So many mission's, So little time.

“Asking around would have been a great idea, Himari, but let us hope that Maeve is right about the alley. Let us proceed with caution.” Zarina said as she threw a heartfelt smile towards the younger Hyūga. However, that smile would not last as within seconds, a catastrophe that would never leave the spirits of Konoha occurred.

The air in Konohagakure quivered with tension as a series of deafening explosions rocked the Toshinori Building - a magnificent glass building that allowed jobs and the beginning of tourism to flourish in the decrepit district - at the epicenter of the slums, a once towering structure that now stood on the precipice of destruction. The glass facade, which had reflected the sun’s vibrancy just moments before, shattered into tens of thousands glinting shards. As the explosions reverberated through the steel and glass skeleton, a grim realization set in—the Toshinori Building was collapsing. Shards came flying down into the immediate area.

The sound of twisting metal and the crash of breaking glass echoed through the urban landscape, drowning out the ambient noise of the retail district below. The all-glass structure, now a crumbling monument, sent glass shards plummeting like deadly rain into the crowded streets and open spaces where hundreds of people had been going about their daily lives. The streets become paved with a mixture of dust and blood pools. The once-clear sky was now obscured by plumes of dust and smoke, billowing ominously as the building succumbed to the force of the explosions. Panic swept through the district like a wildfire, and the vibrant atmosphere transformed into a scene of chaos and sorrow. So much glass... tiny micro shards that otherwise go unnoticed would be prancing with the dust as the blast pushed outwards. The ground vibrated as if an earthquake occurred and all throughout the slums, it could be felt.

Pedestrians who had been leisurely strolling through the area now ran for cover, their screams and cries adding to the cacophony of destruction. The glass, glinting in the fading sunlight, created an ethereal yet horrifying spectacle as it fell from the sky like shards of crystal rain. The sadness that enveloped the slums on this tragic day was palpable. The once-proud Toshinori Building, now reduced to a smoldering ruin, cast a shadow over the district, symbolizing the fragility of life and the unpredictability of fate. The weight of the tragedy hung in the air, and as emergency services rushed to the scene, the collective grief of the community echoed through the shattered remnants of the district.

So many lives lost... Zarina's heart panted as she couldn't help feeling responsible for something she didn't directly do, but something she didn’t ultimately stop. She began to breathe heavily as she hid behind the building to be protected from debris and blast. The Hyūga's visible hurt would subside to a suppressed state. Dozens, if not hundreds, of lives are gone, but she can't allow such menial people and their existence to cloud her judgment.

“Xena! Himari!” Zarina screamed out while activating her byakugan. Her vision began to envelop the area as if she was seeing herself in third person. The particles of dust and glass soon began to decrease in size as vision widened. Her oculars peered and focused, studying the area mere seconds of the aftermath. People were fleeing, Xena and Himari were doing their things, but something else caught her eyes. A few men escaped into a building on the next street over, but something was strange about this building. Chakra coated it and blocked out her vision. Something or someone wanted the inside of this building to be hidden from prying eyes; so, if she couldn’t see from the outside, she would find out from the inside what they were hiding.

“Xena! Himari!” She shouted once again, “I’m heading to a street over, I think I saw who might have been behind this attack! The building restricts those with chakra vision to see in it. I’m going to see what that is about,” she said.

As Zarina moved, she splintered from the ground and found herself within a warehouse somewhere between where she should be investigating and the starting point from her region. She figured she could check out this building since it was coated in chakra that blocked out her vision. But something was here, it wasn’t shinobi or missing-nin that had infiltrated the village. Some sort of gang occupied this establishment. Thus, them being here made the whole world turn gray… and dark – like seeing everything stripped bare of its natural color, giving way to sepia-like tones. Despite the macabre however, the smile on her face widened as she crouched low on the catwalk above the three remaining goons.

In their terror, the fools had begun blind firing their kunai and shuriken in all directions now. Of course, after brutally dispatching the rest of their compatriots, their fear was understandable. The original group was composed of nearly a dozen heavily armed men with weapons, armor, explosive bombs and enough gear to start an urban street war. ‘They must have been the ones that bombed that building and caused all the deaths,’ Zarina thought as she put the blame on them, whether or not they had any part of it. Continuing on, even with all that equipment, they were searching for a lone woman who was quickly decimating their ranks in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The first to fall had been almost too easy. He’d been distracted by his friend’s body which had allowed her to get the drop on him. A quick kick to the back of his knee put him down low enough for her to snap his neck in one fluid motion. Despite the guard’s high-end gear, Zarina had been surprised to find that he’d also been equipped with a machete. She had then removed the sharp blade with a smirk; knowing that she would make good use of it. It had set the tone for all that had transpired afterward.

Staying in the shadows, she had moved from cover to cover using her enhanced flexibility and small size, cutting and slicing through each one of them in the most brutal ways possible. She was a woman skilled in multiple forms of weaponry and that include bladed weapons. While they weren’t as elegant or as smooth as the grip of her Joukikukan, they did have their own ‘unique’ uses.

A light chuckle escaped her as she recalled her teacher’s advice from when she entered Jujutsu High almost three years ago. 'Try using short, bladed weapons next time. Works better for close encounters instead of that katana you got.' How apt was it that she was now heeding those words?

But this wasn’t about efficiency or killing her enemies quickly. This was about causing as much suffering and death as she could against those who devastated the area. This was about her rage and anger. This was about her vengeance, and she wanted to see the fear in each of their eyes as she sent them to whatever hell awaited. A monster had been unleashed upon this warehouse. Not one of claws or fangs as she had faced in the past, but a monster in the form of a cold-blooded killer – a sadist who enjoyed her work. And at this moment, Zarina was quite content to let loose the reins and allow it to run freely.

Her mind shifted back on the men below her. She had been the one responsible for carefully crafting their fear. Each of them had seen what she was capable of – the bloody trail of destruction and death that she had left behind in her wake. This had turned into a game for her, and she knew the moment was at hand to bring it to a close.

All three guards had expanded their weapon holders and were trying to find other assortments. This was the moment she had been waiting for. With the machete in hand, she lunged at a nearby pillar and swung down towards their position. Coming in behind the enemy closest to her, she dropped down and swung the blade as hard as she could. It passed effortlessly through the man’s neck, causing his head to roll off of his shoulders as she landed on the pavement in a crouching position.

The other two were momentarily stunned by what they had just witnessed before cursing loudly as they tried to finish slamming a fresh magazine into their weapons. She wouldn’t give them that chance. Performing a fast cartwheel and flip, she landed before the man to her right. A swift kick knocked the rifle from his hands before she swung the blade to her left… taking his hand in the process. As he screamed, she had already begun the backwards motion of her second swing and struck him in the head.

The last guard dropped his sword and attempted to run, but it would do him no good. Two kunai flew through the air, and now he was on the ground, grabbing at his legs. He began crying out for help but as soon as he saw her slow, sauntering approach, he quickly turned in an attempt to crawl away. When she reached him, she looked down upon him as he then rolled onto his back and put out his hands as if to entreat her mercy.

“Please… Please!” he moaned.

Digging the heel of her shoe into the wound on his right leg, he let out a howl of pain. Zarina then smiled down at him.

“Too bad,” she replied.

Raising the bloody machete above her head, she quickly brought it down. His moans soon turned to screams of agony as she continued striking again and again. Letting loose her rage, the fury washed over her in a sadistic rush. After half a dozen blows, he went silent as death released him from his torment, but still she savaged his corpse. At last, with two hands on the hilt, she swung and embedded the machete into what was left of the dead guard’s skull and stood over him.

The grey haze to her vision began to disappear, giving way to a normal hue. A warm drop landed on her cheek to which she wiped it away and looked at her fingers. It was blood – and not just on her hand but all over her. She was covered in it. Taking a deep breath, she quickly oriented herself and realized that she was standing in the middle of the lot surrounded by the remains of her adversaries. She had killed them all, and it was with that realization that her training and instincts kicked in.

Wiping her bloody brow, Zarina whispered to herself. “Damn it! I don’t know what I was doing back there, but I need to get a hold of myself and fast.” Getting killed was not an option right now. She had to be more subtle, or this mission would end in failure.

The weight of her sadness was crushing. Her rage on the other hand had been sated somewhat after she had dispatched those members. ‘Dispatched?’ she thought to herself. ‘No, what I had done was slaughter, plain and simple. I had butchered them like cattle – and I had enjoyed every minute of it.’ That was not how she had been taught to take life. It was to be quick and clean – a bullet to the head or chest and put the target down fast. But she had been so angry back there and had wanted to make them suffer.

What was happening to her? She was devolving back to the woman she had once been before joining the academy. Now this night would be burned into her mind like a hot branding iron on skin. The only thing she could do in order to keep her sanity was to finish the mission. With a renewed purpose, Zarina pushed on toward the exit of the complex as quickly and quietly as she could. A side entrance was up ahead – that would be her desertion point of this place.

Exiting the building, the sunlight began to quickly dry the blood of her victims upon her entire person. If this mission wasn’t already difficult, killing all those men without asking them a single question might have made it harder; considering all the people that have ultimately fled this area. Especially with those people still missing and those ignorant children. She needed to meet back up with Xena and Himari, she headed into the direction to find them; that is if they didn’t accompany her and watch her horrendous act of violence. If that had happened, she was sure there would be a conversation to be had.

WC: 2,131
TWC: 3,672

"Oh, okay! That works, too!" Himari replies, jubilantly. It's certainly a reassuring feeling to see Zarina's smile in spite of the mounting dread of assuring the safety of the six unbeknownst individuals who've gone missing. Nevertheless, upon their approach toward the alleyway, there's a thunderous booming and cacophony of clamoring that reverberates downward upon them, the initial shockwave from the blast sunders Himari's eardrums as she holds both hands over them to stymie the debilitating aftershock that would soon follow. Next thing she knows, debris flies in every which way and cascades in a torrential sea of grayish-brown dust that's propelled by the force of the blast.

"What was that?!" Himari shouts, her voice barely audible over the din of what sounds like an explosion. A familiar pulsation courses through from her temples directly toward her eyes as she subconsciously activates her Byakugan, providing her renewed clarity up to 100 meters with herself as the point of origin. From a bird's eye view, she speculates that the upper levels of the Toshinori building came under attack, whether this is linked to the initial mission provided to them by the mission facility, this warrants enough attention to subdue the criminals responsible for it. However, she'll have to backlog these thoughts soon after, as she notices a volley of glass shards—at least 30 meters above—descend upon the two unknowing kids below at an alarming rate.

Himari doesn't spare another moment and springs into action, covering the remaining distance between herself and them over 10 meters before she pivots on one foot and proceeds with the following foot in a spinning motion. During this process, the air currents around her warp and bend, emitting a thunderous, sharp howl as a spiraling vortex of pure force made up of pressurized air with a radius of 10 meters fires toward the descending shards and disperses them in a particulate cloud that rains upon the ground below—toward Himari's left-hand side—leaving only harmless fragments to scatter across the pavement. Alas, the initial volley beguiles the subsequent hail of jagged, glass-looking, and metallic fragments that continue their onslaught. Himari frowns and beckons the two to huddle up together toward her, which they do without question, as she kneads more of her chakra and channels it toward the soles of her feet.

Running toward the opposing wall of the sundered building, she scales up no higher than 5 meters before she channels another surge of chakra throughout all of her tenketsu burst forth in a clockwise rotation, forming a semi-circular dome of chakra that collides and deflects the remaining shards that descend thereafter, hitting the ground away from the fear-struck children below her until the cascading debris halts. Thereafter, Himari backflips off the wall and back down to ground level and checks in on the two kids.

"Hey, are you okay? What happened?" She asks them, checking for any injuries. The boy and girl—likely no older than 12 years of age—nod their heads, but they're still too shaken to speak. Himari sighs in relief and proceeds to scan their surroundings for any other signs of danger. "Okay, listen," Himari begins. "It's too dangerous for either of you to be here right now, so if you can find a safe place away from here, please do so. My friends and I will come to check up on you two when we've got a handle on the situation right now, okay?"

The children nod again and proceed to scurry off into the nearest alleyway as Himari turns her attention back toward the building before she hears Zarina's cry from across the street. It appears she's found a peculiar establishment where those responsible for the initial explosion retreated into. When Himari attempts to scan the building for any signs of life, her vision is muddled by an impromptu chakra barrier. Whatever they're hiding, it can't be good. Himari gestures in response with a thumbs up. "Be safe!" She shouts back. "Xena! The two kids from earlier ran that-a-way," She points to the neighboring alleyway across from her. "I'm gonna help evacuate the people inside and outside of the building to safety. This may well be a distraction, so please be careful!"

And she does just that. She beelines towards the citizens in the immediate vicinity who are struggling to get away from the burning building and convinces them to evacuate to a safe distance away from the area. One after another, she assists as many people as she can until all that's left is the establishment itself, where she would normally enter through the main entrance, but the pathway inside is blocked off by waste and detritus, leaving only one viable option: the window. Himari scales up the exterior wall and leaps through an open window, where she finds herself in an office-like environment. The room itself is littered with documents and overturned furniture, but what's most notable is the path of destruction leading into the adjacent room.

She follows it to find a man with a clipboard in hand, frantically pacing back and forth across the floor. "No, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen!" He exclaims. "We were only supposed to plant a small bomb to scare them away! We weren't supposed to kill anyone!"

Himari clears her throat to announce her presence as she steps forward into the room, causing him to jump in fright and turn toward her direction. "W-Who are you?!" He shouts at her. "What are you doing here?!"

Himari raises both hands in a placating gesture. "Relax! I'm here to help!" She replies. "I'm a Konoha shinobi here to help evacuate the premises. Are you hurt?"

The man turns to face Himari and shakes his head. "N-No, I'm fine, but we need to get out of here now! They're coming back!" He shouts. Himari furrows her brow in confusion. "Who's coming back? The people who planted the bomb?" The man shakes his head again. "No, it's not that! It's—"

A loud explosion erupts from outside, cutting the man off mid-sentence as he ducks down for cover and screams in terror. Himari reacts quickly by channeling her chakra through her feet and leaps into action, although there's a sudden jolt that rocks her posture and threatens to teeter her off balance. There's a brief pause before the floor beneath her suddenly shifts and slumps a dozen degrees downward. She looks up to see that the ceiling above them is slowly caving in, but she doesn't have time to dwell on it. Raising her left thumb to her left incisor, she presses against it and quickly glides the flat of her digit across, a thin trickle of crimson pools at the point of puncture. Then, she performs the following hand seals: Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram. She slams her hand against the ground as several scrawls form beneath her and a puff of off-white smoke envelopes her form.

When the smoke finally clears, two identical slugs, predominantly white in color with three blue streaks that run vertically down the middle and sides of their body from their head and taper off at their tails. Their optical tentacles have a slight tint of gray to them and they also have two sensory tentacles on either side of their mouth.

"Katsuki," She appends, gesturing with her head by gyrating it toward the slug on her left shoulder. "Can you guide him to safety for me out of this building? I have to search the upper levels for any civilians before I come back down."

"At once, My Lady." The slug named Katsuki nods with one of her optical tentacles before slithering off Himari's shoulder and onto the man's, where he flinches in fear at first, but quickly realizes that the creature is friendly. He stands up and allows the slug to wrap itself around his shoulders as Himari turns her attention to the slug on her left shoulder. "Satsuki, can you help me find any civilians trapped on the upper levels?" She asks. The slug nods its head again before her tentacles bob and weave, scanning the perimeter upward of up to 15 meters. Himari turns back to the man before her, gesturing with one hand. "Okay, go, go, go! Katsuki will guide you out of here safely!"

The man nods and proceeds en route outside with Katsuki still wrapped around his shoulders while Satsuki continues to scan the area above them. Himari turns her attention back toward the ceiling that's slowly caving in and ponders how she'll be able to reach the upper floors without being crushed by the debris. Himari turns her attention to Satsuki. "Do you sense anyone else on this floor?" Satsuki shakes her head in response. "No, My Lady. There is nobody else on this floor."

Himari frowns in response. "Alright, we'll have to check the next level then," She replies. "Let's go!"

She leaps through the prior open window and scales up the side of the building until she reaches the second floor and enters through an open window where she finds herself inside a room that looks like it was once used for storage, but it's since been ransacked and left in a state of disarray with overturned tables and chairs strewn across the floor. Himari steps forward cautiously as Satsuki scans the area above them for any signs of life while Himari uses her Byakugan to scan for any signs of life on this floor. The results are inconclusive. There doesn't appear to be anyone else on this floor either aside from her and Satsuki.

They continue and repeat this process until they're able to scout out and escort any remaining workers within the facility toward the ground floor while they clear their path and create impromptu escape routes as the building they reside in continues to shift and slump beneath their feet. During one such occasion, Himari is forced to use her chakra to scale up an adjacent wall when it suddenly slants inward toward her, but she narrowly escapes by leaping through an open window into another room. She lands with a heavy thud and proceeds to take cover behind an overturned table as debris rains down upon them. When the dust finally settles, she stands up and surveys her surroundings. The room itself looks like it was once an office of sorts judging by the numerous desks that have been overturned and left in disarray with papers scattered across the floor.

By the time the duo gathers the last round of civilians in the building and descends toward the ground level with the rest, she remarks to Satsuki to attend to those in dire need of medical assistance while Himari, herself, intends to secure the perimeter of any more ne'er-do-wells who would otherwise impede upon their progress. With everything said and done, Himari hollers to the panicked crowd to relocate toward the nearest shelter until help arrives. And as they do so. Himari provides medical assistance where she can, rendering her impromptu services to those unable to traverse on their own until every head she can count safely departs.

Himari turns to Satsuki again. "Has Zarina reported back yet?" She asks. Satsuki shakes her head in response. "No, My Lady. She has not."

Himari sighs. "Alright, let's keep going then." She replies. "I hope she's doing okay." And as though on cue, through Himari's enhanced vision, she spies a familiar chakra source emerge from the gelatinous shroud of chakra from the neighboring building. 'That must be her!' She thinks. And when the source fast approaches her and Xena's location, she finds the elder Hyuuga drenched in red, fresh, too. It's almost unnerving that Himari finds herself seeing Zarina in such a state again since their last mission together, but her mind fails to recall the events properly as she waves to the swordswoman.

"Heyya! I evacuated all the people outside and inside the building. Are... you okay? You look pretty uh... red. Are you hurt? I can help!"


WC: 2,005
TWC: 3,931/4,000
TMWC: 9,641/12,000

Xena had been about 12 feet in front of the two Hyuuga, having already started walking towards where Maeve had pointed, this was unfortunately enough, directly towards the toshinori building, as Maeve had pointed too a ally too the right of it, Xena was looking back at the two Hyuuga as she was waiting for them too follow, she wasn't exactly listening for much besides footsteps approaching, those weren't heard, instead it was a ear shattering boom, enough too possibly blow her ear drums, she didn't react very fast either, not like you'd expect someone of the uchiha too react, turning a shard of glass lodged itself into her lower abdomen, a second one entering her lower leg, just below the knee, locking the joint, a faint word escaped her breath. "S-shit..." Before she collapsed too the ground, chunks of building falling around her, the rumbling shaking her already messed with head, the ringing was intense, and the shaking jostling her brain made her want too faint, but she recognized that if she did the summoning for Maeve would last maybe another 2 minutes before they were forced too leave, she couldn't let herself faint, otherwise her recovery was all but impossible in any timely matter. What even happened too Maeve she pondered, hoping the bird hadn't been hit by shrapnel themself. She couldn't bring herself too move though she could hear Zarina yell something, its simply impossible too not recognize her voice, Xena was merely happy the Hyuuga hadn't gotten hit, she wasn't sure of Himari's condition, but she somehow could just feel they too were fine. The Hyuuga's were always tougher then the Uchiha, no matter how much she would be told too never admit it, looking at Onabi, Himari, and Zarina, it was just a fact when she then looked at the other members of her clan at her age. Hyuuga's were simply prodigies, she simply accepted that, and she was nothing of the sort.


Xena's POV
As the world grew blurred, her eyes kept open, soft tears running down her face as she could spot a black blur in the sky slowly descend upon her, Maeve?... she couldn't honestly tell, she wasn't sure how much blood she lost but it couldn't of been that much, perhaps her ears being blown gave her some kind of concussion, she couldn't move all that well, no doubt thanks too the glass in her, feeling Maeve poking around the Uchiha would yelp and groan from the pain, the glass needed too come out, though it seemed Maeve struggled due too lack of hands. How sad, if only she could aid the bird, but for now she just waited, feeling the birds beak poke at the wound, she'd wince as the glass slowly began sliding out, it didn't hurt per say, it more so felt... weird, as if you went from being full too being starving. It put a sweat across her skin, a shiver running down her spine, she could then feel feathers across her stomach region, she couldn't entirely look downwards but she figured it was still Maeve, feeling the wound slowly begin too mend itself, it had too of been, Himari and Zarina were likely far too busy for some piece of trash like herself, it was nice Maeve even bothered, eventually she could feel it finally seal, trying too sit up she'd scream upon her leg straightening, the glass shard inside it tearing more as the bones moved it cutting more flesh, Maeve was rather quick too pin the leg down too avoid Xena from moving it more, she simply covered her hand with a mouth as Maeve looked over the glass chunk it was long, but with quite a bit of finagling she was capable of pulling the shard out, then with the same medical technique she'd begin mending her knee next, taking a good 2 minutes too do so, repairing bone takes a while no doubt. Eventually she'd find the strength too sit up leaning against a chunk of rock with a quiet groan, coming too a knee and finally a wobbly stand, looking around, a explosion occurred, she took far too long too react and help, moving now jumping even, before shouting. "Maeve! If you can find anyone injured use whatever you can too restore them too a stable state!" Landing next too rubble she did her best not too wobble and fall over, the blood loss somewhat dizzying her.

Taking her time she took a moment too think, what about those kids that were causing trouble, wobbling towards the ally, she was originally trying too go too, she wondered if those kids were harmed by the blast, unlikely given the brick and concrete walls of the ally but it might of scared them, placing a hand on the side wall and leaning on it she breathed deeply, her heart racing too pump the lack of blood running through her through her, she eventually would manage composure before walking down the ally, her fingers snapping until a small dancing flame was created too light the way, she simply needed too find the kids. Though they could be further then she thought, the ally indeed was like a maze, and unlike fun ones she had very little light and very little company too complete it with, why would they even come down here, the kids couldn't be older the 10 or 11, so was this really the younger generation now, she almost was happy she was raised the way she was, even if it wasn't ideal she kept out of trouble and learned too be the best person should could be, even if she didn't think she was currently, as the smoke slowly covered the ally a thick darkness rolled in, requiring more chakra too be pumped into the fire candle, as she looked too the left and right eventually passing a corner, she'd notice a pear hopping down a ally, looks like she found a lead, slowly walking down the ally she'd keep a ear out, if the kids spoke she may want too douse the candle, not matter how much she really didnt want too given it was pitch black. She'd continue walking, for a good ten, twenty, maybe thirty feet. Before coming too a final corner and hearing voices ahead, it also seemed there a was light on back her, a house in the ally? Actually kind of a generic thing. As she turned the corner she thought on the easiest way too handle this, she didnt really want too deal with the kids causing trouble, perhaps she could deal with it peacefully... all of them seemed too be there, what would be the least painful way too go about this she questioned. Though she didn't question for too long, moving back around the corner she made the seals for Chidori Senbon, a easy too use paralysis technique, the noise was loud, but acting fast she hopped around the corner flooding the ally with needles, sticking everything in the way, which counted 5 kids, 3 barrels of apple cider, a woman who she didn't know, and quite a few moving pieces of food, everything found it was being slowly drifted too sleep from electric shock, panting a bit the electricity around Xena's hand would fade, before she walked up closer into the light, who this old lady was she hadn't the faintest idea, one of the kids mothers perhaps, she'd have too bring her out of the ally regardless. She'd first begin by tying the hands of all the kids as useless as it likely is, before picking one up and setting them on a wagon with bags of grain beside it, she'd proceed too do the same with the other 4 kids and old lady, before thinking on how too move the wagon, she wasn't very physically strong, perhaps maeve?... ironically the small bird was her best bet, with a whistle she waited a tad before Maeve arrived, shrugging and motioning towards the cart the bird almost seemed horribly angered before swooping down and pecking Xena on the head. "GAH I'm sorry I'm sorry!!!" Xena would yell swatting them away holding her head, guess it was up too her, though it seems maeve did decide too lend a hand making pulling the cart down the ally and back too the destroy building just a little bit easier... Looking around for Himari and Zarina she simply colapsed against the wagon taking a breather, why did she go too do that alone she should of just waited for the other two, sighing raven poked her on the head again. "Ow!" Xena would mutter looking up at the bird sighing at them.

WC:1988 TWC:4026/4000 MWC:11629/12000

Exit Claim

76 AP (From Max Stats) + 120 AP
+24000 Ryo

1750/1750 into Glare
238/1500 into Demonic Illusion: Mirage Crow

The thing you have to understand is this; Zarina is a protector. At the end of the day, the thing that matters more to Zarina than anything else is keeping Hakudoshi safe. Keeping her brother safe, Zunair’s brother safe, and staying under the radar is deeply difficult. So as Zarina continued her duties over the weeks, she became quite efficient in killing humans, friend or foe alike. Although, that doesn’t mean it did not weigh heavy on her. Her emotions are beginning to fry with the lives she takes. Severing that string that binds them from this world to the next all in the name of saving one person.

But it isn’t like Hakudoshi is unable to defend himself. It is just that her mind is weak, believing everyone can be redeemed and choose to do good which is just insanity in the form of optimistic thinking. There is no ultimate good or evil, there is no black or white in this world. Everything is morally gray on a standard scale. You can try to keep pushing to one end of the scale, but there is always something, someone, that will never make you fully reach that limit. And Zarina has come to understand that which is why her blade is driving through the veins, arteries, and bones of someone who she should consider a comrade. Until she fully completes her projected path, things like this have to happen. She would just wish Hakudoshi would realize that.

Finding Himari and Xena in the aftermath, she gleamed with a bright smile at them. However, she will drag Himari off to the side to speak to her privately. “Himari; I know this is sudden but there is something I must ask of you.” Zarina said to the younger hyuga, “I am going to be going away for a while. Hakudoshi, I need you to watch over him while I’m gone.” She said with seriousness and urgency in her voice. “Can I trust you to do this?” Zarina concluded before she wandered off to do her next task.

WC: 345
TWC: 4,017
Claiming: 
Converting 120 AP (x 50 Ryo) = 6,000 Ryo
+24,000 Ryo
3000/3000 to Hyuga’s Grit (25% off Due to Max Stat)
1017/1500 to Space-Time Secialty (25% off Due to Max Stat)

4017-4017 = 0 WC

Zarina Hyuuga wrote:

WC: 345
TWC: 4,017
Claiming: 
Converting 120 AP (x 50 Ryo) = 6,000 Ryo
+24,000 Ryo
3000/3000 to Hyuga’s Grit (25% off Due to Max Stat)
1017/1500 to Space-Time Secialty (25% off Due to Max Stat)

4017-4017 = 0 WC

Approved

Thankfully, despite the immediate circumstances given, Zarina still somehow has it in her to smile in spite of everything. However, what she does after that startles the junior Hyūga when her senior whisks her away elsewhere amidst the rabble and debris. Himari, still recovering from the adrenaline rush having escaped a collapsing building, is left confused by Zarina's sudden request when the two find themselves in the absence of further company. "Hakudoshi?" Himari repeats, blinking twice as she tries to process what she's just heard. It's not anyone she's personally familiar with—not that she's known many outside of her immediate family and Zarina herself—perhaps it's a family member of hers? A colleague, perchance? A close friend, mayhaps? Or maybe...

"I-I mean, yes! I'll do it! You can trust me a hundred percent!" Himari replies, nodding her head with a determined expression. "But... where are you going? And for how long?" Himari asks, eyes wide with curiosity as well as concern. Watching her senior rise and stride towards her next task, Himari's left with naught but a sense of uncertainty as she wonders if this is the last time she'll ever see Zarina again. It isn't uncommon for shinobi and kunoichi alike to have experienced changes in their career, whether significant or insignificant, that would require them to be away for extended periods of time. She understands this, yet this is not where the crux of her creeping anxiety lies. Zarina was the first among her kinsmen to treat her kindly and accept her despite her queer circumstances. An equal rather than a child. A friend rather than a stranger. A familiar feeling, to be sure, especially when one considers her acquaintanceship with a certain Anbura medical-nin whose disappearance still remains a mystery to her.

"I'll be fine," Himari says to herself, clenching a fist as though to steel her resolve. "Zarina-senpai will be fine, just like Arutemisu-senpai. I'm sure of it... Wait, but I don't know where I can find Hakudoshi," she peers around herself for a moment. "And... But, Xena? Wait, Katsuki, do you know where she'd gone?" It isn't long until Katsuki detects a commotion not too far from where they are and Himari makes haste to ascertain the condition of her other teammate.

---

WC: 376
TWC: 4,307/4,000
TMWC: Complete/12,000

Requesting approval for the following claims:

Claiming the following mission reward(s):

► Total Ryo Earned: +24,000 Ryo
► Total AP Earned: +120 AP (converting to Ryo at a rate 1:50 to earn +6,000 Ryo)
► Grand Total Ryo Earned: +30,000 Ryo

Investing 4,307 TWC into the following Element(s):

► Learning Wind Element (1,500/1,500) [2,807 TWC Left]

Investing the remaining 2,807 TWC into the following Jutsu:

► Training Imitation: Black Hole @ B-Rank (1,313/1,313) [1,494 TWC Left]
► Training Imitaiton: White Hole @ B-Rank (1,313/1,313) [181 TWC Left]
► Training Imitation: Suprnova @ B-Rank (181/1,313) [0 TWC Left]