After each moment that passed, that feeling in the pit of his stomach only grew. Something that he had not truly felt in quite some time.
"Fear," he recognized, almost instantly.
"...I grew up listening to stories about these men."Of how the Yamato first created their ranks shortly after they established the samurai caste, of how they consisted of the nation's best swordsmen to dispense of threats both foreign and domestic, of their impossible prowess with bladed weapons. Tales of their exploits were legend in Tetsu no Kuni, and for many children they were boogeymen.
More myth, than anything approaching reality. After his family's exile, when the embers of his hatred for samurai were first stoked, he thought them just that. It was not until his sensei told him of her encounters with them that he learned the truth. Hitokiri were not only real— but they were chosen specifically for their immense skill with kenjutsu and capacity for extreme violence. Oda no Koshige wore a smile and was polite in speech and manner... but this was a threat of an entirely different dimension, one that not even they had hopes of felling at this present moment. Uemon was but an amateur dabbling in death-dealing in comparison to this assassin. One sanctioned by the shōgun himself, no less. In an instant his priorities shifted, from intel gathering by interrogation to survival.
If by some miracle they were actually able to flee.
"This is a battle best left for another day." he thought, his mind still busy concocting some sort of plan. Before he could act however, the courier lashed out on his own, bringing his own blade to bear upon the samurai.
"Oh!" Uemon heard the samurai say, almost jovial in his tone as the clang of metal on metal sounded out, Koshige expertly parrying each strike.
"You are quite skilled for one so young!" At even this distance, the wanderer could tell that the courier moved well. A practiced swordsman in his own right, it seemed, but...
"Fighting him head-on is suicide." Koshige refused to give even an inch of ground, striking back with his own
Rōtetsusen-ryū: Noto to disperse the boy's strikes with three controlled slashes of his own. Its intent was clearly to guard against the onslaught, but if the courier was not careful, he could be cut by the sheer force the attacks carried. Killing intent seemed to flood the air as Koshige narrowed his eyes, and Uemon's eyes widened.
Instinctively, his left hand moved, conjuring up several threads made of chakra that shot outwards from his fingertips, sticking to Koshige at various points via his
Soen: Tezā. Not a moment too soon as the hitokiri's blade halted mere centimeters away from the courier's throat.
"Hm?" He heard the man hum in confusion, his smiling face becoming tinged with curiosity as his own hand turned the blade against his will, then suddenly jerked back. To rest on his own throat.
"Ah, so it is true," the samurai spoke, Uemon realizing that his strings were fully tensed, and that the attack had not followed-through.
"He is resisting it?" a thought, his own face now colored by muted surprise.
"Through sheer physicality?" Koshige remained stationary as the courier's illusion went off, and the man merely smiled as the seemingly toxic enveloped him.
"I heard tell you utilize these—" A pause, exertion in his voice like someone trying to speak while holding a breath.
"Shinobi strings." The threads groaned,
then snapped.
Things became difficult to see within the dark cloud, but Uemon heard the distinctive click of a sword being sheathed.
"Iaido." he knew almost instantly. The courier was the closest, and would likely be the target... and Uemon considered taking the opportunity to flee himself.
"He would make for a good distraction..." A truthful observation, but before he knew it, his legs began to move.
"No," he thought, winding an arm back.
"This foe is mine to face, not his."Not out of altruism, or sympathy, but out of spite he moved to intercept. Uemon tossed the kunai at the samurai's chakra signature, took a deep breath, formed a single
Tora seal, then utilizing the
Shunshin no Jutsu to blur into the cloud. Appearing within Koshige's range in hopes of taking attention away from the courier. A glint of steel preceded the deflection of his kunai, followed by the cold draw of a sharp blade across his face. Then, suddenly...
...
vision in his right eye was gone.
"Ah!" Pain— then a streak of blood spattering the ground below.
"It is gone." the uncertain thought occurred, but he grit his teeth through the hurt and stepped into Koshige's guard to grip the wrist of his sword hand and the collar of his yukata.
"Now!" He growled at the courier in his periphery.
"Flee!"Oda no Koshige looked more amused then worried.
"Muramasa-dono," he heard him say, respectfully despite his blood on the man's blade.
"Do you believe you can match my strength?" Uemon tightened his grip, then shifted his feet. Tensing his body as he prepared for close combat.
"I will not have to." he said, Koshige chuckling in reply.
Already he could feel the man struggle against his grip, and his own hold weaken.
"Push back." he thought, waiting for the exact window he needed. The man was trained in Jujitsu, but Uemon suspected his focus lied in swordplay.
It was a necessary risk... and if it paid off, it might give him the chance he needed to escape.
"Just a bit more."
OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Soen: Tezā - [Puppet Performance: Tether]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/a
REQUIREMENTS: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
A puppet performance technique where chakra threads are attached to various spots on a person's body; the head, torso, both arms, and both legs. The person being manipulated gains the ability to not only use their own techniques, but the skills of the puppeteer as well. The amount of control required for this technique results in it having a limited duration, lasting only 3 of the puppeteer's posts.
SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Shunshin no Jutsu [Body Flicker Technique]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:
By invigorating one's entire body with chakra, a shinobi can seemingly disappear and reappear in another location faster than most people can see. Often times one's movements are disguised with the use of an extra element, be it a smoke bomb, leaves, water, sand, etc. in order to hide the user's trajectory from those with skilled eyes. Though it mimics teleportation, it is important to remember this jutsu merely boosts the agility of its user. As useful as this technique is, it can only be used 4 times in a battle thread, compounding in exertion and difficulty each time. with any more usages beyond that result in muscle tears in the legs from overexertion. The hand seal for this technique must be held until the shinobi reaches their destination, making it impossible to utilize other techniques regardless of any preparation.
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
KASHIRA-WARI・首割り - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL
Puppeteers must maintain expert control over their wide selection of puppets, and so too must a shinobi with their chakra. Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his jutsu. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.
TSUKURIMONO・作り物 - INTELLIGENCE
Stage and setting can make or break a performance. A director needs vigilance and flexibility to ensure all the moving parts of a play go off without a hitch. A learned strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. A knack for tactics cues him on which approach works best depending on his target.
ASHIZUKAI・足遣い - SPEED
Operating the legs of a puppet requires dexterity and agility. Much like moving one's own body. As a child in Tetsu no Kuni Uemon trained in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu, finding his aptitude for speed rather than strength. Honed after years on the road with his mentors, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in terms of speed.
SHOMEI・署名 - SENSOR TYPE
Lighting is a crucial part of any play. Identifying the actors and drawing focus to them in the dark. With much training Uemon has become a Sensor Type, able to detect and hone in on chakra signatures akin to a sixth sense of sorts. A useful tool when it comes to tracking or surveillance. As of now, he is capable of passively sensing chakra up to one hundred meters from his body, or one kilometer if actively searching. This also allows him to more efficiently utilize his puppets without needing a direct line of sight to his targets. Knowing the placement of actors on stage at all times is essential.
