No Rest for the Wicked[Solo]

The Mission:

Today, Ryojin had been tasked with scouting to make sure the path was clear for an oncoming shipment of weapons. Ryojin had made his way from the village due west. He had come to the jungle edge just beyond the main road. It wasn't quite day break yet. A soft mist caressed the entire area and offered just enough cover. In the cover, Ryojin watched as three men came up the road on horse back. These three men broke line from the main road and were headed toward Ryojin's general vicinity. He recognized the three from not so long ago. The camp he had separated up before. It looked like once wasn't going to be enough for these guys. Ryojin formed his hand seals, and suddenly the snow began. One of the men reined in his horse hard causing it to kick about before nearly knocking him off.

"Wh-What the hell?! Snow? Not this again!" Here Ryojin had thought none of them would remember him. The man had rode off taking off into the horizon. Really? It had been less than ten seconds and already one of them were gonna flake? Lame. The other two had each drawn swords looking prepared to strike. Ryojin kept himself hidden, but suddenly he heard the shifting of snow. He looked behind himself just in time to see a hand jutting out made of snow and managed to dive out of the jungle edge as the hand chased after. It reached it's maximum range, but had managed to push Ryojin into sight. The two men on horse back had begun riding at him.

Ryojin fully extended his bo and ran toward the two men on horse back. He tossed up his bo and quickly formed hand seals. As the bo fell back down toward him, he slammed his hands down on the ground and his avalanche rushed forward toward the two bandits. They tried to out run it, but it continuously kept pushing them back before soon burying them.

As his avalanche ran, from the jungle line stepped out a man with bright white hair and violet eyes. He smiled softly, shook his head as he watched Ryojin, then let out a chuckle. "Tell me.. How are you Ryoooo~!" The distance between them was closed in a moment. Ryojin was pushed back as he blocked an incoming kick from the man in front of him with his bo. "Oh my.. Kaijin. How did I expect you after a hand made of snow tried to drag me under? We've really got to get new token jutsu if you're just going to drop in on me like this!" He retorted, launching forward two ice kunai toward his brother. His brother quickly whipped his hand to the left and sent them flying with a small wave of condensed air. "Now, now Ryo! At least act surprised!" The man slammed both his hands down onto the ground. After a moment, the snow shifted ahead of him and around eight wolves made of snow charged toward him from the ground five meters ahead. He turned and ran back. He was able to outrun the wolves just as the were coming into range. He huffed hard and in his opposite hand three shuriken of ice formed.

"Ryojin! You just must get more creative! Don't be afraid to think bigger! You created the snow for me to use my jutsu!" Another palm on the ground from the other man led to a spine of ice spikes reaching out from the ground and launching toward Ryojin. He was able to block one, then a second with his bo, but the third firing knocked him from his feet and sent him sliding back. As he slid back, Kaijin let loose a whip kick that sent forward a blast of wind. The wind hit it's mark sending Ryojin tumbling about four meters. He spit blood from his mouth and looked toward his brother. "Well.. looks like you've gotten stronger." Kaijin smirked and held out both his hands. "You don't know the half of it!"

One thing was clear to Ryojin, the gap in their power. It felt like when he had fought the steam woman before. Was everyone around him bound to become stronger and he be left behind in the very snow he created? He tightened his fists and drew his kunai sword. He threw the sword right toward his brother, but it was knocked away by a sword of his own. "Let go of your inhibitions Ryo! You'll never beat anyone where you are now! Pathetic!" It was here he formed hand signs again. Ryojin tried to stand, but it looked like he was in trouble. An avalanche far larger than his roared forward and threatened to consume Ryojin, but in a luck of the draw a man wearing round glasses appeared in front of him and a wall of fire rose just in time. The result was the avalanche becoming nothing but steam to cover the area and Ryojin felt himself lifted and pulled away as he lost consciousness.

He awoke later laying at home staring at the ceiling. "Forgive me Ryojin. I know you don't like when I keep a close eye on you.. but word that your brother had made his way back and was coming for you made it to me just in time." His father held out a mug of warm tea to him. "Is he gone again then?" Ryojin asked. His father nodded. Ryojin knew he was going to be in a poor mood a couple days again. He had been defeated. The mission was successful because of his father, not because of him. It stung, though not nearly as much as the first time. Something else his father was right about.