[Gure Yuuta]

Gure Yuuta

There's a marked difference between acquaintances and friends. Most people really don't become friends. They become deep and serious acquaintances. But in a friendship you get to know the spirit of another person; and your values coincide.

"Hey buddy! Yer in muh seat" a large burly looking drunkard exclaimed, walking up behind Gure Yuuta. The Jounin spun around from the bar to face the brute, who was not only a regular patron of the establishment but had been drinking since the night before. The Dragon's tail tavern was an up and coming tavern that was nestled in between Konohagakure and the industrial village Sagyo. The trek from Sagyo to Konoha or any village on the far eastern coast of Hi no Kuni to the hidden village was quite the journey. Dragon's tail was established as a different option to travelers and shinobi who did not want to stop at one of the smaller villages such as Taishoku or Shukuba. Sporting several rooms for lodging, a bar and mess hall, the tavern would become a great spot to recuperate before heading out to one's next destination.

"Huh?! Your spot" he paused and looked around the stool and then the bartop before spinning around back towards the brut. "That's odd I don't see your name on this spot or the bar" Jounin added. Several of the bar's patrons knew the man personally, their whispers and drunken gossip spread through the tavern like an infection. Yuuta leaned over to the side to peer around the large man to see what all the commotion was about. "Hey bub? Ima tawking tew you! Get yer arse owt of my spot or I'll moov ye for me" the man exclaimed to Yuuta yet again.

The Jounin didn't want to cause any drama or collateral damage. It had taken him so long to pay off all the other debts he had for literally the same reasons. It seemed as though everywhere Yuuta went something or someone would end up broken, rottened or completely destroyed. The shinobi within the hidden leaf called him the Walking Disaster Area, however Yuuta feverishly denied such claims.

He felt that he is more of a Weirdness Magnet. An attractor of the weird things in the shinobi world, oddities seem to gravitate towards Yuuta regardless of his own actions. Conversely, he is also someone who stumbles upon the more inconceivable incidents then making it a point to interfere just for the sake of curiosity. Having said that, Yuuta is known to get sidetracked by extremely inconvenient and illogical situations.

"WHY YOU LIL SHART" the drunkard said, pulling back his arm before aiming a punch to Yuuta's face, however the Jounin had already anticipated the situation getting physical, so when the man revved back his arm back for the punch, the Jounin utilized the Kekkai ninjutsu known as Repel. With a simple tap to the man's chest, Yuuta had sent the man flying through the tavern doors. "Hehe, you know I kind of like this place. Barkeep, what's your price for the entire establishment?! C'mon everyone has a price" Yuuta asked in what could be considered an irresponsible and reckless abandon display of spontaneity.

The barkeep pulled a long drag of the cigarette that hung from his mouth, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down the amount before sliding it over to Yuuta. Yuuta wasn't the first person to try and buy the tavern from him, many people had tried and failed to live up to the man's expectations. However, Yuuta was indeed the only one to set Big Jakko straight, the burly brute who was now unconscious outside the tavern. Opening the paper, Yuuta's eyes widened at the egregiously hiked price the barkeep had decided upon. "Hey man! This has to be some joke??" The Jounin exclaimed.

Unknown to the Gure shinobi there was a potential benefactor within the establishment, someone who not only had the means to acquire the tavern but also ambition that could require Yuuta's help. He was of the Hatake clan and an elite Jounin of the leaf, a man of staunch convictions and steadfast loyalty. "I was gonna rename this joint the Devil's Tooth, no no wait. The Dead man's finger?! No.... Oh?! I got it! The best lil whore house in Hi no Kuni!! THE VEILED LADY!" Yuuta said to himself, firing off odd names of various fungi found within world.

TEMPLATE BY ELIZA @ TB THQ

SAs used:

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[Hatake Toshizō]

"ad astra per aspera". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." LULLABY Yuuta was far from home, but not far enough that Toshizou's network of information couldn't find him. Sagyo was not too far from the village either, and it was easy enough to dispatch a small group of Root members to track the Jounin. Yuuta was found on the Dragon's Tail Tavern, a little shady establishment, but things in Sagyo were a bit shady anyways. Upon locating the man, the Root operative flared his chakra in a particular way that only a user of the Kagura Mind's Eye could detect, it was the signal Toshizou needed to make his move towards the place, albeit it would still take him a few minutes to actually arrive. From the shadows, the three Root operatives entered the place, keeping their presence hidden from anyone who didn't have an efficient mean of tracking chakra signature. They arrived at around the time the place was about to stir up in confusion, potentially a fight between the Jounin and some drunk idiot who was way over his own head thinking he could take on a shinobi, or foolish enough to not realise he was dealing with one. Either way, he was signing his own death sentence, throwing himself at the mercy of the Gure. Without any effort, Yuuta neutralised the man with a Barrier technique, and unfazed by that, he continued to chill in the place, even asking about its selling price. As they discussed the possibility of purchasing the place, many white feathers fluttered down from the sky, slowly floating adrift through the air. If a given target sees enough of these feathers fall, they will fall into a deep sleep, and the people in the tavern, oblivious to the ways of the shinobi, and unequipped to deal with such quickly fell asleep where they were, including the tavern owner. Yuuta would likely recognise the technique as the Temple of Nirvana Technique, an advanced Genjutsu executed by one of the Root operatives in the location. Yuuta would have enough time to avoid this technique, and he was expected to do so, for if he was not, then coming here was a completely waste of time. As the people fell asleep, the three Root operatives made themselves known. ANBU masks covering their faces, and a hooded black cape covering their bodies. There was nothing - at this point - that would differentiate them from regular members of the Black Ops. "Gure Yuuta, you are a hard man to find." one of them said with a strict, stern tone in their voice. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Sagyo Dragon's Tail Tavern [Gure Yuuta] [424 words]

[Gure Yuuta]

Mar 2, 2022 4:07:25 GMT -5 Gure Yuuta said:

Gure Yuuta

Leisure, Catullus, is trouble for you: In leisure you become overjoyed and too passionate: Leisure has destroyed kings before And blessed cities.

Yuuta wasn't going to say no for an answer, he decided that a bit of a haggling match was in order. However, before such a match could begin the Jounin's spur of the moment purchase would be interrupted by a single white feather that fell onto the bartop. "Oh no, shit shit shit" the Jounin said quickly activating the migration jutsu. Yuuta slightly remembered reading about a genjutsu that knocked the target or targets unconscious using the sense of sight. Although he hadn't come face to face with the jutsu before, he kinda recalled their being a mention of feathers. Yuuta knew his own weaknesses more than anything, as it was something he learned early on. Genjutsu, however was among the top of the list.

"Oh shit oh shit… don't lose…" as his body melded into the ground, Yuuta saw the barkeep's body fall limp, the glass in his hand shattering on top of the bar. The Gure's eyelid suddenly got extremely heavy, he could feel the hag and tug of sweet blissful slumber behind them. All around him, the patrons of the tavern dropped to the floor, slumped, as the jutsu took hold of them. Yuuta heard each of their bodies as they hit the wooden floor. Thump, thud, boom… As the seconds passed the sounds of dropping bodies became distant, as if they were far away.The civilians were no match for the jutsu and it took no time for them to fall unconscious. However, Yuuta was a Jounin of the hidden leaf, and while the jutsu had effected him too, it was taking longer for him to be knocked unconscious.

Luckily for Yuuta, just as his eyes were nearly shut and the world went dark; his melding within the earth had completed. Migration was a jutsu that utilized the Gure's genetics and symbiosis to merge the user's cells and body with the natural surrounding environment. In a sense, once a Gure clan shinobi has merged within their environment the shinobi's corporeal form is no more. Their body and cells amalgamate with the underground network of organic matter, to achieve various feats such as infiltration, escaping, or pursuing.

Yuuta had successfully evaded the full brunt of the jutsu, however because he was so close to falling unconscious it had taken him longer than usual to reemerge from the earth. The jounin wasn't aware that he had completed the migration jutsu's merging process. Instead, he thought that he had fallen asleep and was dreaming. Taking nearly half an hour to realize that he wasn't unconscious, and his body was interfused with organic matter inside the ground. Yuuta's body began to reemerge outside of the tavern just as the Hatake and his subordinates were exiting.

"Oh man what a weird dream… that'll be the last time I try merging while exhausted… huh?" He finally came face to face with the Hatake and the shinobi under his command. "Wait… it wasn't a dream!? Dude! Genjutsu really?! Man… you people and being sneaky." He continued before trying to shake off the drowsy feeling that clung to his body.

"So? What's the big idea? There has to be some reason you guys wanted everyone in the tavern to sleep. Don't tell me… you're another potential buyer? Aren't you? Well you're too late buddy, the owner already accepted my bid" Yuuta said, lying to the Shinobi so that he wouldn't have other buyers and competition looking to upstage him.

TEMPLATE BY ELIZA @ TB THQ

Jutsu Used: Migration

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[Hatake Toshizō]

"ad astra per aspera". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." YOUR FILE The time it took for Yuuta to reemerge didn't seem to bother any of those black ops looking shinobi. The Hatake, however, did walk to the bar and grabbed a bottle of sake, sit by a table and poured it, slowly appreciating the smooth taste of the rice liquor, while he waited for Yuuta to finally reemerge from the ground, a food half hour later. Toshizou took his time with the sake, and once Yuuta had finally rejoined them in the tavern, the other people there had already been removed to the point just the owner of the bar was left to rest at the counter. One of the masked figures waited until the Jounin had finished speaking and then scoffed audibly. "Toshizou-sama, are you sure this buffoon is qualified for the job?" he asked. Toshizou didn't bother to respond right away. Instead, he finished his last cup of sake, loudly placed it on the table and got up, taking a few steps towards the masked man who asked him a question. "This buffoon could've killed you if he wanted to. I thought I had trained you better than to judge a book by it's cover." his tone was quite stern, and the frowned brows an indication he did not like being questioned by his underling there. Despite the cover on his face, the subtle yet quick step back showed the man felt a surge of fear. "A-apologies." but Toshizou didn't bother answering. Instead, he took another few steps towards Yuuta, looking around the tavern for a bit. "They have a pretty good sake, considering this place looks like a shithole." he started. "Now... Gure Yuuta. You are a curious one. Your file indicates you are somewhat of a competent troublemaker. The Mizukage incident... Now that was something the village really didn't like, uh?" the Hatake cracked an almost evil smirk at the mention of that. Many people in the Hidden Leaf were quick to jump on the hate Yuuta bandwagon and were ready to throw him at the wolves for that incident. And yet, there were some who saw that through a complete different lens. "You know I voted against punishing you in that matter, don't you?" he asked, but it was mostly a rhetorical question. "Now... I have an actual question for you. Are you truly satisfied with how things are? I may be wrong, but you strike me as a curious, inventive mind. And yet, you seem content in being kept in a cage, where you patiently wait for your brain to show signs of atrophy and your life to wither way... How come?" he asked, silencing to allow the Jounin to respond. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Sagyo Dragon's Tail Tavern [Gure Yuuta] [451 words]

[Gure Yuuta]

Gure Yuuta

Come fairies, take me out of this dull world. For I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.

The shinobi that stood before him was one of the few people Yuuta did not know of, at least not personally. He was aware of the man known as Hatake Toshizo, a man and elite Jounin of great renown. However, any in depth information had been redacted from the official records. Having now met the man in the flesh, surrounded by what appeared to be ANBU operatives, Yuuta could understand why there was so little information on his exploits. Of course his file wasn't blank, or without acclamations rather the exploits or events that Yuuta would look for, the type of BS that could elevate the man to his current status was redacted.

"It might not appear to be much, but a dump like this could be very useful. You see, It's much better to get discovered in a dump. That's why i′m here, Don′t you understand? I mean any night somebody could walk in and see me and I'd be a discovery"

Yuuta replied to the man's critique of the old tavern. Yeah it was rundown, outdated and most of its regular patrons owed a hefty tab. The place still had generations of worth of history and character. With a little TLC, Yuuta was sure that he could turn the joint into something spectacular. The outburst from the subordinate was entirely ignored. Yuuta was infamous for his severe lack of regard and detached personality; so much so that even when he's taken notice of something, others would find it hard to tell that he has. The man essentially had a poker face made of steel.

The man wasn't at fault for his assumptions however, as it was to be expected due to Yuuta he was genuinely. Most Shinobi who had the chance to meet him,thought he was incompetent or pretending to be incompetent in order to be underestimated. There is some truth in this nowadays, but the reality of the situation is that Yuuta has always simply been himself. It just so happened that being himself is an offspring of competence and chaos. Actions and thoughts that appear to be insanity to others, are sane to Yuuta. His underlying efficacy confirms that his is in fact not mad, but merely "differently sane"

Before Yuuta could theorize why the Hatake decided to corner him within the tavern, the man would speak. His words, the topic of the conversation cut into Yuuta's armour of obliviousness like butter. Despite how hard he tried, how much will power he exerted, the feelings surrounding that particular incident broke through. Etching a clear picture of how he truly felt about the ordeal across his face, despite remaining silent. Although Yuuta wasn't someone who hid their emotions from anyone, he did usually stay in a seemingly indifferent or carefree persona. Although, the details of Eden, as Yuuta called it, were a different topic altogether. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't keep his anger from showing; anger born from a sense of betrayal.

"The only thing that I would have done differently would be to have actually succeeded." He stated genuinely, although his upbeat persona had disappeared entirely. Yuuta's mind went into overdrive, trying to piece together what had he done recently that would have warranted a visit from the Hatake and the ANBU. Has Konoha gotten word about his activities in Sagyo? Did he forget to let the toilet seat down at Akane's place the last time he visited? Maybe it was because of his recent training session… he did cause a bit of a mess at the training grounds however who could really blame him? With him not having anyone to train with, the man had to be a bit excessive to see any results. When Toshizo said that he voted for The Gure's plight, his expression changed immediately

The Jounin's heart started to quicken its pace slightly as curiosity had started to set in. It wasn't lost on Yuuta that the Hatake shinobi was playing to Yuuta's weaknesses, especially since he had the chance to read his file. Toshizo knew exactly what to say to the Gure to keep him engaged. After all it was Yuuta's inquisitorial nature that turned him into the personification of pandemonium and chaos. The question that followed was unexpected, usually Yuuta's theories on someone's motives were spot on, if not close to what the other was planning. "Man… I thought I was about to get arrested again.

Yuuta's usual personality was gradually returning though not entirely. He still needed to know the extent of their meeting; so far Yuuta could assume that the man had a proposition he was going to pitch. Oh Kami… please? I hope this isn't an ANBU black ops induction, I'll never join Kazuto's ANBU" he thought to himself before continuing. "All bullshit to the side, as in Iets be honest to each other, Akaboshi-san(赤星)" Yuuta started, giving the Hatake the moniker, Red Star due to his crimson hued irises piercing through his personal ANBU MASK.

"If it weren't for the few shinobi such as yourself or had lady Niko joined the others, in vilifying me into a seraphic monstrosity. I would have defected from the hidden leaf. Before you question my loyalty, I should remind you of my family and clan's history within Hi no Kuni. We weren't considered native hi no kunians, even if we were born within these lands. Over the generations, my ancestors, my grandparents, my parents all the way down to myself have bled, struggled and cried to show our steadfast devotion to the land of fire and the hidden leaf." The Gure paused, averting his gaze from Toshizo for the first time since they had begun talking.

The Gure clan, a clan that has nearly populated every inch of the known world and the unknown, were all immigrants. The clan's exodus from their homeland, the Great Migration, saw to it that the Gure clan, like their fungal brethren, would not only become vast but ensure that the clan would survive for generations to come. Some of these ancestors would be welcomed, others such as the Hi no Kuni Gure were at first greeted with hostility. Even after being allowed to settle within the nation, hostilities had not stopped.


It didn't get better until Yuuta's grandfather founded the Hidden leaf's first orphanage. That's when Yuuta's family were accepted by their peers, despite his grandfather and father having been born within the nation by this time. " I would rather be a hostage of Kirigakure or dead and decomposing in some shallow grave as nutrients to the very earth we stand upon than to protect a nation that would not protect their native born" Yuuta continued, barely able to contain his jumbled, confused emotions. The Jounin's immense chakra supply, spiked around him affecting the microscopic fungal spores that littered the dingy tavern floor.

Several different species of mushroom, mold and yeast grew about his feet, and along the bar top as a result, excited to near maturity by his vitality enriched Gure chakra. The conversation had just become exceedingly more interesting. Yuuta wasn't sure what the Hatake wanted with him but it was a relief to know that he wasn't one of the shinobi higher ups that sided against him.

"My hands are tied because of the Eden incident. I want nothing more than to help change the current situation in my home… by any means necessary. I don't doubt that some of my peers are keeping my actions under surveillance. Despite my unconventional and amoral methods, everything I have done or will do, is for the sake of the village and nation"

TEMPLATE BY ELIZA @ TB THQ

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[Hatake Toshizō]

"ad astra per aspera". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." AN INVITATION Toshizou nor his man responded to Yuuta's remarks about that tavern, they had a more serious matter to discuss, and the weight of the Hatake's words did have an effect on the Gure, prompting his more goofy side to rest, giving its place to a serious Yuuta not many people had seen. To witness that brought a subtle, mischievous smirk to the corner of the man's mouth. Silence ruled for a moment when finally, Yuuta finally spoke, revealing what he would've done differently in that scenario, and the answer didn't disappoint. The member of the black ops who initially dismissed Yuuta's importance glanced nervously to his Commander, and the Hatake nodded to the Gure. "That's what I like to hear." a simple statement that foreshadowed where he stood on such a delicate matter. Officially, the ANBU was against his actions, and Kazuto was livid about his actions. But this ANBU didn't seem to care. Rather, they seemed to condone his actions. Still, after that quick exchange, he seemed to relax a bit more and return to his more normal personality, claiming he thought he was about to get arrested, to which the Hatake scoffed. "Arrest you is not the reason why we are here." ominous words, but he didn't reveal much just yet, he was giving the man time to let his feelings out. Toshizou didn't seem fazed when he called him by a new moniker, he had plenty, and he actually liked that one; it was rather fitting. As the man opened his heart, he showed his dissatisfaction with how the village treated him in the matter, and how he considered leaving it behind if not for a few people who had his back. He as, after all, devoted to their land, in his own wicked and peculiar way, and that was what Toshizou ultimately valued. As he finally avoided Toshizou's scarlet eyes, he admitted he would rather rot in a foreign prison than to live in a nation that had turned their back to their natives and the Hatake nodded. "I would prefer to die fighting to liberate it from such toxic apathy, I understand you. We share the same view on this matter." he added, but he allowed the Gure to continue, and he finally said the words the Hatake was waiting to hear for all this time: he wanted to do anything to help, despite his unconventional and amoral methods. Toshizou got up from his chair and took a few steps towards the man, but he didn't address him immediately. "Leave us." he ordered, and the black ops there glanced at their commander and nodded, vanishing with the Body Flicker Technique. With the two of them alone, he started. "I believe our land is weakening... Our leadership faltering and our shinobi being punished for doing what they are entitled to do: punish our enemies. We cannot afford to become a weak village. If we do, we will lose our allies and be crushed by the enemy forces." he said, sighing and shaking his head. "As of now, we need to acquire power... And the conventional and moral methods are not enough. In desperate times, we need to discard our useless restrictions... What's the use of morality when we are dead? None. For that... I offer you freedom." he paused once again, letting the man absorb his words. "Freedom to do whatever you want so that the village can gain enough power to stand against our enemies. You, Gure Yuuta, are an underappreciated genius, but I intend on seeing you blooming rather than withering away in a bitter corner of nowhere." he said as he looked over the tavern. "Join me. Set your mind free. I will give you a lab, funds and as many prisoners as you want. I have no restriction on what your experiments will be like. Your guinea pigs will be yours to do as you please. My only demand is that your studies benefit the village, no matter the cost." and the offer was finally on the table. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Sagyo Dragon's Tail Tavern [Gure Yuuta] [681 words]

[Gure Yuuta]

Gure Yuuta

Come fairies, take me out of this dull world. For I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.

"Huh … I apologize… err I mean excuse me. This is a first for me… " his voice trailed off… bewildered by this new experience. Yuuta was undergoing a feeling that he had never genuinely felt, despite being in similar situations. There are two firsts in his life that had just taken place and it was years in the making. The first of the firsts was Yuuta experiencing something that he didn't understand, that he couldn't theorize. Of course during his tenure as a shinobi he's witnessed things, abilities, weapons and creatures that he didn't know or understand. However, usually these things and their secrets would eventually be laid bare before him; all of which started with one of his theories. 

For the first time in his life, Yuuta felt completely and utterly understood. Now this wouldn't have been a big deal for everyone else but for Yuuta it was life altering. To know Gure Yuuta is to know that the entire span of his life from childhood up until this very moment, he had felt alone, alien and disparate. A person, shinobi and hi no kunian so unlike everyone else that there was no basis for comparison. Underneath Yuuta's personality quirks, his success and failures, titles and rank the one thing he had wanted was to be understood. It was the reason a young Yuuta had begun collecting and compiling various information. All those years ago the young boy figured that if he could know and understand everything then he too would be understood by those close to him.


However, that was many years ago...

Yuuta heard the man's words, and believed him when he agreed to not only Yuuta's actions during Eden but his feelings towards the current state of the village. There wasn't a single trace of deception in his body language or tone. Either the man had a similar strength in poker face as Yuuta or he was indeed being genuine. It all hit home when the man ordered his subordinates to leave them so they could talk in confidence. Yuuta stood in silence, contemplating what had just happened, before the Hatake continued. This time, it was about the real reason he had tracked Yuuta down in the tavern.

"It's been long since I've had the chance to pursue my personal goals" Yuuta's voice was filled with a sense of excitement and zeal, however not just any zeal. The energy exudes wasn't that of a morally upstanding shinobi. It felt heavy and seemed to linger within the air of the tavern. Although the two of them were individual, several of their ideals and their charm were similar. Hatake Toshizou's charisma was overwhelming and had utterly enveloped Gure Yuuta. However, it had not affected the man as one would think. Rather, it caused Yuuta to revert to his true self. The man he was before he cared for students.

While Toshizou had a powerful yet awe-inspiring presence, it did not effect Yuuta in the more common ways. Instead of blind devotion, deifying the man before him and rising to his cause. Toshi's charisma simply allowed Yuuta to once again become himself without any moral standards. Yuuta's true persona had been curtailed and buried deep within himself, as he had found people to actually love and care for. In fact the genin he's trained is the one aspect that honestly keeps him loyal to the village. If he had not become a Jounin sensei, his life and his current situation would have been wildly different.

The true Yuuta, the amoral shinobi of bedlam, chaos personified, changer of ways and the dark researcher was someone that only a handful of people knew, if that. Like  Toshizou, Yuuta began to exude a confidence and charm that seemingly enveloped the area they were in. However Yuuta's presence was unlike Toshizou, Yuuta's mystique was not only alien but felt ominous and viscous, yet tamed, a sense of cold logic. Everything from the his body posture to his accent and vocabulary had undergone a dramatic shift. The mundane power known as Chrisma, that some people like him and Toshizou had naturally, made them able to influence other people and attract their attention and admiration, Yuuta's particular charisma was dark and unnerving but without a single hint of malice.

This was the real Yuuta and the secret behind his usual unorthodox personality, the unique and pretanatural impetus of his incomparable energy. "If what you're saying is true, then I will join you. I used to dream of expanding our knowledge, bound by no ties, having no fixed aim, restrained by no prudent considerations" if someone were listening in on the conversation from the outside they would not have been able to tell that the man speaking was Yuuta. "Of course I'll always act to benefit Konohagakure… believe it or not there are some, a few people in the village that I've come to care for. Not willingly mind you, nevertheless it can't be changed or undone" he added, as thoughts of Shigure, Wahei, Yoru, Issei, Reiashi and Rokurou flickered in the back of his mind.

"Those brats… can't believe they made me actually love them" he thought to himself as Toshizou began listing the perks that came with his induction.

"So? I can move at a different tempo and morality than my esteemed colleagues. Prefect, I've always conducted myself in this manner although diluted to an extent due to the laws of the land. I have in recent years come to understand the powerful urge to protect or die for someone or something, however I'll never understand those who are burdened with moral scruples, who aim at an ethical goal, tied by notions of social responsibility. Simply boring, absolute and unyielding boredom" he said, not trying to cut Toshizo off but by nature just wanted to fully understand and be understood.

" I accept. I have several conditions. First, I want this tavern to be my base of operations. Secondly, I want to pick my own subordinates. Third, I have a fondness for underground bases as well. I can't stress enough the importance of the underground part. The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination. It deserves nothing less. Lastly, it has to be fully stocked, not just with med supplies but ancient lore, information of various special research potentials, which may or may not be people."

TEMPLATE BY ELIZA @ TB THQ

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[Hatake Toshizō]

"ad astra per aspera". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." CONDITIONS ACCEPTED The Hatake nodded at Yuuta's words. Indeed, a chance to pursue one's personal goal was something that didn't come across very often in the ninja world. People were often bound by the shackles of duty and had to forfeit their own desires, giving place to the needs of their nation and Hidden Village. And yet, at times, auspicious times such as these, the pursuit of a personal goal and the betterment of their nation could come hand in hand. A stroke of luck, certainly, but why look a gifted horse in the mouth, right? The decision to join him, to become part of the foundation of the Hidden Leaf Village prompted the smirk on the Hatake's mouth to widen, for this meant that his plans were proceeding rather smoothly. "I have no reason to lie to you, Yuuta. If we are to be loyal to one another, we need to lay ourselves bare. I won't lie to you, this has no support from the ANBU, the village council or the Hokage. We are not going to be offered the spotlight, and if they catch word of our deeds, we might be deemed as traitors." he stated, shrugging and shaking his head, but not losing the smirk. "However... We are the ones who will do with others can't, for we are not bound by their morality chains. We are not handicapped like them. And this is what I offer. Boundless freedom of methods, to achieve what we can't if we restrain ourselves." he continued, chuckling lightly at the prospect at hand. To think that the Hidden Leaf Village would improve like that made his heart rejoice. He was, after all, a true patriot, one who dedicated his entire life for the sake of his Village, and saw all his efforts fall short because most people didn't have what it took to make hard, unpopular decisions. They were very likeminded in that aspect, but he already expected that. Still, the confirmation did bring him great satisfaction. Yuuta accepted the offer, but stated he had some conditions, with the first one being that he wanted the tavern as his base of operation. Well, the place was a shithole, yes, but that made it less suspicious. Moreover, the fact that it was in Sagyo made it a safer place for the laboratory, further away from the village's direct area of influence. He wanted his own subordinates, and he liked underground bases. Toshizou nodded at him. "You want this place, fine, it's yours. You want your own subordinates, I'm also fine with that. They will go through our training, of course, but they are yours to command. And you will be happy to know our headquarters is, in fact, underground. We are the Root, after all. Is there a more fitting place than beneath the Earth?" it was a rhetorical question, yes, but he didn't mind if Yuuta responded. Toshizou then offered his hand to the man, to seal their agreement. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Sagyo Yuuta's base of operations [Gure Yuuta] [502 words]

[Gure Yuuta]

Gure Yuuta

Come fairies, take me out of this dull world. For I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.

Every single alarm blared in Yuuta's head, telling him to not agree to the man's offer, to fight or flight. To do something to take control of this situation. However, it was entirely too late for these thoughts and If history was right then what they were going to be doing was at the very least treason. Yuuta understood the man's reasoning, probably more than anyone else due to Yuuta's alien morality, what he didn't really get was the fact that this treason was actually for a good cause? I guess there's no helping this situation, the man thought  "Although I do like a good scheme as a strategist. What you're trying to do is neither scheming or treachery. It's really some kinda perverted act of good, dressed up in treachery's flack jacket" the man stated almost as if he were insulted. It didn't take long for the Jounin to accept where the man's offer would take him from this point on. Even going so far as to speak and act fairly comfortable or familiar with the Hatake despite just meeting him. How Yuuta viewed it… was that he had just made a new friend, a true comrade who would just as quickly save his life as he would take it. Yuuta enjoyed such straightforwardness and loyalty.

Still, the entire situation was very complicated and Yuuta was literally about to walk freely into the lion's den. No longer hearing the logical and ethical warnings in his head, having being replaced with the beckoning urge to begin his research. Yuuta grabbed the man's hand and agreed upon their terms. "You don't seem like a man that would lie, at least not for something like this" Yuuta said as he shook the Hatake's hand. "Since we're being honest, had I not agreed? You and your men would have taken my life. Am I correct?" Yuuta was a man of many different facets, he was an idiot savant, the innocent monster and a weirdness magnet. However, what he wasn't  was stupid or oblivious. Because of the nature of root and what the Hatake planned to do in the coming months, Yuuta was sure that he would probably lose his life had he not agreed.

Unlike shinobi of the current era, both Yuuta and the Hatake were of a generation where a man's word was worth more than his weight in gold. However, having studied several lifetimes of past conflicts, Daimyo, Kages, Jounin, clans and missing-nin had taught him that it was often not what people said, but what they did not say that revealed the truth. That said, the Gure shinobi would not give blind-subservience to the man or his organization but would honor his word and the agreement made this day. Of course the Hatake's men would suffer casualties as well, however Yuuta was outnumbered. To stand a chance, he'd need to have complete focus on the Hatake, that being impossible with the man's entourage. Even if it were a fair engagement the battle would be hard fought.

Deep down, the Gure was more excited about the fact that the Hatake wasn't like other shinobi within the village. From what Yuuta gathered so far the Hatake probably wasn't as unconventional as Yuuta was, however was he was still a breathe of much needed fresh air. The Gure Jounin had for the first time found someone who is as different to society as he is.  This seemingly mundane  impression was the driving point of his decision to join. He didn't care about who was in charge or who he took his orders from, status within the world around him never really piqued his interest. He always thought that having certain leadership roles such as ANBU captain or Jounin Honcho would limit his ability to test the amoral theories he liked to put into motion. "Want to hear my cool codename I just thought of?" the Gure shinobi said, after sealing the deal and walking towards the tavern's entrance. "Tsien-Tsin, The Changer of Ways, Architect of Destiny, the Great Mutator and Weaver of All Fates" Yuuta continued even if the Hatake had declined the offer.

TEMPLATE BY ELIZA @ TB THQ

[Hatake Toshizō]

"ad astra per aspera". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." TSIEN-TSIN Toshizou chuckled lightly when Yuuta mentioned that his actions were some kind of perverted act of good, but with hints of treachery. "Treachery? We are but doing the work people are too afraid to do, all for the sake of the village. We are the ones truly capable of working towards the greater good, for we don't let ourselves be held back by silly notions of moral." he responded, shaking his head and folding his arms in front of his chest. Toshizou didn't care how many eggs he had to crack, or how many people he had to kill as long as the Hidden Leaf Village and the Land of Fire could thrive. In desperate times such as these - arguably worse than war times in a way - you can never believe you are fully prepared for what your enemies have in stock. If you are, however, willing to forfeit this idolized image of a good, righteous person, then there's nothing you cannot achieve, because then there's nothing you are no willing to do in order to achieve your goals. That was true freedom. He nodded when Yuuta said that he didn't seem like a liar, for he was not. And with that, he asked if he would be killed if he said no and Toshizou's smirk widened. "And because you are that perceptive, I want you working with me. Yes, Yuuta, I would've killed you if you refused. Still, that would've been a terrible waste of human resource. Your mind is precious to the village, and I'm removing the chains holding it down." he responded. Indeed, he was ready to take the man's life, but it was good that the conversation was fruitful, for them working together was something the man truly desired. The world was about to change, and people would have to choose if they would be actors or spectators of this deadly spectacle of the ninja world. Still, the time for choosing was short, and action was what differentiated the wolves from the sheep. Fortunately, the Root was composed of wolves, who were ever restless and ever ambitions. Another nod came from the silver-haired man when Yuuta asked if he wanted to hear the codename he thought of. Usually, Toshizou was the one assigning code-names, but Yuuta was to become his head researcher, he was within the scope of the leadership of the organization. And fortunately, the moniker he chose was quite the fitting one, and it pleased the Hatake. Extending his hand towards Yuuta, he chuckled. "For the whims of fate are nothing before the one who will weave its strings. Greatness is what will make us, and our legacy, truly immortal." he said, with a confident tone in his voice. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Sagyo Recruitment [Gure Yuuta] [457 words]