[Shouki Shizuka]

Shizuka stumbled upon the tiger's corpse a minute later. Freshly killed, there were no doubts in her mind Homare and Gomi had done the job. Efficiently, too, as their tracks showed they returned to the route north not a moment afterwards. She studied the corpse for a moment to work out how it had died. A deep cut marred its face, then ran along its shoulder lengthwise across its body, starting deep and becoming more shallow towards the end. It was a vicious killing blow. There was a second cut on one of its forepaws, which was missing several toes and claws.

Was Homare strong enough to make this cut? Shizuka thought. Or was it the Suiton jutsu she showed when we met our Sensei...? No... That one pierces, not cuts. She used another jutsu then, or it was Kaguya.

Finished with her cursory investigation, Shizuka returned to trailing her team - double speed - trying to catch up to them and check on their conditions. They had made good ground, and a few minutes break was called for. A fight, even a short one, was tiring, and she was worried Homare or Gomi might be pushing themselves too hard. She was also curious about what had slain the tiger, too.

As her thoughts returned to the beast, Shizuka wondered how she might have dealt with it, had she been it's prospective victim. If she discovered the tiger first, a few kunai guided by her Fuuton jutsu would be enough to cripple it's ability to pursue her. If she used poison, she wouldn't even have to aim, although she was loathe to utilize her clan's Hijutsu as anything but a final resort. If the tiger ambushed her - she would be much more pressed. Her chakra simply lacked instantaneous, explosive power, and she was hopeless in close quarters. A Body Flicker technique may be needed just to create some distance. Alternatively, if she had slightly more time, she might be able to activate one of the Ikari talismans she had prepared on the handle of her kunai. An attacker entangled by the seal for even a moment would be open to attack. Either way, discovering the tiger first was her best option.

Would she have that option, if she was paired with Gomi? Shizuka had initially written off stealth as a possibility, given her teammate's armor, but if she had a better way to sense enemies, then perhaps Gomi's armor wouldn't matter at all. Shizuka decided to ask her senseis how she might train as a sensor of any sort - her survival might depend on it, if she was in a team with Gomi for long.

When she finally caught up with her teammates, Shizuka was tense - she was still concerned about the possibility of a patrol, but at least her teammates were apparently unhurt.

"Mayonaka-san! Kaguya-san!" Shizuka placed herself between the pair. "I spotted the tiger earlier - good work. If you need rest, we can break for a moment. You're unhurt, right?"

It was unlikely the stubborn pair would admit to needing a break. Whether they paused for a few minutes or not, Shizuka soldiered on, tailing much closer than before. While she had nominated herself as leader, without radios she lacked influence over her teammates, and she was only now starting to understand the many risks involved.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Kaguya Gomi Shouki Shizuka Mayonaka Homare

The tiger is moving towards Homare with a pretty intense speed, and it is perhaps a shock to all that she is able to perform the hand seals necessary to summon a katana from the ground. Alas, the tiger's flesh is thicker than many other beasts in the world, and the katana manages to stab, but misses some primary organs to actually kill. It does not simply fall to the ground, it is not vehemently outraged from the pain and is bleeding out onto the ground, but power and adrenaline keeps it going. It is beyond swift, managing to dodge Gomi's kick.

The tiger pivots upon landing, turning its attention back to its hyper fixation, Homare, who would pay for lowering her guard since the tiger was no longer anywhere near far enough. It was just there, close by. Right in time for Shizuka's arrival the tiger would lunge out with no time to spare to grab at Homare's back to quite literally bite at her spine.

There were very few options here, Gomi could try to get in the tiger's way and let her armor take the brunt of the bite... Take a chance at Homare being able to dodge - but without the reflexes it might be hopeless - or all three try to start bum rushing away from the tiger towards their goal to try and let it bleed out and hope it is not fast enough to continue pursuit.

SPOILER: Click to show

Note: Every attack you make is an attempt, you do not make the decision for what happens to the enemy you are fighting.

The tiger has survived with great wounds, but it is now running on adrenaline and is doubly fast and strong.

Homare must have a reflex SA to fully escape the damage that the tiger can do on her spine.

Gomi has a chance to intervene. If Shizuka intervenes she will sustain extreme bite wounds that may result in a torn/unusable limb + blood loss, even if this would kill the tiger for her poisonous body.

The three can run and hope to lose the tiger but the rotations are *stalled* and the second scrolls arrival has caused for Stage 2's difficulty to ramp up.

DUE DATE: September 26th 12:05 AM

OWL

[Kaguya Gomi]

CONTROL HARNESSED: RED KEEP SAGA FINALE Gomi had little time to assess, and frankly it wasn't her strong suit to try and be logical. Logic was something she absolutely cared nothing for and in the intensity of the situation she would take charge of the fight. Throwing the scroll directly at Shizuka as Gomi immediately burst forward between the injured beast and Homare, bones growing from her legs through the soles of her feet and planting her to the earth firmly right in front of beast as she braced herself forward into its strike, the bones of her body warping to envelope the area just below her skin. It was the sort of physical strike counter that she was severely in need of in this situation. Her armor was gonna make it, she was sure, but in thes split moment the horror on her face was something between fear and pure hatred for the beast in front of her. She had nothing she could say to the other two in this position, she was not going to say anything to them what so ever. There was no time for it even if she did, if Shizuka could not catch a scroll and understand what was being said, then they had truly failed. Two blunders in this time-sensitive matter was already two too many times for her to be dealing with these sorts of situations any more. Gomi was going to be punished for this for sure. She was going to be in so much trouble. It was not her fault though. She had not hidden. She was not going to hide, the other two needed to understand. She would need to make them understand the horrors that came with hiding.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Take no Mai [Dance of the Bamboo]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
The Dance of the Bamboo is so-called because of a practice of peasant in the Land of Water - where they would lash together bamboo in thick shields to try and provide some defence against swords and arrows. This very basic technique allows the Kaguya to extend their bones beneath their skin at a rapid pace in order to provide protection against attack, though at this level nothing more than simple weapons and blows can be casually turned aside.

NAME: Ooku no Mai [Dance of the Oak]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
Standing flat on the ground, the user will extend four large, thick bones from the soles of their feet (Two on each foot), deep into the ground. Still connected to their skeletal structure, they serve as anchors, essentially making the user an unmovable object. Coupled with the Shikotsumyaku's enhanced durablity and regeneration, this jutsu allows the user to withstand attacks which would otherwise send them flying. Once they are done, the user can simply detatch themselves from the rods.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare had only just managed to avoid being killed by such a massive beast, herself, using her jutsu, but now she could only watch over her shoulder as Gomi tries to anchor herself in order to take the full brunt of the tiger's fury, but Homare isn't going to just let the tiger turn Gomi's neck into its meal. Despite knowing that the mission must absolutely come first, the Mayonaka feels that this tiger's attack focused on her was now a personal matter, and she was no longer willing to run from the beast and let it go on living. The swordswoman draws her katana and axe and stops her fleeing, before she turns and approaches the beast with a face marred with rage likely matching the wild beast's own expression with bared teeth. The genin now raises her blade with two hands with the point of the blade aimed directly forwards, and then aims a thrust directly into the tiger's maw, trying to bypass its thick, cushioning hide and instead put her blade straight inside of the wild beast, with an upwards push to make sure she got the tiger's head. Even still, her axe blade isn't motionless, either, with her middle right hand yoked up high to be as close to the axe head as possible, and using the axe head to aim a direct strike to the tiger's teeth like she's trying to do some back-alley dentistry. Her upper hands are the most brutal, though, trying to reach forwards over Gomi's shoulders thrust her thumbs directly into the giant cat's eyes, stabbing forwards with a harsh intensity.

Whether she succeeds or not, she pulls back immediately afterwards, returning from some kind of battle rage she'd never experienced before; then again, she'd never been in such a tense situation as this, and perhaps it was a rare thing, spurred on by the stress of the mission and the terrifying attack. As it is, she sheathes her katana and starts back on her path towards the second group, deciding that from now on, she would just make sure to get Shizuka to the next location. After this, Homare tells herself, she's going to focus much more intently on learning more ninjutsu. With any luck, she'll build up enough of a repertoire that she'll be ready for any attack like that... And maybe she'll go on some kind of hunt to remove any big cats like that from the islands. At this point, Homare considers herself more of a dog person.

[Shouki Shizuka]

    Shizuka spotted the tiger lining up it's second attack from a distance. Her teammates had failed to signal her, so she only started dashing after the shriek of the wounded tiger echoed past her. Homare's back was turned, and she was off-guard from trying to stand up quickly. Shizuka's thoughts flashed back to a moment in her last mission - when her former Genin team had pursued an enemy, directly contravening the orders of their Jounin sensei. They fell headlong into a trap. Shizuka nearly died, trying to push her teammate clear and being hit herself. And when she spotted the tiger lurch for Homare's flank, she very nearly made the same mistake.

    But Gomi was a step faster - and unlike Shizuka, she was suited to the job. As Gomi clashed with the tiger, Shizuka heard a soft clacking noise, as if an acorn had fallen from a tree. It was the scroll her team was tasked with delivering. Shizuka was too focused on the tiger to notice Gomi throwing it, but she picked it up without a second glance now that it had fallen. Her task now - the completion of the mission - pierced through her uncharacteristic indecisiveness, and made her next steps perfectly clear.

    A slight tug on her dispenser glove produced a kunai in her right hand, wrapped with an Ikari talisman - a Fuuinjutsu of anchoring and binding. Shizuka filled it with chakra and threw it, sinking it into the ground close behind the tiger. She was nearer than 25 meters now, and could activate it manually via handseal. If the tiger made another move, whether to dodge Homare's attacks or leap past Gomi, Shizuka would not miss the chance - she would activate the seal, and try to drag and hold the tiger in place. Block, strike, seal. In spite of everything, team three had finally achieved some measure of useful coordination. And ironically, they did it in silence, relying only on their own judgement and strength.

    Her seal in place, Shizuka did not stop, dashing without pause behind the tiger in a wide arc. If for some reason it didn't move, she would leave Gomi, the tiger, and the seal behind to complete the mission. By now, Shizuka noticed it's terrible injury, and figured any Genin worth their salt could evade a wounded tiger, even if all they had at their disposal were academy techniques. When Homare also moved to disengage, she almost ordered her back to assist Gomi - but caught herself. The mission came first, and she would need help if they came across a patrol, this close to the Red Keep.

Techniques Used

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu

NAME: Fūinjutsu: Ikari [Sealing Technique: Anchor]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Fūinjutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 1 [Ox]
DESCRIPTION:

A fuuinjutsu of the pre-written variety, the user writes 錨 onto a medium before sealing away their chakra. During the seal's preparation, the user can set the jutsu to be activated automatically or manually but not both. When the jutsu is activated, 5 sealing lines 5 meters in length with fly out from the seal, latching onto the first moving objects they come across in range, 'anchoring' the objects to the seal's location. The lines move at the speed of thrown ninja tools and have the strength of steel chains and can be broken with enough force. Damaging the seal/medium in any way will also dispel the jutsu. If set to be automatic, the jutsu will activate on its own if something within 5 meters of the seal moves, and if set to be manual, the user must form the proper handseal while within 25 meters.

Special Abilities

Enhanced Concentration
Shizuka's concentration is unbreakable. While focusing on a single opponent, she fights more efficiently, evading attacks without wasted movement and exploiting every tiny opening. Her efficiency increases as she continues to observe the same target – their habits and patterns becoming clear. Shizuka's concentration is particularly dangerous when her opponent attempts the same technique multiple times – Shizuka's anticipation allows her to preempt such repetitions, greatly reducing their effectiveness. While concentrating, Shizuka retains her normal awareness of non-targets.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Kaguya Gomi Mayonaka Homare Shouki Shizuka

Gomi moved quickly, literally putting herself between Homare and the beast that was going in for the attack. Unable to stop its attempt, the beast would bite straight into the armor, causing its teeth to crack underneath the pressure but also for the armor to take quite a significant impact.

At the same time Homare gets some footing to retaliate as well, though with Gomi mostly in the way the only thing that manages to get at the tiger itself is her thrust with her thumbs into its eyes. It is a horrible and bloody scene.

None of this kills the tiger, but it does make the animal jump back in agony. Not being able to see, feeling pain in its gut and with the added benefit of its teeth being cracked in spots it starts to run.

Blindly, somewhere... Using its hearing and sense of smell to try and get away from the group. Its hunger now overwhelmed by its anger, fear and inability to coordinate its limbs.

It was just almost out of the way when the seal was activated from Shizuka, locking it in place. It let out a roar then, a bone rattling and terrifying roar that might scare the genin. But now they had the chance to simply *move* and finish the mission...

Unless someone really wanted to stay behind to finish the job, at the very least the tiger was in place for now though it was pulling and struggling to try and run away still. However, the problem there was it was losing steam in all of its attempts.

SPOILER: Click to show

Homare is saved by Gomi's quick action. The tiger is now blind, and locked in place with Shizuka's seal when it attempts to escape. The genin team can make a run for it now and complete the mission - Shizuka has the scroll and must go. The other two can follow or stay to finish the tiger off.

Rotations restarted.

4/5

DUE DATE: September 28th 12:40 AM

OWL

[Kaguya Gomi]

control harnessed: red keep saga finale The tiger had biten in and crushed part of its own teeth as it tried to sink part her armor. She would need to repair it later, but for now she was fine. She was unharmed and the pride of the beast was in shambles. A spray of blood and internal liquid from the eye splaying into her face as her teammate took the tiger's eyes and crushed them. Blinding the beast permanently before Shizuka would tether it in place. The beast had let go and Gomi... was smiling. The beast was ruined in a way it would never recover from, mentally broken, physically crippled, and starving to death. It had paid its price for even attempting to harm her when she was immune to damage. Didn't the stupid creature know that already? Having shattered the beast's ego with her team she would turn and begin to follow after Shizuka. They needed to move quickly and if Homare or Shizuka didn't move Gomi would tunr to pull at them, whether they happily accepted the pull or not. They had a job and this was a waste of their further time. It needed to be finished now, they were already insanely late. Breaking off the bones and leaving them embedded in the dirt in all of this, maybe the tiger would be stupid enough to try and eat kaguya bone, just maybe.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare immediately follows after her other two teammates, wasting no time in getting a move on. Although the rest of her attacks hadn't been able to stop the tiger, it wouldn't really be able to follow any of the three of them using only its ears and nose, but she made a bit of a mental promise to herself that she would, on the way back, follow the tiger's blood trail to find it and end its life. She needed a good coat, and that hide was quite thick and the giant cat had a good supply of the stuff. The genin keeps her sword sheathed but her axe at the ready instead of holstering it so she's prepared for any enemies that might end up in their path to reach the second team. The Mayonaka puts in a little more effort in order to pull ahead, pumping her legs roughly to reach the front, or at least travel alongside Gomi.

The blue-haired genin was a lot more calm now, although still angry that the tiger had attempted to kill her not once, but twice in quick succession, but she was a little confused about the joy that seemed to be coming from their third teammate. At least she seemed pretty brave to her, in the fact that she'd jumped in front of the tiger to protect her from being torn to shreds, or possibly needing to sacrifice herself to take down the tiger with her. Homare went from being prey to being the one to help ensure that the tiger was no longer a combatant, and it was with the help of Gomi and Shizuka, but for now, they absolutely need to get out of there, because the roar had been incredibly loud. With any luck, any bandits nearby will either want to avoid going anywhere near an angry tiger, or assume that the tiger is letting out a territorial screech to get rid of an interloper.

In any case, Homare chooses to thank her teammates, though she keeps her eyes directly ahead and occasionally flicking to either side to make sure they're not about to be ambushed again.

"Miss Gomi. Thank you for protecting me. Miss Shizuka, thank you for being prepared."

It wasn't much, but Homare doesn't speak often anyways, so even a thank you wasn't common from her. Homare feels a bit silly for thanking both of them before they've even completed the mission, so she stays silent the rest of the way during their approach.

[Shouki Shizuka]

    With the tiger crippled and constrained, Shizuka and her team had a clear path forward to mission completion. Still, she did not let down her guard. The Red Keep was closer than ever, and with it, the dangers of an ambush or patrol. Shizuka tried to evaluate her teammate's conditions. She herself was tiring, even though she avoided going toe to toe with a tiger. Her teammates probably had more stamina than her, but another battle would certainly strain them to the limit. At least they didn't appear to be injured. Homare spoke a few lines of thanks, and Gomi merely barreled forward with a mad grin.

    "Well done yourself, Homare," Shizuka replied, forcing a smile. She slowed her pace slightly. "I'm going to drop back a few steps, if we encounter ano-"

    Shizuka's words were cut off when Gomi abruptly grabbed her, pulled her off balance, and threw her forward with a cryptic glare.

    What the fuck.

    But Shizuka was too tired to argue. The team covered the rest of the journey in silence... accompanied by the thunderous din of Gomi's armour.

    She's going to be a problem, isn't she?

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Kaguya Gomi Mayonaka Homare Shouki Shizuka

The group traveled quite swiftly to their destination, the scroll securely in their possession and the tiger left thrashing behind. But that was a matter to deal with later - if they so chose - for now, the important part was getting the delivery done. The mission had already delayed, causing a potential danger to the frontlines that the genin were directly responsible for. Whether they knew it or not - though hopefully they did know it as they had received a briefing - they were playing a crucial role in ensuring the success of not only the mission, but their village and thus country at large. This was a huge effort, and their delivery service was nothing to trifle with.

The three girls would arrive with a slight din to the second party of jounin, a quick exchange would be made from Shizuka - who held the scroll - and one of the jounin. Shizuka would get to at least see Kumori - and the team would see their sensei Asuka - though there would be no time for chit-chat as this close to the Red Keep speaking was kept to a minimum.

Either way, the genin would find that their mission was now complete and they could go home the way they came. It would be a long way back especially if they slowed their journey down a bit from fatigue. After all, they had just traversed more than half of the nations land mass. Their legs probably hurt.

But despite the hiccup, it was a job complete.

SPOILER: Click to show

Rotation: 5/5
Next Post Due: n/a
The scroll has been delivered, the genin will now return home. You may continue the thread or switch to a new one. But no more NPCing will occur on the side of the event.

OWL