The Black Site

The Konoha side weren't trying their best when it came to negotiations. The Jounin had also proved to them that speaking to them was probably a bad idea. And as expected, there was a rumbling that Seid and company was able to notice quite quickly. Immediately Seid dashed forward and shot through the entrance at supernatural speeds. Well before the kid was able to burst from the ground. Seid knowing that the other ninja was a sensor, and would notice that they were converging on Professor Cuomo. Quickly looking for a slop or downstairs that would lead to the basement. It wouldn't take long before he burst through the door leading to the basement. There subdued and held hostage was Professor Cuomo.

Darkseid appeared before the man, almost as if he appeared out of thin air. Though he didn't this time, he was just moving really fast. To fast for even most ninja to see. Assessing the area quickly, he saw the hole made by the boy. The Sensor would have bigger problems right now. "Professor Cuomo, the Bear nation sent us. We're here to rescue you." Whatever information he had it must be important enough for Kumogakure to learn as well.

Outside things hadn't gone as planned. Irui who was there Sensor was able to intercept the boys Flare Gun at the same time Seid took off. Using his powerful Dark release, he absorbed the flare which would leave the boy surrounded by the Pains who had jumped back a few meters. He seemed to have some bravado to him, which is apparent in the face of defeat. Clearly a novice as he had come out swinging as if it was his last stand. He had chosen that path because of his friend on the floor. Perhaps...

The Sixth Pain Ox whom had come from the forest was the one closest to the burnt body of Kimiko. She stood over her and fire a number of chakra receivers into her body, firing them in her more vital tenketsu points. Pain 5 who was the one closest to Ashitaka was the one who spoke in the deep monotone voice he had used before. Standing straight up as Ashi finished speaking. "Wrong move." Pain 5 would mutter. The boys attempt to reign in some sort of rapport had ended when he tried to blind them. He would interrupt Irui as well. Seid would was in no mood for negotiations. He had already made his choice for them.

"It'd be in your best interest, for you to listen. I will give you a chance to escape with your partner alive. All you have to do, is fight. Earn your escape, and rescue your Jounin, by defeating...him." Pain 5 would point to Irui. He didn't' anticipate him to lose, but he needed to see Irui win a duel by himself. This was mostly a test for him.

"But if you were to lose..." The Sixth Pain that was standing over Kimiko would drop. Then the body of Kimiko would shudder, then began moving slowly as it tried to get back up.

"You will become that as well." If the horrid image of a twisted Kimiko's extremely burnt body attempting to stand again wasn't daunting enough. Maybe it was the chilling groan that came from Kimiko's mouth as Seid forced her to speak. Ashi's next cheeky reply would be better served for Irui as he was definitely his most sudden threat. If Ashi accepted, the Pains would then back off surrounding the two. But giving them another 50 meters of room to maneuver. Keeping a watchful eye, only Pain Kimiko remained standing watch, but also began moving backwards slowly. Her eyes replaced with the Rinnegan would be focused on Ashi.

Saying nothing else, the Pains would take their positions. His refusal was would only mean he'd be attacked by everyone instead of just Irui. Perhaps he will take the hint that his partner threw away from the beginning.

----------------------

Six Path of Pain (6)  -6 CP
Chakra Visualization 0.2  
Black Receiver: Wayward Bind - 5 = 262.6 / 450

Things were going from bad to worse, and fast. The Kumo Sensor had not only entirely disrupted (and absorbed) his attack, he completely preempted even his efforts to turn things toward negotiations. That almost worked, until the standing corpse in front of Ashitaka cut him off while their leader bolted past them into the building. That was all the cue the boy needed to act, not even registering the zombie's words as he reversed his previous actions, making the Dragon seal again and firing another flare, this time practically shoving it into the nearest Pain's mouth. Then he picked up his weapon and swept it at the handful surrounding him again, before diving back into the earth he'd erupted from, racing back down into the basement.

He would arrive shortly after Seid did, bursting out of the ground even as the more powerful ninja stopped to introduce himself to the captive. Rather than the single naginata he entered with, he exited with a straight-bladed katana in each hand, which the perceptive might recognize one of which as being the former business end of the previous weapon. He spun like a blender, blades flashing in the dim torchlight. Incidentally, one was no longer black, but rather had a clear flowing sheen over it that seemed to enhance the natural blue-white of the metal it was made of.

As he approached the ground, he would catch himself on the tips of his blades and launch himself feet first towards Seid, although unlike with the conventional form of the maneuver, he would spread his legs enough to wrap them around the man as he slammed into him. After the impact, he'd let his momentum carry his upper torso forward so he could hold the blades of his swords to either side of his opponent's throat.

"If I were you, I would seriously reconsider my most recent decisions. You have five seconds to let her go before we find out if you can reanimate your own corpse."

Ashitaka didn't want it to come to this, but the jounin on both sides just could not stop escalating strife between them. It was like they were under some kind of strange compulsion that forced them to act against the wisdom and better judgment that adults were supposed to have and keep making matters worse for everybody. This meteorite was a serious matter, far too serious to let information on and control of it to fall into the hands of rogue powers just because the Great Nations couldn't suspend hostilities long enough to address the real problem in their collective back yard.


-------------



Non-Elemental: Flare Gun Technique: -1 CP
Swift Sweep (++ Strength, -1 CP)
Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation: -1 CP
Chakra Flow - Earth on Modular Weapon (Right): B+ -> S+ Quality, -1 CP
Chakra Flow - Water on Modular Weapon (Left): B+ -> A+ Quality, -1 CP
Sensory Technique: -0.2 CP
Style: Twin Divide (+Tier Coord, -3 CP)
Kenbu: (+ 1 Tier Coord, -3 CP)
Moonlight: (++ Coord, ++ Strength, -5 CP)


Ashitaka's New Stats:
Strength: C (During Sweep and Moonlight)
Constitution: C
Stamina: D++ (56.1/90)
Speed: D
Coordination: C -> A (During Kenbu), B++ (During Moonlight)
Intelligence: C
Perception: C++ -> C

The boy's fingers snapped into a Dragon handseal, and Irui's eyes narrowed, his body responding in kind as Ninjutsu unfolded. His opponent sprang for the nearest of Seid's Paths, fueling a signal flare aimed for the man's face; it was a tactic he was all too well familiar with, having used it frequently himself. Stun then strike.

Irui Style---

Niko had taught him the power of choice, and this boy had already made his. Mora had taught him an equally valuable lesson, one that irui would immediately demonstrate. His right hand straightened and folded into a half-tiger seal, while his free hand struck the side of his fore-arm and tore the black cloth of his sleeve back. There, on his arm, a porous, gleaming, resonating echo speaker thrummed with life. Electricity unspooled from within, crackling through the cavities of the device as Irui moved in response to the Genin.

The Hidden Cloud desired violence, and with the guidance of the Orthodox Church of jashin, he would give it to them in all its blood and glory.

--Lightning Release--

The boy was fast, he'd give him that, but Irui was swifter, and as soon as he'd registered the handsign and formed the second flare, Irui was already in motion. He threw out his arm, swiping it through the air, fingers curled into a claw. Chakra-saturated sound-waves boiled to critical mass and exploded from the gauntlet, cracking the very air and screamed across the gap between them.

Thunderclap!

At their distance, the technique would reach the boy before he knew what had hit him. If it nearly killed Mora Mikiri, it would certainly destroy this boy. This time, no longer constrained by the walls of the Cathedral, the sound technique tore free of its confines, leaving Irui standing, knees bent and ready for the next motion.  His hood fell to his shoulders, exposing a skull enwrapped in layers of criss-crossing bandages.  Irui brought his hands up and around, back to chest level and strung his fingers through the Rat, Hare and Bird signs, bracing himself.

_______

Re-Calc'd Stamina: 95.5/110
1 Inhaling Maw prepped

Jutsu:

The boy was the one whom had started this downhill battle. As soon as he attempted to make another handseal, Pain 5 whom was right next to him, would act. It's right hand would shoot upwards and aim directly at Ashitaka. Before he could summon the flare to attempt to blind him. The boy would suddenly be bombarded with attacks, the Mikiri Chuunin struck out with an impossibly fast attack generating from the Resonating gauntlet he wore.

The Pain would hardly be fazed by such an attack. At the sametime Pain 5 released six black chakra receivers. The receivers were about 3 meters long, they too were moving at supernatural speed. Only being a few meters away from Pain 5. Ashi would be hard pressed to dodge both attacks. If even one chakra receiver were to touch him. It would instantly interrupt his movements and paralyze him from sheer power of Seids stamina. Getting sheared by them would cause death. The Pains would be ready to dash and fight if need be.

At the same time Seid began to explain the situation with a general synopsis to the Professor. Alluding to the fact that he had been saved and the outside threat would be taken care of. "Now...what is the information you hold that is so important?" This was a fair question, as it would do well for them to learn this info. If he had learned to anything in his time with the Walking Death. Acquiring knowledge and power was needed in this day and age of conquerors. He would get this information, by all means necessary.

---------------------

Six Path of Pain (6)  -6 CP
Chakra Visualization 0.2  
Black Receiver: Wayward Bind - 5 = 256.6 / 450

Seid
Stats:
Strength: D
Constitution: C
Stamina: S++ (Otsu, Metropolis)
Speed: A
Coordination: C
Intelligence: C
Perception: B > A (Chakra Visualization)

Six Path of Pains
Stats: All B++ except for Perception and Stamina which is shared with the owner.

Ashitaka had no hope of dodging either attack. He didn't even register them until it was too late. The wave of electrified sound struck his torso after the six spears penetrated the targets Pain 5 was aiming for and knocked him on his back with his weapon skidding along to his side. He might as well have been standing still when the two attacks were launched at him. Either one of them alone should have killed someone of his ability. Yet combined, they still didn't. He could do nothing but force breath after agonizing breath in and out of his briefly-scorched lungs as the injury inflicted by Irui's attack healed almost instantly. His chakra also tried pushing out the intruding weapons, but to no avail.

There were no witty words now. No rage. No fear. Only the absolute compulsion of purpose mixed with the desperate need to survive. The kid strained against the lances of pure, hardened chakra piercing his body. Nothing. Ashitaka absolutely hated scenarios where every choice led to loss. But that was the one that had been made a reality here tonight, and the world was doomed. Someone not knowing his situation could believe that he had chosen poorly, but there were only wrong answers. He made one last effort to reach the enemy ninja.

"I hope... you're satisfied..." he hissed through ragged breaths. "The scientist... outside source... meteorite... chakra-killer... minor nations... can't have... utter chaos... please... fail..."

He really wished he had the ability to pass out right now. But even with the invasive chakra of the enemy whose wounds actually stuck in him, his regeneration insistently kept him conscious. Albeit not well. His vision faded in and out like the flame on a gas lantern that was being toyed with.




--------------------



Senju Regeneration: -2CP



Ashitaka's New Stats:
Strength: D
Constitution: C
Stamina: D++ (70.3/90) (Recalculated for cancelled Techs)
Speed: D
Coordination: C
Intelligence: C
Perception: C

Within a heartbeat, the boy hit the ground, and Irui advanced, and the crackle of his Lightning faded. He'd put up a good fight until the end, but the odds had been stacked against him, rigged even when he dared to attack the Paths. It was a mistake he'd seen Seid's other opponents make, and the end was always the same.

Irui slipped between a pair of the Paths, and came to stand over the boy. The child's breathing came fast, his spine heaving, his pulse like that of a rabbit caught in jaws. Irui eyed him cautiously, studying the trauma etched into the boy. He should be dead, He realized, A direct sonic-attack at that level should have caused massive hemorrhaging, so why....

"I hope... you're satisfied..." The Genin gasped, "The scientist... outside source... meteorite... chakra-killer... minor nations... can't have... utter chaos... please... fail..."

Ah, Irui smiled lightly as he knelt down, He can still speak.  He placed a gauntleted forearm over his knee. "Director Cuomo was studying the meteorite and its chakra-killing properties?" He summarized for all the Paths to hear. "Thank you, that was easy."

Perhaps this was how his own torture had looked in the Courtyard of St. Memori; a looming shadow standing over a broken and dying boy. Neither of them had heeded the warnings, and suffered terribly as a consequence. As he stooped, observing this genin, he could only speculate on how it would shape him. Would this moment twist him into a monster, diving deep into his nature affinity like he had, becoming a monster in his own sense?

Irui's eyes narrowed as the boy's breathing was slowly leveling. Was there a regenerative ability at work beneath the surface? He shifted his pose, and lazily held his left hand out over the paralyzed boy.

"My god demands sacrifice," He admitted, as if it were a chore, and the Inhaling Maw flashed crimson. "You made your choice, and must now suffer as I did. My Sensei...  She burnt me alive. So I will eat you alive, or you can tell me everything."

Irui's marked hand hovered vulture like.

"You were sent to interrogate Director Cuomo. The Land of Waterfalls is not known for your Earth Style. Which village are you from, and who is your Commanding officer?"

______


Stamina: 95.5/110

Professor Cuomo's eyes rolled back into his head as he continued chanting his mathematical benedictions. Kimiko had ceased draining his chakra allowing him to compute at an even faster rate. He still had much more to go and saying it all aloud had a dual purpose. It allowed him to keep track of the equations as he "discovered" them in real time and it kept his captors from interfering with this divine moment. Cuomo was about half-way done when the clone in front of him suddenly poofed. The area shook violently and then out of nowhere an alien materialized.

Seid informed the good Professor that he had been rescued. Cuomo worked out the last of the equation in his head but kept it to himself. Now that the infernal interrogators had been stopped, he no longer had any reason to continue speaking his secrets allowed. The battle outside had created shockwaves strong enough to loosen his bounds. He stood up and looked at the being before him. He didn't seem human and given the jutsu he was casting, Cuomo guessed that he was at least part of the reason why the meteorite had been as reactive as it had been. He figured he should reward the man for helping him solve the mystery of the meteor.

"Hmph. Its about time you showed up! Do you realize how valuable my time is?"

Ordinarily he'd be a bit more cheeky and coy with what he knew but there was something about this stranger that told him that it was best to get to the point.

"Thanks to the veritable havoc you've been wreaking, I've discovered the secret of the meteor. I received a tip from a confidential source that the meteor was being drawn here. The source informed me that off-world intelligence indicated that the meteor contained certain rare properties that when synthesized correctly would allow for the creation of a weapon capable of obliterating a human spirit. This effectively nullifies any possibility of ressurection. I call it....the Spirit-Killer. Now there is good news and bad news at play here. Bad news is that synthesizing such a meta-material into a workable alloy is next to impossible. It'd require a genius! You'd need the right reactions, a doctorate in physics, sensory, experience in bio-chemistry and materials science, and of course a sample. Good news is....."

Cuomo reached into his jacket pocket slowly. He didn't want any mistaken intentions. He produced a pen and notepad and began writing down the equation but not before placing a seal on the top of the notepad. He flipped the page a few times as the formula was so long that it required multiple pages. Once the forumla was complete he slipped it into his jacket pocket.  

".....I am such a genius. I was given the tip on the condition that I investigate and figure it all out once the meteor landed.  And now I have. Don't get your hopes up though, even with the forumla you'd need to lucky to get a stable alloy. Nevetheless I'm sure some governments would be willing to spend millions for even a 1% chance. So take me to your paymasters in the Land of Bear.....I have a feeling I'm going to be the richest Professor in the world after today."


OOC: Kimiko managed to capture half the forumla for Spirit-Killer. In order to complete the forumla you'll need one or more shinobi to conduct research. The following is required:

1. Sensory Skill
2. Chemistry
3. S-Rank Intelligence or 2 people with A-Rank Intelligence
4. 2,000 Words detailing the research process
5. Sample from the Hot Zone

Creating this meta-material is super difficult and 99.9% of reactions will fail thus only a single item can be created via this process. Note the experience rollover steal has been removed.

Spoiler:

The combined attacks from Pain 5 and Irui was of course too much for the Genin. The chakra receiver rods were the first pierce the boy six times through his chest. Then the resonating blast from the Kumo Chuunin caved in the boys chest. It was a brutal attack but the boy did not heed Seids call for surrender. They seemed ready to die for an opposing countries efforts. The idea was beyond Darkseid. When he becomes "The One Above All" it would be his duty to understand all nations, and why they do the things they do. Understanding would lead to less destruction. But he would be served to destroy nevertheless.

Ashitaka had been thrown backwards from the force of the attacks. Paralyzed, and most of his organs had been pierced. He should be knocked out after for a little while. The blast was too much for him to endure. Paralyzed and defeated, he could be heard spluttering through gasps. Surprisingly still awake. He seemed to reveal information important to the mission at hand. Pain 5 listened to his words, which Seid was able to understand remotely. But he had heard enough from them. The Pain walked up to Ashi, towering over his body. Like he did to the Twins before. He would deliver a powerful blow to the boys neck. Which would knock him out cold even. Though he would wake up quicker than most.

Spirit-Killer.

This information was indeed incredibly valuable. Seid who was now with the Professor had made contact. The target held himself highly because of his vast intelligence. He explained a complicated material capable killing a soul completely. Seids eyebrows raised with shock. The man pulled a pen out of his jacket and began to write the equation down. Even with the Rinnegan cipher like code he was able to make. This equation might have been alien to him. But he used his high Perception to focus on the process. Being sure to record it mentally. The humans had created a deadly weapon. He knew it. Sooner or later they would be able to harness foreign alien powers.

"We came as quickly as we got the mission. The Land of Bear is eager for your return. Let us make haste." Seid would remove a kunai from his pocket. Cutting the bonds holding Cuomo, he would make sure he was well before leading him out of the black site building. Darkseid was in a peculiar position, but his tasks was simple. He knew whom and where this information would be stored, the extent yet he didn't know. But he would alert Kumogakure to this new development.

There was no need to bother with the bodies of the Konoha Jounin and Genin laid. They were alive but had suffered severe damage. Darkseid would chalk that up as a mission success. Leading the Professor outside he would mention to Irui who was basically teasing the Genin. "Leave him be. We have what we came for." He could handle reinforcements but he would not test those waters now that they have recovered Cuomo.

Being also careful enough to reveal any unnecessary information. The Pains would scatter quickly into the area to follow them. As Seid headed towards the mouth of the entrance, he couldn't help but take a glance backwards at the Uchiha. But said nothing and continued on. Where Seid and company would began their journey to the Bear nation capital.

----------------

Six Path of Pain (6)  -6 CP
Chakra Visualization 0.2  = 250.4 / 450

[Victory Declared & Exit]

Irui's words were met with an arrhythmic wheezing and choking. Intermittently among the noises were moans of "Stop, please stop..." With some effort, the Kumo ninja might be able to identify it as laughter.

"Easy? Idiot. Been trying to tell you from the start. Should've stabbed myself if that's what it took to get you to listen."

Then words of gods and sacrifices rained on the fallen boy and elicited more of the awful facsimile of amusement.

"Sacrifice? They want our annihilation! That's what this meteorite is, Mummy of the Thundering Maw. A knife for us to cut each other's throats. We are nothing more than pests in their sacred garden. How can you walk with a god and not know-" Ashitaka's words were cut off by the blow to the throat he received from the Pain he'd been annoying up to the point of being literally shot down. Though the undead man was making no effort to be stealthy, he didn't really have to seeing as how his target was still blindfolded, mostly deaf, unable to use his Sensory abilities due to the severe shock, and trying to engage a conversation with a heavily damaged respiratory system. Thanks to Seid's interruption, he never heard Irui's attempt at interrogating him. Good thing, too. Laughing was an awful feeling in his present condition.

That he would wake up at all from his combined injuries would certainly place him at "sooner than most", but he would do so much later, once his body and Kimiko's were recovered by purpose-oriented teams. He had failed both his personal and assigned missions, and that fact wounded him much more deeply than the chakra spears that threatened to override his soul. If he had the presence of mind to, he would already be preparing his report for the pending debriefing, and bracing himself for the dressing-down he was sure to suffer.

For now though, his mind was entirely focused on not dying.


[Mission failed. Lost consciousness. Exit.]

"Leave him be. We have what we came for."

Irui craned his head to look towards the Path that had spoken, then back to the boy laying limp on the ground. He watched the childs eyes roll back into his head, how his chest still rose and fell, demanding air even as his pulse slow and leveled off. Even as his chakra was diminishing, his vital were stabilizing, and though he couldn't see it directly, Irui had a hunch there was more at work here.

He pressed his hands onto his knee and drew himself upright.

"We'll finish this another time," He murmured and pulled his hood forward. Irui turned back to the decimated forest, with its wide burn scars and furrows. In the moments since the fighting had drawn to a close a deep silence had fallen over the valley. The mist that had blanketed it before had been stripped away by searing flames, and a thick cloud of dust took its place. He knew in any other scenario, his partner would have littered the field with bodies, and it reminded him of how far he still had to go.

[exit]

With the fight drawn to an end, it wasn't long before the relief squad came. It wasn't certain if Kimiko and Ashitaka had survived, but a clean up squad had to come to verify one way or another. The fact that both of them were still holding on was something of a shock to the squad.

They'd pick up Kimiko and Ashitaka, and rush them to the hospital.

Kimiko would make sure nobody removed her mask for the time being, she didn't want anyone to know who she was beyond the mission assigner in the first place.

-EXIT