Souls Revealed (Akira's Hunting)

Rolls:

With Orpheus clattering behind Akira, adorning his Mask of Ren to hide his presense as he went looking through the older regions of the Dipugakure Island. If he had this worked correct, this was an area of a battle a long, long time ago. Perfect area to find a really strong warrior spirit. As he blended in to the shadows, he tapped the seal on the centre of his mask and his puppet vanished away in to the seal leaving Akira alone on his hunt.

He had long left the more civilised zone, timing every step in to the time of any other natural noise in the surroundings. As far as Akira was aware, he blended right in like he wasn't even there. A true Phantom Thief. And he had his Treasure to find out here in the form of a powerful spirit partner.

Akira would stumble on a vent in the ground something that wasn't all that common within the Dipugakure Islands and yet here one was and he would see that periodically wind would rush out of the ground in a burst before it would become still once more. It was actually quite fascinating to look at as though the wind shooting upward was invisible it could be heard and if something was standing on it or even was within proximity to the vent they would be blown upward. Either way, it wasn't exactly what he was looking for but that was the first thing that he saw in this place so it was up to this young genin to determine what he would now do with this discovery. Would he attempt to try and collect some of this wind, would he ignore it completely or perhaps he would stand on the vent and have it launch him upwards so that he could get a better view of the area around him.

Akira hunched over to examine the vents concealed in the brush, running a hand over and feeling the effects that such wind had on him. It wasn't exactly difficult to see this could be used to some great effect, and already he was constructing a new puppet within his mind. Taking a scrap of paper, he marked down certain details that would help him find the spot again. He couldn't exactly do anything about it now, but he could come back another time to collect what he needed. Instead, he tapped his mask and activated the summoning seal for his puppet Arsene. He still hadn't yet finished some of it's components, but he could at least use it's wing spans to catch the air. Getting a better view from above would certainly help in finding what he needed.

As Akira would head up in the air he would see something in the distance, it was a Zamite currently gorging on what seemed to be the remains of some four legged herbivore and as a result rather than being the small creature that it was it had grown to the size of a person. It was paying complete attention to it's meal but Zamite were known to be voracious eaters as anything they eat would contribute to their size and eventually after a while they would get to be as big as their adult form before eventually molting to become a Zamtros. Still this one had a long way to go before it got there but it was still pretty useful for a burgeoning puppeteer to harvest for materials. The only thing now was figuring out how to deal with such a thing without becoming it's next meal, and from his vantage point Akira would be able to see that it was roughly 40 feet away from him. It was interesting as they were sort of far from the coast which was where this specific of fauna preferred to frequent so it was quite lucky on his part.

Spoiler:

With his mask in place and active, Akira set his sights on the beast with his knife drawn. A simple weapon, but his puppets were being repaired so he couldn't fall back on to using them. Still, his mask was powerful, and he himself was a relatively fast fighter. So upon finding the spot he readied his knife, crouched low with his mask removing his presence, and leaping in to action to drive his knife in to where he would approximate the beast's throat and jugular would be. He wanted this to be over quickly, and forcing the knife in at B- speeds, he hoped it would be enough.

Truthfully, the Zamite couldn't notice Akira's approach and if it could it wasn't fast enough to dodge out of the way if it wasn't using it's strength to leap or something like that. As a result the shinobi's approach was essentially not noticed until the blade was plunged into the fauna's neck causing it to stiffen and gurgle as the blood from the wound was seeping into it's throat. Still it was a wild creature and thus it wouldn't give up just like that and would jump upward intending to flee whatever had dealt the lethal wound to it. Still it was greviously injured and hopefully the sudden leap would cause Akira to lose grip of his kunai so it wouldn't be seriously bleeding. Otherwise it would be and it's eyes would dart around hoping to get a glance at it's attacker so that it could attack back in kind, if it couldn't detect him then it would growl piteously before slumping over as creatures did when it was time for them to pass into Gaia's embrace. It wouldn't die immediately but if the kunai was removed then it would bleed to death pretty quickly, however with his unique eyes Akira would notice something rather odd. Namely a certain spirit lingering near the corpse of the four-legged animal that the Zamite had been eating it was blurry and indistincted yet, it was still there staring at what was left of the partially devoured creature.

Spoiler:

Akira grumbled as he hadn't got off an immediate kill. But that was fine, as he was thrown back, his knife twisting as he was thrown off as he didnt' want to lose the blade before it came out. However with how his mask worked, once he was thrown off and looked towards, it would be like he was truly there all along. Stashing the mask away in his pocket, he held the blade up still. He knew the beast would not last much longer, so he could just go on the defensive for the moment. But then there was the lightly glowing figure nearby. Beast spirits weren't the strongest of spirits, not something he could imagine him doing a Unity with but... it could be just what he needed. He was glad that he had removed the mask, but now he was just hoping the Spirit would not depart before he could communicate.

The Yūrei was the spirit of an Aneka and as such it was the lowliest of the Spirit Classes yet, it would actually shift it's attention from it's corpse to the Zamite which was now bleeding from the stab wound in it's throat. It would seemingly not care to look at Akira but that was fine since the Zamite was able to see exactly who had hurt it and would tense before leaping at the shinobi using it's full strength seeing as it had nothing to lose at this point. It's mouth would be wide open and if Akira was incapable of doing it would clamp down with it's jaws and would proceed to roll attempting to tear the flesh off of the shinobi so it could eat and hopefully gain enough mass to stave off the bleeding. If it wasn't successful then it's manuver would leave it open but it wasn't in the right mind as it was slightly delirious from the pain and it's Beast Art's mainly relied on the use of it's throat to be effective.

Spoiler:

Akira was prepared, he could observe just enough to tell him how to dodge his foe. The beast was strong, bulky even. It was all guess work of course, but in his mind, looking at it's build and how it threw him off told him it wouldn't be the more agile attacker. This meant that whilst Akira couldn't move quite as fast as it's strength leapt it, he was already on the move out of the way at B- speed as soon as the beast was leaping at him. With it getting in close, and seemingly aiming high, it made the perfect shot to bring his knife up and around to slash it across the side of it's body to either catch it along the length, or to at least strike a limb to cripple it more.

The Zamite couldn't move out of the way in time as while it had some speed it wasn't mobile enough on land to use it effectively and thus it would take another cut on one of it's forelimbs and would land harshly on the ground. It would breath hard as the blood continued to seep from it's body and it would let out a gurgle as it couldn't breathe effectively and the wounds inflicted were sapping it's strength. It would open it's mouth once more and attempt to gather up strength for a final lunge but would stumble and it's legs would splay out as it tried to find purchase in the ground to pick itself back up. It seemed as if it's strength had run out yet it was still trying to cling to life for as long as possible, that is unless someone put it out of it's misery. Meanwhile the Yūrei would continue to watch the battle before it's focus would shift to Akira and would stare at him as if asking for something before it would turn back to watch the Zamite. What did it want the young Ibwa to do exactly, perhaps it was requesting that it finish it's killer off or maybe it was saying that he should let it suffer even longer. The right choice was crucial and now Akira had to choose wisely lest this particular spirit decide to fade away.

Akira looked between the defeated Zamite, and the shimmering form of the recently deceased herbivore. It wasn't an easy thing to work out, it wanted something certainly, but it was hard to discern exactly what. In the end however, he made his decision not for the spirit, but for himself. "I know you know I can see you. I would love to perhaps form a sort of pact with you as you haven't immediately crossed over. But first," He crouched down by the pained Zamite. "I might be Ibwa, a clan of death, and I might follow the path of the spirits. But I still value life becoming death. This creature sought only to do what is in it's nature. And I cannot fault that. Saying that," He drew his knife to the Zamite's throat again. "I don't believe an opponent should suffer for nature. Go in to the grace of the Afterlife," And with his other hand on the Zamite's head, he dragged the knife through it's throat to finish it off. He didn't care if the spirit of the herbivore approved or not, he wouldn't go against his own beliefs. He didn't want spirit partners that would conflict him after all.

The Yūrei watched as Akira made the correct choice, this was because it wasn't some sort of vengeful spirit or anything like that but merely the faint soul of the Aneka which had been slain by the Zamite. It wasn't unfamiliar with the way things happened in nature but wanted to make sure that the Ibwa was one who was okay with such things as if Akira had caused the Zamite to suffer it would have disappeared. Then again, perhaps the Zamite would end up having a vengeful spirit as not only was it's meal interrupted but it would suffer for quite a while before dying without ever being able to harm what attacked it. Still, it was nice to see that some Ibwa still had a conscience despite the depraved teachings of Jashin. The Yūrei would float over to where Akira was before waiting to see if the Ibwa wished to establish a pact as it was okay with that he had proven that in addition to being strong enough that he was kind and that was enough for it.

Spoiler:

"Well then, it would seem you haven't immediately passed on once your revenge... no I suppose it wasn't revenge for you, was it?" Akira knew the spirit couldn't reply in the same way, it was the spirit of an animal after all. And whilst it might not have been his ideal choice in a Guardian spirit, he could have plenty of chance for alternates later. He needed a spirit for training, and this one wanted to join him it seemed. And so, he held his hand out towards it, palm up. "How about you and me form a Pact little one? Together, we shall go far, and experience delights beyond life and death,"

The Yurei would venture closer to Akira waiting for him to use the technique that would seal the deal between them, it too felt that this particular Ibwa would suit it well and perhaps they could grow powerful together. Who knows what the future laid in store for the both of them but it was pretty interested in seeing how much they could bond and thus allow it to strengthen is hold in the physical plane. Perhaps it would no longer be a mere faint soul, but would eventually grow into something powerful overtime. For now however the Yurei would enter Akira's body mainly so that it could wait around until the time that the Ibwa finalized their pact over the week. Now that he had managed to gain one spirit would the young shinobi head back to the safety of the village or would he continue onward to try and see about getting another one?

Akira kept his hand loose around the spirit, hand moving and cupping the air around it in a sort of embrace as the spirit melded in to his body. "Fear not little one. We will be great," He whispered, forming the pact he needed to make the creature spirit his own. "Now, I wouldn't want you to be alone. However I feel... perhaps I should be more equipped. Come, I have so much to show you," He was trying to be all professional, but this was his first spirit guardian. He felt he was allowed to be excited. Slipping his mask back to his face, he made his way home without having to worry about being disturbed.

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-End of hunt-