Listening to his senseis orders he gave a nod to show he understood, while mentally smiling that he was with his sensei on this task. Yet they were to make their way to point Lee and with that she gestured him to lead while she also vanished into the rain. That had to be a useful thing to have while in Amegakure, yet nodding towards Hiraku and Tomiko, he left them descending to the streets below and take the streets to the right, making his way to point Lee. Yet along the way he had his bow ready, to be ready in case someone attacked. Perhaps maybe a bit of an intimidation tactic should they run into anyone breaking the law. Yet right now that wasn't obvious, more so people cursing the shinobi for causing this.
There were enough people who were running and attempting to stay away from the violence. It became clear for anybody who had some common sense that those who were acting violent and targetting 'random' people were aware of some plan. While it seemed chaotic and the main purpose to rioteer against the freedom that the shinobi corps had in the city, there was some structure. Slowly to Kazumo's right Aiko appeared out of the rain, on a rooftop of a small establishment. Signalling with her right hand that he should keep going the woman would vanish once more, clearly intending to stay on the higher ground to provide assistance when her student would need it.
He had to move out of the way of a few people just running for their lives, in order to not get flattened by panicked civilians. This was odd though, and far too well executed for a normal riot. Well his orders were to get to point Lee and apprehend any rioteers, he looked breifly at his sensei who signaled him and proceeded as she vanished. So as he made his way further down the wet road, he came across a man with a wooden club beating a stand to splinters. Well that was his que to apprehend the man, but with what? He didn't have any rope to tie him w- ohhhh. The gears turning in his head caused him to sneak up on the man, putting his arrow back in the quiver and bow on his back. The rain enveloping his foot steps, along with the screams and destruction of someones jewerly stand. As the man finished a swing and was panting, he would feel Kazumo's arms wrap around his neck with a hand pushing on the back of his head. The man struggled, yet he wrapped his legs around the man who now swung his club violently everywhere in panic. The swings would slowly die down as the man fell to his knees. Kazumo at this point let go, and while the man was dazed, he punched the man clean across the face and watched him slump to the ground. Watching the man for a few seconds to make sure he was alive and out cold, he got his bow off the holder on his back and took back off to point Lee. He rubbed his knuckles a bit as that was the first time he ever punched a man as hard as he did.
More sounds of distress became louder as Kazumo would make his way towards point Lee. Up ahead there were a few man rounding up some people in a small group. By the looks and sounds of it wasn't much to the favour for the people brought together. A man stood on top of a barrel, raising a club while shouting that the abusers would pay for their crimes. Before he could lower his club to signal for the few fellowers to start to deal out the violent punishment out on the few civilians something hit the man hard in the back. Falling off the barrel, the few remaining rioteers turned around to spot Kazumo. Seeing the arment that the teen carried one of the rioteers shouted and pointed to the Sarutobi. Approaching the genin, there were half a dozen men with clubs, kitchen knives and one who had a rusty and likely old sword, as weapons of choice.
Before one of them could make a move, something stroke the man at the side of his head, which saw to it that the man collapsed underneath his own weight and falling on his back. Four of the five remaining decided to charge at Kazumo while another man seemed to be knocked out cold by the thin air itself.
Kazumo watching what appeared to be a gathering, witht he gathered not approving of this, he watch the one with a club stand on the barrel shouting that the abusers shall pay. Yet he was kind of cut off by himself falling off the barrel. He lowered his bow as he smirked a bit, before the attention was drawn to him.
"Crap." He muttered before putting his bow back on its back holder as he abcked away from the approaching group. What set them off charging wasn't him but one of them again collapsing. His sensei sure had it easy right now.
Weaving handseals as quickly as he could , his last one caused him to start sinking right away, just barely avoiding a kitchen knife from giving him a pretty scar. Although while underground their was a tiny bit of blood that trinkled down his face, from it coming into a tiny bit of contact with him.
"Note to self, make that technique faster to do." he thought before reaching up and grabbing one of the men's legs. To which they were nothing but sitting ducks for him. Yet he would only drag them down to their calf, starting with the one he just grabbed.
Upon the last man being dragged down Aiko's voice would ring through the communicator, speaking in Chonobi - to not confuse Hiraku and Tomiko with thinking that they could ignore anything in their situation.
"There is that. There are more up ahead, but think we cleared enough for the local police and authorities to deal with this area." She was sitting on top of the barrel on which she had knocked out the figure who had led the small bunch of thugs. The previous people who had been held hostage were already running away from the direction she and Kazumo had came from.
Took a few minutes what with them constantly moving to prevent this fate, but with the fourth mans calfs buried in the ground. He would hear his sensei speak to him, telling him the area was clear besides from the area up ahead. Yet the police could handle that.
"Understood." replying back in Chonobi, he would raise himself from the ground. Just out of range of a rioteer swinging a knife at him, Kazumo would then side step the attempted throw before walking away and down a different road. Taking a slight detour in order to avoid a hassal. The current area looked wrecked with destroyed shops all around, this caused him to pull out his knife just to be on guard.
A few moments later arriving in the area Aiko would appear next to Kazumo. Frowning she shook her head while placing her hands on her hips.
"This is sure a mess. Luckily we aren't going to deal with cleaning and repairing. Never understood the desire to wreck establishments or material that you're going to pay for. Oh well," Aiko mumbled as she threw a glance sideways at Kazumo. Seeing he was still standing and not missing any limb or looking in pain she decided to not inquire on how he was doing. Taking a step forwards Aiko threw a look at their right.
"Of course, was too good to be true. Somebody managed to take out a water clone of mine. From what I can gather the person is heading our way. Best if we prepare a trap, no?" The woman said as she would start to vanish slowly, blending in with the rain as the air seemed to turn colder.
"It sure is, to both your statements. Maybe they are really trying to drive home a point here? Well they betetr increase their police patrols after this riot is over." He replied with continuing to walk yet halted when she mentioned someone took out one of her water clones. So one of them was skilled enough to do that and was coming after them as well? They were being tracked by someone? As she finished her last sentence he nodded
"Yeah I have an i.......dea." he said looking next to him to spot not one presence of his sensei. Well he could do this alone, same as last time. Just this time give them a bit of bait. Weaving handseals a clone would form next to him, who gave a nod and made their own handseals and dissappeared underground.
"They just fought a clone, so they might be suspicious at first. Yet once they realize I'm real as the sun is bright, they will fall right into the clutches of my clone." Kazumo with knife in hand would also take out a few senbon from his pouch.
A hooded man ran around the corner at the other end of the street. Turning to face Kazumo the hooded figure remained on his spot, as the cold started to become more intense. Blood dripped on the ground from the tip of the stranger's weapon, which seemed to be a short sword. Tilting his head, with most of the facial features hiding in the shadow cast by the hood, the stranger started to walk towards the visible genin. Slowly whispers would resonate through Kazumo's mind, starting to become louder as if there were at least a dozen of people starting to shout inside the mind of the genin. Readying the weapon the stranger didn't increase his pace as his focus seemed to be set on Kazumo.
Waiting long enough brought results but in the worse way possible. A hooded figure arrived on the scene and almost on a instant, Kazumo felt sweat coming down his face as the cold sensation hit him. Was this that unkillable man from before? This wasn't good if that was the case. Raising his left hand to throw the senbon, he ended up releasing too early as whispers poured into his head. Whispers turning into a low tone, which turned into yelling. His senbon hit a stone wall and fell to the ground as he clutched his head. Was this the same man? This never happened last time was all the genin could process as the man got closer to him, blood dripping from the knife showing a fresh kill. The cold continued to pierce him as he backed away, the voices pounding away at him.
The stranger kept walking to close in the distance further between him and Kazumo. The voices didn't no longer shout, but started to scream and a soft whisper could be traced from underneath the hood of the stranger. Before the stranger could, however, further advance various kunai would be thrown from a nearby rooftop. Impaling the ground around the stranger, Aiko would land on the ground. Around each kunai was a tag wrapped around the handle as the woman briefly threw a look over her left shoulder. Focusing her attention back on the stranger the woman readied a kunai that she held in her right hand. Upon this the stranger dashed forwards, enganging Aiko in close combat as the volume of the voices in Kazumo's head started to lower.
When the voices started screaming in his mind he halted moving and clutched his head with both hands. What kind of technique was this, he tried a simple release in case it was genjutsu but that wasn't the case. It was very real, yet how did he do it? The man stopped however as kunai landed around the attacker. They were now pre occupied with her instead of him, as such the voices in his mind died down. No longer clutching his head he looked at the man engaging his sensei, if the focus wasn't on him and the voices died down... Did that mean they were now ringing inside his sensei's head? Taking a deep breath he would back away slowly as hands would sprout from the ground and clutch the mans legs to try and yank him down.
Dodging an attack that was aimed to stab her in the shoulder, Aiko lashed back out at the same time. The sharp point of her kunai scratched across the stretched arm of the stranger, but it was clear that it wasn't going to work or do any visible damage. Narrowing her eyes she managed to keep her attention up to move with the stranger to avoid the next slash, while she started to suffer voice starting to shout in her mind. Trying to work out who or what those voices were wasn't something she occupied herself with as it was clear that one mistake would lead to a lot of pain and trouble. Just as the hostile was about to reach out and grab Aiko with his free hand something caused him to come to a sudden halt.
Frowning Aiko would quickly skid backwards as she would run wind chakra across the blade of the kunai. With her free hand she would snap her fingers to ignite the tags, followed by unleashing a gust of pressured air at the opponent in front of her. The result would be a large explosion that would whip up dust, debris and ash into the air and take away the sight on both Aiko and the stranger. A few moments later, however, Aiko would appear out of the rain on a rooftop - to Kazumo's left.
"Still holding up?" She asked, while keeping her attention on the dark cloud of ash and dust.
Keeping and eye on the area, his clone would halt the attacker and sure enough not be able to pull him under. Yet it bought enough time for Aiko to detonate the area in a large explosion. The shockwave produced from it was large enough to hit him slightly. He felt his clone vanishing which meant either the creature killed it, or his sensei blew it up and hopefully the creature as well. Kazumo pulled his bow out and grabbed and arrow, yet instead of notching it. He would reach into his pouch and pull out a tag, in which he would wrap around the shaft and then notch it. He would hear his sensei talk to him, but he was to shekn to reply back. He kept his arrow pointed at the dust cloud,
"Have to keep the pressure up.. That won't kill it!" He muttered before firing the arrow into the dust cloud. The arrow would vanish into it and a couple seconds later an explosion would sound off in the already exploded area.
Aiko watched how the projectile moved with a rapid speed into the cloud. As it exploded Aiko wondered how they would be able to beat an opponent that seemed to be invincible. There had to be a way to beat it and then she remembered something. If this was a similar or same opponent that Katsu and Koike had faced then there was a window of time to land visible damage when physical contact was made. Throwing a look down at Kazumo, Aiko, however, didn't feel comfortable with luring the oponent into a trap to be grabbed. Wasn't there any other method?
Just as the thought ran through Aiko's mind the rooftile underneath her feet started to crack.
"What t--" the woman muttered, shocked as she tried to get away. A hand would shot out of the tile to grab the left ankle of Aiko. Trying to maintain her balance Aiko felt how an intense cold would run through her body as a more dreadful sensation started to run up from her ankle. Gritting her teeth she did try to move away, but the strength of the hold didn't allow her to even move an inch away from where she stood.
Stalking the spot he loaded another arrow this one tagless, yet nothing came out of the smoke. Was it dead? No the cold feeling was still around, it was alive, yet why was it waiting? Suddenly he heard tile shattering and looked to see Aiko being grabbed from under the roof? The building was a two story building so hwo the hell did he get up there without either of them seeing. Shit he loossened himself as he put a tag on the arrow. He readied it again postioning the arrow to fly through the window to where she was being grabbed, and hopefully hit its mark. Yet as the arrow shattered through the window, the tag wouldn't explode, instead he notched another arrow and fired it through. Yet as he did, he made a handseal and what would take his place would be the arrow with the tag and vice versa. The man was right there grabbing his sensei's leg so lowering his head so the arrow he fired earlier didn't pierce it, he would drop his bow and pull his knife out. Thrusting it towards the man's stomach as the arrow entered the room and aimed for the man's neck.
Trying to struggle against the dreadful sensation that moved slowly through her body Aiko felt how her will-power was starting to weaken. Just, however, before she could consider the thought to give in and stop resisting something caused her to snap back. Spotting movement Aiko just managed to catch Kazumo poofing away. An arrow would drop on the ground as it traded place with her student. Narrowing her eyes she tried to struggle again.
The stranger turned his head to face Kazumo as the genin attempted to land a strike. A heavy vibration would move through Kazumo's arm as the knife wouldn't plunge and move into the neck of the hooded man. Attempting to turn a bit to kick the genin away, wouldn't work as something came slicing through the roof. An arc of wind would mow down and take the stranger by surprise. The sharp arc wouldn't slice the arm off clean, but force the stranger to back away as a pained scream escaped the man.
Another sharp gust followed, tearing through the roof and slamming the stranger backwards. Coming through the torn opening Aiko panted as she kept her focus on the stranger.
"You okay?" She asked in a worried tone as the stranger seemed to stand up firm again, no longer in pain or troubled with his left arm dangling at his side.
His surprise attack failed as well, as a vibration rattled him when his blade came into contact. It didn't even enter it was like the man had a untouchable armor, yet it did catch his attention which was a success in his books. Yet just as the man could deliver any pain to him, an arc of wind would slice through the roof and into the attacker. Yet he didn't have much hope, last time she tried this it didn't.... work? Kazumo stepped back a bit confused as the attack worked? It did damage this time and it worked again when another one slammed into him. Aiko would drop through the torn opening and ask if he was okay to which he nodded.
"Yeah are you?" Kazumo would ask her but the stranger would stand up again and for a man with an almost cleaved off arm, hes hiding the pain really well.
"Why did that work this time? Does he have to see it coming to nullify the attack?" He spoke in Chonobi yet raised his knife for no doubt the mans next assualt
Keeping her eyes on their foe, Aiko answered back in Chonobi.
"Yeah, it is quite risky, but the trick is to deliver an attack when he tries to do.. something. Was more of a lucky guess, but whenever he gets a hold of you and there is more to it than just that cold, there is a window of time to deliver an attack." Noticing that the arm started to heal, slowly attaching itself to its shoulder there was a soft whispering originating from the stranger. Not able to recognise the language Aiko clicked with her tongue.
"Let's try it one more time. Just hit him hard and fast, but don't use anything of chakra." The jounin stated as she would flip out two kunai from the holster. The stranger took a step forward, waiting a second before he would dash forward. It was if he was an arrow released from a bow, intending to deliver a strike of his knife, aimed at Kazumo's stomach. Instead the attack was parried as Aiko shot forward, moving in front of the attack and using one of her kunai to parry the attack - though a soft groan made it clear that there was quite some strength behind the attack - and create an opening.
Risky was another word completly, it was a gamble to just deal damage to him? Yet if this was the only way, then they just had to make sure they brought him down and for good. He saw at attackers arm healing itself which was kinda of demoralizing to witness right in front of yourself.
"Understood." he said in chonobi, a reply to the orders, hard and fast. When he heard a step his grip on his knife tightened, and the attacker would dart off towards him. Aiko would also dart forward, which in turn caused Kazumo to dart forward as well. Although she parried the attack, he could hear the force behind it, required most of her strength to not get thrown backwards. Yet she created one and he wouldn't let his sensei down. With knife grasped tightly in his hand, after the parry happened he would shoot forward and would slash his knife right towards the man's neck.
The sharp steel of Kazumo's knife scratched the neck, not sinking into it as it would have done with any 'normal' person. But unlike before this time the genin would be able to see a scratch on the skin, as if the knife was scratching off some skin but not enough to cause it to bleed. Aiko pressed hard to keep herself standing and preventing she would be slammed against Kazumo or landing on her back. Her eyes shot to the side to throw a quick glance to the side. While she kept standing the woman would raise her right foot slightly and turned. Using the momentum of the turn the knee of Aiko would land hard against the stomach of their foe.
Stumbling back of the impact as well looking slight confused the stranger brought his free hand up to his neck. Managing to retain his balance he quickly stepped back as well leaning away for a kunai that Aiko threw.
Unlike last time he hit the man with his knife, he didnt get that huge vibration feeling. In fact looking, he saw a scratch on the man's neck. Why was it working now? He backed away a bit just as Aiko hit the man with her knee pushing him back, along with throwing a kunai. While he dodged that, Kazumo recahed into his own pouch, he took out two kunai throwing one at his chest, and the other his right leg. Kazumo noticed that instead of just taking the attacks like he had before, he was now dodging them. The gears in his head were spinning before his eyes went wide. Chakra draining, chakra attacks failing, it clicked in the genin's head now. These were foes that weren't invincible, just for a moment invulnerable, and it was due to Chakra.
Sinking slightly into the chest, the stranger groaned, as the kunai of Kazumo hit its mark. Quickly slamming the kunai out the grievious wound at the wounded arm was almost healed. Aiko narrowed her eyes as she thought of something. Pulling out four shuriken, two in each hand, the woman would throw two directly at the stranger while holding the two other in reserve. As expected the stranger made an attempt to avoid being hit, dodging to the left. While wounded and clearly in stress Aiko had to silently compliment their foe's speed and agility. Throwing the other two shuriken, Aiko clicked her tongue.
Kazumo watched his kunai sink in this time, surprise showed on his face as the attacker was now dodging fully. He recahed into his puch pulled out three senbon and threw them at the man. He didn't look at his sensei but started speaking in Chonobi.
"I have an idea, outside is my arrow with an explosive tag on it. Hes dodging our attacks now, so I think now this time damage will show. We get close to him, you grab me, and I trade places with the arrow and then detonate it. Bringing him and the house down right on him in a pile of burning wood. Hopefully the explosion kills him, but if it doesn't he will be trapped under a pile of wood burning him alive."
The shuriken were dodged before they could hit the stranger in the face, more specifically his eyes as Aiko had aimed for those, but the man stumbled as two of the senbon hit him. Again he would pull them out and there was no sight of blood or much pain. Upon hearing Kazumo's idea Aiko thought about it. Before she could answer the stranger dashed forwards, annoyance clear on his facial features as he brought up his weapon. In a quick response Aiko moved in front of Kazumo and raised her left hand. The knife would be halted in its path as Aiko's hand slammed against the wrist of the man.
"Go ahead, I will keep him busy." Aiko grumbled as she felt cold sweat moving over her skin as she barely could hold the attack back. The stranger attempted to use his almost-healed arm to punch Aiko in the side, but a quick sidestep prevented both the strike as creating an opening as the stranger was required to find his balance.
Before she could sound off on his idea the amn attacked, but was halted by his sensei, who told him words he feared. She gave the okay, but said she would keep him busy. He had to mentally tell himself that she had a trick up her sleeve and wouldn't just commit suicide to hold someone in a spot. He moved forward to where he'd be nearer to the man and within a second he would vanish with his arrow. The same arrow that had the tag on it from earlier. Standing outside with rain pouring on him, covering up the start of some tears. He activated the tag and watched the explosion happen.
The explosion would send shards of wood, debris and what not through the windows before only revealing that the damage was starting to make the small home starting to sink in. The second floor crumbled upon the violence that had been conjured during the fight and not to mention the spreading fire. Dust was blown gently out of the damaged windows together with the increasing amount of smoke. No sign of life seemed to originate from within the home, however.
Then somebody seemed to push some crumbling wood away as coughs made it clear it was a person. Stepping out of the smoke and dust cloud into the rain the stranger seemed to be quite hurt from the result of Kazumo's plan. While not looking as if he was on death's doorstep, it was evident that he wasn't feeling well. Leaning forward the stranger glared at the genin while blood dripped from his left hand.
Kazumo watched the house collapse in, dust, smoke, debris were everywhere. Where the house once stood, now laid in a fiery mess. It would seem like the plan had succeded, causing Kazumo to look around for his sensei. Yet when shifting debris sounded, his heart skipped a beat as he looked over at the burning mess. Instead of his sensei, it was the man that stood there. Damage very clear at this point, yet Kazumo stared at the blood dripping from the man's hand.
"Give her back." Kazumo spoke before his heartbeat accelerated a bit as a glare of his own formed. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and as soon as he notched it, he pulled the string back and fired at the man's chest. Yet instead of waiting, he just repeated his process pulling another arrow out and firing it again at the man's chest. Kazumo was clearly in a bit of a rage at the failure of his plan, but more so that the failure seemed to have cost him his sensei's life. With him being at fault.
The arrows didn't bounce off, but impaled through the skin of the man. Not that more blood would flow out of the man as he stumbled back by the impact of the projectiles striking him. The man's head lowered as he seemed to have trouble keep himself standing. Lifting his left hand to try to pull out an arrow, another one hit his shoulder. Stumbling backwards the man would find himself being thrown backwards into the house as the fire kept spreading. Slowly out of the rain the figure of Aiko appeared, but her clothing clearly showing signs of damage, slightly torn and burned. Throwing a look over her shoulder, to see if Kazumo was doing alrighty, Aiko would turn her attention at the spot where she had pulled and pushed the stranger in. The fire started to spread as some loud bangs resonated through the air, indicating on a few explosions happened. With that the house started to collapse as the cold also started to vanish.
As his first arrow connected and the second one flew also connecting, he had readied his third arrow when the manw as thrown backwards into the burning house. Kazumo held the string, eyes focused on the man getting back up when his attention drifted to the appearance of his sensei. His heartbeat slowly went back to normal as a smile appeared on his face.
"I really need to get use to your tactics." He said as some explosions went off making the collapse of the house finished with the cold sensation dying down.
"I-is he dead?" Kazumo asked as he slowly eased the bowstring forward as to not waste an arrow.
"Remember the second rule? Be in sync with your target. Anticipate its thoughts and actions. But don't let them anticipate yours," The woman replied back in a friendly tone. She waited a few moments before making up a decision. Turning half around she threw one more look at the ruin that was once a home.
"Let's assume so. For now we have to get going before we need to explain too much." She said, turning fully around. Beckoning him to follow her, Aiko would raise her right hand to her earphone communicator. For a moment she waited before activating the communicator. The manouvres she had pulled off to avoid getting burned to a crips or being stuck in the burning had been quite taxing on her chakra. If she hadn't thrown those shuriken before to use the body replacement technique with, following up with the use of the Shadowstep technique, she wasn't so sure if it had ended this well.
Switching the communicator on and turning it on the C - channel, Aiko spoke up in Chonobi.
"I am heading to point Lee. We will regroup later. Report in whenever possible." The orders were given with a strict tone. Though she felt winded Aiko started to pick a pace up.
"Let's move in cover over to point Lee." She told Kazumo, before vanishing with the rain. Reckoning that the fire and the sounds would attract attention, it was perhaps best to spend a bit chakra to avoid being forced to use more.
Hearing what she said made him smile as well as nod. They decided to assume the man was dead and to continue on before they ahd too much to explain. He nodded and was about to rub his head, when he caught a glance at his hand which was stained with blood. This confused him, but he assumed it might have been from pulling too hard on the bow string. He tried wiping it away on his pants, yet despite the fact the rain should have helped clear it away. The blood stayed fixed on his palm, thats when he looked at his other hand which was also stained in blood. Yet currently he couldn't let himself be confused and carried on with his sensei.
Following behind she spoke in chonobi into the communicator, to Koike most likely. Unless she wanted to mess with the others a bit. The next suggestion was moving in cover to Point Lee so they ddin't waste anymore chakra than they had too. She would vanish into the rain and he would sink into the ground and continue on that way.
While both headed over to the meeting point Aiko remained silent. She decided to get to the point as soon as possible. As she and Kazumo arrived both the Hyuuga siblings were already there. A quick glance was thrown in their direction. From the blank expression it wasn't clear what she thought when looking at the Hyuuga. Probably by the fact she didn't look as if she had a wonderful time with her flak jacket somewhat damaged and clear burning damage to her clothing the woman decided to not ask how the others were doing. They seemed more than fine, at least. Physically.
"Okay, seems that this really growing a bit out of what I had anticipated with a riot." The woman muttered, throwing a look around.
"They have a goal..." Remaining silent after the last comment Aiko thought of something.
"Listen up. Seeing that we haven't gotten word from the others, we are going to work without them. But it is clear that there is more behind this attack. I want you two to move to find a man. It is a man with red hair and... ugh, no that won't help." Aiko bite her lower lip. They didn't know probably how Eiji Emiya looked like. And asking a person on the street wouldn't really be going that smoothly she figured.
"Head to the central office. Try to lay contact with either the Amekage assistant or anybody that is able to be patched through." She told Hiraku and Tomiko. Turning to Kazumo, Aiko remained silent for a moment. Clearly pondering, she shook her head lightly.
"Get yourself patched, you did well. Then see if Koike can use your help. I need to do something."
With that having said Aiko would turn to the right and head off, vanishing once more into the rain.
