What Lurks Beyond [Hunter]

Asahi Igarashi's Stats:

Damn her!

His hand made a fist in anger as the end was upon them. Miu was forcing the issue either way and there wasn't anything more he could say or do to stop that. He could see flames begin to form from her mouth. Six small spheres were spat out and hung in the air. Asahi moved as they started towards him, swiftly expanding to one meter in diameter. With his superior speed he ran around the fire and Miu in a large arc to the left and back, putting a little bit more distance between the two of them but keeping himself mostly parallel with her. His trajectory kept him at fifteen meters from Miu at all times. He was about three times as fast on foot as the spheres of fire were in the air, and he was easily able to keep his distance. The Genin observed that while the spheres were in the air they all sharply changed direction, to that of a right angle, to attempt to head him off. With the distance between them and his speed relative to that of the spheres he was able to run past the ninety degree point that the spheres turned to chase him along. As he continued his arcing movement the six flame orbs flew in a straight line harmlessly behind him about five meters away.

She continued with her assault of jutsu as Asahi attempted to circle behind her, still moving in a parallel arc. He was waiting, biding his time for the right moment to move in, but until then he stayed on the move to avoid her attacks. With a weaving of one-handed seals came her next jutsu. Five cone-sized projectiles materialized around her body, then one after another she fired them towards him. Still fifteen meters apart he managed to dodge the first three. The projectiles moved at roughly the same speed as the orbs before and he was still many times faster than they were. What's more is that this attack didn't seem to have the ability to change its course as they moved, and so it was easier for Asahi to see where they were going. She had fired them off one by one and he was moving in a predictable manor and his sloppiness was taken advantage of. The fourth dart whizzed passed his shoulder, nearly grazing him. As he moved forward he realized that the final dart would intercept him, so clearly was it moving across his path. He held his right arm up to take the dart head on. By using the Block technique he was able to neutralize the ability, leaving no damage to his person but singeing his jacket and leaving a burn mark in the material.

Now's my chance!

He pivoted on a foot as he finished blocking the last of her darts and changed direction, this time running straight for her, rapidly reducing the gap of fifteen meters and aiming to put an end to the fight. Already as the distance closed he could see her making seals for her next ability. There was no visual queue for this one, no flames to give away what was coming. He could see her take a deep breath and then expel all at once. Her head and body arched in a peculiar manner. There was a pressure coming towards him, that much he could feel. A great force of wind rushed towards his position as he simultaneously rushed towards her. He was already in motion, already set on his target and there would be no time to block this one, whatever it may be. The wind began to push back against him and he knew that something powerful was coming. As the invisible force moved to make contact he focused his energies within. Gate of Life! Chakra spilled through his body like a dam being broken, further enhancing his physical attributes and giving him a defensive strength to counter her attack. His skin turned red, veins bulged across his face and his pupils disappeared entirely. He looked half a demon in that moment, so unlike the Asahi of norm. Asahi burst through the fierce wind Miu produced and continued on his path to either of their demise. His jacket and shirt were torn to shreds from the assault, but his red skin underneath was unbroken thanks to the defense granted to him by the Gate of Life.

As he burst through the wind and bolted towards her he could see Miu forming seals again. She's doing something, he thought, something with her hands. Is it wind again? Or fire? He was on his guard. Now she charged towards him in a scattered zig-zag and their speeds brought them towards a rapid collision. A swift impact was eminent and would decide their fate once and for all. At two meters separating them she chopped her hand towards him, aiming for his throat. Her movements were obvious and he had no time to think about his next move, only time to react to what was happening. He was operating on pure instinct and self-preservation at this point. He ducked below the trajectory of where the attack would come from, based on the motions from her hand and the force of wind hurling towards him. In a Split Second he was down under the attack and he could feel it pass overhead. His tattered clothing and hair flew in all directions from the wind as it moved above and over him, just barely avoiding making contact with him. The sand below kicked up and swirled around the pair. Everything up to then happened so fast but the last moments moved as slow as the passing of years. Her hand started to make a seal, this is it! I've got to stop her now! and his own hand thrust towards her chest in response. His power and speed enhanced by the Eight Inner Gates caused his arm to rocket towards her, though in his head it appeared as a series of paintings arranged one after the next. He could see it threatening to burst through her stomach and he tried to pull his punch as hard as he could at the last moments. I can't stop it, he realized then, I'm going to kill her.

If Asahi's attack lands:

When it was over the Inner Gates deactivated at once, returning his skin to its normal shade and bringing the green back into the white of his eyes. He held Miu in his arms and tried to do what he could for her. With his green orbs he finally looked into her own eyes that he had avoided for the entirety of the fight. Asahi saw her now as his clone did. He saw the beautiful scarlet with the strange black markings, never had he seen anything like it. Pain wracked his body as he felt the consequences of pushing himself so hard with such a dangerous technique. He ignored the agony of his muscles and held her close as tears began to well up. The last moment of the fight replayed in his head, almost as if he was still not done processing what had just happened. Her last technique, the way she moved her hand, it was too deliberate, too plain an attack for so skilled a kunoichi. Did she... let me kill her on purpose? Why would she do that? He shook his head and wiped a quick tear away as he stared deep into her eyes.

"You..." he whispered softly to her. He still didn't even know her name. "Why did you do it?" the unanswered question burned deep within his heart. He needed to know. He needed to know why someone would do that for another. He needed to know what it all meant. How he wished he could have met her under different circumstances. How I wish it didn't come to this. Green eyes stared down at the woman, hoping against hope that she would answer him, that she still had enough life left in her to put his mind at ease. I don't deserve it, he thought. I'm a murderer.

"I.. I'm sorry. I didn't keep my promise. Please, forgive me."

Jutsu/AP/Caculations:

Asahi WC: 1368
Asahi Total WC: 4984

There was a gasp, coughing and blood spewing from the mouth of the woman, Miu. She laid there in the arms of the man, Asahi. His words matched his heart, his tears reflected his pain. Her hand, slowly rised to meet his face, blood soaked smiled manifested on her frame. "Y-you needn't shed your tears for me. You did not break your promise, you only did what I wanted you to do, Asahi... you freed me from this world of lies and bloodshed." Shs coughed, blood splatters on her chin. "I can finally see them again, my family...my dear brother and...and someone who you favor so closely." Miu smiled. As there eyes locked, the crimson orbs would hue scarlet. The sharingan would invade his mental and show him exactly what she wanted him to see. Her past, her background, her pain, her love her knowledge of the Sharingan up to the point of achieving 3 tomoes and nothing more. He would see it all play out like a film in his head, he would even see the boy that she was so deeply in love with that he resembled so strongly. Her feelings during this fight would be made clear. 


All that was within the reasonable bounds of this were unlocked to him and for him to carry with him until his own death...which she prayed to be from old age. Her life was ending and she could feel her strength ebbing. She couldn't even speak at this point. All she could do was maintain that eye contact. And so, her sharingan manifest an illusion of herself before him, in total health. "[i]You now know of my life in all entirety. It's quite unfair, really. I know so little of you, but then again, I feel that I've known you all of my life and I wouldn't wish to go by the hands of anyone else other than you, Asahi. My blood that stains your hands will forever soak them red as I am your first kill. From this point on you will never be able to turn back to that innocent boy that you once were. My death stole that innocence, or rather, I did... blame me and not yourself for the pain and nightmares that comes with it. But never let it weaken you. This world is drawn to the scent of weakness and will eradicate you should it find you harboring it. Such a end would sully my name, Uchiha Miu. So be strong and stop at nothing to achieve your goals. Trust only the ones that you can feel your guard must stay up around and keep the ones that your guard is lowest around at a distance. For the ones your must keep your guard up around means that you are well aware of what they are capable of and for the ones that you are vulnerable around are usually the ones that will slit your throat..." The mirage would fade into nothingness as the hue ceased and her crimson eyes reverted back to brown. Her hand fell to her side and she passed on to the next life. 

[WC: 528]
[Total WC: 4,814]
[Exit/NPC Deafeated]

{Congratulations to you Asahi for completing your D-rank Hunter Mission! You did very well in your writing. I wish you the best of luck in your future achievements for this character.}

"I... I don't understand," he told her.

Asahi held her tight in his arms as she coughed up blood. Her hand touched his cheek and he moved his own to hers in return. He listened to her speak as pain clearly wracked her body and what little life she had left flowed from her. She was too far gone though and there was nothing the Genin could do to save her. She smiled at him and he locked eyes with her. Those scarlet orbs shimmered and suddenly he felt his mind being invaded by foreign thoughts and memories. Through the powers of her eyes was a vast knowledge implanted within him. He learned of her past, of her life as a leader of a Chunin squad. Asahi could feel the love she had for Satoshi, who had green eyes that mirrored his own. There was a younger brother, just a few years old, but her adoration for him was beyond measure. These two figures loomed large in her memories and emotions. The feelings she was projecting upon him were so intense that he lost himself in them for a moment. He wanted to go back to them. He wanted to leave this place at once and go find them, but he snapped himself out from the illusion. What power, he couldn't help but think. This is who she is, he knew, this is what was most important to her.

The vision shifted then. Within his mind the thoughts went dark and started to twist themselves into a nightmare. He watched, now a ghostly spectator in her dream, as she returned home to her village. There was not a soul in sight, save for those of her squadron. She hurried home to find the door ripped open. He could feel the fear and anxiety the woman experienced in that moment. He watched her stumble upon a gruesome sight, one that he did not wish to view but the spell he was under refused to allow him to look away. There she found Satoshi and Shimu both lifeless and covered in blood. Her brother was in the arms of her love, who had clearly fought to the end to protect him. As she moved closer she learned in horror that Shimu's eyes were missing. He was killed for the abilities they would one day wield, he knew instinctively from the power of those eyes of hers. Asahi was finding it hard to breathe. The pain she felt was as real as if he was there in her place and his own family was murdered in cold blood. His heart was about to burst. He clutched his chest as if to stop the agony. A salvo of kunai burst through the windows of her tattered home and the vision washed away.

His breathing returned to normal and he was granted a final insight. Her knowledge of the Sharingan and the various transformations she had unlocked was revealed to him. He learned of the Uchiha Clan and the incredible abilities they could manifest. That is what her power is, Asahi thought. That is why her brother was murdered. People will stop at nothing to have that strength. It was all starting to make sense to the foolish and naive ninja. She thought this would happen to her, that she would end up like her brother. He knew the reputation of Sunagakure and a certain notorious individual who resided within it. The last moments and feelings she had during the fight were revealed to him and he had an understanding of who she was and why she had acted as she did. Before his eyes she appeared to him as she wished to be seen. She looked just as she had before they came into conflict. Smiling, she imparted her final words to him. It was hard to listen to but they had a truth to them that Asahi needed to hear. He looked down and took in all that she said to him. She is right, I must be strong if I want to set things right with the world. If it was a different place none of this would have happened. I can make that a reality. I owe it to her.

"Miu," he started with her name that he had just learned. Saying it aloud already brought up complex emotions within him. "I will not forget you, nor will I ignore your words." She told him that he didn't need to shed tears for her, but they still flowed freely down his face. "This shouldn't have happened... you should still be alive. I will do better, for your sake and those that you've lost. I'll make things right." He looked back up at her then but the illusion was gone. Asahi could see the real Miu. He realized he was still holding her and the sensation of her lifeless form in his arms tore his heart open all over again. He hugged her tightly and then closed her eyes gently. There was still more he wanted to say, still words he wanted to hear back, but it was over now. "They're waiting for you," he told Miu. "Satoshi and Shimu. You're home."

He carried her body out deep into the desert. Ashai made sure they were out of view of Sunagakure. He did not want to bury her in sight of a place that she had fought so hard against. He found a quiet spot with a softer surface that would be suitable for a final resting place. With the activation of the Eight Inner Gates he carved out a grave under the desert sun. He gently placed her body in it and covered it back up with the dirt and stones. There wasn't like to be a better place in the Land of Wind to be laid to rest, and laying under the dome of Sunagakure was not an option. He found a stone about a meter in length and placed it over top as a marker. With a kunai he scrawled Miu on its face, purposefully omitting the name Uchiha to ensure that her grave stayed undefiled. There was nothing around the location for miles but Asahi swore he would never forget where she lay and he vowed to return to visit her as often as he could. He knew from his experience farming that there were some flowers that could grow in a climate and soil such as this. I'll bring one for her, I think she'd like that. With the sun setting overhead he walked back to his village in quiet contemplation. The world seemed a different place now, and he felt a different man than he did when the sun had first come up.

The world is filled with horrors and with people who commit them, the shinobi thought to himself. If I know that they happen but I do nothing to stop them am I any better than those people? Asahi didn't think so. I'm no better than them now, but I will be one day, I swear. For Miu. He abhorred killing, but there were worse things than that, as he learned today, and he could sit by no longer and be a pawn in this cruel world. There were wrongs that needed to be set right. Ways needed to change. No better place to start than at home, Asahi could see Sungakure come into view in the distance. The village was a den of thieves and he would stop at nothing to rid it of the rot from the inside out. He already had some idea of where to start.

[EXIT]

1270 Asahi WC
6254  Asahi Total WC

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(Thank you so much Souji for NPCing this Hunter Mission for me. I had a blast and I can't wait to work with all this development going forward. You rock!)

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D-Ranked Hunter Mission Complete, 6254 WC + 2000 Ryo

Spending 2000 WC to learn Fuinjutsu as a Secondary Spec
Spending 1500 WC to learn Chakra Storage Seal
Spending 1750 WC to learn Leaf Strong Whirlwind
Spending 1000 WC to learn Bull Rush (D-C Rank)

Training +125 AP (stats are maxed)

Very well done.

Approved.