Not again! 1/3 (Group Mission)

Mission Info:

The Infinite Canyons was usually quite dangerous generally and avoided by most, however recently a joint venture with Nikkousato had led to a mining operation and excavating. The party has been hired by a rising businessman, Toshie Hijiro, to protect his new venture from the wildlife that was aggressive and rampant in the region. In particular the newest mine has unearthed a hive of axe Pincer ants that he needs dealt with. The party is to rendezvous at the mines walled camp, and venture deep below into its lowest level and snuff out what Hijiro is calling an infestation.

The journey had been long and tiring so far for Genkumaru as he was put in charge of a mission with several C-rank Genin having a chance to prove his leadership abilities once more. The missions he had taken on for the region involved doing more work for the tyrannical businessman Toshie Hijiro, a pompous and self important merchant baron who had laid claim to the barrens and its untold riches, and now began moving out into the The Infinite Canyons. This time he needed him to protect a lucrative mine that had been promising with its metal yields so far. The villages in all their wisdom had sent Gen several of their own to learn from and support him in his efforts to help pacify the region.

As he waited at the outpost for his charges to arrive, he struck up several conversations with the miners and laborers discovering that they were fairly consistently moving large quantities of precious metals and rare gems from the nearby mine and area, making Hijiro an even richer man in the process. However, he didn't pay for a lot of armed guards choosing instead to pay for laborers in bulk. If someone was too injured or died they were easily replaced by two more. Which sickened Gen some, but this was the duty he was saddled with, as Toshie Hijiro was regarded as an important man the world over.

The men had also told him that ninja were only hired to clear out the mine because one of the miners who had died, said that the hive looked to be made of pure gold! Hijiro nearly salivated apparently when he was told this, and moved to have the villages send him aid as soon as possible. Such greed would eventually catch up to Hijiro if he continued to plunder this lands.  

As his wards filtered into the outpost they would find him sitting in front of the mine entrance which appeared to be like a large warehouse of sorts, sifters and procession equipment held inside so that materiel could be evaluated as soon as it was brought to the surface. It laid in the center of the wooden walled boxed outpost. He would be on a stone carved bench over looking the large gates that allowed traffic to flow in and out of the place, waiting to see some more headbands so he could get a start on the days tasks. He was fairly confident that they would be able to handle what ever was thrown at them, as long as they all followed his lead and didn't act rashly or without purpose.

WC: 539/1600
PC: 1/4

BGM - Passage of Time

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The geography of the Sun Scorched Desert never ceased to interest her. It was covered only by the sparsest of foliage, with only sand and rock in sight for most of one’s journey. This place, in particular, worked well as a natural barrier for Nikkousato, wind eroding the canyons into well and proper barriers that prevent invasion. It was a wholly different form of natural barrier from the elusive forests of the Moonlit Grove, but it was equally as effective.

But while it was quite fascinating to contemplate, she was here for a reason. A joint mission between herself and Sun shinobi; they had the glorious honour of serving the whims of some greedy businessman in his efforts to mine the land for resources. They were to clear out Axe Pincer Ants that had been unearthed from the excavations and resulted in the death of some workers. Apparently, it was not for their lives that this businessman was concerned, but rather for the hive. A worker claimed it was made of pure gold, which would obviously pique the interest of the man. He didn’t even hire guards, just replacing workers whenever they died!

“Tch…”

Kanon lit her kiseru, no small amount of frustration upon her face. She exhaled smoke, trying to relax. She knew herself well enough to know that contemplating this would just feed into her anger and make her act rashly. She just had to accomplish her mission and be on her way… she just hoped for his sake that the businessman didn’t say or do anything stupid in her presence.

She took solace in the fact that he’d screw up one day, and no one would be there to save him.

The oni eventually arrived at the outpost, the mine entrance clearly visible from quite a distance away, looking like a warehouse where she presumed equipment and all sorts of necessities were stored. She took another drag out of her kiseru as she walked in; dressed as she was among all the tall and physically imposing men, Kanon would be easily spotted out by Genkumaru.

If her kanabo didn’t do that already.

For her part, Kanon very quickly spotted Genkumaru, sitting at his spot on the stone-carved bench. She sauntered over to him, identifying the man was the B-Rank ninja meant to lead them. Kanon, of course, looked nothing like a proper shinobi dressed as she was. And nothing would ever change that! She liked this outfit, thank you very much!

“Hey, there. You’re Genkumaru-san, yes? I’m Kanon, one of the shinobi assigned to this mission. It's nice to meet you.” She bowed politely, though she did take a surreptitious glance at his body. What a handsome man…

Genkumaru would likely notice a small gourd strapped to her hip and likely smell it as well. It was sake. This scantily clad woman had brought sake to her mission.

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483 words, 1 post.

Snoring would rattle the room of a young boy named, Maxximus Akimichi. As he slept in his bed he would seem to be very comfortable. The young boy would roll over in his bed and open his eyes to see the time. It had been very early in the morning but his mother was very strict about how long the boy could sleep in the morning as he would utter the words, "Oh crap." Before he could even get up the woman would slam the door open and yell the young boy's name."Maxximus Akimichi! If you don't get your butt up right now! You're mission with Mr. Genkumaru is starting soon and you'll be late!"He would raise from his bed and look around to his mother with a distressed look.

"Sorry sorry!" He said as he jumped out of bed.

Maxx would get dressed as he packed his backpack filled with snacks. He grabbed his weapons and got dressed as fast as he could as he ran out of the house with a piece of toast in his mouth. "Geez mom... always on my back..." He said to himself as he raced through the village. A couple of girls would walk by him, they had been shorter seeing as he had been around 6 foot, but they were quite cute. As he would stop and give them a small wink and a seductive smile. They would giggle but would continue on their way as would he. Exiting the village he would walk past the gates and then rush to the meet up spot.

"Hi Hi sorry for being late! I am Maxximus Akimichi, but you can all me Maxxie!" He would say with a different smile that seemed more cocky than his last. Looking over at the younger girl he would give her a wink as she looked a bit different from the girls he had seen around the village. "Oh? A Moon shinobi? I didn't think they had any cuties in the village like you!" He would say as he extended out his hand to the girl hoping she would shake it.

Maxxie had been informed on the mission the day before, but he was informed by his mother on how the man he would be working for was nothing but scum. The way he treated human life was disgusting and the way he started claiming the land of the world for himself was even worse. Maxx knew this man deserved the punishment of the Red King. And that punishment was closer than he would know.




429/1600

He looked upon the first individual who came up to him. It was a woman, who was the size of a small girl with horns growing from her forehead and the most lovely eyes. She however, was wearing very suggestive clothing and had a smoking pipe. Shaking his head he spoke gently yet with a deep and kind voice, "Hello, I am Genkumaru yes, you may call me Gen. It is nice to see you Kanon. I am curious as to your clothing choice, this is a camp of men with loose morals I hope you know.", he would rise to his full height of six foot six and look down into Kanon's eyes with his cerulean orbs as he spoke once more, "I have never met someone like you, you kind of look like a fairy tale demon.", He would laugh boisterously to her as he extended his hand for a greeting.

Noticing the younger man from his own village had arrived, he was excited as he had been watching him as of late. Maxximus Akimichi had a lot of potential to him and had a heart of gold, something that Gen truly saw as a worthy quality. Smiling harder now he would turn his attention to the other muscle bound red haired man from his village and speak with a familiarity that was only known to Kannagi Irezumi and Sojiro Sakura, "I am glad you came Maxximus, I want to start seeing how it is that you handle these situations so that maybe I can start taking you under my wing if you are obliged?", he would clasp the man on his right shoulder with Gen's left hand. If the real plan that Gen had would work then this boy was a great successor to have.

Looking off towards the mine he would speak calmly, "Those Axe Pincer ants scare me. So I hope we are all ready, I am going to assume given that kannabo you are probably just as strong as us despite your petite size Kanon. I am guessing you have enhanced strength correct? I am a Bakuton user myself, and Maxximus here is an Akimichi. If we all can focus on taking groups out I think we will be fine. Just don't get cornered.", from there he would exhale deeply and begin walking towards the mine entrance.

WC: 933/1600
PC: 2/4

BGM - Passage of Time

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Kanon’s attention was turned to another, equally as handsome red-haired man. So, this was her C-Rank partner, huh? The Sun sure knew how to pick their shinobi, if their looks were anything to go by…

She flashed a flirtatious grin at Maxximus, shaking his hand.

“That I am, Maxxie-san. I’m not opposed to you swinging by my place next time you visit…” She trailed off, “Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Kanon. It’s nice to meet you.”

Kanon then turned her attention to Genkumaru.

“I’m not too worried about the morals of whoever’s here. Mine aren’t that strict either. Regardless, I’m more than capable of handling myself if someone decides they’d like to get handsy.”

At the fairy tale demon comment, she winked.

“You could say I’m something like that. The vile actions of another made me like this.”

Cryptic on purpose. Kanon always spoke elusively when it came to her bloodline. Partly because she didn’t know much about it herself, and partly because she had absolutely no desire to go into detail about her life. Least of all with strangers.

Her expression turned serious as soon as Genkumaru started speaking about the mission, turning from flirtatious oni into a focused shinobi. She nodded at Genkumaru’s speculation of her strength.

“Aye. That I am. My entire physiology is altered due to my bloodline. My body is denser and sturdier, and my bone structure covers weak spots that are usually exposed, such as the liver and the temple. It also has the side effect of…” She furrowed her brows as if she had difficulty saying what was next, “… making me heavier. The weight of an oni is rivalled only by an Akimichi.”

“But of more use is my chakra signature. Remember, these are wild animals. Creatures that follow instinct before anything else, and are susceptible to deimatic displays. My bloodline happens to make my Killing Intent far more intimidating than average, which I believe will be an excellent tool in controlling space and making the ants act the way we want them to.”

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829 words, 2 posts.

Maxxie would have a seductive smile after his interaction with the young demon girl. As he listened to the b rank ninja talk of the Beast in the mine he would walk up to the mine and push back the strings of hair that were beginning to hang in his face. yelling he would look intensely and say, "Get ready ANTS! The Red King is here!" His fist waving in the air as he began to walk into the darkness of the mines only to find the lit lanterns that covered the pathway all the way down to where the miners had found the axe pincer ants. Maxxie was not one to be afraid of a bunch of ants in fact he was excited to see a man he looked up to in action.

One of the Ants would walk up to the boy as they would stare each other down, it was huge and almost met the boy at his chest. Poor Kanon had she seen this beast would probably be shaking in her boots from the site. Without a moments notice the beast would attack Maxxie as it would try to close its pincers around him. Maxx would use his hands to keep it from closing as he would kick it in its abdomen away from him. Flying back maxx would chase after it towards a part of the mines that had little lighting and seemed to be filled with blood. Taking out his wind mill shuriken he would use it to both crush and slice off the ant's head. As he would take a breather from running he would look around to find himself a little lost. He could barely see and could barely tell if his teammates had followed behind him.

The mines were beginning to look a lot like the inside of an ant hill as the boy would begin to take unfamiliar pathways to find his way back to the team. As he would call out for them. "Guys?" HE said loudly as the clicking of the pincers could be heard from a distance. Getting into a battle stance he would wait for the first attack as he held his Shuriken in hand. It was strange that he had gotten lost so quickly but it was less strange that he would run into yet another Axe pincer ant. As it would charge toward him and knock him backwards. It was hard to see but maxx would use the loud noises the beast would create as it clicked its pincer together to determine how far it had been. This mine was a death trap.

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As Kanon went on about answering him and explaining her nature Gen smiled and nodded, clearly she would be a fantastic ally, and a feared foe if the moment ever arose. Laughing slightly at the mention of weight he actually chimed in, "When it comes to weight Kanon, I think the three of us can all agree its better left unsaid!", he would actually laugh boisterous and smile down at her with the kind eyes of an age old friend, a look that came to him quite naturally. He was a kind man, and this moment would be just as any other for him, full of levity and sincerity.

As they ventured further into the mine, ants appeared before him and his potential new ward whisked himself off and away brazenly into the unknown, such fearlessness! Bounding after the boy to see him and all he could muster, he witnessed the first ants take down and cheered Maxxi on, "That's right Maxxi! show them your brilliance and might my boy!", he was utterly enthused by the mannerisms and focus this young man had. He would be a perfect candidate for teaching the lariat and many other techniques too, or at least that is what Gen was thinking at that very moment.

However, when Maxxi kept pushing on ahead Gen would shake his head and follow suit, in a swift motion he would attempt to lift up Kanon and throw her onto his back in a piggy back fashion as he bounded after the boy like a cheetah on the hunt, shouting to Kanon as he went about everything, "I have longer legs so lets uses them! That boy might actually need to dial it down a notch before he get hurts!", if Kanon let him pick her up and perform the actions as he did he would be only a few meters behind Maxxi and his mad dash into the unknown. If she had decided to run her self and refuse his motion, he would be lighter and would have caught up directly to his potential new student.

Upon reaching Maxxi he would shout to the boy as he shouted for them, "Fear not my boy! For I am here!", arriving at the scene in a spectacular fashion if Kanon had accepted the lift, he would let her down, and if she hadn't he would move in front of Maxxi. Forming a few hand seals blue chakra would flare to life around him as the sounds of thousands of chirping birds echoed out from his right hand, and then became an aura of electricity all around him, utilizing the Chidori and Nagashi techniques in tandem. The lightning aura would finally take shape as the chirping formed into that of a mighty lion's roar, and a low growling hum afterwords. The aura would provide him protection from the physical attacks of the ants as well as illuminate the cavern they had wound up in, revealing a dozen or so of the ant's laying in wait for them.

Stepping forward he would take a confident stance and clench his fist in front of him, "Stand strong! For the Crimson Lion of the Sun is here!", he would lay in wait now, preparing to intercept any ant that got to close to his wards. Gen was a shield of the people, and would play that role effectively if needed!

[Chidori and Nagashi]
CP: 135/175
SP: 150/150
Chidori: 1/3
Nagashi: 1/3

WC: 1499/1600
PC: 3/4

BGM - Demon Ruination

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A lot happened after the conversation was over. Namely, the fact that Maxxi was… gone. One moment, he was there flirting with her. The next, he had disappeared. She thought for a moment that a new stealthy breed of axe pincer ant had gotten hold of him, but the battle cries she heard deeper in the mines quickly proved her wrong. He’d just charged in alone.

For fuck’s sake.

Following suit with Genkumaru, Kanon dashed after hi-

“W-Whoah!”

She yelped in surprise as she felt herself being picked up, suddenly finding herself in the hold of Genkumaru. Immediately, he would be able to tell that she wasn’t lying about her weight. Her body was dense and heavy, and her physiology might as well have been steel with how firm it was. Fortunately for him, Kanon’s size, or lack thereof, made her a fair bit easier to handle than she otherwise would be.

“My, what the perfect gentleman you are, carrying the helpless damsel so that she won’t strain her delicate feet! Maybe I should give you a kiss when this is over with…” She quipped with a mischievous grin as she poked her head over his right shoulder. There was something about the heroic sorts that made her want to get a rise out of them, and Genkumaru was the perfect candidate.

She just needed to know what it was that would get a reaction from his infinitely friendly self…

Seeing as Genkumaru was entirely focused on catching up to their reckless companion, Kanon decided to take note of where it was they were going, looking for landmarks, remembering the direction Gen took, and whatever else would be helpful when they decided to make their way back. The last thing she wanted was to get lost in a cave full of killer ants.

Kanon was dropped as soon as they reached Maxxi’s general vicinity, not at all appreciative of the lack of light around them. Even still, she hefted her weapon, tuning her ears to listen for the sounds of-

Nevermind. Doing them all a favour, Genkumaru lit up the area to reveal a dozen pincer ants all around the cave as he let out a little spiel, likely meant to raise the morale of the group. While she wasn’t wont to such things, she couldn’t help but let a little smile creep up her face. Something about it was endearing to her…

But she still needed to act. Narrowing her eyes, she calmly walked past Genkumaru, the air around her becoming heavy. She channelled her Killing Intent, and the two got a firsthand taste of what she meant. Her chakra had a different, sinister signature to it. Like it belonged on a Shinigami rather than an actual person.

“Inspiring bravery is all well and good, but sometimes, one must be taught fear.” Her tone had a distinctly vicious note to it.

She stomped forward with her left leg, making the ground shake as she entered a battle stance, letting out an exhale that wouldn’t look out of place on a vicious beast hunting its prey. This, of course, was lost on creatures with the intelligence of ants. In unison, they scuttled up towards her with frightening speed.

An inhumane roar suddenly resounded throughout the cave, and it would likely take a moment for the other two to realise that Kanon had been the origin with it. Chakra flaring with dark, sickening purple, she spun around and swung her weapon in a horizontal arc that slammed into many of the ants that had been paralysed by the display, the rest having been scattered and cowed. They wouldn’t be intimidated for long, but it would buy them time to pick off each ant one by one.

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1460 words, 3 posts.

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Action 1: Infernal Swing
Action 2: N/A

Chakra: 95/100
Stamina: 105/115

Luckily for the young Akimichi it would not take long for his teammates to make it to him. They were quick and powerful in their own rights. As the first who would make it to the fight would be Genkumaru as he would rush in with a strong lightning jutsu. Maxx was never a fan of lightning but he knew he would gain this element seeing as it had been his father's strongest element. His original element being that of his mother's fire element. As he watched the roaring Genkumaru take out a few of the ants he would hear the man speak of not being afraid. This would cause Maxx to chuckle a bit. Soon after the young girl would begin her own attack talking about how things needed to be fear. One of his eye brows would raise as this small yet sinister woman. She had no longer been a girl to Maxx. As she would slam his weapon upon a good amount of the enemy animals causing a bit of a shockwave in the Cave. "Well..... As a King... no a the Red Ki-"

Suddenly the ground would begin to crumble under the feet of the group as the woman had caused a bit of a cave in. The floor would fall under the group as they would fall about 10 or so meters to the ground. "I Got this.... EXPANSION JUTSU!!" Maxximus would say as they had been about 5 meters from the ground. His body expanding until he was 5 meters tall. Grabbing hole of his teammates he would set the down on the ground. This just had been one of the Akimichi's powerful techniques, but it had been a smaller version of one on a larger scale. As he would place the group down he would keep his size as he looked around the large cave to find what seemed to be a nest of Axe pincer ants. "Found it..." Maxximus would say as he chuckled. His laugh shaking the ground a bit with the base of his voice. Axe pincer ants would begin to crawl from every open hole of the cave.

Actions:
Expansion Jutsu

Chakra: 120/120
Stamina: 115/130

1226/1600