Ninpocho Chronicles

Ninpocho Chronicles is a fantasy-ish setting storyline, set in an alternate universe World of Ninjas, where the Naruto and Boruto series take place. This means that none of the canon characters exists, or existed here.

Each ninja starts from the bottom and start their training as an Academy Student. From there they develop abilities akin to that of demigods as they grow in age and experience.

Along the way they gain new friends (or enemies), take on jobs and complete contracts and missions for their respective villages where their training and skill will be tested to their limits.

The sky is the limit as the blank page you see before you can be filled with countless of adventures with your character in the game.

This is Ninpocho Chronicles.

Current Ninpocho Chronicles Time:

Mount Anagama [Contract Search]

Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
The Anagama mountain range, also known by the locals as ‘The Blind Spot’, spans for only several miles across the border between the Country of Fire and the Country of Earth. While at first glance it would seem rather insignificant when one would compare it to what the greater Earth Country has to offer, looks could be deceiving as any seasoned mountaineer would tell you: Over the course of recorded history, it has been known for its notable and rapidly shifting landscape, where entire mountains were said to have disappeared overnight and countless travelers have been reported missing that few but the ignorant or the foolhardy would dare to tread, only to inevitably end as another forgotten case.

”.. And yet the local population seems to revere what they claim to be greater powers at work, often implying that this area was never meant to be invaded by mankind in the first place.” Yoshihisa let out a weary sigh as he closed the leather bound tome with the greatest of care, the last passage always sitting the heaviest on his mind. The contents of the tome so old and worn even the cover could barely be held together by tape at this point were more often than not topics of vague superstition and downright nonsense, yet this particular one held his interest due to the level of personal investment. Despite it all, he was starting to develop some nagging doubts about the actual legitimacy of this trial as he crossed into the mountain range under the cover of night.

”Heh, still can’t believe how they saw you back in the day, Hōrai.” He chose to break the silence seemingly by trying to get a conversation going with the mountains themselves, something that surprisingly wasn’t such a outlandish concept after all as they almost immediately responded with a voice like rolling boulders. ”The vast majority of humans as you know are quick to dismiss these things as magic or the works of the divine when they can’t fully understand them, even to this day. A shame when you see what your species as a whole is capable of at times.” Yoshihisa shrugged his shoulders as his eyes scouted the pass leading up ahead. He wasn’t planning on stirring up a conflict between himself and the vastly more powerful entity he was sharing his conscious with, nor did he particularly feel enthused to trail away from the lightheartness he had intended to be the tone of their conversation.

It took him about an hour of longwinded and droning monologues from Hōrai‘s end to reach what could only generously be called shelter, a cave barely deep enough to protect oneself from the potentially harsh elements outside. Yoshihisa admitted it would have to do as he produced a tiny flame from the tip of his thumb and slowly descended into the dark, extra careful to watch his step. What awaited him inside however caught him by surprise: Prominently featured in the center of what could pass for a room was a shrine, completely hewn from the granite surroundings and abundantly decorated with strings of dried mountain flowers and crude paint. Strewn throughout the room was a collection of small bones, some stored in the walls by means of several holes while countless others formed neat piles around the shrine. It didn’t take some sort of genius to see the relgious nature of this place, now all there was left was to discover the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’.

-

[Activing: Discovery of Contract of Your Choice - Kami]
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The Blind Spot was truly steeped in as much mystery as the words of Yoshihisa’s book told. The mountains were more than just a place for things to get lost in. While the world and mankind had evolved beyond some of the sillier superstitions of the old times, there was a good reason Mnt Anagama was left alone.
The entire landscape from end to end flourished in all sorts of natural mysteries that drew many researcher and scientist to their doom alone, but the main lure of the mountain was in the rumored treasure. As twice as many adventurers have gone missing chasing after one of the hundreds of legends floating around the mysterious mountain that was famed for never staying the same. Everything from a demon’s curse to the will of the Kami themselves supposedly guards a great treasure that was not meant to fall into the hands of mankind.

Some come seeking power. Other go searching for peace. Both groups are never seen again after touching foot on the holy soil.

Yet one legend pulls ahead out of all of them. Throughout history in multiple cultures a certain castle always pops up in the old lore about the First Rulers of Man. Most of these texts have long been lost to the winds of time and the few remaining etched in stone are considered irreplaceable by scholars and historians. Of these remaining old carvings, and what little has been deciphered, all four make mention of a grand castle etched into a mystical mountain out of a stone not from this world. A grand fortress of a castle built right in the center of Anagama. Living inside of this massive building were a race of small humanoids with overwhelming power over the force of life; but little more than that is known. It is often theorized by philosophers that the reason for so little history on the Blind Spot is due to a distinct separation of man and the mysterious forces that lives beside them in the background. It is also largely believed that if this race of beings really did exist and live in a fortress in Anagama they most likely went around the world destroying anything that spoke of them due to a falling out with mankind. Since there is little information beyond the four carvings, though, many societies near the mountain have made up their own superstitions and reasons for staying away.

The path Yoshihisa casually strolled up while reciting monologues to the surrounding foliage that grew thicker the higher he climbed was one considered incredibly sacred in old cultures. The very right to even step a foot on the Road of the True Kami usually came after a grueling task, a wondrous quest, and one-hundred good deeds. Yet the shinobi walked through the path, a path that was slowly becoming harder to navigate, seemingly without a clue. Was his heart truly ready for the mountains the majority of his species avoided for good reason? Could the man’s soul stand the test of the supposedly ever shifting landscape and the truths they revealed in the hubris of man?

Was anything about this range anymore than just difficult mountain terrain?

The young man and his book neared a cave right as the weather finally decided it was going to be bleak. During the entire journey up the sky had slowly grown from a happy blue to foreboding black. It was like his every step forward would summon more and more dark clouds that said ‘go away’. The moment he ducked into the cave for shelter a streak of lightning caused the sky above to explode and a torrent of rain started to fall.
Cool air flickered around Yoshi’s small thumb fire as it was trying hard to blow out the power of a chakra fueled flame but it was not strong enough. The light glowed eerily off the stone of the cave as he journeyed deeper inside to find what, at first glace, could be a burial tomb. His light slowly waved over old stones and bones that had not seen the energy given off by the ninja’s unnatural flame before. Silence continued to stretched out in the cave except for when the lightning outside flashed to reveal the cave’s shrine a little clearer.
The moment he tried to take a closer step forward a voice cut through the silence, coming from directly behind him. The voice was of a twelve year old boy, but the tone reverberated with the power of a leader,
“Halt!” the small hooded figure behind Yoshihisa spoke with tiny outstretched gloved hand,
“Step thee not another foot further on this, our sacred soil! Do you dare test the temperament of the Kami themselves? Come well away from that spot! If ye speak to me why you have journeyed this far without the proper rituals I may be willing to spare a strike from my cane!”
The child like voice came from a small robed creature about four feet in height. From within the black hooded robe that hid his form behind its folds a gnarled root cane slid out a sleeve to be grasped by the creature’s tiny right hand. He held it up threateningly, and though his face seemed to be hidden by more than the shadows of the robe and cave, an aura of warning radiated from his form.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
It was rather unusual for someone like Yoshihisa to be snuck up on like he was, causing him to slowly move around as to not make any sudden movements to provoke whomever it was he was going to face. While often skeptical by nature, the thought of mocking someone small of stature didn’t even cross his mind despite them being demanding, as he was very much aware that there may be powers in play far beyond his control.

”My apologies, I never meant to tread upon this soil with the intentions of disrespecting it.” Yoshihisa raised his hands above his head where they could be seen: While he could easily function without the use of seals and probably stand his ground even now, he had no intentions of posing a threat if the situation didn’t call for it. ”This mountain is my last stop for my pilgrimage on behalf of Kakōgan Hōrai.” Realizing that he had perhaps been too candid with this last remark, he could only hope that the reputation of the youkai hadn’t been too poor over the centuries for it to trigger the hostilities.

9c9f86e3_aaf1_421d_b986_1caacae36f81_by_twinleafsceptile-dc4g188.jpg


His question was perhaps getting answered earlier than he had anticipated at first: His mind wavered for a brief moment and he found himself in the realm he had grown somewhat accustomed to, and now that he thought about it was oddly reminiscent of the region outside the cave. The gargantuan being standing before him let out a bellowing roar which slowly transitioned into rumbling laughter. ”That was unusually careless by your standards, boy. However even I struggle to find what grudge they would hold against me if any, and I have more time to think than you may have realized..” Hōrai chuckled as he slowly stomped around, a tremor accompanying each and every step. And before he knew it, Yoshihisa had been tossed him into the present, on the outside appearing like he had blacked out for a moment.

”Could you perhaps repeat that? I wasn’t.. entirely sure if I caught that.” He would no doubt have some explaining to do if there was nothing to repeat from while he was away. Right now however he seemed to be more preoccupied with the reason behind the youkai’s summoning of him, often an uncommon event when something was at stake for either of them, and yet this time it came and went as if there was something else going on.
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The small person before the shinboi drew a very unamused look on his face though the man before him wouldn’t be able to see beyond the darkness of his hood. For a moment the small stature person thought to rap the curious youth on the head anyways just for the very mentioning of that name. Yet as the cane came up he stopped when his hooded eyes caught the youth in a trance of sorts. With a huff he lowered his walking stick and slowly moved back towards the mouth of the cave where he hoped the intruder would follow after his communion.
“Talking with something up there, huh? Never mind that question,” the child like voice continued as it faced away from Yoshi and into the storm outside. In the distance was a small orb of orange where the sun tried desperately to warn this side of the planet it was going away.
“Darkness falls as man steps into the Cave of Unearth. Tell me, boy, you claim to climb this mountain for someone else yet not a single soul comes to this range without a reason. I have personally watched the most clever of mankind and thousands in a army both fall to these ever shifting lands. They all come searching for the lost treasures that supposedly reside here somewhere. Always I go to meet them, warn them, and tell them to go away and always I am ignored.” The boy slowly turned his hooded head back towards the Konoha shinobi enough that when lightning struck outside a part of his face was revealed. It was far too young to have seen all the things he just mentioned, but the lone violet eye spoke of untold ages of wisdom.
“They always die when they do so. The only ones smart enough to turn around and walk back down that path again are the ones trying to test their meddle through some ritual of manhood…though I admit it has been some time since I last saw that.”

The hood turned back towards the storm and both tiny hands came to rest on top of the cane. The ground beneath them shook as thunder rolled against the sides of the mountain yet the boy remained unflinching before the power of nature.
“Does mankind even still believe in the gods?” the small one whispered before it turned back around. Raising a single hand, without a single seal, flame suddenly rose up in the center of the burial monument to light the cave. Suddenly drawings all across the cave’s insides revealed themselves as pictures depicting a beast sized like a mountain, battles between it and hordes of warriors, and other murals that told of old stories lost to most of man. The robed figure gripped his cane and used it to ease himself to the ground half-way between Yoshihia and the entrance. The warmth of the fire slowly began to chase away the cold of the weather as the youth tapped a spot opposite of him as if to ask the intruder to take a seat.
“Tell me, do you believe in prophecy?”
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
If he had to take the boy’s words for truth, then it would go without saying that Hōrai had neglected to mention a few crucial details regarding their journey. It wasn’t however until he picked up on the words he doubted were even meant to be heard, yet he didn’t shy away from making himself heard on this topic in particular. ”Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but to question whether or not men still believes in anything we could label as ‘Gods’ seems kind of pointless to me: As someone who has grown up in a family of great faith, if anything it would be because of these fabeled powers at play that they seek it out.” A somewhat amused smile crosses his features. ”Mankind may be flawed in more ways than I could possibly even realize, but you can’t deny that they are at least driven, for better and worse.”

Upon the illumination of the cave and its historic murals, Yoshihisa took in its details, each leading to questions he knew he wouldn’t find an answer to by himself. However very much unlike him, he wasn’t left disheartened like he may have been on another time, another place, on the contrary it seemed to steel his resolve. Call it hubris, yet it wasn’t in his nature to be dismissed simply for the poor decisions countless others had made before him and would no doubt continue to do so after he was long gone. ”I would lie if I said if I would take them all at face value, but as it is obvious I am not dealing with a mere charlatan here, I would implore you to share that of which you deem us worthy..” A smile would return to his face, this time more genuine however as he produces a jingling bundle from underneath his cloak and carefully lays it down in front of the shrine. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been swayed into leaving an offering out of his own volition. And despite that he felt like the cause he was giving to wasn’t meant solely to line someone’s pockets for once.

”.. For I have to admit my interest has been peaked.”
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The small one smirked a little at the wisdom the youth before him returned. He had been surprised that the boy overheard his own personal laments over the possible things to come. It wasn’t unlike the humans below the mountain range to carry such knowledge with them but for one so young to make these remarks caught the being off guard. Most of the men and women of this one’s age coming to climb cared for only the simplest of things and flailed at life. For the first time in ages he found himself wondering just how far the race had really progressed. He could still remember of the chaotic thundering of soldier’s feet beating against the ground out of time as two armies clashed. The sounds of blades breaking on blade and cutting through flesh and bone. The screams of the dead and dying.

Yes mankind was capable of some true horrors. Had they moved passed them? Watching Yoshi place the jingling bells on the alter forced a chill up his tiny spine.

“You are not wrong to take the words of other at such value. In a time so progressed since some of these things were written who is to say they have not already come to pass without the notice of who it was meant for? I would still implore you to keep an open mind as nothing in this mountain is as it seems.”

The staff was raised up and lifted towards a mural on the wall. It was old but not the oldest in the cave. Little flecks of the material used to paint it onto the stone began to give off a light blue glow. Revealed was a man-shaped mountain moving through a landscape unnoticed by the small specks that represented people below it,
“A creature of power unlike any before it once tread through these lands. For the longest nothing bothered it, and in return it did no more than move and be content to be. Yet mankind has a tendency to be a parasite and dared to greed for what was inside that lumbering giant.
“This invoked a long unkindled rage within the beast and it turned on the creatures it once ignored. It wasn’t until a powerful human stepped up did the beast finally stop, “ his cane moved over far across other murals to another across the cave. Like the one before it this one too started to glow a soft blue as it showed the picture of a man in a meditative state with the giant rock being surrounding him like an aura,
“The creature was sealed inside of this monk by humans but instead of forcing the beast down the man decided to make an accord with this being of power. Through this the man was able to step into realms of enlightenment that were out of the reach of mere mortals; even now it is near impossible to reach this state. When he had achieved pure nirvana his hand picked up a quill, inked it, and scratched a passage onto three separate sheets of paper.”

The pictures both stopped glowing and the cave once more was only illuminated by the fire. The small one locked his violet irises with the male that had come to these lands in search of something. The Small One felt it that even the one before him didn’t know what he was searching for and there was a lot to be taken at face value in a prophecy just as Yoshi had stated.

“That man,” he continued. “Started something long ago after achieving his state of Nirvana and the very few of us remaining continued to hold up his beliefs. The monk told us all on the day he stepped into the Realm Beyond, and that was one day someone bearing his mark would come to visit. I won’t go into just how long we’ve been waiting for that person…but if he spoke true, and the words written down are correct, then I’ve been waiting all this time for you.”
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
His host brought up a fair point, most written accounts of countless prophecies were probably lost to the ages, either without leaving their mark on history or simply fulfilling their purpose as they were supposed to. Some were never meant to be to impactful after all, for while the act of even pinpointing the simplest of future activities with great clarity was an art form by its own right it was rarely the stuff of legends. Unbeknownst to him however, as the images of events long since past flared up before his very eyes, it became more and more apparent that what he had stumbled upon in this cave was taking on forms far too convoluted to be a mere hoax, yet awe inspiring all the same.

”The Ten Moons War.. you’re implying that this is..” His words trailed off as he pulled back his sleeves to reveal the pair of bronze shackles mercilessly locked around his wrists. ”If it helps to establish my authenticity in any shape or form, please.” The shackles were polished to a mirror sheen, gleaming harshly even in what little light there was inside the cave. Each had the kanji for the virtue of self-control (自制) carved into them together with one of the earliest adaptations of the Iwagakurian crest. ”The Ten Moons shackles of Rokkoyō-sama. To be honest, while I have ultimately been aware of the legitimacy of this tale since the day of my inauguration as the latest in the line of Jinchuuriki, I have never been able to do more than speculate over a centuries old story.” The smile playing on his face was rather hopeful, the caution of an ANBU cast aside just enough to peer into the soul behind the professional facade for once. Here stood a young man who had gone through the trials and tribulations tied to the existence of a Jinchuuriki, who despite his best efforts was showing the cracks accompanying the sort of life they were bound to live.

”Please continue.” There was still a hint of hesitation from Yoshihisa’s end, ashamed to admit that he had potentially left himself vulnerable to the whims of a prankster spirit. As the being in front of him had mentioned, nothing was the way it seemed around here, and he had no intention of letting himself fall prey to whatever this mountain would throw at him. At the very least he could try to wring out as much useful information out of this exchange before being on his way to pick up the search on another day. A shame, really, for while he had set his hopes on being open minded he greatly disliked the kind of scenario where he felt like not all the cards were out on the table. And he couldn’t shake off the feeling there was something the (potentially) supernatural being had neglected to mention, all for the life of him he couldn’t put a finger on it on what that was supposed to be.
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The Small One’s eyes lowered down to look at the instruments attached to the boy’s wrists. An eager shine lifted into those colorful eyes though the person showing the bracers would be unaware from the shadow’s of the boy’s hood. It had been so long since he had seen the glinting metal gracing a mortal’s shell. His eyes falling upon the metal promised a freedom he hadn’t thought about in quite some time. There was fluttering excitement the priest wasn’t supposed to be feeling any emotion, but there was no denying the fluids welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Before his emotions could betray him the Small One turned himself away from the young man and the fire while deftly moving the curled wooden stave to his side. He was able to regain his composer in but a few moments.
The boy’s small legs shuffled beneath his robes as he rose up a little back into standing.
“I haven’t thought of ever seeing this day. I was almost sure the entire line had been cut off from the petty bickering of the mortals below, but lo, here you sit at my fire.
“He came to us. We wrote a poem. This entire mountain was once the beast that resides inside of you. The treasures that were hidden away in here long had been on the whispered tongues of men. Yet the creature that slowly lumbered his way through the world cared not of what man took so long as they did no harm to the life that lived on his body…”

Slowly the Small One raised a single hand to lift off the hood to show a large head on a small neck, shoulder length dark hair with white tips pulled up and held with a band, and two purple crystal earrings hanging perfectly still. He turned his revealed face and lifted the staff into the air. The flames roared up and encircled the cave until the entrance was closed off. The oxygen in the room was quickly starting to thin out as the child’s voice became suddenly booming,
Then a lone man who cared more for wealth and his own perverseness sent a group of hunters to kill the rare birds that once lived here in peace into extinction. On that day the great beast roared in anger and we, the Seraphim, were called from the Heavenly Realm to defend the treasures he once freely offered the mortals. When mankind finally gained the power to settle down the anger of the titan we did not part. To this day we guard his body and the true treasure left here by the monk who sought us out.

With a twist of the staff the fire wall exploded but no heat touched Yoshi, his offering, or any of the murals inside of the cave. The Small One was nowhere to be seen and a light smoke hazed the already darkened cave. A single flash of lightning and boom of thunder lit up the cave and path back out to show that the rain had stopped and in its place was a cool relaxing breeze. The moment the youth stepped out of his cave the clouds above would move aside as if a giant invisible hand pushed them away to reveal a full silver moon. The sudden light came down in beams as small remaining clouds fluttered across the sky. One of the pale beams of light shone on the forest surrounding the path and the trees on his left would appear to part revealing a path that had not been there before. Words whispered on the wind around the Jinchuuriki,

The Open Moon lights a lost path...a lone monk walks silently as the darkness threatens to overtake him….
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
Concluding from his host’s voice it must be a highly emotional moment and not wanting to deny him, Yoshihisa lowered his head in reverence and recounted the story thus far in his mind. Had this been the sole reason behind his journey, to meet with this (supposed) prophet and nothing more than that? He didn’t buy it. As much as the titan tried to restrict the flow of information between them, by now he had figured out Hōrai‘s reasoning well enough to know that if there was nothing to be gained he simply didn’t act on something so seemingly devoid of reason. They weren’t simply acting on something the youkai was already fully aware of -mainly his life story-, were they?

Upon looking up he was met with the seraph face for the first time, the shinobi barely having enough time to take in the features before the cave was nearly consumed by the roaring flames around them. The tale recited to him was indeed a sad one, and the kind he, as a human wasn’t unfamiliar with in the slightest, for nothing precious was meant to last forever before the greed of a select few. When the flames eventually died down, Yoshihisa quickly realized that he was once more alone with nothing but his thoughts and he quietly settled on a spot against the shrine. ”So you have led me here in search of his fabled treasure then, Hōrai?” He stared out into the far distance as the lightning struck one final time all the while the words still rung in his ears and his bones were suddenly sore and ached painfully from the whole endeavor.

”He surely held you in high regard, so much so that I can’t believe that you haven’t taken the opportunity to speak for yourself.” Letting out a weary sigh as there was no response of sorts to his probing questions, Yoshihisa rose to his feet after his breather and stumbled out of the cave. The weather had shifted rather dramatically in his favor, causing him to have an inner debate on the pros and cons of heading further up the mountain to continue his search or to simply call it a night and see whether or not he was in luck. His train of thought was cut short as a voice reached his ears, resulting in a brief search for the source. He was quick to discontinue it however, for by now he was well aware of the forces at place in these mountains. His gaze fell on the path forged ahead between the trees, and knowing that it was not up to him to decide anymore, he disappeared into the forest in search of whatever it is that was waiting for him.
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The very moment Yoshi stepped onto the path the trees literally appeared to swing close like a gate. Looking behind him to where the path once was he would only see now an thick stretch of woods that seemed to go on forever. Before the youkai was now a road stretched out long before the young man; lit by the moon. It was apparent that it had been worn down not by the feet of man but by the animals that walked through the forest. As he would follow along, quick or slow, the trail would become harder and harder to find as the full moon lighting the way above slowly became covered by the dark storm clouds that lingered menacingly.
A root seemed to lift itself at the right time in an attempt to trip him near the edge of a long slope. The path now suddenly seemed to cut off in a different direction away from the slope but just as well, if he looked hard enough, the road ahead seemed to continue on into the darkness of the slope below. The sounds of the forest that had been normal nocturnal creature noises up until this point seemed to slowly die down until there was nothing but a maddening silence. It was as if the very nature surrounding the youkai was holding their collective breath to see what choice he would make.

Right before he could decide the image of the Seraphim appeared on a branch above the shinobi ala chesire cat. The small one lounged on the branch with his hands tucked underneath his head. Violet eyes were staring into the clouded sky above them as he spoke, again his voice far more louder than it should be,
“...And there I came upon the road, forced through the trees not by man but by the very nature that holds mankind in her cradle. I walked upon it with my feet in a quickened haste as if a lover goads me along. Yet the forest around seems to act like a child and wishes to play as the roots try to trip me and the branches take from me the clothes off my back. The trees sing of a long lost song….

Upon uttering the final word of whatever it was he was reciting the figure of the small boy would slowly fade away into the shadows. Shortly after he did a soft haunting melody began to filter through the leaves in the trees above Yoshi as the unnatural wonders of the mountain he had chosen to climb opened up fully to test the man. Yet despite that the words that came echoed out of the spirit they seemed almost mocking. It was as if the creature had shown his hand too soon and was trying to make up for it by holding hard onto the belief that this was just another human after what didn’t belong to them.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
With the path of no return closing in behind him and with no way but to go forward, Yoshihisa made his way deeper into the forest. Or well, it wasn’t entirely true that he saw no other way out, but he figured it didn’t suit the theme of the trial if he went about it in another way than what seemed the most obvious at the time. ”Practice restraint..” His intended angelic patience was immediately put to the test by the roots in their attempt to make him fall down the side of the mountain, an action that wasn’t met with a hostile response of any kind.

As a precaution the young man did however start to unbutton his coat as he carried on on his way into the darkness. After being safely tugged away under his arm he took to molding his chakra, which was secreted from his shoulder blades as slabs of clay. Putting on display why his art had long since done away with mere mounts, what sprouted forth was a pair of magnificent wings, beating once with all their might before they folded themselves neatly on his back. ”...” Perhaps it was part of what had driven him away from being an active practitioner of his faith, the fact that he had to do with some of the least practical means when he could just as easily cast aside his sense of honor and burn this forest to the ground like many others in his position would have had. Even the less destructive path of simply flying above the trees seemed out of the question, for whatever tale the seraphim was recounting he had gotten the vibe that he was supposed to follow in the footsteps of who he could only assume was Rokkoyō from when he journeyed around these parts.

However he wasn’t Rokkoyō nor had he any intentions to be: Yoshihisa was not the person of the same expansive virtues and ideals that could have worked for a dedicated monk. He had little to nothing in his life worthy of protection that he would ride out to meet the titans of old, nor did he have any sense of belonging, that life would all serve a greater purpose. Whatever powers were in play to try and keep him from proceeding had managed to do their job quite easily, the shinobi sporting an anguished look on his face as he was once again confronted with his fears and doubts. He was completely alone, utterly utterly alone and afraid in a foreign land where he hadn’t managed to get attached, to get even remotely invested, to experience love and obtain means to light the path of life that was stretched out ahead of him. ”Very well, I see that I have fallen at the first hurdle already..” His warped features slowly softened into a sorrowful smile, as he barely managed to keep himself from breaking down completely. He was trembling on his feet as more of the patches of clay spread over his entire body, threatening to consume him whole to take the shape of the youkai that lurked deep inside. His consciousness faded rapidly as the last thing he heard was the ecstatic roar bellowed, barely registering it was coming from his own throat.

”FreeEEEeeEEeedom!”

—-

Whoopsie. Bad ending.
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The Small One looked on from the branch hanging overhead with a sour frown. He could easily feel the energy starting to bundle up as the man below him began to let his frustrations get the better of him. The spirit of the mountain they resided on was beginning to stir and grasp hold of its host and instantly the Seraphim felt a little guilt. He had been trapped here so long, so ready to hand over the duty the Grand Monk left him, that he might had pushed things on a little too quick. Yet…this was also a part of the test he had to remind himself. Even if he carried the shackles, held the spirit into his body, and walked the path towards the mountains as prophesied he could still fail. If there was no controlling the spirit that resided deep inside then there was no way he would be able to pass on the reigns.

Just as he thought that a soft golden beam of light rose up from the thickest part of the forest and into the clouds. The Small One’s heart skipped a beat in fear knowing now of the mistake he had made. If Yoshi was caught in this state, so early on, there was going to be hell to pay for both of them. Quick as he could the child like ancient sat up on his branch and hopped down to the boy and started to tap around at the ground with his staff.
“Oi, Oi, Oi! You already going to give up?” the heavenly sprite asked as the places he tapped began to ripple as if the ground turned to water at his touch. Sealing symbols began to form as the ground settled back into it’s original state of flatness. The purple irises began to shake a little in a fear he hadn’t felt in some time. He had only read stories about the creature he was dealing with and knew full well of the seals needed to calm it back down into the body of whoever it accepted into…but watching this creature trying to break free brought on a terrifying feeling. Was the boy the spirit harbored not ready to face the trials he was destined to see? The monk before him had the restraint of a living Saint. The woods that tried to reclaim the spirit from man failed against Rokkoyō. The tests were placed there as it was told to all the remaining Seraphim on the day he departed that anyone seeking the Truth had to pass these trails first.

The ripples on the ground settled and he lifted the staff up as menacingly as his small form could as he cried out,
“Calm thyself or face the wrath of my chains! This is not the path you seek!”
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
Another howl pierced through the air as the metamorphosis rapidly approached its final stage, layers upon layers of clay hardening into a nigh impenetrable shell belonging to an entity capable of bringing the concept of a ‘walking fortress’ to whomever was unfortunate enough to stand against him. Its hulking form towered over even the tallest of trees by the time it started treading forward in its efforts to take in the sights of the valley below. ”Are your intentions to deny me of this freedom, little Seraphim..? The creature was stopped in its tracks as the ground began to swallow him up by the divine spirit’s doing, although at this point it seemed more likely there was nothing besides genuine curiosity actually keeping him in place. ”While I hold great love for these lands, know that I hold no qualms to watch it be reborn from its ashes if I must. It is but a matter of time to me.”

With an agonizing crack Hōrai tore free from its bindings, uprooting a sizeable portion of the forest in the process. What parts that had been caught by the sealing spell were instantly discarded before it could get a proper foothold, crumbling away from its body only to grow back almost instantaneously: While not even at full power it would already be a sight to behold, if only the consequences of its actions didn’t have such a dire impact on its surroundings. Each lumbering step a tremor, each whim a potential future disaster, this colossus had strayed far from the stories of old where it was known as a benevolent force of nature, whereas it was now to be known as little more than a vengeful monstrosity. Spines of clay began to protrude from its shell, the image of a titanic tortoise promptly shifting to something more akin to a grotesque porcupine. Whatever their purpose may be, it seemed to be a clear indicator the creature’s generosity of not immediately ravaging the lands was coming dangerously close to its limits.

”... Are you implying that you actually intend to stop me..? I strongly urge you to reconsider.” Its gaze fixated on the child-like being after registering its threats. Hōrai didn’t break eye contact even once as the quills grown from its back were erected upwards and without any announcement they were sent flying skywards. Deadly silence preluded a series of violent explosions that tore open the heavens, causing the very ground beneath their feet to tremble which such force that for the briefest of moments standing upright almost seemed futile. ”Unlike before, I don’t think that someone will be showing up to dissuade me, so unless you very much desire to see my beloved home in ruins in an ensuing battle I do not see why you still blight me with your presence.” Its booming voice was like an avalanche that rolled throughout the entire mountain range, announcing to all that would hear it that their patron guardian had returned after so many centuries, although with the significant changes to show for it. ”So begone! Or I will give you plenty of reasons for a proper grudge to hold against me!”
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The Seraphim stood perplexed. This wasn’t the beast that they had been taught about all these years. Sure the monk had smirked and said sometimes the mountain spirit had an attitude but the beast seemed to straight up threaten the small one for dominance over the freedom it suddenly chose to take. Perhaps being too close to the mountain was far more than the youth could handle or something deeper triggered the creature from erupting out. It wasn’t for him to say, things were now officially beyond the measure of his grasp. The land’s sudden upheaval against him as trees flew and the heavens tore opened to show the measured strength it displayed; the Small One knew all too well that it was holding back.

The golden pillar of light in the center of the mountain slowly shrank until nothing but a glimmer remained. The True Treasure was going through the rituals it needed to awakened without need of the Seraphim to activated it. Panic shot through every part of his body as his small body was lifted into the air from the uproar of the world around him. Non of this was mentioned in the prophecies or drawings left behind. The child-like creature had spent more years than he’d like to recollect studying and fending off the would be poachers. He so very much looked forward to finally getting to go home back to his realm having served time in this one as it had been agreed upon. Raising his hands up into a prayer formation and muttering something wordlessly the holy creature’s body flickered and reappeared on the shoulder of the great beast. His arms were outstretched and the gnarled wooden staff appeared in his hand as he clenched it tightly. All of his body language said stop.

“Please, I beg of thee, go no further,” the Seraphim spoke with a serious urgency in his eyes, “My kind has served thou spirit and protected the mountain that is thou body long after you were forced from it. Thy own physical form is literally bound by Holy Contract to do no harm unto you, so please heed these words! If ye proceed through this mountain in that form it will rise against you! There is a reason for these trails and they must be completed by the avatar! See reason o Great One, That Which Makes the Valley!”

A soft golden wave of light pulsed from the center of the forest and the Seraphim felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. It was too soon and if this went on much long it would mean his further imprisonment to this land. Yet he didn’t have time to try and talk the great land spirit back into the body of the child nor had the power to force it back. Placing his hands back into a prayer the holy creature’s body flickered from the shoulder and off into the distance in the form of a pure beam of holy energy. In the same direction the great golden energy pulsed from.

[MFT]
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
Centuries of being amongst the creatures he had grown to despise, creatures he had been subservient to whilst his power was used for their own trivial and selfish pursuits when compared to the grand scheme of the world. Having this be your every waking moment was enough to break the spirits of even the noblest of beings, and thus Hōrai was no exception: How the seething titan had wanted to lash out at the humans, to instill dread for the atrocities each and every one of them seemed to be not only capable of committing, but so very often with the level of eagerness that it may as well condemn their entire species. Much like how they would not pauze before squashing whatever they deemed to be a pest, so too would he operate from here on out. The aching in his heart for starting this revolution on the holy soil dedicated to the sole exception to this was completely nullified by the blinding rage that made short work of any rational thought that got to him. From here on out his generosity had run out, and the next volley would surely hit their mark with devastating results to show for it.

”...” Yoshihisa stirred in his subconscious against his newfound bonds, not even remotely aware of what was taking place outside nor did the inner workings seem like something he could make sense of even if he wanted to. Utterly trapped, it seemed that the youth should make peace with his position and go back to sleep, something he would have done if it wasn’t for the nagging sensation around his wrists. The shackles vibrated in response to whatever powers were in play out there, more specifically they were desperately trying to amplify the binding magic used by the kami, to no avail. Briefly their efforts would cease only to return in full force almost as if revitalized by the display of holy energies. ”...!” The host to the soon-to-be rampaging force of nature was subjected to a sharp stinging sensation across his entire body, causing his bloodshot eyes to crack open. When the realization dawned on him on his current whereabouts and the events leading up to them, Yoshihisa’s bewilderment was but short-lived as he knew now would be the time to act despite his own feelings: The first and thus far only instance where this had come to pass the results had been devastating, and he didn’t think he could shoulder more of the guilt this time around. Time was of the essence!

Unaware of the reawakening, Hōrai found himself far too mesmerized by the light to pay much mind to such things, instead wanting to get a grasp on what was transpiring here and whether or not it was meant to be used against him. For despite the fact that he had known of the trial since its inception, it was far too early to simply assume that the guardians hadn’t put their own safeguards in place after the first jinchuuriki had departed. ”Your Holy Contract was never meant to speak for me, Seraphim, and if it absolutely does wish to stan-..” The monologue was abruptly cut off. Patches of bright chakra had appeared on the titan’s surface and like wildfire they enveloped his body, not unlike the clay had done to the host body. He had been caught completely off guard by the radiant energies erupting forth from his core, knowing that it was already too late before the silent struggle finally came to an end: As his newly gained form crumbled beneath him, so too did the ill feelings that clouded his judgement melt away. A pang of shame was all that he felt before his consciousness faded into the background, the reins once more passed to the young man that stood there half buried beneath the piles of rubble. The darkness cast forth by the conjured storm had returned without much ceremony, although this time around it found itself warded off by the last remaining beacons of light that were the shackles, still shining as bright as the sun.

“.. The voices.. are gone..”
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
The forest shuddered as the beast withdrew back into his cage. Once again it appeared under control of the man meant to be tested, though it seemed the ancient trees around him were under their own test; of endurance. For what seemed like an eternity the forest remained dead quiet as the golden pillar of light that pierced the black clouds above continued strong. Then in the blink of an eye it simply disappeared with a loud ‘pop’. It caused a wave of kinetic energy to rush through the trees and past the shinobi buried in the rubble of his own creation.
As it rushed past he would notice a strange warming sensation pass through not just his body but his entire being. If there was any form of peace that had ever been felt by Yoshi it would reflect once more through his body and mind but only for a brief moment. Just as quickly as the sweet taste of nirvana began to stroke the tongue of his spirit it was gone.

On an off-key note the insects began to chirp again and animal by animal the forest began to speak to each other again now that the gods were done throwing their hissy fits. If the young man was paying any attention to his surroundings perhaps he would catch that moment of his fleeting existence when compared to the endless death march that was the world around him. His shackles vibrated every so slightly and tugged in the direction the light had come from with about the strength of a toddler trying to get their parent to look at something. Even rather more it was like a suggestion. The voice of guidance that had been the Seraphim was nowhere to be heard and rather or not the test continued was probably a matter of opinion. Yet the shackles continued to tug at his wrists as if pleading with him.

In the rather far distance where the light had exploded from was a pyramid like temple with four pillars at each of the corners towering high over the center structure’s tip. It was made of a strange green stone that nearly made it impossible to see with the surrounding trees. In the front was a large double stone door meant to allow the entry and exit of beings far larger than mankind and they had been thrown open by a desperate creature of the heavens as it rushed deep into the darker parts of the building simply phasing through walls to avoid the countermeasures set up to guard the deepest part. He turned a sharp corner and ran into a pitch black room. With a swift motion of his hands the Small One asked the fires of the torches in the room to be lit and all but one stubborn old torch in the center row of the left wall came to life. Ignoring the unlit stick he raised his hand to gently touch the gigantic metal square structure in the middle of the room.

“He can’t get to this…he is not ready…”

[Sorry again for the lateness!]
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
Fading in and out of consciousness and along the way having lost all perspective of time, it seemed like with the level of bodily trauma inflicted by the transformation the young man was pretty much down for the count. The call of the destiny this place has in store for him were generally lost on him, the tugging from his wrists were all that managed to reach him if only because his body was in shambles and even the lightest of touches sent sickening waves throughout. When relief came in the form of the mystical energy enveloping him Yoshihisa was briefly brought back to his senses, barely long enough to assess the situation at hand and yet it didn’t prevent him from acting upon the window of opportunity he had been given.

”Hhgggnnnn..” Another blackout, although this time upon waking he found himself freed from his bonds, the clay drone he had called forth during the instance of lucidity had taken to its single minded task with great vigor, for even now it was still hard at work in order to downsize what remained of the debris scattered about. Yoshihisa took to collecting his wits, blankly staring up at the sky as he pondered on what to do next: The shackles were still very much determined to get him to follow their guidance, but he knew in the shape he found himself now he would not be able to perform to the full extent of his powers, let alone take another mental assault like the one that had brought him to his knees in the first place. But as relentless as they urged him on, the shinobi couldn’t help but bring himself to flash a weary smile, a thin trickle of blood running down his chin as he did. Looks like in this journey as a whole, he’d long since lost any say over what path to take next, almost as if it were a theme of sorts.

After some much needed rest the time was upon him to answer whatever force was beckoning towards a destination unknown, signs that would have served as immediate red flags in any other scenario. Not to say that he was in the clear with how things had turned out, but more than ever there was the vibe which told him to throw himself into the deep end in order to get back on track. ”I can’t say I had envisioned myself taking such a turn, but it can’t be helped.” His movements were strained as he got himself back on his feet, rolling his shoulders as he looked around at the devastation he would leave in his wake. It was indeed beyond him now for these wounds to close, a thought resonating through his head as another pair of wings sprouted from his back and about to set off, leaving nature to fend for itself. Could he really in good conscious do something so heinous, so utterly detestable that the extreme stance adopted by the titan seemed to be somewhat justified? It left him without words, knowing that potentially vital resources spend here were not going to be available down the line, all the while unaware what the gods of this trial might throw at him next. ”.. It really can’t, huh?”

Soaring through the sky with the guidance of his only lead he knew that while it may not have been the solution to the problem, he had made the decision closed to his heart: As he set out to meet with destiny and long afterwards, the drone left behind would carry on its work together with its freshly spawned brethren, the sole purpose before their chakra ran out being to undo at least some of the damage that had ravaged the lands that day. It was the least he could do to distinguish himself from the men that had long since plagued them.

[MFT]
 

Ryuu Rei

Mayor of Flavortown
Staff member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
2,608
Yen
639,690
ASP
69
Deaths
0
In the distance the sun was starting to rise giving off a weird skyline as the bloody golden rays of warmth were blocked by the bleak shadows of gray that still hung in the sky. As the young man rushed towards the destination his ringing wrists called him to he would feel a nearly overwhelming sense of ‘right’. Some would try to call the actions of his movements something like ‘destiny’ or ‘fate’, yet in all honesty all he needed to do was turn around and leave. The treasure that had been left here was to be there for one who was ready to receive it. Yoshi may have given in to the tremendous amount of fateful shenanigans around him but he still had as much free will as the next human; in fact he would need it soon.

As he soared through the sky the youth would find himself directly over the large pyramid when the cuffs would finally stop rattling. A floating feeling in the shinobi’s stomach would alert him to the presence of something familiar to the creature of power that resided inside of his body. The doors were still thrown open and there was still no sign of the seraphim in sight. Once his feet touched down on the ground a soft golden light would emit from where his foot fell in a soft ripple against the stones around him. A strange energy rose from this part of the mountain to welcome him and the being he kept imprisoned. A small quiet, almost mournful, voice spoke behind him,
“Not a single mortal has ever made it this far and yet I’m not sure how I feel about it,” the Small One slowly walked into Yoshi’s direct line of sight with his head hung low. “I was supposed to prepare you for the meeting inside and yet somehow I’ve managed to fail after countless summers. I don’t think you’re worthy to even gaze upon this very place…but, I’ve been instructed to let you proceed anyways.”

The Seraphim slowly waddled over to a stone in the walkway that had been set up as part of decoration; he used it to sit. The creature hung his head low and refused anymore questions the boy would have about the temple or it’s tests. Stoic silence was all that was returned.

Inside the great walls of the building the traps and tunnels that had all been set up to mislead, threaten, and test the willpower of those meant for this test had all been disabled. There was a single central staircase that lead up, over a small bridge where below was the whole maze, and then descended down to where the great metal cube laid in wait. Two holes where burrowed into the front that looked like it would fit the shackles perfectly and just as such there was a hand in the middle as well. Perhaps one last test?
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
694
Yen
103,500
ASP
0
Deaths
0
After his landing Yoshihisa took time to make himself somewhat presentable, dusting off his heavy coat until it was the closest to spotless he managed to get it. With his every muscles aching and his joints stiff he knew that there was not much of a prolonged fight left in him despite taking a breather, something that may come back to bite him if he didn’t properly plan ahead his next steps with that in mind. But the cautious and well-mannered exterior of the young man revealed the first cracks as he felt the familiar energy approach him, the words spoken almost inviting a similar response of his own. ”Fret not, for I will make sure that these are the last guard duties you’ll have to perform, although I can’t say that I envy you for your position anymore: Some similarities have become almost painfully obvious.” Very much like his guide, the shinobi didn’t appear too keen on giving any further explanations from there on out, keeping quiet as he followed closely behind.

Upon their ascension of the staircase it hit him, the realization that this was very much why he had gotten disillusioned with faith throughout his life despite his upbringing, the fact that he was never treated as an equal nor would ever find himself in that position, that while he may not be set up to fail throughout these trials, he was never set up to succeed either. Skeptical as he was about myths at this point, was this truly how someone like Rokkoyō-sama had envisioned his spiritual heir-apparant would present himself to him? While casting a glance at the maze stretched out below, he knew that it was but speculation based on whatever filmsy evidence he’d had for the existence of such a figure, an entity if you will of which he had only heard first-hand accounts from a creature who didn’t seem to have more than his own interests in mind. It wasn’t until he had laid eyes on the cube as another vessel of his ‘destiny’ and the most straightforward take on its mechanics that he felt like he was done handing others the reins.

”Humans have always regarded the divine spirits of this world with great curiosity and devotion, assigning them an ever-growing repertoire of qualities that make them nearly omnipotent if not taken with a grain of salt. But as little as a single glance into my heart may have prevented this whole debacle, to convince you I wasn’t ready.” He let out a bitter chuckle, his eyes permanently fixated on the holes that may be designed to house his shackles. Stepping closer, he ran his gloved hands across the metallic surface of the cube, briefly wondering what it could possibly house that was important enough to make this arduous journey for, highly doubting it was worth all the hopes shattered, all the lives lost. ”Your services are no longer required by me, so your time might be better spend helping nature recover from the damage I’ve caused.” And with that, he carefully placed his hand on the imprint in between the slots to see what would kind of response it would trigger: He honestly cared very little anymore, despite his numerous burning questions in attempt to gain some clarity.

[MFT]
 

Current Ninpocho Chronicles Time:

Back
Top