All events that occur in this thread will take place in various, more or less random but reasonable, locations through the Land of Iron. All events will be taking place either before the recent event of the sun being blackened or during the sun's blackening.
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:49 am
Iksinisius Alkinysisius
Iksin, a hunter....tamer even maybe? Aspiring at least had made his way to the land of iron. This was the place where many Yokai seemed to gravitate...so it was only right he come here for his various research and and endeavors. It had been quite a long time since he left home, and right now he had one objective...learning. Of course dealing with Yokai around the area while doing such would not be bad either. This time in particular, he was hunting a group of Kitsune...Nogitsune to be exact, who seemed to have taken refuge in a nearby forest to a village being attacked by them.
Moving along through the trees the young man looked around. He was not slated to kill these particular beasts....no he was set out to repel them. Force them away from this forest and to a different one as it would simply be best for both them and the village nearby. At least that was the mission, he himself didn't care either way for or against the village. Eventually he would find himself at a small cave entrance standing before a human who was standing guard over the cave. He sighed, silly Kitsune tactics huh? He would approach the human. "Hey, stop, why are you here?" The human asked Iksin, however he would merely speak. "I want to talk to you, not some human puppet you're controlling." He'd say arms crossed, look of slight annoyance on his face.
To which it seemed the fox like being would heed his request. The being left the body of the human and stood before Iksin. Waiting it seemed for Iksin to speak once more. With a slightly less annoyed expression the young man would speak. "I'm Iksin, I was sent here to repel you and your group. I don't really care to fight you, and I'm sure you guys don't really care to fight me either. I'd like to simply speak with your leader. I have a few questions outside of simply getting you guys to also move." It seemed this intrigued the fox, a grin spreading across his face. "But what do I g-" However before the fox could finish his sentence Iksin would hold his hand out towards the fox. "I won't destroy you right here and just go about it the brual way. I said I don't care to fight....not that I won't." Iksin said, chakra swelling through his body and into his hand slowly forming a circle that looked almost like a typical seal in the palm of his hand made out of chakra.
The fox would scoff, turning and beginning to head along into the den. "Come on then." He would say, to which Iksin would respond by simply putting his hand down. His chakra flowing through his arm halting and the seal-like circle disappearing as he followed the fox. As they walked, blue flames would slowly light the way through the den. Obviously some of their Yokai Techniques, basically just their jutsu so to speak. Iksin was not impressed, he simply wanted to do his job and move on.
Eventually the two of them would come upon a large open area within the den. Adorned with a great many beautiful and fancy decorations, and much larger than you'd have thought from the small cave entrance and hallway leading up to here. Iksin would have to admit he was a bit impressed by this at least. Within this area there sat a small group of foxes, two of which seemed to be generally messing around with each other, one sleeping off in the corner, another actually seemed to be growling at Iksin, while there was a larger one that sat atop a throne that didn't actually fit in with the rest of the decor of the room but was glamorous none-the-less. Iksin looked at this particular fox, and simply assumed it....she was the leader. The being that led him through approached and bowed almost. "He wishes to speak to you ma'am." Iksin was pretty glad that he was able to tell that this particular fox was a female.
It seemed she was willing to listen, as she tilted her head towards the young man. Iksin would approach, the other foxes moving and almost being as on guard as the one from before. "I'm going to be completely clear here, I don't actually care what you and your group does. I'm here for a mission, this helps me better myself in the long run. Before I discuss what I'm -actually- here for I'd like to settle that....I recommend keeping yourself hidden for a while, or at least ask that you do. As is, it might be lucky that I picked up your mission over some other hunter. There are plenty out there willing to see this den and simply burn it to the ground without hesitation and claim their mission complete." He explained, the foxes all seemed to move close to him, almost feeling threatened by the man as he spoke like this. However the female, their leader motioned them to pause. "You, are right young man....what is your name?" Iksin just waved it off. "That's not important."
The fox seemed to almost giggle at Iksin's comment and speak once more. "Fair enough, how do you propose we do this exactly?" Iksin at this point would simply take a seat, he knew he'd be here for a bit, so why not. Sitting on the ground of the cavern meant nothing to him really. "Well a genjutsu upkept might help keep people away from the den. Experienced hunters could tell this is where Kitsune live....in fact experienced hunters usually can tell when things are off like a random civilian guarding a natural cave." He explained, looking towards the kitsune that had lead him here...who sort of shrunk a little bit. "I'm not particularly experienced, but I'm knowledgeable, so if that's all it takes others for sure can tell. Something as simple as blocking the cave or making it seem blocked would work." The foxes seemed to listen, unsure of the man but he seemed....not completely hostile so to speak.
It seemed most didn't have an issue with this idea....they thought it good...but didn't think it to be fun. "And what will we do for fun then....human." They all seemed to ask at the same time except for their leader. "Should you wish, I can lure all kinds of people here specifically. Do with them as you wish, I care not, I can make a deal with you in that regard at least. This village you guys played in, they're wealthy enough to pay, targeting lesser villages would probably be better for you." They seemed to like this idea...this human however didn't seem as human as they were use to. "Why are you willing to do this to your kind?" Iksin would simply shrug to answer this. "As long as I don't really know them, I don't really care for them."
The foxes all seemed fine with this....at least for the time being they did. They didn't really have complaints, and the leader seemed to also be in agreement. "Okay...young one, we will take you up on your offer....however what else is it you wished to speak to me about....you mentione-" Once more, a lot like before Iksin would cut off the female fox. Showing his lack of care towards the hierarchy of these foxes outside of knowing who to speak to. "I need to find Inari." He would say, plainly, and blankly to which one fox practically jumped at him for. The one that was growling at him when he had entered. Iksin's hand would raise, a seal-like circle of chakra would form first in his hand then around the kitsune that leapt at him, causing him to suddenly freeze upon landing and find himself unable to do anything. "Don't worry, he attacked....I simply stopped him for a short time." True to his words, the fox would find himself able to move once more. Their leader spoke to all them. "Do not attack this man....go prepare for the genjutsu." She would say.
They all looked at their leader and nodded. Leaving through the path Iksin and his guide had come from. One looking and glaring at the man. When they all left the leader simply spoke. "How do you know of my connection to Inari?" To which Iksin would stand up, a grin almost as fox-like at a kitsune's grin spread across his face. "I didn't, you just told me." The fox would giggle at this response from the young man. "I see, It seems I've been tricked..I feel insulted, what do you want with Inari?" She would ask. Iksin's response would be quick and simple. "Same thing I wanted with you, except maybe a little more enticing for myself."
The fox leader would sigh. "I do not think I can help you with this...I am no longer under his tutelage or protection even. I couldn't find him even if I wanted to...that man is elusive." She explained, to which Iksin would show a look of disappointment. "That's unfortunate I guess huh. Any information you can give me on his actual mannerisms and the like?" THe fox leader shook her head. "Nothing most do not already know...he rarely does things himself, he uses other Kitsune to do what he wants. Maybe find a kitsune closer to him...." She exclaimed.
Iksin seemed to accept this, not much else he could do. Turning around and beginning to head out. However before doing such he would turn around. "Last thing, do you think that subjugating his own subjects might bring him forth?" He asked the kitsune. She sort of smiled, "In fact, perhaps. I don't think him to take fondly of that idea....so should do choose that option I recommend you prepare for the worst." The kitsune would then take a step down and begin following the man. "Don't worry, I'm not worried. There's a lot more I need to do, a lot more I need to speak to. I can't be worried about one of the greater three." He said...calling the three Yokai that were written in books he read as if they were gods by a name he gave them. The kitsune looked confused for a moment, but taking into consideration this man she realized what he meant.
"You are an interesting one.....if the three you are referring to are who I think they are....I recommend reaching the Tengu's leader first. He will probably be the most reasonable not only to find but to discuss with." Iksin looked towards the fox and nodded. "Thank you for your words of wisdom, I think I will do exactly that. Your help is appreciated." He would say to the fox, continuing on until they were outside the cave. It seemed the man who had been possessed earlier had escaped somehow. Iksin looked at the foxes. "I'll deal with that in a bit. Meeting you was great."
The foxes seemed to not respond with all but growls towards the man. Their leader motioned them to calm themselves and then would speak. "So what are your plans from here?" She asked the man. Iksin's response was simply. "Perhaps I will do as I said and take your words to heart....I need to find some Tengu and get access to...that area." He would say..."Or perhaps I will simply better prepare myself in general. I think if I can't take you all on right now anyways, I'd best prepare myself....otherwise the Oni will be my end." He realized as he spoke. "Yes, that seems fine to me. Getting stronger should probably be my priority..." He continued speaking as if to himself as he walked off, leaving the foxes to do what they needed to do.
Title: Repel the Nogitsune Group Rank: C-Rank Reputation: Neutral Impact: N/A Information: A group of Nogitsune seem to be harassing a nearby village. Someone has figured out their base is in a nearby forest. Locate their base and repel them in one way or another.
[Mission Complete: 20 XP + 13 Paragraphs, 520 XP] [Narrative: Discovery - D Rank: 14 Paragraphs, 140 XP] [Total XP Gain: 680 XP]
After having left the presence of those foxes, Iksin began his own work and research once again. He had a feeling he knew how he could get stronger....and planned on taking advantage of every possibility there was. The first thing that came to mind was natural chakra, he would very simply need to better understand and forcibly adapt his body to it.
He was well aware of the pain it would cause, but it was all for a purpose. He had to do it in order to follow his goals, he needed to become stronger. He didn't want to go mad with power though...in fact he was sure that he wouldn't go mad with power. It was that simple, he just wouldn't. He took into some books he....stole from a few places and began his research on the forbidden seals.
As he researched, figured out how they worked...he realized he would either need someone to apply one to him......or create one himself. Creating a cursed seal sounded easy enough to be honest...or maybe that was just him...painful but easy. He would do exactly that, putting in the effort to slowly begin creating a seal. Choosing to make it more angular, clean, some might even say a bit blocky. Making it on the back of his hand he added in the necessary bits of sealing that would allow the seal to use nature energy as it's power source....
Then it would begin, applying a bit of chakra to it in order to activate it was all he needed as the seal quickly took on a life of it's own. Spreading along his body initially, almost completely covering his right side at first. The seal seemed to stay in line with how it was initial created and was clean despite it's painful and corrupt nature. Iksin writhed in pain from the seal as he endured it....because he just....had to.
The seal continued to spread as it forced his body to begin changing, his skin became pale, the seal seemed to almost break so to speak becoming more zig-zaggy and different. Almost like cracks formed through his skin, deep red cracks that practically pulsed with chakra. He stood there for a moment, still in pain...but he felt stronger much stronger. He looked down at his hands and sighed. "This is it I suppose I can tell I'm strong...but...." He soon would allow his body to turn back...and felt sluggish....weak...much more so than normal. "That's not going to work that well....I need....more."
Kin Fuuin Jutsu [ Forbidden Seal Technique ] -- Forbidden Seal of Ascent
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:38 pm
Iksinisius Alkinysisius
Iksin had so much more he needed to do....he found himself in a temple. Somewhere in the Land of Iron, foxes adorned the walls around it that made him well aware this was exactly where he wanted to go. A temple dedicated to Inari....not O-Inari but Inari the Yokai. He was revered as a god by some after all so these places were bound to exist. Best of all? These particular people seemed to accept the other two Yokai who's powers rivaled Inari to also be gods in some way...although maybe not worshipped them...simply accepted them as such. Either way, he would find himself in the temple....he needed to meditate here...he needed it's members to teach him how to channel natural energy properly. The forbidden seal was a mere step in the right direction....this would be a leap.
And that he would do....exactly such. Speaking to those of the temple...convincing them to teach him. However unexpectedly....they basically told him he need just meditate....Iksin was surprised to be honest....perhaps it was that simple after all? He would begin doing exactly that, sitting himself in the temple among the others meditating. Closing his eyes, and doing exactly what he was told.
Meditation was something that he was not particularly amazing nor bad at. His eyes remained closed, his breathing remained stable and steady. He allowed chakra to flow through him, around him, out of him, back into him. He didn't know exactly how the others around him meditated but this was how he did it. It was calming for him to play with his chakra like this so to speak. Letting it roam free like this...it was great. Fun even, although he wasn't really here for fun exactly. He was here to learn...and slowly he would begin to realize that's what he was doing.
His meditative state continued and he began to feel...different. Maybe not that different....but different none the less. His chakra flowing around him changed, his body sort of shivered a bit, but his mind seemed to remain clear. There was no reason for him to be worried and he knew it, his body would simply need to take time to understand exactly that. It was fine, everything as fine, the odd yet familiar feeling was slowly covering his body now. How was it familiar, what did he remember this feeling from, why did it still seem different at the same time?
It wasn't long before he realized what it was, his chakra was changing....actually that wasn't it at all. It wasn't -his- chakra changing, it was the chakra around him replacing it, almost playing with his chakra. Moving in it's place and stopping his own chakra from flowing and forcibly turning him into a vessel for it. That was why it was familiar, it felt like a much more pure version of the chakra he felt when he had created his Forbidden Seal...it was nature chakra entering itself into his body.
He felt weird, was there a hand on him? No impossible, everyone else around him was meditating right? He wouldn't check...he couldn't check. He knew the moment he broke his concentration his entire reason for coming here would be over in a mere moment. He simply...allowed the chakra to do as it wanted, although would lead it. This seemed to work, as opposed to the chakra wildly moving around and through him it followed his lead.
The chakra was not controlled by him in the way he controlled his own chakra...it was lead. The chill in his body disappeared, the natural chakra flowing around and now through him was calm. He was like a container for the chakra at this point...much like how his seal functioned....his body was also this now as well. He was fine with this, he had no issues....this was what he wanted. He didn't think anymore or less of this.
When he would finally open his eyes....he would see a man...the temple monk standing over him. Hand on his head, and chakra flowing through him. Had this man put the nature chakra in him? Did he jump start the process for Iksin to begin becoming how he wanted? It seemed so...and as Iksin stood the monk walked away. Iksin was confused....but it didn't matter to him. He came....he got what he wanted....it seemed it was time for him to leave now.
Iksin had quickly accepted the mission he found as soon as he got it. In fact he had cut off the messenger bird in the middle of it going to the nearby larger-villages with more established monster hunters. He wasn't planning on letting this slip by due to some hunters coming and ruining his fun. He quickly was jumping from tree to tree...then eventually hit the mountainous area he could only assume to be the place where all this was happening.
Based on his own assumptions, he figured that likely this small war was due to the small groups disagreements in who controlled a particular area. Mostly because Tengu and Oni preferred the more mountainous area, there would always likely be a blurred line for where belonged to who to them. This was exactly that, and as the mountainous area came into view so did the slinging of flames, and the barely visible blades of air moving along.
Iksin sighed, this was probably going to be difficult, with a small group of three Oni it seemed, all flinging fire and brimstone at the group of about ten or so birds who were all acting in turn with the flames by striking and defending against them before flinging wind based jutsu back upon the Oni from above them. Meanwhile an overturned carriage, along with two destroyed ones, and a fairly small group of people hiding behind the intact overturned carriage. Iksin shook his head, people didn't know how to avoid places like this? He could have easily come here and settled this in many different ways.
Oh well, Iksin would take care of these foolish people first. He would....fairly slowly make his way over to the group of people and kneel down. "You're planning on coming through here....again?" He questioned, but he didn't need to know the answer. The way the mission was laid out had already given him the answer to that he needed. "Get going, I'll watch your back so you don't get hit by any stray fire or attacks in general." He'd explain, and then they would do as he said and get to moving.
Iksin directly behind them, moving in one direction and heading towards the forest which would likely be much safer than here right now. The white haired young man's back turned to the group of humans as he stared at the ongoing battle. Flames fluttering around, and as he thought a stray flame made it's way towards the group of escaping idiots. Iksin quickly reacted with a flame of his own, equal in power to the ball of fire that happened to go flying in that direction. Quickly cancelling it out just in time for the group of people to get into the forest and finally be safe for the most part. This was annoying, but this wasn't even the end of his mission.
How was he going to deal with this exactly? He had a few options in this situation, he could try to settle this entire thing peacefully of course. However the chances of that happening were pretty minimal. He was well aware Oni weren't exactly peace talkers, and even less so Tengu who were extremely territorial it seemed. This was not going to be able to be settled peacefully, not in the slightest. However he also couldn't really take on both groups on his own...or could he....probably not.
This was about five times more difficult than it could be, and Iksin continued putting his plan together. The tengu were varied in number....perhaps it was best to get on their good side in order to further another of his pursuits. In fact he figured that's exactly what he needed to do. The tengu could probably be convinced he meant no harm, the Oni were fairly battle hungry beings in the first place. But beyond that, defeating Oni was basically like proving yourself to their people anyways.
Which path would he choose in order to take them on however? He had two different potential ways to combat them....and also could generally use ether if he wanted. He would find himself choosing the more...forbidden way so to speak. Bringing his arms up to his chin and pushing back and forth to crack his neck. The curse mark upon him began to spread quickly, his chakra changed, his appearance changed....and then he was quickly off into the battle.
His body showed no signs of hand seals, his chakra seemed to practically show no fluctuation, however he was forming jutsu just like anyone else would be doing. His body moving, his fist formed, and then not too long after this he would find himself at the side of one of the unsuspecting Oni. His fist quickly shooting forwards and into the Oni's head, and easily sending the large beast flying through the air and into a nearby mountain. He would then speak, "One down." Before shouting. "Allow me to assist you...Tengu...and let me show you what power is....Oni." He spoke, smile on his face.
The Oni seemed to wish to attack him back....however one would quickly be met with a sphere of chakra that came seemingly out of nowhere and was forced into it. Sending another Oni flying right into the one that was sent flying before. While this was happening the Tengu seemed to watch, unsure if they should attack...or do anything at all. Then finally, Iksin's fist would rear back once more. Then fly forwards at the last Oni, again another punch sending the beast flying. He would then feeling his job was finished turned towards the Tengu...bow...then find himself leaving the area.
Title: URGENT MISSION: The Small War and the Caravan Rank: A Reputation: Neutral Impact: Local Information: A Caravan has found it's way in the middle of what seems to be a small battle between a group of Tengu and a group of Oni. Please rescue the caravan. Please stop the small war as well, in order to help future travelers.
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