By the Grace of a Miracle

“Izu? Is that you,” Kaimera asked as a silhouette of a figure began entering the light radiating off of the fire's natural glow. Upon entering the room, Kaimera saw that it was in fact Izu. However, the injuries that she has sustained looked severe as blood and scratches occupied her entire person. Clothing ripped, she stumbled into the room to reach the scorch user. A worrisome expression took over his face as she began to speak.

“Come on, Izu. Let’s sit you down, you’re about to fall,” Kaimera said as he helped her to sit in one of the chairs that was located in the room. Looking at her wounds, he gave her a reassuring smile to let her know it's going to be okay; while internally, he knew his experience with medical ninjutsu - especially with healing - is underdeveloped and most likely unable to heal the depths of these wounds. If only Shiro-sensei was here as his medical ninjutsu is that of a much higher caliber than he could wish for.

“Alright, let us s-,” Kaimera begins to speak before being interrupted by the sudden arrival of his sensei. A ping of relief could be felt in his chest as the weight of her injuries would be lifted off his shoulders. “Thank the gods you both are here,” he said as he moved out of Shiro-sensei’s way. Kaimera moved by Jay and asked, “are you doing okay?” He felt for his teammates, all of them, as this had become a dangerous and hostile mission.

Watching as the white-haired ninja began initial observation, he moved to the side of Izu once Shiro told him to hold her steady, “alright.” Holding her up with a firm grip, he continued to gaze at the immediate medical surgery that was performed on her. Fixing rib posture, repairing broken bones, and healing wounds closed. Shiro-sensei’s medical art was indeed invaluable to their mission as Izu would most likely have died from her injuries. His chakra control was impeccable.

A warm hand made its way to Kaimera’s shoulder and brought him back to reality. A complement felt undeserving as he mainly did nothing to help their group and only got separated from them. “I-I didn’t really do anything, but Izu said something about killing a scientist. In those documents it indicated that there is more than one. Specifically, two are named that tend to be conducting science experiments with viruses to turn them into weapons. From what I gathered and seen, these viruses that have been experimented with are the ones that are causing these mutations with animals and humans alike.” Kaimera said as he put his finger upon his chin as if he was deep in thought, walking around the room. “Should we continue to investigate, or should we head back and have a more experienced team check this out. I mean, you all look like you are on your last legs,” Kaimera spoke out with a tender, yet worrisome tone.

TWC: 6,796

As Izu faded in and out of consciousness, she saw between the blackouts that Kai was standing over her, alnd shortly after Shiro too. She was worried sick that he was hurt, being alone in that manor all the time, or worst, infected with the same disease or mutation that affected those poor souls out there. As she woke up to a worried brother healing her, she could still feel his warm hand on her bareskin ribs, the soft contact of someone caring, wanting to heal her. She felt that cozzy feeling into her lungs and guts, feeling rejuvinated and way better than before, her heavy injuries hurting a lot, now numb and gone. As she tood up, she heard Kai tell more information that the group seemed to have missed. Apparently, the scientist wasnt alone, and there was other scrolls missing, still out there in the wild, continuing this stream of malformed horrors. Should the issue not be soon contained and solved, the danger and beasts could spread to another island into the rest of Water Country, making it a veritable invasion and local catastrophe. But they were exhausted, and up their limits. Izu wasnt one to step down from her duty or a challenge tho, so even if she came close to death, she would still be in a fighting spirit. 

As she turned towards her camarades, she asked them for their opinion, while still voicing her own. ''Alright. Thanks for the help Sensei Shiro. I'm not gonna lie, even if we are worse for wear, I'm not about to drop the mission one bit! But if the rest of the team think it is best to retreat, I will not let my bravado endanger the team or the lives of any of you!'' said Izu in a coughing voice, recuperating from her injuries. As she said the last bit, she looked straight at Kaimera, the message specialy targeted towards him, even if concerning all team mates. ''As for this gods forsaken place, I say as soon as we leave, we level this place and make it disappear from the surface of the earth. I want to personnaly set it ablaze and raze it to the ground for what it has done to us and those before.'' said the hyuga girl in a more firm and hangry voice, now emotional from the rage she felt, a feeling rarely seen in the girl's face and expression, even tho common in her mind.

“You did much more than that, Kaimera. We now have a lead thanks to your efforts. The one in the crowd was definitely not what we were looking for. This is someone who has far more dangerous knowledge of ninjutsu and medical ninjutsu if they were able to create a creature like what I had fought. . . Sorry about losing my eye, it looks a bit unprofessional. . .”

The information on what these things even were certainly was haunting, animal and human hybrids. . . To create some kind of ultimate mutation? The question of what these things even were certainly hung in the back of his mind. A small glance around with his remaining eye, which thankfully was his Byakugan eye did give him some kind of leeway of the layout of this place now that he was inside of it. A barrier technique within that of the mansion. . . No one wanted to be seen then in that case. Yet no soul was left inside of the Mansion. He however could tell what was outside of the Mansion. . . Just who could have done this? What even was the purpose of making those beasts?

Those documents would certainly have the Answers that he was looking for. His body ached, legs shaking with the strain that the monster had placed on his body due to the amount of cuts he had taken. His rust was beginning to show. He couldn’t be shown as rusty, not in front of his impressionable Students. The suggestions of either to continue the investigation or retreat for now lingered in his mind. Two different mindsets of what to do, of two different people entirely in how they thought. He however, would side with one of those outlooks in the meantime.

“I love the passion Izu, however you are in no condition to fight further, while I did heal most of your injuries, it would be safe to say that you should rest for now, all three of you did well in this mission. Me and Reizo will return here to gather more information regarding this place soon. After that I will inform you of what we can find, this place holds much darker secrets then just those documents. We should leave now.”

With that, he’d beckon his students to follow, his gut telling him there was something else hidden within these walls. Yet he’d rather go and have help from his newest partner then be left with his students and weakened.

“Let’s head back to Kirigakure, we acquired what we needed.”

WC:421
TWC:4754

Shiro-sensei came to the conclusion that they should try to make it home, but something didn’t sit right with Kaimera. Jay was still missing. The rest of his team was injured and beginning to feel the effects of chakra fatigue. Cryptic clues and the creatures that occupied the mansion and the surrounding lands.

“Where is Jay? We need to find him; therefore, I’m going to look for him.” Once again, he opened the door and returned to this world of survival horror. Kaimera wasn’t sure what he was going to find, but this wasn’t it. There was a door in the entrance hall, on the mid-platform of the staircase. At first glance, a person wouldn’t see it, as the door was painted to look as though it were part of a painting of a tree-lined lane. It was only upon closer inspection that someone could see the silver, vertical bar that acted as the door’s handle. Long, narrow windows stood on either side of the door’s frame, and through the distorted glass he could just make out a courtyard on the other side.

He was half right.

Upon opening the door, Kaimera found himself on a small flight of steps that did lead down to a brick courtyard. On the brick flooring’s edge stood an iron-wrought fence. At least a dozen headstones dotted the overgrown lawn beyond. In the center of the graveyard stood the entrance to a crypt. Its pale stone sides were bland, except for the pillars beside the open entrance. Torchlight flickered from the opening, almost beckoning Kaimera toward it.

He could feel the mansion bearing down on him from behind. The thought of going back into that place nearly made him sick. Despite the grandeur of its foyer and the lavish corridors, it felt constricting and ominous. Like a coffin.

He walked around the crypt, the mansion falling behind and the forest expanded before him.  A low mist clung to the ground around the trees so that the woods looked more like monsters themselves. Kaimera turned but stopped when he saw a light in the distance. He stood there for a moment or two, eyes squinting at it before he realized that it was the light of another structure—maybe another house? Maybe there was someone there. Maybe Jay was there. Kaimera doubted it, but it wouldn't hurt to check. He would get Shiro-sensei and Izu, and then, with any luck, they would get the hell out of there.

On the other side, the silence felt complete once more. The path sloped down, oaks standing with their limbs stretching over the path. The sky was almost blotted out. Only the occasional gap in the eves provided any moonlight to see by. A wooden, picket fence lined both sides of the path, creating a barrier between the dirt path and the tall grass beyond.

Kaimera took a step forward—

A low moan echoed through the forest, followed by the rattling of chains. It took everything in Kaimera not to turn back around. ‘Don’t be a little bitch,’ a voice said in the back of his head. Kaimera’s jaw clenched and his grip on his knuckles tightly. He walked forward with tentative steps. Adrenaline rushed through him to the point he felt removed from his own body. His focus was on the woods around him and the sound of his heart beating rapidly against his breast. Each footstep crunched a twig or a dry leaf, making a sound that seemed too loud to be allowed in these woods. The path winded down deeper into the forest, and with each step forward everything seemed to grow darker and darker. Kaimera finally pulled out his flashlight and flicked it on.

A face emerged from the darkness, haloed in the illumination of the moonlight. Kaimera began to form hand seals, but then realized that it was only a statue of a woman holding a pitcher. Kaimera sighed, trying to regain composure.

Beyond was the dim light of the cabin, coming from a single bulb outside the front door. The exterior lacked any kind of embellishment. In fact, the cabin looked little more than a giant wooden box with a door. A window revealed flickering firelight coming from within, but little else.

Kaimera stood before the door, wondering if he should knock or just enter. But, then again, who could be there to answer? Still, tightening the grip on his gun, he took the door handle in his hand. Bits of rust flaked from the brass handle. Kaimera turned and it resisted, but nevertheless rotated. With a click and a push, the door sprang forward revealing a dark opening with only the faintest flickering of light coming from within. Kaimera waited on the threshold for a moment, listening for any sound. Only the light cracklings of fire were heard, so finally, he stepped inside.

The corridor led right, turning after a few feet. Kaimera walked down the hall, the thick layer of dust on the floor doing little to mask the creaking floorboards. Cobwebs coated the walls and were tucked within the corners of the cabin. He turned to find a small living quarters. A fireplace with a roaring fire illuminated the web-covered shelves opposite from it. A small staircase led to another small room overlooking from above, a bed tucked in the corner with a desk across from it on the raised area.

Kaimera rounded the corner and climbed the stairs. Again, the feeling that something hadn’t right overwhelmed him. The fire looked as though it had just been lit, but everything else looked as though it hadn’t been touched in years. Even the bed, whose sheets were crumbled at its foot, smelled musty.

“Hello?” Kaimera asked. The silence that followed was almost oppressive. It was as though he weren’t supposed to be here, that he was trespassing on someone else’s territory.

Kaimera glanced at the table to his left. Only a typewriter and a diary sat upon its dusty surface. He gingerly reached out and lifted the book. He opened it, only for something to fall out onto the floor. Kaimera bent over and picked up the piece of paper. It was a photograph, torn and faded from time. A woman, in her early thirties with long, auburn hair sat in the chair of a study, a girl no more than ten on her lap. A balding man sat beside the woman, smiling at the photographer. Kaimera turned it over to find tiny, neat handwriting on the other side—

November 10:
Z–Y Virus administered

Noelle:
Administered virus: Type–Z
Plasmolyzed of tissue during cell activation
Virus fusion: Negative
Action: Disposed


Lilly:
Administered virus: Type–Y
Plasmolyzed of tissue during cell activation
Virus fusion: Positive but delayed fusion.
Body modification: Observed constant results.
Status: Continue protective observation.


Asta:
Action: Terminated (Nov. 30)

 

Kaimera’s stomach churned as he flipped the photo back and forth, rereading the back. He wasn’t quite sure what it all meant, but it nevertheless failed to quell that creeping feeling of dread. Kaimera pocketed the picture and opened the diary, its pages rough to the touch, and they crinkled as he flipped through them. Each one was covered with hasty, looping writing—some dating back as far as when Xyxer Gyojin became the first Mizukage. Kaimera took one last look around before he bent over and started reading the last few entries in the diary.

November 14:
I feel dizzy after that shot they gave me. I don't see Mom. Where did they take her? She promised that we would escape together. Did she escape alone and leave me behind?


November 15:
I found Mom. We ate together. I was very happy.
But she was a fake. Not my real Mom. Same face but different inside.
Have to find Mom. Have to give my face back to my mother.
I got Mom's face back. Nobody can have my Mom except me. I attach her face to me so she doesn't go away. Because Mom is sad when I meet her without her face.


Nov. 17:
from inside box, the scent of mommy. maybe true mother there. stone box hard. It hurt. steel rope in the way. can't see mother becuz 4 stones.


19:
dadddy atached first momm atached scond
iNside reD and sLimy whiTe and haRd
not true moM wheRe
dunno dadd found mum again
when atachd momMy she moved no more she screaming
why? Jst want to b with her


4:
mom where?
I mis you


Kaimera turned the page with a trembling hand. MOMMY covered the next two pages in scrawled handwriting in various sizes, so unlike that that came before. 

A door slammed, making Kaimera give a sharp intake of breath. He waited there in silence for several seconds, straining his ears to pick up any sound of another person.

“Hello?” Kaimera asked, though it was in no louder than a whisper.

The rattling of a chain echoed through the cabin. He edged toward the stairs, both hands on his handgun. The noise grew closer and closer, and Kaimera grew more and more tense. Seconds ticked by to an obscene length, and he began to wonder if he hadn’t been standing in the spot for years instead of a few moments. 

A shadow lengthened on the wall, and the cacophony made by chains seemed to ring within his head. When the figure turned the corner, Kaimera’s breath caught in his chest. 

The woman, or at least what Kaimera thought was a woman, wore tattered and stained rags while she walked in a stooped position. Her arms hung before her, bound together by rusted shackles. Lumpy, flesh-colored hair obscured the woman’s face. To Kaimera’s horror, the closer the creature drew, the more he realized that it wasn’t completely hair. In the faint flickering of the firelight, he thought he saw her face shift, only to realize that the skin wasn’t connected to her skull. 

Kaimera made the hand seals to complete his phoenix fire jutsu, but was unable to find the resolve to fire. 

‘What are you doing?!’ he thought. Still, his muscles remained obstinate. The creature turned toward him and froze, as though only just noticing Kaimera’s presence. Her body convulsed, and with a shriek, tentacles burst from her head and body. Suddenly, it was as though whatever held Kaimera’s body back was released, and he fired at the creature, ball after ball. 

The creature screamed as the balls of fire tore into contact. Finally, he stopped and she fell forward with one last desperate cry. All Kaimera could do was stare at the thing for a few moments, its tentacles still twitching. 

It was still alive.

Kaimera forced his limbs to move, and he reached the corner just as the monster dragged its chained hands under itself. He didn’t stop running until he ran through the front door and headed back to the others. Of all the things he had faced that night—zombies and hellhounds alike—that creature was etched into his head.

As the group found their way, they made it to the ship that would take them back to the main island. They all piled in, and the boat left as the sun rose in the east. Everyone’s wounds throbbed. Their bodies, all electrified by adrenaline throughout the night, were now overcome with weariness. Kaimera lay his head against the wall. They had all had a trying night— a walking nightmare. He watched the morning sun rise over the sea of blue beside them. The horizon was only marred by the far-off mountains. 

TWC: 8,724
Claiming: 
+18,000 Ryo
+90 AP
2063/2063 to Scorch Style: Super Steaming Murder (25% off due to Maxed Stat)
2063/2063 to Scorch Release: Incinerating Flare (25% off due to Maxed Stat)
1875/1875 to Wind Style: Pressure Damage (25% off due to Maxed Stat)
2723 to Kashōgan:Stage 2 [447/4000] making it 3170/4000 (other topic containing word counts are from here and here

It was foolish to allow Kaimera to go back inside of the Mansion alone. His eye had not been able to see what was underneath the massive mansion of horrors. The place gave him a grave feeling. There was something sinister that had happened here, those documents would prove to be the most useful. He felt the wounds along his body, the slash marks given to him by one of those creatures. The smell of fresh blood drenched his scent. Making him unable to keenly pick up that something could be wrong. Everything had gone so wrong, yet so right as well on this mission. His hand could barely grasp the handle of his sword. He felt exhausted, he was too exhausted in fact. The strain of his legs and arms feeling like jello. The massive blackened oak mansion was the epicenter of an investigation that would surely begin sometime in the future. Yet that future would have to wait. Especially when Kaimera had taken so long in order to get back to them. His fears only began to grow worse when he traveled back inside of the massive mansion. The creak of the floorboards kept him alert. Yet what he could hear only made his fears grow worse.

The sound of a fire being expelled, along with his sight granting him the ability to see what was underneath him, or at least, partially. Kaimera’s body came into view. Shiro thought ran wild as he saw the fear in the boy's eyes. Ushering him out of the mansion while keeping his body trained at where Kaimera had just run up from. Rotting flesh, the smell of a corpse was down underneath the mansion. He couldn’t risk his students getting into harm's way, along with the mystery surrounding where the hell their other teammate had gone. Shiro was forced to abandon all pretenses and do the one thing he hated doing. His entire body pleaded with him not to turn around, yet he would be safe. He was strong, strong enough that is to help with his Genin.

“RUN!” He shouted, dashing out of the mansion and grabbing his two students. His arms screaming in pain from the sudden use to grab the both of them. His mind flashing back to that slender monster. He’d have to find the body later. For now, his hands gripped both Kaimera and Izu’s clothing. Rushing through the forest in a blinding feat of speed. His feet slamming on the ground again before he had used the Body flicker technique to get all three of them to the edge of the island where the Boat had been docked, Shiro ushering the helmsman to get started. His heart pounding in his ears, he felt like he was gonna puke at this rate. So much had happened. He had hoped whatever Kaimera had found down in the basement would not be strong enough to take on any of the senior chunin or Jonin that were still left in the village. His eyes slanted, body flopping onto one of the seats while the rest of his crew seemingly got on board. The small bits of sunlight creeping into his eyes while he rested made him shudder. They had spent almost the entire night there? His eyes slowly begin to blink open, right before addressing Kaimera.

“Never. . . do that again.”

Exit and Claims
WC:561
TWC:5315
18000(+10,000 for Master Rank per mission) = 18000 + 4500 + 30000= 52500
Replacing Damage Reduction Shield with Tenketsu Armor(Max Stat Discount)
1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor

1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor Mastery(+Power)
1125/1125 for Howling Thunder Soul

Shiro Hyuga wrote:
Exit and Claims
WC:561
TWC:5315
+50,000 (+10,000 for Master Rank) = 60,000 + 12550 = 72550 Ryo acquired
Replacing Damage Reduction Shield with Tenketsu Armor(Max Stat Discount)
1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor

1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor Mastery(+Power)
1125/1125 for Howling Thunder Soul

Approved

As Kaimera got back into the depth of the manor, Izu only try and follow him, but after a few coridors turns, the young hyuuga girl, alone and injured still, was lost and couldnt hear nor see her team mate, as well as Shiro. ''Damn... Sensei probably followed Kai! We need to leave this place...'' said Izu to herself, out loud, in the hope her allies would hear her plea for retreat. As she wandered more into the long corridor she was in, the floor creeked loudly, a signal of someone, or something, before herself. Before even making it to the corner, Izu started to run away in the opposite direction, dashing and sprinting, turning left and right, without noticing where she was going, her mind in full adrenaline mode. Before she even knew it, she got close to a window, and without even looking back, jumped trough it, putting her arms around her head to protect it and her elbow out to break the glass panel of the window and get out. Landing in the forest on the tall grass now filled with broken glass, Izu continued to run, until she arrived at the now desolate and filled with corpse camp site. 

no signs of her team mates, and most weirdly no signs of Jay either...This was bad. Izu's instinct was very good, and the time they spent in the manor without Jay's presence and news could only mean 2 possible things: either he died without them knowing where or how, or he deserted, fleeing away like a coward in face of danger. If that was the case, Izu would personnaly hunt him down for this treachery. After a few minutes of catching her breath and letting her mind calm down a bit, 2 familiar faces arrived from the manor: Shiro and Kaimera. But there was something off again. Shiro was dashing with extreme speed, and had grabed Kaimera by his clothing, runing with him into his arm, and as he passed a confused and exhausted Izu, he grabed her as well, dashing trough the forest with extreme conviction to get the hell out of there.

As they all arrived to the ship, all three members of the team fell exhausted onto the boat floor, saved and safe at last. With the boat leaving the small and remote island this whole house of horrors took place on, Shiro threw up into the water, spent from the situation and from having to carry both his surviving students. As they all drew breath of the fresh ocean saline air, Izu tried to say something between the wheeze of her inhaling. ''Whoah... That.. was... Exhausting!... Thank.. You... brother.... for.. .saving... us!... Lets... get .... back to.... the vi... llage....Need... rest...''

With those last word, Izu would fell asleep on Kaimera shoulders, resting on him for the whole trip until they came back to their village and the mission ended. 

[EXIT]

TWC: 5670

+18,000 ryo
+90 AP

500WC going to relocate 5 stats points (30 vigor to 25, 20 strength to 25), 5100WC going towards 102AP (2AP per 100WC)

2000WC going towards one-handed seals skill, 2000WC going toward Gentle Blade skill, 1000WC going toward summoning technique, 500 WC going toward Water Sealing technique (170WC remaining going to dump)

Ayato Hyuuga wrote:

Shiro Hyuga wrote:
Exit and Claims
WC:561
TWC:5315
+50,000 (+10,000 for Master Rank) = 60,000 + 12550 = 72550 Ryo acquired
Replacing Damage Reduction Shield with Tenketsu Armor(Max Stat Discount)
1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor

1875/1875 for Tenketsu Armor Mastery(+Power)
1125/1125 for Howling Thunder Soul

Approved

Regarding the above claim and the mission completion issue, it appears that we have to rescind approval unless we can find a suitable exception or workaround. My apologies to Shiro for any inconvenience.

In the thread, a covert mission was chosen, which typically allows a maximum of 2 participants. However, there are currently 4 characters involved in the thread, making it difficult to determine which 2 characters should qualify for mission completion due to the spread of word count across multiple characters.

It's essential to maintain fairness and consistency in mission completion. While I understand that Jay has left the thread and Shiro would defer to Phan and Moshi, I'd like to emphasize that we need to avoid situations where missions are completed in a way that might be seen as exploiting the system.

Currently, we are on Moshi's claim of the mission thread. Please let's work together to find a resolution that is fair to all parties involved. Thank you for your understanding.