Prologue: MONSTER

[Tou-kun]

The sky seemed to darken as the hope and light was drawn from it, the essence of such coagulating and gathering into the ball which formed in the beast's maw. Villager and ninja alike saw this abominable act; their hearts sank within their chests, their minds making cause to flee. And so they ran. Tears and blood sliding down their faces and staining the mountain village, they fled toward the evacuation pathways. But for what? Would not the entire village be completely annihilated by this blast which the beast threatened the village with? Would not they all die in the next few seconds? All indications pointed to the affirmative, and yet, they continued to flee, in their final moments of life clutching onto their sad and feeble existences. The sound of a roar filled their ears as the gathered ball of energy unleashed itself.

MONSTER

Before this all started, Iwa was doing as well as it could, having just come off of war. Just three months passed since the armistice, the village was still busy running back and forth between the village and the imperial city, patching up damages and making the transition from village at war to a village which was supposed to coexist with the other forces of man. It was a task far easier said than done. Especially for those in the positions of leadership within the village--for, while they may have their own feelings toward the outcome of the war, they were required, even bound by law to carry out the will of their higher-ups, and ensure those lower than them follow such as well.

Perhaps one of the most conflicted shinobi in the village in such a regard was the Tsuchikage himself. Yorumon Banana was a shinobi who loathed his very profession. His only reason for remaining as such was his duty to protect the people of his country and village. It could be said, even beyond a doubt, that this dedication would be tested on this very day.

Sitting atop the gates of the tiered-city were about three owls, their eyes scanning the terrain for kilometers out meticulously. They were Banana's eyes, when he was too busy buried under paperwork, the likes of which had multiplied a million times over since the signing of the armistice. It just so happened that on this day, a day that began like any other, that his eyes would pick up on "something". And not just any something, hence why the word is quoted. Feathers furrowed at the detection, an odd accumulation of energy and sheer power, the likes of which sent the owls into a bit of a tizzy. Shrieking, they shot toward the Tsuchikage's tower, knowing well that once they touched down onto their perches, the Tsuchikage would be summoned to them. Their sudden departure alarmed the members of the guard who were serving their shifts--the beginning of Iwa's Fall in a Day.

Talons wrapping around their perches, Banana was pulled through space from his seat to stand before the three owls. They screeched at him as he arrived, allowing him no time to process the fact that he was just reverse summoned and his stomach was in revolt.

"Something--something huge!!"

"It was so great and dark," the second cut off the first, wings fluttering. "I think it wa--"

"Iwa must prepare--it was so great, the thing!" the third cut off the second, turning around on its perch as to look out onto the great invisible mass once again.

The Tsuchikage swallowed down on nothing, taking this time to process the fact that, not only was he about to throw up, but the fact that his clan of owls, typically very quiet and sure of themselves, were not screaming. Clearing his throat as he eliminated the threat of vomit, he looked out onto the horizon, the top of Tsuchikage no Kōtō allowed a vantage point of Tenjō no Keiro. He could see nothing. No accumulation of people--truthfully, it would be impossible to cross the mountain in any other fashion.

"Where is it?" he asked them, squinting in a poor attempt to locate this apparent threat unto his village.

"Banana-sempai, it walks not!"

"NO, IT FLIES."

"I can hear it's wings clapping against one another right now. It draws closer--"

"PREPARE BANANA!!" the third cried, jumping up and down now, wings flapping clumsily.

The threat was real. In all his years with these three owls, he'd never seen one scream, fly with one feather out of line. For them to be so upset, the thread had to be certain, and impede certain end unless intervention was taken. He nodded; his nod was slow and practiced, filled with a noble fear.

"Return to the gates. Tell the Bōgyo Butai to summon the entire Kekkai Butai and seal the village: Stage 5 Seals and up. From there, continue to stand watch and come back here when the thing is within seven kilometers of the village."

As he offered his words, he shot into the tower, the top floor being the messenger floor of the village. It was the appropriate place for him to be given the situation; surely, no one would dare question the message he would order to be sent. There was a direct link from master to servant: "This village is on lock-down. Evacuate civilians to the Lower District and summon all non-evacuation shinobi to the Upper District to await immediate instruction from the ANBU and myself."

UPPER DISTRICT BRIEFING ROOM
Twenty Minutes Later
"Roughly twenty minutes ago, a large accumulation of chakra was detected about fifteen kilometers away from the village. The threat is not on foot, and is, instead, incoming from the sky. As of now, the threat is within ten kilometers of the village and incoming. I will be updated on the incoming threat once it breaches seven kilometers, and when the threat is within five kilometers, we will enter repelling and defensive formation.

"All long range fighters are to report to Holding Base Four; Medics are to remain here for briefing following the conclusion of this meeting. Close to medium range fighters are to report to Base Six. All ANBU operatives are to ensure the safety of the Kekkai Butai and provide support to the non-Kekkai Bōgyo Butai. Prepare for heavy casualties, and at the same time, make sure you're not one of them. Meeting adjourned."

The shinobi dispersed as the Tsuchikage turned to face the gates of the village, his owls still perched atop them looking and listening. At this point, the Guard Unit was in distress as well, sending whatever it was that was coming toward their home, confirming it's actual existence. Banana took in a deep breath, becoming shockingly aware of the fact that his intestines were shifting into a well-formed knot. Swallowing nervously, he kept from throwing up, making sure not to show his weaknesses to the shinobi who were looking to him for leadership. The war had taken a toll on this man, and while he neglected to come to this realization, today, he was coming shockingly aware of his mortality. He was a god amongst his men, but he was not such to the gods themselves.

"Tsuchikage-sama!" a feminine voice called from behind, the sound of her feet slapping against the dirt floor following. He turned quickly, doubts seeming to vaporize in the face of his duties. "We have identified what approaches, sir!"

"Well?" he questioned, his brow inclining downward as the woman proceeded to waste his time. "What the fuck is it?"

"A tailed-beast sir. We haven't witnessed such a thing in almost thirty years."

"Any identification on which beast? There are seals that we may be able to employ if we're prepared to carry them out."

"Sir, the sensors of the Guard Unit say the chakra signature is similar in nature to that of the Shichibi. Perhaps the net?"

Banana's eyes sailed up toward the Shodai's face in the side of the mountain which housed his village. As they reached the earthen eyes, he nodded, dismissing the messenger. Suddenly, the day which started as any other and was dragged into the mud began to feel even more dismal. Sighing, he turned again to face the horizon, impeding doom to seem even tangible and flying in their direction. A calm mind, one not under the stress of thousands of others, would naturally ask why; the question slipped Banana's mind as he was pulled once more through space.

"IT IS WITHIN SEVEN KILOMETERS!!"

"It's picking up speed, Banana-sempai!" the second twirled on its perch, the massive chakra seeming to crack into his thin skull.

"Settle down." Banana urged them, trying his best to keep himself from jumping off the balcony in that very instant. "Is it picking up speed?"

"Yes yes yeeeees!"

The Tsuchikage thought on cooking the three dummies after this whole fiasco concluded itself... if it did.

"Okay. Has the Kekkai Butai established all barriers?"

"Yessir."

"Is the Defense Squad in place, ANBU providing support?"

"Yessir."

"Medics?"

"In position."

"What's the estimated time of arrival for beast?"

"Sir! Sir! It just covered two kilometers!"

His neck jerked back slightly in surprise. He nodded, collecting himself as he did.

"See to it that the units stay in place until the thing arrives. When the beast is half a kilometer of the village, see to it that the appropriate forces engage it. Keep it at bay and repel for as long as possible. Am I understood?"

"SIR!"

"I need the three of you to keep strong. As long as I am alive, I'll see to it that you three don't die."

He could hear it now. The sounds of an insect filling his ear. The high frequency slapping of wing against wing. It was faint, but ominously present. He was fairly certain it didn't just fill his ears alone and as terrible the sound, he felt even more terror when he thought of the cries that was rising up from the lower tiers of the village. Putting his doubts behind him, he turned to face the Shodai's face once more, swallowing nervously. The villages only salvation lay with him.

[Feel free to post what your character is doing while all of this is going on. I will post the next installment shortly.]

[Yamada Tan]

Tan dug his way out from under the collapse building, bloodied and bruised. He wiped his vision clear of blood and struggled to regain his composure. The tremendous blast made no contact with him -- thank the Gods -- but the resulting shockwave was no minor incident.

"Shit..." Tan muttered, finally standing on his own two feet again.

BEFORE THE ATTACK

Before this all started, Yamada Tan plopped his ass in a chair at a local restaurant to celebrate his return from a successful mission. Everything seemed to be falling into place after the war had finished. Iwa was slowly recovering and life was returning to normal. Well, as normal was possible for a shinobi.

He had just ordered his food when an older shinobi approached him. Tan recognized the man as Nakamura Raizō. He was one of Tan's commanding officers during the war. Of course, Tan treated Raizō with the respect he deserved.

"Good afternoon, Nakamura-sa..."

Something was off. The look on Raizō's face was a troubling one. He looked confused and scared, something Tan rarely saw from the older shinobi.

"Yamada Tan, report to Holding Base Four."

...what the hell?

"Yes sir."

Tan got up and saluted, and followed Raizō to his station. He was already equipped with all of his shinobi gear, so there was no need for a pit stop at his home.

LATER, Tan tightened his forehead protector and adjusted his vambraces. He was nervous, and that was an understatement. It didn't help that everybody around him was nervous. The chūnin tried calming himself by reciting a few songs in his head, waiting for the time to take action.

[Okibi Yomi]

Just like it had for anyone else, things had been going well for Yomi that day. She was well-rested, having come back from training two days before. Her time between then and present day had been spent with Momo, her younger sister, talking with her about the various things kunoichi sisters might talk about.

Having just finished a bowl of ramen, Yomi put her feet up on the table, Momo following suit, and downed a cup of tea in one go. That cup was slammed down on the table, Yomi letting out a loud, satisfied sigh.

"Man, good stuff. That's how you have a meal."

Not long after Yomi got up to pay for her and her sister's meal, she noted a few frantic voices outside.

...

Suspicious, Yomi closed her eyes and concentrated on using Iwa's Earth Style Reading Technique.

"Y-yomi? What's going on?" Momo questioned.

Yomi did not respond as she concentrated. The farther out she scanned the area within even just the village, the more worried she grew but the more she pulled that worry and nervousness together. Once she reached the boundaries of the village, Yomi opened her eyes and took a deep breath, paying for what she needed to and walking back over to her sister.

"Something's happening, Momo. I don't know what it is, but we need to get going. Now. C'mon."

~After Banana's Briefing~

"Some kind of flying creature is causing this much trouble?..."

Yomi rubbed at her chin with her left hand as her right unconsciously adjusted Ten no Reiken within its sling on her lower back.

And it can fly, too. What on earth is this thing?

She stood amongst fellow shinobi, preoccupied with her own thoughts, in Holding Area Four not far from Tan. If this was going to be an encounter with some kind of powerful flying creature, then she wasn't necessarily unprepared to do so. Yomi bit into her lip just enough to draw a sliver of blood which was wiped onto her right thumb. Performing the needed seals, she summoned forth a small fiery-colored hummingbird.

"Hi, Yomi!"

"Shhhh," Yomi quieted the bird as it hovered in front of her. "This is serious. I need you to go back and tell everyone at home that I may need them soon, okay?"

"Huh? Why? What's goin' on?"

"Something serious. Just go on and do it, alright? Tell everyone."

"Uh... alright..."

In a cloud of smoke, the hummingbird vanished, off like Yomi instructed him to warn his family that their summoner would likely be calling upon their aid rather soon.

[Tomaka]

The slicing of a blade could be faintly heard as rubble was sliced cleanly through, pushing the debris aside was a battered and bruised shinobi using his body as shelter for two small children. He ushered them off the rubble and into the arms of another shinobi.

"T-Tomaka? Wh-"

"Get them out of here, I need to find a medic."

"Not without you, we're both going."

"I'm fine now just get them the hell out of here!"

Iwagakure was going to be destroyed today, and Tomaka already had one foot in the grave. With luck he would be able to drag it out of there or he might just end up as another memory amongst the rubble in this village.

PRIOR TO THE ATTACK

Tomaka had all his belongings he needed for his trip to the land of iron, ha studied he Ginryuu sitting in its scabbard placed gently no a built in wall stand. His small apartment seemed that much smaller when he prepared to leave, for the better but he'd be back in a few weeks hopefully a different man. There weren't anymore thoughts on the subject as he locked is door placing the key in his pocket; he'd inform his landlord of the situation and leave his pay then make off to the gates.

As he neared the gates he felt a foreboding feeling come over his body, he grew cold and goosebumps crawled on his skin. Looking around there were no signs of any such danger but a moment later a cluster of birds had flown over head, instincts struck him hard and gripped onto him begging him to stay. He continued towards the gate where he was stopped by the guardsmen, the looked at one another than back to Tomaka.

"There's been a lockdown on the village and a summoning, report immediately to receive orders and don't ask questions."

BANANA'S MEETING

As the meeting came to a close Tomaka's hand grew itchy as the thought of conflict arose, if it was a war then there would have been some intelligence on the enemy long before they got this close. He felt that the use of the division in base six would be little to none given the status of an airborne enemy, he could only see himself as soldier relief.

AT BASE SIX

"Hinoshi Tomaka, signing in."

[/justify]

[SHINPACHI]

PRESENT.In silence they knelt on the hardwood floor of the Ujigan Ichizoku compound, the eldest leading eight others in prayer as they paid their respect to the shinto shrine within the beautiful stone garden, located from afar, seen only from the opening of two sliding doors within the compound. Inside, three tall, smoking sticks gently filtered the room with a sweet, calming aroma, soothing the soul, allowing their bodies a brief moment of peace. Little did they know that their faith would be tested as well their bodies on this day, a day shadowed in darkness.

Suddenly, the twin doors to the room burst open--

The group, safe for the elder, swiftly turned, surprised and outraged--

A slender man gasped for air, panting--

"S-Shinpachi-senpai!!" He continued to gasp, in a tug-of-war for the elders attention with his silent prayer.

Grumbling, the elder rose from his kneeling position, apparently agitated for such an interruption during a time of peace, a time of prayer and thanks. Turning to face the younger man, his eyes remained shut, yet somehow aware of who had broken such a peaceful time.

"Why have you interrupted our prayer, Ikkaku-kun?"

The younger man still panted, hands resting at his thighs. Having rushed to the Ujigan compound immediately after hearing the terrible news, he still fought to catch his breath.

"The village--"

"Our home--"

"Out with it, boy!!" Shinpachi commanded, folding his arms behind the small of his back.

"T-they say it's a monster..." The thought of it caused the young man's skin to crawl, the hairs on the back of his neck standing upright. "Just like the one both you and Shodai Tsuchikage defeated decades ago, Shinpachi-senpai." The boys words caused concern among the group, yet the oldest remained calm, controlled, ready to defend his home if need be.

"Listen carefully." He drew the attention of the room with his words and charisma. Shinpachi could see it in their eyes; fear, uncertainty, unknowing of what was to come. Until now they had only heard stories of Iwagakure's triumphant defeat over the Yonbi no Saru. It had been roughly three decades since the incident. And now, amidst peace with their neighbors, trouble again would come knocking at their door.

"You must remain strong in times like these. This is no different from war. If this monster is coming, then you must use your fear to protect that which is precious to you." While his words brought comfort to the room, words would not provide them with victory; only action.

"Now go, defend your home as only Shinobi of Iwagakure can!!" With that, all nine including the messenger left immediately for their positions to defend the village, leaving Shinpachi to make his way to the front lines.

_______________________________________

SNDTRK:01

It was a sight to behold as the village anxiously waited for the inevitable arrival. Iwagakure dwelled in complete silence as they stood ready, awaiting the Bijū; the slapping of the Shichibi no Kabutomushi wings echoed through the mountain, pinging off one side then moving to the next, the sound reminiscent of drums of war. Standing their ground, atop the Iwagakure no Kitamon, Shinpachi's gaze remained toward sky, stern eyes continuing to scale the endless area above.

Then, darkness followed. Piercing through the clouds, the Iwagakure no Kitamon was engulfed in a massive shadow. The shadow spread further, signaling the arrival of what would now be known as Iwagakure's greatest foe.

Completing two handseals, the Ujigan elder spoke not only to those under his command, but to those who called themselves Iwagakure Shinobi.

"We are what stands between our village and its demise!!" Shinpachi shouted, his voice booming like thunder, towering over even the obnoxious noise of the Shichibi's constant flapping of its wings.

"SHOW THE INSECT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN IWAGAKURE SHINOBI--!!!"

And so it begins...

[Okibi Yomi]

~The Musix~

It wasn't long before the sound of the flapping wings reached Yomi's ears. Shichibi's wings were loud, thunderous almost, the sound of its approach along with the monstrous feel of its chakra sending chills down her spine. Purple eyes tracked its approximate location in the sky, dilated as the massive creature cast its shadow upon the earth beneath it, and widened as it descended down upon them.

"Oh. My God..."

This had to be it.

This had to be one of those tailed beasts she had heard and read about. The battles with the bijū happened before Yomi's lifetime. This would be her first time encountering one directly.

Thank goodness she had grown to the point where its mere presence would not cause her to faint.

I can't stay here on the ground and do the most damage, she thought.

Just as an icon of the village roused the troops with his booming voice, Yomi's resolve to do battle with this beast was steeled. Solidified. She was not going to sit back and watch this beast ravage her village, her friends, or her sister.

Yomi agitated the bit lip she gave herself enough to draw just a little more blood. That blood was wiped on her thumb again and was ready to be used once the Summoning Technique was needed.

[Tou-kun]

The village is behind a barrier at the moment. So everyone who posted about attacking the Biju needs to edit their posts accordingly.

[Xiāo Lan]

“Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop…enlarging monsters under the gaze of a microscope.

[/td][/tr][/table]

Tension.

It was a venomous feeling that eroded the integrity of hearts and convictions. Despite Xiāo Lan feeling rather intimate with the sensation, more than she preferred in fact, the electric trickle of subtle desperation and uncertainty refused her the luxury of serenity. Merely discipline and self-control embedded in the fabric of her lithe frame allowed her to play the role of the stoic guardian instead of succumbing to the frantic of human nature. Directing in routine and often drilled fashion, Xiāo Lan motioned for the civilians and non-combatants towards their respective shelters. Her mind was separated from their murmurs of concern and anxiety, yet their apprehension saturated the atmosphere never the less.

Her gaze flickered unto a young child, a timid looking girl of long ebony twin tails. Her clothing was a tell-tale sign of her affiliation with the Yun house in its elaborate-if not impractical accessories and expensive tailoring. But it wasn’t her apparel that drew attention out of the quickly moving herd, crawling in droves with the fretfulness of timid cattle. Rather how she froze, eyes paralyzed into staring upon the emptiness and quivering with shivers belonging to the cold of deep winter. The youth clutched her arms and dropped to the floor, hissing something inaudible behind gritted teeth and curses in a tongue that Xiāo Lan wasn’t familiar with.

The crowd avoided trampling the child but she wasn’t ignored by the irritable passersby. Lan broke free from her post at the annex of directing the civilians and navigated through the concerned masses, encroaching in between the conversation between this child and another adult who knelt and urged the child to move.

“Young miss, you mustn’t stay here.” The gentleman pleaded with the sincerity and stillness of voice that Lan was surprised to find in such a troubling time.

“Is there a problem?” Lan inquired, she too lowering herself to the height of this shivering maiden.

“Ugh! I-“ the words came out pained, like sharp breaths clutched in the throat that required more effort to say than the significance of the phrase. “I. I can feel something! Something big!”

The two studied the child and exchanged glances between each other. Though no words were said, they both acknowledged that now was not the time to make an analysis of the girl’s condition with the presence of urgency loaming before them. “Come here.” She said, extending her hand to carry the Yun child to safe haven. “Tell me everything you feel inside, okay?”

“It’s coming!” she screamed a shrill cry that gave pause even to the multitude momentarily and the world’s attention drew the spotlight upon a trinity in panic’s embrace.

“I’ll take care of this.” She said to the other sir who simply nodded and joined the wave of the now moving again gathering. Lan watched him look back in unease but she swept the child in her arms, and abruptly too, pushing herself to the forefront of the evacuation lines. Tremors and seizures echoed in her body from the trembling Yun who again began to mutter a mix of phrases and curses in pained gasps.

“It’s going to be all right. Tell me, what’s your na-“

“It’s here!”

“What are y-“

There was no warning, aside from the stilled silence that sucked in the world and locked the universe in a deathly limbo. Hearts froze, voices were quieted, even nature dared not a subtle utterance in the pause between what was the prelude to commotion and then the overture of chaos.

An explosion.

The shockwave ripped through Iwagakure, carrying winds and concussive force to which turned a village of stone to dust, raving the helpless with debris and rubble. What was once an orderly march had now erupted into a perpetual stampede, barely kept in line by the shinobi who caught their composure in the wake of the aftermath.

Lan stumbled but kept presence of mind as she faced the smoldering cloud of smoke and ember raise into the sky, casting a cloak of malevolence over the winged beast that roared to its prey below. Confusion was crushed by Horror, a curse brought about the self-realization of where the Inferno had rested in Iwagakure.

“Toshiro…” she gasped.

---

Hours Prior & Present.

Xiāo Lan stirred in the bed as the mid afternoon sun caressed over her skin, but paled in comparison to the soothing touches of the gentleman beside her who was still captivated in the serenity of peaceful dreams. She lingered in the moment, content with just the eternally calming eases of his calm breathing and the strength in the frame that gently tightened around her. Cerulean eyes fell upon his content expression, the brief and idle thought if he dreamt about her made her lips curl to a warm smile.

In the corner of her gaze however, silhouettes danced behind the shroud of half open curtains. One could be ignored, alas when one became several and several evolved into a multitude, curiosity possessed the woman and she fought herself out of her dreamy stupor. Making an effort not to disturb the one who shared her bed she peaked beyond the curtains, only to be captivated by the image of several shinobi hurrying across rooftops and streets.

‘Was there a drill today?’ she pondered internally, still hesitant to consider the prospect of a real threat after the Great Shinobi war still being a recent memory. Even preferring to ignore it, some prospect of nobility urged her to at least investigate the commotion. If anything it would at least save face for being oblivious to what drills or affairs had infatuated the village.

“Going somewhere babe?”

Xiāo Lan put on her award winning smile in lieu of the sunlight in conjunction and simply nodded. “Looks like there is a drill going on or something Toshiro. I’m going to check it out.” She shuffled off the bed, casually trying to remember how did her clothing get scattered about the bed room so randomly and then hiding the blush ignited by the memories of last evening.

“Hm. I guess I should get ready too.”

“No. It’s probably nothing. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Toshiro looked as if he were debating to protest, but silently conceded. “All right. Be back soon, you hear?” he snickered.

She crawled back unto the bed and they exchanged a kiss. “If you wait for me. I won’t keep you long.”

Several moments later, Xiāo Lan was heading towards the gathering forces, ignorant of the tragedy to come...
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[Kumade]

Sanjou Kaemon stood there, erect, his mind sharper than any sword. The moment the word spread that the Shinobi were to go to battle stations he had promptly gathered up his red and black uniform and slid over the brown flak jacket of Stone. Now he stood there, his eyes looking downwards to the crying girl who clung to his leg.

Fuu. That was her name. A young girl, no older than seven or eight, that Kaemon had saved several weeks ago on a mission. Having her thrust into his hands as her new father-figure, it had taken them almost all of this time for Fuu to open up and bond with Kaemon.

Kneeling down, the Chuunin put a hand on her head, a thumb moving down the side of her cheek.

“Do not worry, Fuu-Chan. I shall return both swiftly and quickly.” His voice was soft, his eyes content. If there was one thing he had a knack for it was calming down others. This ability had been discovered the hard way with Fuu, whom had been a hard to chick to coax out of the nest.

“Mama said that when she left too…” Fuu’s eyes, growing with tears, looked to Kaemon both defiantly and angrily. These emotions were one that Kaemon could empathize with. He had been there when her mother, Tsuki, had died. Distinctly Kaemon remembered the woman’s life fading away before his eyes, just as many others had at his blade. However she was different. She had left him parting words that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

“I have a promise to keep, Fuu-Chan. A promise to keep you safe and to raise you. In this area, I shall not fail.” Standing, Kaemon used all that he had to impart his emotions into those words without being too angry or too cautious.

Fuu only nodded in acceptance and she realized that Kaemon would go, no matter how she felt or what threats she could make.

Taking her to the evacuating neighbors whom had promised to watch after her, the Iwa-Chuunin turned his head to the gate and departed for his station.

---

Buzzzzz

The grating sounds of six insect’s wings filled the mountain-stabbed sky of Tsuchi no Kuni. No cloud, no matter how black and forboding, could match the blue demon that hovered amongst them. A single long horn raised into the air, stabbing into the sky and sun, as a whip longer than any other served as the fabled seventh tail of the demonic beetle.

Eyes open in awe and shock, Kaemon stood there for a few minutes dumb-founded. This was not a normal foe. This was not a wave of enemy Shinobi or even an army. This was a demon. This was a god.

And then arrived the god slayers.

The Nidaime Tsuchikage appeared along with the famed Shinpachi, both of which were legendary in their own rights. With them came a meeting, and with the meeting came Shinpachi’s guttural roar and charismatic shout.

At that moment, Sanjou Kaemon closed his eyes. He reflected upon his soul, his life, his future, his resolve and, as those eyes reopened, a new air had fallen over him. His breath came in slow pulls and wicked exhales, each as sharp as the swords he wore on his sides. Tensing up his body, kneading up his chakra, Kaemon stepped forward and looked back up to the sky, prepared to fight the massive beast that approached.

[Tou-kun]

"Tsuchikage-dono--Shinpachi-sama of the Ujigan takes lead of the men atop the gates." a thin girl said, two shinobi standing at her side. "What are your orders?"

Banana turned, hands clasping one another behind his back. Here stood the Nidaime Tsuchikage, white haori still wrapped around his shoulders. Atop the tower, he looked into the beast's eyes; he offered prayers absolutely sure they would not be answered nor brought to ear. It was not the gods' way to dabble in the happenings of man. It was not in their interest to aid a village stricken by war which it had acted as aggressor in. Saddened, he dropped his eyes to face the woman, nodding to her. "I have but one command. Drop the barrier and see to it that the first volley is fired by our forces. Should we lose favor raise it once more. Prepare the medics for immediate rescue."

"Will that be all, Tsuchikage-dono?"

He turned back to face the buzzing beast, the beast which remained still at the doorstep of his house, taunting him. There was but one thing to be done with such a thing. To remove it. Taking a deep breathe, realizing that he could not remain from battle, he removed his haori and handed it to the woman.

"I have one more request. Go up into Tsuchikage no Sansō and retrieve the scroll which sits atop the threshold. Bring it to the gates and call for me as soon as possible. I shall be on the battlefield."

OUTSIDE OF IWAGAKURE NO SATO
Moments passed since Banana's order
The sounds of buzzing busted forth from its back. At its very rear, a seventh tail, the most prominent, swished back and forth, stirring the breeze at its leisure. It was a creature of beauty in regard to is power. Few rose to face it, and even fewer stood to claim dominance over it. Thirty years had past since it last say the earth, and longer since it was sent the parts of the Earth Country. But alas, here it was now, one purpose in mind.

DESTROY EVERYTHING

Springing into action, the beast shot forth, its tail whipping around itself to pierce into the village. The sounds of a clash echoed throughout the spans of the village as the fleshy mass slammed into the barrier, an aura of yellow crowning around the point of impact. Wings flapping faster, it drew closer raising its right set of claws and slamming them into the barrier, tearing them downward.

Sitting within the tower was the Kekkai Buntai, the group of seven shinobi drawn to sweat, hands interlocked as they provided their chakra wholly to the protection of the village. And yet. It was still too little. The barrier contorted under the immense force of the gargantuan beast. Yellow pulsating out from the epicenters of contact, the upholders of the village's mythical protection cringed, feeling the pressure upon their very bodies.

"DROP THE BARRIER!"

The rock-solid voice of the Tsuchikage cut through the air from atop the tower--his message was intercepted by the guard unit who radioed his commands back to the struggling seven. Almost as soon as ordered, the yellow pulsations dissipated; the Nanabi's claws swung through the air, leaving the beast vulnerable to the forces of Iwagakure but for a moment.

"SEIZE THE MOMENT--ATTACK!!"

[Okibi Yomi]

Yomi twitched a little bit as the Shichibi struck the barrier that guarded the village. She found it amazing that that one strike didn't break through, but it wouldn't be long before the Tsuchikage ordered the release of the barricade.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"

Yomi slammed her palm, still with a little bit of blood on it, toe the ground. Her body was enveloped in smoke. When it cleared, she would be standing atop the head of a large blue hummingbird that stood almost a story and a half tall.

"Yomi? The young one sai-... my goodness... the young bird wasn't kidding after all."

"No, he wasn't. Aoimaru-san, this is more serious than serious. I need you today."

"I understand fully."

"Then you should know why I need you. Fly!"

Even for his size, Aoimaru could fly as fast and as mobile as any other hummingbird. Winds gusted as his wings went into action, lifting him up off the ground with Yomi standing atop his head.

Aoimaru evaded the attacks as it took to the skies, rising higher and flying away from where he and Yomi initially were.

"Fly high and circle around it! While everyone else is below it, we'll attack from above! Got it?"

"Loud and clear!"

Long locks of black hair whipped in the wind as her companion took her to the heavens. A steady right hand gripped her beloved weapon, the Ten no Reiken.

"Aoimaru, things are gonna get a little hot around me. If I bail and jump off of you, fly around and catch me as soon as I look for you."

Through their many years of friendship, Yomi and Aoimaru developed a method of travel that was not unlike surfing. Simply by reading the movements of her body as she rode atop him, Aoimaru could steer in the direction desired, largely eliminating the need for her to verbalize her instructions.

After a good two minutes of travel time and evading the beast's swinging tail, Yomi finally made it from up under the Shichibi's massive shadow.

I see six wings and a tail, all of their bases attached pretty close. If this thing is a tailed beast, then tails equals power... he's about to be missing that big tail of his!

An insignificant blip on the tailed beast's radar, Yomi went unnoticed by it as its attention was focused on the other relative "ants" beneath it.

"Aoimaru, here we go!"

Yomi leaned forward and steered the hummingbird to zoom in on the Shichibi, gripping her Sacred Sword of Heaven in both hands. As she neared the beast, she raised her blade above her hand, igniting it in a burst of red flames. Those red flames then grew in size again as Yomi manipulated wind chakra into the fire. Those intense flames turned white-hot, signifying the use of one of her signature techniques: Shingekijutsu, the God Strike Technique.

Closing in on the last few yards of distance, Yomi elongated the blazing aura around her sword to maximum length, creating a ten meter long extension.

"HYAAAAA!"

Through a strong slash and a deft use of her piloting skills, Yomi threw Aoimaru into a front somersault, a maneuver that would aid the power of her strike and let the heavenly flaming blade amputate the demon's tail completely.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Shingekijutsu
(神撃術, God Strike Technique)
Unranked - Ninjutsu - Offensive
Using Chakra Flow, this technique requires a bladed weapon; by feeding chakra into the weapon, the ninja will increase the length and density of his blade to strike an enemy from several feet out of the physical blade's range. This is done by creating an extension of chakra that shapes into an edge that functions like the normal blade itself.

Though Yomi can use this with either of her chakra natures, she was taught and has become adept in using a special variation that will combine both chakra natures in a single use. Shingeki, as it is called, is the use of fire-element and wind-element chakra in Chakra Flow to create a white, blazing aura infused with both the fire and wind element along the length of the blade. The result is a powerful technique that can cut through nearly anything, and can even be used to combat high-level water element techniques. Having mastered this technique, Yomi is able to create an extension from her katana that reaches up to ten meters in length.

The only downside is that this technique must be used with both hands; if one is released, only the nature of the other will remain.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu
(口寄せの術, Summoning Technique)
C-rank - Ninjutsu - Supplementary
A Summoning Technique is a space-time jutsu that allows the summoner to transport animals across long distances instantly.

One method involves just hand signs and blood. With this, before an animal summoning can be performed, a prospective summoner must first sign a contract with a given species. The contract can come in the form of a scroll or a tattoo, which is signed in the contractor's own blood. After this, they need only perform the hand seals, offer an additional donation of blood, and use the same hand they signed the contract with to summon the creature. The amount of chakra used during the summoning determines how big the summoned creature can be.

Yomi and her family has a blood contract with and can summon various types and sizes of hummingbirds. The hummingbirds are very family-like, and are all capable of speaking and understanding the human language to varying degrees depending on their age.

[Bunny =n.n=]

It had been quite some time since Chishio had returned to his village, spending of his time out amongst the lands, practicing his unique powers and hunting the criminals who had abandoned the village. He had only come back to the village earlier that day, wanting to check up on the books to see if any new Nukenin had been added to the books, though he would quickly discover that today was going to be so much more than a quick visit and scram to the village he called home. He was sitting in his home, going through his bags and supplies, checking up on everything that he had left alone, seeing that most things were covered in cobwebs from the long amount of time that they remained untouched. Just as he was about to sit down and relax, he heard a warning being shouted across the village. The entire city being evacuated? Every single shinobi being summoned for a single meeting with no previous notice? He had no idea what was going on, but he knew deep within his gut that this had to be something bigger than they had ever dealt with, as if it put a world war to shame in terms of fear and potential death. Filling his supply pouches as quickly as possible, he ran out the door of his home, rushing toward the briefing room with all the speed he could muster, carrying his supply and weapons pouch in hand, not wanting to waste even a second.

Entering the meeting room that was packed full, he did not bother to attempt to find a seat, as there were none at all, most people simply standing around the room. Chishio did the same, standing with his back against the wall right beside the door, quickly attaching the pouches to his clothing, sure that combat was soon to follow. The Tsuchikage began to speak and Chishio listened carefully, shocked at the message that he could, unsure what beast of such power could possibly be coming. It was when he heard the first bit of orders being issues that he would know already where he was going. "All long range fighters are to report to Holding Base Four..." Nodding, Chishio knew what was to be done, but he stayed to listen to the rest of the words spoken by their leader to make sure he did not miss anything. As the meeting adjourned, Chishio slipped out of the door that he was against, rushing quickly toward his destination.

Rushing across the village, Chishio arrived at Holding Base Four, the area where the long range specialized fighters were told to report. That was exactly what he was, utilizing his unique form of ninjutsu to attempt to dispatch enemies before they got close, and this time would be no different. Looking around at the others, Chishio gave them a nod of intended good luck before he stepped out and went to the roof of the tower, standing alone up top. Performing a few quick hand seals, he clapped his hands together.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Chishio spoke out, a puff of smoke taking place in the air in front of him, summoning a handful of mosquitoes. The dozen tiny insects landed on him and began drinking his blood, ensuring to fill up. Lifting his arm, he pointed at the massive figured approaching the village that could be described as nothing more but the vision of impending doom. Looking down at some of the things drinking from him, he sighed.

"That is our target. Avoid getting squashed and get me up there. I will handle the rest."

Without another word being spoken, the flying blood suckers released from his flesh upon filling up and took to the skies, heading upward and toward the massive figure. They all went at different angles, none of them going straight toward the beast of utter destruction. They would aim to evade anything that would kill them, knowing at least one of them had to approach. Watching with a blank face, Chishio waited for the moment, uncertain of what was to come. He knew one thing though, that the powerful shinobi within the greatest village of Iwagakure no Sato would not fall. All of their power, of all their skills, all of their knowledge, and all of their lives would come together as a single entity of iron will in perfect unison for a single cause greater than anything they could have predicted. This was their village, their way of life - No giant flying beast was going to take that from them, unless it first killed every single one of them. Though if that was the case, they wouldn't really know if the village survived afterwards anyway, right?

All across the village, issues were being shouted, strategies were being planned, speeches of confidence were being screamed at the top of the lungs of all those in the village that were now proving to their peers that they were leaders in their own rights. Whether this men held an active title of leadership in the village or not, it was obvious that if they survived, it was those men and woman above all else that deserved recognition. Of course, nobody did this to get noticed, especially in times of life or death for the entire village, but these times were more stressful and demanding than any before. To not only remain confident and collected, but also to push all those around you to gain the will and strength needed to do what needed to be done, this was a task that few were strong enough to do. A smirk spread across Chishio's lips as he heard the fabled old mans words ring out across the village, only one of many speeches that were urging them all to give this their all, and even more. "SHOW THE INSECT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN IWAGAKURE SHINOBI--!!!"

Nodding, Chishio's hands went together to form a seal in front of his chest as he began to mold chakra, knowing he would need not all of his chakra for what was about to come. This was the time to shine, for him and every single person in the entire village. They were the shinobi of Iwagakure no Sato, and nothing would bring them down. It was not long before the beast reached the village and began attacking it, pummeling the barrier with unimaginable strength and ferocity. Just as it began, the commanding words of their leader rang out with to the ears of all who respected him, all who feared him, all who would give their life to protect him. His voice rang out to everyone. The barrier that was the only thing protecting them all would disperse, no longer standing between themselves and the demonic creature.

"SEIZE THE MOMENT--ATTACK!!"

The second the words were heard, Chishio's calm and patient demeanor vanished and his eyes narrowed dangerously at the gigantic creature that shadowed all of Iwagakure. The tiny insects he had sent forth were invisible due to their size and the great distance that now separated them. Continuing to mold more and more of his chakra, the bugs flew toward the demon as fast as they could go from every angle. As they approached, they were slowly vaporized one by one from the sheer power of the beast. But one survived, going much out of its way to come behind the beast, flying up its back to reach the pronged horn atop its head. Landing, the mosquito spit out the blood from within its body, performing Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Chishio appeared atop the horn, taking a deep breath, being entirely sure that he was about to die. He did not want it at all, infact it was the very last thing he wanted, but it was the best he could do for the village. He did not possess infamously powerful ninjutsu that could injure the beast, he did not have any great defensive techniques that could protect them from the onslaught about to happen. What he did have was a bloodline limit that he alone could use to at least aid the village in subduing the greatest threat it had ever faced. It was not only the unmatched will of the villagers and the wonderful home that the village itself provided that would usher Chishio forth in his greatest sacrifice, but also knowing that his only sister would carry on the genetic gift of Blood Release should he falter.

The very second he was summoned onto the peak of the tailed beast, Chishio would force his blood to burst from his flesh out of every inch of his flesh, causing blood to pour out of him at a rapid rate like a fountain from hell. Using all the chakra he could gather, it would be pushed out even faster, several times the amount of an entire body's supply would spew out with every second that passed. He would keep enough chakra to ensure he did not die, though enough to remain entirely conscious was a different story. Within seconds he had expended nearly his entire supply of chakra, a lake of blood pouring down over the creature. He would not kill it, nor would he even harm it, but it would at least hopefully slow the beast down a great amount, giving everyone else more time to take it down. He was not the strongest in the village, nor the bravest, the more talented, or the wisest. He was just like everyone else, willing to give his life for the greater good of Iwagakure no Sato, the greatest village of them all.

"Hurry up and die, you piece of shi-"

Chishio would mumble before he stumbled, falling to his knees atop the horn, everything growing darker. He did not want to black out on top of this thing, knowing that it would mean his death if he fell, or was killed by the simplest movement of the creature, but it was what this had come to. Himself, or the village - Their was no debate to be had. Iwa. Would. Not. Fall.

SPOILER: Click to show

Ketsuton
[Blood Release]
A rare and specialized field of Ninjutsu that can create blood as well as manipulate already-existing blood. Its only known
user is Chisuji, as well as her older brother, Chishio.

Blood Release grants Chishio control over his blood;
secreting it out of his pores and allowing it to spew out
onto an enemy, infecting them and slowing their
movement, as well as a variety of other harmful effects. Additionally, his blood creates a mist in
which Chishio can hide his location from opponents. Chishio is unable to bleed to death, for his blood multiplies so quickly that he can restore his entire bodies supply in mere seconds without the use of chakra, a means to ensure his sister as well as himself will not kill themselves while utilizing their kekkei genkai techniques.

Rather than being used as a claimed "elemental" release like that of his sister, Chishio possesses complete control over his blood cells, not unlike the infamous Kaguya clan with their calcium. He is able to multiply, manipulate, and alter his blood in virtually any manner. His blood itself is more advanced and effective than normal, being nearly ten times more efficient than human blood in all tasks, and can be increased even further with the addition of his chakra.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu
[Summoning Technique]
A powerful jutsu, Kuchiyose allows a ninja to summon animals and objects to fight on their behalf. The ninja normally signs a blood contract with the animal species, which allows them to summon different size and skill levels of creature. Signing this contract also allows the animal to reverse summon the human ninja to their location. Chishio signed a contract with mosquito's, able to summon anywhere from one, to a large swarm of the tiny creatures. The contract is rarely used in paper form, not even kept on himself, and is instead drawn with blood on any surface, known only to the summons themselves and those who sign with them. Although only the size of regular mosquito's, they understand and can speak with Chishio, and they all share a single swarm mind, so what one knows, they all know.

Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu
[Reverse Summoning Technique]
Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique which allows an individual to summon a person or being to their location using a summoning scroll. In normal Kuchiyose, the signed summoning contract allows the summoner to call upon his or her summons without the contract present. This modification allows for any individual to be summoned through the use of a scroll tied back to the one to be summoned. This scroll allows the individual to be far away and be transported instantly to the location of the summoning scroll.

[Yamada Tan]

SEIZE THE MOMENT--ATTACK!!

It was in that moment that a plethora of attacks emanated from the earth itself, all directed at the flying creature. Stone pillars and spires shifted up from the ground and lashed out at the Seven-Tailed Horned Beetle. They pounded and scratched against the great beast's hard carapace, causing few injuries.

But there were few individuals that stood out among the crowd. Tan watched Okibi Yomi take flight and wield her blade against the bijū. She lashed out at the beast, slicing off the bottom tail. The Seven-Tailed Horned Beetle screeched in anguish and anger, sending out a shockwave to throw all incoming attacks back. The tail plummeted toward the ground, but a quick-thinking Jōnin commanded those under him to erected multiple well-placed pillars of earth to intercept the tail.

Then there was Chishio, who caused a torrent of blood to pour down the length of the great beast. It was blood-soaked and blinded and furious. The Seven-Tailed Horned Beetle thrashed around in a blind rage.

Tan, however, did not dare to approach the beast directly. Instead, he took his cue from the cacophony and projectiles made during the battle. His hands weaved through seals quickly and methodically. Then, for a brief moment, the noise dimmed. The vibrations were stolen and wrapped around many earthen projectiles recently fired off to enhance the attacks.

This time, instead of crashing and crumbling against the bijū's carapace, the attacks did more damage. They punctured the carapace in places where stronger attacks and larger groups hit. A sudden wave of tiredness fell of Tan for a moment, but he recuperated a few moments later.

SPOILER: Click to show

SOLID SOUND BLADE | C Rank
After performing hand seals, Tan crafts a solid sound coating on an object that enables a powerful "cutting" capability. The vibrations act in the manner of a chainsaw, making their "cutting" ability far more advanced than normal blades.

[Tou-kun]

Silly shinobi. Thirty years were proving enough to make them completely forget that their attacks, low-ranking and puny, could not affect a beast which was a manifestation of the very fuel which powered their abilities. A lopped off tail, a dousing in blood and some vibrations produced results for the shinobi--morale was up, but only temporarily as the Nanabi, called Shichibi by those from Iwagakure, would come back to shock all its combatants. If the beast could speak, or make a sound even, it would have chuckled at the feeble attacks of its opponents, its soon to be victims.

Its tail fell, intercepted by the earthen pillars. A waste for the tail would not remain. A savage chakra overtook the tail eating through the pillars of earth; in the meantime, the tail, saturated by evil and power, split into thousands of smaller, albeit human-sized, replicates of the larger beast. The terrible hum of the wings was multiplied, serving only to increase the anguish of those who fought so desperately to protect their homes.

At the same time, the beast would release the same chakra, resonating harm into the air and ushering into life a replacement tail for it's seventh. Blood creeping down its frame, it released a shockwave of chakra, eradicating its frame from the lifeliquid. At the same time it swung its head, catapulting the fainted shinobi which sat atop its horn into the surrounding mountain-terrain. The man would escape death, his body the product of Iwagakure, and one with the earth, but he would be mangled, to say the least.

Here stood Iwa, facing a more powerful foe than the last.

Banana's forehead met his palm as he noted his men completely fail. A shinobi lost to the unforgiving lands which housed their village, and thousands of smaller insects to deal with, he saw it fit to now spring into action before the rest of his village managed to do something to doom them indefinitely to hell. He offered a quick peek over to the face of the Shodai, hoping that the men so tasked with his request would make it there soon. He bit into his thumb and summoned forth a medium-sized owl which would carry him to stand beside Shinpachi atop the gates.

As he landed there, he commanded an owl to take his owl to find Chishio and issue emergency medical attention. In the meantime, it was time to stop placing games. It was time to manhandle some Biju.

"How about this shit, Shinpachi-sama." he joked, his body absorbing the gold which adorned the top of the gate, slowly becoming of identical composition. "How about we show this guy what happened to the last Biju who stepped onto Iwa's land?!"

As Banana issued his threat, the Biju sprung into action charging forward--his cloud of minions did so too, streaming past the gates and into the village's domain as to do battle with Iwa's own.

The war had truly begun.

[[ Bunraku, Chishio will make a full-recovery if you want him to.

[Kumade]

Kaemon’s eyes were wide open as he seen that Yomi’s attack had actually worked. The tail went flying off, and though no blood escaped from the wound, the Chuunin couldn’t help but think that this battle was about to turn around.

And then his hopes were run through as he seen what happened next.

The wing clashed with the earthen pillars meant to support it and, almost instantaneously, began to emit a chakra so deep and foul that the very ground was turned to ash and destroyed. Kaemon’s eyes opened wide then, as did the rest of his squads. At the head of the platoon of twenty men, the squad leader, a man by the name of Para Kintatsu, nearly fell to his knees. However the man quickly regained composure as he turned back to the squads behind him.

“Today men, we make history. Let us squash this bea-“

“?!”

A horn protruded through Kintatsu’s chest and his back, dripping with crimson red blood. The Jounin turned his head slowly, only to see a human-sized Shichibi hovering before him. The beetle’s jaws began to clack as it pulled the horn from the body and allowed the mangled Jounin to fall from the ground. And then the rest of the swarm came.

The platoon was taken over quickly and without much resistance. Ninjutsu flew every which way, along with weapons of various makes, but the beetles seemed unharmed. Men were falling like flies and Kaemon was determined to not be one of them.

As one such beetle came his way, the Chuunin reached down to his side and took a firm hold of his katana. Thoughts of Fuu fluttered through his mind, his adoptive daughter, and at that moment he realized that he could not die here. He had made a promise—a promise that he would keep.

“KYAAAH!”

The Sanjou Iaijutsu, famous amongst the circles that knew of such swordplay, was unleashed with a draw far quicker than any other. The blade, empowered by the chakra in Kaemon’s limbs, had turned into a nigh invisible stream of light, aiming to completely cut the beetle in twain. Closer and closer it drew to the creatures armored hide, and then—

SNAP!

The upper half of the sword broke off, the strength of the hide providing too much tension for such a weapon to handle. Kaemon only stood there in his execution stance, eyes narrowed in disgust as he seen the beetle open its jaws in some sort of faux laugh. With that, the creature lunged forward, its horn snaking around and preparing to run Kaemon through.

With deft skill the Chuunin would dodge and swing his blade again, this time only chipping the broken katana on the hide of this creature. Grinding his teeth in frustration, Kaemon reached into his pouch and through a kunai at the creature and fell back, his hand contorting into a single hand seal. The following explosion was massive and strong; allowing flames and smokes to form a high, air-born column.

Standing still for a moment, Kaemon waited to see if his attack had worked. The emerging shadow and following horn attack answered his question. Amazingly the creature was not only unhurt but was now trying to kill him with an even greater amount of ferocity. Its tail whipped about, and though the swordsmen could dodge he could not get in a counter attack.

Once more the Shichibi clone opened its mouth to imitate laughter and it was at that moment Kaemon struck. His broken katana around with divine speed, the tip of it going straight between those jaws and into the head. There would be no plating there, inside of its jaw, and as the blade entered Kaemon heard the sweet sounds of death-based gurgling.

As the creature slumped to the ground, Kaemon could not have been sure if it was simply stunned or dead. Cautiously taking explosive tags and stuffing them into its mouth, he would bound off towards the gate and allow them to explode from within the clone.

Eyes narrowed, the Chuunin could only watch as he seen the bulk of the hoard cross the gates and enter into the village. Scaling the walls, Kaemon plucked a radio from some dead man’s body and hurriedly began to shout into it.

“Aim for the mouth! That’s the weak point of the clones! AIM FOR THE MO-”

The words were cut off as another horn blasted from beneath him, which was barely blocked by the broken katana. With a flip Kaemon would land on his feet in the space between two of Iwagakure’s gates, and wheeling around he’d see not one, not two but four clones before him, each sporting gore clinging to their horns and exoskeletons.

“…Shit…!"

[Bunny =n.n=]

SPOILER: Click to show

((OOC: Thank you. >.>" I <3 you Tou.))

Chishio looked down with shaking knees and darkening vision at the beast he stood atop as it shrugged off every attack thrown at it, even turning the loss of a limb into its own attack. Energy pushed all the blood off of it, immediately making Chishio realize that his one attempt at being helpful was even more useless then originally thought.

"Oh son of a..."

Chishio began to mumble before the beast shook its head like a drunken, long haired teenager at a heavy metal concert in his uncles garage, slinging him into a mountain. Between the blood that coated his body, and his growing up in Iwa making him more use to being slammed into rocks, he managed to survive. Laying inside of the rocks on his back as if he turned the mountain into his own painfully uncomfortable recliner, he watched as the battle in the distanced ensued, groaning. Missing flesh was slowly mending itself, though the entire body of broken bones would remain as they were, making every breath more painful than could be expressed with words. He had risked his life for the village, despite his absolutely feeble attempt at being productive, but he knew everyone else down there would do the exact same. He was now far away, and didn't think anyone had seen him be flung away, nor did he expect anyone to make it to him amongst the chaos and ruin, certain that he would die. He only had one option left. He would muster the last of his strength to issue one final attack against the tailed demon! He would tear at its subconscious, make it feel weak and hated, and show it that Iwa shinobi wouldn't take shiz from any fat ass hata! Using his blood to force his arm to lift, causing him to shake in so much pain that he couldn't even scream, he spoke along with the commanding of a morally destructive hand gesture, his fist closed toward him, while the extended middle find stood tall and proud like the strong shinobi down there still fighting.

"I hope you can see this, because I am doing it as hard as I possibly can... Now hurry up and die, you fucker..."

With that, Chishio's arm would drop and his eyes would drift closed, blacking out from the pain, damage to his body, and loss of chakra. Yeah, he sure showed that big bad beetle... borg?

[SHINPACHI]

As the swarm flew high above, funneling into the village, Shinpachi commanded those under him, still holding a great deal of pain over the loss of so many Shinobi. Their sacrifice would not end in vain.

"CONTAIN THE SWARM--!!"

"RESTRICT THEIR MOVEMENT, THEN BOTTLE THEM UP!!" He commanded, his orders followed by six ANBU of Iwagakure. The elite had it under control.

Trailing the swarm, three of them attacked from behind, preforming a set of handseals, allowing the other three the chance to set up their attack, which would hopefully end the swarms march into the village.

¹"Doton: Funshutsu Doro no Jutsu!!" The three said in unison, spewing torrents of mud high into the air, their destination aimed slightly ahead of the swarms ongoing path, running them straight into it. Covered in mud, the swarm still pressed on, their speed now crippled, allowing for the follow-up attack a chance for success. ²"Doton: Ōdoro Kaishin." The three continued, preforming another set of handseals. Dehydrating the once spewed mud, each buzzing wing of the swarm quickly dulled in sound, their mud-encased bodies beginning to harden at a rapid rate. Fluttering to the ground, the other three ANBU chimed in, ready to capture the menaces and stop them for good.

³"Doton: Tsuchi Hyōsei Satsujin no Jutsu!!" Instantly, multiple massive stone hands quickly formed underneath the swarm of miniature bijū, catching them midair before closing air-tight shut--

⁴"Doton: Sōken Gūzou no Jutsu!" Simultaneously, a prison was erected to keep the swarm locked away; an army of statues rose quickly, forming four thick walls and a ceiling around the closed hands of stone. Finally, to keep the structure sturdy, the third ANBU utilized the ⁵Doton: Ryūki Sekijun no Jutsu, bringing a total of two stalagmites of earth to brace each corner of the stone prison, forming eight in total. Somewhat drained for creating such a massive structure, the would stay behind, keeping a watchful eye over the newly formed bijū prison.

Meanwhile--

Dropping his coat the floor, Shinpachi nodded to the Nidaime Tsuchikage, ready to attack until--

Amidst the sky above, a foul chakra suddenly began gathering, the Shichibi was preparing its most devastating attack--

"Banana-sama." Shinpachi deadpanned, looking to the younger man. The Ujigan's face as cold as the stone itself, realizing the importance and severity of stopping such an attack from striking the village and the people.

"How good is that arm of yours, kiddo?!" Leaping toward the Tsuchikage, Shinpachi required no answer; readying himself, he prepared to be catapulted directly into the chaos, into the face of the unknown.

¹Doton: Funshutsu Doro no Jutsu [Earth Release: Art of Spewing Mud] C-Rank
The User converts Chakra into moist mud and fires it from their mouth. This technique can be used to create rock for other jutsu in the Iwagakure arsenal.

²Doton: Ōdoro Kaishin [Earth Release: Great Mud Conversion] C-Rank
After forming the needed two handseals, this technique will cause the targeted quantity of mud to rapidly dehydrate and return to a definite solid state.

³Doton: Tsuchi Hyōsei Satsujin no Jutsu [Earth Release: Earth Binding Murder] B-Rank
Tsuchi Hyousei Satsujin creates multiple hands that come from the ground and grasp the opponent. Shortly after, the user of the Jutsu has free reign to kill the ensnared opponent.

⁴Doton: Sōken Gūzou no Jutsu [Earth Release: Art of Statue Creation] C-Rank
This is a basic statue of someone or something, this jutsu is used for diversions and for defense if built strong enough. These are for Genin trying to learn Tsuchi Bunshin, and is the basis for it, but without pigment or movement.

⁵Doton: Ryūki Sekijun no Jutsu [Earth Release: Art of Rising Stalagmite] B-Rank
Ryuuki Sekijun is a Jutsu which creates a large Stalagmite from the earth below to pierce through their opponent. It takes a moderate amount of concentration to pull Earth upwards to pierce the opponent.

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[Awaikage Kaede]

“Now. Move.”

As if the darkness acted on it’s on volition, the black emptiness cascaded by the silhouette of the beast and its girth of manifested madness, darkness took shape. Moving between the crevasses of debris and stone work, among the men who struggled to delay rampage of the monster who was fixated on destruction, what had possessed no substance took tangibility. The obscure took recognizable form, leaping into the air and upon rooftops in a blur obsessed with the demise of the monster who cried threats upon the natives of Hidden Rock. The wind barely kept up, like a vacuum that whispered curses as men stepped from the dusky haze, pausing enough just so the image of their boldness could shine where apparently light did not.

Six of them stood, wrapped in shinobi guard and the black mist that slowly fell off their frames. But they weren’t idle for long. While the barrage of attacks illuminated cast a corona of malevolence across these figures, the threat of the demon devoured whatever intimidating image they could convey in but mere moments. The shine, the reflection of several rows of polished kunai and exploding tags shimmered along the steel wire they were wrapped around. About fifteen in each person’s possession, the shinobi dashed in the confusion and onslaught of mud and rock that contained the beast’s minions.

In flickers of smoke and darkness, the six created rain of steel hurling towards the face of such a monster. A frontal attack, as the projectiles were in air the glimmer of small embers could be seen in their flight, the tell-tale signature of the slow burn belonging to the volley of explosive notes. As the shinobi landed, they quickly dashed back into hiding once more in the streets and alleyways of the village, letting the chorus of ninety separate explosions carpet bomb the visage of the Bijuu, erupting in a conflagration of fire, smoke, and shrapnel.

Though their work was far from over; the assault seemed to do nothing more than slight scar and irritate the demon. Nor could anyone deny the sinister chakra building up, cementing Iwagakure’s demise…

“This doesn’t bode well.” One of the six spoked solemnly, surprisingly calm considering the circumstances.

“No shit.” Hissed Kaede, removing her mask, allowing the aroma of dust and ashes antagonize her senses. “Signal the other clan members for another assault. If we can’t kill this thing, we’ll at least buy time for a miracle to happen.”

Miracles, the irony of hoping for something her clan preached that never existed put a bitter taste in her mouth. Another curse passed the lips while she pulled back up her mask and prepared to give another onslaught of artillery…

[Tou-kun]

The beast shrugged at the pitiful onslaught which ensued from the Iwagakure shinobi. It was becoming painfully obvious to the beast and the leader of the village that, without a miracle, as the shadow-riding ninja needed, they were all as good as dead. Growing bored with his food, the beast's wings flapped faster, chakra drawing from every molecule of its being and conglomerating at its maw. The sick tune emanating from its wings became more precise. The Shinigami had given its call to its pet. It was time to bring in their prey.

Golden, the Tsuchikage grabbed hold of the sealed giant, throwing him high into the air. As the man left his hands, he formed a number of handseals, dropping down into a kneeling position and slamming his golden hands into the matching gold which sat atop the Suzakumon gate. It was all up in the air now--Banana could do little more than pray that Shinpachi didn't fall in the wrong angle, into the path of the Bijūdama and hope for the retrieval of the artifact which he had tasked his subjects with finding.

The sky seemed to darken as the hope and light was drawn from it, the essence of such coagulating and gathering into the ball which formed in the beast's maw. Villager and ninja alike saw this abominable act; their hearts sank within their chests, their minds making cause to flee. And so they ran. Tears and blood sliding down their faces and staining the mountain village, they fled toward the evacuation pathways. But for what? Would not the entire village be completely annihilated by this blast which the beast threatened the village with? Would not they all die in the next few seconds? All indications pointed to the affirmative, and yet, they continued to flee, in their final moments of life clutching onto their sad and feeble existences. The sound of a roar filled their ears as the gathered ball of energy unleashed itself.

As the energy busted forward, the cries of the villages cut through the air, halting quickly as an aura of awe and confusion seized the village. Suddenly, they found themselves standing closer to the clouds. Trembling, the Tsuchikage stood before a giant rift, the mountains which serves as the rim of the village raised whole kilometers into the air. The blast had blasted through the earth below, the village remaining unaffected by its savage chakra.

"Tsuchikage-sama!" an ANBU cried out, landing before the exhaustion-stricken kage, over-sized scroll clutched in the pit of his arm. "We have retrieved it."

His hands feebly rose up off the golden precipice he stood upon, the golden hue of his skin fading away.

"I will need you're chakra to support this technique." he grimly stated, his lack of chakra gripping him so tightly that his lungs could barely expand to produce an audible sound. Where he drew the strength to even speak was unknown to even himself. "Shinpachi is still down there. Have another take this scroll to him. He was here thirty years ago with Shodai. He'll know what to do."

"It's time to end this."

[SHINPACHI]

Within seconds of being catapulted into the sky, Shinpachi soared into the heart of conflict, the beasts ferocious attack staring the elder down as the massive energy continued gathering within its maw. Bracing himself from the endless currents of high winds that swept through the sky above, hitting his highest altitude yet, Shinpachi passed over the left of the bijū, clearing it--

"He overshot it!!" A shinobi shouted, the fear of the village's demise now apparent now more then ever.

"Run!! All hope is lost!!" Another ordered, the immediate evacuation of the battlefield had begun--

Turning midair to face Iwagakure for what he figured to be his last time, Shinpachi grit his teeth, holding a single handseal as he finally declined, the feeling of his muscles tearing and bones bulging outward, his body hardening to like that of iron as he plummeted just over the back of the bijū. "Nice going, kid." He said with a cocky grin, simultaneously feeling Banana's chakra from afar as he completely released the seal binding him to this frail and incomplete body--

Iwagakure's foundation rose, scaling into a massive fortress that pierced the heavens themselves--

A monstrous plume of smoke gathered directly above the bijū--

Reaching out from the cloud of smoke, a massive hand struck the bijū in the back of the head, forcing the bijūdama downward prematurely, away from the now towering mountaintop of Iwagakure.

A loud crack boomed through the mountains like a stroke of thunder, showing the strength of the strike to the beasts armored carapace. The unstoppable force had met the immovable object. Breaking his hand from the impact, Shinpachi continued his rampage, his massive weight proving too much for even a beast of legend to withstand. Smothering the beast, the two tumbled into a pair of nearby mountains, scuffling as they each fought for dominance over the other.

Meanwhile, as ordered by the Tsuchikage, three shinobi raced to the bottom where both Shinpachi and the bijū fought, their decline to the battlefield aided by three mud-created falcons. From afar they could hear each blow dealt, and as they closed in, mountains laid toppled, torn asunder, as if a war had raged on in the land for decades, if not centuries.

On one side stood the bijū, relatively unscathed--

The other, a bruised and angry Shinpachi--

Gathering an energy between his now closing hands, the pain in Shinpachi's broken left hand had numbed, allowing him the chance to deal a devastating blow to the foe. "By Ujigan ordinance, I will give you to the count of th--"

"Shinpachi-senpai!!" One of the three shinobi cried out, holding the key to their victory, to Iwagakure's survival.

Eying the shinobi who flew beside him atop the falcon, the scroll tucked underneath her arm meant only one thing--

"Hand it here--!!" The old man cried out, opening the palm of his hand.

The shinobi threw the scroll as ordered-

The bijū charged, topping over mountains as it raged toward Shinpachi--

Yet again the two sides met, with Shinpachi overpowering the beast for a mere moment, gaining the upper hand. Slapping the seal over the bijū's abdomen, he was instantly swatted to the side, crashing into a nearby mountain.

Dazed, Shinpachi slowly made it to his feet, his clothes torn from battling with the monster. Seeing its prey defeated, the bijū set it sights on the village once more--

It took to the sky--

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Shinpachi's voice boomed as his grip tightened around the beasts tail, unwilling to allow the monster to climb into the air any further. Grunting, the elder used ever fiber in his body to restrain the monster from going any further while waiting for Banana to seal the beast, ending the chaos once and for all.