[Muramasa Uemon]

bite into flesh; drawing blood

---

In the tense seconds after his surprise attack, his dark eyes flitted between all of the combatants. The man on the end of his sword, the squad's leader, the other subordinate, and Utsuwa— sliced open and still standing. "...what?!"

The priest was bleeding profusely, the wound certainly deep enough to fell even the sturdiest of warriors. Yet there they were, standing, grinning, and singing, still. Unfortunately he did not have the luxury of pondering the impossibility of the situation, as a kunai sliced through the rain towards him. He shifted his weight, then turned.

Sword acting as a lever for him to (rather painfully) position his victim in the knife's path, using the freshly impaled shinobi as an impromptu human shield. A dull thud sounded out, followed by another anguished groan. By the time he was able to peek over the man's shoulder it was already too late. A set of hand seals blurred faster than he was able to read or react to, and a spark of lightning crackled in the wet air. "Damn!" All he could do was rotate further...

Allowing the bolt of electricity to fly towards the nearest conductor there was: his bloodied, busied sword. A flash of blue light was followed by the sizzling of blood and a half-croaked screech of the stabbed man. "Bad move." The thought shot through his mind, his teeth gnashing against each other as he was just a moment too late in removing both hands from the weapon's hilt. His left was fine, but the palm of his right seared and split. Eventually he was able to release his hold... but not through any choice of his own. The technique stunned his rain-soaked body, gathered in the hilt of his katana, and burst, sending him sliding backwards along the ground. "For the both of us." He managed to stay standing just barely, but a glance down saw his palm blackened and blistered. Try as he might, he could not ignore the pain so instead he merely grit his teeth and kept his hand as relaxed as possible so as not to agitate the wound. "I still have my left..." It was not ideal, but it would have to do. There was no other alternative.

Not wasting a moment more, he reached behind his waist to grab hold of a pellet within a pouch there. In one motion he brought his hand forward and dashed it on the muddy ground. As it impacted, the smoke bomb burst to release a cloud of thick smog that obscured his form. "It will not be as effective in the rain." He thought, referring to the already-thinning smoke as he narrowed his eyes and lifted his right arm. That three-headed serpent staring right back at him. "But I only need a moment." A small burst of chakra activated the Karada Fūinjutsu, and once it did, the dark cloud of smoke swirled then dispersed from the sudden materialization of something massive. White scales, a coiled body thirteen feet long, and two piercing yellow eyes set within a menacing reptilian head. "Yamata." He thought, still crouched as the pale snake partly encircled him. "These foes are no samurai... but you can hone your fangs on them, all the same." Translucent threads emerged from his undamaged hand to attach to the creation at various points.

With a single 'biting' gesture, the snake reeled back and lurched forwards, bringing its iron fangs to bear on the squad leader with the Kugutsu no Jutsu. Its weighty head smashed into the ground and rocked the immediate area, just barely missing the Ishi-nin as she leapt away to safety and stared on in what could only be shock. "She iss fast." A thought as his eyes followed her path. "I will need to pin her down." Briefly, he glanced to the Jashinist to see that they suffered several more wounds. One kunai in their arm and another in their forehead. Though his eyes refused to believe what he was witnessing, now was no time to lose focus. So instead he turned back towards the leader. It was clear in her movements alone that she was more skilled than he... so if he could not best her soon, he would need to change course. "Go." A thought as he conducted the snake once more, its body slithering along the wet ground after the Ishi-nin with a flick of his hand. "The longer she runs, the higher the chances of her acting in error.." Another bite..

...another dodge. Though if she was too preoccupied to launch an effective counterattack— he was more than fine with that. Until he could get a feel for the kind of opponent she was, that is. Then he could concoct an actual plan.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Karada Fūinjutsu [Body Sealing Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Fūinjutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
An upgrade to the Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique], the user creates a seal on their own skin for which a multitude of objects can be stored. If cast on the user themselves, the seals become reactive to the body's own chakra, and it becomes more difficult for others to forcibly draw items from the seal. The closer the mark is made to the center of one's chakra coil, at the pit of their gut, the stronger this protection becomes.

Directly attuned to the user's chakra, seals take up half the space they ordinarily would. And in the case of it being sealed on the user, items can be released via small chakra burst rather than touch.

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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

The blessing of Jashin their only shield, Utsuwa kept offering their hymn of warning and invitation as they propelled their abused body forward. The rain beat into their wounds, red soaking through brown fabric, and mingling with the water pooling around their bare feet. They had three wounds to their opponent's none. No weapons to the apparent multitude secreted away in pouches. Outmatched in speed, strength, reach, and size. But faith was the only shield, the only spear they had need of.

The heretics made use of their magics, conjuring plumes of smoke, bolts of lightning, and unholy beasts. Utsuwa's gaze wandered over, eyes wide and drinking it all in, even as their lips continued the song. Incessant and consistent. "Flensed and flayed; how doth it feel?" Their distraction won them a brutal kick to their shoulder, sending them spinning face-first into the mud. There was a crunch with that spinning kick. THe bone was not broken, but as Utsuwa rose, their right arm dangled, clearly dislocated. He turned impassively to the still-cautious fighter, who gripped a single kunai in one hand, an open hand behind it. An aggressive stance, and one intended to kill, but they were marked by caution. "Thy pound stands paid; yet those scars shall not heal," They resumed the hymn, gripping their arm with the other and wrenching it back into place. The action was practiced, and there was not even a flinch, or a wince. "Lost in suff'ring, drowning in thy tears..."

To an outside observer, they either had an unbelievably good poker face, or they simply did not feel pain, at all.
"Shut up! Damn cultist!" Caution and horror was beginning to be burnt through by irritation and disgust. Utsuwa smiled obligingly. Their song and their body were a better teacher than any sermon. The only ingredient lacking was pain. Blinding. Excruciating. Enough to make their would-be assassin scream. To beg for release. And Utsuwa would oblige. One way or another.

All was as Jashin willed.

The ninja leaned low to the ground, and rushed with a speed that Utsuwa could barely track, let alone match. Blocking would be difficult. Dodging impossible. They attempted neither. The stab was aimed at their throat, coming up from their core. Enough to kill most men, and silence even a Jashinist. Utsuwa fouled it by stepping into it, causing the trowel-like blade to pierce their solar plexus instead. A crunch of pierced bone and the tearing of flesh as the kunai was driven to the hilt. Arresting the ninja for a moment, even as the force of the stab sent them both sliding, Utsuwa's feet struggling to find purchase.

There was a moment's surprise. The eyes above the mask widened, and their movements ceased for a moment, as Utsuwa's eyes narrowed. Not in pain. But glee. Even most veteran fighters were not accustomed to fighting a Jashinist, and Utsuwa took advantage of that moment.

They jabbed a finger into the ninja's side, just below their flak vest, earning a cry of pain and surprise as they backed away again. Blood bloomed under his clothing - an artery or other blood vessel had been struck. "Wilt thou take the offer'd escape from here?" They looped a finger into the ring of the kunai, and tugged. It didn't budge, lodged firmly in their vitals. "Else be the lion? O! Ware the night..." They returned to the chorus, stalking closer.

"The hell... is wrong with you!" He pressed a hand to his side, trying to stem the bleeding. It was bad, but not life threatening. Not like the pair of surely-mortal wounds his target had taken. Hearing about the abilities of Jashinists, their doctrine, their insanity was one thing. It was quite another to experience it first-hand. They were, after all, a notorious but not overly populous cult.

He shook it off, as Utsuwa darted forward, trying to seize the initiative again. Hands coming up in clear preparation to make seals.

SPOILER: Click to show

Used techniques:

NAME: Shukufuku: Shitsuchi [Blessing: Exsanguination]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: None.
HANDSEALS: N/A
REQUIREMENT: Sharpened nails or similar; Medical Training SA
DESCRIPTION:
Concentrating strength into a single finger or toe, the user lashes out with a thrust or scratch, precisely aimed at an artery or other blood vessel. Wounds inflicted by this technique will bleed profusely, though not to a life-threatening degree unless a vital artery is directly struck. It causes more shock than actual damage, and cannot pierce anything thicker than light clothing or skin.

[Muramasa Uemon]

mixed with rainwater

---

Rain continued to pelt his form as his left arm moved furiously, fingers contorting to command the large white serpent to give chase. Again and again it clamped down with its iron bite, and each time the shinobi's leader evaded.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Jashinist's duel raging on, but his focus had to remain on the foe engaged with him. "One false step, one wrong maneuver..." And it would all be over. Clearly, the woman was more skilled than both her counterparts and himself... but he had beaten stronger opponents before. "Focus, Uemon." He thought.

The pain in his right hand was excruciating but he did his best to ignore it as the battle raged on. Yamata hissed, raised up, and attempted to whip the squad leader with its massive neck on his command. Wood splintered and groaned on impact— a large tree ending up the sole target of its rampage as the woman leapt to safety. He watched as she ran, witnessing her run through another series of hand seals. "Shit!" Electricity crackled to life around one of her hands, and in response he pulled back with his hand to beckon his serpent to him. There was no time to think, and once the technique was cast he had no hopes of dodging, so he did the only thing he could. "Sōzōjōhigi..."

As the word echoed in his mind, the menacing white snake slithered back to his side, two compartments on its large neck sliding open with a swish of his finger. "...Hachi Sakaoke!" Just as the stream of lightning left her fingertips, the serpent coiled around the wanderer in a defensive posture. Two more large white heads emerged, complete with necks, fangs, and eyes of their own. The Raiton: Jibashi was met with his own Sōzōjōhigi: Hachi Sakaoke, culminating in a blinding flash of light, the hiss of static filling the air, and a loud crack as the technique struck scales and exploded. A cloud of smoke erupted on impact big enough to obscure the top half of the puppet... and when it cleared, part of its central head had a jagged hole blown clean through it. Internal machinery clicked and whirred as the serpent tensed up and its curled-up body lifted to reveal the puppeteer, stunned, but mostly unharmed. "..."

In his mind, the time for words were over, but as he glared out from between Yamata's coiled form the shinobi saw fit to address him. "You'll pay for what you did to my comrades, vagrant." He watched her speak, venom dripping from each word as her hands clasped together once more. Eyes narrowed, quickly scanning the immediate area until a faint gleam caught his attention. One of Yamata's fangs, its tip glistening with a glossy, pinkish substance. "That is it." He thought. "I need to get it out of the rain..." The wanderer turned his gaze to the woman once more, the threads on his fingertips urging the serpent to move. "Abandon this attack... or you will join them."

Goading, in hopes of unbalancing the woman. "Not this day." Unfortunately for him, she did not seem as temperamental as the Masamune woman and kept her focus as she began to form seals once more. "I cannot let her cast another jutsu." A thought, his hand thrusting forward to signal the large white snake to attack once more. Only this time... two threads from his ring and little finger were absent from the serpent's body, attaching themselves to the frog on his shoulder. Between the serpent's mass, the rush of movement, and the chaos of the second battle nearby, he hoped that she would miss Date leaping down and hopping along the ground. "Kabuki." Internal narration as the amphibian puppet scooped the fang up with its sticky tongue, retracted it into its mouth, and hopped swiftly over to the nearby tree line, out of sight. His Kabuki was a versatile jutsu, and with her superior speed rendering Yamata ineffective, he was pitting it all on this one gambit. "All I need is an opening." A small one...

Hopefully, the threat of a massive three-headed snake would be enough to drive her towards himself. Yamata continued to harass, and the woman continued to evade. Slowly but surely being herded away from the forest and back towards him. As far as she knew, he was just a cowardly, wounded puppeteer... a fact he was counting on.

The Jashinist continued to sing, offering their opponent a chance to leave as well. Like the man's superior he refused, and so it seemed that more blood was bound to be shed. "Fools." He thought. "Every one of them."

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

NAME: Sōzōjōhigi: Hachi Sakaoke [Imaginary Secret Technique: Eight Sake Vats]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: High
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: ---
REQUIREMENT: Yamata
DESCRIPTION:
A technique designed to take advantage of the snake's large size and defensive capabilities. Eight vats protected the eightfold sake that was poured into them and so Yamata seeks to guard Uemon and those he deems as allies in similar fashion. On activation the serpent will coil part of its large body around its puppeteer to protect from the brunt of an attack. Yamata's many hidden weapons can be deployed as a defensive measures while in this defensive posture, aiding the puppeteer in keeping away unwanted enemies. Revealing its additional heads allows the large puppet to shield multiple people simultaneously or increase the effectiveness of guarding a single person. Its toughened armor scales and large size make it an excellent shield against physical attacks and a plethora of jutsu.

NAME: Kabuki [Dance]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: ---
REQUIREMENT: Intelligence SA, Beast Puppets
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:
Sharing its name with the bizarre theatre artform this jutsu was developed specifically for usage with Uemon's own Beast Puppets. Much like the flamboyant costumes Kabuki performers often wear this allows his creations to take on equally strange forms and allows him more versatility in combat. Always looking to adapt he put his wits to work creating a method of increasing his options in battle. Most quality puppets have individual parts that are painstakingly constructed by hand to be effective and unique. With that in mind most pieces are detachable to allow for easier maintenance and modification. This also means they can be manipulated which Kabuki allows for. Using chakra strings Uemon is able to separate parts of his Beast Puppets and swap them with each other, allowing for some creative fusions of sorts. Be it granting his wolfdog puppets the fangs of his snake or gifting his surveillance rabbit flight feathers from a bird marionette. The limitations begin and end with his heightened intelligence and overall imagination. Reconstructing doesn't take long but during the window of time any puppet is being re-assembled it is more vulnerable than usual. Oftentimes this swapping period leaves their intricate interiors exposed to attack.


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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

For all of its blasphemy, these shinobi's magicks were quite impressive to behold. Sacrilegious and profane, but impressive, in their own right. They had no knowledge of how to affect such brazen displays of unholy power, nor how to counter them. Save for prying the life and will out of their wielders by shed blood and agony.

Not that Utsuwa could afford to stare at the display for long, not if they wanted to drive this shinobi to service, or into Jashin's embrace in full.
"With each bite doth thy sanity die!"

The flurry of hand seals meant nothing to the Jashinist, bare feet flying against stone and mud as they bled profusely from four gaping wounds. They lowered their left hand, subtly cupping it to pool blood in the palm as blood ran down their pierced arm. Not an unpracticed gambit, but a practiced technique. No different than the foul jutsu these heathen deployed, save for it using the blessings of Jashin. "Drawing the life out, permitting the dark within;"

Seeing that kunai had apparently little effect on the diminutive priest, he opted for something else entirely.
"Suiton: Suigadan!" Giving voice to the technique seemed meaningless, but perhaps it aided focus? Regardless, Utsuwa marvelled as the rain and nearby puddles coalesced into a spinning drill-like point, then darted out at them. Utsuwa tried to evade the oncoming drill, throwing themselves to the side. Being immune to death did not make them immune to dismemberment, after all, and their body still had much to offer Jashin in service. Too slow.

The drill pierced their leg, tearing a sizable hole through the thigh, and Utsuwa fell to a knee. Not from pain, but from the simple fact that the muscles had been mechanically weakened.
"Tch," The ninja clicked his tongue in irritation, darting closer to deliver a coup de grace before the cultist could rise.

Suddenly, Utsuwa twisted, having filled their hand entirely with blood from their ruined leg, and lashed out. THe ninja didn't back off - the swing was too early, and there was no way the Jashinist's short limbs could reach him. He suddenly staggered, crying out in surprise as blood splattered onto his face and eyes, Utsuwa having thrown it with surprising accuracy. Shukufuku: Shitsume.
"Say a prayer as the light leaves thy eyes!" They sang, each note more exultant than the last. They stood on their ruined leg, more and more red pooling around them. The ninja adopted a defensive stance, trying to blink and rub the blood out of their eyes. It would only last for a few seconds. "Scream all thou wish, but one god can hear thee!"

Favoring their uninjured leg, they darted to the ninja's side, drawing in a deep breath. They were outmatched, but they had their own advantages.

SPOILER: Click to show

Used techniques:

NAME: Shukufuku: Shitsume [Blessing: Blindness]
RANK: E
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: None.
HANDSEALS: N/A
REQUIREMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:
After slicing the wrist with a blade or nail, or otherwise utilizing an existing injury, the user pools blood in their hand, before throwing it towards the target's eyes, in an attempt to temporarily blind them. Any amount of eye protection can foil the technique, though it could still block a visor or similar, at least until the blood is wiped off.

[Muramasa Uemon]

words of spite and grief

---

Song filled the air, the ground shook with each movement of Yamata's weighty body, and the storm raged overhead.

To say the situation was hectic was an understatement, and he could only spare a brief glance towards the Jashinist's bout between commands. If only to see if they were dead, and whether the ninja moved to reinforce his superior.

Fortunately, the small priest seemed to be able to hold their own in a prolonged battle. Due in large part to their apparent inability to succumb to fatal wounds. A loud crash echoed throughout the area as another tree was felled by the white serpent's violent writhing, and by the time he looked back his own foe was rushing towards him.

Kunai in hand, and a cold hatred shining in her eyes. "Here to slay the meek puppeteer..." He thought as she charged forward, adrenaline finally beginning to course through his veins. On one knee was where he remained, looking every bit the easy kill she anticipated. "Come, then." In a flash of movement, she entered into range, swiped at his left shoulder with her knife, and he rose to meet her. The blade found purchase, ripping through his shirt to meet flesh.

Yet even as he winced his body reacted the way his training had conditioned it to. One hand, his injured one, met the wrist holding her weapon, partially deflecting it so that the slash was shallower than it might have been. At the same time his left shot out to grasp at the collar of her cloak, holding it tight while he extended a leg outwards and suddenly turned. Using her own forward momentum against her, the wanderer twisted and heaved, pulling her in to trip over his foot, and sending her over his hip to slam into the ground with a swift Taiotoshi. Mud and rainwater splashed every which way, but even as he watched the air leave the woman's lungs from the impact,  he was aware of a problem— she had grabbed hold of him too. By his arm, and as fiercely as he struggled now to survive... so did she.

A decade or more of harsh training was put on display as she breathlessly fought, utilizing some impressive taijutsu skills to swing her own leg wide in an attempt to trip him. Unsteady as he was after executing the technique, she succeeded, and a moment later he was sent crashing down into the mud with her. Rolling, striking, and trying desperately to shake her off. "You'll die here for what you've done!" She screamed, the wanderer putting the pain in his right hand from his mind as best he could. He ignored the rain and sopping muck in his eyes to grab hold of her knife hand and slam it against the ground, her kunai plopping away harmlessly to land in the dark sludge. "One of us will." Came his strained, low reply. He had always hated banter... and she was too dangerous to indulge in it, anyway. Both of his wrists intersected, fingers grabbing hold of her cloak to form a cross choke...

Only to fail to secure a hold— a swift uppercut leaving his jaw rattling. The woman was as fast as she was skilled, and the moment his grip faltered she elbowed him across the cheek before straining to throw him off. His mount had been hasty in the first place, an understandable error given the breakneck pace of their battle but a costly one.

Though he was hurting, his instincts helped him roll as he hit the ground, and he rose once more to one knee just in time to see her do the same. "That she can still fight like this after all of that running..." It was impressive, truly. Both of them were breathing heavily, but so far she was the only one that managed to inflict any meaningful damage. The blood running down his left arm proof of that needed to change and fast. "You aren't as pathetic up close as most ninja who play with toys." A mocking word cast his way through the rain. "..." This one he ignored, unwilling to fall for the same trick he used moments before. "Before I end this, rogue, answer me something..."

Dark eyes narrowed on her face, unflinching still. "Why did you kill my comrades?" A reasonable question given the circumstances... and one with a simple answer. For a long while there was silence, aside from the Jashinist's maddened hymn that still resounded in the background, and his burnt hand moved to seemingly help support his weight as he placed his palm face down in the mud. Then, finally... "Because..." He said. "...they got in my way."

Cold anger became burning fury at his words, and she rose to prepare to strike once more. The fingers on his right hand twitched, conducting Date from afar even now. "I need her distracted." He thought. "Just a few moments longer..." 

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

NAME: Taiotoshi [Body Drop]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:
Counterattack created to intercept a strike and bring the opponent to the ground. Upon blocking the initial attack the user will quickly move in and grapple the target near the collar or waist while extending their leg outwards. Using their own momentum against them the user will then toss the opponent, tripping them with their outstretched leg and throwing them harshly to the ground. Capable of knocking the wind out of an opponent and leaving them vulnerable to further attack.


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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

The blasphemer would only take a few moments to wipe the blood from their eyes, especially with the rain lashing their bodies. And, to Utsuwa's untrained eye, their stance was solid, even blinded and stumbling. Their arms shielded their vitals, and their legs were bent, ready to spring away from sudden sounds or impact.

Utsuwa found their footing, blood oozing out of the pierced leg and the nearly half-dozen wounds they had received in the brief and brutal fight. Their stance was set, and their lungs filled with air, even as drawing in a deep breath caused blood to jet from their ruined torso.

They held it for that half second before vision returned to the ninja, and they lashed out as soon as they tried to get their bearings.

The flurry of jabs and pokes thudded into his flak jacket and arms, as he tried to defend himself, to deflect the barrage of attacks. He succeeded in protecting his vitals, but Utsuwa was no aiming for them - they aimed for pressure points, and points of pain. The flurry was brief, but the result was immediate.

The ninja gave voice to a throaty scream. A cry of abject agony. Little damage had actually been done, but one thing was clear: Utsuwa knew how to inflict pain in abundance, as poor a fighter as they were.

The flurry left them exposed, and, even with pain wracking their body, the ninja managed a desperate kick, catching Utsuwa in the gut and causing them to stagger back with the force of the blow. Training overtook their instinct to flinch away and hide from the pain, and with a cry, the staggering and doubled over form of Utsuwa received a palm-strike to the chin, rattling their brain as they soared through the air, and hit the ground with a wet thud.

They remained there for a moment, before slapping the ground, and ascending back to their feet as though nothing happened.
"Follow me! Pray, follow me! Out of Pandaemonium, ne'er more bound to the flame!" They gave a joyous exhortation, volume increasing as they reached a climax of both song and elation. "There is but one release; out from this waking nightmare!"

SPOILER: Click to show

Used Jutsu:

NAME: Jōshō Tataku [Rising Slap]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: N/a
HANDSEALS: N/a
REQUIREMENT: N/a

DESCRIPTION:
A simple technique meant to quickly get the user up from a prone position on the ground. The user will slap at the ground and force their body to push away to quickly right themselves. Naturally this can be used whether they are on their back, front or either side, but they will always righten directly opposite of whatever is touching the ground. So slapping while on their back will force them to rise in a forward facing manner, slapping while on their stomach will have them move in the direction of their back, etc.

NAME: Shukufuku: Itami [Blessing: Pain]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: None.
HANDSEALS: N/A
REQUIREMENT: Medical Training SA
DESCRIPTION:
After grounding themselves and drawing in a breath, the user unleashes a flurry of pokes and jabbing fingers, aimed at various pressure and pain points. While the technique does not do much actual, lasting damage, it causes intense, lingering pain. It was adapted from Jashinist torture techniques, in order to educate through pain, even in combat. The need to center themselves and draw in a breath does telegraph the attack, however.

[Muramasa Uemon]

lead to thunderous fury

---

A cry muffled by the storm overhead, two gazes locked in tense struggle, clenched teeth...

One way or another, this battle would soon draw to a permanent close. Judging by the sounds coming from the other Ishi-nin and the Jashinist's own incessant singing, he assumed the priest was mostly winning their fight.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for him, and as the leader rushed him again he saw in real time the gap between their skills unfolding. A flurry of blows was exchanged, the still-smoldering flesh on his right palm rendering one of his hands essentially useless. The wanderer deflected, parried, and struck as best he could...

...but with only his non-dominant hand to rely on, he was swiftly overwhelmed. "Remember your training..." He thought, bearing the pain as he stepped inside the woman's guard. Left hand moving to grasp around her back, he endured a sudden knee to his midsection before lifting his leg, thrusting it to trip, and pulling her forward over his hip. "Sōji Yōbu Goshi!" Once more she was sent crashing to the muddy ground— this time unable to pull him down with as this the Sōji Yōbu Goshi was a more refined technique than the previous. Another impact, gasp, and a splash.

Yet even his more potent grappling was not enough to fell the Ishi-nin. Hate was a powerful motivator, something he knew better than most, and was unable to deliver a killing stroke she was back to her feet. A series of hand seals flashed before his eyes, followed by the crackling of bright blue sparks and a palm strike that was blindingly quick.

"Too fast!" A hasty thought, his instincts trying and failing to dodge the technique. He could see it coming, anticipate her arm's path... but his reaction time was not honed enough. A sidestep made the Kangekiha no Jutsu a glancing blow, but even indirectly the electricity coursed through his wet body and stunned him, the gritting of his teeth the only thing stifling a scream. By the time he regained his fried senses he saw the glint of another kunai in the low light. "Move." He willed himself. "Move now or you are dead!" Calling upon every ounce of willpower he had, he forced his left hand to intercept, stopping the thrust but helpless to do anything about the woman's forward momentum. 

Suddenly, he was off of his feet and on his back, straining with little leverage to keep the shinobi from impaling him through the right side of his heart. Out of necessity, his damaged hand moved to grip her forearm, having no choice but to withstand the pain for now. "It's over!" She spat, venom in her words. "Y-es..." A reply. "It is."

A lone finger, the middle on his right, tensed upward which caused his grip on her knife hand to falter. The tip of the kunai inched towards his chest, then into it. Stopped short of killing him only by his struggling. Simultaneously, a translucent thread of chakra shot outward... and a moment later Date leapt out of the nearby underbrush.

Wielding Yamata's iron fang with its tongue much like a spear and heading right for the Ishi-nin. In a haze of movement, the puppet gored her in the back, the woman screamed, and the wanderer strained against her stab.

Just as she said, the battle had indeed been decided... only she had yet to realize how or why this was the case. 

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

NAME: Sōji Yōbu Goshi [Sweeping Loin Throw]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:
An aggressive move created to cause maximum damage while stunning an opponent at the same time. After closing the distance the user will grab the opponent behind their back while raising a leg at the same time. Simultaneously kicking backwards into the targets feet while pulling them forward will sweep them over the user's hip and onto their back sending them crashing into the ground. The force from the impact will knock the air out of the target and can knock weaker opponents out cold.


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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

Fortunate for some, and unfortunate for others, Utsuwa did not fight to win. Not really. If the fight ended with a bloody corpse at their feet, an apt sacrifice to Jashin, a soul delivered from pain, so be it. If all they did was show the depths of their devotion, and the power of Jashin, so be it. If they merely inflicted an abundance of agony, so be it.

All was as Jashin willed.

The ninja retreated, fighting the urge to ball himself up and stiffen his muscles in response to the explosion of pain radiating through his torso. By all accounts, he should have been winning this fight. Utsuwa's attacks weren't exactly I practiced, but they weren't that strong, nor that fast. There was one wound in his side, but, as painful as the barrage had been, it didn't seem to cause more than some bruising. It had merely hurt far more than it should have, with fingers plucking nerves like a musician plucked strings.

And Utsuwa should have been dead. The hole in their forehead, the kunai still sticking out from their chest, the blood gushing out of a hole large enough for Utsuwa to stick their hand through. But the Jashinist just wouldn't die. Wouldn't stop singing.

"Scream! Now scream! Scream!" The song reached a maddened crescendo, laughter and joy bubbling up through the priest's voice. The ninja backed off another step, casting a glance to the other brutal but at least comprehensible battle. He was so close to understanding. If they could just have him for a day. A week. Jashin would have another devoted. They knew it.

Would the blasphemer flee? Find their courage? Or have their treacherous will crumble? Utsuwa extended a beckoning hand. An invitation into liberty.

He made his choice, moving forward, and not to take the proferred hand. Utsuwa smiled obligingly. They had been a slow learner, too.

A jabbing hand was parried by a plated glove, and a swift kick to Utsuwa's compromised leg, a swiftly drawn kunai cut through the rain to slit their throat. A solid but simple plan. Even without pain, their leg was mechanically compromised. And even if it would not kill them, having their throat slit would, in theory, silence them. Though Utsuwa had never actually tried it.

They were curious, but they had other callings. And the ninja's soul screamed for the salvation Utsuwa could deliver.

Utsuwa stepped into the slice, catching it with the side of their neck - and a vital artery, as their life blood jetted forth from the wound - as they sprang forward and up, hands with them.

Sometimes the better fighter was at a disadvantage due to their less skilled opponents being more unpredictable. A lesson learned by Utsuwa inserting their thumbs into the man's eyes.

They both collapsed to the ground, one thrashing and stabbing wildly as he screamed in agony and panic, and Utsuwa merely dug their thumbs deeper to maintain their balance.
"O, Jashin-sama! Pray, receive this unworthy offering!"

[Muramasa Uemon]

cut short by cold wrath

---

It was there, lying in the mud, kunai partway into his right pectoral, face-to-face with the Ishi-nin that he saw it.

Suffering, reflected in the eyes of one who wished him dead. Normally, he saved the usage of this tool for his fated armored enemies, but in this case the situation necessitated it. She was better than him and would have slain him...

Only her rage dulled her senses, and in that moment he secured his victory. At first, it would seem like any other wound. Bloody, painful, requiring of attention as soon as the life had faded from his eyes... but it was more than that. "You realized far too late." First came labored breathing, then droplets of sweat intermingled with rainwater.

Tremors in her body followed next, aggravating his chest wound yet sapping her concentration further. This lapse allowed him to finally, excruciatingly, push the knife out of his body. And as his dark eyes narrowed on hers, he saw her irises begin to shake. No doubt due to the blurred vision that had suddenly overcome her sense of sight. 

"What—" An unfinished question, due in part to her ragged breaths and in part him sitting up. The wanderer did not even have to shove her off, she simply fell. Into the mud, clutching at her chest. "...poison." He muttered.

Knowing exactly what she meant to ask... it was the same question its past victims had offered. As he slowly struggled to his feet, a bloodcurdling scream followed by exaltation cut through the storm. He glanced to the side to see the Jashinist atop the remaining ninja— gouging the man's eyes. Them bleeding from the neck, head, and chest.

Absurd, disgusting, bordering on profane... yet his face remained unflinching. Battle was a cruel, and often horrible thing. The manner in which he had impaled the other Ishi-nin or envenomed their leader was not somehow kinder.

Silently, he raised his left hand, beckoning Yamata over from its dormant state. The massive three-headed snake was much too unwieldly to catch such a fleetfooted opponent, but now, like this, she was but a mouse before its iron fangs. "O-one... day..." Words struggled from the kunoichi's throat, staying his hand for a moment. Eyes still burning with fury, with defiance despite the pain she was experiencing glared up at him. "S-soon... one day... you w-will... get what... you—" A cough, then a sputter. "...deserve." At first he merely stood there, staring down.

Coldness in his steeled gaze, yet hesitating for some reason. Strands of dark hair stuck to his face from the rain, red trickling from a corner of his mouth, leaking from his shoulder and chest. Wet, blackish mud staining his form.

Looking more a monster from some storybook than a person. "Of that..." He muttered. "...I have no doubt."

A raise of his hand, a lowering, then a 'biting' gesture and it was over. Yamata's massive heads converging on the downed Ishi-nin and sinking their metal fangs into her. No struggle, no scream, just a swift, near-instant release.

Wordlessly his chakra threads disappated as he stared at at the results of his actions. "...just not today." 

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.


ITEMS USED:
NAME: Hana wa Sakura [Among Blossoms, the Cherry Blossom]
OWNER: Muramasa Uemon
RANK: B
CLASSIFICATION: Offensive
ELEMENT: ---
RESTRICTIONS: Personal

DESCRIPTION:
In the Land of Iron there is an old proverb that goes, "Among blossoms, the cherry blossom, among men, the samurai." Meaning the sakura blossom is the foremost among flowers so must the samurai be the foremost among men. Growing up Uemon heard this old saying many times from many a self-important warrior. Ironically this poison was created with the specific purpose of felling those very same warriors and the main ingredient behind it is the sakura blossom. Along with several highly poisonous plants Uemon mixes this specially brewed poison using sakura petals as the base, which gives it a distinct pink coloration and also a sweet smell. As deceptive as it is deadly Hana wa Sakura is a thin liquid poison that can be coated on weapons or aerosolized into a lethal gas. It is noted for its beauty as well as its potency.

Liquid Form
In its original form Hana wa Sakura comes brewed as a liquid. Touching the substance itself is not enough to harm you but if it enters the body it acts as a deadly neurotoxin. Whether through ingesting it or finding its way into the bloodstream via an open wound or mucous membrane the poison begins to act quickly. It was designed to kill but not before taking away the thing a warrior most cherishes-- their senses. Through the blood the first symptoms of the poison kick in after two minutes. If ingested through a mucous membrane (eyes, mouth, nose) they start within a minute. The victim beginning to suffer trembling usually starting in the hands. This is soon followed by full body tremors, the blurring of vision and the dulling of sound. As the poison spreads the effects grow more severe and if the victim's heartrate speeds up it only expedites its circulation throughout the body. While not initially painful if not treated before the spread those under its effects experience extreme agony due to organ failure. Hana wa Sakura's effects last until cured and are deadly long term


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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

The kunai kept entering their side. Leg. Side. Arm. Ribs. Chest. A desperate, flailing attempt to kill the small priest pressing their entire weight into his skull. Screaming as pain, panic and fear destroyed all manner of reason.

Utsuwa pressed harder, dug deeper. Legs locking around the larger man's torso as they pressed. Twisted. Pushed. With a sickening and wet sound, the ninja's limbs failed, dropping the kunai as they tried to shove Utsuwa off, to protect their already destroyed eyes. Utsuwa allowed this, hands tearing free. Then plunging back in.
"Accept this weary sinner's soul, I pray!" Fingernails found a vital artery in the throat and cut it open. Utsuwa leaned over the body as life rapidly drained from it, rain-soaked hair blocking out their periphery as they gleefully watched the soul enter oblivion. No more pain. No more doubt. No more struggle.

Ah, it was not perfect, but it was the second best fate they could offer.

They used a bloodied fingernail to carve the symbol of Jashin into the shinobi's forehead. Then clapped their hands together, rapidly and feverishly offering a prayer.
"O Jashin-sama! Great and beneficent are thee, to permit one such as I to carry forth thy will, bringing thy succor unto even the heathen and blasphemer. By thy will and blessing, I offer a life to thee, that thou may grant unto it the obviation I hath but tasted. May I never think this duty done by mine own strength. 'Tis only by thy will, by thy grace, by thy blessing, that I may even draw breath. May I forever die, so that that I may be become a more worthy vessel. All shalt know pain. All shalt receive release everlasting."

They stood and looked back towards their erstwhile companion. "Thou hast delivered the enemy thine to the selfsame end, 'twould appear." Rain mixed with blood, failing to wash out Utsuwa's bloodstained and torn clothing. Almost all of it was theirs, blood still flowing from a score or more wounds. "Despair not - heathen they may be, yet Jashin-sama wilt grant unto them peace eternal." The kunai still jutted out of their chest, and their eyes drifted down to the man's injured hand.

They cocked their head. "Be thee in need of mending? Else this self-same release?"

[Muramasa Uemon]

blood, mud, and cool rain

---

Prayer, rain streaming down his face, screams turned to gurgling, and a dull clap of thunder far in the distance.

So quickly had this all devolved into chaos and death, and yet, that was all it ever could be. He expected it. The wanderer shed no tears for the shinobi, and he certainly held no sympathy for those who wished him dead. Still...

Until just minutes ago, all three were people with dreams and ambitions of their own. Seeking vengeance on the one who had killed their comrades, not unlike his own lifelong mission. Only to be cut down near some nameless, long-abandoned hovel. To die pointlessly, and painfully, in the cold mud and rain. "..." Not a word left his mouth. As he approached the snake, he held up his right arm near the massive puppet, wincing as he formed a half Hitsuji seal with his left hand. A large cloud of smoke erupted, and when it cleared the snake had been re-sealed into the ink etched on his forearm. Dark, pitiless eyes glanced downward at the slain Ishigakure kunoichi for just a moment...

...then he turned to move towards the one he stabbed from behind. The first of them to fall, lightning-burnt, bloodied, and unmoving. Entombed in the face-down shinobi's back was his formerly trusty blade, Yoshitake. Its tsuka split and broken, tsuba missing entirely, and the blade itself bent from conducting the intense heat of the squad leader's Raiton technique. The wanderer stared for a moment, then gripped the weapon by what was left of its hilt with his left hand, and pulled. Managing to twist it free of its victim with only a moderate amount of trouble.

Half-heartedly, he inspected the weapon for what he already knew to be true. "I suppose you were a tired old thing..." He thought. Now, it was just useless scrap. Sentimentality was something he tried not to indulge in... but Yoshitake was the first sword he ever forged. Guided by his father's hand, no less. "Perhaps... this is for the best." A somber musing.

"One less thing that binds me to my homeland." A replacement would be needed, of course. Though he could worry about that later. Sometime during his silent reflection the praying stopped, and he turned to see Utsuwa staring. Near-giddy after having finished their 'sacrifice', commenting on his fallen foe. The wanderer stared once more at the deceased leader. "I do not despair..." He thought to himself. "...no peace comes of this." Once more his eyes shifted, from the kunoichi, to the impaled Ishi-nin, to the one with his eyes gouged. "They are simply... gone."

Dead, soon to be cold and stiff. It was odd to hear a devotee of such a grotesque god speak of peace... though he supposed they thought themself to be doing the world a service. "No one casts themselves in the role of villain."

The Raikage, Hirana Kizumi's words echoed in his mind. "Most people, anyway." An offer of treatment was met with a deadpan gaze. He looked ot Utsuwa's own wounds— still in partial disbelief, and nodded. "Mending." His choice, pain wracked his body from face, to chest, to arm. And he was losing blood. He turned to the cabin before pausing...

Giving the Jashinist another brief glare. "Do not try to 'release' me." A warning, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Poison did not seem their way... but their multitude of severe wounds and apparent joy in the slaughter was more than enough to make him leery. "I will know if you do." The wanderer swished two fingers on his left hand.

Conducting Date to hop atop his shoulder, then made his way slowly back to the door. Allowing the rain to try and wash some of the mess clean. Still clutching his destroyed sword, he opened the door and entered, discarding his worn boots near the entrance. Though it did not do much to stop him from tracking mud, blood, and water inside. 

Wordlessly, he set his damaged weapon on the table and bid Date to join it. After clicking its screen back on to resume its camera feed from Tsuki outside, he gripped the hem of his soaked shirt with his good hand, and struggled to strip it off of his torso. Trying to mask his wincing as he did so. Along with the fresh laceration on his left shoulder, and shallow stab wound on his right pectoral, his body was host to a number of small, faded scars.

Tokens from training and battles past, the most notable being a large diagonal one trailing from the bottom of his right rib to his hipbone and another on his left shoulder blade. The wanderer glanced over his shoulder at the Jashinist... then moved to sit on the old straw bed. It creaked as he did, and he sat there, light-headed and hurting.

Silently waiting for them to begin this 'mending' process and nursing the raw, scorched flesh on his right palm. 

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.


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.

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

"Aye, cessation. What truer peace is there than oblivion?" Utsuwa nodded eagerly, glad that the wanderer understood. The only escapes from suffering were service to Jashin, and nothingness. The blood sputtered out of the open artery on their neck, further staining their clothes. By the rate it was issuing forth, Utsuwa should have already fainted - or have died - from simple blood loss.

Regardless, they followed behind the traveler.
"As thou sayest. I shalt not slay thee anon, unless thee beg such a favor. By Jashin-sama, I swear this " Even wounded, defeating such an opponent would be difficult for Utsuwa. And they looked to Hale, too early, to succumb to more subtle arts.

Utsuwa turned to the flame they had kindled, and ensured it was well fed and hot. Then, carefully, they began to pass needles, their scalpel, and other tools through the flame. In particular, a simple brand was heated until it was glowing red. "Pray, but wait just a moment." Utsuwa stopped out of their clothing, revealing the full magnitude of their scars, and their wounds. A score of cuts and punctures, with a hole bored through their leg. The heated brand was pressed to Utsuwa's own wounds, cauterizing the most serious of them to swiftly halt their bleeding. The smell of burnt flesh wafted through the air, but Utsuwa did not flinch.

The wiped their hands clean of blood, and set the brand back in the flame. They were still bleeding, but not heavily.

They cast an eye across the wanderer's body, appreciative of the scars, and admiring the wounds. "Preferrest thou the brand or the needle? Thy bleeding must be staunchest if thou yet desire to draw breath. Then thy hand may be tended to." Blood flowed from the wound in their forehead, and dripped from the kunai still lodged in their chest.

[Muramasa Uemon]

wounds to tend, minds unmended

---

A word of agreement— his own commentary on peace seemingly misinterpreted by the Jashinist.

It mattered not in the end, and even if he were not wounded, he doubted he would be up for a theological debate about the afterlife (or lack thereof). The blood gushing from the priest's many wounds was a ridiculous sight...

...and the fact that they were still alive was unbelievable. If only he were not witnessing it now. "..." He said nothing as they re-entered the cabin and got situated, instead splitting his focus between quiet contemplation, and the occasional glance at Date's screen. "Unreal..." A lone thought echoed in his mind as Utsuwa wielded a hot iron.

Watching as they pressing the red-hot metal to their injuries without so much as blinking. If he was a figurative monster, the priest was the literal. Unfazed by mortal wounds and seemingly immune to pain. "It makes no sense." He thought, eyes flicking to Utsuwa's body. "This priest should be dead a dozen times over." Anyone else would have been, and long before this battle by the look of it. "And yet..." Not a care in the world, kunai still lodged in their chest. 

Equal parts incredible and impossible, irritating to the logical part of his brain. "Every blade tells a tale." Something his father once told him, and in this case he thought fitting. If one had keen enough insight, they could tell what a weapon had been through and how it was used with some inspection. Wear and tear along its edge, scores in its tsuba, the fraying of its ito. People were not swords, but they often bore similar signs. "If there exists a more durable steel... I have yet to see it." An unbreakable tool. "If there are more like Utsuwa..." He thought. "...I may have use of them."

A darker turn of ponderance, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as the Jashinist turned to him, taking note of their wandering gaze. Curiosity? Or something else? "The needle..." The wanderer replied, followed by a calculated lessening in hostility. "...please." If Utsuwa wished him harm, they had plenty of opportunities to act on those impulses already. Of course he did not trust them as they were still suspicious, strange, and concerning... but he could dial his overt animus back, at least for now. "Earlier, when you spoke of being freed from suffering, of no longer knowing pain..." He paused, nodding towards their wounds. "Is this what you meant?" A question.

The idea of any deity existing, let alone exerting this sort of influence over the world was beyond ridiculous. A sadist's idol, the old gods of his homeland, or otherwise. Yet the impossible stood here, bleeding, unflinching, and tending to his wounds. "This... is the power of your god?" He asked, a small flicker of interest in his severe gaze.

Shivering slightly as he sat. Normally he was fine with the cold, but being soaked to the skin combined with blood loss was enough to bypass even a Tetsu no Kuni native's resilience. The wanderer would wait, silently, and listen. 

---

[Kyodai Utsuwa]

"The needle, then," Utsuwa said obligingly, threading the still-hot needle. They drew close to the wanderer, seeking the most grievous of the injuries. Without much ado, and with certainly nothing to dull the pain, they set about cleaning, then stitching the wounds closed. Needle puncturing and drawing flesh with a practiced, steady hand.

The kunai lodged deep within them, and the other wounds left intended would need care before long. It would not do to have the wounds fester, or to have the flesh heal around the intruding steel.

"'Tis the blessing of Jashin-sama, indeed. Made immune to death, so that service be contained not by mere mortality. Made immune to suff'ring, so that suff'ring may die. Immune to pain. To fear. To doubt." They worked the needle slowly, drawing out its small agonies. But the stitches were good, and wounds were sutured closed properly. "'Tis not a blessing reserved only for the worthy. Any who supplicate themselves unto Jashin-sama's will shalt drink of these blessings in full, so long as they obey Jashin-sama's decrees, and maintain His dogma."

As each wound was stitched closed, bandages were applied. Rough, itchy things, applied with a poultice that encouraged healing and prevented infection, but also stung and irritated. "Thou'rt no stranger to suff'ring, 'tis plain. Is it thy companion, or thy enemy?"

[Muramasa Uemon]

fresh scars to collect

---

The point of the priest's needle found his flesh, and the wanderer's face twitched in a slight wince.

By now, the adrenaline from the battle was working its way out of his system, but enough lingered to aid in combatting the pain. The Jashinist did not have pain relievers, and he had neither sake nor medicinal herbs to help.

So there was little else to do but grit his teeth and bear it. "I—" A pause, the needle's sting having stolen his breath for a moment. "...see." He replied to Utsuwa's words, a suspicious eye cast on their hands. "Are you certain you have done this before?" These were a sight better than his uncle's stitches, but still far from painless. "Bothersome..."

Internally he grumbled, but the topic of conversation both helped to distract him from the pain and limited his complaining.  "And these supplicants... they need only pray?" Once the laceration on his shoulder was closed, he turned towards the priest to offer his chest. Blood dribbling out of the wound there with each beat of his heart.

"Commit themselves to your god, have their bodies... 'sanctified', and be made deathless?" It sounded ridiculous— even more so now that the words had left his mouth. But if the priest spoke true, the fact that they were not unique only piqued his interest further. "Utsuwa-san..." He began, glancing at the priest's multitude of scars before meeting their gaze. "...how many Jashinists are there?" In that moment, it was all he could fixate on.

All he could think of. "Hundreds? Thousands? More?"  He thought, doing his best not to flinch as Utsuwa applied the sutures to his stab wound. "Even one dozen undying priests at the van of a single sonae would alter the battlefield." Small forces often possessed such capabilities, provided they were skilled or fearsome enough. "Free from fear, doubt, death..." The wanderer grew quiet, lost to his internal monologue as the Jashinist finished the stitches and wrapped his injuries.

Bound in some coarse bandages complete with an irritating poultice, but the bleeding had ceased and that was the important thing. In Utsuwa, opportunity stared him in the face. "But how do I seize it?" He thought. "Can I?" A question on suffering came next, succeeding on bringing his attention back around. Dark eyes glanced down...

First at his own scars and fresh wounds, then at his scorched palm, then at the priest's own scars. "Both." He muttered quietly. "Without it, I would be long dead..." He thought of the poison he used on his foes, and of the agony it inflicted. Of how his own suffering tempered his resolve... but it was only half of a story. "And yet..." A trailed word, his gaze drifting down, then turning distant. "...suffering is the reason for what I have become."

'What', not 'who'. Killer, rogue, thief, coward, vagrant— whatever others called him, whatever he needed to be in the moment to serve his aims. "How did you come to be... like this?" The wanderer asked the priest, umber eyes shifting to meet their own red gaze. Were they born into this role or did they find it? "Who were you before?"

Aside from the occasional glance at Date's screen, his focus was on Utsuwa now. The small blaze in the stove crackled, rain continued to thatched roof of the cabin, but he was silent. Still, aside from the shivering. Interested.

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