As the camouflage shinobi sprinted up the mountain, he thought back on the words he had spoken with the priest. To save the young woman, he would have to pull out all the spots, he had to be brutal in his efficiency if he was to survive this encounter. A single movement or actions out of place could very well end either his life or hers. So he ponder these thoughts as he continued up the hill of snow, he senses alert for threats at every corner. Yet it seemed he had misjudged the height of this place, the whiteness of the snow becoming near blinding as he ran for minutes. Shin was lucky that he had camouflaged his body, it would have been easy to have fallen into a trap in this environment. At least, that was until the snow start blending into a dark red color. Glancing down at his feet, he saw different spots of red covering up the trail towards the temple, his brow narrowing at this sight. Sniffing the air, he caught the scent, making his blood stir.
Fresh Blood? But I don’t see any bodies, the patterns in the snow are almost random in nature.
As he looked up from his gaze, he saw the spots of blood, cover what appeared to be stone stairs. Slowing his speed, he step carefully over the spots, and began taking the steps upwards. As Shin walked, he found him safe gazing at the entrance of the shrine, a large wooden beam hanging above head, and the sight of normality. It seemed like a classical shrine, nothing overly impressive; however it made Shin pause. He was expecting, something a bit more worst for wear, not still function shrine. Checking around the place, he found nothing out of the ordinary, not every the sight of anything that would support the claim of the demon maid. He wondered if he had walked into a genjutsu, however that idea was shoot down rather quickly as he attempted to cancel and nothing happened.
This doesn’t make sense. Could the priest have been mistaken? Katsuhito had shown abilities unnatural for a man of the cloth to have, and there was something off about his presence.
Yet I would know if he was demonic, especially with my lineage.
Questioning the oddity of the place, he found his thoughts broken as a humming sound could be heard towards back towards the front. Quietly, he briskly walked back towards there, the humming becoming louder and the sound of wooden slamming against stone. Turning the corner he found himself gazing at what appeared to be a shrine maid, one with a large stave in one hand with chakrams tied to her person. As the woman continued humming, Shin stealth walked around the cover to get a better view, when an unnatural chill rolled down his spine. It was followed by almost a welcoming presence, one he knew only too well. Evil. Dropping down a single hand, he began gathering chakra in his palm, a small orb slowly appearing.
He had verification that this maiden was Yamane Kinuyo, and wasn’t going to leave anything to chance. Still within sheath, he allowed the woman to continuing practicing with her stave, oblivious to the threat as the ball of chakra become a rapid spinning sphere. Within out pause, Shin struck, his body coming back into view as the camouflage was broken and his blow stuck Kinuyo in her side. As the blow was stuck, the woman body exploding into a mist of blood covered him, ending the Rasengan pre maturely. As the blood dripped from him, he felt a sharp jolt of pain cover through his body.
The hell.. A sudden rush of wind from above caused him to jump back, the form of a woman slamming onto the spot he was previously, cracking the stone.
“Hm, you a bit better than the usual people he sends.”
The woman turn, revealing the face of Yamane Kinuyo, her stave pointed at the trainee and a cruel smile on her face. Shin remained silently as his body flicker in and out of camouflage. He should have expected a clone, yet one of made of blood? That was something entire new. Shifting he weight he prepared for her assault, cameo holding, but barely. Grinning, the woman, took a step forward, before thrusting her empty hand at him. A prickling sensation made him roll out of the way, as large spikes of darkness shot up under him, managing only graze him. Getting up quickly, he had little time to block as he was stuck in his side by the stave, the unholy strength of the weapon, lifting him off his feet and crashing back down onto the ground. Pushing himself off the ground, he found himself nearly caught off ground as she close the gap she created and began to bring down the weapon onto his head. Thrusting his hands outward, he shouted.
“Shinra Tensei!”
The sudden weight of gravity slamming the charging priest, blowing her back and causing her to land a few feet away from him. Yet, he didn’t let up, his hands blurring through hand signs as he thrusted his palms forward, a surge of lighting firing off from them as he attempted to strike down the recovering woman. As the column of energy neared her, the woman body seemed too vanished on the moment of the impact, before she reappeared, no worse for wear. She even seemed to be smiling as her hands began going through a blur, causing Shin to return back into his combat stance.
“I would be disappointed if one of my kind couldn’t at least make this fight enjoyable. Come… enjoy the rain!”
As she finished her speech, he felt something wet hit his next, before his sight become soaked in red. The smell of blood was heavy in the air, as the rains cover the temple, causing it to truly reflect the woman’s name shake. Kinuyo sprinted at him then, her stave spinning in hand before it touch the ground, and thrust forward, launching three waves of darkness at Shin. Shin, sprinted forward regardless, moving careful through the fast attack, dodge all but one as the wave stuck his chest, throwing him backwards as he pointed at the woman, shooting a bullet of light too quick for her eyes to track, striking her in the chest. His hand managed to stop her approach for a moment, before she shook it off. Smiling, she jump back before point down at Shin; seconds later he was slammed by a wave of red before he was able to regain his footing. The shinobi then pointed at the woman, grasping his hands upward before pointing to the ground. As he did, the priestess was lifted off the ground, before she found herself slammed on the stone. However as she rose up, he noticed a small shield cracking as the woman laughed. Shin felt the blood in him stir as his angry grew.
Kinuyo looked at stave in her hands before slamming it into the ground, her chakrams suddenly in her grasp as she blurred through hand signs. Shin refused to allow her to finish, his fingers moving slightly quicker as he shoot off another bullet of light. The woman, took the blow without flinching before slamming on hands onto the bloody ground. An eruption of shadows appeared between then as a creature, which could only be considered a dragon appeared, roaring as look down at the trainee. It seemed that the demonic maid no longer wished to waste time as she spin the weapons in her hand as her creature attacked.
Shin felt his heart race, his blood calling out of war against the creature. With two opponents, he would be hard fought to win, especially against such a being. Moving quickly out of the creatures range, his eyes widen as dragon’s mouth unlocked and he was greeted by sight of black flames. As the rain down on him, Shin clinched his teeth from the pain, these flames far weaker than those of the Uchiha he had face weeks ago. Jumping back, he was intercepted by Kinuyo, who wasted no time to cut across his chest, before kicking him away. The blows felt like a cannon as he was pushed back, however he forced himself to land roughly on his feet as he wasted no time thrust his hands forwards, causing gravity to shift. Bleeding from his wounds, he felt a sharp pain as a whip made of blood slashed across him as Kinuyo approached with her barely restrained dragon. As they neared, he felt himself smile under his cracking mask, as the dragon mouth seemed to open once again to rain down fire.
“Die.”
Shin spoke in a low voice, his hands finished signing as the air above them became distorted as blazing balls of energy stuck their location. The dragon cave death howl as he vanished, while both Shin and Kinuyo were knocked back by the force of the attack. Both of them found themselves back on their feet staring at each other. The woman still smiled dangerous, however it seemed more forced than genuine. She gripped her weapons tightly as she charge back towards, attempting to hit him. Shin dodge the blow, landing a powerful blow to her head before push off her. As he stepped back, she spat out the blood before grinning madly, as he felt something strike him from behind. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw as his shadow shifted back, causing a small growl in his throat. This only seemed to amuse the woman, as she laughed, before following up with assault from a blade crafted from blood. By now, the rains had stopped, and the blood was thick at their feet. As she attempted to strike, Kinuyo would find her movements heavy, causing her a few moments. It allowed Shin to move out of the way before, he allowed his body to fade once again into camouflage.
Kinuyo smile fade as she looked for the shinobi, attempted to draw him out by slashing against empty air. A few her blows came close, but for the most part, Shin was able to hide and move slowly out of her range. The priestess was becoming agitated, her movements being through off the area of gravity he had effect, but that would soon vanish. He need to end this fight quickly, he wasn’t sure how many more blows he could take, before his rage would overcome his mind again and he would forget about saving the woman.
“If you want to hide like a rat little demon, I will purge you like one!”
Kinuyo screamed as the blood on the ground formed a mist like substance cover their battlefield. He felt a burn sensations as his flesh seemed to bubble from the mist touch, causing his clinch his teeth once more. Kinuyo seemed to laugh, even as her own skin burn from the acidic mist.
“Still silent? I wonder if those villagers will be the same.”
Shin remain silent, even as the pain burned his body, and the woman seemed oblivious to her own. He had to do this right, if he screwed up this time, he doubted he would be given a second chance. Point at the priest, he fired off another bullet of light, strike her back, and causing her to run as she saw him fade back into view. Before she could attack, he slammed his feet into the ground and gave an unholy howl, his body being covered by a sinister aura. This seemed to made Kinuyo pause, eye widening as she cancel her attack before shooting off pillars of blood at him. He took the blows, the damage barely facing him as he sprinted towards her, his body screaming as his body filled will the strength of his ancestors. Kinuyo attack with her chakrams, causing Shin to dodge before he pushed forward his hands, his voice distorted as he scream out.
“Shinra Tensei!”
The blow stuck, however Kinuyo seemed to appear right next to him striking down onto him as the false image fade and more injuries appeared on his already damaged body. But the genjutsu would not save her, as he caused a spiraling sphere to appear in his hands, this one sparking with a mixture of darkness and electricity. Striking the woman, he knew it hit a solid blow as she was blown backward, her body skidding on the ground.
“Rasen-Flash.”
The woman got up, her eyes showing a mixture a fear and rage; her body involuntary twitching as sparks of fade from her form. Shin felt the effects of his ability burning his body, his only saving graze that he was recovering slightly fast than he was being injured. Sprinting towards the woman, he went through quick hands signs, even as the woman managed to strike him with pillars of shadows in attempted to throw him off. As the sky ripped above him, the area was stuck once again with the balls of energy, only this time they were covered in an aura of darkness as the struck. Kinuyo vanished from view, before the shinobi felt a familiar prickling sensation, causing Shin to turn rapidly towards his left and punch blindly. He caught something solid before he brought in a stunned Kinuyo, grabbing her elbow and shattering it.
“Aggh. You-”
Shin didn’t let her finished as he rained blows down onto the woman, the tide of the battle turning as he felt his energy slowly flickering. Even with the possession giving her strength, only so many blows a being could take before they reached their limited. As he drew the last punch, knocking her to the ground, he felt his aura vanish and his knees began to hide the ground, his breath heavy as he tried to control his breathing. Kinuyo seemed to try to push herself off the ground, but with a broke elbow, the injured priestess could not balance herself.
“I-I’ll kill you! Fucking bastard!”
Shin said nothing as he dragged his body off to her, his hands heavy as he began slamming his hands down onto the woman’s head. The priestess attempted to stay away, but with specific blows at her skull, she passed out, letting the shinobi to drop to the ground. His body screamed in pain for the encounter, but he had managed to beat her, even though he felt like he was dying. I’m still too week. Looking at the unconscious woman, careful broke her uninjured hand, before attempting to gather back his strength. He had not done this with malicious intent, rather, do restrain the woman for being able to cast jutsu on their way back towards the village. He would be too weak to fight once more and he wasn’t going to take any chances with this priest exorcism. Ripping off parts of his uniform, he tied up the unconscious priestess and waited for some of his energy to return.
***
Shin slowly saw the village come back into view as his feet dragged across the last few stretches of Mt. Kubyoshi. The possessed priestess hand attempted to attack him, yet she quickly found herself unable to move with a Shin having restrained her tightly and broken a few bones to keep her like that. As he neared to bottom, his found his gaze looking down at the small gather of five people, each with bandages across their heads. Including in the ground was the Head Priest, however, his bandages gone as he stared at the approaching figure with an odd set of eyes. They seemed to ripple slightly, causing Shin to feel the vibe of danger coming of him as he did before.
“Head Priest Katsuhito.”
The man looked at the priestess in his possession, before his eyes seemed to glow with some measure of respect. He turned to the other four, lightly touching their shoulders. The men made room for him as he placed the priestess down, her eyes burning holes into him as she still struggled to break free. The head priest turned, slamming his staff down as he looked at the woman, his action being repeated by the other four.
“Quickly brothers.”
The priest began chanting, their voices being familiar, yet very foreign with their words. He managed to catch the words Raiden and Light; but for the most part he could not understand the chant. As they spoke, it seemed as the ground shook with their voices, a small glow slowly forming around the body of Kinuyo as the woman tried to break the bindings. Shin used what little strength he had to use in weight to restrain her, even as the glow became brighter. The chants began to pick up and the glow brighten, as the woman began thrashing, her eyes becoming black with a single red iris glaring at him. The evil aura seemed to raise, as if trying to challenge the bright glow of the priest. Katsuhito slammed his staff down, causing the glow to erupt, making the woman buckle as the demon in her tried to fight. Shin himself felt like his lungs were on fire as the chant began picking up, the glows flashing rapidly as the other priest began slamming their staffs down in a rhythm. As Kinuyo eyes seemed to bleed out the blackness; Katsuhito yelled something, his voice causing the ground to shake even more as he slammed his staff down, making the light blind them.
Shin fell backwards, his hands on ground as the pain slowly left his body. He felt hands slowly help him to his feet, as he stared at the head priest, the man looking drained yet, smiling.
“Are you okay Kyōfuno?”
Shin nodded, his shakily attempt to stay on his feet. He looked down at the priestess, her eyes close and skin pale, yet the aura of evil no longer plaguing her. The priest followed his gaze and gripped his shoulder.
“We owe our success to you.”
“I…just did my duty.”
“Never the less, we have your thanks. Priestess Kaniyo has been purified and the demon banished. Come, let us tell the news to the others.”
Shin shook his head, shaking the man’s hands off as he looked at him. He wanted to question the man, especially as those eyes stared at him, analyzing his movements and his reaction. Even though he was masked, it seemed like the man could see through him. But, this wasn’t his job, and it was time to leave.
“Perhaps another time, Head Priest. I am need back home.”
The man didn’t say anything, only nodding as he and the other priest carefully movement the priestess back towards the village. Shin watched them silently, before turning in the direction of his home and slowly dragging himself there.
[End of Part III]
[Topic Left]
[WC: 3155]
[MFT]
OCC:
[Yamane Kinuyo’s attacks]
Black Eruption
Blood Clone
Untruth
Dark Displacement
Ebony Nightmare
Red Haze
Red Tide
Sanguine Shield
Shadow Punishment
