[Nageku]

Nature may have birthed most things on this world to be equal, but Nageku was not one of the equal ones. He was above the average, and a grin took his face as nature gave him a challenge that he could welcome as close to his true ability. Slamming his boulder down to the ground he rolled his shoulder a few times before howling a laugh into the air. He would not back down before a challenge this paultry. He could never allow himself such an embarassment; after all, what was a family of monkeys before a soon to be god in the flesh. No one simply understood his majesty quite yet because he had not yet acrued the true experience of his powers. That would come in time. Getting readied for the coming onslaught Nageku had little thought that ran through his head as he raised the Caiman that he had carried with him and prepared for the racing wave of beasts. As they got close enough to him for him to properly engage he threw forward the corpse of the croc-like creature and engaged. Not afraid to utilize fist, elbow, head, leg, knee, or foot to strike at the creatures. His aim with his heightened weight and strength being their heads and chests. If they swarmed him he would continue to take them out with savage glee. His Substitution Jutsu with the boulder acting as an out should he initially be overwhelmed before he would re-engage. The way up atop the mountain of power was a slew of corpses after all.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

As the stampede of Mandrills or Baboons drew nearer, Nageku stood his ground, his resolve unyielding in the face of the impending threat. With a primal instinct guiding his actions, he held the dragged Caiman tighter—the very carcass that Nageku crushed—and wielded it with a determined grip. With a swift and practiced motion, Nageku hurled the makeshift weapon toward the charging horde, aiming for the leader with unerring accuracy. The impact sent shockwaves through the group, disrupting their advance and causing confusion among their ranks.

The cacophony of hollers and shrieks grew louder as the animals regrouped, their initial confusion giving way to a palpable anger. In a sudden surge of collective aggression, they banded together, their primal instincts driving them forward with renewed determination. Undeterred by the ferocity of their charge, Nageku braced himself for the inevitable clash, his senses sharpened and his focus unwavering. With a steely resolve, he prepared to meet the onslaught head-on, every muscle in his body poised for action.

As the frenzied mammals closed in, their cries echoing through the forest, Nageku stood firm, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With courage and determination as his allies, he braced himself for the coming storm, his spirit unbroken and his resolve unshakable. Just as he worried, the charging animals kept charging and charging at him. Five... ten... twenty. Fourty. Droves of the animals charged at the boy. Enough for him to take the rapid way out. Once he executed the jutsu, Nageku had the opportunity to run or fight the now-angered apes. They were only momentarily distracted. Maybe he can overpower them? Maybe he can get away? Maybe Nageku can hide?

The displacement could only hold them back for but a moment. What would the boy react with? What will he do?

Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Had he even killed any of them? He was so sure he had crushed a skull or two at least. It had happened damn quick though. The real question of whether he wanted to actually continue the fight or not and risk taking something like a complete day just to reform though? Yeah, no. Wasting no time at all, Nageku would back away into the treeline away from the howling creatures. He would come back to hunt them later, as with all things he was not short of time to complete it. Wasting no time at all pushing the foliage away to move back the young man would take refuge low to the earth attempting to escape deeper in the direction the mandrills had come from. He had already been heading that direction and he had no reason to stop his continued motion now. Especially not after being robbed of his boulder unless he wanted to fight an angry horde of monkeys in the moment, which seemed more like a tomorrow task in hindsight. For now he needed to start getting towards a place where he could properly set up camp more then likely. His current predicament not really giving him a place of respite. Not that he needed much at the moment.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

Upon being swarmed, the boy's out, his preprepared substitution was utilized. While he did successfully attack and fend off some of the Mandrills, they quickly overpowered and overwhelmed him. Forcing the substitution, he was able to start a slow relocation shift while the animals were busy attacking stone. After a moment, their calls of anger turned into cries of confusion upon realizing he was gone. The horde immediately broke up and scanned the area, even patrolling the vicinity briefly before eventually stopping and rushing in the same direction they were initially headed. Taking advantage of the diversion, Nageku continued his journey through the wilderness, his senses attuned to the slightest hint of danger. Eventually, after what felt like an eternity of cautious progress, he emerged into a clearing dominated by a sprawling marshland. Really, it was only about 30 minutes had passed. The ground depressed about two feet lower but had water almost covered to the same level. A muddy brown ground with foliage all around gave off the impression something was here.

Despite the conditions on the ground, it was quite evidently getting darker and darker. The boy could opt to rest here, or he could find a better state of scenery. It again was up to him. The boy had journeyed a great distance, he deserved rest, for the end credits have not begun. If he looked carefully, nearly 15 meters away was a discarded cloth of tan color, it was patterned with the sickly mud but a piece of cloth all the way out here? Is it worth the risk to stay and investigate? With incoming darkness, Nageku had a couple choices; some were more obvious than others. But what was left in his daily reserves of energy, how much more till he was exhausted? Is that even a game he wants to play?

Will the jungle be kinder? What more will it do?

Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Cloth was ominous to find out here, but it was also a sign that people passed through here at some point. A good checkpoint for him to take as a place he can, or rather should stop. If nothing else he can use it to further create a way to hide out until the end of the still running storm. Given that he needed to rest soon, that looked like the smarted decision. But he wouldn't do that without at least some attention to detail. If he was going to figure out what was going on with the blanket then he was going to find some random piece of wood at least and set up another substitution. Given his set up, Nageku would stride directly to the blacket, moving the log to be roughly 8 meters back before he would finish the trip up to the piece of cloth. Examining it up close before he would pick it up to flip it over and check for anything worth denoting before walking back out of the area with it. If he set something off, he would luckily have back up with his Kawarimi he had set up, hopefully, but otherwise he had no fear of retribution.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

Nageku cautiously but adamantly set up his rest spot. He came up with a set of tasks to accomplish and one of them was to investigate the cloth. Prior to doing so, he set up a log for a possible trick. Or maybe it was to help build up where he was resting? With the item placed, Nageku was free to investigate. He came up to the cloth and began to pick it up and flip it over. He would find that the action was completed in one smooth motion. There was nothing off about what he would find. A calm surface of water, the cloth both tan on either side, there was not hidden foe. The only unsettling topic was that on the side of the tan cloth that could not very easily be seen had patterns, almost stripes, of a clearly darker material. The edges of the dark, nearly black details, had a soft yet sharp tint of red. An ominous sight to behold but not one that was unmistakably wrong.


After examining the cloth and its mysterious markings, Nageku couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. Though he couldn't discern the true nature of the fabric's hidden patterns, he couldn't deny the sense of foreboding they instilled within him. With the sun sinking lower on the horizon and darkness beginning to envelop the marshland, Nageku realized that he needed to make a decision. Weariness tugged at his limbs, reminding him of the long journey he had undertaken and the trials he had faced along the way. The prospect of rest was tempting, offering a brief respite from the perils of the jungle.

It was fair that he gave himself a chance of respite, but would he? After all, he did come so far for an impossible task.
Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Nageku sighed as he looked up at the canopy above. It would not be long until it was pitch black now, and that was never a good time to travel, so he would be roughing it for the evening it would seem. Moving to the shore line of the swamp and finding thick brush with his cloth he has collected he worked to make it blend into to ground. His skills as a sculptor assisting him as far as the artistry was concerned, if rudimentary. Making as much as he could out of the situation, Nageku would slide underneath the cloth as much as possible, hiding the rest of his body under vegetation as he closed his eyes to sleep on the soft mud of the jungle floor. If all went well using the makeshift camouflage would assist him and hiding away from the world. He had no way of actually telling if it would work, but that was out of his hands. Assuming he could rest well it would be at least five, or six, hours before he planned to wake up. His lack of a bloodstream when he had chakra made him unconcerned about the prospect of poisonous animals, not that he believed they would even mess with him. It was simply a time to doze.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

Nageku, opting to forgo shelter for the time being, took a moment to prepare his resting spot. He understood all too well the dangers of the jungle in Bonchi no Kuni, especially once darkness descended. The dense canopy above blocked out much of the fading daylight, plunging the forest floor into shadow long before the sun had fully set.

With this in mind, Nageku knew he needed to make the most of the remaining light. He quickly cleared a small area amidst the tangled undergrowth with the aid of the collected cloth, removing any sharp rocks or protruding roots that might make for an uncomfortable night's rest. Not that it would necessarily matter as Nageku had a rather hard problem. The boy was made of stone.

As he worked, the sky gradually darkened, casting an eerie twilight glow over the jungle. The sounds of nocturnal creatures began to stir, their calls and cries echoing through the trees. Nageku worked swiftly, knowing that time was of the essence if he hoped to find some semblance of safety before nightfall.

Once his preparations were complete, Nageku settled into his improvised bed under the cloth, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger. He knew that the true test would come when darkness blanketed the forest, obscuring his surroundings and amplifying the unseen threats lurking in the shadows.

But for now, he allowed himself a moment of respite, taking comfort in the warmth of the dying light and the soothing sounds of the jungle at dusk. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for tonight, he would rest and recharge, ready to face whatever trials lay ahead in the unforgiving wilderness of Bonchi no Kuni.

---

Hours had passed; As Nageku stirred from his slumber, he was met with an unsettling sight. The air around him hung heavy with a dense fog, obscuring his surroundings and lending an eerie stillness to the jungle. It was as if the very essence of the forest had been shrouded in a thick veil of mist, muffling sound and distorting sight.

The early light of twilight did little to illuminate the area. The oppressive fog seemed to suffocate the vibrant life of the jungle, casting a pall of silence over the once-bustling ecosystem. Gone were the chirps of insects and the calls of birds, replaced instead by a profound stillness that seemed to seep into Nageku's bones.

He could easily get up and resume on his path that was initially heading to the east. Or he could choose to wander to a new direction, perhaps see if a new direction had a chance to yield more immediate results. Alas, the choice was his.

Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Whoever decided that this was a trail for the academy students had to be on something at this point, Nageku was almost certain that he was dealing with a hell of a moron from this village at this point. With his senses about him though, Nageku would stand into the fog. If he was going to run into something beyond what he could handle it would happen sooner rather then later now. Stretching out his stone he would pick up the left over cloth as a new carrying object, heading north since he knew east would eventually stop leading him anywhere given that it had been nothing but a marsh. It was a better idea to move north and see if he could find anything in this horrible weather. Beginning the inexorable march forward once more Nageku would push into the unknown with just as much confidence has he had had the day before. Hopefully this would find him wandering into something as he took the the path untraveled by man. Most of the worst dangers in this land were contact poisons if he knew anything, but that was just what poison knowledge he had gained from the classes he took in the academy he had no way of telling if it was true or not.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

It was a new day, dreary and ominous. Uncomfortably hot. Deep in his inner monologue, Nageku made some interesting decisions. Getting up from his slumber, Nageku retrieved the cloth for future use. He decided that going East was becoming fruitless, whether or not that was the case was never going to get an answer now. As Nageku embarked on his journey northward, a sense of determination coursed through his veins, propelling him forward despite the oppressive heat and the ominous aura that hung heavy in the air. With each step, he felt a renewed sense of purpose, his resolve unyielding in the face of uncertainty.

As the early morning gradually unfolded, casting its dim light upon the jungle, Nageku's surroundings took on a surreal quality. The dense foliage seemed to close in around him, the air thick with humidity and the distant hum of wildlife echoing through the trees. With a keen awareness of his surroundings, Nageku couldn't help but notice a peculiar phenomenon. To his left, the soft sounds of animals could be heard, their calls and chirps blending harmoniously with the rhythm of the jungle. Yet to his right, there was only silence, an eerie void that seemed to stretch endlessly into the unknown.

Just then, he would hear another sound. This time though, it came from up ahead but the source was no where in sight. Even more unsettling, it sounded like something or someone was hurt. As if someone was screaming in agony. High pitched, it came at first in 30-second intervals before slowing to a minute, to be even slower. Will curiosity overcome Nageku or is this a sound he wishes to avoid?

Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Things were getting strange out here at this point. Nageku had been out walking for a while at the point when the sound became apparent, his march unimpeded by all that was the world around him. Earth was his to treed, and the path was his to create. He had no real feelings other then boredom as he moved, though he kept his thoughts to a minimum as he simply moved. It was part of why he found the sudden invigorating stimulus of sound so wonderful. Who was out here in this place screaming, or rather what was. The idea of running into something out here in this dangerous landscape made him grin as he moved from being in a paced walk to a run. Thundering forward like a stampeding bull towards the sound, his need to find out what was causing it overcoming his care about safety. Anything screaming like that was inviting violence and there was nothing the Yamakira boy loved more then true and earnest violence. If there was some kind of screaming victim they would still scream even if he were to save them, because that was how one became indebted to a god. If it was a beast then we would bath today in even more blood then he had already so far. It was simply a matter of reaching the sound.

[Mikatakujira Kunikunosaku]

The earth thudded with each step from the boy. He was now on a mission, unfortunately that mission was intended to end the source of the noise. Closer he came to it gave him insight that he was in a cleaner marsh area. The water was more clear than it was earlier. Upon reaching the clear point, he saw a rather large, bipedal creature, it had a thick body but legs as skinny as bone. Moving closer would reveal a white head and neck with a beak white as bone. The creature, known as a Limpkin, rare in these lands but native to marsh climates make the screeching scream of earlier. Without obstruction, the beast was even louder and visibly more distressed. It attempted to turn and flee from the sight of the lad, but as it did, a slender body shot up from the water and pulled the bird down, slowly covering it with its own scaled body. Coiling tightly around it, effectively silencing the natural alarm as it was evident in both strangulation and drowning. The area was sort of clear, the animal takedown was still half above the water surface, no more than 15 centimeters above the water but still clearly half submerged. Did Nageku's blood lust transfer from the noisy bird or did he want to return to his origin point?

There was something dark but unmoving poking through the clear water about 10 meters northeast of where he was, perhaps a point of investigation? It was structured to look concave from a distance but from where Nageku was, it was only a very odd sight that didn't immediately give clues as to what it was. What else could be out here? What clues did he have to assess what the situation might be?

Nageku

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Nageku]

Was there even a reason to question what was going on? No. Nageku needed no information to know that he was likely to do here. Rushing forward with a mad laugh of adrenaline he would leap up and out to land atop whatever was fighting with the bird. He didn't care what it was, and he didn't have enough time to care about caution. His body simply shifted into gear and moved towards the battle that was coming. Using his weight to his own advantage and the added strength that came from his earthen form to try and crush the creature that he was headed towards. If he failed, or it sprung back at him he was sure his superior weight and gravity would do the work it was meant to. If he needed to truly dig that deep for more then he would work instinctively to identify as many weakpoints as possible, eyes, throat, and any other extremities in an attempt to rip and crush them within his own grip. His actual care for what it was he was fighting null, after all caution was a coward's method when the enemy was visible. You used caution only when you had the right to take advantage of the weak, not when fighting the obviously strong.