Re: The New Guard

Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:19 pm

The Kamigawa scion was the first to speak, and a burning fire was behind the River native’s blue eyes as he proclaimed his allegiance. That was the moment Ayato knew that Zeo was a boy no more but a man of Hoshigakure.

A woot came from someone in the crowd; it sounded like a wolf howling in the wind at first. Yasha Okami, the Takigakure native, was as loud as he was ferocious in combat. The masked man had coached his brethren, as he had done with many other Genin, one of them a white-eyed boy from Konoha. To Ayato, those training sessions in the yard felt like a lifetime ago. When the grass was greener, and the summer never ended.

More voices began to add to Yasha's chant, probably the happiest man on the planet. Then it was the turn of the Jugo from the mountain clans of Haven to accept after giving everyone a little bit of a backstory of how he found his way in the village blessed by the stars.

“Thank you, Enishi, that was beautiful.” Said the Kage, who appreciated Enishi's passion for long speeches. “The long walk must have been exhausting. I’ve had the pleasure to work closely with your father when I was rising through the ranks. I'm sure Suguru would be proud of the man you grew to become. But make sure you take care of yourself not just while doing your duty but also outside of it."

The Kage then turned to Zeo; he and the boy talked already when Ayato visited his Genin at the hospital while recovering. "Never hide who you are, Zeo. Wear it like armor, and they will never be able to use it against you."

With the purple vest of Hoshigakure Chuunin, Ayato would offer a warm handshake to both of the boys. The Kage looked at his hand momentarily. A rough, calloused hand, with many scars and half, healed bruises from battles and hours in the training yard, practicing the Gentle Fist. Ayato saw them as a badge of honor. Crowing legacy of the great Hyuuga clan.

The Kage was so proud of both of them. And Hoshigakure no Sato, with the bulk of its forces, would be made of kids loyal to the vision. "A place that welcomes people who have nowhere else to go" The notion that had started nearly a decade ago by a woman that was no longer here anymore. After the ceremony, Ayato would be sure to reward both of them with access to a top of the foodchain technique from his arsenal.

Vaenar Hoshimura touched both kids with the blunt of the sword on the shoulder, knighting them, his space-time energy flowing into them; the magical sword would cleanse any foreign spiritual or nature chakra sources from their physical bodies. If that results in any changes to their appearances would remain to be seen.

"Congratulations, Zeo Kamigawa and Enishi Kurosawa, Chuunin of Hoshigakure, and knights of Haven." A roar of sound went up in the Water Gardens. The shinobi and townsfolk would cheer as the Kage and the two Chuunin. They were cheering for their Kage, the Kamigawa heir, and the Understudy, standing before him. The rain of cheers washing over the newly appointed Chuunin like sheets.

WC: 487
TWC: 2,332

Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:37 am

Reminiscent of his unyielding resolve, Enishi continued to kneel before the Hogokage and his associates, not daring to look down even once. Wily he was, the understudy intuitively understood that there would be no rising from his position at this moment; he would take solace in such a fact, being able to show one's loyalty and unshakeable devotion towards their Kage was a blessing that not many had the opportunity of performing. He wouldn't squander such a chance. To be a shinobi was to risk one's life, whether it be through missions or on the battlefield. Because of this, shinobi knew how precious moments were in life. A single minute could ruin a day. A single second could make a day. A single moment could be more meaningful than thousands of years. Time was simply unequal, that was an observable law in the perpetual phenomenon called life. Many individuals simply lived with such a fact, not desiring to analyze nor understand how precious the fragments of time called moments were; but as a shinobi, as a knight, as a soldier...as one who risks their lives for the sake of others - a second of salvation could mean more than an infinite cycle of suffering. Only then when one understood such a fact, could they truly be called a shinobi who served a village.

Enishi strived to become a shinobi who could truly understand the value of life.

Perhaps the road to understanding began now, perhaps he needed more experience on living to wrap his head around these topics...maybe the road had already begun, nevertheless, Enishi recognized one thing...this was probably one of the moments that he would never forget. He wouldn't lose the feeling of jubilation encapsulated in a promotion that the people of Hoshigakure would speak for days about. The words of praise Ayato spoke wouldn't fall on deaf ears, the Jugo heir making sure to take those words of courage as an encouragement to keep on pursuing strength - even through adversity. Of course, feelings of self-deprecation nearly rose to Enishi's mouth, but the understudy also knew something crucial over his years as a Genin - self-control. Even if he didn't truly accept himself as a Genin deserving of Chuunin, he would work until the brink of exhaustion to become a true scion of the Jugo Clan who could be proud enough to call himself a Journeyman Ninja. He'd nod and accept the handshake of Ayato Hyuuga with a polite nod and reticent smile, flames burning in his eyes.

Returning to his kneeling position, Enishi would hear his name being called...he was finally a Chuunin, but also a Knight. Truth be told, the understudy hadn't heard much about knights despite the fact that they rivaled shinobi such as Jounin in strength and prowess. In passing, Enishi had seen a few of these "knights" escorting people of a higher class but he always thought that they existed for formalities. "...What are knights, truly?" A single thought came to the silver-haired Jugo's mind as he was awarded his hard-fought rank and his secondary title. Suddenly, interrupting his ruminations - a sharp warmth flowed through his body. He looked up with a confused expression; a one-eyed man placed his blade flowing with an indiscernible essence on the Jugo's shoulder, and within a mere moment of that happening,

Everything became white.

No, it wasn't that everything became a burst of white, it was that a gleam of white was exploding from Enishi and rapidly turning into a dense shell of chakra! Despite the chakra expelling in a dense-like void of energy from the understudy, it was unbelievably cold; it was as if years' worth of frigid temperatures were being released in a mere moment for the world to display! Just as time had planned, it was only a moment that the Water Gardens nearly froze to nothingness...the shell reformed itself from an orb - to a bird that towered to the skies. No, a bird wasn't the correct word to describe the white flaming shell that was shrouding Enishi in its luminescent splendor; it was some sort of hawk - possibly a phoenix given the indescribable heat of natural energy emanating from the Jugo, blinding most who dared to see him, but for those who could see the hawk-like entity shrouding and blocking the understudy from the world - they could surmise that the creature the energy was imitating was indeed the Shiratori - one of Hoshigakure's most esteemed birds. A white hawk that hunted even in the day for all to see, representing the pride, success, and excellence that the Land of Haven had to offer.

CRACK!

The shell shattered directly, the roar of the Shiratori resounding through the Water Gardens to even the gates of Hoshigakure. The white-rainbow-like light ceased the moment the shell shattered like glass. Unlike glass, however, the shards of energy dispersed, never to be seen again. The crowd was utterly flabbergasted at such a scene, some were even momentarily blinded at the whole spectacle, but, once the light ceased, the person that remained at the center was indescribable from his previous state. Even when a chaotic burst of energy that threatened to envelop the whole area occurred, the young man remained steadfast and kept kneeling.

That youth was undoubtedly Enishi Kurosawa.

A blue aura resembling a sage-like mist shrouded Enishi; the aura was not chakra, it would be foolish to even compare the two together. Chakra needed to be expelled actively to be seen...this energy surrounding, by simply existing - defied the law of the world. With a simple blink, the understudy opened his eyes. For those who looked directly at his eyes would be entranced in their luster - resembling the ore of sapphire or more accurately, the very aquatic depths of an ocean that no man had ever seen before. They bore no oppressive force, but they felt as though they shouldn't exist in the physical plane. It was...weird...but also mysterious. Replacing his wavy silver hair that resembled the mane of a snow lion would be an alluring medium-length orange hair that instead was reminiscent of the autumn leaves. His seemingly pale skin would become an exotic tan variety, being more akin to his heritage of the Jugo Clan. The body of Enishi would have also grown a few inches and would also be of more refined muscle. It appeared as though Vanear had purified all remnants of impurity remaining in the physical body of Enishi Kurosawa; the body he possessed before was simply a false corpse, this was the true form of Enishi - the final heir of the ancient Jugo Clan. If Enishi Kurosawa was once the crow that lurked in the shadows, then The Sage of Plaeides was now the white hawk that soared through the skies of dawn.

He rose.

"...Gang shit..."

[MID-THREAD CLAIMS]

WC: 1230

TWC: 3906

Claiming Chuunin Rank and all rewards that come from it.

FC Change to "Tartaglia - Genshin Impact"

+78 AP

1100 WC to fully switch from Iryojutsu Specialty to Sensory Specialty [2000/2000], previous WC is here.

2500 WC to learn Hiding in the Camouflage [2500/2500]

[296/1000] WC Towards Flying Swallow

Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:16 am

Approved! Grats on the rank up!

Sat Nov 06, 2021 12:57 am

In an instant, the Sage became a purified version of himself. The three-legged crow with silver hair and pale complexion that roamed Hoshigakure akin to a wraith that aimlessly wandered the world - became a beacon of hope with autumn hair and a tan complexion, akin to the Shiratori that soared throughout the halcyon skies of the Haven Country. It wasn't that Enishi Kurosawa transformed, rather, the shell that he was born with the moment he took his first breath - relinquished itself from him. Like anything else in life, that which was unnecessary would eventually fester and wilt; Enishi's "shell" was that of the same notion. Ice-blue eyes scanned the area with hawk-like vision; for those who were still within the area, it would be apparent that the former understudy would have been "promoted" to an actual worthwhile character (shocking!) His albeit adorable but sickly features would have been replaced to something more akin to a figure of mythology than an actual human, giving Enishi a powerful aura that nearly consumed the environment. The Sage of Pleiades, possessed presence, hope, and most notably - confidence. Perhaps the Jugo heir truly did change in not only body but in spirit, however, his aspirations - his goals, his reason to live did not waver in the slightest.

It only increased.

"Hmm," His first word in his truest form would be that of an inquisitive vocalization; despite his appearance changing to be that of a nigh sixteen-year-old young man hailing from the lineage of Sages, his voice did not change much - it possibly carried more confidence and a slighter positivity yet the base was all but the same. He was Enishi Kurosawa, the boy who thought a million times before he acted, this situation would be nothing more than any other. Quickly, he bowed his head once again towards the Hogokage and his associates, regaining his calm expression even in the face of such a monumental moment in his life. "Thank you, Lord Hogokage. I will continue to serve the village and its people to the best of my ability as a Chuunin. As a Knight, even if my lineage may be...unqualified to be in such a position, I will make it up, with godspeed." Unmistakably, the spirit of Suguru's son - a boy of aptitude and loyalty - did not fade away in the slightest. The crowd went wild at Enishi's declaration, cheering the names of him, Zeo, and Tsuna; heh, the three Genin who stood up to the world during the Chuunin Exams were the ones who were having their names roared as if they were to be worshipped.

Enishi blushed.

"Now then...I suppose I'll have to leave for today, I still have to recover from the injuries of my exams." Obviously, this was a lie - Enishi was terrible at reacting when most of the attention was put on him, so he needed an excuse. ANY excuse. Zeo and Tsuna would have most likely noticed this, so he just flashed a wink and a nervous smile at the two - along with Kurayami who would most likely be around the area as well. Hopefully, Ayato didn't notice.

With that, the Sage would leave without another word, the crowd making way for the boy who tasted the throne of victory for a few moments in the Chuunin Exams.

"...Heh... So this is what you devoted your life and soul to, Father?"

A nervous - no, almost fearful chuckle escaped from the understudy’s body, more akin to a pathetic whimper than a laughing-off chuckle. Because within his vision…

Was something that the only word that could be ascribed with the word "demonic."

"How could you devote yourself, sell your soul towards something so...utterly...DISGUSTING!" The young Sage's words shattered through the air like glass, calling to Suguru, who had no form - but whose presence was felt in the underground laboratory of the Kurosawa Estate. This was the first time that Enishi spoke ill of Suguru, looking up to the man as a perfect role model of how a public servant of not only Hoshigakure - but the people of Hoshigakure should carry themselves. He was a fierce Jounin, and an even better doctor, amassing large quantities as one of the heirs of the Kurosawa Family of Hoshigakure in both career and lineage. With so many riches that Suguru possessed, one would expect to use this wealth to splurge and fulfill many of his human desires. However, circumspect as he was, Suguru always planned, storing most of his money for any future offspring - in this case being Enishi. The leftover wealth he did have, however, was spent deciphering and discovering the secrets of the world. The Sage always assumed that this was one of Suguru's "boomer" hobbies, but no...it would become apparent now that all of the times that Suguru spent in the Hidden Laboratory, were to discover and track down the esoteric gems of the shinobi world.

"There are people...who will try to kill you for what you possess."

When he first read his father's lasting epitaph, Enishi thought about it in a metaphorical sense - that there would be people wishing for this downfall for his demise simply because of his bloodline.

That was clearly, inaccurate.

Because what was revealed before him when he opened the door to the Hidden Laboratory, finally able to see what was in the underground area...shattered his perception of his caretaker.

Hiramekarei: The Seventh Sword of the Mist was stabbed in stone, placed in the center of the seemingly endless laboratory.

Enishi was quite an avid reader and understood shinobi history at a level that many would not. Instantly, he identified the blade from legend, even when it was in its sealed bandaged state, the appearance of the blade was unmistakable! Even if you lined up an average person to see such a cursed and feared weapon, they would be able to identify it easily! The accursed weapon, as soon as Enishi broke down in utter fear and bewilderment, would spread its oppressive aura, nearing the point of breaking the Sage's psyche. "...This was your final wish, your final testament, father?! What did you have to sell to get this blade? Money? Revealing information about Hoshigakure? Illegal methods? ...There's no way...just no...way..." Tears welled up in his eyes, trying to wrap his head around the price needed to get the weapon that slew thousands of shinobi by the hands of the Sixth Mizukage of Old Kirigakure. Just...what was the price of getting that weapon? He didn't deserve it.

Not only that, if Kirigakure knew that one of their Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist was under the hands of a recently promoted Chuunin...heh, Enishi would be likely killed. However, even if he didn't deserve it, he couldn't turn back now - no, there was no option to turn back now. This was the final testament Suguru Kurosawa entrusted to Enishi Kurosawa, from master to student, father to son, heir to heir! "Let my blood guide my ambitions..." Possessed by a demon, Enishi's face contorted in Kakugo - nigh arrogance even. To claim a blade of legends was to be arrogant. In order for Enishi to become a man - a Sage that spur his village into a golden age, this was the man he needed to be, someone who was arrogant, ambitious, and most of all embodied Kakugo. He was prepared for a bloody path of thorns and vultures ready to stab into him like an insidious curse, this was merely another step.

I believe in you, son.

He advanced to the sword stabbed in stone...and pulled it out.

Chakra swelled throughout the Hidden Laboratory as the Sage's chakra flowed through the medium, all-consuming and all enduring.

This was his true transformation.

[Exit]

WC: 1400

Claims:
Claiming Hiramekarei, using LW Ticket listed on my stat page.
Storing 300 AP into Hiramekarei.
1400 WC Towards Diamond Release (OOC Permission from Ayato Hyuuga) (Max Stats Discount Applied) [1400/1500]

Sat Nov 06, 2021 1:58 am

Approved

Thu Dec 02, 2021 1:03 pm

EXIT
TWC:2332

WC left unclaimed 876

Putting them all towards Talented with 25% discount (876+241 from here + 1110 progress found here = 2227/3750)

Thu Dec 02, 2021 5:44 pm

Approved