Gots to See it Through, My Boy

Having spent a few weeks in the new country, Guren figured it was finally time to approach his friend Seb about a topic the two had tabled for some time. What felt like ages ago, the two had experimented and successfully created a new power which they had been eager to use. However Guren's responsibilities as Third Kazekage had forced him to dedicate his time elsewhere, not allowing the two to fully realize the benefits of their innovation. But now, with nothing but time on his hands, Guren figured it was his chance to pester his friend. Shortly after breaking away from the group consisting of the two Uchihas and the Sarutobi, Guren made his way back to the place where the Sunagakure envoy had first appeared at. Unsurprisingly, Seb was still there amongst a field of trees and wildlife.

"Yo, Seb. Remember that...Blight we created? Can you test it out on me?"


WC = 153

Finding himself God knows where, all because he had the brilliant idea to chase Guren's ass, Sebastian spent the last couple of weeks on his own, avoiding most locals due to them being way too friendly. "Me and that big brain of mine" the young Berserker cursed, kicking up some of the dirt laying on the ground which reminded him of Sunagakure. Still wearing the Iron Guard cloak around his body the Tau could be found leaning against a tree, slightly hidden from the multiple groups of people that had started to show up ever since they arrived in the Land of Sky. "Oh I'll give you a blight alright for leaving the village without me". Sebastian, left behind with some goons, forced to walk and find his friend's whereabouts, inexcusable.

That being said, the former Sunagakure Berserker couldn't help but admit there wasn't anything he missed about the place, not after everyone he respected disappeared. "Fine, get your ass over here. I'm sure we're both curious about the result and effectiveness of the mark". Once Guren decided where he wanted the seal to be placed, Sebastian would prepare to apply it. 

(WC: 192)

There was a glimmer of anticipation in Guren's eyes as he broached the subject, eager to witness the results of their innovative endeavor. The Blight held the promise of great power, and Guren's confidence in Sebastian's abilities to apply it fueled his excitement.

"It's been too long, Seb," Guren continued, his tone filled with a mix of nostalgia and determination. He had been joyful to hear the jocular nature of his best friend present itself once more, even if there was some frustration riddled within it. "Hey to be fair, you could have joined me." Guren's smile twisted into one of mischief, recognizing that this could be the set up between yet another witty exchange between the two friends. And when it was concluded, Guren's expression would revert to one of determination. "The time has come for us to witness its effects and ascertain its true potential."

With a small smile, Guren lowered the collar of his shirt underneath his yukata exposing the lower portion of his neck, just above his collarbone. He'd take a few steps closer to Seb, offering himself as a willing subject for their experiment. The bond between them had always been one of trust and collaboration, and Guren knew that together they could uncover the depths of their creation.

"As we stand here, let us see what our combined efforts have yielded," Guren declared, his voice carrying a sense of purpose. "Apply the Blight, my friend."

With that, Guren stood firm, ready to experience the effects of their creation firsthand. The anticipation of the unknown, coupled with the unyielding trust in Seb's abilities, fueled Guren's resolve. They were about to embark on a new chapter in a new place, where the Blight would reveal its true nature and the location could potentially reshape their destinies. As unsettling as it could be, the Third would rather no one else by his side throughout the process.

WC = 319. TWC = 472

Wasting little to no time Guren lowered the collar of his shirt, exposing the lower portion of his neck. "I didn't know you were into being choked, but who am I to judge". That being said, Sebastian would mentally go over his knowledge pertaining the Blight of the Desert Trinity, reminiscing about whatever information he could remember before applying it. Once he recalled everything he needed to know in order to successfully carry out the Jujutsu, the Berserker prepared for the oh so anticipated placement. Without further ado, the young Tau formed the hand seal of the Snake, placing it on his friend's neck.

Doing so, the Blight of Desert Trinity would begin to manifest into two interlocking geometric shapes. The triangle, comprised of three equivalent segments represented the great elements within the village while at the same time paying homage to the symbol stitched into everyone’s headband. A non-continues circle would be paired with the triangle, symbolic of the three elements working in harmony together. "The only thing left is to check your Willpower" Sebastian would say. Even though it wasn't everlasting, the Curse Mark still inflicted some sort of penalty. After all, a power such as this always came at a price. 

(WC: 204, TWC: 396)

- 100 AP Blight of the Desert Trinity

The jocular personality of Seb was warming and calming, one of the many reasons Guren preferred his company over anyone else's. But even Lord Third was at a loss for words when Seb mentioned "choking". It seemed to be a kink, one that some of the Chinoike's former lovers had fancied, but not one that he himself was ever the recipient of. "Uhh...bro?" Guren let out with an awkward tone followed by a laugh of relief. The atmosphere shortly after reverted to one of a serious and quiet mood, as the Berserker seemed to channel his chakra as his hand maintained a single seal: the Snake.

Out of curiosity, Guren activated his Ketsuryugan, to monitor the chakra flow of Seb throughout the process. And unsurprisingly, the Tau seemed to be funneling what Guren could only describe as characteristic of a sinister chakra. It was deeply black, and almost reminiscent of his former teacher Kenshin's. And for a moment, that explanation seemed to check out. Seb had also been a protégé of the First, so perhaps his own chakra flow was also corrupted. With the blink of his eyes, he'd deactivate his Inverted Ketsuryugan so that the natural pigmentation of his eyes returned. He sought to preserve all chakra he had in anticipation of however this Blight would affect him.

And when Seb's hand was placed upon Guren's collarbone, the immediate sting of the mark branding itself upon his skin stung like a thousand lashes. The Third, hardened and endured over time, refrained from grimacing or shuddering though. Instead his demeanor was stoic, with a focused look of determination glimmering in his eyes. When the pain subsided and Seb removed his hand, he went on to comment on Guren's willpower. It had been a term the two coined when first discussing the Blight. Fortunately for the Chinoike, he knew his own measure of this value was high, due to his potent chakra reserves and mastery over it. 

"Damn..." Guren let out, "You need to try it. I've never felt more alive." 

True, the feeling of the Blight planting itself on his skin was exhilarating. Perhaps because their years of research and experimentation had finally resulted in a test on himself. But still, learning what the mark would unlock would be a whole new journey.

"Any ideas on how I need to activate it?"

WC = 392. TWC = 864

Stat Check from Curse Mark:

Keeping an eye on the situation in case something extraordinary would take place, Sebastian noticed things didn't seem all too different. "Well you didn't grow a tail or two heads so I guess that's a success". So far their experiment was proceeding exactly the way they expected. Taking a mental note of the progress, in case the technique needed little tweaks here and there, the Berserker made sure to supervise the process before he would release it to the public of Otogakure. "Even more alive than having five hearts? Must be some good shit" the Tau said in response, relieved Guren seemed to be pleased with the result so far.

Moving on to the next step, Sebastian reached for his notes, a study book where he kept most of his research. "Hm, let's see". He would flick through a couple of pages until he reached the information pertaining the Desert Blight Transformation. "Simply treat it as you would any other seal, let the mark do the work for you". Doing so, the seal would activate and quickly expand, shrouding and enveloping its recipient, their body surrounded and covered by their own corrupted chakra, effectively becoming shrouded by a sentient form. "Even though you won't grow a tail, you might end up with something else" the Berserker spoke vague and mysteriously.

(WC: 220, TWC: 616)

Chuckling softly at Seb's well timed joke, Guren would think to himself back on their original intention for the Curse Mark. The whole intention was to devise a way to empower individuals of Sunagakure, especially those with a natural affinity to the native elements of the village. That hidden power awoken by the Blight was supposed to be one of immense chakra reserves which left uncheck could completely drain one's own. And realistically, the Chinoike was already beginning to feel the effects of that. For a man who endured so much to become slightly light headed after receiving a curse mark was surprisingly humbling. Quickly though, he'd snap back into proper head space upon hearing Seb's next joke. True, it was a reminder of just how infinite the Tau's life was.

"I forgot, you're supposed to be around forever huh? I'm in a similar boat, but without the hearts. I guess even when we die, we'll find a way to come back and annoy the other huh?"

The Chinoike was unsure if he had ever told Seb about his affinity with the Jashinist Temple, but if asked more on what he meant, he'd gladly elaborate. Though if not and should the conversation proceed back to the Desert Blight's subject matter, Guren would fold his arms and bend one foot so that he stretched his ankle. One hand would raise to his chin, indicative of his signature "thinking" pose. "It's funny you say that. I know you are familiar with Sage Mode, and oddly enough the chakra I can feel coursing through my veins feels similar to that of Nature Chakra. Yet totally opposite, almost like a portion of your own or even Kenshin's. It feels corrupt, like it wants to consume my vitality. Kind of like how you want to consume any ounce of livelihood I have left." Guren elaborated, with a joke at his friend's expense towards the end. It was fair, considering the Third had to entertain many from Seb over the years.

"Like maybe jokes better than your own?" Guren playfully added at Seb's final comment. "I guess I'll have to do some training to get mojo back. Haven't done that in ages though...." with that, "What about you? Anything you need to master or work towards? With our recent discovery of this place, I feel it sort of changes everything we're used to."

The idea which Guren was insinuating, was that he himself was unsure of his own purpose. In Sunagakure, he was a kage. He led the people, whether they valued him or not. Here in Sky Country, he was just another man. So in a sense, having to work towards something, that being unleashing his Blight, gave him a sense of motivation. He wondered if his friend also had something like that, or if there was something he had been searching for. In the case of either, the Chinoike would undoubtedly look to help Seb achieve it. Regardless of what that was.

WC = 498. TWC = 1362

Dying? Who? Him? Not in a million years. Death was a concept unknown to the mad man. "The world will end before I die, and when it does I'll finally be able to call myself the strongest person in the world". It would be rather easy to be considered the most powerful being when no one else was left standing. His ambition had led him to many places, discovering new countries and old, from Sunagakure to now the Land of Sky. Currently residing in what would soon be called Otogakure, a village unexplored to him, yet interesting nonetheless, Sebastian was still trying to find his place. 

Back to the topic and his incomparable humor at hand, the two of them continued their conversation. "I tried stand-up comedy once, didn't really work out". After all, Sebastian preferred sitting down. "How the hell was I supposed to know it was a funeral?". Apparently it weren't tears of joy, the Berserker recalled. "I guess the biggest joke is me" the bearer of five hearts sounded disheartened. However, if not his puns, it would be his buns that would land him a prize. In the end, his hips never lied. Twerk it like a Tau, or however the famous saying used to go. 

When his friend mentioned the word purpose he couldn't help but wonder what exactly he was chasing, the search for power leading him to Sunagakure but now that they left it behind it wouldn't be that strange for someone to feel lost. "With change also comes opportunity" the Berserker spoke, never missing a chance to take advantage of whatever he would find on his path. Power came in many ways and perhaps it could be a new beginning. "Maybe I'll start with conquering this place". The potential was there, now it was up to them to plant the seed so they could reap the fruits of their labor.

(WC: 317, TWC: 933)

Seb's response to Guren's mentioning of dying was as expected. The Tau was virtually immortal, much more than Guren was, and surely he would see the end of civilization when that day would come. Though Guren would sort of frown at Seb's comment on being the strongest person in the world, as he had almost insinuated that this was only possible if everyone was else was dead. The Chinoike held Seb in high regard, and saw all of the power and potential within him as a reflection of his strength, but also a testament to his longevity. When considering both of those things, to Guren, it was easy to consider Seb as already a candidate of such a title. He knew that for any to face the Tau, would mean near certain death. However Guren's interpretation of Seb's comments could have been far too literal, as he was known for analyzing. And so, a second thought arrived to his mind, which was that Seb was merely keeping the conversation light rather than demeaning himself. In order to keep the conversation progressing, Guren would refrain from responding to that point; though it was worth noting that the Chinoike would defend Seb's honor and power against anyone, even if that meant arguing with the King of Hearts himself.

Thankfully though the conversation did continue in their light hearted exchanges, as Seb mentioned he tried to be a comic...which sounded as if it ended awfully. The Third, without hesitation, belted a hearty laugh when the Berserker mentioned the funeral. With he regained his composure, Guren would ask Seb just one question. "Well...you weren't responsible for the funeral, right?" Though the tonality of Guren's voice was also playful, there could have been some truth to it. Both Guren and Seb were capable of mass destruction, so it was realistic to wonder if the Berserker had gone berserk on some unfortunate souls. Though shortly after Guren's question, once again Seb would begin to sort of reprimand himself. And this time, Guren wasn't having it.

"Enough," he'd say with a stern tone as he paused before hyping his boy up. "You are far from a joke, and the only ones who would consider you as such are fools who wish to meet their makers. Of all the people I've met, you are among the strongest. And being serious all the time doesn't make either of us any more powerful. It only makes us...a drag. The fact that you are charismatic and funny are reminders of your humanity. But even with that, Gods are allowed to laugh, Sebastian."

Guren had bore a serious look, one which Seb may be all to familiar with considering the Chinoike's stressful tenure as Kazekage. When the topic shifted to purpose, Seb went on to comment on the opportunities that they may across, revealing he might intend to conquer the very lands they stood upon. "And that is certainly an option. Who would stop you? You know that I will always stand by your side."

Guren took the moment to approach Seb, offering his friend a single hand extended out to him to shake should he choose to. "Even if it was unspoken before, I want to let you know that I vow to always have your back brother. And whatever it is that you seek, we will find together."

WC = 558. TWC = 1920

Listening to Guren's words of encouragement and perhaps even acknowledgement or recognition, Sebastian gladly accepted his friend's hand. "I am both glad and proud to call you my brother" the Tau voiced quite serious for a change. When almost everyone else left, the two of them stayed behind, watching out for each other as they tried to build their empire. "As I have yours" the young Berserker replied. The world was a harsh place, especially for misfits like him, all the more reason he could count his blessings to be able and count on the Chinoike to have his back. 

With the successful placement of the Blight the first step in the right direction was complete. "Ever since Kenshin left us I took it upon myself to continue his research, follow in his footsteps, if you may". Doing so led him to the creation of the Desert Trinity, as well as learning more about himself and the unique bloodline he possessed. Even though he wasn't on the level of his master yet, Sebastian decided nothing would be able to stop him. "Not even if it means I have to become the abomination they have always seen me as". Feared, despised. Only two of the many things people felt when crossing the Tau's path. 

Aiming to conquer this place as well as the rest of the shinobi world, Sebastian knew he would need an army, or at least something of the sort. He had yet to test his Beasts out, a nice little perk granted by the Earth Grudge Fear and one his former master showed him the day the two of them agreed to form a bond and the Berserker became an apprentice. However, his research allowed him to learn more. "I plan to undergo some changes, ones that might push me even further and perhaps turn me into the monster everyone was so afraid of". Even though he had it all figured out, it wasn't time just yet. 

As they were still somewhat on the topic of experiments, another one came to mind, one that could possibly help Sebastian with that army he thought of. "I am thinking to defy the laws of human nature once again, create life in a way not many have done before. However, in order to do so I might need some spoils of war, if you understand what I'm saying". He was not exactly in a rush, but if he could increase the process through any means necessary he would be a fool not to take it. Rome wasn't built in a day but it burned in one, all the more reason for the Tau to make sure he'd be able to bear the fruits of his labor.

(WC: 455, TWC: 1388)