Crucible

Kami followed Raika on her patrol, at once point Raika grabbing ahold of Kami’s wrists. Raika had been courteous to keep at a pace Kami could keep up with. Looking around as well, she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary either and she they made their way back to the group. Raika’s face was very neutral, no emotion whatsoever, making Kami looking to the side. Kami’s face was the same, neutral, no emotion, if anything, her eyes relaxed, looking annoyed.


As they arrived, Sero brought up a situation none were aware about. Raika had an injury and she hadn’t told anyone. It was a disadvantage if she kept it to herself or if anyone did that. Raika went on to state that her healing was far faster and she healed within a quicker time that Azrael could’ve healed her. Providing the proof of unwrapping her bandage and showing just a mere scar from where the wound was, Kami took note of this feature about Raika. Hearing Raika say to continue the mission and that she would let them know if anything happened, Kami exhaled with a sigh. With the two together, it looked like two siblings with the older one taking the younger one with her everywhere she went even though she didn’t want to. Her red eyes glanced to Raika, Sero and then to Azrael. Azrael… She gulped before looking away again. “Let us continue.”

Listening as Sero told him that he was his greatest opponent, and he would have to overcome himself soon. He would not disagree with is master, for he knew Sero was right. He was standing in his own way, even if he did not yet know how he was doing it. He would overcome it, eventually and until he did, he would keep trying. He would think back to what had happened within the manor after he had entered, but he still could not remember it though as his master said, he would have to rise above it he would have to be better. As they began to move, Azrael would walk as quickly as he could knowing that his master could move much faster and only moved slow for him. As the other two rejoined them Sero would mention Raika's injury and Azrael would turn to face her as his eyes would quickly flash, his Akayurei activating his ghost sense as he looked at her and seeing her life force still strong and no real sign of injury. He could tell that she wasn't lying, she was not injured nor near death because of it. Looking back to Sero after Raika had finished speaking, Azrael would nod in affirmation that she was indeed capable of continuing the mission. His eyes would notice the distance Kami seemed to be giving him, he knew something happened within that manor, but he did not know what it was. Whatever it was, it seemed to cause a change within his sister. Something caused her to look at him strangely and he wasn't really sure but if he did not know any better, he would think she was as afraid of him as she was of Sero. Which of course made no sense to him, as she had no reason to fear him. Perhaps after the mission he would ask her to embrace their minds again to find the truth of what had happened, but now was not the time for that. Looking at the other two once more before looking back to his master, Azrael would nod that he too was ready to continue and would await further orders on how Sero wanted them to engage their next targets.

Sero would glance to one side and then the other as each of the girls fell in. Like a funeral procession they moved in virtual silence beyond the quick explanation of her regenerative powers and her promise not to let them down so easily as holding back a wound. His cold blue gaze shifted to the wound that was little more than a mark with dried blood now. So she had regenerative capabilities to some extent. Time had passed since he had been summoned to guide them but so much so that he could not put a level on her regenerative capabilities. Or the prerequisites to them. His gaze shifted to those unamused eyes of hers. Always seemingly uninterested in anything. Anything outside of fighting. He had challenged her before and found her capabilities promising. Few had shattered his bone creations as she had or drawn him to use his armor. He had been prepared to take her more seriously than he had others during training. Even Blitz had not taken him to such a point....however the poor boy had been stuck in a confined space with a monster in its own element. He hadn't stood a chance. However her regeneration could prove useful.

His eyes returned ahead. He did not bother with an apology. She had explained the solution to a non problem. For Sero it was enough. Instead he would continue on for a while. Soon however there would be a figure rising from the shadows in a black cloak and a nightmare mask. One of the Nightmare Brigade footmen had used a moving in shadows technique to scout ahead. Sero had no sensory but he had units that did and they had tracked their target as they were intended to do. Sero would hold up a hand to signal to the three students to stop. Before he would walk forward. The masked man would lean down to whisper to Sero before sinking into the shadows once more. Off on another task. For now Sero would turn to the three as he looked to them each in turn. The stress was building between them...as it would with so many objectives and mishaps. Still he would speak to them once more.

"So far you have practiced guarding a VIP and practiced attacking with minimal use of chakra. Each valuable as a lesson on a mission. However the next targets are not like the ones before. Up until this point those you have fought were merely stronger than average at best. The next are criminals escaped from the blood prison. Missin ninja. That means that they are trained as you are. They have learned what you have been taught before. If you engage directly it could end up in their favor. However there is an alternative. It has been some time since their escape and they have no reason to think that tonight is the night they are finally caught up with. The test this mission is simple. Avoid the detection of your main body as much as possible. Utilize stealth and misdirection. There are nine of them. Their files suggested the use of Suiton jutsu. So the longer you can eliminate them without being detected the better your chances. Do not allow yourselves to be engaged by their full force. It would be difficult for even me to counter them all at once."

Raika notices the tension between Azrael and Kami, but does little about it; the two are adults and should be able to talk to one another on their own and come to an understanding between the two of them. Then she realizes that Azrael rarely talks, and Kami rarely talks to Azrael. She mentally scoffs at their silence towards each other only leading to more tension, not just for themselves but possibly for the rest of them, but she still doesn't intervene. Raika never had any real siblings, so she wonders if this is how siblings really treat one another. She, along with the other two genin, stop when ordered. Raika didn't care nearly at all about being apologized to, nor was it expected; he was the leader and merely making his intentions and his expectations clear, as a leader should do. She watches him receive some information from a shadowy figure that Raika had only barely sniffed out the scent of, before the figure slips back into the shadows like a snake slithering back into a placid pond. She watches him go, but says nothing at all. If the information had been meant for them, he would have spoken to them. Instead, she waits for Sero to speak, letting them know about the situation and what the expectations are.

It seemed that it was somewhat similar to their first mission's parameters, but this time there were far fewer; however, they were trained ninja, not merely thoughtless muscle that had to forage for their own food and take survival money from helpless civilians. Sero told them all that even he would have trouble taking them all on, although Raika didn't believe him for a moment; she'd seen his green fire before and had felt its immense heat from feet away. If Sero wanted them dead for himself, instead of as a test, he could have done it without a need for thought. But this was likely another test for stealth rather than for the protection of single individual. Much more, it was likely a test of both stealth and assassination; after all, an assassination target always has an entourage for protection.

Raika looks between Kami and Azrael, deciding they need some form of a battle strategy. However, forming a strategy now before they've seen the camp was going to likely require them to make changes to that battle plan almost right away. It was better to have all their information on what the camp was like and what their lookout was like before they made any plans. She wondered if she could sink into the shadows the way that other man had, and she tries using the same handseal as the stranger had, and then visualizes herself slipping into shadows, thinking about the imagery again of the snake slipping into the placid pond without leaving behind any ripples. And then her body sinks down into the darkness between the siblings; they both would likely still be able to feel her in Kami's case or see her in Azrael's case. She moves among them in this manner for a while before coming back out of the shadows, blinking in surprise.

"Hmph. They won't know what hit them..."

OOC: 150/150 Hiding in Shadows Technique

Kami sighed and looked to Raika and the rest, hearing Sero explain the next mission being about missin Nin and being Suiton users. Easy. She had Raiton and with Raiton being stronger than water, she would be able to knock them out easily if she could use their water against them. Then Sero said to not engage as he would even struggle against the Nin. Her eyes rolled, landing back on Raika, seeing her mimic some hand seals a few times before really getting the hang of it and becoming one with the shadows. Her eyes widened a bit, making her look around to see if she could find Raika. She had blended in and with Kami not knowing the technique, she was completely puzzled. Kami looked back to Azrael and Sero and her body shivered again. They were always together and this gave off the impression that she was scared of Azrael but in actuality, Sero had scared her even more. She had gotten over her fear of his aura but his… his cold touch against her chakra, feeling the cold and tainted chakra move through her body, it made her panic each time she saw him.


Azrael was someone she wanted to be close to right now but he had been with him since he got here. Kami shook her head and exhaled, getting ready to speak. “A-A-Azrael.. D-did you see any Nin around us?” She asked with her words fumbling over. After waiting for a response and hearing his answer, she decided to use Chakra suppression to allow her and Azrael’s presence to be concealed even by sensory Ninja. Whether Azrael had his concealed from the get go, it would be helpful until possibly combat. This new missions would be tougher and harder. She would need to cooperate and get over this fear to be able to perform at top tier.

Listening to his master's words of their next target, a smile would form beneath his mask. The thought of these men actually providing a challenge was an intriguing thought, a challenge for him compared to the ones before, something to look forward to. Once his master was done explaining that their goal was to avoid detection, Azrael would use his ghost sight to project his sight forward to see ahead of them by five hundred meters. Doing so would allow him to get a fair look at their objectives, placement wise within their camp so that he could help direct the others so that they could all avoid detection. Given the current limited range of his sensory, this would give him a better idea of what they were up against until they got close enough for his sensory to actually be effective. The camp as it were, was a house, not nearly as large as the mansion was but large enough to house the missing nin comfortably and his nine men somewhat so. Only four hundred meters away from where Sero had stopped them, as long as they were quiet, they could get move without drawing the attention of too many at once. There would six currently outside the house, with the other four inside with one of the four in a room by himself leading Azrael to assume that he was the boss of these men. For the time being however the four inside the house would not be the problem it was the six that were outside, though for the most part for now they seemed not to be on high alert. Azrael would hope that it would stay that way.

Azrael would begin to walk away from Sero, with his orders given he assumed that Sero would merely watch as Valen had and not help them without them actually needing it. Looking to Kami as she asked her question, the stutter in her voice only raising more questions for the male but for now he would not bother. "There is none near us, Sister. This way, quietly." He whispered in response as he moved ahead. "Raika Ryuutei, there is a house approximately four hundred meters ahead of us. There are two individuals outside at the backside of the house, This One believes they should be our first targets. Kami Yurei and This One will take one and you can take the other before we move to those in front of the house, but we must be quiet or we will alert the ones on the inside." Unless anyone objected to what he said, Azrael would begin leading Kami quietly through the wooded area, with Raika moving through the shadows it was likely that she would reach her target first, but they would need to attack simultaneously in order to not alert the others in the front or the inside. Once Azrael led Kami to a good position that was still hidden from the enemies view for her to launch an attack, he would turn to her. "Kami Yurei, no loud or bright attacks please."

[14]

Sero would watch quietly as they each prepared for their assault. Of course he was ready to step in as needed. However despite his preference for shows of power and destruction...or shock and awe tactics.... Sero was uniquely gifted for stealth. Able to turn his body into water and become almost transparent his enemy was primarily light sources. In the night as they were he was in his natural hunting habitat. He contemplated how he would go about this as the main objective was not to allow the main body to be discovered. Ideally he would use his true body to move silently as little more than a ripple of water along the ground. Locating enemies from a distance outside of his aura of fear and picking out the ones separate from the group. Eliminating the stragglers and reducing the enemy numbers. If discovered he would retreat despite their inability to harm him. Once alerted he would use his bone golem to do the rest of the work for him. The Golem was a fearsome creation of bone that few men could withstand and fewer still could hope to defeat. Its sheer durability only matched by its incredible wrath.

For now he would keep some distance and watch with glowing blue eyes in the night. Out of the three of them he expected Reika to do the best here. Hunters had to not be detected until the moment of the kill. The longer it took to be detected the easier the kill was. Azrael was a close second with his illusions and ability to challenge the mind. However his recent slip up likely weighed on him and he would be cautious engaging the enemy again. It would be up to him to overcome that. Kami however had been quiet and distant since he arrived. However Sero was no fool. He knew his chakra had touched hers and could sense her fear. If she allowed it to dominate her she would endanger the mission. Fear led to mistakes. He used it often as a method for engaging the enemy. Dominating the battlefield through their sheer madness and instinctive reflexes against him. All useless against the death that descended upon them. It would be up to these three to manage the same. If they could instill fear within their enemies and capitalize on the enemy mistakes.

Raika slips back down, utilizing the Hiding in Shadows technique once more to travel low on the ground towards the enemy's base, a repurposed house following Azrael's direction to take out the two at the back entrance, even slipping past Kami and Azrael and avoiding their footsteps so that she won't be trampled by them as she goes past. She's a bit impatient, and also takes a moment to check around the corner to ensure that there are no ninja coming from around the house's perimeter, but it seems these missing nin had somewhat become complacent with only keeping a close eye on the doorways at the front and rear. Nevertheless, Raika moves back into position behind the two guards, and silently slipping out of the shadows directly behind the one furthest from where Azrael and Kami were.

Once in position, she watches Azrael for his signal, and as soon as she sees either Azrael or Kami prepare to attack, she performs a single quick handseal, the Tiger seal. Not giving her target the chance to move or alert his comrade, she presses her middle and index finger of her right hand at the base of his skull and immediately clamps her left hand firmly over his mouth, silencing him as his entire body seizes and becomes totally immobile. The movement is silent and fast enough that even if her two teammates choke a bit, the other guard might not be immediately aware of her surprise attack. Once the other guard has been dealt with, she uses her now freed right hand and extends her claws to rip out his throat completely, severing both his arteries as well as his trachea to ensure that he stays silent even as his life drains from his body.

OOC: 100/100 Temporary Paralysis Technique

Kami looked to Azrael and Raika, heeding what Azrael said to not make any flashy or loud attacks. This made Kami raise an eyebrow and think about her attacks, causing her to stay still for a moment, lost in thought. Putting two and two together, she came to the conclusion that yeah… maybe she had mainly flashy and or loud attacks, making her annoyed that Azrael had made a useful assumption and suggestion towards Kami. She gave a simple nod and continued forward, crouching down and pulling her kunai out and coming up slowly behind the other individual. Watching Raika get into position, she stared to Azrael and made a hand sign for Azrael to halt for a moment. As Raika made her attack, Kami quickly stood up, grabbing the hair of the opponent, dragging him down and placing her kunai to his throat, giving a quick and efficient slice. Same as before, the blood squirted everywhere, having Kami let go of him, his body falling onto his knees and then to the side, bleeding out quickly. She looked back to her brother, wiping some blood off the corner of her lip and giving a simple statement. “Let’s go. I think if we finish this mission, we should head back to town. We should be able to pick this up later after we’ve rested.” She suggested, now stepping over the body and heading to Raika to meet back up.

---

OOC:

Once they were in position Azrael would give the signal and let the other two do the work, he wasn't the physical kind of fighter, so it was best that he did not get in the way. Instead with Raika and Kami dealt with the ones in the back of the house, Azrael would be keeping his eyes on those in the front of the house. Ensuring that the actions of his teammates did not draw the attention of the others that they were there to eliminate, once the two in the back of the house were dealt with Azrael would look to Kami at her statement. "Kami Yurei is not the mission leader, Master Sero is the leader of this Crucible now that Valen Minamoto has left. Master Sero will let us know when rest is needed and decide when we return to the village, until then we have work to do." Azrael would then turn to face Raika as well as Kami, "There are four individuals inside the house and now four outside in the front near a large fire, elimination of the four outside should be the same as these two." Azrael would gesture towards the two corpses, "silence is our goal. We do not want to alert those inside before the four outside have been eliminated so that the odds remain in our favor, however it is unlikely we will be successful in the elimination of all four at the same time as we were here with just the two. This One suggest taking out the two larger men outside first, they hold the most chakra of the four. The other two should be easy after that, and then we can move to those that remain within the house itself."

Sero would grow tired of simply observing. What was happening down near that building was his element. There were no words to be spoken when taking a life of scum. Too weak to make a difference....too foolish not to try. They thought themselves above their station. Thinking they would take the power taught to them and put it to waste against the nation of Kirigakure. This was a mistake and their gods would no longer hear their prayers. Their gods had turned a blind eye upon them as Sero entered their path. Be it by his hand or by the hands of those who served under him....true horror was all that was left for them. Even in the briefest of moments too late to scream...fear would be their final memory. His cold blue eyes would watch quietly. The precision of the two women below...if Kami could let go of that humanity more....become more like her brother....more like Raika. More like Sero himself. If she cold let that cold numb sensation she felt when killing become the norm. The precision and bloodshed her and Raika preformed was coldly preformed and gloriously bloody. Even now though they seemed to let down their guard.

Azrael would try and keep them focused on the task. Overconfidence now would be a downfall. However the weather shifted. A cold gust filling the winter air. The fog of night descending upon them. A white blanket would begin to roll in and cover the ground in a blanket of fog. A wall of white washing away all of the sins.....all but the warm blood staining their hands. The branches of the trees grew long and clawed in the shadows. Sero would circle around. Staying out of range but watching from the trees. A quiet phantom flowing along as it haunted this place. Some said stealth wasn't a strong suit of Seros. People could always sense him if he was close. That mind threatening fear. As if sanity was but a thing lent to them. That they now faced the harsh truth of this world, that death comes for us all. As the three would plan their next move however. The door would open. Sero would watch while calmly and quietly preforming hand seals. One of the men inside with a considerable chakra signature in comparison to the others had decided to step outside. For whatever reason he would step forward into the night....into his end.

A longer more durable version of the Tail Raika would recall would shift through the blanket of fog. Snaking its way quickly along before any of the three would have a chance to react. It was for them to learn but he deserved some entertainment. This poor soul was a large man. A capable looking taijutsu specialist that practiced strong fist by the look of him. A sturdy build of thick muscles and callused knuckles. Even his outfit screamed that he was a fighter with a weathered Karate gi. The man would barely have a single second as the door closed behind him. The head of the tail would rise up behind him. Hiding in his blind spot. The mans eyes would focus on something in the dark...something in the mist....a pair of blue eyes staring at him...he could not see anything more. Just the cold blue glow of death in the distance. Then he saw nothing. The tail would swiftly wrap around him. Only this tail not only had blades but barbed hooks covering it. It would swirl around the man like brutal bone barbed wire as it tightened and then twisted savagely. In a moment before he could make a cry of pain the man was torn to shreds. Chunks of him separating out and torn apart. However not a drop of blood was spilled. The tail would continue to grind all the bone and meat down into a liquid form. Sinking back into the mist. Back into those cold blue eyes. Not a sound was made aside from the soft squish of flesh turned to blood. All in a matter of seconds as Sero feasted on the liquid he had turned his enemy into.

(I am fine with Cutting this into multiple threads.)

Raika looks at Kami firmly as she suggests that they head back to town after this mission, and while she and Azrael argue in hushed tones, she starts to peel off some of the missing-nin's flesh, eating away at it before frowning a bit; this man had been a member of the Ryuutei clan, and it pissed her off far more than if he had simply been a traitor of Kirigakure; he was a traitor to both her village and her clan, and that was even more unforgiveable. She's about to give her own opinion when the door opens suddenly to reveal a large man coming out into the night; but before Raika can leap onto him and deliver what she can only hope is an instantaneous death blow, his body becomes wrapped in a tail made of bone that Raika is somewhat familiar with already. She turns her head to look back at where the bone came from instead of watching the carnage; the man was already dead by the time the bone tail had come. Instead, she focuses on slowly and silently closing the door the man had just come out through, ensuring there are no witnesses to the man's death and nobody to raise the alarm.

After doing so, Raika listens to Azrael's suggestion that they also take out the front door guard, but she shakes her head a bit while she's busy using her clawed fingers to cut away at her own target's neck, slicing through tendon, muscle, arteries and then finally his very vertebrae to fully remove his head. Then she spits on the face of her target harshly, the rage in her expression apparent, but instantly fading away when she turns to look at Azrael and Kami.

"No point in going after the ones at the front; the ones inside will surely see their own comrades get taken out. The only reason we could take these two is because there were only two of them and there are no windows for them to be watched through - if that one that came out wasn't their watchman. I say we take the ones that are inside first. If we take them all out at once, they won't be able to raise an alarm, and then we can use Transformation Technique and this mist to pretend to be their leaders... Lull them into a false sense of security, and then murder them."

Despite her calm explanation of her own plan, she pauses occasionally to chew another piece of meat from her own clan member, now ex-clan member. Or at least, ex-person. It was an ultimate disgrace to be eaten by a fellow Ryuutei, to go from being a predator to being the prey instead, and Raika reveled in subjecting a traitor to Kirigakure to such an insult. It as well-deserved in her opinion.

"You both know how to use the Hiding in Shadows technique, yes? Also, we will absolutely rest after this mission - a hunting party is only as good as its weakest member, and if one of our hunting party cannot continue, then the hunt must end. Even the master Sero knows this - he is a hunter, too."

She finishes eating, apparently, because she looks to Azrael to see if her battle plan is more apt; this was how she tended to hunt a herd animal like deer, by taking out the ones near the back and work her way forwards, as the ones behind will try to keep an eye out for the ones ahead of them instead.

OOC: (I'm also interested in splitting this Crucible up into multiple threads after this mission, so that sounds like 3 in favor.)

Kami thinks for a moment to gather her thoughts and makes eye contact with Raika. “I agree. However I don’t know the technique itself but I can transform into one of these people and lure the leads out. That way you two can transform into them afterwards. How does that sound?” She asked, not fully confident in her ability to try and learn this technique within a dire mission. Before Raika could even answer nor Azrael, she snapped her fingers, ending the snap in the requisite handseal and her body merged into the person that laid dead on the floor. Her eyes glowed a bright red before fading to the natural color of the enemies. “Any issues or am I good to go?” She asked while turned around and checking herself out to make sure no flaws were to be seen. Her eyes went to Azrael, now looking a bit more sullen. “We have to keep quiet or be stealthy. I’d rather try and provoke less attention if possible..” she stated her argument as to why she chose Raika’s option.

---

OoC: It’s settled then. After this mission we return to the village, yes?

The sudden movement of the chakra within the house coming to the doorway would pull Azrael's attention to the door, but before he could say anything, his master would be there to make up for his mistake. He should have noticed the movement sooner, but he had been distracted in talking rather than doing what he should have been doing which was watching their backs and keeping an eye on their targets. Azrael would look to Raika as she spoke against his idea with her own, to which Azrael could see the logic in. Raika was a hunter, so he would defer to her to talk the lead on how they moved forward. "This one is useless inside the house, we can keep watch on the ones outside and stop them should they try to interfere. Like we did at the camp, if they are in the open, we can use our genjutsu to handle them or at the very least keep them distracted. Raika Ryuutei, you and Kami Yurei deal with the three now remaining inside, even with the four out here we should be able to keep them from interfering with your work. The ones out here will not be able to harm us, they will not know we are here." Azrael would whisper as he stared at Raika to see, what she thought about his slight change to her hunting tactic.

If Raika objected to them splitting up as he suggested, then Azrael would follow her lead. If she did not object to it he would slowly start moving towards the front of the house while the other two moved inside. He knew if he went inside that he would likely just be in the way, and that being outside he would at least be able to provide the others with some semblance of cover and be able to watch their backs by preventing the other four from interfering with them dealing with the ones inside. However, at the same time, he knew that Raika was a skilled hunter and so if she did object, he would know it was because she knew better than he did in this type of situation and would not fight it.

This was taking its time. He had already had his meal for this show but they seemed to want to discuss their actions. He wondered idly if they had truly listened to his words. He had after all worded it specifically. He had told them to avoid the detection of their main body. They had done this marvelously up until this point. However they were limiting themselves to not being discovered at all. However the enemy was weak. Under their level and specialty. Their numbers had been the issue with the mere fact that they had access to suiton ninjutsu. Numbers made them dangerous but this level of caution. It would only be a matter of time before something went amiss. They had successfully wiped out the enemy forces up until this point. With the numbers dwindled...the position in their favor and the element of surprise they had good positioning. They simply needed to act and eliminate the threat. Sero found himself growing impatient. Caution was difficult to measure in the battlefield. But with true power caution could be ignored. He knew if he stepped in he could have wiped them all out by now. But there would be no point.

No lesson learned.

For now his hunger was satiated. Or rather his thirst. One man was no more and no evidence of his passing remained. Not one drop wasted...and no one to mourn him. His loss meant little more than another peaceful night for the village hidden in the mist. However time was a factor. At any moment there could be a shift change. A rotation in watch due to the cold. They had only just come across them and knew little to nothing of their patterns or dynamic. Getting into the house would be up to them however. Windows were closed due to the cold and so were the doors. However this house was far from perfect. At least one of them had the hiding in shadows technique. Making them capable of entering narrow spaces silently. However he would not suffer this wait long. One way or another these rogue shinobi would die. He contemplated the need for time limits in the future but instead would simply observe. A pair of glowing blue eyes in the dark. Raika could likely do it alone if needed. She was physically capable but numbers would leave her injured considerably. And one false move....she wouldn't make it out of that house. Instead he would simply watch and wait.



((OOC we wouldn't be heading back to town. We would just be splitting the thread))

Raika simply nodded once to Azrael's plan to give him the go-ahead to help keep watch on the forward-facing sentry; like Sero, she was becoming impatient as well. She focused chakra along her claws once more as she extends the nails to their full length, then slips inside silently through the door. Although she had no mist in the house, she used the darkness to her advantage as though it were mist, and moved about with complete silence until she comes upon the group of two sitting in a chair and one man watching the remaining four through a window. Raika avoids the middle of the floor where the floorboards would be weakest, but also makes sure not to brush against the wall; the last thing the huntress needed was to effectively brush up against a bush and alert her prey. She moves right up to the two sitting at the table, and then slashes both of their throats, one for each hand to leave them only able to gurgle.

Raika puts one foot onto the table and leaps off of it, directly onto the final watchman as he starts to turn around to ask what's going on. He barely gets a word out before the raven-haired beauty has pounced onto him, using the claws to pierce between his ribs and deep into his lungs, drowning him in his own blood while she immediately got to work devouring his flesh. The four outside would be none the wiser, for the moment.

After her meal had died, she pulls away from him and decides that it's about time to take down the remaining four; they had spent enough time on mucking about with the group of missing-nin, and she knew Sero would be quite bored with the waiting he'd had to do so far. She grabs hold of the door, twisting the doorknob, and then staying behind the door, pulls it open, so that she's hiding herself behind the wood door as the sentries out front confusedly shuffle into the room from the cold outside, only to find their three comrades dead, two with their heads nearly off their necks and one that had several new holes through his chest. Raika takes a deep breath through her nose and doesn't smell either of the two genin she's with, so it seemed that Azrael and Kami hadn't quite had time to take down the sentries before she'd had her fun. That's when Raika slowly closes the door, silently revealing herself while they were busy staring eyes-wide like prey at the corpses of their former compatriots. Raika bursts forwards to the center of them to land on all fours, right into the four-legged Taijutsu stance her clan was famous for, not giving them any time to react with handseals or weapons as she spins her body around, slicing and slashing and cutting through like a deadly whirling dervish, until all four were eviscerated and lying on the floor as no more than corpses themselves.

Now that there were no more missing ninja, she allows her claws to return to their usual size, simply nails once more as she walks out the front of the mansion that had been used as their hideout, her entire body covered in their blood and feeling nice and full after such a hearty meal. She lets out a loud, sharp whistle and shakes her hands to get rid of the blood.

"All clear! We're done with our portion!"

Kami crossed her arms, bickering with Azrael as to how they would need to go about, already in her transformation. Her arms flailed around while speaking before hearing a bit of commotion. This caused her to run around the corner, going in the front and seeing Raika dropping the last man. “…..” With a dumbfounded expression on her face, she refocused as she spoke aloud, exclaiming that they were done. “Oh… yeah! Th-Thanks…” Now de transforming into her other transformation, she looked to Azrael and shrugged, confused as to what just happened. “I think this should call for a rest before we continue. Eat something again and we should be able to finish everything in a few hours or even by tomorrow.” She suggested to both of her teammates. Her stomach did rumble a bit as she expressed food, making her look away, embarrassed. Really? Of all times? She crossed her arms again and watched the two, awaiting their response as well as for Sero to show back up to debate this.

---

-Attempt to exit thread(?)-

As Raika would move inside, Azrael would move towards the front of the house activating his Chakra ghosts and instantly catching the four criminals outside within his genjutsu: Akayurei, he couldn't harm them in the genjutsu but he could mess with their minds and make them believe whatever he wanted them to believe. Azrael wasn't a physical fighter and so for now he would simply make it so they would not notice any differences while Raika did what she did within the house. They wouldn't even remember the sight of the ghost or the presence of him or his sister who seemed to be talking nonsense, Azrael would make them believe that nothing had changed since before they had arrived, as if the smell of blood wasn't within the air, or the sound of a death within the house was not present. Once Raika was done within the house, Azrael would wait for her to come around to the front, watching as she made quick work of the four that he was keeping within his genjutsu. Once she was done with them, Azrael would turn towards Sero, waiting for his next orders. "It is done master, what is next?"

They were efficient in their methods and had remained undetected. A one sided slaughter as it should be. Still Sero would only emerge from the treeline once all the enemies had been eliminated. Having only taken one for himself as a meal. He was refreshed now and held little interest in the remaining bodies. Their combination of stealth and assault had suited them well. For now though Sero would approach the three as they seemed eager to see what was next. His eyes shifting between each of them a moment before turning to Azrael who was his second.

"This was preformed admirably. The task that was set was not to allow them to see your true form which was accomplished. All the enemies are wiped from the face of the earth and not one of them had a chance to fight back. Dispose of the bodies and then rest here for the night in the lodging they had claimed. In the morning we will continue on the list. There will be no returning home until the list is finished Kami but you will be granted a chance to rest all the same. Eat....sleep...recharge yourselves. I will keep watch."

Exit thread
- to be continued
8 posts x 30 = 240

Raika looks to Sero as he appears before them to compliment them on their execution of these fairly poorly-prepared missing nin. The Ryuutei woman clearly thinks little of them, having been so easily taken out by a team of only three genin; she has to wonder if they were missing nin because they were incompetent for Kirigakure as actual village ninja. She turns to look at Kami as she suggests getting something to eat, but Sero makes it clear that they will be staying out here to complete their missions in full, and she frowns a bit when Kami's belly grumbles. It's not out of annoyance that she makes that face, but something like worry. She waits for Sero to give them leave, then she reaches over and takes Kami by the wrist to lead her back into the dilapidated house, quickly finding their stores of dry foods, even some dried meat. She thought it might be called jerk-y. She took a bite of the dry meat and discovers quickly where the name comes from; if she'd not had fangs, she would have had to jerk her head to get the meat apart.

Raika returns with the food stores and hands some of the various dry food goods to Kami.

"Eat, before you get to bed. Your grumbling stomach could echo."

OOC: Quickly interrupting Kami, then thread exit when she does

---

Kami looks to Raika, quite shocked that she would mention anything about Kami’s stomach. Whether it was better for the team or if she genuinely cared about her, Kami nodded with a subtle smile. “Thank you.” Kami grabbed the dry food that raika had grabbed for her and began snacking on it, the hunger slowly going away. She ate just enough to satisfy her needs but not to overall fill her. She crossed her arms, laid herself against a nearby wall and drifted off to sleep, her breathing slowing down, sleeping peacefully. The distant chakra that once crept to her dreams lingered for her, yet somehow she found herself sleeping peacefully.

---

Kami drifts off into a deep sleep, exiting the thread.

Azrael would listen to his master's order of cleaning up the bodies and then resting, those that were outside would be easy for him to gather together for their mutual destruction. Once the bodies were all dealt with Azrael would begin looking through the house to see if the criminals and thieves had anything of interest, of course he was disappointed by the fact that there was nothing with the exception useless weapons that would serve him no purpose and a small amount of food. There was no treasure here for him to find, and so eventually he would find a place for him to get some rest and drift off to sleep.

{Exit}