| abstract | - Deep in the forest, a figure was running. His feet, despite the speed he was running at, were silent as the stomped the forest grounds. His eyes searched around slowly, surveying his evironment and seemingly looking for something. His sword, as usual, was secured tightly around his waist. It was another mission, assigned to him by his boss: the assassination of the Konohagakure Tenno Clan leader. This objective was but one of many assassinations that would be attempted, all the targets clan leaders. The goal would be to instill fear in the villages they resided in - clan leaders were high in power, after all. Such fear could be easily taken to advantage, and the villagers would be easily able to be manipulated around... But, as of now, he was only completing this one. And so, he continued to run. A little further into the forest, a boy, about 14, was relaxing on a hammock, strung between two of the trees. The wind blew through his spiky brown hair, tousling it. He hummed quietly to himself, not really caring what was going on around him. He was hiding out from his village, after having pranked all of them using a small batch of exploding ramen. Ah, it'll all blow over in a few hours, he thought, unaware of the rapidly approaching figure. He would certainly get a surprise. Right past his hiding spot, the running man's figure tore right past him and forward with immense speed, carrying the force of a gentle wind behind him. The boy's hammock flipped over, causing him to fall out. "HEY! Who the-?" The young ninja rubbed his sore head, and shouted at the running man. "Come back here!" He jumped from tree to tree, pinball-jumping off the trunks in pursuit. "Hm?" That was when the man looked behind him, cocking an eyebrow as he allowed himself to slow to a stop. His blue eyes had drifted over towards that of the human pinball as he came ever so closer. He said nothing yet, but he waited ever so patiently. The kid landed, twisted, and glared at the man. "What's the big idea with knocking me over? You didn't even stop!" The kid's pale blue eyes seemed to look straight inside the man, unnerving him just in the slightest. "Are you gonna just stand there smiling like an idiot, or actually DO something?" "You're quite the kid, aren't you?" The man questioned, a tone teeming with slight amusement. "But I don't have much time to play with you. I have other business." "HEY!" The kid's anger was almost through the roof by now. "I ain't here to PLAY either, pal! Just apologize, and we'll both be on our way! And whaddya mean "quite the kid"?" The young ninja angrily tapped his foot on the ground, unaware of just who he was staring down. The man chuckled, his smile getting slightly more devious and amused at the boy's action. "And just what will you do if I don't apologize?" He said tauntingly. "Throw a ball at me?" It was now the kid's turn to grin, seeming quite cocky. "Well, are you going to say sorry, or do I have to show you?" He cracked his knuckles and ran a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Go ahead. You might impress me." "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you!" The kid focused, and a ball of pure darkness energy materialized in his hand. "Eat THIS!" He dashed forwards and threw the energy ball straight at the man. A head-on attack. It was something that was expected from what the man could safely assume was a novice. His arrogant attitude, along with this impulsive action easily exposed his strength level. So, maybe, he could have a little fun with this kid. Smile still on his face, he himself lunged forward, timing it right. Then, with an outstretched hand, he reached out and caught the boy by the wrist, therefore neutralizing the ball instantly. "I guess I have some time for a little sparring match..." He said in good sport, before letting go and jumping back. The kid just smiled. "Now that, using my "cocky arrogant little boy" act to discover your average power level, maybe we can skip the charades and actually do something?" He grinned wider, and pulled a strange-looking device from his neck, which had a long cord which was tied to his hand. "Oh yeah, and since you actually fell for the "manipulating darkness" trick, I now have the upper hand. Nothing more than a mini-lantern and dye." Immediately, the man's eyes widened, and his smile faded for a minute before returning to his face. "I see. You truly are a shinobi, using deceptive measures like that." He complimented. "Guess I don't have to hold back as much as I thought I did, then..." Without further hesitation, he gripped the hilt of his blade and unsheathed it, flicking it out to the side. "What's your name, if I may ask?" The boy mockingly bowed. "I see you underestimated me. The name's Kairu Hichimo, maybe you've heard of the Hichimo clan?" "I'm afraid not." "Well then, you're about to find out!" With that, Kairu flipped over the man's head, then dashed up behind him for an attack from the rear. "Okita Soujirou." Even as he swung around to unleash a side-swing at the approaching boy, the man was polite enough to introduce himself. "Just following common courtesy... even if you are younger." Kairu flipped over the blade, landing on it and using it as a springboard to launch himself into the air, approaching for a punishing aerial attack. "Nice to BEAT you!" He wouldn't reach his target. For in the time Kairu took to take to the air, Okita had done the same with his immense speed, his presence shadowing the younger fighter's form. Now, aimed at the blind spot, the Soujirou thrust it at the back of the neck. The boy smiled and simply grabbed the blunt of the sword, and flipped Okita. "Gotta do better! I haven't broken a sweat, and I haven't even thought about my kekki genkai!" "Nani?! He was able to read my speed!!" Shock flickered through Okita's eyes, even as his body was sent up in the air. His smile once again faded, adding to his shocked look. But, it only took him a second to remain in that state, before he realized one thing. Kairu's hand was touching his sword. WIth that, the surprise faded, and Okita spoke only two words. "Kenjutsu... Shotgun." With that command, his opponent's arm was blown apart in a mix of fire and blood. A huge cloud of dust was thrown up, and when it cleared, Kairu's arm was not only intact, but covered in pure chakra, twisting and twirling like the deep blue fire it so resembled. Kairu smiled. "Knew you were going to try something like that. So I used... wait for it... yes, my kekki genkai. You see, the Hichimo clan has the ability to channel their inner chakra outwards through scars on their body." At this, he raised his arm, and through the chakra, he could see a small scar, which the chakra was flowing through. "...you used the chakra to protect yourself from the explosion." Okita deduced. "WOAH! You're a regular genius! And it's not only defensive..." With that, the chakra lengthened into a behemoth sword, growing from his arm. This was going to get ugly. Okita raised his blade in a defensive position, eyes looking at his opponent with concentration. "For something so simple as chakra control, it seems like an impressive feat." He commented. Kairu just widened his grin. "Well... you ain't seen NOTHIN' yet!" With that, he dashed forward, and with the final step, launched into a spinning strike. With a large sword like that, stepping back would've been virtually impossible. Instead, Okita chose to leap over it, raising his sword as he reached zero space. Then, with both hands on the hilt, he swung down on the boy's exposed head. Kairu flipped his head back as the blade passed millimetres from his face, then twisting into a full backflip and landing feet first. "Hmm... swordplay doesn't seem to be a good strategy here." The blade on his arm twisted and writhed, then reconfigured into a long, razor-tipped tendril. "So he can turn it into anything he wants..." Okita concluded, readying himself once more. "Not wise to rush in this situation like before..." Kairu held up three fingers. "Three options. You can give up now, and apologise, you can attack me and get pwned, or you can get in a lucky hit, scar me, thus giving me another weapon. At that, Okita simply smiled, amused by his cockiness. "What makes you think that you can beat me simply by changing weapons? You underestimate me, Kairu-chan." "No, you misunderstand. You scar me, my kekki genkai thus forces the chakra through the scar, and I have an improved arsenal." "Ah..." At that moment, Okita raised a finger with his free hand towards the arm. "But how much chakra can you force through before your body starts to give out on you? You can only utilize so much in such a time..." Kairu's smile faded. "True... but that'll be plenty of time to beat you!" "You think so?" Okita, eyes squinting once more, raised his blade again... before he promptly sheathed it. "I must admit, you have a lot of spirit. And you've certainly shown me that you're more than a gloater." He commended politely, before bowing his head. "Please forgive me for my bumping into you. It was a mere accident..." "Thank you. I was a bit rash myself. Care for a bowl of ramen?" Kairu tossed Okita a bowl of ramen, hot and spicy. "Eh?" Surprised slightly, Okita instantly caught it at the bottom, not knowing where he had possessed such. "Why...thank you." Was all that he managed to say, allowing himself to sit down cross-legged. Kairu bowed, and vanished into the shadows. Only then did Okita noticed that one of the strings of ramen appeared more like a wick, for a candle, or a... Instinct kicked in, and Okita's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. But even his speed wouldn't save him this time, as the bomb exploded right in front of his face. In an almost cartoon-like way, he was slammed into the tree head first, before sliding down onto the ground. "...ow..." Was all he muttered, swirly-eyed. "Not bad, kid..." He thought, laughing mentally. "Not bad." All over the forest, could be heard the sound of Kairu's laughter.
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