Operation: Princess Pincer

Arisu would have felt tired if she was the type to do such. However, given her chakra levels, she was almost never tired, even when using all of her chakra to its utmost. That said, the wounds she'd received were starting to slow her down. Overtime, the acidic blood of the Xenobeasts, and occasional hits that made impact from the beasts or the puppets, Arisu was starting to slow down.

She hadn't lost any of her Six Paths of Pain yet, but they were also starting to take damage. Unlike her, they weren't living bodies, and felt no pain, so any damage to them was simply superficial. They could keep fighting until they were completely rendered unable to move, and this was what made their unit such a deadly blender against any that met them. Without an ability to feel pain or fear, they were simply throwing themselves at their enemies, using increased visual prowess and field of view to forewarn of any blindspots.

Arisu herself had activated her Six Paths Sage Mode, which slightly altered her appearance. Her horn had grown a bit longer, and her skin and horn had turned completely black in places. The contrast of the black and her normal alabaster white skin was intense for sure. Almost all of her physical abilities had been majorly amped by the mode itself, and she utilized a Sage Enhanced Chakra Receiver rod as a staff, simply knocking away creatures as they came towards her, piercing some with the end, which came to a very sharp point.

She was watching the battles raging around the giant creature intensely, and the combination of strike teams were starting to compound major damage onto it. Still, there was still more that could be done to take it down, and everyone needed to do their parts. Still, she couldn't help but notice how strong several of the humans were. Some were to be expected, of course. Sage descended clan members had done plenty of damage. It made sense, they were descended from an Otsutsuki after all. Still, there were others like Valen who had achieved high levels of power on their own merit.

They could likely take down even this monster with all their working together. Arisu knew she could do more though. While it wasn't a Bijuu itself, it operated under similar functions, and likely had a similar level of chakra. Her own chakra was rivaling or surpassing Bijuu by itself, and if she could find a way to pierce it with one of her rods, she could likely influence it herself.

The beast opened its mouth and a beam of pure energy launched out of it, ripping a line through the ground and blowing up something that it had hit. Several people likely died, the shockwave of the blast was intense enough that she could feel it. Arisu redoubled her attention on the beast. They needed to take it down before it could do that again.

----
Starting Stamina from last thread:
Nature Stamina: 80/190
X tier Stamina: 327/425

-
-5 Nature Stamina, Sage Mode
-0.1 Nature Stamina, Sage Enhanced Chakra Rod
Nature Stamina: 74.9/190

-0.5 Chakra Visualization
-0.1 Chakra Rod
-6 Six Paths of Pain

S++ Tier Stamina: 320.4/385



---
Strength: C -> B [Sage Mode]
Constitution: B -> A [Sage Mode]
Stamina: S++(++) -> X [Demon Bell] -> S++ [Entity blocked]
Speed: B -> A [Sage Mode]
Coordination: A -> S [Sage Mode]
Intelligence: D
Perception: B -> A [Chakra Visualization] -> S [Sage Mode]

Paths:
Strength: B
Constitution: B
Stamina: S++
Speed: B
Coordination: B
Intelligence: D
Perception: S

Zizz was on a mission. The entity had been told to find Arisu Ōtsutsuki and explain to her that reinforcements needed to be brought in from Kiri. The Xenobeasts were threatening to overwhelm the defensive lines protecting the evacuation centers. The alien had the power to create portals spanning vast distances which would make her an invaluable ally in the battle to save the Heavenly Emporium. Zizz wasn't a fan of the Princess. Arisu belonged to the same race of colonizing aliens that had destroyed her home world and the outworlder's talk of completing the Rinnegan did little to inspire confidence. However, despite her suspicions, Zizz would obey her host's command. The fight against the Indaina Kujira took precedence over their petty squabbles. Rei was a disturbing being but its assessment of the situation had been correct.

ⵜⵀⴻⵔⴻ ⴰⵔⴻ ⴱⵉⴳⴳⴻⵔ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳⵙ ⵀⴰppⴻⵏⵉⵏⴳ ⵔⵉⴳⵀⵜ ⵏoⵡ ⴰⵏⴷ ⴰⵔⵉⵙⵓ ⵀⴰⵙ ⵀⴻⵍpⴻⴷ ⵓⵙ ⴱⴻⴼoⵔⴻ. ⵙⵀⴻ'ⵍⵍ ⴷo ⵉⵜ ⴰⴳⴰⵉⵏ.

Even if she was a vampire seeking to feed on the people of this world, she was preferable to the zombie Bijuu threatening to devour it whole. The Angel zipped through the Heavenly Emporium at the speed of light. It canvassed whole sections of the city in seconds as it searched for a pale white woman with lavender eyes and dual concentric rings. The Divine Messenger would finally spot Arisu standing on a rooftop with her soul-slaves. From Arisu's perspective, the space in front of her would warp and shift as though it were liquid. Then, a tiny black woman with snow white wings and a golden aura would then burst into view.

Zizz had arrived just in time to see the beam cauterize a huge section of the city. The soldering remains of several shinobi and civilians lay in its wake. The Angel wasn't about to second-guess Kitsuki but like Arisu, it knew that that beam was going to be a problem. They had managed to take out one of the key organs responsible for its endless parade of puppets but it still had other offensive tricks up its sleeves.

ⴰⵔⵉⵙⵓ! Zizz spoke the alien's given name. She knew that Arisu could understand her. She had indicated as such at the last meeting of the Princess Triumvirate. ⴽⵉⵜⵙⵓⴽⵉ ⵡⴰⵏⵜⵙ ⵢoⵓ ⵜo opⴻⵏ ⴰ poⵔⵜⴰⵍ ⵜo ⴽⵉⵔⵉⴳⴰⴽⵓⵔⴻ ⴰⵏⴷ ⵍⴻⵜ ⵔⴻⵉⵏⴼoⵔⵛⴻⵎⴻⵏⵜⵙ ⵉⵏ ⵜo ⵀⴻⵍp ⴼⵉⴳⵀⵜ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵎoⵏⵙⵜⴻⵔⵙ ⴰⵜⵜⴰⵛⴽⵉⵏⴳ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵛⵉⵜⵢ. Zizz looked back at the attack that had just been launched. She saw the devastation wrought by the Beast and immediately knew that auxiliary support would not be enough to win this battle. ⵡⴻ ⵛⴰⵏ'ⵜ ⵍⴻⵜ ⵉⵜ ⴼⵉⵔⴻ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ ⴱⴻⴰⵎ ⴰⴳⴰⵉⵏ. ⵉⵜ ⵡⵉⵍⵍ ⵜⴻⴰⵔ oⵓⵔ ⴷⴻⴼⴻⵏⵙⴻⵙ ⵜo pⵉⴻⵛⴻⵙ. ⵍⴻⵜ'ⵙ ⵜⴻⴰⵎ ⵓp ⵜo ⵜⴰⴽⴻ ⵉⵜ ⴷoⵡⵏ....ⴷo ⵢoⵓ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴽ ⵢoⵓ ⵛⴰⵏ ⵓⵙⴻ ⵢoⵓⵔ ⴰⵏⵢⴰ ⴼⵉⵏⴷ ⵜⵀⴻ poⵡⴻⵔ ⵙoⵓⵔⵛⴻ oⴼ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ ⴱⴻⴰⵎ?

Zizz knew that they weren't on the best of terms, she just hoped Arisu shared her perspective on putting aside their differences to fight for the greater good.

It wasn't Arisu that noticed the appearance of Zizz first, but one of her Paths of Pain. Through their shared vision though, she was made aware of that fact rather instantly. Without saying a word, Arisu turned to see Zizz as the communication began. She'd been sought out specifically, so that meant they were likely working towards the same goal. It was unlikely that Kitsuki would bother trying to attack Arisu right now, although stranger things had happened.

Zizz got straight to the point and Arisu paused for a moment. She could bring reinforcements, she had a few different ways of doing so now that she had Yomotsu Hirasaka and the Animal Path together. Still, to do so would be immensely taxing on her, and she was already in combat mode. Had she not launched several high power jutsu and been maintaining her combat mode, she might have considered following through, but as it was, that would wipe her out, and she was a more valuable asset against this than a host of Kirigakure shinobi.

"Apologies, but portals are taxing to maintain, and taxing to move people through. The amount I could bring through wouldn't help nearly as much as myself and my 6 Paths are."

However, the second part was much more doable. She had actually been working on that. Interestingly enough, with the Chakra Visualization, she had seen the amassing of power before the laser had gone out, which was something relatively important to get to.

" I believe the source to be inside its throat. Kitsuki is very strong and a good marksman. I may be able to inject my chakra into the beast and control it momentarily. If I can get it to open its mouth, and Kitsuki can fire an explosive arrow down its throat, the damage may be enough to stop it from firing further beams."

Arisu had already helped overload its elemental energy sphere, so it stood to reason there was something generating the beam energy as well, and that was less exposed, so it was likely less durable than the Radonsphere had been.

Zizz stared at the alien. It did not understand human speech and Arisu wasn't the most expressive being around. She definitely understood Zizz though as she hadn't looked confused or puzzled. Either she couldn't speak Mende or she wasn't inclined to. Ordinarily receiving communication for a colonizer would be anathema to the Chronokinetic but given the circumstances Zizz wished she could parse what was being said. No portals were opening up which meant that Arisu either couldn't or wouldn't bring reinforcements. She did appear to be scanning the Indaina Kujira which meant that she might have an idea on how to stop its lazer beam.

ⵔⵉⵉⵉⵉⵉⴳⵀⵜ....ⵡⴰⵉⵜ ⵔⵉⴳⵀⵜ ⵀⴻⵔⴻ, ⵉ'ⵍⵍ ⴳⴻⵜ ⴽⵉⵜ Zizz said rather unconvincingly before shrinking out of view and zipping to Kitsuki's location. This was a conversation that was better had face-to-face. Zizz found her host smashing a Xenobeast into the wall of a skyscraper. She dropped the beast and began scanning the rooftops for stranded civilians who might fall prey to the monstrosities. Zizz appeared on her shoulder and relayed that Arisu was in the vicinity and likely willing to help, although she'd need to hammer out the details herself. With her partner-in-justice located, Kitsuki took off at her maximum speed towards Arisu. It wasn't that hard spying a horned individual surrounded by living corpses. The way Arisu used the dead like puppets unnerved Kitsuki but that wasn't the primary concern of today's struggle. Kitsuki would hover in front of Arisu with Zizz perched on her shoulder.

"Can you open portals for our troops? If not, then what's the plan?" Assuming Arisu recounted her plan, Kitsuki would nod and look back at the Indaina Kujira. The swarms of puppets buzzing around its body were orders of magnitude less than previously but it was still well defended. "Give me a target and I'll hit it....no matter how big or small. Where is the injection site? I can give you a lift if you need it."

Kitsuki's voice was loud and professional. Loud so that she could be heard over the dull roar of her armour's engines and professional to mask her anger at the thought of Arisu "momentarily" controlling this degenerate Bijuu. A worst case scenario plan was hatched between her and Zizz. They couldn't let an outworlder take full control of such a terror.

Arisu didn't know that Zizz couldn't understand her speech, so she simply assumed the creature wasn't very intelligent, unable to understand the simplistic nature of Arisu's plan. If she needed Kitsuki to understand the plan, then so be it. Arisu nodded as she said she'd retrieve the other Princess. She could have simply summoned Kitsuki, but that would be an unnecessary waste of chakra, and for the moment, that was an important resource to her.

When Kitsuki once again asked the question of whether Arisu could send in portals to Kirigakure, Arisu once again reiterated, "As I told the small one, I could open portals to Kirigakure, but bringing back a force large enough to make a difference would drain me to the point of ineffectiveness. I'm likely more of an asset than the amount of forces I could retrieve."

She looked at the creature, determining where the weakest point would likely be, as a few of her paths moved around her, forming another perimeter as Kitsuki offered to give her a lift, almost as if to say "don't lay a hand on Arisu". Whether Arisu had ordered such a thing or not was uncertain, she certainly hadn't acknowledged their movement, but subconsciously, her distrust of a human handling her was present. Only Naitome hadn't moved, instead frowning slightly at the movement.

"I believe there to be a spot I can hit somewhere on its head or neck. I do not require your aid getting there, I have my own methods."

Naitome stepped forward and moved towards Arisu's side, offering Kitsuki a polite smile. She was always around at the more interesting moments. Giving a slight bow, Naitome liked to be respectful towards Kitsuki at the very least. He knew she could be a useful ally or a dangerous enemy, so keeping on the more polite route made more sense. "My lady."

Arisu opened up a portal in front of her, stepping through with Naitome, leaving behind the remainder of the paths of pain with Kitsuki and Zizz, as a portal opened up above the Indaina Kujira's head. The two of them stepped out onto its head and Naitome kept watch on Arisu as she searched for a decent weak spot. It didn't take her too long with the Chakra Visualization to do so, and she signaled from the female path to Kitsuki.

"She's about to inject her Chakra Rod...... now" she passed on the information as it happened.

Arisu's rod pierced the skull and her chakra injected into the beast and it let out a mighty roar, but it quickly was overwhelming her ability to put chakra through. Whatever this beast was, it was powerful.

---

Arisu refused to open more portals on the grounds that it would diminish her chakra levels and leave her useless on the battlefield. Kitsuki trusted Arisu to make that call. The alien was aware of her own abilities and she had enough combat experience to understand where her strengths lay. If she believed she could be of more use than 100 Kiri shinobi then so be it. The offer of a lift was rejected and the corpse-slaves moved to defend Arisu. Kitsuki didn't address this but there was still an unspoken tension behind their words and actions.

During their first two battles together, there was an unspoken degree of trust and fellowship. No more. It was now replaced by suspicion and only tempered by their mutual desire to protect the people of Earth. She ignored the corpse's attempts at conversation and watched as Arisu entered a portal and appeared on the giant beast. The female path next to Kitsuki began speaking and Kit transfigured her cane into its bow form. She dropped down from flying, took a knee, notched one of her specialty Cui Bono arrows and aimed it at the Indaina Kujira.

ⵜⵀⴻ ⴷⴰⵏⴳⵍⵢ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ ⵉⵏ ⵜⵀⴻ ⴱⴰⵛⴽ oⴼ ⵉⵜⵙ ⵜⵀⵔoⴰⵜ. ⵡⵀⴰⵜ ⴷo ⵢoⵓ ⵀⵓⵎⴰⵏⵙ ⵛⴰⵍⵍ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ?
I don't know.....but we're about to find out what happens when you poke it.

Kitsuki wasn't well-schooled in human or Demon anatomy but she knew a threat when she saw one. When Arisu's Chakra Rod found purchase, a swirl of air and chakra blew across the rooftops. It screamed out in anguish as its mind and senses were assaulted by a foreign presence. Its mouth was forced open and in a desperate bid to fight back, it began to charge its beam. The rapid accumulation of energy along with its screams was kicking up dust and wind. Kit's afro went flying but her aim was as steady as ever. The power of Tenshijutsu flooded her circulatory system and her aim became as true as her heart.

"...... now"
Fire!

Kit let loose the arrow. The object moved so fast that the  celestial eyes of the Ōtsutsuki could barely see it. The arrow zipped through the debris. It punched a hole through several puppets before striking the dead center of the Uvala and detonating a shrapnel payload. The Indaina Kujira's lazer was overloaded with energy and its beam fizzled.

ⴷⵉⵔⴻⵛⵜ ⵀⵉⵜ!

As the sharpnel and force of the impact shattered the Uvala, the excess energy had to go somewhere. The remnants of the kinetic energy was diffused within the creature's own mouth. A muffled boom could be heard and then nothing. Blood was now gushing from the creature's mouth and a considerable amount of puppets suddenly dropped from the sky. The beast was hurt bad. There was only so much punishment it could take.

"We're winning" Kitsuki whispered. She turned to the unnamed female path and spoke. "Target destroyed."

With the attack successful, Shimiko looked to Arisu and gave a thumbs up. The kunoichi's teleportation ability would remove her from harm's way so there was no need for Kitsuki to fly her off the beast. The two Princesses worked well together. If they had more aligned goals, Kit would have loved to offer her a spot in the Angelic Crown. Unfortunately, Arisu's preoccupation with the Path of Completion was deeply problematic. The alien hadn't taken control of the Indaina Kujira for long and so Kit's hand was not forced but she suspected that in the future, their conflicting visions would come to ahead. But was for later. For now, they'd focus on saving as many people as they could. Kitsuki took off using her flight armour and sped towards ground zero of the attack. There were still many people to be saved.

[Exit]