[center][color=#D4716E][h2][u][b]Nazomeku, Kazayatsu[/b] - [i]Kuroyaju[/i][/u][/h2][/color][COLOR=silver][sup][b]Iwagakure | A | Tsuchikage[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day - Morning[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Konohagakure - Stadium Observation Room[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [@Seraphicide] [@BladeX] [@Queentze] {Allies} [i]Namine Akizakura, Kaba Joukaku, and Date Uchiha[/i]; [@Reflection] [@ZeroXposure] {Criminals} [i]Jaakuna Aka and Sebun Chimei-teki Tsumi[/i].[/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][hr]Having trudged through the Forest of Death, burning his way and using the lava as a form of locomotion, Kazayatsu was on a mission. Anger and determination cast on his features, the Tsuchikage soon arrived at the location of one of the criminals. Lucky him, it was the one he was looking for too, though it appeared that there was another. A weapon user of some kind.

It didn't matter.

Or, it wouldn't have until he noticed the jounin candidate under attack. Jaakuna's actions were almost in slow motion to him, but not because they weren't fast, rather because his own senses were exceptional even without sensory techniques.

Faster than the eye could see or the body could move, a pulse of chakra shot from his foot through his lava and into the ground. It crossed the entire distance between the kage and the chuunin traveling to the base of the tree he stood upon. A small amount of chakra locked the chuunin's feet to the branch--an impromptu, forced tree climbing technique—followed swiftly by the tree and a small amount of the earth around it lurching downwards and just barely out of the trajectory of Jaakuna's attack.

Kazayatsu stepped down a staircase composed of his own lava, the same piercing, dangerous look in his eyes as he approached the weapon user. His spear remained firmly in hand, held parallel to the ground.

[color=#D4716E][b]"Leaf shinobi, you're overpowered and outnumbered yet here you stand. I commend your bravery, but I also question your wisdom."[/b][/color] The kage's arm raised, held out at his side as he walked, before he spun his spear, chakra channeling through it all the while. His other hand blurred through handsigns at a frightening pace.

He looked between the two S rank criminals with a glare, before he gave them something akin to his characteristic smile. However, when he spoke, there was a joyful sort of malice in his tone. [color=#D4716E][b]“Now, why don't we play a game from our childhoods. I do hope you'll remember it. It's called, [i]'The Floor is Lava.'[/i]”[/b][/color]

With that a pulse of chakra shook the earth in every direction within their area as he slammed his spear's blunt end into the ground. With that chakra the rock and soil within a 30 meter radius began to rapidly bubble and spit as it was transmuted into lava. The first two seconds would be the only ones in which they could stand on the ground without being burned. Within the four seconds that followed one couldn't be within 2 meters of the ground without getting minor burns, and within the following six one would be unable to be within 5 meters without sufficient shielding. Oddly, both the kage and the chuunin would remain unaffected by the deadly heat.

Meanwhile, the Tsuchikage's smile had disappeared and the earth had risen once more, putting Kaba Joukaku level with everyone else once more. The ground beneath him was not lava, but it was only a space of about 2 meters in diameter. Enough for one person only.

[color=#D4716E][b]“Chuunin. I highly suggest you get as far away from me as you can and find your fellow shinobi. I'll handle these monsters.”[/b][/color] There was a dangerous edge to his words, something that spoke of a rage barely contained. Beneath the surface of his mind there stirred a beast. [i]Hopefully[/i] it would slumber a while longer.[hr][center][color=#ACECFC][h2][u][b]Kouken, Ayame[/b][i][/i][/u][/h2][/color]
[COLOR=silver][sup][b]Iwagakure | C-B | Barrier nin[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day - Morning[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Lightning Challenge Room[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [@Write] [@Ganryu] {Teammates} [i]Hokusai, Aito and Kabe, Ai[/i]; [@Glitchybugger] [@bladess4] {Present nearby} [i]Yuki, Hime and Hokori Tashiro[/i]; [@Syn] {Enemy} [i]Havoc.[/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][hr]Watching as the ice shinobi took something of a battering, Ayame cringed visibly. She didn't like this. They needed to act, but how to deal with someone who had that kind of raw power. Well, they'd just have to figure it out. Firstly she knew that whatever the man was using would utilize chakra, which meant she had something for it so long as it wasn't too concentrated. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself she glanced at her two teammates. These were people dear to her. Close to her heart. If either of them came to harm she would never forgive herself.

This in mind, she steeled herself and stood up fully atop the great bird of Aito's creation.

[color=#ACECFC][b]“Ai, Aito, we're not gonna have many shots at this. We need to disable this man if we can, capture him if at all possible so the kage can question him. However, I...I'm not going to hold back,”[/b][/color] as she said it she swallowed hard.

[color=#ACECFC][b]“So when I say back off, I need both of you to listen immediately. I don't know how well I can control my offensive techniques.”[/b][/color]

That said she trained her eyes on criminal, and as she did they narrowed. Chakra fluxed through her system.

[color=#ACECFC][b]“Aito, provide assistance to the others and us. If you see one of us use the Kai handseal it means we need you at our location. Otherwise we'll just use our names. Ai, for now at least...I'm Aya again, like when we were kids.”[/b][/color] As she said it she didn't look at them. She kept her gaze fixed on their adversary, not even looking at the other allies that had arrayed against the man.

[color=#ACECFC][b]“Ai if the nin goes above the treeline, we'll need to use your barrier tags as platforms to step off of. I need you to pay attention to both of our positions so we don't lose maneuverability. Whatever sort of ninjutsu this man is using, it could be fatal on the first strike. I'd rather not find out first hand.”[/b][/color]

That said she let her chakra channel through the metal in her body and then, suddenly, a shimmering layer of it formed over her entire body.

[center][i]Seki Tōei([sub]関投影[/sub] 'Barrier Projection').[/i][/center]
Taking one more deep breath, she bent her knees, glanced at Ai, and then launched forwards, two barrier stakes in each hand. She began using tree trunks to propel herself, periodically stabbing a stake into a tree as she moved in a circle around their target.

Assuming her sister would be near enough to hear her, she spoke while placing her Sekisao.

[color=#ACECFC][b]“We need to lock down his movement and then knock him out. Your purify will do it I think. We just need to create an opening to land it. I'll manage for a bit. Use your Shunshin and go communicate the plan to the other shinobi. Tell them to lock down his movement and distract him while I set up a barrier. Tell them to help create an opening for us. We need to work together.”[/b][/color] At no point did she turn her gaze towards Ai, instead keeping it on the man even as she kept some trees between her location and his.

This was going to be tough.[hr][center][color=#C4D9E0][h2][u][b]Nisekuru, Koutaku[/b][/u][/h2][/color]
[COLOR=silver][sup][b]Konohagakure | C-B | Tactics-nin[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day - Morning[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Konohagakure - Forest of Death[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [@J8cob] [@Project] [@Reflection] [i]Kurin Senju; Usagi Orihara; Tsukiko Umene.[/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][hr]Flames and chains were their rebuttal, but he did not answer in kind. For while the explosion earlier could have been a distraction from another fight, the appearance of a massive water technique in addition to the destruction of an entire area of the forest alerted him to the fact that something had gone truly awry. Eyes narrowed he dodged behind the massive tree, flipping away and off of it to do so. The flames scorched its bark and the chains struck at the tree. However, their onslaught ended abruptly as they too realized the severity of their situation. Two of them fleed, while another, the Senju, protected the rest. Koutaku jumped down from the tree as the wooden barrier formed around them.

Walking towards them. His expression unreadable, Koutaku spoke up.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“I believe the only other sensor among us just departed along with a rather well versed ninjutsu user.”[/b][/color] He glanced around the dome, noticing that not a droplet of water had gotten through and that it was holding up fairly well.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“That makes you the only sensor nin among us. You're our eyes and ears then.”[/b][/color] He glanced at Usagi, then Tsukiko, his gaze piercing as he appeared to size them up. There was something cold about his eyes, despite him being their ally in the here and now.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“Usagi Orihara. Wind affinity, and you kenjutsu user...clearly. Could never get a bead on you. Taijutsu focused or ninjutsu?”[/b][/color]

Not even waiting for a response his gaze darted to the other young woman. [color=#C4D9E0][b]“Tsukiko Umene the ruthless ambush specialist. Earth affinity. Exceptional stealth and physical abilities.”[/b][/color] He paused a moment and smiled before looking back at Kurin.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“And of course, Kurin Senju. Sensor and Mokuton wielder.”[/b][/color] A small grin crossed his lips before falling away as he glanced up. He'd heard another impact beyond their barrier.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“I believe there are three intruders. A water user; someone with wide area of effect and high damage; and of course a high end weapon user. That is, if these blades are anything to go by.”[/b][/color] He glanced at one of the only weapons that had gotten into the wooden barrier before it had fully enclosed them.

[color=#C4D9E0][b]“Based on the skills at our disposal, I'd say our best bet is the weapon user. Thoughts?”[/b][/color]

He looked between them again. Expectant.[hr][center][color=#525087][h2][u][b]????????????[/b][i][/i][/u][/h2][/color]
[COLOR=silver][sup][b]???? | C-B | ????[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Konohagakure – Hospital Exterior[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [@Ganryu] [i]Kaito Chosokabe[/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][hr]The figure laughed faintly, then turned away, standing sideways, his eyes on the horizon. He was watching what he could of the battles in the Forest of Death. A brief silence passed before he spoke again. When he did the levity was largely gone from his voice.

[color=#525087][b]“You've caught my interest. A man without meaningful heritage ruining a Hyuga's arm. A genjutsu expert and an assassin, if I've pegged you right.”[/b][/color] He turned away from the spectacle to look at Kaito once more.

[color=#525087][b]“I'm looking for prestigious individuals with considerable skill and loose morals in the interest of an...mmm, an endeavor lets call it.”[/b][/color] He chuckled slightly at his own little joke, but said no more, not even prompting Kaito for a response. To do so would be to give the man power, to let him control the flow of their conversation, to alter the nature of it entirely.

He didn't want that and so he kept quiet and waited, comfortable in the relative silence.