Of Scorpions and Sunsets [Contract Search]

[Kazu]

"Give it up, you little fuck! That shit doesn't work on me."

Yatamaru taunted a scorpion nestled in his palm, poking and prodding at its hard exoskeleton, in response to its attempted stings. He was not concerned about the lethal dose of poison contained within the arachnid. His confidence could be equally attributed to either his drunken state or his puppet body, which was far tougher than steel. Suffice to say, the former was the more likely of the two.

The sun beat down on the desert that surrounded him, though he paid it no mind. He was here running an errand, and he had little interest in this task taking longer than needed. On his back, he carried a wooden box filled a quarter of the way with live scorpions. Not just any scorpion either — these were Shuriken Scorpions, the deadliest in all of the Land of Wind. They are nondescript and small; furthermore, they have no unique or identifying traits. Or at least, not on the outside. This sucks. Stupid scorpions, making things difficult. Stop squirming so much!

It was simple, but tedious, work. Being drunk certainly helped make things more fun.

He methodically checked every single one. Keeping the Shuriken Scorpions, he let the rest go and continued on his way. Why did he need the venom? Mostly as a weapon: the toxin, Necrosis, is incredibly deadly, making it the perfect thing to coat all his puppet's weapons with. He figured instead of having to keep coming out here to gather the poison, he'd gather the source. He'd breed the scorpions, and never run out of Necrosis.

Why was he drunk? Reasons. Yatamaru pulled out his flask, took a drink, then put it back. Time to move on.

Tasks like these made Yatamaru appreciate how useful his body had become, at least for a short while. He shuddered to think how he would have managed such a task before the procedure, letting his mind wander back through his memories as his body continued its work. That's the thing with monotony: once you get into a rhythm, things just seem to flow. In what felt like no time at all, the sun had sunk low into the sky and his back had grown heavy with toxic treasure.

Crimson beams washed over the gently sloping dunes, creating the illusion of great flames enveloping the entire desert. There wasn't much that impressed the troubled tinkerer these days, but this sight was certainly one of them. He was about to call it a day, but something about this sunset spoke to him on a spiritual level — he couldn't explain it much better than that. He lingered, wanting to soak in this sunset just a little longer. Another few sips from his flask wouldn't hurt either.

Maybe there's still hope for me, after all. If only he'd remembered to bring a pack of smokes, that would've really made this moment magical. Even though his nicotine deficiency was rather aggravating, there was still something charming about this moment. The wind was uneasy, the muffled sounds of snapping pincers and clicking legs adding a hostile undertone. The desert before him was equal parts beauty and danger, working together in harmony. There was a metaphor in there somewhere.

[mft]

 

[Tomomi]

YOU HAVE FOUND THE SHARK CONTRACT! DO YOU ACCEPT OR DECLINE THIS CHALLENGE?​

 

[Kazu]

I accept! Bring on the land sharks!

 

[Tomomi]

Unfortunately for Yatamaru, came to the wrong neighborhood again. Due to unbearable heat and the temperature easily reaching into the triple digits, any poor sap that decided to voyage during the day was going to end up with their body reaching dangerous levels for dehydration and could easily be left with hallucinating as their mind and body tried to combat the heat. This would be where our little drunken friend known as Oda Yatamaru's mind and body would be especially with consuming so much alcohol that he already typically wasn't in the right state of mind for himself. It didn't help matters that he would blink merely one time and he would see an oasis right in front of him literally inches away with four muscular, deranged-looking hybrids between a shark and a human. Oh, he could rub his eyes and smack himself to see if he was imaging things but he certainly was not even if he was completely sober.

As he looked on from his location obviously probably confused and cursing at least fifty words, one of these hybrids would turn and look at him which prompted the other three to turn as well and stare at him with a look of excitement on their faces as they saw fresh meat. Hell, one of them would begin to walk towards him since he seemed to be reacting slowly, but the other three would stop him from doing so since it wasn't fair to kill something when it wasn't even right in the head. Of course, they didn't know that he was drunk at all but the way that he presented himself just standing there didn't help matters either. In all honesty, they were somewhat confused why someone would merely walk right up to them and not even flinch; something seemed off.

​

However, they were creatures that needed to eat and standing around with their thumbs twiddling wouldn't sit too well for them for long. So the hammerhead looking one would speak to him and that is how this all started: "Boy! What are you doing here? This is our territory and we don't take too kindly to strangers. I advise that you walk away and pretend that you never saw this place or be willing to pay with your life. Choose wisely as there are four of us and only one of you." There was no physically confrontation just yet as they all kept their distance from this odd individual, but one could tell that mere talking wasn't going to last for too long especially with creatures that feasted on flesh, blood, and other animals on a daily basis.

What would Yaramaru do with a great white, hammerhead, tiger and whale shark all standing only mere feet away from him? Would he even survive or would he die off like most creatures did when they met a shark in their life? Find out in the next episode of Street Shark Hybrids and a Drunk Man: Worlds Apart!

 

[Kazu]

God damn it, don't tell me these things are psychedelic too! Alright, calm down. You've tripped in crazier places before.

There weren't really a whole lot of other explanations. Dehydration wasn't an issue to a puppet, and considering this was Yatamaru it was entirely plausible that he drunkenly took a swig of the poison samples by mistake. Who knows what kind of crazy effects that might have? Probably crazy enough to see and hear humanoid sharks all the way out in the middle of the desert.

As one does when considering whether the crazy things they're seeing are real or not, Yatamaru simply stood there and regarded the creatures for a moment. A mixture of confusion, curiosity, and surreal acceptance framed his mindset as he responded to the talking hammerhead shark-man.

"Man, that's just, like, your opinion. It's a big desert, bro, there's enough room for all of us!" Rule number one of a trip: don't take anything too seriously. Just let the good times roll, and you'll catch up with them eventually.

This certainly didn't feel like a trip, though. He would've expected things to be moving a bit more if it were. Perhaps they were real shark-men? That idea excited Yatamaru.

"How did you dudes even get out here? And what's with the limbs?" Oh man, that oasis looked comfortable. It was so inviting, too. Imagine the stories: 'I tripped with shark-men in a desert oasis' would be his new go-to tale when it came to psychedelics. "Why don't I come chill with you guys, and you can tell me your story? I'll tell you mine too, and that way we won't be strangers anymore." Yatamaru looked confident, relaxed, and in control. If the out-of-place predators had expected even an iota of fear, they'd be sorely disappointed.

I wonder if sharks smoke? How crazy cool would it be if they had a light?

 

[Tomomi]

If there was anytime for a metaphorically face palm in a situation, this was certainly the time as Yatamaru seemed unfazed by the presence of these hybrids that somewhat resembled Surudoi, the overlord of all sharks. Of course, Surudoi was a more intimidating individual than these four would ever be as compared to him, they were merely children playing in an adult's world. However, one could still not take these four lightly as what they lacked in experience, they made up for in other ways. It was inevitable that Yatamaru would soon discover this even in his current drunken stupor state. Hopefully for his sake though, he would realize he was in a difficult situation and could be in immediate danger if he didn't watch himself; but, that was unlikely unless he sobered up quickly and from their point of view, he was beyond a little buzzed. He was more or less looking like he was piss drunk.

In any case though, this odd human-being would try to release tension in the air. In order to do this, he would attempt to engage in small talk with them asking about their limbs and how they got out here while trying to offer an olive branch between them if they told him about themselves followed by him telling them about him. It would seem like a fair exchange in the mind of a rational thinker which is what the majority of the human species was capable of doing. But, Yata forgot one thing when trying to reason with them and that was the mere fact that he was talking to four individuals who only cared about themselves, their friends, their overlord, and their next meal. In other words, the shark hybrids could all understand what he was saying, but the logic behind his comments didn't make them feel any real emotion. Most of them still wanted to eat him as he was fresh meat.

However, the great white of the group would be the next to step forward and respond to the man. Unlike his hammerhead mate, he didn't show the same hint of angry as he seemed so far to be the calmest one of them all which was scary since great whites were one of the most dangerous sharks in the world. He even put a hand on the man's shoulder and gave a smile that showed all his razor-sharp teeth. It was then that he begun to talk: "You are right that there is plenty of desert for us all, but this oasis is our own property. We fought hard against any adversaries that tried to get in our way and there was a lot of blood and screaming involved for the poor saps that got in our way. We were ruthless in our attacks and defenses against them so young man, I would advise you to not take this situation too lightly. You are after all in our territory, but I will let you stay until your questions are all answered. So go on and come in."

With his last few words, his hand would go to the back of the man and he would push him forward towards the other sharks who didn't look as thrilled to have him coming further into their territory. This was made evident when the hammerhead and the other two would allow him in, but place themselves around him in a triangular pattern as they cracked their knuckles. Seemed that shit was going to go down and Mister Great White wasn't stopping it if it did. Could it be some form of initiation or did these sharks have some pact about prey distribution? Was Yata in trouble or would he find a way out of this? A lot of questions would seem to be left unanswered as the contract moderator finished his post.

 

[Kazu]

"Damn, you guys go hard. I respect that, fighting for what's yours. Would love to hear some of your war stories some time, dude."

Yatamaru was cool as a cucumber. He was really digging this hallucination, even though it had been kind of unannounced. The great white seemed to be in charge, so he was speaking to him directly.

"I don't mean to disrespect you or anything. I'm just running an errand," he shook the box he carried for emphasis, which produced a small chorus of angry clicks and scuttling noises in protest, "and was just heading home. Your oasis just kind of appeared in front of me!" Yatamaru was still so care free. As the pack leader directed him towards the other sharks, he seemed to just go along with it. However, a thought had just occurred to him: how did he actually push me just now?

Oh shit, these fuckers are real!

Yatamaru's brain went into overdrive, his ANBU instincts kicking in. He noticed how they'd positioned themselves, and their body language was quickly becoming a problem. Yatamaru kept a carefree facade, yet began setting into motion means of protection — should the need arise. Yatamaru still had the element of surprise, but felt like there might be more. In all his years infiltrating into enemy lines, he had always learned to follow the trail until the jig was up. Sometimes it's a trap, but often it's not. And when it's not, you learn some really interesting things.

"So, what do you guys do for fun around here? My day has been pretty boring, so I could use a bit of fun."

Stall. Think. Play their game. What is their game? Hopefully he wasn't the game.

Actions:
Set Non-Aggresive Zone using my own Puppet Body.
Began maintaining Channel Puppet.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

The Chronicles of Oda Yatamaru -1
The Iron Shark???​

After all that Yatamaru could have been, it seemed tragedy was his true heritage. He would find himself now at the crux of his existence. As he stumbled into the midst of beings with an aquatic nature that sought the utter destruction of their enemies and those whom had betrayed them. After the other Sharkanoids had told him it was best he leave an odd being stepped forth. His deep blue eyes shimmered and reflected silver light at night when he used his powers. His sense of perception was such that he could almost flawlessly predict an incoming attack and avoid the worst of it. Now he trained to be able to use more than just weapons, he trained to use his altered body as a weapon. It seemed he had found a kindred spirit as well, one whom had altered his body mechanically instead of genetically. A living weapon indeed, yes he could sense this one did not bleed easily, nor did he feel excess pain. This one had given up his humanity as readily as he had for the power to do what normal humans could not. Take revenge upon the world.

Yagami Hitagaki wore his silver grey hair long in a fashion that Yatamaru would have only seen in books with a matching mustache that linked to his sideburns, his muscular thick build gave him the illusion of being extremely old and slow. As old as he may have the others believe he was he was far, far older than they could imagine. Hitagaki was also as far from being slow as a sun lamp was from the light of the sun. His eyes were a fierce turquoise blue and though there were a few wrinkles and crows feet from age here and there his completely blue eyes stayed alert, sharp, and focused. He wore a black silk gi top with matching gi pants and no symbols anywhere on it. He did however have a clasp on his black silk belt that was obviously a shark. Hitagaki was very modest and well-groomed in a manner befitting a master killer. Yatamaru could see his upper torso and noticed a massive set of scars from his left waist to the right side of his chest. Something massive had tried to bite him and although the bite had left a mark it was obvious they had failed to kill him.

Hitagaki almost appeared to be waiting for Yatamaru. He strode over and dismissed the ruffians with a nod and they grew silent and moved away so quickly it was as if they had never been there. All other traces of life in the immediate vicinity vacated the area leaving only a faint salty breeze as Hitagaki circled Yatamaru in a manner as a shark would observe its prey from all sides. After becoming accustomed to Yatamaru’s scent he smiled with a mouth full of shiny white serrated teeth before speaking. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance Sunan. You seem to be in sore need of actual training so I will teach you how to use that magnificent mechanical body in exchange for 3 services. I have looked over your body and scented your remaining humanity. I knew of several humans like us that were experimented upon and granted immortality in exchange for our humanity. I know the cost you paid, it is not too different from my own except in your case you lost 90% of your human body where I only lost my internal organs and natural muscles. Since you stumbled upon our base here in order to not be forced to sacrifice you to our master I have decided to make you worthy of joining our ranks. You have seen some of our natural denizens so I am certain you can understand WHAT we are and I know you can imagine what we actually do. Before you attempt to tell me No, understand that I am perfectly and overwhelmingly prepared to kill you by removing your heart from your shell and adding it to my collection so make no mistake you WILL do what I require of you or perish. Hell, knowing what has happened to you, you might even be prepared to simply expire but what if I could offer you three flesh and blood bodies for you to exist within… Are you interested?” <i></i>

Threatened, coerced, cornered, intrigued, Yatamaru of the Oda family could indeed be all these things but would he accept Hitagaki’s offer or test his body against a confessed and overly professional killer whom seemed to know his condition better than he did.

 

[Kazu]

The game, its rules included, had just changed.

A new opponent had stepped forth, casting away the squad of sharkanoids with but a gesture. Oh? Yatamaru's emerald green eyes locked onto this newcomer's brilliant blue ones, an introduction beyond words. Their wills clashed in that moment, revealing how much of a man, and how much of a machine, they each were. He's so cold. So calculating. I can't take my eyes off him for a second. It wasn't a statement, it was a warning.

"The pleasure is all mine...erm, what should I call you?" Proper introductions were in order. "I'm Oda Yatamaru. Call me whatever you want."

Yatamaru took note of the scars across his torso. Shark bites? Not only was the man's appearance interesting, but his choice of words were too. He sure acts like he knows everything. Yatamaru half-listened, half-fumbled with one of his pockets. The sharp taste of whiskey filled his mouth, calming him ever so slightly. Quarter left, huh? It would be enough to get him back to the village, he hoped. His interest was being gauged — Yatamaru engaged cautiously in this conversation.

"You really know how to give a man a choice," chuckling, Yatamaru scratched at the back of his head. He was starting to get jittery from the lack of nicotine. "I'll gladly help you out, if help is what you need. Keep your rewards, I don't need them." I need time to understand these new rules. Let's see what he's playing at. Only problem is his attention was beginning to scatter. Time for a hail mary.

"Actually, there is something I need. You got some smokes, by any chance?" Yatamaru had heard the talk of mechanical bodies, but chose to ignore it. This man didn't realize it yet, but that was a hot topic issue. He could try, but a similar result was likely to occur. You don't know what I need.

What he really needed was that pack of smokes. He needed them now.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Hitagaki smiled serenely at Yatamaru. He stepped forward to stand directly in front of him and produced some ancient rum soaked tobacco and some honey resin coated papers for Yatamaru to roll his own cigarette or cigar with before turning his back and beckoning a chair over with a gravity pulse before siting down in front of Yatamaru like the football coach of the year about to converse with his star player. Having locked on to Yatamaru’s scent he smiled again with a mouth full of shiny white shark like teeth before speaking. “Good to meet you Yatamaru. My name is Yagami Hitagaki. It is refreshing to meet someone with such obvious restraint and acceptance. I said what I observed of you to provoke a response. Your response is adequate but if you are waiting for me to simply spill the beans without asking questions or responding to my own questions we won't be getting anywhere, any time soon. I told you nothing but what I observed to be the truth. Had you attacked me you would have been within your right and justified. I see you have prudence and caution but what you will need in the future is some good ol' fashioned aggression. ((taking a calming deep breath)) Keep the rum flavored tobacco, I have my own small island where I keep a private stock. Again I tell you no lies when I mention you ARE in sore need of actual training. Great need actually... I am willing to teach you how to use that mechanical body in exchange for 3 services. There is no threat... this is a bargain and should you display suitable aptitude you will be greatly compensated."<i></i>

 

[Kazu]

Sharks do smoke, I knew it.

"Hitagaki, for this gift you have my deepest thanks." Jackpot, in the most literal way possible. He was still, the exotic aromas overloading his senses, for a moment; the next, as if awakened from a deep hypnotic trance, he was himself. "Sorry, sometimes you've just gotta smell the roses. Or in this case..." his voice trailed off, too distracted to finish. The man took his seat and crossed his legs. He was expertly shaping and curling the honeyed papers around the rum soaked leaves, listening to his new friend speak.

"Hitagaki, please don't misunderstand. My temperance isn't a display of weakness, I simply couldn't care less what you say about me in a private conversation. Words are cheap — your actions speak far louder." That's Counterintelligence 101. Words are weapons. Puff, puff, pass...right back to himself, no sharing necessary. Thick clouds of smoke, filling his mind until it worked the way it was meant to. "Besides, you're thinking about it wrong. It's not about being aggressive all the time — it's about waiting until the exact right time to be terrifying." Efficiency and tidyness. His smile was wide, but his eyes were bleak. His body was relaxed, but his gaze drew malice. Friendly guest; dangerous enemy.

Time to switch gears.

"About this training you keep insisting on: what could you possibly have to teach me about my own body that I don't already know? You don't seem to be lying, but maybe you've underestimated my skill? Tell me more of what you have to offer, and of these three services that must be done. Then we shall know if an accord can be made." It had been demanded. I see your game. 'Victory goes to those who take it,' seemed to be the law of the land around here. I'll play your game. Ruthlessness is not often rewarded in modern shinobi affairs, and yet its usefulness was appreciated by none more than Yatamaru. It allowed him to persevere in situations like this.

Not only that, I'm going to win your game.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Yagami Hitagaki twirled his pirate fashion moustache for a bit before stretching out. His scars were significant and it showed that he was not bitten by a shark, he was bitten by something gigantic though but the dispersal of the scars weren't from a shark bite. His fierce turquoise blue eyes locked onto Yatamaru before nodding absently. It seemed the newly forged immortal had not figured out yet what Hitagaki was getting at so he laid it out in plain terms.

“ As with my friends, you have lost the significance of a mortal frame. As an immortal you no longer wield your energies in a fashion like a mortal would... which is bound to happen when your body is more metal than bone. The simple fact is you are now more in tune with your mechanics than you are with actual living fighting methods. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Traps, explosives, poisons all very necessary for our line of work. However unlike me you no longer have capacity for the basics, you need to be able to simply choke a man to death, or decapitate a foe with a clean blade, or summon elemental energy and decimate your opponent with it. You haven't noticed it because you are too caught up with your enhanced form. Again there is no reason you shouldn't be but why should I allow you to make the same mistakes my comrades made over the decades. Now let's be up front martial arts have very little value for you as you are now, you simply don't have the body for it, yet. My main emphasis for you will be ranged attacks that function both mechanically, elementally, and point blank should it become necessary. You need a third line of efforts when your traps and mechanics fail especially if you accept my proposal for an actual upgrade of your capacity."

 

[Kazu]

Angry clicking, coming from the scorpions within the box by Yatamaru's side, set the tone perfectly. It was as if the sound of his frustration had been plucked from the confines of his mind, and played for all to hear.

"Hitagaki, your love of hand to hand combat prevents you from seeing the bigger picture. I promise you, I've more experience in this body than you might think." He seems more shark than man. Always looking for a fight. Was he really going to have to muscle his way through this situation? Groaning, the man took another swig out of his flask. I'm going to need some more of this shit if I'm going to play things his way. "Look, I'll humor you. Teach me what you think it is I lack, and we'll see if I impress you." Yatamaru didn't take kindly to people belittling his abilities. He was usually patient, and had tried up until now to show restraint and polite intentions. Something about being constantly berated, however, wore down the man's defenses.

Still composed, for now, Yatamaru sat at attention. He would keep playing this guy's game, but the option to simply split was always there. He'd only come out here for the scorpions, after all — this adventure was icing. Whether he left or not would be determined by how his host played his part as a teacher. "Enough of this back and forth. Teach me, if you want. Fight me, if you want. Your criticisms are starting to bore me, so let's stop standing here with our dicks out and do something." Fucking hell. Yatamaru was getting a little madder than he'd expected, a deep scowl setting its way into his face. This brute was really pushing his buttons.

Just fucking try and push me more, asshole. I'm ready for some shark fin soup over here.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Hitagaki smiled evilly as it seemed he had indeed managed to get through to the young immortal. He stood up and dusted his pants off and beckoned Yatamaru to follow him. As they walked into the hidden oasis, Yatamaru would notice the air was literally damp and the area was seemingly filling up slowly with saltwater. After reaching a low cresting hillside Hitagaki pulled out a set of targets that had been repaired countless times. Yatamaru would notice the signs of explosives, arrows, and super heated friction having been used on the heavy iron sand targets. After setting up twelve of them in short order Hitagaki would point to a bench for Yatamaru to sit upon.

“ My main emphasis for you is ranged attacks that function both mechanically, elementally, and point blank should it become necessary. Observe...
Hitagaki deliberately held up his right hand and placed his left hand behind his back where it stayed to the untrained eye.
Yatamaru would then see that threads of energy emerge from his finger tips and shoot forward with such power that they pierced the iron sand target at 50 meters.
Hitagaki would lash out at all twelve targets randomly, some were hit with fire bolts, some were struck with orbs of ice, others were hit with lightning orbs. One target over 400 yards away was hit with a tetraelemental explosion.
Hitagaki would then turn to face Yatamaru fully although still at a distance with his left hand behind his back.

“As a bio weapon and I can release threads of energy to attack my targets from any distance. If you look beneath your feet you will see what I mean... If Yatamaru looked beneath his feet he would find Hitagaki left hand gripping his left foot from beneath the sands.

 

[Kazu]

Did I just say the secret password or something?

It seemed his little outrage had gotten through to Hitagaki. Though his host didn't explain where they were going, a habit that seemed to illicit much annoyance from Yatamaru, they were at least going to do more than simply sit and debate. Progress is progress, no matter how small. Yatamaru noticed the humidity in the air rise, mostly because the dampness kept extinguishing his cigarette, and wondered whether this was some sort of ancient technique. Is this how they live on land, by humidifying the air until they can breathe?

Speculations were just that, and they soon ceased when the pair arrived at what appeared to be a training ground. Yatamaru accepted the seating offered, trying valiantly to relight his precious death stick. No luck. The drunk fool took a swig from his flask instead. Meanwhile, his host was causing what he could only describe as a terrifyingly beautiful display of his own power. I thought I implied, before, that we were supposed to be putting our dicks away. A measuring contest is not what I had in mind...

Eyes flitting down, Yatamaru saw the hand only moments after he felt it. "I think you dropped something," Yatamaru would joke, though he still regarded the hand cautiously. Reaching down with his left hand, Yatamaru gingerly plucked his host's hand off his ankle like one might do to a leech. Standing up, he gave the hand back to its master. "That was a good trick. Tell me what you think of this one." Mechanical, elemental, and from a distance. The puppeteer closed his eyes, gathering chakra for but a moment.

He'd thought of this technique when he was younger. 'The Slicing Strings of Sand', as Yatamaru liked to call them. Puppet chakra threads formed the base, built upon by wind nature chakra and made unpredictable by his puppet-based controls. It almost looked like Yatamaru had ten ghoulish green glowing snakes growing out of his finger tips. "Watch closely." Fingers twitched, and instantly the threads sprang to life. They shot through the air, cutting through the moisture in the air as they did. When they reached the iron sand targets, they simply passed through the object like a hot wire does butter. The cut was clean, and in a moment the targets would collapse under their own weight. They clattered and fell, no longer able to support themselves.

Yatamaru dispelled the technique. He took another swig from his flask, deftly hiding his cocky smile. "I figure that's good enough for a warm up." It was certainly good enough to make a point.

[mft]

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Hitagaki frankly was amazed as his hand reattached he watched Yatamaru's usage of chakra strings with elemental nature. "Well I will be damned... I never knew you could add nature element to your puppet strings! My comrades never thought of that trick and here I was lecturing away. Well color me green and call me a giant. Well if you can do that then using elemental ranged attacks will be no problem for you so I will cut to the chase. I have three rivals that I need dead but I am not allowed to kill them myself. If you can kill them for me in very specific manners in very specific places so that the Shark contract leader takes notice of your prowess and skills I will happily grant you access to the Shark summoning contract. What do you say?"<i></i>

It seemed Yatamaru had suitably wow'ed Hitagaki, so much so he stopped trying to be a mentor and simply offered the man a 3 tier job with a sincere prize at the end. Hitagaki could not get over chakra strings with elemental nature so much so he decided he was going to see if he could eliminate his weakness to lightning by learning to control his muscle fibers on an elemental nature level. He knew he could do it with fire and he had lightning element he had just never considered the nuances until now. Newborn immortal just dropped a huge knowledge bomb on him and now his mind was going boom!!

Even still for the first target if Yatamaru accepted his deal. The young immortal might still need some help because this man had defeated him in combat many times and the only way to beat him was by literally beating the man down physically it was his strength and his only weakness. No other Elemental attacks except ice worked and weapons did not work on him at all, only fisticuffs, kicks, punches, and throws, and even then he had to be tricked into a naturally dry environment.

 

[Kazu]

I...don't even know where to start. 'Scrape, pop, glug,' and one more sip for the road. That's a real good start.

"Okay, first off," he was direct now, confident that he'd earned his peer's respect, "you can't honestly expect me to kill three total strangers, can you?" Was this just a normal thing sharks did? Kill whomever they wanted to make a point? How barbaric. "Tell me more about these three targets and why you want them dead." Yatamaru didn't buy it. Not anymore, anyways. Had this encounter taken place years ago, he might have given a very different answer.

Right now, Yatamaru simply wanted to keep this incident contained. He'd stumbled into this oasis of mystique by accident, and he couldn't help but feel like he'd started to overstay his welcome. "Second off, what's this all of a sudden? You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Shark Summon Contract?" It was a surreal sort of accomplishment and excitement that welled up within him. It felt like some great prize had just been dropped into his lap, free of charge.

I'm beginning to think this really is still just a crazy trip. Developments at every corner! Having powerful allies like that may prove useful. Hitagaki at least had Yatamaru's attention, which wasn't always the most available commodity.

[mft]

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Hitagaki sat down and stretched for a bit realigning his internal weapons before smiling sincerely. "In all honesty I would be a bit disappointed if you didn't ask for details, and yes I am talking about the shark summoning contract. It just so happens there are 3 bastards on the same contract with me that are some steps ahead of me in hierarchy and as such as I am now without any students or petitioners I can't challenge them. If you were to kill them for me not only would I get a boost in standing but I would be able to have you sign the contract as an apprentice. I would teach you the ways and manners of sharks and our society as it were. Now don't get me wrong I was going to try and goad you into a state of natural killing instinct and simply tell my leaders you were one of my petitioners but I can tell you are a thinker and would never simply display the natural passion for ripping a target to shreds that is necessary to gain the attention of our overlord. Let's be frank here I am strong but I am only as strong as my ideas. I can easily see your ideas will outshine anything I could come up with. Now as far as why I want them dead… The easiest explanation is the less strong opponents within the shark contract hierarchy the closer I get to becoming the boss’s right hand man and the more I get to learn and more power… yadda- yadda- yadda. Don’t think I can’t read you too, your mind thinks too fast for me to not easily notice that I bore you unless it is a topic of interest to you.

Now I get to the fun part the targets and their capabilities…
As you can guess I have faced these men before and I have relevant information on how to defeat them currently. I simply don’t want to wait another 2 years to challenge them when I could actually have a fellow immortal take them out now. Still it won’t be easy…

The first target is Hidaro, he is currently the 4th strongest member of the shark contract members. His ability is to literally become one with water. Not only can he breath underwater like most of us but he can literally become WATER. As such he is invulnerable to many things and in the water or around water all but invincible but this here is an oasis which means his access to water HERE is currently limited keeping him at half strength. His only vulnerability physically is stab wounds, you wouldn’t think that since he can turn into water but I managed to stab him a couple of times with my special abilities and it really did a number on him until he froze me in a block of ice for 2 months. If I weren’t immortal then you can guess the outcome of that match.

Your second target is Hyuuga Taka, he is the 5th strongest member. His ability is obviously his advanced sight and martial arts but he has managed to take it a step further, his hands can also cut normal flesh to pieces. Now for you he is dangerous because you can still suffer internal damage but you are immortal so you won’t die from that. His natural prowess made many think he had already gained the ability to breath underwater. He hasn’t which is why he is part of the land shark team, the only way he can be defeated ironically is to drown him.
Beating up on him triggers his regeneration…
Stabbing or slashing him his wounds instantly seal
Poison has absolutely NO effect on him.
I caught him in a water bubble and he was down for 2 minutes until he gathered enough speed to shatter my jutsu and beat me into submission.

Your third target who is tied with the Overlord’s favorite killer for 3rd place is Kusanagi Kasumoto, he is unique among the shark teams because not only is he a fire user, he can literally shatter dimensional barriers and other summon circles. This bastard actually made a Jashinist Priestess beg him to stop hurting her. HE IS THAT GOOD… he severed all my muscles in 3 attacks and again if I weren’t immortal already I would have been a goner that night. However even though he is crazy strong he has not developed any invulnerabilities or immunities. He can be hurt by anything, the hard part is simply hitting him hard enough to keep him down and keeping his dimensional disruption abilities from shattering your physical body.

Now if you think that isn’t bad enough, each of these bastards wield a sacred weapon allowing them to actually turn into full shark hybrid humans. If they take that form then you probably can’t win and should just find an exit from facing them but if you can attack them fiercely enough to take them down before they can call upon their sacred weapons then simply kill them, secure their bodies and if you don’t already know how I can show you how to make their flesh your own and then like my other comrades whom run around body jacking folks you will be able to feel normal sensations again. SO Whaddyasay? DO we have a deal?”<i></i>

 

[Kazu]

Hitagaki sat down, making himself comfortable on one of the nearby benches. Yatamaru, who was listening very carefully to what his host had to say, joined him on the other, unoccupied, bench seat. Watching sadly as his cigarette began to burn though its last millimeters of paper, he discarded the spent ashes and began working on a second one that would soon take its place.

Yatamaru did not interrupt once, not for a question, a comment, or a clarification. He understood the scenario perfectly, and needed no further assistance understanding the role he was to play. The only thing that was still in question was whether the Sunan puppeteer would play his part or not. What seemed like an eternity passed while he considered his options, eventually arriving at the only one that made sense to him. Plainly, without subterfuge or deceit, he spoke his mind to Hitagaki. "What you ask sounds interesting. I'll do it, but I refuse to kill them." Yatamaru knew this would not be taken well, but that condition was non-negotiable for him. The seriousness in his eyes underpinned this fact.

"Defeat isn't the same as death, but it's just as humiliating. I'm sure your Overlord will be able to fully appreciate that fact." Yatamaru waited for Hitagaki's reaction, whether it be of disgust, protest, or annoyance. Sharks were killers by nature, so Yatamaru had a feeling his point of view would require a bit more explaining. To him, there was no need to kill. He'd do it, gladly, if it meant saving himself or a comrade. Political power grabs, however, were not quite as justifiable. And if they didn't agree with him?

I only really came out here for the scorpions, anyways. Not like I'm losing anything.

Still, he extended a hand out to Hitagaki. "Those are my terms. If they are agreeable with you, then I believe we have ourselves a deal." Yatamaru expected some resistance, but he didn't expect there to be too much. What ever damage his unwillingness to kill had caused, he could easily make up for in pure fighting skill. If Hitagaki could somehow find a way to look past this hiccup, then the two would be able to accomplish something great together.

"These three targets, where can I find them? I've got a plan kicking around for the first two, and I'm sure I'll figure something out for the last one on the way."

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Hitagaki shrugged a bit... "The only way I could teach you how to use a new body as your own would be through actually using their bodies to replace your puppet one. If you refuse to kill them that is your perogative. Just know that if you were to challenge them and they managed to defeat you they would not hesitate to kill you. You are immortal for the most part but even Immortals can fall in battle. I will give you a map to the various areas within this oasis where they can be found. "<i></i> Hitagaki wasn't certain that either of the targets could be defeated without killing them but if Yatamaru were suitably victorious it would at the very least put him on the map toward earning the notice of the Overlord.

Hitagaki produced a map that showed the various points within the oasis:

Hidaro, was currently giving lessons on assassination in the central tower. A seven story tower that functioned in a reverse spiral so instead of rising into the sky this towre spiraled into the ground to reach an underground channel that led to the ocean.

Taka, was on patrol on the oasis outskirts keeping watch for sandwyrms and carnasaurs


Kasumoto, was meditating nearby in an alcove just three structures down.

Spoiler

ooc: Each of these targets represents a separate mission, you can use an actual bmod or you can simply write your actions and the jutsu's used against said targets. Only 2 targets can be eliminated by the writing method. One target must be defeated by bmodded actions. Your choice on the method, avenue, and timing of approach.