One Warden's Failure is anothers Rise! (Solo)

The fog was suffocating, wrapping Pelican Island in a shroud of cold mist that seemed to draw the warmth from every breath Shikami took. The fortress loomed ahead, its dark silhouette barely visible through the thick haze. Each step he took was met with the roar of the unforgiving sea, waves crashing against the jagged rocks with relentless fury, echoing the turmoil within the island. Pelican Island wasn’t just a prison; it was a place where hope came to die, where despair was etched into the very air, heavy with the echoes of the damned.

Shikami Shinkou stood at the edge of the island, his gaze fixed on the fortress as the mist coiled around him, almost as if it were alive, trying to seep into his very being. But Shikami remained still, his expression calm. The mission was clear: eliminate the Warden who had failed Kirigakure and assume control. The Mizukage’s command was absolute, and Shikami had long since learned to suppress any hesitation. His role was not to question, but to act.

He inhaled deeply, the cold air filling his lungs, before beginning his approach. His hands moved in fluid, practiced motions, weaving a series of hand signs that gathered chakra into the surrounding mist. The fog thickened, a blanket so dense it swallowed the landscape whole, obscuring everything in an eerie, unnatural silence. The guards stationed at the gate were little more than shadows now, their tension palpable as they strained to see through the gloom. But by the time they realized they weren’t alone, it was too late.

A whisper of fabric, the faintest rustle of movement, Shikami’s presence was a mere breath on the wind. The first guard’s eyes widened in brief shock as a blade of condensed wind chakra sliced through the fog, severing his throat with surgical precision. His body crumpled silently, the mist already claiming him. The second guard barely had time to turn, his kunai raised in futile defense, before a jet of high-pressure water pierced his chest. He collapsed without a sound, joining his comrade in the cold, unforgiving earth.

Shikami moved forward, a phantom in the fog, slipping through the gate and into the heart of the fortress. The narrow, winding corridors were designed to confuse and entrap, but Shikami had studied every detail, memorized every twist and turn. His senses were heightened, the years of training guiding him through the labyrinth with unerring precision.

As he neared the Warden’s quarters, he felt a shift in the air, a presence. Loyal guards, seasoned shinobi who had stood by the Warden’s side for years. These were not ordinary soldiers; these were men who knew battle, who would fight to the death for their commander. Shikami’s lips curled into a faint, cold smile. They didn’t stand a chance.

He slipped into a shadowed alcove, his fingers moving through another set of hand signs. The air around him began to crackle with electricity, tiny sparks dancing in the mist. He could feel the moisture in the air, the dampness in the stone walls, all ready to be bent to his will. With a controlled breath, he unleashed the Wave of Inspiration Technique, a devastating blast of water and lightning that tore through the corridor, ripping through stone and flesh alike.

The first guard rounded the corner, his eyes wide with shock as the blast hit him, hurling him into the opposite wall with bone-crushing force. The second guard reacted instantly, forming hand signs for a Fireball Jutsu, but Shikami was already upon him. A torrent of water chakra erupted from the ground, slamming the guard against the ceiling before crashing him back to the floor, lifeless.

The remaining guards hesitated, torn between loyalty and the instinct to survive. Shikami gave them no time to choose. His hands moved rapidly, summoning the power of the wind. The air around him sharpened into blades, slicing through the last of the guards with brutal efficiency. Their bodies fell to the cold stone, forgotten as Shikami stepped over them, his expression as cold as the mist that clung to him.

He pushed open the heavy iron door to the Warden’s quarters, the metal groaning under his touch. The Warden stood in the center of the room, his dark armor gleaming in the dim light, his massive war hammer crackling with energy. His eyes, hard and filled with fury, locked onto Shikami.

“Wha...What are you doing here?!,” the Warden growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I am the Warden of Pelican Island, no one just barges into my office.” The Warden Oblivious to the actions that have happened just outside of his own prison at this time.

Shikami’s gaze remained steady as he stepped inside, the mist trailing behind him like a shroud. “I am here to relieve you of that title, and to take it upon my own shoulders, as request of the Mizukage, for the carelessness of letting Wan Senju escape.”

The Warden roared, raising his hammer and bringing it down with a thunderous crash. The ground beneath Shikami’s feet trembled, debris flying in all directions. But Shikami was already moving, his body a blur as he sidestepped the attack, his hands weaving signs faster than the eye could follow.

He unleashed a Water Dragon Jutsu, the creature spiraling around him before launching toward the Warden with a roar. The Warden’s hammer connected with the watery form, causing it to explode into a deluge that soaked the room. But Shikami wasn’t finished. The water now pooling on the floor was his to command.

With a sharp motion, he sent chakra pulsing through the water, transforming it into a swarm of deadly needles that shot up from the ground. The Warden swung his hammer in wide arcs, smashing the needles before they could reach him, but each swing was slower, more labored than the last.

Shikami pressed his advantage, shifting to wind chakra, the air around him swirling violently as he prepared his next move. The wind condensed at his fingertips, forming a concentrated sphere of cutting air. With a swift motion, he hurled it at the Warden.

The Warden raised his hammer to block, but the force of the attack was too great. The blast struck him with the force of a hurricane, pushing him back and leaving deep gashes in his armor. Blood seeped from the wounds, staining the metal.

But the Warden was far from defeated. With a roar of defiance, he channeled his chakra into the ground, causing the earth to tremble and crack. Pillars of stone erupted around Shikami, forcing him to leap and dodge. The Warden charged, his hammer swinging in a deadly arc aimed at Shikami’s head.

Shikami twisted mid-air, his body moving like water, narrowly avoiding the hammer’s deadly path. He landed on the opposite side of the room, his breath controlled despite the strain of battle. The Warden was strong, but Shikami knew strength alone wouldn’t win this fight.

As the Warden prepared for another assault, Shikami gathered his chakra for one final, decisive attack. The water on the floor began to swirl around him, responding to his will. His hands moved in a blur, forming the seals for the technique that would end this fight.

The room darkened as the moisture in the air condensed into a massive, swirling form. The Warden, sensing the danger, swung his hammer in a desperate attempt to disrupt the jutsu, but it was too late. A great shark emerged from the water, its jaws gaping wide, teeth gleaming with lethal intent.

“This is your end,” Shikami’s voice was calm, almost gentle, but there was no mistaking the finality in his tone.

With a thrust, he sent the Great Water Shark Bomb hurtling toward the Warden. The massive shark roared as it barreled forward, its body twisting through the air like a force of nature. The Warden raised his hammer one last time, but the shark’s momentum was unstoppable.

The shark collided with the Warden, its jaws closing around him with a bone-shattering crunch. The impact sent shockwaves through the room, collapsing the ceiling and shattering the walls. The Warden’s scream was lost in the roar of the water as he disappeared into the shark’s maw.

When the water receded, the room was a ruin. The Warden’s lifeless body lay crumpled in the wreckage, his armor shattered, his hammer broken beside him. The once-mighty guardian of Pelican Island had fallen.

Shikami stood over the fallen Warden, his chest rising and falling with the exertion of the battle. The fog that had clung to him began to lift, revealing the aftermath of the fight. The room was in ruins, a testament to the ferocity of their clash. Papers and debris were scattered everywhere, the remnants of the Warden’s quarters now little more than a pile of rubble.

With a final glance at the Warden’s body, Shikami turned to the task at hand. The Mizukage’s orders were clear: eliminate the Warden and secure any documents related to Wan Senju. There was no time to waste.

Shikami moved swiftly, his steps deliberate as he began to sift through the wreckage. His fingers searched through the scattered documents, picking out anything of importance; maps, reports, surveillance logs. Each piece of information was carefully examined before being set aside for later review.

As he searched, Shikami discovered a hidden compartment behind a shattered bookshelf. Inside, a secured dossier lay untouched by the destruction. It bore the prison’s seal, marking it as something of importance. With practiced ease, Shikami opened it, revealing detailed reports on Wan Senju: accounts of his escape, intelligence on his associates, and notes on the security failures that had allowed him to flee.

Shikami’s mind worked quickly as he gathered the records, cataloging each one for the report he would submit to the Mizukage Shikami gathered the records, his expression impassive as he read through the detailed accounts of Wan Senju’s escape. The reports were meticulously written, each one a chronicle of the prison’s gradual downfall. It was clear that the Warden had been aware of the growing unrest within the prison long before Wan’s escape, but had done nothing to address it. Instead, he had tried to cover up the failures, manipulating the records to hide the extent of the security breaches. It was a damning revelation, one that would seal the Warden’s fate in the eyes of Kirigakure.

But it wasn’t Shikami’s place to pass judgment. His mission was to retrieve these documents and ensure they never saw the light of day outside the Mizukage’s office. He carefully folded the dossier, slipping it into a sealed scroll before tucking it away. The weight of the scroll was a reminder of the power it held; the lives it could ruin, the secrets it could expose. But in Shikami’s hands, it was simply another tool, another weapon to be wielded at the Mizukage’s command.

With the documents secured, Shikami turned his attention to the rest of the fortress. He moved with the precision of a surgeon, eliminating any remaining guards and ensuring that no one would be left to question the Warden’s sudden demise. Each strike was calculated, each life taken without hesitation. By the time he reached the final chamber, the fortress was a graveyard, the echoes of his footsteps the only sound in the cold, empty halls.

The chamber was small and sparsely furnished, a stark contrast to the opulence of the Warden’s quarters. At its center was a simple desk, cluttered with papers and a single, flickering candle. Shikami approached, his eyes scanning the documents. Most were unimportant; routine reports, supply requests, maintenance logs. But one caught his attention: a personal letter, its seal broken, addressed to the Warden.

The letter was short, written in a hurried hand. It spoke of unrest among the prisoners, rumors of Wan Senju’s escape plan, and the Warden’s growing paranoia. The writer, a subordinate, urged the Warden to take action before it was too late. But the letter had been ignored, cast aside and forgotten in the chaos that followed. Shikami stared at the letter for a moment before folding it and slipping it into his pouch. It was another piece of the puzzle, another thread in the tangled web of deceit and betrayal that had led to this moment.

Satisfied that he had gathered everything of importance, Shikami took a step back, surveying the room one last time. The candle’s flame flickered, casting long shadows across the walls. He reached out, pinching the flame between his fingers, extinguishing it with a soft hiss. The room was plunged into darkness, the only light now coming from the mist that clung to the walls, glowing faintly with his chakra.

Shikami turned and left the chamber, his steps echoing in the silent corridors. The mist followed him, swirling around his feet as he made his way to the fortress’s exit. Outside, the storm had begun to clear, the rain easing to a light drizzle. The air was thick with the scent of salt and blood, the sea churning restlessly against the rocks below.

He paused at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the dark waters. The mission was complete, but there was no satisfaction in the victory, no sense of accomplishment. There was only the cold, the emptiness that came with each kill, each life snuffed out at the Mizukage’s command. Shikami had long since accepted this as his reality, the price he paid for his loyalty.

But even in the darkest corners of his mind, a small part of him wondered how many more missions it would take before there was nothing left of the man he once was. How many more lives would he take before the fog that surrounded him became a permanent part of his soul?

He pushed the thought aside, forcing it into the recesses of his mind where it couldn’t distract him. There would be time for reflection later, in the quiet moments between missions when the ghosts of his past came to haunt him. For now, there was only the return to Kirigakure, the report to be written, and the next mission to prepare for.

With a final glance at the sea, Shikami turned and began the long journey back to the Hidden Mist, the mist trailing behind him like a cloak, a silent testament to the blood he had spilled in the name of his village. Upon reaching his home within the village Shikami would place his evidence he had gathered about Wan Senju in one location on a desk, grabbing another piece of paper Shikami would begin to write his report for the Mizukage himself.

Informing him in veiled message, that the deed had been done, yet without witness and without trace of manner to lead one to think it could have been anyone of specific skill set to have done the Job. Shikami Purposely left out using the Yuumei, although most of his actions was influnced by the voice within his head, and he allowed the Yuumei its time at the wheel. Shikami still had ulitmate control over the beast within.

With the sidenote that this was done by letter due to last time he did not think of attempting to set up a time with his Kage to reach out with his communications technique and as such could have been interupting something personal and does not wish to do so again, and if they wish to commune long distance directly soon, he intends to undergo extensive training that may require more dedication than the communication technique will afford him, so he may not be able to use it again after that training that he intends to do.

Once done with the letter. He would collect up the files and head towards the Mizukage office, where he would speak with the receptionist to send word for the Deputy Lord Shiro immediately if he was not already available, that his immediate response was required.

If Shiro was already there, Shikami would go right into handing him the evidence he had collected of Wan Senju and giving him the debrief of the events of Pelican Island, inform him that some people will be needed to be sent over for repairs and if we wish to skirt this under the rug and not have it public as this was done by one of our own, a detective sent to determine it was an Assassination. But if this is meant to be a show of force, for what happens to those who fail their duties that they are tasked with, and ones to this degree, we would have to admit to Wan's Esacpe and that Shikami had to clean up the situation and would be taking over. A suggestion to go along with option one was if we are to admit to Wan Senju's escape, than to place the blame on him, and make the entire slaughter apart of his escape.

Once Shiro had been Debriefed , Shikami would hand him the letter meant for the Lord Mizukage himself and inform him "This is a veiled message , to inform him that the task of the warden is done, and it was made to look like someone else did it, and that i did this by letter as not to possible interupt any personal matters, so he could arrange a time, and to inform him I do plan on doing some rather extensive training that may render me useless for the communication technique after it is completed. So if he wishes to do direct commune I suggested to request it soon. If there is anything you wish to add to the letter you are more than welcome to do so Lord Deputy" Shikami would address Shiro officially, and once the files and letter was handed over, he would leave the office to leave Shiro to his duties unless Stopped by the Deputy lord.

If not stopped than Shikami returned to his home in the village, the familiar surroundings offering a stark contrast to the brutal night he had just endured. The quiet streets of Kirigakure, cloaked in darkness, felt oddly comforting as he made his way through the mist-laden alleys. The mission on Pelican Island was behind him now, but its weight lingered not in the back of his mind.

As he stepped through the door of his home, the cool air inside welcomed him. The silence of the space was a balm to his senses, a refuge from the chaos of battle. Shikami removed his gear, setting aside his weapons and the bloodstained cloak he had worn. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if each action was a step closer to shedding the memories of the night.

He moved to a small, well-worn chair near the window, where the moonlight filtered through the mist, casting a soft glow over the room. Sitting down, he took a deep breath, feeling the tension in his muscles begin to ease. The village was quiet at this hour, the only sounds the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of a night bird.

For the first time in hours, Shikami allowed himself to relax. His thoughts drifted as he gazed out the window, the events of the night replaying in his mind, but this time with a detachment that allowed him to let go of the intensity. The mission was complete, and tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, he was home. The main thought crossing his mind at this moment was which path would they cross? Would they take the oppertunity to pin this on a already condemnd man? Or would this be a thing that would maybe paint the Mizukage in bad light in some's eyes, but show others, that you cannot always take someone for granted, just because he had been painted as a man with mercy does not mean the Lord did not have his limits, and this warden failed to a breaking point and met said limit. Both would be good ways to go about it, it was simply a matter of either the Deputy taking the reigns or asking the Lord which direction he wanted this to be addressed to the public itself.

As he leaned back, his eyes grew heavy. The exhaustion from the night's work was catching up to him rapidly, pulling him toward sleep. The bed, just a few steps away, beckoned with the promise of rest. He rose from the chair, crossing the room in a few strides, and lay down, the familiar feel of the mattress beneath him a comfort in itself. The events of the day which most would haunt them, Shikami had been comfortable with, having been an ex-mizukage he already knew the weight of having to make hard choices, this was just one more. The type of thoughts that would keep most from falling asleep in this situation, had no affect on Shikami at this time.

Shikami’s eyes closed, and he welcomed the darkness that followed. The village outside continued its silent vigil as he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep. Tonight, there would be no nightmares, no haunting memories, only rest. Tomorrow, he would take up the mantle of Warden, but for now, there was only the peaceful embrace of sleep in the safety of his home.

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