Busting out the Bad

Drug Bust:

He was prepared, to say the least. Tonight was a night where Shin discarded his usual garb in favour of something darker; though his usual attire contained a lot of black with various coloured accents. Tonight, he favoured an all-black attire for what the night would have in store. A black long-sleeved shirt was accompanied by a pair of black combat pants, which were then tucked from just below the knee into black boots. The only bit of that varied from the black was the white laces and sole. A couple of dark brown leather straps accompanied his kit, one wrapped around his right thigh, while a second went over his left shoulder and would cross his torso and disappear towards his back over his right kidney. The final piece that would accompany it all would be a pair of black gloves that did not cover his entire hand, as the material would just fall short of an inch before his wrist. When it came to equipment, Shin had none. One might view it as being ill-equipped, yet his goal was not to kill. A kunai could be used to assist in apprehending an escaping target, but Shin knew well enough that there were multiple techniques he could utilize to achieve the same result.

The sun was still in the sky, visible to the naked eye if one dared to look at it, but it was the mental preparation that Shin went through beforehand that had him getting ready earlier than necessary – punctuality was one of the many things Shin prided himself on. The mission itself would not begin its initial steps for at least another half hour, but Shin had already prepared himself for it mentally as well as physically, was more than prepared to head out for the initial brief on the mission. The actual commencement of the mission itself – where they would need to infiltrate the drug den, would be a while after the initial briefing. Shin was under the assumption that the meeting would cover the suspects that needed to be apprehended and the layout of the base of this ‘drug den’ and simply meeting the team that would be acting together. Shin himself had no idea what the composition of the team would be, how large or small, but it was of little consequence to him in the end. The members that would be put together would likely be more than enough to accomplish their required goal, and if not, Shin had more than enough confidence in his own abilities that he could do this alone, albeit needing more time.

He would make the trek towards the administration building where the briefing would take place, walking the streets of Iwagakure no Sato where people were preparing themselves for the night however they usually did, be it drinking, partying, or sleeping. He assumed these people would be none the wiser to what was actually happening tonight, with a drug den being busted and all suspects being apprehended. Though, it was just as likely for things to go sideways. Regardless, Shin was already preparing himself for any and all scenarios that could take place tonight.

Chen shared little in common with other humans, but one thing he did share with this particular human was clothing choice. Chen too wore a black cloak and underneath it a black T-shirt, warrior slacks, and black combat heels. The young man's hair was slicked back neatly as though he were a soldier in some Italian crime family. He was an especially sour mood today. Despite his status as protege to the last Tsuchikage, Chen's influence had been waning. The vermin from Konoha had outed him as an Ōtsutsuki and manipulated their confrontation so as to rob Iwa of desperately needed aid. The result was Chen becoming more or less a pariah in Iwa miltiary society. Presumably the only reason he hadn't been expelled or assassinated was because of his link to Masaru and now Yui. The Tsuchikage was rarely seen after her mental incident in the throne room and Chen preferred to keep it that way. It was best for the people not to know how weak the leadership truly was. Anarchy would consume the village and him along with it.

Endless knives just looking for a spot in my back.....

Chen headed towards the administrative building where he'd meet his mission partner outside. The scowl etched onto his face made it clear he wasn't up for small talk. He was here to do his part to help Iwa and then go home. He enjoyed the solitude of his quarters now that the joy of power had been robbed from him. He stopped directly in front of the building, not too early but certainly not late. If and when Shin arrived, the goth would nod at his compatriot. It was more than he would give Mitsukira but less than what he was inclined to give to Shiro.

Shin had little expectations of what was to come of tonight, except tonight would be significantly longer than if he had been able to unlock his clan’s fabled kekkai genkai, though the techniques themselves were not conducive to the cause of apprehending the criminals; only for their completely erasure from existence. As such, with the lack of ability to use it and it’s unrequired properties, Shin would be left to utilize more generic techniques that were in the arsenal of most shinobi, not that he minded one bit. He knew little of the individual he was tasked to be taking this mission with, only being slightly familiar with the name Chen Kimyōnakama, a chuunin of Iwagakure no Sato, but aside from that he knew nothing about the individual; aside from the more recent information that he had given a nod to Shin upon his arrival. The seemingly permanent expression on Chen’s face along with his demeanour gave Shin the instinct that it was best to simply stick to the mission and mission parameters, something he was more than willing to oblige. At least, from what he had perceived thus far, today would be a far quieter mission than if he had taken another one with Katsumi.

Returning a simple nod of acknowledgement in Chen’s direction, Shin would continue with his trek towards the briefing room in the administration building. Once and if, both would enter the room, the briefing would begin and would not take too long. Shin would listen aptly, though his expression mostly remained neutral. Given that he and Chen knew next to nothing of one another, Shin’s goal was simple tonight; get the mission done as swiftly as possible. Eventually the briefing would come to a halt, with the information provided to them being that of the location of the drug den, the names and faces of those that were to be apprehended, and a more detailed description of the ring leader behind it all. Knowing that these were not shinobi, but mostly regular civilians… criminals, really, the mission would be likely simple for two shinobi to take on.

Shin would exit the building and await his mission partner, if he did not take off ahead, in which case Shin would attempt to catch up. Shin would make his trek to the compound in relative silence, and only speak up once before they would enter the building - if Chen hadn’t already done so. His question would only come to fruition if Chen was still present, “Loud or quiet?”

Chen appreciated Shin's respect for the silence between them. The pair entered the building and listened to the briefing without asking a single question. The mission was straight-forward and there was no need to jabber on at length. The two left the room and then approached the enemy compound. On their way there, Shin spoke up for the first time and when he did it was to confirm their approach. Chen didn't reply. He walked a few more paces to test Shin's level of restraint. After a while, he responded:

"Loud. A message needs to be sent."

He liked working with someone who only spoke when necessary and in as few words as possible. Chen's estimation of the genin had raised a bit. There was only one person Chen had met who had anything worthwhile enough to say at length and that was Masaru. Shiro in contrast had nothing of importance to say but what he did say was amusing enough to listen to. Shin was just a genin but he was a genin who knew his place. Fight and Observe.

Chen nodded to himself as if confirming that this was going to be a fruitful outing. The goth walked up to the compound doors and gave Shin a look that said: "I'll do the honors" Chen raised his leg and delivered a powerful front kick the doors. He had cemented part of his limb in Doton utilizing Earth Spear and both doors came down with a crash.

Shin and Chen would be greeted with the sight of several men in scrubs playing chemistry. Powder, pills, and syringes lay packed on the table while guards looked around. They were so used to operating with impunity they had assumed that the shinobi would not dare molest their operations. Chen flickered through a set of seals and exhaled a dragon made of flame.

The beast roared and zipped into the building before igniting the chemical table further in the compounds interior. Every window in the compounded exploded sending glass, smoke, and debris everywhere. Chen rushed inside covering his entire body in the protective cloak of Earth Spear as he made his way to the nearest drug dealer.


Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet - 365/250 WC LEARNED

If Chen did not provide him with a response, Shin would take the initiative for the beginning of their assault; the option of loud was simpler, stealth was not a requirement when it came utilizing potent jutsu against targets that were highly unlikely to be able to provide a defense against a chakra oriented technique. Shin did not have to wait too long for a reply; as to why Chen took a moment longer than necessary to respond was beyond Shin, he just assumed it was the boy’s personality. Chen’s words of needing to send a message was something Shin could accept; if they made an example out of these criminals and the fate they faced, fewer criminals would likely pursue a path of crime. Or, at least, that was the hope.

Chen would approach the doors, Shin still standing a decent distance away from the entrance itself. As Chen would address him with a look, followed by a kick to the doors, Shin would wait for the opportune moment to enter the premise as well. With both doors being kicked open, Shin would watch as Chen entered the building and only trailed behind slightly himself. As he was crossing the threshold that would make it so he entered the building, Shin would watch as Chen began to flicker through a series of hand seals. As he would notice the first moments of flames being produced, Shin himself would dive into the ground by channeling his chakra into the ground below. Knowing that Chen was the one individual that was closest to him, Shin would find a group that were clustered off to the side. Appearing above the ground, twenty meters away from the group of four enemies he found, and a few meters away from Chen himself, Shin would point his index and middle fingers, together, at his targets. Rock pillars would explode up from the ground. Two of them died near-instantly with the pillars cutting through their middle, one was severely injured; his right leg nearly removed entirely. The last one managed to escape by a hair, and Shin would wait and see what his next move was before he would respond.

-3 CP - Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique (Doton Affinity)
-10 CP - Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears (Doton Affinity)
-277/290 CP

Spoiler:

-Trained Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears

The initial blast had startled and broken the dealers. A few people were naked while handling the drugs for some reason. Chen could only assume that it was to keep them from stealing the dope. Unfortunately, their nakedness left them weak. Unprotected. A series of flashbacks played through Chen's mind and the cool shinobi was suddenly overcome with a trembling rage. Before the dealer had a chance to fight or surrender, Chen delivered a punishing sweep kick while in Earth Spear mode. He followed up with a falling punch hard enough to cave the mans' head in. He'd either be dead or a vegetable, either way made no difference to Chen. The charred bodies and flames were causing some of the men to scurry away. They screamed and begged for their life but the Tsuchikage's Apprentice had no mercy to spare. Another set of seals were made and this time electricity was fired. A gaggle of fleeing henchman were ripped to pieces by electricity.

Men were running towards him with swords and he dispatched them in short order. They were fierce and skilled with a blade but he was a trained Chuunin. He parried, dodged, and de-limbed his opponents with a careful mixture of taijutsu and ninjutsu. If Shin looked at him, he'd see someone totally different. The Chen of minutes before was calm, quiet, and appeared to be without emotion. This Chen had a hatred that bubbled outwards and lashed at everyone that challenged him.

Why the sudden shift?

Chen produced a Chakra Receiver from the palm of his right hand. The Rinnegan displayed itself and now the truth of Chen's heritage was revealed. He did it either out of sheer recklessness (too angry to care) or hopelessness (Ashitaka had outed him in front of many Iwa-Nin). Perhaps it was both. Chen was now running along a pillar, making his way to the ceiling where he acrobatically swung to the top floor. He engaged the workers there in combat cutting down those who resisted and those who didn't all alike. He had no words for them. This was Iwagakure and Masaru had set the tone on crime when he first cleaned up the village. With the absence of his sensei, they were emboldened and believed that the vacuum left by the Kaifeng was there's to fill. Chen would not have it. Not because he wanted to protect the people or keep them safe from harm or any of the nonsense that Mitsu beleived. He did it because this was his land and it would be governed by his law. Refusing to obey him was refusing to deny his existence and Chen could not have that.

From above, Chen would speak to Shin. A single command: "Don't take any prisoners"

Shin could only spare a moment to glimpse over at the chuunin that was his mission partner and a noticeable change was certainly something Shin could spot. Whatever had turned the mood of Chen from somber to this rage filled one, Shin could only take a few hundred guesses at. Whatever it was that turned his ally this way, Shin was glad he was not on the receiving end of it. The Muramatsu did not spare too much time on Chen and turned his attention towards his one… and basically a half - the man could not stand on one leg from the pain he was likely seething in - opponents. Deciding he could deal with the one-legged man later, Shin would focus his attention upon the one that had managed to escape the Rock Pillar Spears.

Much like the previous technique utilized, Shin would use a jutsu that did not require any hand seals to perform. Instead, Shin would channel his chakra through his right hand and swing it across his body, pointing in the direction of his opponent. As the motion was being completed, a powerful burst of wind infused with chakra would tear through the room, aimed directly for his opponent. Shin did not make any adjustments to the technique and let it zip across the room, where it would eventually slice through his opponent.

Shin was able to pick up the commotion caused by Chen while he focused his attention on his opponent, though what exactly Chen was up to, Shin could only guess. He would not let his attention travel elsewhere, lest he wished to be surprised by a sneak attack. Shin would notice another group that was travelling towards him, a mob that looked like the wanted to murder him for the utmost obvious reasons, and Shin was fully prepared to return the favour; not because he wished to kill them for joy, but rather to teach them that their operations were not welcome in Iwagakure no Sato.

Rat → Monkey → Boar → Snake.

A portal would open above the newly spotted targets and a giant cluster of mud would spout out of it, crashing straight towards the ground where his opponents gathered. His opponents did not seem to be able to move from Sticky Earth Drop, which would help Shin keep them under control while he would be on the lookout for any further opposition he would face.

At Chen’s instructions to not take any prisoners, Shin would only briefly shake his head, more to himself than Chen. “Wasn’t planning on it.” The words said by Shin would likely be loud enough for Chen to hear, if not for the commotion they were stirring, both a result of themselves and their opposition.

Shin would look at the opponent that remained single legged on the ground, with a look of disapproval, Shin would once more cover his right hand with wind-infused chakra and drive it straight through his already unfortunate opponent. While Shin’s strength alone would do next to nothing to his opponent, the addition of Nadeshiko-Style Hardliner Gale Fist was enough to end the man’s life.

-10 CP Wind Release: Beast Tearing Palm
-3 CP Earth Release: Sticky Earth Drop
-10 CP Nadeshiko-Style Hardliner Gale Fist
-254/290 CP

Spoiler:

-Trained Wind Release: Beast Tearing Palm
-Trained Nadeshiko-Style Hardliner Gale Fist

The last of the upper floor dealers fell before Chen. A corpse would be tossed from the top and land on a table beneath. The body was riddle with stab wounds and the roof dripped with the blood of the guilty. They were all so weak compared to him. It reminded him of how powerless he had felt at the hands of Ashitaka. More rage. More fuel. Once Chen was done clearing the top, he swung back down to the bottom. He moved like a true ninja, scaling walls and leaping from pillar to pillar in a flash.

Speaking of flashes, Chen wanted to try out a new jutsu that he had mastered. He made a few handsigns and conjured a single clone. The doppelganger was given a Chakra Receiver and together the pair continued to decimate the thugs before them. Eventually, the clone was struck from behind (or rather had allowed itself to be struck). What followed was a burst of blue lightning that lit up the warehouse. Several of the thugs were electrocuted and fell to the ground. Chen burst into the back kitchen, where a mess of workers were hiding. Many of them weren't bad people. In fact, most were just down-on-their luck civilians trying to scratch out a meager living. The war had devastated the national economy. Meijing City had nearly been reduced to rubble, the Commonwealth was depopulated for fear of Kariforunia being attacked again, the expulsion of the Kaifeng had annihilated the business and entertainment sector, and the swell of refugees had created a crime problem for all industries. Those who had lost everything had no choice but to turn to the darker trades. For this lot it meant manufacturing designer drugs in a warehouse run by a local gang. They weren't entirely blameless but they weren't bad people.

One of them ran towards Chen with a butcher knife, he sidestepped and coated his upper body in Earth Spear. He then grabbed the assailant and smashed their head into the granite countertop. A powerdy substance filled the air. Chen suddenly ceased his breathing as if he was an automaton. He didn't need it. They did. The people in the kitchen began coughing, crying out and trying to crawl away from him. He continued to march deeper into the kitchen, defeating those he sought to oppose him. He grabbed a knife from the table and stabbed on in the stomach, broke a plate and a glass over another's head, and finally pushed another into the potbelly oven. The wailing and bleating from the kitchen could be heard through the warehouse although given the quick work that the duo were making of these dealers, there wouldn't be anyone to hear them scream soon.

Trained: Electromagnetic Murder in previous post (460/250 WC) - LEARNED
Trained: Lightning Clone & Earth Spear (457/450 WC) - LEARNED

While Chen zipped around and moved around the floors, Shin mainly stayed on the main floor and picked off any individual he could spot with a jutsu or two. For Shin he was aptly suited for such a thing, having quite an array of techniques he could utilize, given he had enough time to perform the required hand seals. As Chen would dash towards what was presumably the kitchen, Shin would hold his place in the main entrance, ensuring there was no one extra getting in, and much more importantly ensuring there were less people getting out. While it was not the most helpful he could be to their particular mission with the layout of the building, Shin worked far better if he had ample time to prepare; something he could not do with rushin in on his own.

The sounds of people coughing barely reached his ear, though he could hear it whenever there was just a quiet lull on the constant commotion going on. More noises would escape the kitchen, yet Shin’s attention would solely turn to a group of five who instantly turned a corner and were in Shin’s line of sight. Perhaps what Shin had planned next was a bit overkill… but it would end the relentless slaughter a bit quicker than if Shin did not. Quickly, Shin would run a bit down the room, so when he would launch this technique, it would storm through the entire corridor of the building, knowing that the building was situated in a place where there would not be too much collateral damage caused by Shin. Forming the hand seals of tiger, snake and ram, a vortex of wind would travel the path down the corridor - colliding with the group of five who were in its path - and would travel down the corridor resulting in numerous screams that would follow. While his enemies would not die instantly, given the screams were ongoing, Shin knew they’d be hindered enough that they would not be much of a threat.

-10 CP Wind Release: Divine Mountain Wind
-244/290 CP

Spoiler:

-Trained Wind Release: Divine Mountain Wind

Chen walked out of the kitchen with blood staining his clothes and to the sight of a tornado roiling about the main warehouse space. The lad's carefully maintained hair was disturbed and his clothing flapped about in the breeze as Shin's ninjutsu carried off the enemy and sent them to hell. Several desks, lab equipment, and assorted weapons were flung around the building. Windows were blown out and in the wake of the technique's aftermath the floor was littered with bodies. Chen had braced himself for the worst of it but as the miniature storm came to an end, he found himself standing up straight.

Hmph...not bad.... he thought to himself.

This Shin was rather skilled and he had no compunction about doing what was necessary to clean up Iwagakure. Chen looked around and saw that the warehouse was no empty. Everyone inside had been killed or was at death's door. He marched forward and walked up to Shin. Now that they had killed the bandits and drug dealers, the alien's had calmed down some. The triggers that had turned him into a ruthless killing machine had been eliminated and now he was back to being the same emotionless goth as he was before. He didn't bother wiping the blood staining his face and clothes. Shin would be able to see that he had picked up a large cannister of gasoline.

"We're done here" was all that Chen offered. He handed the mega sized cannister of gasoline to Shin. Clean up here and turn it all to ash" Chen was the ranking shinobi on this mission and he found the work of burning down the warehouse to be rather tedious. Besides, he didn't like to be so unkept. Chen then walked out of the front door of the drug den and towards his domicile.

Exit

Amber orbs would watch the figure of Chen march right up to him. He seemed calmer than he had been earlier, though Shin was not sure what exactly had caused him to turn furious. Shin’s eyes would turn to the gas canister as Chen indicated to turn the place to ash. While Chen was the higher ranking shinobi on this mission, there was nothing on the board in regards to burning down the warehouse. Shin, himself, had no inclination to burn down the building without proper authorization and ensuring the building could not be repurposed for other uses. It was a warehouse after all and there were an infinite number of companies that could eventually utilize such a building.

Looking around at the carnage after Chen had left, Shin would heave out a sigh. People were prone to making mistakes and the ones that suffered tonight had gone down the wrong path in life. With the build still… somewhat… structurally intact, Shin would ignore the canister that Chen had left behind and leave the building. If the building needed to be demolished, there were better means about going about it than becoming an unwilling arsonist - there was no authorization, aside from Chen, to demolish the building to the ground.

[exit thread]