Eastern Gate

Things had gone better than Miyu could ever hope for. As she stepped out past the gates she stretched her arms out wide and took a deep breath as a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She'd done as Midori asked, and had done it diplomatically, and someday she would visit her Family here. But for now, their clan crest over her heart was good enough for now.

She was free, and best of all she could finally start the process of connecting with others, to shape the world according to Jashin's path for her. And hopefully someday show the depths of her appreciation to Shimiko.

As Shimiko spoke her mind of how easy things were and about picking up someone else. Miyu gave a nod, and a quick hug, "Our Dark Father provides for his faithful in their time of need. I'm just glad that he's making things easier for me to go and serve him in whatever way he calls me too." She'd look up at Shimiko with wide, bright eyes full of new life and hope, "I look forward to meeting this other person! Let's go Shimi-Nee!"

And with that she'd follow Shimiko to whereever the path would take them.

___________
//Exit

Northeast Water Country -> Land of Whirlpools -> Land of Hot Springs -> Land of Sound

60 Hours

Two Chuunin whom were charged with guarding the gates eyed a suspicious package left behind from the ANBU Captain Shimiko and the newly transfered Miyu. They approached a large container on wheels. Upon further inspection they were surprised to see the Hidden Mists most wanted. Yanagi. The guards quickly brought the container within, asking for backup to escort her into the village. The Mizukage was to be alerted immediately.

Ann made her way into the village after another day of completing missions for Kirigakure no Sato. On that day she had gotten to sail with Arisu along the coastline of the Hidden village where the duo hunted pirates and took the opportunity to know each other better. It was a pleasant day, but a day of hard work where Ann got tired. She felt she deserved a special treat despite how rarely she pampered herself, and although she was still undecided about what exactly she was going to do next she ended up conceding herself a good experience.

Perhaps a fancy restaurant for dinner? Or a night at one of Kirigakure no Sato's best hotels? She still didn't know. The Jonin identified herself as she passed through the gate, following proper protocol of course.

[enter kiri]

As per orders. There was large number of shinobi gathering towards the gates. There was three distinct groups of shinobi moving towards the gates. Kyoji beside them as well. The Chuunin at the gates noticed them very quickly. Kyoji disclosed there was no need for signing out. This was a cleared mission by them and they were not worry about the departure and arrival of the ninja.
With the coordinates given to him by the leader of Menzagakure. He was eager to get the acquisition underway. With a wave of his hand. The three squads of ninja jumped away, disappearing quickly from gates on to their next journey.

[Three groups of C-rank Assault squads. Traveling from Kirigakure - to Sea - to Menzagakure 24hrs)

Orders were given. Preparations for the invasion had already been mapped and primed for. Night time was upon them. The night guard was aware of the operation as well. The Mizukage was wearing his full armor attire. The Monster armor was intimidating, though he barely needed it because of his newfound abilities. It served a purpose of being a monster on the field. On his back was the intimidating Samehada, covered with white wrappings. Fully armed to the brim, not many foes would stand against him and his arsenal of moves. Behind him were ten squads of ANBU A-rank Assault squads. They were masked just as Kyoji was. He was waiting for the rest of the his squad to arrive before they made their journey.

Hana was ready to operate. A pair of heavy-duty black combat boots covered both feet made with exceptional craftsmanship and reinforced with steel toe caps and soles embedded in the leather. A set of heavy black pants were worn over her lower body. These were equipped with iron shin guards which were fashioned as bands going across her shins lined up next to each other leaving no gaps for weak points. The knees had hard plastic and cushioning backing it to allow ease of comfort when crawling through tight spaces. Hardened plastic was also sown into the upper legs and hips of the pants as well. Like all Shinobi she wore a utility belt to hold her pants against her body and carry her essential supplies.

A single blue holster was on the right side of the belt and a hip pouch around her back side just above her rear. Both were filled to capacity with ninja tools. A short sleeved undershirt was worn as her first layer. This shirt was one fitted with riveted steel mail designed to be flexible and lightweight providing protection and encumbering her minimally. Her second layer was a long sleeve black shirt similar in craftsmanship of the leggings. It was a heavy and durable top with steel rings sewn at the elbows in a cuff providing maximum protection at the joints. Rings of steels were sewn in at the upper portion of the torso as well providing protection at her upper chest and back and around her shoulders. This top was secured with the final piece of body armor being the Kirigakure standard flak jackets, this one made especially for Hana being much more superior in craftsmanship compared to the regular stock option. Black leather gloves covered both hands being basic in design providing warmth and protection. These came with small steel plates on the backs to provide protection against blades.

Hana wore a baldric over her gear to support a tanto she had horizontally on her back just above her hip pouch. This was sheathed in a blue scabbard which matched her Shinobigatana which was sheathed vertically on her back on her right side with the handle sticking up over her right shoulder. The entire affair was shrouded by a heavy black cloak, hood raised providing the most concealment and defense it could offer. Hana opted to equip her rebreather mask as well which provided facial protection and safety knowing what she breathed would be pure oxygen. Like most Kaguya her skin was deathly pale. This was coupled with long white hair which was relatively thick compared to the long, silky strands a lot of the more feminine clan females had, which required day-to-day dedication to maintain. Hers was a bit untamed and high in both length and volume extending as far as her lower back. Her eyes were the only true difference in her appearance compared to the rest of her clan having an alluring golden hue to them.

She was quite warm in her attire as it was, but she figured once they got to Iron she would feel more moderate. She'd remove her rebreather mask for now as it hung around her neck allowing her to breathe normally. Taking her forehead protector from her hip pouch she strapped in on her forehead where it belonged allowing the metal plate to face the front for easy identification. Skipping to the front gates where the congregation waited she'd stand before Kyoji offering a salute. "Oh, Captain my Captain! Ready when you are." Once given the cue to head out Hana would follow behind the group to get to their destination.

[Tentative Exit]

Kyoji and the rest of the soliders sensed that Hana had indeed arrived. She was primed and dressed for battle as well. She walked past the many ninja waiting at the request of the Mizukage. She saluted to Kyoji who responded, "Good Hana. Time to set you loose against our enemies. Time to see how strong you really are." There was one thing that needed to be done. Another ninja arrived, one of the guards guarding their artifacts. A large parcel in his hands, it was a large long rectangular box.

The Jounin stopped in front of Kyoji. Opening the box in front of him, Kyoji smiled slightly. The Kiba blades were presented in front of him. With his new martial skills the Samehada would no longer serve him their dutiful purpose. He removed the Samehada blade and gave it to the Jounin, and he took the Kiba blades away from him. They came with their own harness, and he strapped them around the back of his armor. Now he was armed with another two blades to his use. He stomped his manticore boots. He was ready to shed blood again.

"Now we are ready. Lets move out." Then with that, the invasion force was sent off.

[Exit - Kirigakure - Open Sea (1 Corvette) - Land of Iron 72 hrs - 18 travel movement discount - 54]

It was a pleasant trip from Tanzaku Town through the Land of Water. It was actually Rin's first time visiting Kirigakure, and with the anticipation Rin is reminded of bittersweet memories. A sigh escaped from his lips as he wagers they are getting close to Kirigakure, or at least to the gates. So far he's been hidden from the watchful eyes of many that Rin snuck from Land of Grass all the way to here. With a surge of chakra through his right hand, Rin manifests a mask of intricate designs. Where he'll place the mask on his face that snugly fits. Then he activates the enchantment on it to suppress his chakra. Under normal circumstances he would be able to do it on the fly, but he had forsaken that skill asset roughly a year ago for the sealing arts. So far that's paying off. Rin hid amongst the ship of travelers and merchants. With his signature hidden from sensory shinobi and his well hidden presence. Rin sneaks into Kirigakure, to which Rin will have to do some research and even go as far as kidnapping one of their own.

[Stealth Entry]

It was a normal day in Kirigakure aside from the most recent lock down protocol. The issued lock down was nothing serious. However when the Mizukage leaves the village or a significant amount of military personnel it's generally best to close up any potential weak points. Trade was stored at the very-so-popular Hozuki shanty town in its plentiful warehouses. Goods were frisked thoroughly and the people there do a good job. Once secured they would be transported into the village using its main gate, which was the only one opened at this time. A handful of elite Shinobi guarded these gates, two standing on either side of the inside and four directly above on the wall. They stayed vigilant in these times as the Mizukage and the safety of the civilians within the village depended on them. Things were uneventful two hours into their shift, but it was shortly after the second hour did they notice something...odd.

A young man with jet black hair skunked around the foliage in the foreground before revealing himself in what they could assume as an attempt of stealth, staying low and moving quietly. There was only one conventional way past Kirigakure's walls and that was through the village gates. The man had a single-tracked mind of getting through the gates, but the guards weren't about to let that happen. "Uhh, sir?" One of the newer guards murmured before the Captain pronounced confidently.

"You there! Kirigakure is currently on lockdown! Entering the village during lockdown is trespassing government property! Turn back immediately!" The Captain made an effort to stand directly in Rin's path at the border of the gate separating the outside to the village. All of the guards were dressed in Kirigakure's flak jackets and given a standard material load out. They were not the kind to be trifled with by a lone Jounin. The tension was at arise and had all guards much more aware of their surroundings willing to pounce at any given moment.

NPC:

What's the plan now? Turn back and let your friend die? A deep, loud voice echoed within Rin's mind as the giant bijuu glares down at the boy in the mindscape. Waiting, anticipating even, for the boy to resort to bloody violence. To draw out a blade to kill each one of these poor chaps in cold blood. Or to weave those handseals to unleash a technique of death. Rin still has his face covered by a mask so even if he is spotted. His face remains a mystery to these guards. Still he didn't expect them to be on lockdown. Perhaps something had happened inside the village?

Rin reaches up with one hand towards the mask, and one hand palm forward to pause. Where he'll remove his mask to show his face to the crowd. Rin doubted his reputation reached in this nation so he doesn't expect them to recognize him as Rin's eyes of red focused on the Captain.

"Apologies. I sought to get inside to have a word with the Mizukage or even the Jounin Commander if they're available." Rin spoke as he honestly came here in search of an Otsutsuki. He doesn't know if any of these people are spies for Menza, so Rin will have to be careful with what he has to say.

"I wasn't aware of there being a lockdown. What's the story behind that if you don't mind me asking, sir." The mask still in hand as it rested against his hip. Rin was clad in steel arm guards that is clearly engraved with fuuinjutsu. A flak jacket protecting his chest with the headband removed as Rin stowed it in his pouch. It was bulky under the mask, but Rin carefully reached in his hip pouch moving in a slow manner so as not to raise any alarm. Rin will retrieve not only his headband, but to also bring out a closed scroll. It was the very same scroll that gave him permission to visit Kirigakure and Kumogakure from Neko-Sama, the Hokage himself with a cat's paw signature on it.

The Captain of the group darted his eye at his partner before back to Rin. "Do you have any official business agreed upon between either of them? If so, I need to see these documents. If you don't have any approved business with either of them you would have to wait for the Mizukage's return." The boy questioned why the village was on lock down. There was no harm in telling him as the village was plenty strong as is. Besides, the Mizukage and his squad would only be gone for a couple weeks at most. "The people you seek are currently on a business trip, along with a large portion of Kirigakure's military. We can't let anybody in the village without good reason, which leads me to my next question. Why do you need to seek their audience?"

Well that explains why they're so tight in security. Rin thought to himself as he can hear the nine tails grumbling in the background.

I thought we were going to have a little bit of fun with these people." Rin had to refrain from chuckling.

No. I see an opportunity to eliminate this threat. If we can accomplish this, then not only will this debt be paid, but we will also rid this one world a big problem and our future generations won't have to deal with him. Best to take him out while we still have the resources. Rin assured Kyuubi, but the bijuu still grumbles as it was equivalent to pouting in Rin's mind. Returning to the matter at hand, the Captain inquired about his business with the Mizukage. It wasn't a difficult question as he believed the Hokage sent word already that Rin would be stopping by for any clues regarding Yui.

"I believe the Hokage already sent a message to Mizukage informing him of myself stopping by to aid in the investigation of Yui Kotoshura's disappearance. Anything else though, I can't say much with so many birds around here." By birds, Rin meant there were too many eyes and ears in the area. Anyone of them could be a spy for Menza. And if that man catches wind of what Rin is up to then everyone will be in hot water. Still he offers the scroll to the Captain after opening it himself so that there's not any traps on the scroll. One that the Hokage gave him permission to travel towards the other hidden villages during this investigation.

"But I think I'll wait for the Mizukage's return."

Nozomi Gear and Appearance (Still geared up as she was during the Blood Prison):

It had been a long time since Nozomi had seen the gates of Kirigakure. The village was bigger than she had remembered, expanding outwards and into a metropolis over the years. Still, she didnt have time to reminisce about the past and what the village used to be like. There was work to be done.

Arriving at the gates, Nozomi was about to blitz through the guards when she noticed that there was someone familiar there. More so than just familiar , she had business with that one.

Rin Uchiha, Honiko had tasked Nozomi beforeher departure to collect the information that he had acquired during the Chuunin Exams in Kumogakure. Her eyes narrowed. What was he doing here? Rin wasn't a good enough fighter to beat her, but he was talented and she wasn't likely to enter Kiri without a fight. Would he join her, or would he help them?

Nozomi made no attempt to hide her presence as she sauntered up to the entrance of the gates. She kept an eye on the guards, but didn't make any hostile movements just yet. "Rin Uchiha. A word please?"

Nozomi was one of those people instantly recognizable by sight alone. If her presence wasn't enough, her headband would surely display her mark as a missing-nin. If Rin was particularly astute, he may notice a taloned necklace on Nozomi's neck, a "gift" from Honiko and Balerion.

The newly appointed leader of the Society wasn't concerned with the Guards. Surely they wouldn't be so stupid as to challenge an as of yet un hostile Nozomi. She would turn to them and speak a few words before returning her attention to Rin, assuming they didn't attack her. "No need to worry about me. I'm not here to kill any of you. I simply wish to retrieve some belongings. I'll be on my way shortly."

"Yes, let's all have a chat. I do love chatting!" the voice sounded happy and lighthearted, coming from the mouth of someone who had approached the group of people at the gates. The situation was tense, any idiot could see that. That made the way Akihiro said things a little...unsettling. It went completely against social norm required for the situation. It would have felt like a clown at a funeral. Confusing? Perhaps, but that was likely what he was going for.

He sat on top of a tree branch about 20 meters away from the gates and at a height of 6 meters. He was on an elevated position which allowed him to see the people from an upper angle. Anyone who saw Akihiro would find him smiling. But this was not the kind of smile the Sparrow reserved for Kimiko. Both kinds came from the heart, but this one had origins in a deep well of hatred which had been slowly building up volume since the day he found out Satomi had been killed by a Kaguya, more than two years ago. It didn't matter tho, it was not like these people would know the difference between his genuine happiness and the mask he put on for the show. But perhaps they would find a hint towards this answer by noticing the gaze which accompanied Akihiro's smile. There was an ominous appearance to any Uchiha who'd smile while wielding the infamous Mangekyou Sharingan.

Truth to be told, this hadn't been his initial plan. He had been running here on a haste not to chat, or smile at the Hidden Mist Village. Perhaps led on by the Uchiha's infamous curse of hatred, Akihiro had left the Land of Waves with every intention to make this nation compensate the Uchiha Clan for the death of Satomi and- should they refuse to even negotiate, raze the entire city to the ground and spit on its ashes.

And yet circumstances had changed when he approached the nearby area and activated both his Mangekyou Sharingan and the Sensing Technique. Originally this was going to be a method of measuring the military presence in the village within his sensory range. But what he got in his radar was by far more interesting than what he had expected. As such, he marked a tree about 100 meters away from the gate and proceeded towards the place he was at now.

Within his field of vision were 2 people worthy of note, and then the guards at the gate. The first one was Rin, a boy who Akihiro knew well and one of those who had helped him retrieve their Clan leader's body. The second person worthy of note was Nozomi Himitsu. Ah, what to say about Nozomi? She was probably one of the most famous- and dangerous, kunoichi in the entire world.

"Do tell me, what are we going to be talking about? Is it cats? I heard they're pretty great." Kimiko liked cats. Perhaps he should learn more about them. "I'm sure you'll understand why I won't let an international criminal- no offence, be alone with one of my fellow clansmen. I'm their leader, supposed to protect them, blah blah blah. It looks bad in general. But please, by all means, talk away. I have time." he'd point at the gate with his thumb, while looking at Noz and shrugging. "Apparently the entire village is on lockdown. I'm curious to see how you'll get your belongings. But since you're getting them, could I ask you to return the tools and utility belt you stole and so dandily wear out in the open, who belonged to the Konoha ninja you murdered in cold blood recently? We kinda need those back. Budget issues, you see..."

Active:
Sensing Technique
Mangekyou Sharingan
FTG used to mark a tree

The Captain didn't speak again and remained firm in their stance. They were obviously confident in their military might, and while Rin could no doubt eliminate them if it came down it. He saw no profit in it since neither the Mizukage or Jounin Commander is here. A sigh escaped from his lips as Rin stores both headband and scroll into his hip pouch. With a brief flash of light, the mask vanishes from Rin's hand and it remains empty.

A faint shift in the wind and an intimidating presence blew from behind Rin that actually made his skin crawl with anticipation. He's only felt this kind of presence from Hohoni and Kurama. Both were powerful adversaries. Turning his head towards the source, he recognized a familiar face. Nozomi Himitsu, the very same person he lost to back in the Shinobi Tournament. From what Rin can recall correctly, she was also the same person in alliance to the Society. A disciple as Nozomi spouted at Balerion. That was nearly a year ago though, so Rin pondered if Nozomi was here for that information or for something else.

Just when Nozomi said less of a question and more of a statement. Another familiar voice coming off from the short distance to the side. Another presence of not just skill, but the intellect paired with hatred that perhaps could comparable to a small portion of Kurama's. Shifting his eyes over to the source, Rin was surprised yet not upon seeing Akihiro perched on a tree with those Sharingan eyes active and locked into the two individuals. Kurama in his mindscape raised a brow and chuckled.

Seems like the people you seek are coming towards you little one. The nine tails spoke to Rin, and frankly Rin agreed as it was a bit more convenient. Still Akihiro seems to staring holes at Nozomi in particular. Rin only briefly knew about what happened in the Blood Prison which basically Konohagakure lost that fight. So Rin can understand the hostility on that front.

"Well this is a bit unexpected, but it saves me the trouble of contacting you Sparrow." Rin acknowledged Akihiro before returning his eyes of red to Nozomi.

"You don't meet people without an objective in mind. So what is it Nozomi?" Rin asked in a neutral tone as he was neither angry nor happy about this. Of course from the sounds of Nozomi speaking to the guards, it seems like she's here to collect things. Yet there was something off with her that Rin could only assume one thing.

She really has grown stronger since our last encounter… Rin thought more to himself, but Kurama chimed in as well.

This the brat you talked about? A nod of his head in the mindscape from Rin to acknowledge the Kyuubi's question. The gargantuan creature grunts as he stood up on all four limbs. With a wolfish grin on his face as the hatred begins to build up at a rapid rate.

Is it time for me to cut loose?! However much to Kurama's disappointment, Rin shook his head with a raised hand to signal the bijuu to hold.

Hold your strength for now Kyuubi. Let's try to dispute this tension first, but we'll need to save our strength in case we come into contact with Menza. With a growl, Kurama slaps one of his mighty tails against the gate of thorns separating the bijuu from Rin. Eager to fight, longing to kill, Rin can feel that hatred like a fire steadily growing hotter by the second. Yet he keeps it at bay from affecting his own consciousness.

The guard did not respond to Rin as he said he preferred to wait until the Mizukage's return. He was outside the gates which was all that matter. However more visitors showed up and the guards were getting a bit nervous. One mysterious visitor was enough, but having so much traffic at the front gates was never a good sign. Were they planning to force entry? Or was this all just a coincidence? To their luck the visitors were conversing among themselves giving them the assumption this was not an organized attack, if anything. The guards stayed put still having the benefit of distance between the three. Twenty meters to be exact. They let the Shinobi discuss their matters outside the village boundaries. But that's as far as either of them were coming until the Mizukage returned.

Nozomi had heard approaching movement off in the distance before Akihiro even spoke. Her hearing and sense of smell were impeccable, even without being a sensory type. Nor was he being particularly silent. She turned slightly, to keep him in her peripherals, but given that the Kiri-nin were close by and Rin as well, they were more immediately likely to be a threat to her if she were to take her attention off of them.

He asked what they were talking about, inserting himself into the scenario, a bold entrance for sure. Especially given he knew who she was. An interesting thought was that perhaps he thought himself capable of taking Nozomi down? Given Kiri and Konoha were allies, and she was outnumbered, it was a possibility. He asked for the utility belt she wore, stating she stole it, and things pieced together. Akihiro had been at the Blood Prison. Nozomi had killed Gin, sure, but only someone who had been there would have known she did it and perhaps seen her take the stuff from him on those cameras.

Someone who would have been smart enough to have been in the command center. Allowed to be there. Smart enough to have planned this thing. To have co-run the Chuunin Exams before then. To have been given information by Tenma perhaps? Information that Konoha could use to destroy the Society? After a moment of contemplation, she came to the conclusion that perhaps Akihiro was a threat after all. Still, Nozomi wasn't defenseless herself, nor someone to be trifled with.

"Well, Honiko's stepped down from the leadership of the Society, but her last task before giving me the position was to close out some old accounts. One of which was your deal with Balerion. So I'm here to see if you completed your task or not. Second, I need some information from another of your Konoha nin, Akeno Tatsuda on some matters about Iwagakure. Do you know her whereabouts? Or maybe I should just ask you, considering Iwa belongs to Konoha last I heard." Nozomi was more intentionally misleading on the second portion of her questioning. She didn't need any specific information, but she did need to know about Akeno for the purposes of her final tasks.

Akeno was one of those accounts she had mentioned needing to close, but Nozomi was aware that her status as a member of the Society wasn't really known. This manner of questioning was able to keep Akeno's involvement more as a role like Rin's, if she was alive. An information gatherer. Sure, the Jounin had gone missing, kidnapped by Shin, but Shin wasn't a known Society member either. The Society was fairly secretive about their members.

The possibility that Akeno owed them a favor, perhaps having saved her from Shin? It was always there. However, if Akeno had failed, perhaps Rin would let some information slip about that as well. It wouldn't take much. The mention of Iwagakure should be plenty. If Iwagakure had been taken over, that would have proven her success. If it hadn't....

Addressing Akihiro, Nozomi shifted her stance slightly, keeping him more in her peripherals than before, but never letting her attention slip from Rin or the others. "As for the utility belt, I'm sure you don't need it. Basic tools, nothing much of note, your budget isn't that bad. That man knew the risks. I offered him a route out. We both knew our encounter could only end one way when he refused. He accepted that risk when we took our sides. Tenma had a chance to stop it as well. I only wanted Chiheisen. My offer to him was to hand her over and I'd round up those that broke loose, and I'd give him the man. I succeeded in my mission. That meant someone had to fail. That happens."

The way she spoke was matter of fact, with little conveyance of emotions. She'd always been like that. Little to no emotions in most encounters, especially serious ones. It was a stark contrast to the jovial tone that Akihiro had taken. Both dangerous in their own way.

Due to her newfound control of Isobu, she had access to tailed beast telepathy, although she didn't know it until now. Isobu simply spoke a couple of words. He'd been mostly silent since the control battle, but wasn't super angry. He'd accepted his fate. No point in being bitter. "9 Tails and 2 Tails are here." With that, Nozomi frowned.

"Jinchuuriki? Which ones?" She asked out loud. She didn't need to, but she didn't like to respond in her head, as it made her even more quiet. Talking out loud kept her sane.  "The two boys. Rin and Akihiro." Ah. So that's why he was so smug. Both Rin and Akihiro were Jinchuuriki now? This was... interesting. Perhaps she should be concerned. Nozomi's guard stiffened ever so slightly.

-5 Stamina activating: Body of Steel UA
Chakra: 285/290

Of course Akihiro didn't approach silently. Why would he? He simply didn't think there was any need for it. His sensing abilities told him that a fight hadn't broke out yet and that most if not all of his possible targets were stationary. He would pick up on any slight movement, even intention to make a move. Nothing within his sensory range escaped his mental grasp and nothing was an immediate threat. The only other reason why he would have approached carefully would be to assassinate someone with a stealth move. But Nozomi wasn't someone who could be taken down like that, and the entire village of Kirigakure no Sato wouldn't be razed by a stealth move. So truly, Akihiro had no reason to approach stealthily.

He listened to the girl while paying close attention to her every movement. His Sharingan tracked her down to the last slight movement, from her rib cage raising and lowerring with her breathing to the way her expression changed and lips moved as she spoke. He took it all in. Not because he wanted to fondly go back to those memories as he did with the precious time he spent with Kimiko, but because Nozomi was a serious threat. A serious threat which would potentially need to be handled, if it ever came to that. The more he knew about her, the easier that became. His sharingan watched her ever so closely. If she was up to something, he would know.

The fact that Rin had made some sort of deal with the Society and some sort of character named Balerion was news to him. He was a bit surprised, but he didn't let that show on his face. His experience with intelligence operations had taught him quite a bit in that regard. No matter, he was clever enough to test Rin's loyalty immediately. Another interesting fact was that Nozomi mentioned Akeno Tatsuda. While Akihiro had had his suspicions, the fact that she mentioned Akeno and "matters about Iwagakure" made it blatantly obvious that she knew about why Akeno had gone to Iwagakure. Could the Society have convinced Akeno to do it? There were only two answers to this question.

Either Akeno had acted under the Society's orders, which would mean she was obviously allied with the Society... or she had acted of her own initiative, but somehow had gotten friendly enough with the current Society leader to let her know of her intent towards Iwagakure...which again would mean she was alligned herself with the Society. Especially because one only survived contact with the Society if they were either allies or strong enough to keep themselves alive during the fight. But... since Nozomi knew about Akeno's intent, it was likely Akeno herself who told her that. Which would mean they were allies, or at the very least friendly enough to share goals. Ah, it mattered little. The end-game was the same: Akeno had had friendly contact with the Society. This made Nozomi's attempt at fishing for information rather obvious, and kind of sad in Akihiro's eyes. How bad were the Society's information networks if they hadn't heard of what happened to their agent/ally in Iwagakure so many months ago?

So he had figured out Rin had made a deal with the Society, that Akeno had had contact with them, and that they were completely blind regarding the woman's fate. Quite frankly the situation wasn't looking so bad for Akihiro in terms of information exchanges. He was winning by a large margin. And information was power, so he did what he did best, despite hating doing it.

"Ah, I'm afraid Akeno Tatsuda was met with a terrible incident. She did show up in Iwagakure to what I assume was find out more about her Clan's history and seek refugee from her kidnappers, but must have fell ill to the plague that killed so many in the Land of Stone a few years ago and still lingers there... sit must've have infected her before she even reached the village gates, since I'm told she arrived in terrible condition. Their natives were kind enough to not only take her in, but to also facilitate our escort to bring her back to the Hidden Leaf as soon as possible. But I'm afraid there was nothing we could do for her at that point. She passed away peacefully at our hospital." He lied. The answer was incredibly well calculated and fit to serve many purposes: First of all, it would be a test to Rin's loyalty, because he would easily pick up on the fact that Konoha had to retake Iwagakure, which didn't fit Akihiro's story. Should he spill the beans then Akihiro would know on which side he truly stood on. Akeno had been dangerous, he wouldn't risk a second incident. But he also really didn't want to believe Rin would do anything to harm Konohagakure no Sato and its people.

The second purpose of the reply was to clear Konoha of any real guilt. By mentioning that Akeno had died from the plague which was a perfectly believable excuse considering Iwagakure's history with the disease, he completely cleared Konoha of any involvement in her death.

"It was a sad tale really, we didn't even get to ask her where she had been all of this time, why she hadn't come back or even who her kidnappers were. But perhaps you would know, since you seem to know about her journey to Iwagakure no Sato?" The third and final purpose of his calculated answer was to turn Nozomi's fishing for information against herself. He didn't expect her to give him much, but he took a certain pleasure in it.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear. But there is one thing I can tell you about Konohagakure no Sato." he made a small pause and gestured towards the gates of the Mist Village while never taking his eyes off Nozomi. "Unlike the fish-fuckers over there, we take care of our rogue ninja before they actually become a problem." Oops, his despise for Hidden Mist and their conduct regarding rogue ninjas was showing. Best keep that in check!

The conversation then shifted towards Gin's utility belt. Akihiro smiled. "That is true. He knew the risks. And you did offer him a way out. Of course, the way out you offered meant the complete failure of his goal there. But.. you still did it."

The woman then suddenly asked for Jinchuuriki out loud and Akihiro's eyes immediately picked up on her stiffened guard. His smile vanished and his expression became threatening. This was the right moment to push her. "That is why you live yet still. You're a Kirigakure no Sato traitor and apparent leader of Society, a terrorist organization...and yet you're also the wild card that keeps the game interesting. But do not mistake my kindness for weakness, Nozomi Himitsu."

Akihiro had watched her fight before. Twice. He had a pretty damn solid idea of what she was capable of doing, and of what she wasn't capable of doing. "Jinchuuriki or not, you do not have what it takes to defeat me." Akihiro was confident. Even if he himself was not enough, him and Rin could certainly take down Nozomi if it came down to it. And ultimately if a fight broke out at the gates of Kirigakure between two allied shinobi and a rogue Kirigakure ninja, the guards at the gates and possibly other Kirigakure ninja would certainly come to Akihiro's side.

"As much as I may enjoy the tales of your adventures, I must draw a line at some point. And it seems right now that I'm the only wall between you and complete and utter world chaos. You expect me to believe you're here for "belongings"? Whatever belongings you had, you forfeited your right to them the day you betrayed this village. And so you will leave the fish-fuckers and their land alone. They're troublesome fish-fuckers, but they're our friendly neighbour troublesome fish-fuckers, you see?" Satomi might have disagreed with that statement, but that wasn't something Nozomi needed to know.

"I don't care what belongings you think you need. You'll be on your way now, and you'll leave Gin's belt here."

Active:
Sensory
Mangekyou Sharingan

Seems like Rin's intuition was spot on. Nozomi can here with a purpose, although what she says is something Rin didn't foresee. Acting leader? Has something fallen on their leader, Honiko? It raised some questions in Rin's mind, but given the time gap he doesn't dismiss it as a bluff. She inquires about the information regarding Kumogakure during the Shinobi Tournament. Truthfully Rin hasn't forgotten about that, and strangely she asked about Akeno Tatsuda's whereabouts.

Akihiro pitched in by spinning a tale of Akeno's fate. Rin's eyes of red shifted over the Uchiha for a moment before turning his eyes back at Nozomi. His eyes were focused on eye contact as Rin speculated on possible outcomes from this turn of events. With another slap of a tail against the barrier from within Rin's mind brought his focus into the present. The young Jinchuriki nods his head.

"Indeed, it was unfortunate, but at the very least she seemed to have escaped from your organization. Perhaps not in the way she originally pictured." Rin went along with Akihiro's lie. It was the last thing Masuyo did before she retired, and Rin wasn't going to have those actions bite on Konohagakure. Although Akihiro calling Kirigakure fish-fuckers broke Rin's stoic expression into a chuckle. Either way, Rin reached over his shoulder to dig into his backpack before fish for a scroll. Then Rin would unroll the scroll for Nozomi to see that it is an accurate map with names of streets and stuff. Despite the scroll being small, Rin managed to fit most of Kumogakure into it. Although the writing is quite tiny. After showing Nozomi that it is not trapped and all that, Rin will roll it back up and hand the closed scroll over to Nozomi.

"What's the best way to catch a fish? Have someone throw it at you." Rin's jest as a bit of humor brightened his mood. Although whether they react to it doesn't matter. However that might suggest to throw a fish-fucker at someone which is not what Rin meant.

[Analyzing Nozomi ½]

Hana raced across the village to make it at the Eastern Gate in the niche of time. Her gear hadn't changed since she left still wearing the same military equipment she used for the raid of Iron, which still remained relatively unscathed and in good condition. A pair of heavy-duty black combat boots covered both feet made with exceptional craftsmanship and reinforced with steel toe caps and soles embedded in the leather. A set of heavy black pants were worn over her lower body. These were equipped with iron shin guards which were fashioned as bands going across her shins lined up next to each other leaving no gaps for weak points. The knees had hard plastic and cushioning backing it to allow ease of comfort when crawling through tight spaces. Hardened plastic was also sown into the upper legs and hips of the pants as well. Like all Shinobi she wore a utility belt to hold her pants against her body and carry her essential supplies.

A single blue holster was on the right side of the belt and a hip pouch around her back side just above her rear. Both were filled to capacity with ninja tools. A short sleeved undershirt was worn as her first layer. This shirt was one fitted with riveted steel mail designed to be flexible and lightweight providing protection and encumbering her minimally. Her second layer was a long sleeve black shirt similar in craftsmanship of the leggings. It was a heavy and durable top with steel rings sewn at the elbows in a cuff providing maximum protection at the joints. Rings of steels were sewn in at the upper portion of the torso as well providing protection at her upper chest and back and around her shoulders. This top was secured with the final piece of body armor being the Kirigakure standard flak jackets, this one made especially for Hana being much more superior in craftsmanship compared to the regular stock option. Black leather gloves covered both hands being basic in design providing warmth and protection. These came with small steel plates on the backs to provide protection against blades.

Hana wore a baldric over her gear to support a tanto she had horizontally on her back just above her hip pouch. This was sheathed in a blue scabbard which matched her Shinobigatana which was sheathed vertically on her back on her right side with the handle sticking up over her right shoulder. The entire affair was shrouded by a heavy black cloak, hood raised providing the most concealment and defense it could offer. Hana opted to equip her rebreather mask as well which provided facial protection and safety knowing what she breathed would be pure oxygen. Like most Kaguya her skin was deathly pale. This was coupled with long white hair which was relatively thick compared to the long, silky strands a lot of the more feminine clan females had, which required day-to-day dedication to maintain. Hers was a bit untamed and high in both length and volume extending as far as her lower back. Her eyes were the only true difference in her appearance compared to the rest of her clan having an alluring golden hue to them.

She took off the rebreather letting it hang around her neck and wore the Kirigakure forehead protector around her forehead as usual when within the Land of Water. She generally opted to take it off when operating outside the land. What's the point of being a ninja when you have a big identification on your forehead? As she paced rapidly to the front gates she already saw what was happening. There were three obvious Shinobi waiting at the gates, Hana vaguely familiar with each of them. She knew enough about them for what they stood for. There was Akihiro Uchiha, leader of the Uchiha Clan and Konoha Strategist. Rin Uchiha, who was just a Jounin of Konoha. Then there's Nozomi H-something. I keep forgetting the last name and I don't care enough to learn it. The fact they were all at the gates was a surprise to say the least. She could only imagine what business they had with Kirigakure.

"So what's this, you guys all decided to come knocking on our door when we were busy. Is that it? Jeez." Hana passed a quick glare at the Captain of the sentinels in disapproval. But before she could continue he snagged her by the arm and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "That kid right there called us 'fish-fuckers.' " The Captain said in a hushed tone only audible for Hana's ears only. He let go as Hana approached the security check point, leaning over the desk and grabbing a few papers. "Well the lockdown is over, but don't cream yourselves. Unless you're on official administrative business there is an entrance fee of ten-thousand ryo. You must also state your reason and expected duration of stay. If you're not on business you can only stay for one week. So let me see a single-file line. We can have the blonde, the Kid Rin, and the cousin-fucker." Hana said abrasively to get back at Akihiro's remarks, the surrounding guards laughing heartily with the power of crowd mentality. Akihiro's feelings would be hurt if he didn't prepare himself mentally.

Code:


[b]Full Name:[/b] (Self Explanatory.)
[b]Citizenship:[/b] (Your city/town and country.)
[b]Reason for Leaving/Entering:[/b](Self Explanatory.)
[b]Expected Duration:[/b](How long will you visit/be away?)


Akihiro took over the talking for the moment, despite Nozomi having been speaking to Rin instead of him. The way he shoved himself into conversations he wasn't involved in was annoying her. It was like when Raijin had butted in and offered himself to Honiko when she had offered Nozomi the option to switch sides. More to the point, he was too eager to respond, cutting off Rin's answer before he could even offer. This was the first clue that Akihiro was lying. The second clue was that they knew that Akeno was kidnapped by the puppet master who attacked Kirigakure several years ago. There were very few puppet masters around with that level of skill, which would lead to pointing at Sunagakure rather than the Society.

The next thing that made her think he was lying was that he flat out told her not to believe everything she heard. Especially given that Konoha 'took care of their Rogue-nin before they became a problem'. Konoha had killed Akeno. Rin's reply was more or less a confirmation in Nozomi's eyes. "... escaped from our organization?" Nozomi asked in a confused tone. "You appear to be mistaken. We were not her captor, but her liberator." It was true enough. Shin had captured her, but she chose of her own free will to join their cause. They didn't need to know that Shin was one of theirs though. "Her death is an unfortunate loss for us all. I'm sorry for your loss." she said softly. She'd had a bit of a soft spot for the Lava girl, but Nozomi liked powerful attractive women.

As far as for the information he owed, Rin responded rather simply by pulling out a scroll, and handing it over to Nozomi after going over it with her. It looked correct enough to her, considering she'd gone around the streets herself, and saw plenty of the landmarks as well. Placing the scroll into a pouch that contained other scrolls, Nozomi moved on from that particular venture, checking another one of the boxes of her to do list in her mind.

Akihiro began to threaten her at this point though, saying that she was going to leave the area and leave the utility belt. And cocky as well, he posited that she didn't have what it took to take him down. The arrogance on this boy was astounding. Nozomi shook her head. "You don't have any authority here, and even if you did, you don't have authority over me. The Society goes where it pleases. You're not getting the belt and I'm not leaving by your order." Nozomi began to tense up, preparing to fight if Akihiro tried anything, but Hana showed up at that point and the situation began to de-escalate.

Almost immediately, Nozomi dismissed Akihiro, as the real shot caller was here. "Didn't think you'd be busy. I don't know everything that goes on everywhere." Nozomi said, stepping up to Hana as she was called to step up first. Akihiro was no longer a concern of hers. It was clear he had no actual authority here, and if he were to attack her now, then it would be breaking trust with Kirigakure. Withdrawing 10k from a pouch on her hip, she handed it over to the Kaguya. "I'm just here to see if I can pick up some things from my family's home. I'd also like to speak with the Mizukage as well, about a personal matter regarding my status as a Missing-nin. It shouldn't be more than a couple of days at most."

Nozomi kept her attentive hearing and sense of smell locked in more specifically on Akihiro, to make sure he didn't try and blindside her. He seemed the petty type to try and take advantage of this situation with careless abandon, and Nozomi didn't know exactly how he would react to her ignoring his demands.

The more of this dragged on the stronger the tension grew by the second. In truth Rin would rather not start a fight, at least not with Nozomi right now. Personally if it was any other time he would welcome the challenge. But right now the objective was different and was more demanding. To be honest, Rin was a bit surprised when Nozomi expressed her sympathy over Akeno's loss. It was something that he shared as it was a subject he always wondered. Had he gone, could he have found the true reason behind her actions? If it was just taking over the village that would be one thing. However, if rumor was to be accurate, she rebuilt the areas and walls that she destroyed before leaving.

Rin nods his head in response to that, but with Akihiro adamant in ordering Nozomi what to do. Of course, Rin wasn't there for the Blood Prison as he was dealing with a bigger threat at the time. Tension was high, but with the swift arrival of another individual. One who was quick to take back her charge and hopefully de-escalate the situation entirely. Rin lightly sighs as Hana remarked to Akihiro, and to be honest they could be here all day throwing insults at each other. But Rin would approach Akihiro's tree while Nozomi went to Hana.

"I got the gist of it, but can you not pick a fight right here, right now? You and I need to have a chat, but first let's try to speak with the Mizukage." Rin spoke in a normal tone. No point in dropping his voice since anyone with keen hearing could hear anyways. Kurama sighed as he plops back down on the ground as the trees within Rin's mindscape rustle and many leaves fall on the Tailed Beast. Rin will gesture for Akihiro to follow, and pray to Hakkun that Akihiro doesn't start a fight. Rin really doesn't want to deal with that headache especially not when Rin is trying to win their cooperation.

Assuming Akihiro goes along with it, Rin will approach the desk that Hana is attending which would be after Nozomi finalized her papers. Rin reaches in his hip pouch as there were some metallic lightly clinging together before Rin brings out exactly twenty thousand ryo on her desk.

"Apologies for my cousin's antics. We wish to request an appointment with the Mizukage preferably, but the Jounin Commander would do fine too if he's too busy. As for how long we'll be staying…" Rin pondered as his red eyes shifted up to the sky. It was such a nice morning too. Raising his hand, Rin held up two fingers.

"About two days is a safe bet on that." Of course Rin fills out whatever paperwork required of him as he basically just paid for Akihiro's and himself on their entry. Rin never bothered to ask if Akihiro could pay for it or not.

[Analyzing Nozomi 2/2]

Akihiro was far too focused on his mission and goal to be offended by any of Hana's words. And while one might think the Kaguya's presence there played against him, the opposite was in fact true. Every piece was where it should be, and every action accounted for. This hadn't of course been his original plan when he first left the Hidden Leaf, but Akihiro's intellect allowed him to adapt very easily and to abandon and create new plans within an instant, a fraction of a second. So when Hana finally arrived, he adapted and quickly realized the odds were even more in his favor.

The Uchiha Clan leader was, unlike Rin, unmoved by Nozomi's speech about Akeno. While it was true that he considered Konoha had lost a great amount of potential and power, he had considered those things lost from the moment it became clear Akeno was a traitor to the Hidden Leaf's purposes. So the tragic loss Akihiro mourned was Akeno's defection, not her death. Her death was merely a natural consequence of challenging Masuyo's authority over Iwagakure no Sato and betraying her village. That being said, he certainly would have liked to know more about the woman.

Another thing Akihiro would like to know, was why Rin Uchiha was exchanging the blueprints of Kumogakure no Sato's layouts with a known international terrorist. He recognized the designs immediately as soon as Rin unfolded them. He too had these designs, except in his head and not in a scroll. Rin's actions were growing more suspicious by the second, but Akihiro let the exchange occur for two reasons. The first one was that he wanted to believe Rin had a very good reason to be doing this, and the second one was because Akihiro wanted the opportunity to see more of Nozomi's movements. The way she moved her hand to receive the scroll, the way her eyes contemplated it, the slightest details. He took it all in. This was of course so he could understand his enemy better, but in the instants it took him to analyze every frame of her simple movements Akihiro couldn't help but also take in the humanity in Nozomi. For all of her psychopathic tendencies, Nozomi was a pretty young woman. Nowhere near as graceful or soul intriguing as Kimiko was, but there was something in her confidence and sheer will to defy everything and everyone that Akihiro truly admired.

That sickened him, tho. He had known for a very long time that the world couldn't be painted in black and white, evil and good. Everyone was a mix of both. He truly wished he could see Nozomi as a purely evil being that needed to be destroyed. But the truth was that...she was a girl. A dangerous, crazy ass girl for sure. But Nozomi's simple gestures to get and read the scroll didn't clearly reveal the monster Akihiro so badly wanted to see in her. They revealed a girl, with a past and a story to tell. Which only made what he was about to do that much harder. It didn't create hesitation, or second thoughts...but it made him truly conscious of what he was truly about to do.

So as Nozomi dismissed Akihiro's authority over the land and ultimately over her, Akihiro didn't feel anger. His facial expression would never show it but truthfully what he felt was...pity. How fucked up was Nozomi's life that it led her to this point and this state of mind? To have such anger, despise and hatred for the world that nothing mattered. What had she lost that made her like this? And was his life any different? Akihiro made a promise to himself there and then, to never let Kimiko or any Uchiha Clan member reach that point- but especially Kimiko. He could see her tense up at first, but then relieve that pressure as Hana showed up.

And then it happened. Nozomi stepped towards Hana. Like he knew she would. With that pace and confidence that only Nozomi's body and mind could show. His Mangekyou Sharingan and cognitive abilities knew the extent of her pace, the way her diaphragm expanded slightly as she breathed in and the way it responded when she breathed out. He could compose in his mind and listen to the sound of her steps on the dirt before she had even placed a foot on the ground. Akihiro would forever remember this instant, this picture.

The picture in which he could clearly see Nozomi's face, eyes, neck. The exact instant where even the way her hair fell would cooperate towards the clear vision. The instant he knew was coming, as she stepped on towards Hana.




The name of the technique crossed his mind in that instant. Nozomi could have kept her hearing and sense of smell on Akihiro all she wanted. There was no warning. No scent, no noise, nothing. Not even Akihro's facial expression changed, even tho Nozomi wasn't really looking at him. All he had to do was focus his eye on the target and since he was already keeping an eye on Nozomi from the start and knew where his target would be and when, this was done with minimal effort. Even his breathing pattern he made sure would remain the same right up until the black flames appeared, his coordination easily facilitating this effort. His analysis and planning were so perfect that he even interrupted Nozomi's speech towards Hana just as she said the word "busy", which in itself would be a minor distraction for the girl.

In fact the lack of warning was so flagrant that it was even hard to tell that Akihiro was the one who launched the attack. Truthfully, without active sensory it would be damn impossible because nothing changed in the environmental pattern that could lead anyone to even suspect an attack was coming from Akihiro in that moment. The only thing bystanders would see would be Nozomi's neck and head erupt in the black flames of Amaterasu which were said to burn for seven days and seven nights. The heat would be immense, and the flames would soon start spreading throughout the entire body. But having targeted the skin, there would be no avoiding it once it connected.

Now, just because there was no warning or sign whatsoever that Akihiro had  been the one to cast the jutsu, that didn't mean that Kirigakure no sato's forces wouldn't be suspicious of him. But even that played in his favor, because their commander and person in charge had finally shown up and made it quite clear who called the shots. So Akihiro, while still paying close attention to the development of the jutsu he cast on Nozomi, would slightly re-direct his gaze towards Hana, who would likely be looking at him at this point.

Should their gazes meet, Akihiro would use Genjutsu: Sharingan to instantly transmit the memories of what he'd seen at the Blood Prison: The wrecking and destruction caused by Nozomi and the way she murdered Gin, a fellow Konoha ninja and allied of the Mist. Genjutsu Sharingan was an instant technique and Akihiro was perhaps its most adept user. The fraction of an instant it would take for their eyes to make contact would be enough to let Hana know why he was going after Nozomi. More than that, he would let Hana know of the girl's fighting style. "This is your problem too, do something about it." was Akihiro's phrase that would pop on Hana's mind.

And then, without never having truly let her out of his sight, Akihiro's gaze would shift back towards Nozomi, ready to spawn more black flames should it be necessary. It was his turn to be alert,but unlike Nozomi, Akihiro counted with more than just a high perception. He counted with sensory, a Mangekyou Sharingan, and his analysis of the girl.

Used:
Active sensory
Active Mangekyou
Amaterasu -> S-rank Jutsu is A-rank but is brought up to S-rank power Matatabi's Azure fire perk. This is the only way Akihiro can use katon, so if this perk isn't applied the technique couldn't be used. I assumed it was implied but it was brought to my atention that it should be specified.

Edits made with Hana's permission. This is the only edit I've made, and is in red. I have prints of the original post for transparency sake, if someone requires them.


Possibly used:
Genjutsu Sharingan -> E-rank cost to relay memories and information.

Popped a Precog (6/7) to know how Nozomi would walk towards Hana once she showed up and time Amaterasu accordingly with the aid of precog, Sharingan and A-ranked perception.

Nozomi was first in line to have her order taken. Hana didn't really care who showed up first or not. She wasn't the type of person to entertain that kind of childish behavior. As Nozomi stepped up she gave a short respond to Hana's attempt of humor which apparently wasn't well received by the blonde. Hana was a bit disappointed but didn't let it get to her. Pulling a black ink pen from her front pocket she started preparing the check-in form. But then the simmering atmosphere that Hana felt she successfully deescalated would escalate into full combat in a blink of an eye. Through her peripheral she noticed a sudden burst of what would appear to be black flames. It was something unlike Hana had ever seen before. They left no path for her to accurately judge where they came from. There was no warning. Not even a sound.

Hana's immediate reaction was to drop the clergy role and spring into combat. There were two suspects she could pin the blame on. Rin and Akihiro were the two vagabonds not inflicted with the black fire. Dropping the clipboard she placed her hand on her Shinobigatana and geared herself towards Akihiro. He was the only one out of the two with a unique appearance. Rin's eyes were just like any other, but Akihiro's were a crimson red. Now that she thought of it, Hana didn't know why things remained so calm when the boy had his Sharingan active. It was the equivalent on pointing a gun at someone— it could go off at any moment.

But it was in that brief moment of eye contact they shared when Hana chose to identify her opponent she was instantly transported to another location, as it seemed. She was given a brief view of the Blood Prison and what horrors occurred under Nozomi's name. It was a battle which made her raid of Iron seem like child's play. But part of Hana was confused how these images came to be. She felt they must've been a Genjutsu, and if they were how could she exactly trust them? Genjutsu played with the mind of the victim allowing the user to bend their imagination to their will. Was this Akihiro's attempt on conveying some sort of evidence that Nozomi was evil? How could she trust what she was seeing is true and not an altered version of Akihiro's memory? As fast as she was captured in the Genjutsu she was released, a bit bedazzled of what happened. Hana learned the location of a place she never been to, people she never met, and experienced a battle all within a second. The experience was something she wasn't used to.

While Hana was dumbfounded and at a loss for words or actions, Kirigakure's guards were unaffected and sprung into action. The two guards at the bottom would immediately respond to Nozomi's predicament. They both formed five hand signs each and faced Nozomi. Internally they charged their Water nature chakra and exhaled two walls of water which worked to sandwich Nozomi. It would be uncomfortable as they clashed against her, but far from causing any notable damage. The purpose was to try and snuff the flames with water, which was the natural response to any human who has dealt with fire.

The four guards from above would respond to the combat. Two would descend from above as the other two remained from up top at their vantage point. The guards that chose to remain began hailing a rapid fire of shuriken around both Rin and Akihiro preventing them from safely leaving the small circle they would be trapped in. As two guards rapidly descending would reach them no more than a second and attempt to detain them from behind using their weight and momentum to drive them both into the ground. They both wielded kunai in their hands as a necessary defensive measure. In the event either would respond with lethal force they would respond accordingly.

Hana remained dumbfounded, unsure what the best course of action would be. What reason does she have to believe this kid? Nozomi was considered an enemy to the village, but those events happened long ago she felt it was trivial to reprimand her for them. She heard of the attack on the Blood Prison but the details were unknown to her as Kirigakure had no involvement. And she would be a fool to believe in every little Genjutsu injected in her mind. The guards probably chose the best route, extinguishing the flames and detaining the two suspects. It was the best way to go about it remaining neutral to both parties. But she knew standing around with her jaw dropped wouldn't last long. She needed to pick a side soon. For now, she waited to see how the event unfolded after the brief few seconds it took to reveal.

The Stuff:

NPC Stuff:

Nozomi didn't get a chance to feel anything, as the attack knocked her out instantly with no recourse for interaction whatsoever. With no possible way to guard, see it coming, or dodge the attack, it was a guaranteed hit, and Akihiro had successfully done what he sought to do. With a powerhouse of a technique that was impossible to counter in this situation and his superior cunning, he had succeeded in taking down Nozomi.

Or so he thought.

Her body became encompassed by the chakra of her Bijuu, almost a protective cloak, that the Amaterasu immediately began to burn to once it formed the V1 cloak keeping her body standing. Nozomi's face had been heavily burned immediately, the damage was massive, but it didn't even last for more than a moment, less than a second as her healing activated, restoring her to her previous state, her hair also growing back at a fast rate to the length it had been, as if by some sort of memory. Nozomi didn't know how lucky she was, being a Jinchuuriki, as otherwise that might have been a game ender for her right there.

As it was, Nozomi's momentary confusion was there as one moment she had been conscious, felt a blinding pain, and the next, she was surrounded by her cloak and flames. Still, for most people, her reaction was more or less instant, as she had been unconscious for so little time that even a blink of an eye would have missed it.

For now, though, the Amaterasu flames were caught onto her Jinchuuriki cloak, which had pulled away the flame completely. The guards had sprung into action, getting ready to launch water walls at Nozomi, but her cloak had blobbed up and dropped the flame onto the ground, burning off a portion of the cloak itself that had removed itself from her, as Nozomi rushed forward the two water walls crushing onto the flame. Nozomi's hands shot to complete the handseals for her go to ninjutsu technique, Water Heaven's Convergence. With water walls between her and Akihiro, she was more focused on the flame, which was... spreading through the water wall? What sort of fire?

Her eyes flashed with anger and hatred for a moment, that Akihiro had dared to assault her. She didn't know for certain, but Rin didn't seem the type to do that, and judging by the reactions of the Kirigakure guards, it wasn't them that had attacked her. Her hand extended in Akihiro's direction, and water from the mist condensed towards his body, to trap him and hold him there.

"It's unfortunate for you that wasn't an instant killing technique. You won't be getting another chance." Nozomi said, turning her head to Hana, who seemed to be the only Kiri-nin not to do anything. "If I was going to attack Kiri, I wouldn't have been talking outside the gates." she said, more to assure her that she wasn't a danger yet than anything else. It just worked out that she ran into Rin, otherwise she probably would be fighting this girl right now. Her eyes shifted to Rin as well, to see what he would do.

There were a few unknown variables, but currently, Kirigakure appeared to be on her side, as they had leapt into action to try and detain the two Uchiha. Nozomi didn't look much into Akihiro's direction for a couple of reasons. Akihiro wasn't the only one who gathered information about his enemies through observation. Akihiro was obviously the one who took out Raijin. Between that and general knowledge on the Sharingan's more well known legendary abilities, Genjutsu through sight alone, looking at their eyes was just a terrible decision. Raijin may be weaker than her, but he wasn't super weak. He'd been knocked unconscious by looking into the boys eyes, and Nozomi wasn't about to lose just by looking at someone's eyes.

The other reason, she currently still had a wall of water that was slowly being burned between herself and Akihiro, so his line of attack wasn't exactly there. However, she had plenty of range on him with Water Heaven's Convergence. Nozomi formed a circle of water around herself, to be used as a quick attack or defense, thankful to be back in Kirigakure, where moisture was abound everywhere. In the ground, in the air, the mist, in puddles, just everywhere. If the guards would release their jutsu, she would hold the wall up herself using Water Heaven's Convergence. Simple actions were best.

For now, she'd hold back to see what Hana and Rin would do. It wouldn't do to snap and fly off the handle right now. Being emotional was a bad idea. Especially given that this Akihiro seemed to be quite dangerous. Perhaps more so than anyone else she'd fought, as she couldn't look at him too much. There was no mistake though, she was in a seething anger right now.

-5 Water Heaven's Convergence (Was 10, Isobu Suiton reduction)
Version 1, 1 Tail Activated: 1/6
Lethal Damage Bijuu Healing: 50% of Bijuu chakra spent. (180/360)

Stamina: 280/290

Tech Used:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Stats:
Strength: A -> A++ [V1]
Constitution: B -> A [Body of Steel] -> S [V1, Primary stat]
Stamina: A+
Speed: A -> A++ [V1]
Coordination: A -> A++ [V1]
Intelligence: D
Perception: A