High Stakes

Mission Link:

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHINOBI OF ALL AGES,” The booming voice of the announcer rang over the cheers of the crowd that had gathered in the Kumogakure Arena. “IN THIS CORNER, WE HAVE EVERYONE’S FAVORITE JOUNIN. THE LAST WINNER OF THE KUMOGAKURE GLADIATOR GAMES. THE STORM SHINOBI. THE MAN WOMEN WANT AND THE MAN MEN WANT TO BE. YOU GUESSED IT, FOLKS. IT’S NONE OTHER THAN-

“THE MAN
“THE MYTH
“THE LEGEND
“KOMORI HOZUKIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Here we go.

The gate opened, allowing Komori to enter into a colosseum like arena. Spectators had filed in, nearly filling up the space. The open sky above allowed for natural light to flood the arena, including Komori’s entrance. He walked out brazenly, flashing a smile that caused women in the crowd to squeal and swoon. He held his hand in the air, turning around in order to look at every angle of the colosseum. He waved to his fans as well as the people who wanted to see him dead. Komori blew a few kisses to the audience as he walked towards the center of the arena. His gaze rested on one of the lavish spectator boxes, reserved for the richest of the rich. He caught the eye of a beautiful woman fanning herself, who then proceeded to wink at him.

---

Earlier

“So, you want me to fight for sport?”

The Hozuki was leaning against an ornate glass table in a luxurious room, his arms crossed over his chest. He was talking to someone named Yutakana Shiri, a rich and powerful woman who had been locked in an argument with a man of a similar ranking. Instead of working it out between the two of them, themselves, the two people had chosen to hire shinobi to fight for them, the winner being determined by which shinobi won the duel. Fighting was one thing, when it had a purpose. Here, it seemed that he was merely being used to settle a petty dispute. Komori kept his gaze averted while he spoke, not wanting to look at the target of his words.

The woman had come to the Village Hidden in the Clouds, as she lived nearby, and had heard tales of the might of Kumogakure shinobi. Tales of their exploits had been spread due to their affairs in the minor villages. This included the Village Hidden in the Sand, which had been wiped off of the map due to a plot from the Cloud, earning them fame as fighters throughout the shinobi world. He had been hand picked from the available roster of jounin ranked shinobi who were not already on missions or otherwise occupied.

“This isn’t sport, darling,” Yutakana had been leaning over another table, showing off one long leg that escaped from her mint green split dress. Her hair was pulled back into an intricate bun and her lips were pursed. She began walking over to Komori provocatively until the two were face to face. Komori tried looking to the side but she grabbed his chin delicately and moved it until their eyes were locked onto one another. “This is about honor. Mine is on the line here. But I was told you were among the best in the village. You won the most recent of the gladiator matches, did you not?” She looked over him skeptically. “You wouldn’t want to let me down now, would you?” She nearly pouted on that last line before releasing his gaze and turning around. Komori sighed, “No, I don’t.” He could tell she was smiling as she walked away. “I’m glad to hear that, dear.” He could have sworn she was swaying her hips more, expecting him to be watching.

This is the mission you were assigned. Don’t get any ideas, Komori.

---

Present

Komori stood in the middle of the arena, waiting for his opponent. He had been told nothing, aside from the fact that this mercenary had won countless fights. A true veteran of fighting and the arena. The announcer continued, “AND IN THIS CORNER…” Now, his opponent could get a proper introduction, which would be heavily preferred.

Otherwise he/she would just get this response:

A hush came over the crowd as the announcer paused. “...this guy (or chick).” His voice was void of enthusiasm, and showed that he was confused. This man (or woman) was supposed to be a famed fighter, but did not get an introduction half full of splendor as Komori’s had been.

WC: 788

(Mod NPC me pls and ty)

Will be responding in a bit nerd boi

Tamaru Stats:

"AND IN THIS CORNER...."
The man would begin only to be interupted by the sound of the wooden gate splintering into a hundred pieces.
"TAMARUUUUUUUUUU HANAAAAAAAAKOOOOOOOO!

The crowd roared as a confident woman walked out from where the door had been, and into the sunlight of the arena, she had been here countless times before, and won just as many. She felt comfortable here, and no pasty hozuki was going to intimidate her.

"Tamaru is a former member of lord youka's personal anbu black ops, she retired years ago but the fight's still in her. She likes to blow off her steam in the arena and has a win count of over 12 and has yet to be defeated"

She'd let out a breath as she looked towards Komori, she'd heard of his track record but he didn't look all that intimidating, the announcer was still rambling on about her achievements, but she didn't care, ones skill was only as good as their most recent fight.

Nothing before this mattered, it was just her and him.

She'd let lose a maniacal smile as she made a throat slitting motion across her own neck before pointing in her opponents direction.

Well her intro was not necessarily disappointing, but seemed to be more of an exposition than a fancy setup. Ah well. At least she had a badass entrance. Pfft, Just twelve wins. What stuck with him more than that bit was that she was ex-ANBU. It would do Komori some good to go against a former member, as he was eyeing a position for himself. He had served Kumogakure for a long time, and this was the next step in his journey.

Komori opened his mouth to say something, but was abruptly cut off by the girl doing her Joker impression.

Yep, she definitely fit the image of Kumogakure.

She was slightly shorter than him, but if that door was any indication, she was stronger than she looked. He placed his hands behind his head, his cocky demeanor shining like the sun. He smiled, one of his hands subtly signing four seals behind his head at a speed of 125. “Gotta say, never really been a fan of the pixie cut.” As he said this, his hand would finish signing and place the seal on the back of his neck, which he played off by scratching the back of his head. “If you had longer hair, I might’ve debated throwing the match for ya.” The invisible barrier with 75 power would have spread across his person, providing an extra layer of protection for himself. That and if you didn’t seem like an edgy sociopath, he decided to think to himself and not state aloud.

He decided to keep his left hand behind his head, his single Tsubasa blade strapped to the sheathe meant for two swords on his back within reach. His lazy ass had never bothered to replace to blade that had been melted in the battle against the flaming tiger bijuu, so he continued onwards with a single blade. Luckily, that would change for him pretty soon.

With his right hand, however, Komori would extend his hand outwards towards his opponent pointing at her and seeming to taunt her with a finger gun gesture. A cocky grin quietly spoke.

“Bang.”

A droplet of water merely an inch wide fired off of his fingertip at a speed of 84 and with a power of 84 towards his opponent’s stomach.

AP: 1145- 40 Chakra Barrier - 40 Water Gun = 1065
WC: 1182

Her maniacal smile would momentarily turn to a frown as he mentioned her hair. Well that was kind of rude But the frown would soon turn to a scowl as the man hinted that he may have thrown the fight for her, if it had been longer. "HOW DARE YOU!" She'd yell loudly as black markings began to cover her face, and the rage shined in her eyes. She was activating the curse seal of heaven she had acquired from a merchant long ago.

She was infuriated that he'd even imply she'd ever want him to throw the match, all she wanted was to be seen as a capable opponent, and if he couldn't see that now. She'd be sure to to make him see it soon.

Since Komori didn't say the distance of his attack it he'd fire his water gun from 50 meters away, giving Tamaru plenty of time to react to the stream of water, and easily come up with a solution. The snake handseal would be signed and a menacing gate would arise from the ground 10 feet in front of the ex anbu operative with 80 health, and at a speed of 80.

The water stream would collide with the gate and be completely unable to break through. "YOU WILL TAKE THIS FIGHT SERIOUSLY!" She'd shout, obviously not knowing that Komori hadn't a serious bone in his body, before tossing a kunai over the wall at a speed of 140 and with a sharpness of 100. The one kunai would turn to 1000 as she made the appropriate handsigns, and would begin to descend upon komori as they blotted out the sun.

She'd then begin to run around the wall she had just created and towards Komori at her maximum speed of 160 intending to close the 50 meter gap, any actions from here on out would depend on komori's because I shant write myself into a corner.

WC: IDC im NPCing
Jutsu Used: Stage 1 Heaven Seal, Summoning Rashomon, Multi Shuriken Jutsu
-40 AP for Multi Shuriken
-50 AP for curse seal
-30 AP for rashomon

500 - 130 = 370 (Oh boi I should have given more AP)

Upon her activation of her curse mark, which he could barely see as he somehow found himself 50m away and had been apparently shouting all of his remarks at her. Despite his opponent thinking it was a stream that he had fired, Komori instead had only fired a droplet. That droplet was still unable to pierce the gate, however.

Upon hearing her screams of anger, he responded sarcastically, “Was it something I said?”

Komori looked up towards the sky, which soon became dark as a thousand kunai were thrown at him. “Huh,” Komori said, his left hand scratching at the back of his head. As far as he could tell, none of the kunai had been electrified or anything at all, so instead, the tattoo on his back began to glow an oceanic shade of blue, boosting his speed to 195 and his RT to 280. His body maintained its posture as each kunai that came at him would slice through his liquefied body, the Hozuki using his bloodline ability to dodge without dodging. Komori would then immediately follow up by using his left hand to single handedly sign the ram seal at a speed of 195, before looking down as a stream of water spewed forth from his mouth at a speed of 80. Komori would be shot 20m upwards into the air, standing atop a pillar of water as 20 meter high waves flowed outwards in every direction, hitting anything with a 25 meter radius. The waves have a power of 80 and travel at a speed of 80.

This isn’t for sport.

He scoffed to himself before he as he signed the tiger seal with his right hand, using the water from the wave as a source. 50 six inch long needles formed within the air. Komori sent the needles out in every possible direction around him at a speed of 70. The health and sharpness of the needles are also 70.

This is just a proxy fight.

Komori stood on top of the pillar, crossing his arms. He chose to observe his opponent more, despite her screaming and overall loud nature. She was ex-ANBU, so she was certainly skilled if she was considered successful with a personality like that.

AP: 1065 - 50 Seal of Speed - 5 Hydrification - 45 Great Exploding Colliding Wave - 50 One-Thousand Needles of Nonfatal Death = 915
WC: 1561

The man was infuriating to her, he jested as they fought and it was flat out insulting. But she was no idiot, and could tell that if she continued to charge towards the quickly moving waves she'd be a goner. She sighed as she signed the snake handseal once more before 3 massive Rashomon gates appeared, identical to the last one summoned but now much larger. They'd appear side by side across the center of the arena placing Komori on one side and her on the other, and preventing him from filling half the arena with his water.

They'd grow at a speed and health of 100, each reaching 15 meters tall, granted the waves were still larger but their momentum would be cut off when they crashed into the wall, and only a small portion of the water would manage to make it over, harmlessly at that. she'd then tuck close to bottom of the wall as she saw komori rising into the air in order to evade the needles he had just formed. All of them landing harmlessly into the wall, or well past her due to the angle of the wall.

-50 AP for rashomon
-50 AP for curse seal

270 AP remaining, oh boi oh boi oh boi

Tamaru could feel her power draining, and the spontaneous rain pattering against her skin. "Rain Tiger" She'd think to herself, knowing the technique well. It was becoming increasingly apparent that he was a master of the water element. Something she could have easily guessed, considering his last name. But she didn't have time to think on matters like that, this meant he knew where she was.

Knew as in past tense, as at around the same time Komori had released the Kunai from his hand she had already teleported 5 meters to the left and 7 meters up, well above Komori's manmade pond, quickly kicking her feet out onto the wall behind her. It was time to act.

Lightning would stream from her body into the water 7 meters below her at a speed of 120 and a power of 111, The electricity would travel 50 meters through the water easily reaching the top of Komori's geyser and electrocuting him, if he did nothing to stop it.

-55 AP for Chidori Current
-50 AP for Curse Mark
-50 AP for Vanish
-1 AP for Surface Walking

114 AP Remaining