The portal was pitch black with not a single shape or object to be identified from the outside looking in or the inside looking out. As soon as Nozomi stepped into the portal, however, she'd find herself stepping out onto the same grassy knoll that she had started out at: the outskirts of the Blood Prison.
The field however, was now littered with bodies and the ground soaked with blood. Battered and burnt flags swayed in the breeze and several mountains of bodies were piled up on top of one another at seemingly evenly spaced intervals. The portal shut behind her and if the blonde cared to look back at where they'd come from she'd see the smoky outline of the sprawling penal colony. The Blood Prison was no more. Its walls were crumbling, countless buildings burning, and its secrets unleashed on the world. Men were now triumphantly leaving the prison. Some criminals who had liberated their compatriots and others were former inmates who were finally tasting freedom after decades of incarceration.
They carried chests filled with cash and gems. Massive tomes containing sensitive information and research. Cages which contained abominations and experimental techniques and abilities. Today was a good day to be a villain.
The reinforcements that had been called by the Warden had been utterly devastated by the combined might of Resin, Hype, Honiko, and Merryweather herself. Tenma had sent several pleas for help and his calls went answered. The Grass Special Forces which partially consisted of a regimen of well trained horseback riding shinobi; coalition forces from several minor nations; and even a reserve battalion of ninja from the Great Nations. All had fallen.
Hype sat atop a particularly tall mountain of bodies. He was covered in blood like his compatriots and was nursing a wound albeit while trying to look completely unfazed. Honiko was at the base of the same mountain, sitting in the lotus position. The woman was impaled with so many staves, knives, and swords that it was medically impossible for her to be alive. Yet nevertheless, she patiently pulled out one after the other and healed herself, careful not to shift any vital organs into a poor position. The Sage was covered in blood and like her mother, her snow white hair had become a bright crimson. She was exhausted and almost entirely out of chakra, but like Hype she kept up appearances pretty well. Anyone watching would assume that she was just bored and sitting down. The both of them were very much alive. Resin, unfortunately, had been utterly dismembered and turned into pasta at some point during the fight. Bits of armour and gas mask laying about like forgotten toys.
Merryweather was the only one who genuinely was not tired or bothered by the day's events. She had picked up Chiheisen and cradled the child in her arms bridal style. The feral child wrapped its arms around her neck and she softly kissed her progeny's head.
With their arrival, Honiko and Hype perked up. Hype slid down the mountain of corpses. While Honiko removed the last set of weapons embedded into her body and casually tossed them aside. The group converged at a spot in the center of the outskirts turned battlefield. After awhile, they were soon joined by the other criminal leaders. Honiko exchanged a glance with Nozomi whom she had noticed walked through the portal behind Merryweather. A small grin made its way across her countenance. She felt a deep sense of pride in having trained such an unstoppable kunoichi.
Merryweather was the first to speak. She held her daughter close and triumphantly addressed the small group.
"What a fantastic excursion! Our names will echo throughout the ages for what we've done here today.....My daughter Chiheisen has been rescued, this sadistic and inhuma-, or rather in-sentient prison has been destroyed, and you all will be richer for your time here today. This is why-"
Cries of "Get on with it!" erupted from the crowd. The criminals were growing impatient and so she decided to cut to the chase.
"Well. Anyways. Thank you for your assistance. I consider this a job well done. You will all be paid as promised and you can keep whatever spoils you loot from the prison. I will contact each group separately for payment. Now, as for Flying Thunder God....Merryweather paused and looked at everyone in the area. Her gaze settled on Nozomi and immediately there was a wave of consternation and cursing throughout the crowd of Nuke-Nin. Merryweather held up a hand and a dark chill settled on the area. There was silence.
"She did kill Tenma aka The Warden of Hozuki Castle and she did bring my daughter out of captivity all by her lonesome according to my sources..." A swarm of locusts buzzed in the airspace above as if indicating proof. Merryweather reached out and a scroll materialized in her hand. But rather than give it to Nozomi directly, she gave it to the Sage instead. Honiko unceremoniously took the scroll for Flying Thunder God and sealed it away with a poof. Nozomi was Honiko's subordinate and rather than risk offending her dearest daughter at such a sensitive moment, she opted to pay her the respect she deserved. Additionally, the cheeky girl had threatened her. Merryweather found this amusing and so she never bothered to reply but after Honiko took the scroll, she gave the blonde a wink before provocatively twisting her daughter's ear. Chiheisen's yelped and squirmed but Merryweather continued to hold her child close.
Honiko for her part considered the implications of this newest acquisition. Menza had access to the technique but he had fought tooth and nail to keep it from her and the other members of the Society. Her Sensei had allowed him to be selfish under the theory that great power needed to be earned and now it was her's. More specifically, Nozomi's but Nozomi's was her's so by extension this technique was her's as well. She personally had little use of it and figured it would actually provide limited enhancement to her combat style, but it was good to have all the same.
The crowd rumbled. Some in disapproval (believing themselves to have played a critical albeit indirect role), others in approval (now seeing Nozomi as being one of the top tiered shinobi in the criminal underworld), and a few in utter disregard and carelessness.
At this juncture, final deals were agreed upon and sealed. Individuals made good on their own bargains and promises. Merryweather tied up her loose ends and slowly but surely, the criminals all drifted away. Honiko pulled her mother to the side and the two had a lengthy private exchange. Neither spoke in an animated fashion but all sensors in the area and those with high perception could tell that the conversation was intense and meaningful. Eventually, Honiko broke off from her mother who was still holding her child. Chiheisen turned away from her mother's bosom to look at her half sister. The young child cocked her head and studied her sibling, Honiko felt the little one's eyes on her and she turned around to look back. The two locked eyes for a moment. The Sage said something to her half-sister and turned away once more and refused to look back. Merryweather for her part, opened a portal and stepped through it. She had gotten everything she wanted in more ways than one.
Honiko approached Nozomi and Raijin who lay on a cot. The young man was badly injured but his life had been preserved. From the talk of the others, he had done a decent job. He had been one of the first through each of the gates and had fought up to the very steps of the castle before losing. He wasn't her best disciple but he had performed admirably and had secured his place in the Society. Honiko knelt down next to him and healed his injuries, the ones who had sustained him previously were horrible amateurs compared to her own Ijutsu skills. Once he was patched up and stabilized, she'd stand back up and approach Nozomi. Despite the carnage, bloodshed, and now drunken celebrations that were going on around them, Honiko felt as though this moment belonged to the two of them. She gripped her disciple's shoulders.
"I'm proud of you Nozomi. But you already knew that....what you don't know is that this was your final test. I think you're ready for what comes next."
With the last bit of chakra she had, Honiko summoned Balerion. The creature dutifully appeared but lacking in the generally arrogant ethos he carried about himself. The meek creature lowered himself and allowed the group to mount him. Honiko helped Raijin on the beast's back, and once they were all aboard. She signaled him to take off. Once they were in the air and a respectable distance from the crowds of criminals below. Honiko laid down. It was the first time she had ever allowed her disciple to see her so weary or exhausted. The woman let her head (blood soaked hair and all) rest on Nozomi's lap. She trusted Nozomi. She was okay with letting her see her be this vulnerable. She had spent nearly everything she had in this fight but she knew that there was always more to give. She was just so tired of it all. Honiko told Balerion where to go, closed her eyes, and drifted to sleep.
Exit to ???
The field however, was now littered with bodies and the ground soaked with blood. Battered and burnt flags swayed in the breeze and several mountains of bodies were piled up on top of one another at seemingly evenly spaced intervals. The portal shut behind her and if the blonde cared to look back at where they'd come from she'd see the smoky outline of the sprawling penal colony. The Blood Prison was no more. Its walls were crumbling, countless buildings burning, and its secrets unleashed on the world. Men were now triumphantly leaving the prison. Some criminals who had liberated their compatriots and others were former inmates who were finally tasting freedom after decades of incarceration.
They carried chests filled with cash and gems. Massive tomes containing sensitive information and research. Cages which contained abominations and experimental techniques and abilities. Today was a good day to be a villain.
The reinforcements that had been called by the Warden had been utterly devastated by the combined might of Resin, Hype, Honiko, and Merryweather herself. Tenma had sent several pleas for help and his calls went answered. The Grass Special Forces which partially consisted of a regimen of well trained horseback riding shinobi; coalition forces from several minor nations; and even a reserve battalion of ninja from the Great Nations. All had fallen.
Hype sat atop a particularly tall mountain of bodies. He was covered in blood like his compatriots and was nursing a wound albeit while trying to look completely unfazed. Honiko was at the base of the same mountain, sitting in the lotus position. The woman was impaled with so many staves, knives, and swords that it was medically impossible for her to be alive. Yet nevertheless, she patiently pulled out one after the other and healed herself, careful not to shift any vital organs into a poor position. The Sage was covered in blood and like her mother, her snow white hair had become a bright crimson. She was exhausted and almost entirely out of chakra, but like Hype she kept up appearances pretty well. Anyone watching would assume that she was just bored and sitting down. The both of them were very much alive. Resin, unfortunately, had been utterly dismembered and turned into pasta at some point during the fight. Bits of armour and gas mask laying about like forgotten toys.
Merryweather was the only one who genuinely was not tired or bothered by the day's events. She had picked up Chiheisen and cradled the child in her arms bridal style. The feral child wrapped its arms around her neck and she softly kissed her progeny's head.
With their arrival, Honiko and Hype perked up. Hype slid down the mountain of corpses. While Honiko removed the last set of weapons embedded into her body and casually tossed them aside. The group converged at a spot in the center of the outskirts turned battlefield. After awhile, they were soon joined by the other criminal leaders. Honiko exchanged a glance with Nozomi whom she had noticed walked through the portal behind Merryweather. A small grin made its way across her countenance. She felt a deep sense of pride in having trained such an unstoppable kunoichi.
Merryweather was the first to speak. She held her daughter close and triumphantly addressed the small group.
"What a fantastic excursion! Our names will echo throughout the ages for what we've done here today.....My daughter Chiheisen has been rescued, this sadistic and inhuma-, or rather in-sentient prison has been destroyed, and you all will be richer for your time here today. This is why-"
Cries of "Get on with it!" erupted from the crowd. The criminals were growing impatient and so she decided to cut to the chase.
"Well. Anyways. Thank you for your assistance. I consider this a job well done. You will all be paid as promised and you can keep whatever spoils you loot from the prison. I will contact each group separately for payment. Now, as for Flying Thunder God....Merryweather paused and looked at everyone in the area. Her gaze settled on Nozomi and immediately there was a wave of consternation and cursing throughout the crowd of Nuke-Nin. Merryweather held up a hand and a dark chill settled on the area. There was silence.
"She did kill Tenma aka The Warden of Hozuki Castle and she did bring my daughter out of captivity all by her lonesome according to my sources..." A swarm of locusts buzzed in the airspace above as if indicating proof. Merryweather reached out and a scroll materialized in her hand. But rather than give it to Nozomi directly, she gave it to the Sage instead. Honiko unceremoniously took the scroll for Flying Thunder God and sealed it away with a poof. Nozomi was Honiko's subordinate and rather than risk offending her dearest daughter at such a sensitive moment, she opted to pay her the respect she deserved. Additionally, the cheeky girl had threatened her. Merryweather found this amusing and so she never bothered to reply but after Honiko took the scroll, she gave the blonde a wink before provocatively twisting her daughter's ear. Chiheisen's yelped and squirmed but Merryweather continued to hold her child close.
Honiko for her part considered the implications of this newest acquisition. Menza had access to the technique but he had fought tooth and nail to keep it from her and the other members of the Society. Her Sensei had allowed him to be selfish under the theory that great power needed to be earned and now it was her's. More specifically, Nozomi's but Nozomi's was her's so by extension this technique was her's as well. She personally had little use of it and figured it would actually provide limited enhancement to her combat style, but it was good to have all the same.
The crowd rumbled. Some in disapproval (believing themselves to have played a critical albeit indirect role), others in approval (now seeing Nozomi as being one of the top tiered shinobi in the criminal underworld), and a few in utter disregard and carelessness.
At this juncture, final deals were agreed upon and sealed. Individuals made good on their own bargains and promises. Merryweather tied up her loose ends and slowly but surely, the criminals all drifted away. Honiko pulled her mother to the side and the two had a lengthy private exchange. Neither spoke in an animated fashion but all sensors in the area and those with high perception could tell that the conversation was intense and meaningful. Eventually, Honiko broke off from her mother who was still holding her child. Chiheisen turned away from her mother's bosom to look at her half sister. The young child cocked her head and studied her sibling, Honiko felt the little one's eyes on her and she turned around to look back. The two locked eyes for a moment. The Sage said something to her half-sister and turned away once more and refused to look back. Merryweather for her part, opened a portal and stepped through it. She had gotten everything she wanted in more ways than one.
Honiko approached Nozomi and Raijin who lay on a cot. The young man was badly injured but his life had been preserved. From the talk of the others, he had done a decent job. He had been one of the first through each of the gates and had fought up to the very steps of the castle before losing. He wasn't her best disciple but he had performed admirably and had secured his place in the Society. Honiko knelt down next to him and healed his injuries, the ones who had sustained him previously were horrible amateurs compared to her own Ijutsu skills. Once he was patched up and stabilized, she'd stand back up and approach Nozomi. Despite the carnage, bloodshed, and now drunken celebrations that were going on around them, Honiko felt as though this moment belonged to the two of them. She gripped her disciple's shoulders.
"I'm proud of you Nozomi. But you already knew that....what you don't know is that this was your final test. I think you're ready for what comes next."
With the last bit of chakra she had, Honiko summoned Balerion. The creature dutifully appeared but lacking in the generally arrogant ethos he carried about himself. The meek creature lowered himself and allowed the group to mount him. Honiko helped Raijin on the beast's back, and once they were all aboard. She signaled him to take off. Once they were in the air and a respectable distance from the crowds of criminals below. Honiko laid down. It was the first time she had ever allowed her disciple to see her so weary or exhausted. The woman let her head (blood soaked hair and all) rest on Nozomi's lap. She trusted Nozomi. She was okay with letting her see her be this vulnerable. She had spent nearly everything she had in this fight but she knew that there was always more to give. She was just so tired of it all. Honiko told Balerion where to go, closed her eyes, and drifted to sleep.
Exit to ???
