what they were up against, but Kasai knew it would not tell. It would, however, fight alongside Kasai and the other two, which would be a large advantage, seeing as it was the one whom taught Kasai the only S rank he currently knew.

"It is not a normal creature of this world," Kasai said, looking at the carcass when they came across it. "Something of legend or an abomination perhaps, but I doubt it will be anything have encountered previously."

With that, he followed Draconis, the funny ape teetering behind him, neither making a sound, and both with hands at their chests. The strange posture might have made them seem like they were praying; Kasai more so with his robes which could be mistaken to be a priests, but instead they only had their hands there to reduce the fraction of a second that it would take to move their hands together to begin performing jutsu. As such, they continued, all their senses, both in chakra and physical, were aware, ready for anything.

(630-150 ap = 480 ap remaining. I've heard a rumor that I get more ap for being a Chuunin? O.o )

Draconis watched with interest as Kasai summoned an ape. He was not going to make any comments about summons if he had a contract with the devil him self. Ha, beat that! Nah, he was not the type to do that, but I am sure some of you get the implication. Both of the others seemed unpeterbed by the damage done to the giant biard, the horrific bite being not at all helpful for determining the size of the monster, he had seen some monsters with rather giant heads and puny bodies, or the inverse, where their head was huge but really it was not much in mass proportionally to the rest of the freak.

While they travelled, Draconis flared the fire chakra around his body more and more, feeling a familiar rush similar to the wind chakra, but there was some thing else now too. Yes, he did not feel faster, he felt more powerful. His chakra levels felt like they were rising, but so did his physical strength. He tried smacking one fist into the other hand’s open palm, and the impact was definitely louder and harder than normal.

The group would continue through the forest until they were accosted by several missing ninjas, who appeared to be mid-teens as well. “Looks like we get a warm up guys. I will take the one in the middle. I’m afraid we probably do not have time to take these guys back to the village, they likely have to die.” Draconis drew a kunai and charged, the Byakugan still active to keep an eye on the others just in case.

(709+270=979/3334)

Salzem glanced back as he saw Kasai summoning the orangutan. He was about to make a snide comment about how helpful an orangutan would be before he remembered one of the first rules learned in the academy: Nothing is as it seems... Salzem shut his mouth before he could open it. The absolute last thing he needed was to be smacked around by an ape, especially before taking on a creature potentially the size of the trees. Suddenly, as they were walking, several missing ninja approached them, slightly older than Salzem, about the same age as Draconis. Salzem faced the one on the right as Draconis faced the one in the middle. As he faced his opponent, Salzem drew his Keyblades, Olympia and One Winged Angel quickly, Spinning one, then the other as a distraction to the enemy. The one he faced held two swords of his own, both katanas, although he didn't appear nearly as skilled. Salzem held is weapons in front of him in a defensive position. Salzem growled in cold anger. He didn't have TIME for this.

"Then die they will." Salzem hissed.

(Okay guys, sorry I couldn't post today, I got more busy than I expected. The next two days will also be busy for me, but I'll do my best to post. Feel free to skip me if you want.)

Kasai noticed the looks that had been given to Karyoku, and chuckled inwardly. Yes, he looked strange, but in a sense, this was Kasai's teacher for the fire element, though recently Kasai had matched the ape in power, and only had one teacher from which he learned; the sun. The strongest flame in their solar system, and the one which affected them the most, Kasai bathed and basked in every moment it graced the surface with its light.

When the three missing ninja approached, Kasai almost felt bad for them. Taking a life was never something to take lightly, but then, he realized that they must be npcs! Aside from the fact that he doesn't actually know he's in a game. So, instead he just pushed past the emotions, and knew that if these ninja wanted to, they could step aside, or run, but they had chosen not to. There was a greater threat to the village, and a delay would mean more of a threat. So no delays would be made. 

"So be it," he said. Salzem's anger worried him, but he would look it over for the time being, remaining perfectly calm.

Kasai looked blankly at the third member of the group, and though his eyes, locked him to the ground. Unless the missing ninja's chakra was higher than he expected, (over 50 chakra), then the missing ninja would be frozen to the ground. (480 - 30 (genjutsu binding) = 450 ap remaining). 

Kasai would then slowly walk towards the missing ninja, until he stood only a few meters away (10ft). The genjutsu lasted a little too long for Kasai's liking, but he was not sure if it would hold this shinobi, and so, without any delay, he made a simple tiger seal, and a massive cone of fire errupted out of his mouth towards the missing ninja (traveling at 60 speed and with 60 power), which would either gravely injure the ninja, or incinerate him instantly. ( 450 ap - 30 great dragon fire = 420 (why this number) ap remaining.) He would see what remained after the cone of flame disappeared.

(sorry for the delay, guys)

Draconis charged the middle ninja, who was quite adept… at running into Draconis’ blade. By sheer dumb luck but mostly so the plot did not take too long, when Draconis stabbed with his kunai and then threw it to the left, the opposing ninja had tried to dodge to his right. He fell rather abruptly, falling to the ground the other ninja did, with Draconis’ kunai stabbed in his stomach. Draconis ran over to the ninja and began whaling on him with the butt end of a second kunai, while reaching down past the other ninja’s flailing arms to twist the kunai and then forcefully yank it up and out, spraying blood in many places including on his own clothing. Looks like he would need a change of clothing before the day was through.

Meanwhile, Salzem drew a couple of blades, to match his opponent. The second ninja npc guy thingy decided to take a risk. Charging towards Salzem, not seeing the fate of the others, he threw the first katana hard, at Salzem’s stomach, when he was 2 and a half meters away, and suddenly tripped over a root, stumbling towards Salzem, his katana whirling around in the grasp of his left hand.

Meanwhile, Kasai was encountering and engaging the third ninja opponent guy assigned for this mission. Unfortunately the opposing ninja had little he could do, he was caught in the genjutsu almost immediately, and was pretty much helpless. He was roasted alive, managing a dying scream as his life flashed before his eyes, the biggest memories being first: a clairvoyant telling him to avoid pyromaniacs as one would kill him one day, and two, his mother telling him to eat his veggies and drink lots of water so that he would be healthier and less likely to catch fire. The third npc vanished from existence, leaving just the one Salzem was fighting, well, watching stumble around from tripping.

Draconis watched the others after finishing off his own opponent, when Salzem was finished he would head through the trees again, following the tracks. Upon entering one clearing he would notice a whole bunch of people in black jump suits, each with a big red “R” stylized and emblazoned on the front and back of their uniforms. Some cages and some mysterious balls were lying around the clearing, more tracks matching those seen earlier all over the place, almost as if this metagaming jerk knew that the monster had been fighting these guys in black and red before… yes. The monster had headed off in that direction due west. Figuring that these guys were not up to any good if they were not asking the surrounding villages for help, Draconis bent down to interrogate one of them, but only got a “Long Live Team Rocket…” before he slumped into unconsciousness.

Huh… so that’s the group who was also after the beast. So That’s why they had the big red “R”. If or when the others were done looking around, he would continue on following the tracks. In the mean time, he continued to flare the fire chakra, becoming able to keep a constant pulse going now, that vitalized his energy and muscles.

(979+553=1532)

(Team rocket Drac? HA!)
Salzem cocked his head to the side in confusion as his opponent stumbled forward like a bumbling idiot in the middle of a stomach strike. This fool didn't have the skill or discipline Salzem, or any ninja would have. Salzem exploited the "hook" design of One-Winged Angel, catching the sword. As he did so, he would twist his wrist upward, causing him to lose his grip on his sword. Salzem would then raise his swords as if he was going slash downward. As the missing ninja raised his remaining sword to block, Salzem slammed the pommel of both swords down on the poor man's skull. His eyes went blank before his legs gave way and he fell to his knees. Salzem crossed his swords over his chest before slicing them like scissors across the ninja's neck. His head fell from his body, blood splashing over his weapons and the ground around him, but not Salzem himself.

Salzem took out a small handkerchief from his pack and wiped his weapons clean. Good weapon maintenance was crucial to having a weapon. Salzem turned and saw Draconis had already finished off his opponent and Kasai should be about done with his. Salzem followed Draconis before coming up to some more unfortunate people. However these seemed to have already come under attack and by the look of the surroundings and foot-prints, it appeared as if they had a run-in with the beast. Strange ones, these. They had a larg "R" emblemized on the front of their uniforms. As Draconis bent down interigate one of the conscious ones, Salzem went off and checked the others. They were all dead or dying. Most still alive were unconscious, but one was still awake, breath rapid, severe burns covering his body. He looked up at Salzem with pleading eyes. It seemed all he wanted was to have the pain end. He looked down at the man, a look of pity on his face. He kneeled down next to the man, weaving the handsigns Hare Ox Monkey. As he completed the seals, the tip of his fingers glowed blue. Soon the glow changed into azure flames dancing on his finger-tips. Salzem jammed his fingers into the thug's skin, injecting the Chakra Anesthetic into the man's nervous-system. His breath steadily slowed, the dark embrace of sleep enveloping him. Salzem cringed as he pried his fingers from him. The man's flesh... black, crumply... like paper.... Salzem followed Draconis and the tracks, feeling as hollow as ever. He wondered about those men. Who were they? And the missing ninja... were they sent here to die? They must have known a superior when they saw one... Salzem walked up next to Draconis so that he was walking side-by-side with him.

"Do you have an idea where this beast is or how far It may be from here?" Salzem asked. He wanted to get this over and done with. Salzem was no coward and he was not afraid. He did not enjoy being this deep in the forests of Konoha anymore than he needed to. If he had learned anything from this village, it was that it's environment favored the outlaws of the land. Salzem finished cleaning his blades and slipped them into their respective holsters. If Draconis would answer, Salzem would listen, then drop back, taking his place back at the rear. If not, he would not say anymore and return to the back of the group.


AP: 285
-15 Chakra anesthetic

(I swear, if this summon is a pokemon.....)

Kasai looked at the pile of ash that was the remnants of what had been the missing ninja, and felt a strange and sickening feeling pulse through him. It hadn't been the first death that he had caused, but at the same time, he knew that Konoha was far from prepared to deal with killing. It almost made him cough out a laugh, thinking about it. For some strange reason, that small moment made him think back to the months that he had been trained by the demon priest leader of the Akatsuki. 

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Kasai moved on with the rest. He did not know why, but recently he had been disappointed with the villages performance. But he would have to look over that for this mission, and then change the problem afterwards, one way or another. 

He looked around at the group that was laying around, and wondered what kind of summon would do this. The scorch marks all around seemed as if it was challenging Kasai's place as a child of the sun. Yet it attacked and struck, though did not kill them. Perhaps it was doing this for sport, trying to find one to match it.

If this was the case, Kasai knew that it would indeed find its match with these three Chuunin. They were some of the strongest that Konoha had to offer, and Kasai intended to prove that. Killing for reason was one thing, but killing for sport was something else. Attacking with the intent to make the defender learn was reasonable, for a teacher, but to attack just simply for fun, and to kill for pleasure was not justifiable.

Kasai looked towards Draconis for an answer when Salzem asked his question. He wanted this beat out of the way for good now, seeing the damage it had done without reason. 

Once this monster was slain or dealt with, Kasai would have to return to his field where the sun shown brighter than anywhere else, and contemplate many things.

Scarcely had they continued walking than a bird flew into the sky, frantically flapping away, followed by a spout of purple sludge shot into the sky and began raining down about 100 meters away. At the same time a 30 meter ant walked into view, while the guy riding on its back was cursing rather loudly… “Dam- I ran out of acid ammo.” His clothing was a bad imitation of the Akatsuki of old, his steed, the ant, looking equally bad, but in a scary way. Upon seeing the oncoming team of Konoha ninjas, the ant began to click in what appeared to be an angry manner, and charged, its antennae poking up, its eyes or such fixated on its new opponents.

(1532+122=1654)