[Nakajima Seika]

Seika stared at the ashen, desiccated corpse of her latest victim with a look of quiet, calculated annoyance. The pile of melted flesh and bone had once been a truly impressive beast, a monstrous wolf the size of a house that had roamed into the camp in broad daylight and savaged a good half dozen of her followers before she had arrived. It had been a simple thing to kill, its fur as flammable as oil, and she had dispatched it without much effort- but the mere fact that the beast had dared to attack her camp was proof enough that things were getting out of hand. That she was the primary cause of the beasts acting up was something that was known to the Nakajima woman, though only tangentially- she had destroyed a huge portion of the surrounding forest when she had taken the beachhead for Nisshoku, disrupting the environment of the island in such a way that made attacks like this inevitable, given the lack of fortifications around the camp… but that didn’t make it acceptable.

I will have to do something. The raven-haired woman thought as she turned on her heel, leaving the corpse for her followers to handle. A series of quick strides took her through the camp, the tents arranged in a neat and orderly line despite the chaos that had ensued earlier; a singular benefit of their newest Yogensha, who was as much a preacher as he was a warrior, though she knew Mori had a love for the former that far eclipsed his skill at the latter.

That the wandering philosopher had taken to his role well was neither a surprise nor a concern to her; she had spent years grooming him to become her Prophet, and every last discussion with the man, every time she had held herself back from melting his face off for his insolent disagreements had at last paid off. He was her creature now, whether he knew it or not, a puppet who would dance to her tune before the end, and that was all she needed. The whole world would be her toy soon enough. For now, though, she would content herself with what she had. For now.

"Send a message to Yogensha Mori.” Seika said as she walked, one of the half dozen or so attendants that followed her about straightening as she rushed forward, nodding enthusiastically while she pulled a scroll and charcoal from her robes, eager to transcribe her words. "He is to meet me on the northern edge of camp as soon as possible for a hunting trip. It is time we bring these feral creatures to heel.”

The woman nodded once before taking off at a sprint towards the Yogensha’s tent, the other’s looking on with mild jealousy before she gestured for them to depart as she neared her own dwelling. The only permanent structure in the encampment other than the hastily erected dock, her cabin was a palace compared to what the majority of her followers were sleeping in, with a fully separate bedroom complete with a featherdown mattress, Waruchi silk sheets she had smuggled in through Tsuchi no Kuni herself, and even a closet.

Seika didn’t bother with the stack of papers on the large, wooden desk; she had a secretary to handle such matters, even if the man was currently busy with another project at the moment. No, instead the raven-haired Nakajima made a beeline for her closet, discarding the dark robe of her office before donning the crimson dress she was best known for and the long, black-cloak she’d grown so used to. The woman checked the seal inscribed into the sleeves of her dress and cloak before she kicked off her slippers, sliding into the heels her father had commissioned for her just before she’d defected.

By the time she was done, she had transformed from the regal but grounded leader of a growing cult to the beautiful, terrifying Shinnyoha her followers worshiped, white flames dancing across her fingertips as she departed her cabin and made her way towards the northern edge of camp, ignoring the looks of awe and reverence along the way. It was time to make the next step in conquering Mishima- and this time, she would not do so alone.

Shindera Mori Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki hirana kizumi

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used: N/a
Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Katon Ninjutsu used by Seika, including those that utilize the Nakajima Hitjutsu, burn twice as hot as normal, making even nominal contact with her flames result in third degree burns.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Shindera Mori]

Most of his time serving the cult was done so abroad, travelling the roads and highways that connected the world and its commerce. He was but another wandering merchant, but his wares were philosophical and ideological, not material. But Shindera Mori still knew when it was time to return back to the fold, no man was an island, least of all one who had sworn his life to the cult of the white flame. The tattoo he bore was a permanent reminder of that. Most of the time, the blackened mark was hidden beneath his clothing, under a well-worn poncho. But this was not one of those times. He was in a relative state of undress, only his loss-fitting pants on, as the messenger entered the tent. "The Shinnyoha sends for me?” Mori asked before she could speak, his eyes turning from her somewhat flustered face to the shirt he was planning to put on. It was not a difficult guess, decorum and hierarchy would demand that the lower ranking members of the cult would knock or announce themselves when intruding upon a Yogensha. An order from their goddess would render such formalities moot. The woman spoke quickly, and Mori merely nodded in response. A hunting trip, he had been summoned. Of course, where Seika was concerned, feral creatures could refer to the literal beasts that had been assaulting the camp or some force of Kumogakure shinobi. "Noted. I will see her shortly.” He did not bother to dismiss her, instead offering her a lazy smile as he throw his shirt on. The poncho followed, his old Kumogakure headband tucked neatly into a pocket on its interior. He didn’t know exactly why he had elected to carry it on him since returning to his homeland. Perhaps it was his own form of mockery of the country. The nuke-nin grabbed his weapons, flung them over his shoulder and stepped out of the tent and into the daylight. A few of the recruits, men and women who he had seen potential in and had followed him to the cause, greeted him with nods. Mori responded in kind, but his mind was elsewhere. There was always a reason behind Seika’s actions, calling one of her top lieutenants to a simple hunt was not her style. An ulterior motive, one that Mori mulled over in his mind as he came to the northern edge of camp. Seika had arrived first, of course, her regal and terrifying presence a direct counter to his own attempts to minimise his outward threat-level. "My lady,” He greeted, bowing his head. He still loathed the gesture, it was so utterly hierarchical, but he had a part to play. What worried him was it was becoming easier each time.

Nakajima Seika Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki hirana kizumi

[Shirai Tetsumaki]

When she'd been summoned to take on this mission, she'd done so quietly, having vanished and settled her affairs to investigate the Nakajima, having scouted through her dossiers. Her experience, her utility, and her general abilities as an elite jounin making her keen and fit for this job.When it came down to tracking movements, she was well familiar with this country, and as far as she was concerned, she was here to observe and report her findings. Little else. "Ara ara..." She finds herself waiting for her ally, Hono Kusari, as the Hidden Grass and Cloud had been on decent terms within recent times, she'd found herself wondering what there was to find.

Coming to the island of Nisshoku, she knew the island was often a nestling den of pirates, thieves, smugglers, as well as the horrendous wild beasts that made the place hazardous for even some ninja to venture. However, what was relatively concerning was a noted set of fires along the distance. That was something worth investigating, and garnering further information on. Usually, pirates and criminals looked for subtlety, to exercise tact and quiet, so to burn down a section of forest down was a dangeorus game to play. This was no average Shinobi or fighting band based on the seem of it. 

"Yosh. Yosh. I'm glad to have you. I'd recommend you follow and shadow me, and stick to the trees. We've got a good ways to run, and the path is pretty dangerous. Be mindful of your step, and keep your eyes peeled. This kind of activity we're seeing isn't normal. We're here to observe the goings on and investigate, so exercise tact. Other than that? I've skills in high speed movement, a mastery of Raiton, and excel at close to mid range combat." If there was little else to share? It was about time ot get moving.

[Honō Kusari]

The briefing received from Kumogakure no Sato specifically detailed a strange Kunoichi with abnormally potent Katon Ninjutsu. When they came forward with the initial request, the obvious decision was to defer to the Honō clan. There were many capable Shinobi in Kusagakure, but when it came to heat, their Clan stood head and shoulders over the rest of the village.

"...mmm." the young blonde looked over the woman, who gave details about her abilities rather than her name as a greeting. A details and business oriented individual, certainly. That was good. The extra pair of eyes was always welcome during Reconissance.

"We have confirmation on abnormal flash fire activity," he said in the quietest voice he could manage as they began their trek, keeping to the shadows. "And eyewitness accounts of a Katon ninjutsu user as the culprit. Do we have a relative location on those activities in order to narrow down the scope of our search?"

If there was a way to scale down the amount of work they needed to do to maximize their efficiency, that was the move. Kusari would have preferred of course to take the fight directly to this strange woman and take the measure of her fire release based on the secondhand account, but that was not the goal of this mission, and he had long since learned his lesson about operating outside parameters.

Especially when other villages were involved.

[hirana kizumi]

Team A: Nisshoku, the Cult of the White Flame. Dramatis Personae: Nakajima Seika, the Goddess of Flame, bringing the southern coast of Kaminari no Kuni to heel with fire and fury; Shindera Mori, the Prophet of Light—formerly the Most Average Shinobi in Kumogakure, a turncloak waging war against his homeland. Mission Objective: Dominate the local landscape. Monstrous beasts roam the islands; the wildlife must be dealt with before Nisshoku can begin base-building and preparing their assault on Mishima. A camp had been set up near the beachhead where The Iron Moon weighed anchor, and had already suffered vicious attack by the local wildlife. With so much of the surrounding natural environs destroyed, the food chain and habitats of its inhabitants were irreversibly disrupted. The already oversized, irate creatures that roamed the island were now desperate, and desperation would make them even more dangerous. The goddess and her pet prophet were to go on the offensive. Upon striking out into the the cremains of Seika’s handiwork and the forest that still lay beyond it, the first of their challenges would soon become clear: a pack of five feral swine, near twice the size of the average boar, six feet tall and ten feet long; each of them looking a little gaunt in the ribs, a little hunted in the eyes. Large as they were, they were still prey animals—while Seika and Mori’s scents would be difficult to discern through the lingering smell of smoke and cinder, even the smallest noise would draw their attention, and the sight of either of the shinobi would send the pack into a frothing frenzy. Whether or not they could gain the advantage in the first of their obstacles was dependent on whether or not they, as predators, could hide. Team B: The shinobi village alliance of Kumogakure and Kusagakure. Dramatis Personae: Tetsumaki Shirai, the Black Liger, mother of the Storm, rising up in defense of her beloved homeland; Hono Kusari, the Bringer of Sorrow, vital support provided by fiercely held allies. Mission Objective: Gather information on the massive warship flying unknown colors around the islands off the southern coast. Discover where the ship has made anchor, identify its captain, and ascertain its mission. In Kumogakure’s first reconnaissance mission, an unidentified female of above-average height, dark hair, and an extremely potent skill with Katon was revealed to be on the island—she torched a wide swath of one of the islands to cinders in seconds. Yamamoto Shosuke had barely escaped with his life, and the no-name bandits caught in the blast were vaporized. Her exact relation to the warship ship is unknown, but the timing hardly seems coincidental. The answer to Kusari’s question would be an affirmative: Mibojin Kiho’s keen birds-eye view of the events as they occurred allowed her to pinpoint precisely on the map where the incident had taken place, and the reports from the prior mission would lead them to the beachhead: there was forest, and then there was the smoldering remains of what used to be forest in nearly a five hundred meter radius, and then there was the beach. On the beach was a remarkably organized camp; there were a number of people running about in the way of those cleaning up after a moderate crisis, though what exactly the crisis had been would be difficult to determine without drawing closer. Upon arrival near the beachhead they would see two figures striking out from the camp into the forest: a man with long, messy dark hair, wearing a poncho and carrying a trident; and a regal-looking woman in a slinky red dress, heels utterly impractical for the environs. The encampment was perhaps larger than either Shirai or Kusari were expecting, given the lack of detailed information about the warship and its occupants from the previous report—it looked as though at least a couple of dozen people occupied it, though this too would be difficult to tell from a safe distance. There was a makeship dock constructed from the beachhead, at the end of which the massive warship loomed in the water. With towering smokestacks and an imposingly heavy metal design, it was clear that the ship was not native to Kaminari no Kuni waters; whether either Shirai or Kusari recognized its design depended entirely on the extent of their experiences at sea. Their objective was clear: infiltrate and gather information about the intruders without drawing attention to themselves, especially now that the threat of instant immolation hung heavy over their heads. Exactly what they wanted to prioritize, or how they wanted to go about that task, would be up to them—the camp was busy but clearly distracted, and it was unclear how many more people were on board the warship.

Nakajima Seika Shindera Mori Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki -- 788

LAIKA OF THQ

[Nakajima Seika]

Five minutes. That was how long Seika had to wait before her Prophet, Shindera Mori, arrived at the edge of camp, dressed in his peculiar getup that looked far more like a collection of rags than anything a man of his station would normally wear. A part of his old life, truly, though one she did not begrudge him, given the effect it had on those who he preached to. Though the camp was small now, Nisshoku’s numbers were swelling; missionaries traveled across the width and breadth of the southern coast, preaching the doctrines of their Shinnyoha to any and all who would listen… and at their head, leading the charge, stood Mori.

"You come swiftly, my child.” The raven-haired woman said, a soft smile playing across her lips as she turned her head towards the man, amber-gold gaze alight with the kind of paternal affection one might expect from a mother to her darling son. She paused for a moment, allowing the man time to raise his head and settle his posture before she turned her attention back to the treeline, hands coming together with slow, deliberate movements as she formed the seals needed for the Hiding with Camouflage Technique, her voice calm and decidedly sharp with the annoyance she felt towards the animals that dared assault her camp.

"As my message said, we will be going hunting. The beasts that inhabit this island know not where they tread when they come here- we shall enlighten them.” She said, finishing the eighth and final seal before spreading chakra through her cloak which took hold of the technique, blending her physical form into the surrounding area with such precision that, had her hood not been down, she would have been effectively invisible. "You shall draw them in, while I bring the beasts to heel.”

A simple plan, in truth, one that made her Prophet little more than bait for the savage animals they would be facing- but simple plans tended to be the most effective, especially when it came to dealing with animals driven to desperation by hunger. And if she was able to see more of what her Prophet could do, all the better.

"I will follow behind you, quietly.” Seika said once it was clear the man understood the plan, pulling up her hood and, in an instant, vanishing from sight, her cloak making her not only invisible to the eye, but concealing her scent as well, making her a far more effective weapon against the beasts they would be encountering. As for Shindera… well. He would simply have to trust her. A dangerous notion, even at the best of times.

Shindera Mori Shirai Tetsumaki Honō Kusari hirana kizumi

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used:
NAME: Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] - Used in Conjunction with Seika's Cloak
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 8
DESCRIPTION: With careful chakra control, a shinobi is capable of manipulating the means to which light affects their body as well as what odors escape them, completely concealing oneself from both sight and smell. While in this state, the user will fail to even cast a shadow. This leaves the shinobi in a state that makes them almost impossible to detect outside of chakra-detection, the other three senses, and noting disturbances to their surroundings.
Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Katon Ninjutsu used by Seika, including those that utilize the Nakajima Hitjutsu, burn twice as hot as normal, making even nominal contact with her flames result in third degree burns.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Shindera Mori]

The ‘child’ comment irked Mori, but he made sure not to show it. His mask was becoming better, his frustrations with his declared loyalty to the living embodiment of death that was Nakajima Seika more hidden. Of course, part of him worried that he was merely becoming the mask, his resilience worn down by exposure and pragmatism. But that was a question for meditation and introspection, not for a hunting trip. The Shinnyoha spoke, but Mori found that he did not gain more information from the words than was in her message. No matter, if they were hunting beasts as the text spoke plain, then he would execute the animals with intention and without abandon. If she were being coy and playful about hunting down some hapless lawman, all the better. Of course, the strategy itself was not one that he was particularly familiar with. He was an ambush predator, one that hid itself and struck at a point of weakness. Serving as bait was outside of his wheelhouse. Well, at least partially. His demeanour, his wardrobe, all served as bait of a certain nature. He supposed being a loud beacon for attack rather than hiding venom in plain sight was not a huge difference. "Of course, I live to serve,” He shot a playful grin, sarcasm tainting the words somewhat. He needed to get his victories where he could. But he fell into line in any event. Twirling his trident in his hand, he twisted it expertly with wrist movements before he rested it upon the back of his neck. He would follow orders, he had done it for years in this same country. Did he trust Seika? Not particularly. But he trusted that she believed in her own words, in her own mission. She would not have brought him into the fold to cast him aside at the first opportunity. She did not move without purpose, and she would not sacrifice a bishop for a pointless move. Not when they were not even fighting pawns. Beasts were nothing, likely she wished to use the departure from camp as an excuse to speak. He would play his part. That meant accepting that she disappeared into nothingness. It was an eerie feeling, knowing that she was there but undetectable, invisible and unnoticeable. Mori ignored the hairs on the back of his neck as they bristled, and moved into the wild. He moved with purpose, but without soft step. Leaves crunched underfoot and he whistled as he walked, an old folk song from his homeland, this land. A hidden predator, he was not. Of course, that meant that he was swift to come upon the first of the beasts. Or more accurately, they came upon him. Just about a half-dozen giant swine, hideous boars. Staring at the beasts, he would rapidly draw his hand before him, a simple plan. Bait them in, slip the ground before them, and take to slaughtering once they were disoriented.

Nakajima Seika Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki hirana kizumi SPOILER: Click to show NAME: Suiton: Ayamariue [Water Release: Slip Surface] RANK: D CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu ELEMENT: Suiton HANDSEALS: 1 DESCRIPTION: Expelling a thin layer of water over a surface, the user is capable of making the footing treacherous and slippery, either making it difficult to climb or difficult to walk on.

[Shirai Tetsumaki]

When reaching the location, and taking mindful observation of the devastation done to the environment, Shirai seemed much less jovial, and seemed to look at the scale of damage with a heavy frown on her face. This was akin to an act of assault on Kumogakure soil. Taking a deep breath, she turns back to the bringer of sorrow, in a mid crouch, as she observes the figures on the beach. The woman in heels. The man with the trident. The party that seemed scattered across the beach itself. Their mission was observation, yes, but in that regard, she felt as if she needed to get intimately closer.

"I have certain abilities that let me scout more intimately. I want you to observe from here, and tail our targets if you can, or just give me a layout on changes here. I on the other hand will be investigating the ship." Sure she wouldn't need to give much more talk, before she leaves? She gives him a side eye glance. "Tetsumaki Shirai. Your name?" She wanted to remember it in case something went wrong. Hear it from him, before she'd use the cover of the tree line, looking to take a slight detour around towards the rocky coast with its shale and reefs, as to obscure her visage from the beach, a route untenable to travel or swim for most.

The current and otherwise rough waters making it difficult to fight against. Before she swiftly utilizes the Dendo no Jutsu. Making sure to make a mental map of the ship's location before she acted. Turning herself into electricity, and conducting herself through the water, she begins to rapidly, but rather unnoticably travel at swift speeds towards this metal warship, conducting herself across the waves as she attempts to then, conduct through the bottom end of it, traversing upwards until she is at the lowest floor of the ship in question. The Iron Moon. Presuming she is successful, she finds herself swiftly taking note of her surroundings, as she looks to investigate and study the ship swiftly. Though if finding a lack of interest? Begins to conduct herself once again through the ship, looking for two rooms in particular. First.

Their engine room (which she put together had to be the method of movement due to the lack of visible oars). Second, their storage room where they store their various supplies and stockpiled goods. As she studies the general internals of the boat in question. God. What a boat this was.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kami no Bodi Kaminari [Divine Lightning Body]

RANK: D

CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Activation, Drain is constant but minimal]

CLASSIFICATION: Hijutsu

ELEMENT: Raiton

DESCRIPTION:

The pinnacle of being a Tetsumaki. By using the iron rich blood within a Testumaki, the raiton stored within the body the user can quite literally transform either their whole body (organs included) or parts of the body into pure lightning. This makes physical attacks nigh on impossible to connect properly since the opponent is quite literally punching lightning.



The Tetsumaki in this form can use conductive surfaces to transfer themselves through, including but not limited to metals, water and other reactive surfaces. A bonus to this technique is the ability to move at increased speeds in straight lines (add one rank's speed plus a speed SA). The user cannot turn while using this part of the technique, so if one can match the speed or perceive it, it could easily be dodged.



As with all lightning techniques, Kami no Bodi Kaminari has a natural weakness to mokuton techniques. Fuuton techniques can expel the Tetsumaki from the form. Physical attacks from the user are also null unless using clan jutsu specifically for said attacks.


NAME: Dendō (Conduction)
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Hijutsu
REQUIREMENT: Kami no Bodi Kaminari [Divine Lightning Body] Active
ELEMENT: Raiton

DESCRIPTION:
Using the base of the Divine Lightning Body, the user turns themselves into lightning and can pass through conductive materials (at their normal speed). Including but not limited to metals, earth (not stone) and water.

Non-conductive materials cannot be passed through.

[Honō Kusari]

"Kusari."

Most people were proud of their heritage, but Kusari was loathe to let it define him. The name Honō carried heavy weight, even outside of Kusagakure, because the time-honored traditions and archaic bloodline were renown from the previous Shinobi wars. If someone were going to expect great things of him, he would have it be on his own merit. Idiosyncratically, that was how the Clan would have wanted it, anyway.

She disappeared in a flash, some take on a fast-movement jutsu carrying her on wings of lightning. He didn't necessarily need to fully understand the scope of her abilities at this time, since their purview was supposed to be recon explicitly. That didn't mean greater danger was an impossibility. It would have been prudent to discuss what they knew before taking action, but time was not on their side.

The enemy had established a beachhead, and they were striking out to reconnoiter and further seize their surroundings. It was not unlikely given the data and intelligence that had been shared by Kumogakure that they wanted to entrench themselves in a foothold and establish a supply chain. There was virtually no other reason for them to choose such a remote, undeveloped location for landfall. A port would have made more sense for something less dubious.

What did not make sense to Kusari as he slowly trudged through the overgrowth and took stock of the local flora and fauna was what the enemy had to gain from this kind of incursion. There was a tenuous peace between most of the Ninja Villages, albeit with some room for disagreement and malcontent. Breaching the borders of another country like this spelled harsh whiplash for the offender, should it be discovered in earnest.

At the very least, the Raikage had scrambled a response team. He came into view of the broadside of the massive vessel and took the opportunity to note its origin. Yukigakure was among the few villages that boasted impressive Naval might, even for a minor Ninja Village. It made sense that they could engineer this kind of monstrosity, the sheer magnitude of which Kusari had not seen before. Kusagakure was landlocked, and thus did not enjoy the need for such grand undertakings. Fortunately, his studies and training had afforded him enough knowledge to verify the ship's markings.

Which made the caper even more frustrating. Yukigakure lacked the power to bring real strength to bear against Kaminari no Kuni or Kumogakure. This kind of operation was folly, if mishandled in the slightest.

There were too many questions, so the Bringer of Sorrow resolved to rely solely on the information he had, and the information he was able to glean.

Unknown ship, of Yukigakure origin. Communications with the Lord or Lady of the Village Hidden in Snow recommended...

The Testumaki girl would doubtless be attempting to infiltrate the ship, so she had the capacity to learn more about the inner workings of it and its mission than he did. The magnitude of danger posed by its crew was what Kusari then had to verify. This Katon master, the strange woman who had been sighted previously, as well as her entourage. He had come as close to the encampment as possible without making his presence known, and at this time, he was uncertain about taking further action. Direct conflict with Ninja from Yukigakure could cause diplomatic strain, even though they were violating another nation's borders. There was simply not enough information to go off of.

He needed to surveil their defenses and capabilities. How well had they fortified their position, as well as if they had enough supplies to hold out until more could be brought in from overseas. He kept to the bushes and controlled his breathing, watching carefully for guards or a patrol. Once he verified the movement of their contingent, he could continue his survey.

[hirana kizumi]

Team A: the bait and the snare; kindling and the flame. Seika’s cloak allowed her to effortlessly disappear into the environs. Mori, though he had his own talent for going undetected, was left to act as the carrot dangling from an invisible stick. He, too, went unnoticed, until he made himself noticed. A snap of a twig underfoot caused one boar to lift its head, nostrils flaring; then the rest followed suit, beady eyes too small for porcine faces locking onto the intruder in their wilds. A heavy exhale, and then the leader of the pack bellowed ferociously, bowing its head and thrusting its tusks as it barrelled forward with intent to gore. Hardly more than half a dozen paces and the boar, with the rest hot on its heels, slipped on the slick surface that Mori created, losing momentum and struggling to keep its footing on suddenly damp, sludgy earth. The forest erupted in a cacophony of indignant, enraged roaring as the boars tumbled amongst themselves, fighting to separate from each other and reclaim the offensive. It would take a precious few seconds for them to orient themselves and refocus on the task at hand—leaving a wide opening for Seika to strike. Some meters away, a pair of giant yellow eyes peered from the underbrush, observing silently. A thin pink tongue flicked out to taste the air. Team B: already separated. To divide and conquer was often a sound strategy—though a risky one, in this case, each member of the reconnaissance team alone in an enemy camp. A pair of messenger crows had been provided, ready and willing to accept direction from either Shirai or Kusari, and they perched in the trees nearby, but would not follow either shinobi into danger—they knew their jobs, and performed them well. Shirai took a long route to the shore, keeping to the trees and unconquered ground in order to avoid detection from the camp before transforming into lightning. Though already stunningly fast in her mortal body, the Divine Lightning Body gifted her preternatural speed, sparks skipping over the waves and conducting through the metal hull of The Iron Moon. She reformed in the bilge, which held absolutely nothing of interest except the drippings that failed to cast off the sides of the ship; this, up a couple of steps and through a narrow doorway, opened into the much drier cargo bay, which contained four people conducting an inventory count of the ship’s supplies. They conversed amongst themselves as they worked, so far unaware of their intruder… though that could change in an instant, depending on Shirai’s next actions. She could attempt to conduct herself throughout the ship and seek out the engine room; it wouldn’t be hard to find, given the space necessary to house the two massive steam engines that made The Iron Moon go. She was as yet undetected, and two paths were clear before her. Kusari, left on the coastline, was left to wonder at the purpose of the incursion; as yet, no answers availed themselves to him. Like Shirai, he too clung to the treeline, relying on foliage for cover as he watched the proceedings of the camp at the beachhead. The nature of the devastation caused, however, meant that there was a significant gap between forest and beachhead: there were trees; and then there was a strip of obliterated land fifty meters thick and five hundred meters long; and then there was the beachhead, and the encampment it contained. It was not impossible to get a good line of sight on the encampment—it was about half a football field away from Kusari’s starting position in the treeline—and he could get a general idea of movement within the camp, but if he wanted to see in any true detail, he would need to devise a way to get closer. What he could see from his position: there were, in fact, patrols. The camp seemed incredibly disciplined, with most of the group’s efforts at this point dedicated to establishing themselves as a proper camp, with defenses and facilities. Kusari would need to watch for a long time in order to see precisely how often patrols went out, but he did manage to catch a patrol change, a group of three switching in for another group of three and heading out to inspect the treeline. The trio did not go in the direction that Seika and Mori had gone; they left from the opposite end of the camp, heading not-quite-directly in Kusari’s direction.

Nakajima Seika Shindera Mori Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki -- 764

LAIKA OF THQ

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika followed behind Mori without a word, her steps silent and perfectly timed with the man’s own, allowing her to freely scan the environment around them without having to think of being attacked or assaulted. The forest was, quite simply, a dense and dangerous place, with little in the way of natural light peeking through the thick canopy. A paradise for ambush predators… one she planned to take advantage of to the absolute fullest, once the monsters who dared challenge her reign showed themselves.

It didn’t take long for her plan to work; within minutes of entering the forest, a pack of five wild boars roared through the trees, charging her Yogensha’s location with feral, almost desperate tenacity. They were truly massive beasts, taller than herself and long enough to feed the entire camp for a week off their meat alone- any one of her followers would have had trouble bringing even a single of the boars down, but five at once? Only Mori and herself possessed the strength needed to fell such a crowd… but between them, she was the predator, and he the bait.

Stepping off to the side, the raven-haired woman took in a deep breath, hands coming together to form a series of five seals while Mori knelt down, utilizing a simple Suiton jutsu to unsettle the beasts footing, which gave her ample time to drop her Camouflage jutsu and unleash a torrent of deadly white fire on the monsters. The flames stretched across a ten meter area and burned everything in their path for twenty meters to ash; given the angle of the blast and the sheer size of the boars, it was unlikely she would completely engulf every single one of them in her flames… but, given the strength of the jutsu it was unlikely she would need to. Even a partial covering would be enough to roast the creatures alive, and any that managed to survive her attack would be easy prey for Mori to follow up on.

It was, in short, far, far too easy.

"Katon: Ryūjin Kokyuu.”

Shindera Mori Shirai Tetsumaki Honō Kusari hirana kizumi

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used:
NAME: Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] - Dropped this round
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 8
DESCRIPTION: With careful chakra control, a shinobi is capable of manipulating the means to which light affects their body as well as what odors escape them, completely concealing oneself from both sight and smell. While in this state, the user will fail to even cast a shadow. This leaves the shinobi in a state that makes them almost impossible to detect outside of chakra-detection, the other three senses, and noting disturbances to their surroundings.

NAME: Katon: Ryūjin Kokyuu [Fire Style: Dragons Breath]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium (Medium Drain)
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 5
DESCRIPTION: After five hand-seals, the user will inhale and exhale a large torrent of fire, reaching up to twenty meters in a single second, the brunt of the attack being ten meters wide. Anything caught within the flames are incinerated. This Jutsu can be kept active for a period of time, increasing it's chakra usage.

Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Katon Ninjutsu used by Seika, including those that utilize the Nakajima Hitjutsu, burn twice as hot as normal, making even nominal contact with her flames result in third degree burns.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Shindera Mori]

The boars were sent sprawling and shrieking across the mud, Mori’s use of the jutsu having worked with great efficacy. Wordlessly, he thrust himself to the side, using his hands and feet both to keep his body low as he shot well out of any risk from the formerly-invisible woman behind her, creating a greater distance between himself and the porcine horde. He’d done what he’d needed to do, and he was not foolish enough to close in the gap to strike while he was with Seika of all people. The woman whom he served was known as the Burning Death for a reason. So it was that he got out of the way, and merely watched as the few seconds between the use of his ninjutsu and the unveiling of death seemed to stretch into eternity. The unveiling of white flames was something that, no matter how used to it Mori became, instinctual fear could not be dissipated from the back of his mind. There would be ways to logically defend against it if, heaven forbid, Seika’s wrath was turned against him, but there was something horrific about the scent of burning flesh and hair. Mori rose to his feet, unaware of any eyes glaring at him from the shadows. "I don’t recall any beasts of this nature, at least not to this degree, back when I served the nation of lightning,” He spoke, reviewing the scene before him, "I suppose we have cast some chaos onto the land after all.”

Nakajima Seika Shirai Tetsumaki Honō Kusari hirana kizumi

[Shirai Tetsumaki]

When she was confronted with the internals of the ship, having easily slipped inside due to the nature of her clan's hijutsu, she found herself soon within the lower interior of the ship, and leading upwards, she'd heard the conversations before her, hearing the count of supplies. Ah. Rations was it? This was a notable room, and she'd come back here. However, she'd do exactly as expected, and would instead conduct herself further upwards. Presumably, this ship didn't have electricity or otherwise electrical lights inside of it, but if it did, she'd course herself until finding the steam engines of the Iron Moon. Reforming, she'd seek to rest within the shadows as she'd study the infrastructure.

Thinking to herself, she'd found the jackpot. Looking to study the engine, she'd observe the piston system, the area where coal would be needed to be shoveled and thus pumped as to function the ship's engine, as she'd use her intellect to discern generally how the thing might work. Realizing that it had a lot of parts as to make it function as a whole. However, this also meant interestingly enough, that it had no need of oars or paddlers. Fascinating really. However, within those next moments? She'd hurl out two Kunai with multiple explosive tags attached to string. Three on one. Two on the other. Looking to hurl them into the area where coal would be shoveled if possible.

With a singular handseal, she'd look to detonate it from the inside, causing the explosion to rise and burst outwards, as to deal devastating damage, as to take the engine out of commission, looking to deal internal damage, and as she does, proceeds to study the damage. She could easily deliver something more destructive, but the fact of the matter was, Shirai only sought to disable the ship and ensure that it'd not be leaving anywhere. Presuming the damage seemed extensive, perhaps she might even cause a wider range of explosions. Depending on this result, the ship would likely be placed on a heavy alert. Well, whatever sailors remained on the ship as opposed to the beach.

[Honō Kusari]

The state of the Land was horrendous, to say the least. The scene had likely been set by the Katon user that the reports purported, but the scale was leagues beyond expectation. Kusari took note of the magnitude, his eyes narrowing as he fixated for a moment on the ash. It was the result of something intense, something more than just a common Fireball or Flame breath technique. This area had been glassed, to the point of full scorched earth.

It was like a military scale "salt the crops so the land becomes infertile" tactic. He was hard pressed to believe that an incursion by a minor village would be led with such a catastrophic calling card. Surely, someone that they did not want to notice, would.

Unless it was some sort of Red Herring, some intended distraction...? No, that would be too jarring. They had set up a makeshift docking station at this location. They would have wanted to keep a low profile, if their goal was to fully establish the locale as a forward operating base.

Two possible conclusions started to form in Kusari's kind. Either the leader was incredibly incompetent, or incredibly unstable. They had no qualms with making their presence well known, should anyone happen across them. Brazen intimidation, or simply a lack of concern.

Still, on the topic of personnel, nothing worthy of reporting. His eyes moved to the small contingent of sentries marching in his general direction. Shinobi? Footman? There was no telling at a glance. The best way to gather intelligence on the standard capabilities of their unit was to put it to the test.

In a blur of handseals, Kusari pressed the furnace of Chakra in his gullet outward toward his fingertips, whereupon it coalesced with ambient air. He clapped, and the sparks from within his palms danced outward, taking the form of a dozen swallows, angrily taking flight toward the unsuspecting patrol.

Out of all the Jutsu he could perform, he settled on Katon- not simply because it was fast, powerful, and efficient, but because of what they knew about the enemy.

How would these men react, not knowing the enemy was close at hand? Would they be shaken by the sudden loosing of Katon against them? This action challenged his hypothesis- was theirs a leader who would put them in imminent danger?

He made ready to abandon his position for a different vantage, should they respond quickly and with skill.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Katon: Zekkyō Satsujin [Fire Style: Screaming Murder]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 3
DESCRIPTION:
After three hand-seals, the user will clap their hands together and create a dozen or so small, swallow like birds of fire around them. The birds are then used as projectiles, fired all at once, with a range of twenty meters, which they can cover in five seconds. They can cause serious burns, and disfigurement alone. But together can easily take down a group of shinobi as they will ignite any flammable objects, such as clothes.

[hirana kizumi]

Team A: As Mori so acutely observed, Seika was known as the Burning Death for a reason. After a series of swift handseals, three of the boars were incinerated nigh instantly, leaving little but smoldering crackling behind; one of the others caught barely a lick of flames from the side and caught like so much kindling, squealing and thrashing about in panic as fire ripped through its wiry hide. It would fall unconscious from the pain and die of suffocation before the flames consumed it. The final boar turned tail and fled, barreling through underbrush like a battering ram. In the chaos, the snake made its move. Seika had been invisible to its sight and smell, which left only the flavor of boar and Mori on the air for its flickering tongue to taste; from the underbrush it lunged out like the crack of a whip, jaw opening wide to sink its fangs into the meat of Mori’s calf. It was large—not so monstrously large as the boars, but still massive in comparison to the typical rattlesnakes found in the Kaminari mainland, nearly five meters in length and with a jaw hinging wide enough to swallow a man’s leg whole. Which was, presumably, the serpent’s goal. Should Seika and Mori deal with it quickly, they would be able to mop up the rest of the immediate threats infringing on their territory in short order and return back to their camp—though Seika’s ferocious methods could potentially risk the life of her prophet. Decisions, decisions. Then, of course, came the boom. The camp erupted into so much chaos that Seika and Mori would both be aware that something was clearly wrong, with shouting and screaming coming from the beachhead and a thin line of smoke wisping up the smokestacks of the ship and above the treeline. Team B: The boom was deafening—Shirai’s ears would be ringing for the next few minutes at least. Five explosive tags detonated in unison in an enclosed space housing a large pile of coal was nothing short of bombastic. The engines weren’t running, so the air was less dusty—and less flammable—than it otherwise might have been, but the damage to engines would take no small amount of effort to repair. Though Shirai’s goal may have been to avoid alerting those on the beach, the sound of such a big explosion echoed throughout the ship and made itself very well known, the concussive force of it even reaching the ears of Seika and Mori out in the wilderness. Shirai would need to make a quick escape to avoid being blown up herself, and also to dodge those surely coming to investigate the blast. The beachhead scrambled into action. Those remaining on the ship as well as those maintaining the camp immediately went on high alert, functioning like a well-oiled machine; those of militant talents began sweeping the camp and ship for intruders, those less militantly-inclined were whisked away into hiding, and guards were quick to man the perimeter of the beachhead. Within minutes the beachhead was locked down. All of this occurred simultaneous to Kusari’s encounter with the incoming patrol. They were distracted by the explosion; one immediately turned on their heel to sprint back to the beachhead while another stood frozen in place. Too dazed to react, the second of the control was quickly consumed by fiery swallows, his clothes catching in an instant as he screamed, falling to the ground and trying in vain to put himself out. He begged for mercy all the while, issuing panicked, empty-headed apologies and begging for Shinnyoha’s forgiveness. The final of the patrol was the most seasoned of the bunch, it seemed, remaining composed even in the chaos; she heard Kusari’s clap and was quick on the draw to react, whipping through a sequence of handseals to protect herself with a thick barrier of suiton. While she wasn’t quite reactive enough to save her colleague, the birds that swarmed her were extinguished on contact. Evaluating the situation, with one colleague fleeing back to camp and the other screaming at her feet, she took the most ruthless of options and chose to pursue Kusari, hollering as loud as she could for backup even as she chased him down.

Nakajima Seika Shindera Mori Honō Kusari Shirai Tetsumaki -- 716

LAIKA OF THQ