The Truth??- The Sequel!!

Mission Deets:

With the light from the moon shining down upon a teenage Hiroki's back, he climbed in through the open window of the Jashinist hideout. The inside was much like it's exterior, creepy and dreadful, dark wood planks barely left to be bent and convexed into an insane manor; kind of as if it was the floors of a demented fun house which weren't properly placed. These same boards weren't actually bending downwards, towards the ground floor as one would typically expect them to be due to little to no support actually holding them up, but the unnatural state of this general vicinity caused them to almost defy gravity in a sense. In areas where the wood was soaked in so much water damage where this would normally occur, they instead bent upwards. Almost uprooting spots entirely on the second floor. A certain few places had actually rised to the point where holes were formed, letting one see into the floor below.

The room itself was lit by that of a single candle placed on top of a desk in the right corner of the room, and the moonlight which shone in through the window. Contrasting the dark oak of the walls, was a reddish brown ornate wardrobe. Over which read: Cabinet of Fear. The two doorknobs on this armoire were carved into the shape of a skull within the perimeter of a triangle; this was all made from black marble, or at least it appeared to be that. One thing which was weird to Roki was the positioning of the dresser; it was in the dead center of the room. Most were usually positioned against a wall, but clearly someone moved it away for a reason? That was all a possibility, but it could just be a mere coincidence. After all, that's certainly not the weirdest thing that was seen within these dreams, so it shouldn't shock him too much. The only other furnishing in the room was the desk previously mentioned, matching the same red tone of the dresser. Contrasting the musty tone of the room, this desk was particularly clean and well polished. No dust seemed to have been collected there, and if any had, it was extremely well maintained to look picture perfect. Besides the candle, another item could be seen resting atop it's slick appearance; a black leather book. Along with the desk, no decay or dirt was even in the vicinity of the book. Hiroki made a note of this for later.

So far, the information gained or previously known was this: there's at the very least 2 Jashin Cultists roaming around inside the building. Any other enemies have yet to be seen or heard. The floorboards are insanely warped, so running around will be a bit difficult to do. Going at a slow pace was a necessity. On a similar note, an enemies seen should not be faced head on. They would definitely call for back up if given the chance, and if back up was actually readily available. The light inside this building was dimly lit, this could be used to an advantage. Unless the enemy had their eyes adjusted to this type of light normally, it would still be more difficult to see something. Still, that didn't mean he'd be completely invisible, so he couldn't just go walking around like he owned the place. This could also be used as a double edged sword, while it could possibly help him, there was a just as equal chance of it being a hindrance to himself. An armoire which was seemingly pulled from the wall could possibly mean a hidden door. The same armoire also had a distinct sort of presence to it, very uncanny and disturbingly frightening. The desk and it's contents were the only things within the room itself which appeared to be maintained or utilized on the daily. This in turn could lead to it's own hint of finding out the secrets of this place. There wasn't enough evidence to form the conclusion that there was something to be found here, however he would make the attempt to use the environment to his advantage.

As quiet as a doormouse, tiptoeing across the beaten flooring, hoping that it wouldn't creak underneath his weight. Inch by inch, step by step, Shimada made his way to the part where there was the biggest slant in the floorboards, creating enough space to peep beneath them, and down onto the first floor. Luckily enough, he got to his destination without even making a sound, and ducking down was just as easy. A blue eye peering inwards, his gaze was greeted by the same pair seen entering from outside. They were striking up a conversation with a group of 3 people, standing in a triangular formation around the cultist duo. There appeared to be some tenseness between the five of them, but not as if they were all going to fully commit to fighting one another. Two of the three new ones spotted were male, while the one at the head of the triangle, standing directly in front of the archer and swordsman, was seemingly female. All three shared one common trait, and one common trait alone for the most part; alabaster skin. A shade which was extremely gaunt and corpse like, almost so white that it could be mistaken for that of a porcelain doll's.

Each one wore separate garments, but the color scheme was the same throughout the three. The female was seen in a black kimono with red lace lining the edges of it. Along the back side, was a red hourglass which had been seamed and designed into the piece. Her nickname would be The Widow. Previously known as goon b, would now be called bat. Their robe was topped with a hood, in which two elongated bat-like ears were placed. The cloak itself was adorned to resemble the wings of the nocturnal creature, red stitching streaking down the sides of it like bones. While the last one was wearing a simply silk shirt, but the around the waist, a pelt had been fashioned into a grotesque, sinewy yet hairy, belt. The fur itself was dark black, and was most likely wolven by nature. This man also wore red, padded leather pants, giving them a little bit of armor.

After a moment or two of bitingly cold silence, the woman spoke up, her voice raspy as if awoken from the grave. "You're late...you know the price." Even though the dead, monotonous words falling from the lips of this stranger had seemed cold, there was an off putting charm behind them. It gave a sense like the two were being put forth an offer they couldn't refuse. Almost as if on queue, they stuck out one of their arms, extending them out towards either side. With a snap of her fingers, the two others lurched forward. Bodies contorting simply as they walked forward, in a way that wasn't possibly human or of the natural realm. Once these gaunt figures had reached the two outstretched limbs provided by the cultists, they looked hungrily down upon them. Eyes filled with a hunger that hasn't been fulfilled within hundreds of years, if that even. Mere words couldn't possibly describe the greed and gluttony within those piercing, bloodshot eyes. Seconds seemed to drag on like endless hours, which Hiroki started to even get a feel of the brutal agony of how they were kept waiting. Waiting for the strike, or whatever was about to ensue. Surely enough, the two's arms were bitten by the lackeys. As they fed, blood began to trickle down the vampire's mouths while the lady stood there, patiently watching over with a silent gaze of sadistic delight. Not even a wince was given from the two Jashinists though, as they didn't seem to mind what was happening. Upon finishing, the two which had fed now seemed more toned and less like that of a decomposing body. While they were rolling their sleeves back down, her voice rang out once more "You both know how to get there. Now get out of my sight. And you boys, the place is now on lockdown. Patrol the interior, make sure no one enters or leaves." The four gave a silent nod of agreement, and parted ways from one another, the two jashinists making their way over to the stairs leading to the floor in which the Kumo lad was currently on.

Within this moment, there was two possible things which could be done here. First, Hiroki Shimada could live dangerously, on the edge of life and make an attempt to get to another room to explore before the two would get there. This option was fun, and right up the teen's devious alley. Or, there was also the other possibility of simply hiding within the room that he was already in. While this was certainly the safer of the two options, where did safe ever lead him? Absolutely nowhere. Well, there was that one time when he actually thought ahead before rushing into a fight and simply stood his ground, which ended up gaining him the victory. But that was besides the point! It wasn't daring enough to actually enact. In the other one, there was at least the fact that a ninja was about to rush him which added to the adrenaline factor. But that was enough talk about that, there was a decision to be made, and it needed to be done so, fast.

He just kicked back, and let his intuition do it's own thing. Instinctively, the future would-be Raikage got up from his current position within a heartbeat. As fast as he could, yet still doing so in a calm, stealthily paced manner, the ninja made his leave from the room. Now outside in a long hallway, there was doors leading all along the walls which formed it. 7 to be exact, not counting the one which he'd just come from. Footsteps could be heard approaching from the one end. It was only a matter of seconds until he'd be caught. To save time, the shinobi ducked in through the nearest door which was about 2 meters to the left of where he was; also further down from where the sounds were heard coming from. He also ensured to close both of the doors behind him since it wasn't open. Even if the oncoming pair hadn't seen the interior within the last 24 hours, most would assume that all the doors would be previously shut since all of the other ones weren't open. Little things like that could be the difference between a life or death situation in which combat could occur. Any situation where that could be avoided, mattered importantly.

Stepping into this new room, there were some minor things to be taken in. First and foremost, this room wasn't lit by candlelight, nor were there windows to shine in light from the outside. So, Roki was currently now in there, hopefully alone, standing in pitch blackness. A sliver of light, squeezing it's way in through the crack underneath the door. However, this wasn't enough to do any real thing about actually seeing his surroundings. The other distinguishable features of the room were perceived through the other senses besides sight. There was an acrid aroma within the air of the room. It's stench was pungent to the point where it almost burned the nostrils upon inhalation. This wasn't some form of poison or the sorts, but it couldn't have been a healthy thing to be breathing in. An instinctual feeling was present while being there, a feeling of being watched. Not just by one thing, but by many. There wasn't a doubt within his mind, that a hoarde of other things, animals possibly, were also within the confides of the four walls. As for the last thing, it was a sound. Or many small ones. Tiny squeaks and chirps. The occasional scuttling of teeny tiny feet crawling across the floorboards. Rats. It had to be. But...why?

Not understanding why the little rodents could possibly be drawn to this room specifically, the genin decided to try and adventure what was within this room. This feat would be extremely hard to pull off due to the lack of being able to have any form of vision, but it was one he was willing to try. Here's to hoping he didn't fall over though while doing so. Drawing the guards here would be that last thing that he'd want to happen right now. Carefully, with a hand placed along the right wall, the teen started to move along the borders of it. Taking one step at a time, he got a feel for about how big the room actually was, which was smaller than the last one. Meaning that this was possibly some sort of a closet of some sorts, because the previous one wasn't that large either. Judging from the exterior of the building, he would have thought that the rooms would have a bit more area to them. The sizing of which, just didn't mathematically make sense.

There was one slight miscalculation to the original guess of the shape of the room upon further walking around the walls. The second one slanted back towards the way he just came, forming another triangle shape. Going in the direction of this slant also lead the youthful adrenaline seeker towards the sound of the mice. Their squeals, now becoming more distinct. Chattering back and forth, like they were communicating with one another. It wouldn't necessarily come as a surprise to him, who was he to say that animals didn't have their own language? I mean, some could actually form human speech, so there was a probably even higher odds of them having their own forms to communicate with one another. Regardless of whether or not this hypothesis was true, he had drawn near the group of them. Looming over the animals, he heard them scurry around beneath him to dodge the incoming feet which were now coming towards them. Drawing this close now, more of their chirps could be heard from about hip level as well now, only adding to their squeaky chorus. This meant something. This meant that there had to be a table of some sorts in which the rats were perched on. Could this possibly determine the reason as to why they were here?

His other hand now being outstretched immediately in front of him, he took baby steps until it felt the area which had be guessed to be there. Low and behold, there was some form of platform there. The first feeling was smooth and cold, fingers tracing around it, this was more than like a table of some kind. Before his fingers could move inward though, he felt the warm pulse of fur, as a rat rush on by his left hand, nearly startling him. Keeping his cool though, the lad doubled down, only more courageously going into feel where the majority of the rats had been heard doing whatever. That's when he felt something underneath of his hand which was a stark contrast to what was previously felt. It was warm, still smooth but not in the sense of how the table was. The table had a smoothstone sort of feel to it, whereas this...this was like skin...? Was there a cadaver here? No...wait a second...a triangular room...a stone slab or table...rats gathering near something warm that felt fleshy to the touch...this was some sort of sacrifice room. Of course, it all made sense now! As much as Hiroki wanted to scream bloody murder for touching a probably cursed corpse, he knew he couldn't. It would draw unwanted attention. Instead he just steadied his breathing, and backed away from the whole thing. Doing so, just as slowly as done before. Making his way back towards the light being drawn from the crack under the door.

From outside the door, the footsteps could still be heard from down the hall. They were much closer than before. Steadily moving towards where he was. The sound of the foot fall was daunting. Each step added only anxiety to where they were possibly headed. It certainly wasn't helping with how slow the two were moving as well. A consistent pitter patter, but having no real rhyme or reason to it. There was no rhythm, but the way each foot fell in an off beat made a rhythm, creating a weird and distorted musical illusion. Was it more than just two? Because it started to sound that way. But at the same time, it couldn't have been. People don't just appear out of thin air after all. And there was no way to find out without being caught unfortunately. Under different circumstances, this would most likely be the moment in which the tactionist would make his move, using the surprise of opening the door to gain the upper hand. That wasn't the angle to be played here though. The angle was to just wait and see where they'd go.

Ear leaned in on the door, his hand now ready to draw his katana in case of the worst case scenario, Roki patiently waited. A nagging feeling of dread had started to overwhelm him. Each moment, dragging out like a performance that just needed to come to a brief and sudden end. Each tap of the foot growing louder, making hairs stand on end with each one. Waves of nausea due to stress became suddenly apparent. It felt like at any moment, he was about to hurl. His cover would be blown. Until. They stopped. Ever so close to the door. Too close. There was a silence piercing the air. Absolute nothingness, except the background music from the rats' nightly dirges in the dark. A nothingness which engulfed everything in it's path with one feel swoop.

Then it was broken...

The sound of a knob being twisted was heard. Ready to swing, Hiroki was expecting to see the door to this very room open before his eyes, but alas. There was nothing to worry about. The sound of the door to the room which he came from could be heard yawning to life, creaking open. The footsteps once more now entering into that room, behind them the door squealed shut once more. Quietly, the Kumogakuren made his way back over to the wall in which the other room would be sharing, he placed his ear against there now to get a better listen at to what was going on. But, something wasn't right. The sound was more muffled, or distanced. Someone could be heard moving towards where the desk presumably was, but it didn't reach towards the wall where Hiroki was. Some brief, undistinguished noises could be heard very quietly, and then in a moments time, a door towards the wall was heard. The clear sounds of mechanisms unlocking were made out through the wood interior. Was his original guess correct after all? Footsteps were then sounded moving into what would be between the walls, going upwards up a flight of steps, before making it up to a third floor. Shortly after this ceased, the door on the other side could be heard closing. Whatever locking mechanism was in place once again reactivating.

Hearing no more sounds coming from the hall, this was now Hiroki's chance to actually move. Which is what he then proceeded to do. Door opening, and then silently closing. Then repeating, moving into the room which he first used as an entryway to the lair of the Jashin Cult. Things were now starting to add up a bit. The book being uncharacteristically cleanly, the secret door which was heard. The two merged together in perfect harmony and unison, forming the realization that somehow the black book was the key to unlocking the door. How did it work? That, he had no idea of. But he knew, he just knew, that somehow, someway, the book and the secret door were related.

About to go check it out, more footsteps could be suddenly heard approaching in the hallway. This shocked the salt and peppered haired shinobi, as no one was heard coming up the stairs. But, given that his enemy was also fellow ninja and vampires, they had stealth on their side as well. Looking around the room, there was only one possible option that was readily available in this moment; this moment where he physically couldn't leave the room now like he had before. Now, he had to hide. Hide from whatever killer, or killers, were coming this way. Eyeing the wardrobe up and down, there really was no other choice...but to go inside the so called Cabinet of Fear...just his luck...

Running out time with no other viable option, the man went into the place which would presumably be the entrance to some form of mystical realm. Just in the nick of time too. As he managed to close the stained doors of it, the sound of the door slammed open. Whoever entered, was angry. "You must understand mistress, the rats told me that someone was in their room with our...guest of honor this evening. And the rats never lie, no. They never do!" The person speaking this, obviously told the truth. No matter how deranged and insane their tone was, even though it would just regularly sounded like the ravings of a random lunatic, there was truth to it. And Hiroki knew this. Hiroki feared this. The fact that he may be caught now, stranded in a pretty awful hiding spot, was enough to send chills up and down his spine. Breathing was becoming harder to handle and keep to a minimum. There was now a very real possibility that his fears may very well coming true. This fear; this primal emotion, was enough to send him figuratively back in time. To a different place, where he felt this very way.

At the time, Roki was about 7 years old. His parents' had decided to take him out to the oceanside one day, just to spend a lovely little family vacation. Seagulls could be heard squawking overhead, high within the clear blue sky. Not a single cloud was within sight on this fine afternoon. The weather was perfect for a lovely little swim. This however, would be the start of a vicious, paralyzing phobia. Not realizing his parent's weren't paying close attention, young Hiroki made his way out into the water. Being only 3'8" at this point, the water rised around him rapidly the further he went in. And he may have went in, just a tad bit too far. The current and waves began to rapidly pick up and around the boy, as he was being thrashed to and fro from the tides. Being placed into a constant hate cycle of neverending motion, it was becoming hard to stay above the surface. Too hard. As much as he tried, there was just no hope in swimming. Arms flailing back and forth, legs spurring to try and keep a float, it was useless. The current was too strong, it had pulled him under. Water began to crush all around him, and he was sinking towards the bottom. There was no other thought besides could this be his last that was going through his mind during that time. The crushing blows of water began to become too painful. He had then blacked out. When he awoken that day, his dad was thankfully there to rescue him in time. That was the moment he knew that deep down, his parents really did love him. Even after all the relentless training and harsh routines, it was all just to better him.

Snapping out of this flashback, the familiar voice of the woman from downstairs was heard, clear as that fateful day, still with a raspy tone to her speech "You and your rats, they probably just saw one of them you idiot! Absolutely wasting my time for what. Nothing!? How dare you, why, I ought to bury you for the next 500 years!" Clearly upset with being called to an empty room, she genuinely did sound rather pissed off by the 'false alarm'. Only mumbles were made from the other man, before a slap was heard, followed by a dragging sound across the floor. Back down the hall. And then a thud, down the stairs, after which footsteps followed suit.

Now that the coast was clear once more, it was time for Hiroki to solve this puzzle. Stepping out from his hiding place, the Kumo nin was able to actually inspect the book this time around. Opening it, names were inscribed upon the various pages of the book. All in a red ink, unmistakably blood. It was kinda clear in what needed to be done here. Grabbing a kunai, Hiroki Shimada drew it to his index finger, ever so slightly using it to break a tiny fraction of the skin. He then used this now somewhat bloodied finger to inscribe a name, not his, but still, a name nonetheless, after the last entry. A locking mechanism popped, as a piece of the wall, slightly became ajar. Licking the tip of his finger to somewhat seal the wound, the teen then went into this secret room, and up the steps to the coveted third floor.

WC: 4,224
Mission WC Achieved
Claims:
10,000 Ryo
50 AP
10 tickets
2500 words to Chidori Senbon, completing it
1500 words to Shadow Clone Jutsu, completing it
224 words to Needle Jizo
Thread Exit
Stats, 35 total (max stats after this point), 20 to Chakra, 15 to Speed

Approved.