An Ode to the Future [Lesson]

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Within the early hours of the morning the abode in which the student labeled as Kodoma Yoshihisa resided would be met with a strange encounter. A sudden and loud rapturing upon lowest landings door; upon said door opening would allow insight towards what sort of monstrous creature could produce such a racket. Fortunately in the case the ivory tiger would be oddly tamed, though its appearance telling of another tale. Nearing a staggering height of five feet, this particular beasts frigid gaze would narrow, opening his jaw in a low baritone growl and thus dropping a letter neatly addressed to the recipient; minus a few fang markings upon the parcel.

Kodoma Yoshihisa,

Foremost, the ANBU branch extends its greetings towards you! Each year the academy sends each branch within the village of Iwagakure a list of students; this allowing for insight towards what each respective branch specifically addresses within the village itself! For this specific reason we are inviting you to an open ANBU lesson located nearest the Shrine of the Gods, with hopes that the insight you gain will be useful towards your overall journey as a Shinobi of Iwagakure no Sato; regardless of what branch you ultimately choose to participate within. Our philosophy is that having a basic understanding of may occur within each respective branch aids the overall growth of the village as a collective unit.

During this session feel free to inquire of your instructor, in your case ANBU Cardinal, any items you may wish to discuss; however due note that there are specific items that are unable to be revealed for a plethora of reasons!

We hope your overall experience will be a positive one! We look forward to your overall attendance.

Best wishes,

The ANBU Branch of Iwagakure no Sato

Once the letter had been retrieved, the brute would depart as quickly as arrived; his task coming to a closure.

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A slightly Significant Time Later
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Currently the Shrine of the Gods suspended nearest the Inner Maruishi, fortunately it wouldn’t be difficult to locate the instructor for the lesson. The crimson haired male had taken the liberty to clear the general vicinity, the shadows of the ominous orb casting across a grand portion; though allowing for his piercing tundra gaze to possess an eerie glow about them. Arms crossed, he would await for the student to arrive.

". . . ."​

 

[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

There was no logic in questioning why the enormous creature had appeared in front of him the way it had, or why it had been sent in the first place. Naturally, Yoshihisa had noticed the letter upon the first glance like any normal person would have, expecting to fend off a set of razor sharp teeth at any moment. But again, questioning the motives of an organization such as the ANBU wasn't going to help him in this case, so the young Shinobi chose to bow instead as the tiger left his line of sight before he tore open the envelope only to read some of the contents the letter held. He wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or excited to be in his shoes: The letter clearly stated he was being given a chance for a place in history among the elite, yet he couldn't help but detect by the lack of any form of personal touch that these opportunities were perhaps more common than he might have expected.

It remained to be seen, as only moments later the wind was already rushing past his head on his way over to the given location. His means of transportation, in the shape of a humongous clay dragonfly had become more stable with each passing day, only being a perfect testament of his skills if he managed to amaze his teacher-to-be with it. For now though there was the challenge waiting for him up ahead, hoping to keep soaring long enough for him to reach the levitating Shrine of the Gods before the fragilely built wings would give out and cause them to plunge to their deaths. His destination wasn't too far from here, and if it hadn't been for his sheer efforts to impress he would have settled with safety instead. His only remaining thoughts were just that, moments before deciding to dive straight down towards the small dot giving away the location he should be at.

Any words spoken were promptly lost to the screeching, cutting winds trying ever so desperately to blow Yoshihisa away in his even more desperate attempt to land on the spot he had fixed his eyes upon. Mere seconds away from impact, the clay figurine flapped rapidly with the makeshift wings granted to it by its rider and caused the first clouds of dust to sweep up from the floor, only settling once more with a surprisingly smooth landing from the monstrosity.

"Greetings! Kodoma Yoshihisa is the name, and I came as fast as I could to discuss the contents of your letter."


He.. should still work on his vague introductions, no?

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

The ANBU’s chilled gaze would begin to drift skywards, narrowing quite heavily to focus upon the object fluttering about within the skies above. Fortunately he was able to distinction due to chakra signatures that the two were in fact identical; meaning the possibilities of who this particular approaching figures were quite narrow.

Within the upcoming moments the male would crane his neck about, releasing a kink as the miniature dust cloud would ensue. Before him the clay dragonfly had become apparent with the rider identifying himself and his first impression settling upon prideful/cocky. Never the least he would stride forward, praying that this wasn’t a usual intro and that Kodoma Yoshihisa had merely been screeching towards the scene as if tardy or potentially overzealous.

“Greetings.” he would merely reply, his hand extending outwards to gently brush across the top of the creature to seize the opportunity to gain an understanding of the level of control; to a particular degree. Nothing further would be stated concerning his arrival, “Dismiss of the creation, you won’t be needing it where we are heading.” he comments before glancing over his shoulder, “Any questions you have before we head upwards?” he inquires before motioning towards the gently moving orb in the skies above. The shadow was beginning to waver, signifying that it would not hover above this particular location much further.

While allowing time for the young man to begin his basic introduction, Cardinal would begin to further address the contents of the lesson. “Your lesson will be an over view of what is a daily task on a very minuscule level.” a pause, “Another will be joining you as well – student I mean.” he murmurs while taking another stride forward.

“Be thankful, not many are allowed to ever head towards the outer sanctums unless taken in for other reasons.”​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Being well aware that his attempt to make a decent first impression had failed horribly in almost every way, Yoshihisa only nodded in silence as he slid off the creature's back and unto the solid ground. It had been dismissed shortly after just as the order had called for, leaving only its former components in the shape of a small wad of clay. And as if they too had been ordered, the slavering mouths in his palms had already opened wide to mold it once more.

"Bakuton- Haniwa no Buresuto."

The display was gruesome to say the least if one had already been not too fond of the additional orifices, but soon after the seals had been formed, the clay was spewed up towards the boy's chest where it started to harden just as quickly. No explanation was given, merely a cold stare meeting the ANBU's own gaze halfway as the now armor-clad student was following his pace, dismissing the need for any questions right now after having learned there might as well be no reason for him to act his age. It meant a vast chasm between personalities only moments ago and what had been remaining, making it not only considerably more complicated to read him but also meant there was possible still some hope left for him. After all, he didn't know what his chances were right now, so he should just act the part for the time being. Yet as he kept shooting glances at these new surroundings, Yoshihisa knew there still had to be moments he should be on his toes.

"Understood. Any details I'd be asking for shall be kept to myself until the student has joined us here."

Thankful might not be the right word, because despite the fact he had always felt more in tune with the adults in his direct facinity there was no denying this was on a whole other level, stakes being set far too high to be considered casual. But if he had in any way expected it to be, he might have wanted to think twice about what this invitation had meant in the first place.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

| Spoken Text | Spoken Text |

In the corner of his peripheral the male was able to witness an oddity; the academy student attracting the creation towards his frame to condense into protective covering. On this notion the ANBU would turn about upon his heel, giving a slight nod of approval for using such a tactic. “Kodoma-kun, we’re going up now.” he comments before growing deadly still.

Silently the crimson haired individual would extend his arm outwards, unfolding his wrist leisurely into a mere snap of the fingers. In that moment the world about them would become light as a feather, rather the pair would undergo the rare sensation. In reality the gravity flow via the Shrine of the Gods would begin to pull them upwards. Concerning the actual flight time, only a mere minute or so, but enough to give them a nice view of the Inner Maruishi.

From their new perspective the ground would become the sky, his hand reaching outwards against the shell of the realm, a single door appearing before them and soon ajar enough to allow passage. A rush of chilled air would greet them, the corridor lit by mere candles. One wouldn’t have to worry over the open entrance, as it would close behind them once entered.

“This is the outer most shell, you won’t venture any further forward.” he explains, though the distance cries of anguish would echo. The crimson haired ANBU at this stage was able to drown out such distractions as he led way through a quickly narrowing passage; able to support a single through at any point. The distant cries would nearly dissipate before reaching their destination, a steel door appearing before them out of the dimly lit and in turn opening to reveal a balcony.

“Welcome to the overlook.” he comments before gesturing upwards to reveal a clear view of the village below; allowing for ANBU personal to keep watch. To the left a coral hair figure would approach with a beaming grin, “I enjoyed your flight over, it was brilliant!” she calls out before extending a hand out to the academy student, “Kazamatsuri Keiko, I’ll be joining you for the day.” she explains before turning her attention to their instructor. “Now is the time for questions you may have.” he addresses, turning his attention onto the pair.​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Their short journey through the halls of the shrine were an unusual experience for someone who hasn't even been too far from the reaches of Iwagakure. Yoshihisa was awestruck, yet explicitly reminding himself that no matter what he wouldn't be swayed by his opinion in such a way that he would possibly make another mistake, something which he couldn't afford right now. So all the way up to the overlook with the most marvelous view he could have imagined, his features showed little change if any. But once he was met with the personality of the other student, he couldn't help but be taken aback by the sudden shift in character between the two. So much even that he blindly extending his own hand towards her without even knowing if he was capable of a proper handshake from that point onwards.

Thank you. I'm still.. trying to get a grasp of what I can possibly do. I mean.. Yo-.. Kodoma Yoshihisa, it's an honor to make your acquaintance."

Whether it was the fact that he just realized how stupid he must have sounded for the last ten seconds or the fact that he might have easily looked as ridiculous to boot, Yoshihisa was more than happy to comply to the shame of acting like he had only heard the comment of the instructor. Yet some more knowledgable side of the Shinobi forced himself to hold his tongue first before blurting out whatever was just coming to mind, possibly making him look less like someone his age unfortunate enough to -just- come out of his house for the first time in years to show up to an important meeting, only to realize the world might have changed.

"Naturally I would assume the most straightforward question would be what 'daily tasks on a minuscule level' imply? I have no doubt there might be still a few subjects brought up in the traditional ANBU training which are completely foreign to me at this point, so if we could be more informed about that, it would be very much appreciated."

[MFT]

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

| Spoken Text | Spoken Text |

Naturally the initial inquiry was fairly straight forward and would be answered with a response of the same caliber, “To be perfectly honest it depends on which section you are within the ANBU Branch itself.” he comments before holding up three fingers, “Each has a particular more define role than the other.” he pauses before glancing between the two. [color=crimson[“While each is expected to perform recon, intelligence gathering, and suspect interrogation one – one group is more ideal to perform said than another.”[/color] That being a single example of what is performed; though one that is a bit more harsh as an opening statement.

Instinctively the coral hair youth would instantly interject, “What would ideally make one more adept than another of the remaining two sections?” she inquires, tilting her head to the side with a bit of puzzlement. “Rather how do you define the difference?” she clarifies while placing her hands behind her back. “Through different skill evaluations, but more specific-" he raises his hand forward awaiting for a specific moment in time to occur and thus ensuing by a particular bird call, a ravens echoing for a moment.

Silently a parcel would float down from above and land within his grasps, his body turning to shield the contents from the students. A heavy moment of silence would follow suit, then ultimately a heavy sigh. The contents would be crumbled up and cast to the side only to be met by a flurry of finger jabs; the formal parcel nothing more than shred.

“You two are coming with me. We are short at the moment and the higher ups are requesting your assistance.” he glances over his shoulder at the pair, “If you wish to have a normal lesson we can have you return at a later point. Merely jump off the edge and the gravity will land you safely – otherwise prepare yourself and follow me.” he comments.

Of course the coral hair youth would follow suit, shivering with excitement, “I’ll go!” she insists while trailing a bit too closely for his comfort. Another door would appear upon the terrace, leading downward through another thin corridor, barely allowing room for a single entity.

Fortunately it wouldn’t take long to reach their destination, a brightly lit room with a plethora of masks to choose from. “Pick one, you’ll be wearing one for the day and only for today.” he comments, though before he could finish the female would instantly grab a light pink beaked porcelain mask, resembling a humming bird. “Ready!” she would call out.

The real inquiry would be if Kodoma Yoshihisa had followed.​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

A slight frown brought forth by the statement was short-lived as the instructor was interrupted shortly after by the delivery of the parcel, and while the least bit surprised by this means of delivering anything at all at this point considering a tiger having the honors to take the former upon itself, Yoshihisa couldn't help but think it was a curious sight to behold. But he didn't have very long to ponder this, as they were almost immediately presented with a choice that was equal part excitement and dread in his own opinion. He wasn't going to underestimate any challenge here and think that just because they weren't actually part of the ANBU that is was going to be anything one could do with their hands tied behind their back. Not that this metaphor was entirely going over well in his case, considering the grotesque mouths in his hands were still actively wolfing down the remainders of their latest 'feast' and by all means could and should be considered threats.

Following his companions towards the chamber ahead was done so in silence, still thoroughly grinding away at the thoughts he was facing from this point on. He had to admit that he hadn't let the good part of him show just yet, and while already coming up with several options to go over things, his train of thought was interrupted for a moment. Rows upon rows of the most magnificent masks were keeping the Shinobi occupied far more than they should have, making it almost break his heart as he was forced to keep up the act, picking a copper canine mask at random. Yet despite now being able to marvel at their glory for a bit longer, it wasn't all meant to disappoint: The fluid motion just before picking up the mask had given him some time to drop a tiny creature between the ones closest to it. It was hidden from view before the naked eye would have even spotted it. Shaped like an ant, the minuscule sculpture carried a small glistering orb upon its back and kept itself hidden from view until everyone had left the storage room before crawling away after them.

"I'm ready as well."

With a firm nod, the mask in place and his hood pulled all the way up to throw a shade across his covered features, Yoshihisa decided it was now more than ever that he would be ready for something like this. 'This' being the unknown in general, something he knew wouldn't be something to share with his parents later that day. But despite it all, it was remarkably easy to let go of his side of the issues. Perhaps he was more prepared for this than he had previously realized.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

| Spoken Text | Spoken Text |

While Kodoma Yoshihisa would come up with an interesting tactic, one had to remember the Shrine of the Gods wasn’t as simplistic as walls alone; his creation would more than likely falter against a particular cruel ending soon after their departure. With a bit of luck, however, it may indeed live to see a brighter tomorrow.

Once the pair had taken upon their respective masks they would leave the shrine and head upwards towards the terrace to overlook their village once. Without even turning to give eye contact he would begin to address the pair, “If you didn’t bring any prepared items you may use the following.” he gestures upwards towards rapidly descending pouches containing: One standard issued smoke bomb, one spoil of ninja wire, one set of five kunai, and lastly a flash bomb. “If you are unfamiliar with uses, I recommended you inquire while time is on our side.” he states before leaping onto the perch, crouching while scanning about below.

Without any hesitation the coral hair youth would leap forward as well, standing rather than attempting to perform the same – fearing an immediate fall judging by her body language. “What does our mission detail?” she finally blurts out, a hint of excitement with an underlining of fear.

A single digit would extend outwards to sharply point downwards over the Arcadian Sea which they now hovered above, “A B-Rank prisoner did not successfully make it to the compound, his chakra signature disappeared into the sea.” a slight pause, “We will be retrieving him.” he cuts to the chase before reaching into his cloak to remove an important piece of information. In an instance his hand would release the parchment and allowing it to fly into the faces of the youths behind him.

Spoiler

Name: Harunabe Taro
Alias: The Murky Mist
Sex: Male
Age: Twenty-Five
Height: 6'3
Weight: 175lbs
Occupation: Jounin of Iwagakure

Crime: Killing of Iwagakure no Sato Public Figures; numbers are unconfirmed outside of a known five. Considered very dangerous and should be handled with extreme caution.

“He is a known water user. Any additional items can be inquired of as we descend.” he comments before leaping off, leaving the pair to follow if they so choose to do so. Below being the murky depths of the sea.​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

The prospect of fighting close to, if not even in the rolling waves below tied the knot in Yoshihisa's stomach beyond what he had experienced ever before. Not that the youngster had any fear of the ocean aside from the healthy habit of staying on his guard, but he was well aware that it still was the one battlefield to fight on with the greatest of cautious considering the weakness behind his techniques. The notion their target was of having the high grounds now only strengthened his feelings of dismay, wrecking whatever good hopes he might have had about his position earlier. He was aware that this scenario was only a natural occurrence in this branch, where one would find all odds stacked against them, but he wasn't trained for this, he wasn't experienced in combat and most certainly wasn't as of yet fully aware of his own capacities. It was in his nature to worry, to even imagine himself exposed to the cruel reality of a coffin's linen innards to be put on display. He had never reconciled with the religion he was raised with, to the point where their assumptions might even be holding more truth than he realized and that it meant he had never redeemed himself!

"I.. have to admit I'm fairly bothered by the fact that the.. target has the advantage over me, were I to face him in one-on-one combat.. How do I..

Words were falling short in this scenario, it was like he couldn't breathe, like his lungs were going to be crushed under the pressure of the clay breastplate. The luminous beams of light from the Shrine shone brighter than ever before and if he had moved under these conditions, he wasn't going to remain of his feet for long.

"I'm only twelve years old. And where others might have been Chuunin or even Jounin by now if they belong to the category of Shinobi with great potential, I have only very recently been discovering my own.. What I'm saying is that.. I want to fight to meet that potential as well, even.. even now!"

Shunning himself later was going to be the outcome if he decided to throw the towel in now, and rightly so. While he didn't want to die and the experience was haunting in its own right, this was why he had become a Shinobi in the first place, to surpass yourself where he hadn't thought it was possible. And as he clenched his fist around one of the kunai as a display of his resolve, Yoshihisa couldn't help but smile underneath the mask. It was only good that he had made up his mind now, for had he known about the fate of his sculpture back in the Shrine he had properly thought again twice. Hopefully unlike it, the boy had at least a chance to be react before death settled in, to only leave a shriveled husk in its wake..

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

| Spoken Text | Spoken Text |

Initially the ANBU would glance upwards during their decent towards the chilling waters below, “You will discover that there are countless of scenarios where you will be at a disadvantage.” he gestures towards the coral haired youth to continue with his statement, “You have to find some sort of advantage to make then?” she inquires while placing a single digit against her chin – clearly puzzled at what the male had been truly aiming for.

Fortunately Keiko would gain a nod approval.

Moments prior to plunging into the depths of the sea the male would begin to weave a flurry of hand seals; thus ensuing his hand to shift his mask enough to expose his lips. In that moment a rush of air would be spat forth and create a barrier shell around each member of the party. Upon further inspection it would appear as a pocket of air, enabling them to breathe under the depths.

The sea below was indeed a bit murky, the occasional shadows of creatures within the ecosystem eyeing them for inspection; were they predators or prey within this world? “Lesson commence.” he comments while heading downwards, ushering for the two to keep close as the world they were embarking was certainly a different one. “There are a series of caves up ahead, three to my knowledge at this particular location. Do you understand what this means?” he inquires before halting.

“Are you seriously inquiring of us to split up?” she replies while placing upon her hip, showcasing a bit of disgust with abandoning academy students in such a manner. “You knew your conditions prior to coming with me, do not act as if you didn’t understand.” he comments dryly, her disgust growing with his comment. With that two headsets would be tossed, rather leisurely floated towards them in separate bubbles.

“Wireless, you’ll be able to keep in touch and if you come into contact with the target do not engage alone.” he orders before leaving the two to pick from the three tunnel networks. himself taking the last remaining option.

[OOC: Clearly state which path you are taking as this will reflect your roleplay from this moment on! Left, Center, Right.]
[MFT]​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

The situation got worse for him with each passing moment, yet unlike before he refused to think of it like that. Because despite the fact that the instructor seemed to keep himself distant from the two in relation to most problems, he had been right with his simplistic statement. It was hopefully going to be one in many, and not the last battle he would be fighting where the odds weren't exactly in his favor. So even with the mouths loudly complaining about their current position in the water and almost refusing to place the headset around his neck, Yoshihisa too formed a long string of seals, determined to beat these odds and keep on living as he was supposed to. The seals were finished with a hand clap, barely loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the waves rushing around them.

"Bakuton: Rokkugōremu no Jutsu!"

It had been quite the feat, draining him of a decent amount of chakra, but his hands were currently spewing large quantities of clay into the water which seemingly had no problems combating the liquid nature it found itself in and becoming solid in the shape of a gigantic fish. The creature appeared to be made out of slate and kept together with several golden bands, inscribed with runic patterns. It remained motionless at first, if having any conscious at all to begin with, but it soon found its way towards Yoshihisa with rather lagging but powerful movements. It wasn't much later until the both of them were swallowed by the waves, making their way towards the three paths and making his 'weighted' decision based on nothing other than the fact that it could allow them both entrance.

"I'll take the one on the far right then, and I'll let you know if anything happens to show up. Out."

His voice sounded surprisingly clear to him, as was his mind, with the supply of oxygen granted by the ANBU instructor no doubt playing a part in it all. It would make the upcoming fight a whole lot easier was Yoshihisa could think about as they sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

The trio would head there separate paths, resulting in the obvious no longer side by side traveling. Furthermore, Kodoma Yoshihisa’s creation had been ideal with the powerful slugging movements as the waters were unforgiving at the current time of day, allowing him to venture leisurely while not being pressed outwards by the current itself.

As the male would approach the right cavern, he would be able to begin to detail odd symbols upon the walls, mostly in the shape of the Iwagakure symbol itself. Little to no surprise, these particular caverns had been used previously and in the past served as a crafty means for surprise attacks upon those who ventured over the waters unwarranted. Though due to this, the caverns were lit with a series of visible explosive tags, clearly water proof or perhaps made to merely intimidate.

At this point the youth was forced to decide how to proceed forth, to cause an explosion could potentially collapse the cavern and to wander carelessly could serve as a means to cause the notes to potentially respond. On the other hand, perhaps the notes were another item entirely?

Over the frequency would he be able to hear, “Entering the center cavern, explosive tags litter the area.” he comments as the youth would also pipe in, “Entering the left cavern, all clear, though I will proceed with caution.”

[OOC: All jutsu you mastered up till this point are available for use. Be creative and attempt to proceed forward! The actions you take will reflect on potential consequences in the following post.]​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Perhaps it would have caught him off guard if he had been swimming by himself, but the explosive tags were too over presented to do such a thing right now. Explosions were his area of expertise, his forte which would help him survive this whole ordeal. And yet it was the one thing he had hoped to avoid: Even his knowledge reached as far as it did, and underwater there might be risks he wasn't aware of up until this point, a huge factor coming into play which prevented him from disabling any of them. Surely the aquatic Golem was capable of toughing it out and even prevent the cavern from collapsing to prevent their deaths. It might even turn out to work in their advantage, denying the criminal another point of escape. But even the decent window of time the slow pace had granted him, more and more questions heaped up in his mind and nearly made the experience as suffocating as it felt.

"There are explosive tags here as well, quite a bunch of them to be honest. A controlled explosion will narrow his escape routes down to two. Shall I go for it?"

Displeased as they were, and for the first time being oddly quiet even, the mouths were already chewing away at another wad of clay Yoshihisa had taken from his artisan's pouch, almost as if seeming to forget that they weren't able to stand their current situation for too long. Bright they weren't by a long shot, but at least their first creation not performed on dry land had proven that their efforts were more than sufficient enough to keep trying. That and the fact his next sculptures weren't quite its size: Instead the maws gave way to some of the oddest, eel-like beings halfway turning into what could only be described as a suction cup nearly five times their own width. Despite their freakish appearance and to an outsider unexplained use, their presence alone calmed the youth, giving him some sense of control in a situation like this. Alongside them and the monstrous slate sculpture he swam further into the cavern while waiting for confirmation, in the meanwhile keeping his eyes open for any other potential threats. It had been his first mistake not to focus on that from the beginning, but everything was at a ready to set this tactical failure straight.

While he was waiting for his denial or confirmation from the other parties, another feeling crept up to him. Hunger? Why of all times was he hungry now, when he could just as easily throw up whatever contents his stomach held. But there it was, his mind wandering off to tsukune like it was nobody's business. Well, at least he knew what to treat himself to when he returned to the surface. If, that was.

If.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

“Negative, the cave system may not allow exit as you no idea what is in front, converse your chakra.” A brief pause would ensue over the transmission as Kodoma Yoshihisa would proceed forth with his new pair of creations, preparing for the worst. “Keiko, status report?” the male ANBU would inquire only to receive no initial response. “Keiko, status report.” the vocals of the male becoming far more stoic and holding far more authority than previously.

Another final pause would ensue before a response would finally come from the coral haired youth’s device, “Quite the beautiful one you sent my way, though sending a mere student? Pitiful.” The transmission would crackle a bit, the background noise of a groaning teen would be able to be made out over the roar of the currents, “Oh, ANBU-san? When did your group become so complacent?” the voice would inquire as the ANBU would finally interject with a comment of another nature, “Shi-“ the sounds of exploding tags echoing in the caverns distance became abundant and the feed becoming static.

From the rear of Kodoma he would realize that his own set of explosive tags would detonate, of course his creations would be able to provide protection and upon the murky waters clearing? An exit would no longer remain and his only path forward remaining.

There were to options presented before him, blowing himself out of his circumstance or attempting to go forth completely and utterly solo.

A final message would come across the headset, "I'm coming for you . . ."

[OOC: Proceed forward, Prepare a Trap, or retreat? Build up post!]​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Everything had rushed past him far too quickly to allow a proper response, leaving Yoshihisa with fewer options than he would have liked to admit when everything had finally settled down around him. The dying inner currents had littered the cavern with pulverized debris before they were brutally cut off by the cave in. Essentially on their own without any confirmation of his companions whatsoever, Yoshihisa pushed on relentlessly, despite the sudden realization of the numb sensation shrouding his leg. With an opponent lurking nearby who's assault was imminent and swimming on his own not being the next potential issue, being able to fight to the point where it was astonishing was a worthy enough fate for him, so wounds only added to that shroud of deception and perhaps might end up buying them enough time to apprehend the opponent. Worthy sure, but to the youngster cringed at the thought alone to sell his own hide for such a cheap accomplishment when he wasn't planned on dying anytime soon. It brought a smile to him face: Not much was required for his fighting spirit to be rekindled.

Unmoving like a bulwark for the duration of the tremor, the creation finally set itself into motion once more, as if knowing the urgency behind their journey deeper into the cavern system. Swimming separated from their creator at first, the eels joined the fray by latching unto the Golem's pelvic fins and ready to throw itself unto their predator. Under different circumstances it would have no doubt struck him as odd considering their behavior almost fluidly intertwined with that of real life aquatic life, as far as there were similarities between these creatures. But under the current such conveniences might just be the ones he needed now more than anything.

"I was told to conserve my chakra as much as possible, so more traps I won't be able to set in advance. Outwitting him might just be the only chance I have to set any that will be of use to me.."

That said, Yoshihisa chose to pursuit his target, having high hopes that the first strike might be his to take. If it was even to be called a pursuit, considering the fact he was only reaching out in the dark on his way over to the other side where Keiko had been. Keiko, the one currently being at the whims of this Harunabe Taro, if she was still alive. It was the one thing he could never lie to himself about, deceive himself in any way that would make the outcome any less atrocious, any less despicable than it had been!

"Bakuton: Ban no Dangan no Jutsu!" [Bang Bullet Technique]

As the vacuum condensed at the tip of his finger, all that there was on Yoshihisa mind erupted from his throat with a deafening roar.

"Lurking about at these depths will only be the death of you, Harunabe Taro!"

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

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Kodoma Yoshihisa had been very brash, though on a scale that was certainly questionable for what had his true goal become? The condensed amount of air with chakra infused was enough to blast a sizeable hole through the underwater terrain despite the academy student status he held. While his defying assault was warranted, it also would result in a sudden current that would begin to pull him uncontrollable downwards into the depths of the sea.

Crashing waves, icy sensations, and utter darkness would be the only item to greet the brash lad. Mounds of earth would silently tumble downwards entrapping him in a realm of chaos, the lad so proud of his Bakuton had embarked on a crash course lesson. Furthermore the occasional tremors would ultimately subside and a light at the end of the tunnel would arrive; an air pocket and a very fortunate discovery.

Upon a slim mound of was the coral hair youth, bruised and water logged.

Slam!

A single steel toed boot would harshly stamp upon the young gir'ls shoulders, who clearly was unconscious but still breathing. “Oi, Oi, Oi…” the male would begin to laugh fiercly, “Brat what are you attempting to do? Hurt your own allies?” he inquires while snickering, a single hand brushing against his visage. Tenderly a single digit would begin to tug at the soft flesh beneath his eye, “Don’t you know anything about me?” his form becoming liquid and translucent for a mere moment.

“I can escape at any point in time, but you?” another pause followed by a kicking at the teen beneath his foot, “You may have just killed two in a series of minutes!” he chuckles as the Keiko would violently cough, crimson waters beginning to seep outwards from her lips.

“What do you plan to do now, hotshot?” he would further insist. Another violent cough would ensue, "Kodoma-kun . . . run." her voice faint. Hestrical laughter would only ensue, "Oi little girl, you are still alive?" his boot grinding down once more with the heel of the studded leather.​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Headstrong undoubtedly would be the term Yoshihisa had described his action with, knowing that having left Keiko to her fate was beyond any rating of disapproval and that his actions were never initialized without contemplation of the risks it carried along with it. From the moment light had bursted forth from the tunnel, the taunting of his opponent had gone by unnoticed and the first seals were formed at rapid succession. Improvisation and flawless planning never went together as well as the person would have wanted, but upon closer inspection of Taro's feats and personality, it had been a given fact that he was going to be underestimated by the Jounin. It would give him the edge he needed in the upcoming battle in which he would have to outwit this man.

Seal.

Next to unnoticeable was the pause between the 'Rat' and 'Snake' seal, an arbitrary window of time that shouldn't have raised any suspicion whatsoever. Nothing unusual to appear in the pattern of a novice Shinobi, but if his Genjutsu skills wouldn't be letting him down at a moment such as this, the 'Deaf' technique should have disrupted his opponent's mind while preventing him from anticipating the course of action to come, as well as keeping Keiko's pleas to himself. Priority wise rescuing her and slowing down Taro was on the top of his list: It was only natural to attempt to do both at the same time while still being ahead.

"Bakuton: Chikyū furō Kawa!" [Earth Flow River]

Seal.

"Bakuton: Maddokurōn no Jutsu!" [Mud Clone]

Under the additional weight and force behind her captor's punishment, the former technique drags Keiko down below the surface, only for the clone called forth by the latter to take the beating in her stead. This results into the man being nearly swallowed whole by the combination of both, their efforts not coming to a halt until the entrapment and impairment of Taro has been assured. In the meanwhile, the puddle of clay almost seems to threaten to engulf Yoshihisa along with it, only to have a beaten Keiko resurface alongside him and this sight alone making it harder and harder for the boy to maintain his position. Her mask had done an excellent job to obscure her face still after all this time, but no doubt she too was exhausted and her own consciousness drifting further away from her with each passing moment, yet aware that they at least had to make as much effort as he possibly could to subdue their target. But being aware that the cavern might not be able to sustain another string of explosions without giving away, Yoshihisa knew that at least having a backup plan was required here.

"Keiko, you go and find the instructor while I cover your back. He should be able to locate us at our current position, so all you'd have to do is meet him halfway."

The words echoed through his head, barely aware that he was giving the mental command to his eel sculptures to follow the tunnel Keiko had left behind in order to get close to their opponent. If it meant danger or not, he still should be at the ready with a last trick up his sleeve.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

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The flow of the technique in which shifted the earth beneath his feet was not of true importance, one of his ranking quite easily focused chakra to the sole of his feet to stay afloat. At any rate the lad was being quite risky on an attempt to recover his comrade, but using the limited earth based materials were certainly admirable to a degree.

The remains below his foot would crumble, the clone having taken the place of the innocent lass, resulting in the smirk upon the lips of the fugitive to merely double in width. “You wish for her to locate your sensei?” he mocks, arms being tossed upwards. Swiftly the act would cease, Taro’s hands reaching into a pouch to reveal a crimson mask, though horrifically chipped, “You mean this one?” the grin widening further more to reveal pearly white teeth.

Keiko would merely only be able to muster a groan, unable to truly move prior and the added reckless behavior resulting in nothing further in terms of true aid. “He wasn’t difficult to remove from the field.” he comments, tossing the mask to the side, approaching the shinobi to be. “You know what? I’ll give you a bit of credit, you were able to perform a series of jutsu, but you must be running low on chakra.” he comments, kneeling before Keiko, coursing a hand through her dirty coral hair.

“I’ll allow you leave.” A pause, “Alone.” he gestures towards the exit. To continue at this point could be fatal as the jutsu casted thus far had little to no effect. The items still had been unused and the male of water unphased thus far. Was it for the best to retreat or to aimlessly fight on?

At the end of the day, ANBU duties often resulted in sacrifices.​

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[Kodoma Yoshihisa]

Words coming from someone whom had proven time and time again he wasn't going to shy away from attempts to murder carried about as much sincerity as those of any pathological liar one had the unfortunate honor to deal with, with a vague sense of hope to back you up that you might be able to become another example of why anyone in their right mind would think twice. Yet the burden pressing down on the youngster didn't as much include his own well-being as it did that of his companion, someone about to be subjugated to a far worse fate if he would eventually decide to turn his back on her. Yoshihisa, being well aware that his life was expendable with his current amount of training, experience and knowledge couldn't possibly deny that the life of Keiko, sorrowful as he was to admit it, held far greater strategic value.

"Keiko-san's wellbeing in any case would be something to come first, and this doesn't stem from my personal belief alone as much as it would have been in any other case, so I'm sorry to disappoint you there, Taro, but it looks like the ANBU will just have to do with a written eye witness report.."

Despite the water weighing him down to the point where only the most adept could turn it around to work to their advantage, Yoshihisa's movements were as dexterous as they were ever going to be in a scenario like the one he found himself in. Aware that his entire existence was running as thin that it was only held up by pure bluff and no doubt pity from his opponent's side to some extend, he only seemed to be able to lose more as time went by. But the fact there hadn't been much to rely on when it came to whatever the man was telling or even showing to him worked like a two-way stream, causing the boy to not have given up entirely on the life of their instructor, if they were even separate people to begin with.

It suddenly dawned on him that much had happened behind his back, to the point where this could just be as much of a training as it was a play of some sort, a rather twisted one at that but nothing that would subjugate them all to any true danger. Keiko's captor seemed to be rather content just limiting himself to just harming her, a possible ANBU with a briefing about the situation beforehand and more than capable of withstanding a hit or two, instead of harming the ineffective, yet still the most active source of danger for him, someone he could wipe out in the blink of an eye if he wanted to. Standing his ground now could only prove him right or wrong, either way making it a far more acceptable ending of a undeniably short story.

"So letting her go or nobody go will be the options I could agree with myself, since.."

The whole operation was riding on this assumption..

[MFT]