The God Among Us

On the eastern most side of the Isle of Whispers there was relatively little in terms of human intervention. There were almost no shacks or fisherman huts, no docks, not even the remnants of campfires. The majority of it was nothing but sand and mist, a place of silence and contemplation. In fact, there was only one building on this isolated part of the island. It was a small house that was built with a caring hand. The walls were colored stone up to the knees, with healthy Senju wood lumber layered on the top half of the ranch style home like siding. The roof was slanted to one side with good slate tiles providing good protection from the elements. Underneath this were the bones of the home, made of sturdy oak studs with extremely complex fuuinjutsu providing insulation as well as air flow hidden within these studs. Everything was well tended, with no signs of decay or neglect on the outside of the house

Pristine windows made of the clearest glass were on each cardinal direction, two on the east and west and one on the north and south. It sat a few dozen meters from the coast, a small retaining wall on the coastal side preventing it from getting flooded in all but the worst conditions. There were two visible entrances, one facing the middle of the island and one facing the coast. If one were to exit through the latter, they would find themselves on a very well maintained cobblestone pathway that curved back and forth slightly along its way to the coast. It ended where a small pier began that extended a dozen meters from the shore out into the sea of the archipelago. It was a beautiful view, excellent for viewing the sunrise for those who had the mindset to rise that early.

Only one man ever got to see the sunrise here though. Nobody else on the island dared disturb this area without his permission, after all. This little piece of land, this isolated and desolate piece of land, it was one of the few things he asked to be his own in this world. It was his place to think, to meditate, to plan, to command, and to live. Not even Honiko had seen this place more than half a dozen times, and she had only seen the interior once. Since then it had changed completely as he grew bored of it.

Today, that man sat at the edge of the pier with a green apple in his hand. It was a crisp apple with a good taste, the sourness so pure that it caused his eye to twitch if he took too big a bite. His posture was perfect as it had been for his entire life, a slender build that displayed nothing too prominent or noticeable. His hair, black with streaks of grey to indicate a man in his middle years, was the only truly noticeable thing about him as a first impression. The choice of clothing he had on today was nothing too fancy, a simple woolen shirt and trousers. His feet were bare and a sword with a white hilt and a white sheathe lay across his lap as his feet dangled from the docks.

He picked something up at the edge of his sensory range headed his direction. Two signatures, and both were ones he had been expecting. They had just gotten to 480 meters away from him if he had to guess. This should be an interesting day, he thought, taking another bite of the apple. This particular bite caused him to pucker his lips and close his eyes, the apple biting him back with its aggressive flavor. After a few seconds it lost some of its sting and he could eat it without too many funny faces.

And so he would sit at the edge of his pier, eating his apple and watching the waves as his two companions approached his position. By the time they would have gotten to the house he would be tossing the core of the apple into the sea for the fish to scavenge. He sighed, remaining seated, waiting to see how the two women would proceed from here.

Do you think this will be interesting, old friend?

Silence for a moment, and then; We shall see, my friend. We shall see.

Honiko walked through the empty mist as she made her way to Hizashi. The woman had her Mind's Eye active and could sense his prodigious chakra as she drew near. Close behind her was Nozomi Himitsu, her chosen successor and most favored disciple. The two people most important to her world were about to meet for the first time. Honiko knew that the moment didn't mean as much to Nozomi as it did to her. Nozomi loved Honiko, and in turn Honiko loved Hizashi. However, it was a different type of love which connected them. Nozomi's love for Honiko was romantic and sexual. Honiko's love for Hizashi was spiritual and familial. She worshiped him and all he stood for. She was saw him as being the absolute pinnacle of what a leader, father, and prophet ought to be. A man who could see all the world had to offer both in terms of time and space. A man who could then take that knowledge and with the gift of divine revelation compose a plan to bring every aspect of it into order. A man who knew his destiny and his rightful place in shaping history. A man who could show compassion to an unenlightened young girl. It was her highest aspiration to serve such a man to her dying breath. There was nothing that he could order her that she would not do. If he commanded her to kill her most cherished student right here and now, she would do so without hesitation.

The Dual Sage approached the man from behind. Slowly, and with deference in each step. It was rare for them to meet. Despite the fact that he had trained her closely for several years, once she had acquired enough power to act without his assistance she found him to be largely hands off. He trusted her to get the job done as necessary and recently the two had communicated in person only a handful of times per year. Honiko was not distraught about the situation as she figured that he had more important matters to attend to. The fact that he trusted her to deliver results without him having to watch over her shoulder was a mark of pride. Apparently, Nozomi did not share her predilections with respect to independence. Honiko could feel the sadness, desperation, and depression emanating from her own disciple. The girl walked with purpose and conviction yet her heart had sank to suicidal depths and worryingly enough it stayed there. She did not want Honiko to leave. The reaction was troubling, but Honiko had to trust that the jinchurikki's obsession with her would keep her going. The hope of Honiko's return would keep her on her feet and fighting for the Society. At least, that was her expectation. If Honiko could sense the emotions radiating off of Nozomi then she was sure that Hizashi could. What would he think of her? Would he chastise Honiko for choosing a poor disciple? Would he help Nozomi recover from her depression? If Honiko had to guess, he'd probably ignore it for the time being. Devising whatever counter-measures and preparations he thought necessary to contain and remedy the situation.

Honiko stopped when she was just a few meters behind Hizashi. She could hear him chewing on an apple and she could see the streaks of grey in his hair. Her heart stopped as it often did when she about to address her Sensei. Honiko sank to one knee and gestured for Nozomi to follow suit. She looked down at the ground, rested her arm on the raised knee and spoke in a level tone.

"My Lord, this is my disciple....the one I have been telling you about.....Nozomi Himitsu."

Nozomi approached the area with Honiko, unsure what her master would be like. To hear Honiko talk about him, the few times she ever did so, he was a god to be worshipped. Nozomi could understand that, as she felt the same way about Honiko. It would be interesting to finally meet this person that Honiko seemed to care so much for. Someone beyond even her, above her in position in the Society. Working behind the scenes. Nozomi couldn't even imagine. She knew that Honiko's respect for him was nothing short of the same that Nozomi held for Honiko, and that Honiko shared for her. Perhaps more, but the bond between a master and a student was already powerful. The bond between two who loved each other?

Nozomi was comforted in the knowledge that she was Honiko's favorite student. She knew that there was love between them. The cave was a memory forever etched into her brain. The talon from Honiko's favored summons was proof enough, proudly displayed on her chest. There was nothing that could come between them. The world could throw anything at them and they'd still end up together in the end. To Nozomi, there was no question.

The memory formed a nice little anchor to warm Nozomi's soul in the moment, otherwise the despair and anguish she felt would consume her. She used it to fuel herself, to continue forward with purpose and confidence on the outside, to not let herself break at the thought of Honiko leaving for her quest. It was hard for her to process her emotions, so normally she just didn't, and it was usually fine, but at the moment, she was doing all she could to hold together.

Isobu stirred as they got closer to the place housing Hizashi. The two of them had grown close, although not quite there yet, they were almost like friends. Isobu respected Nozomi's strength, but only required one further challenge from Nozomi before he would fully cooperate with her as a friend.

They entered the room, and Honiko immediately dropped to a knee, showing her respect and reverence for Hizashi. Nozomi's eyes fell on him, and.... nothing. He was just a man. Nozomi's body moved into a polite and respectful bow, but unlike her master, she would not go down onto a knee. Her fealty and loyalty wasn't to Hizashi, but to Honiko instead. She would not bend the knee for anyone else. Nozomi knew her master, and recognized no others.

Isobu spoke to her, urging caution. "This man, little one. Be careful with him. He's the one who placed me in you all those years ago. He's a danger for sure. Do not cross him if you wish to live."

Nozomi paid the 3 tails no mind. She was already examining Hizashi based on the brief moment she'd seen him. His hair had grayed, and he looked like any other man. Simply having been eating an apple on the edge of the pier. She could tell from the way he sat that he had good posture. His clothing suggested he didn't care for the fancy things, and the simple sword at his side expressed martial prowess. All in all, he seemed like a capable enough fighter, detached from worldly possessions. Nozomi's instincts told her Isobu was right. This man was deadly. Still, Nozomi had fought many people and come out the victor without much issue.

She wouldn't, of course, challenge him. Honiko would be mad about that. Nozomi stayed more or less quiet while she waited for him to speak. Nozomi's heart glowed with praise as Honiko mentioned she'd talked about her to him. And yet, the sad pit of depression seemed to grow. These moments were dwindling. Every second leading to the eventuality of Honiko leaving. Nozomi's posture dropped slightly mid bow. It was slight, but it was there. The boiling anger started to grow again as Nozomi thought of the futility of it all. She could possess all the strength in the world, but was powerless to stop Honiko from going.

Isobu spoke once more. "Calm yourself little one. Now's not the time for anger. Keep your composure here. For your own safety." Nozomi snapped at him in her mind. "Don't suggest that I'm weak, 3 tails. You're the one trapped here and useless, I'm not so easily endangered. I can go where I want, and do what I want, and nobody has the power to stop me by themselves. So just shut up and leave me alone."

He seemed to grow more quiet, and Nozomi felt a little better having somewhere to direct her rage at. It worked well enough to calm her back down.

Hizashi could sense the two halt behind him, could almost feel them pay their respects by the disturbance of the wind. Honiko was the only one to speak, the reverence and respect in her tone obvious to even the dullest of children. The other one said nothing, though Hizashi sensed she was agitated. A small smile moved across his face as he imagined the possibilities. Perhaps she was upset that Honiko was to depart soon, or perhaps Isobu was speaking to her. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. He couldn't be certain of course, but he could make a very good guess.

The man would remain seated for a few seconds after Honiko spoke, contemplating the view for a few moments longer. Then, without a whisper of noise, he would fluidly rise to his feet and spin to face the two women. He made his way to them, relaxed and in no definite hurry and would stop once he was two meters from them. The white katana was grasped in his left hand by the sheathe, his entire body relaxed as he studied them. Honiko was kneeling in complete submission to him, her awe at his presence bringing a comforting reminder that he had such a loyal tool at his disposal.

Slate grey eyes fell upon Nozomi Himitsu, Honiko's disciple and chosen successor. The girl was young and defiant, choosing only to bow to him. A few years ago this may have annoyed him, but there was no reason to be bothered by such things now. All would be right in the world soon enough, and such little infractions now could be overlooked in favor of the grand scheme of things. And yes, the girl was indeed agitated. The little twitches of muscles in her body, the ever so slight variation to her chakra signature... yes, he didn't need the Mind's Eye to discern such basic things. Of course, Hizashi had observed Nozomi's progress himself quite a few times unbeknownst to Honiko and her Society. He had a good idea of what this young Nozomi could do, make no mistake.

"Stand."

The word was firm and clear, an order that was meant to be obeyed.

"Look at me, girl."

Again, the tone was firm and had no waver to it. It was iron, a voice that had commanded respect for more years than Nozomi had been alive. It was not hostile, that was simply not something Hizashi would openly express to one he had known for such a small amount of time. No, it was just the voice of command such as no other in the world could possess. Once the two women had stood and Nozomi had looked at him, Hizashi would close the distance between the two of them to only one meter. He stood at 6'1", a man with a good amount of height on his bones. He stared down at Nozomi, his eyes brushing over her in a cold and calculating manner. His expression was one of slight curiosity, his mind wondering what could make this girl so special.

Hizashi would speak again after a good amount of time had passed in examination of Nozomi. He had taken in every detail, every facet of her form and stored it in his extensive memory. This close up view had given him the final details he needed to know what her body could do, to know that she was indeed a strong kunoichi. It disgusted Hizashi to think of her in a good way with such a title as that, kunoichi.

Ahhh, but he was letting his mind stray again. What she happened to be now was not important, only what she could become mattered to him. All beings could be molded and shaped into a useful tool given enough attention. Honiko had required little of that attention, and she had done a fine job. She was going to continue to do a fine job once she was gone from this world, hunting for that which Hizashi had asked her to find more than a decade ago. How that accursed woman had gotten her hands on it, Hizashi did not know nor did he care. As long as it was his again, that was all that mattered.

"Does Isobu still bother you so, Disciple? How unfortunate," Hizashi said placidly. His attention turned to Honiko. "You have allowed her to be lax in this, Honiko. The body can only get one so far, and you have placed too much emphasis on it in her teachings." He paused, and then gave a small sigh. "She is still worthy of some praise however, you have not failed in all things. The Blood Prison was no small feat, but her usefulness is..." he slowed here, turning his back on the two of them and stepping away to increase the distance between them to four meters. "...diminished."

His head swiveled to peer over his right shoulder, the same grey eye peering at them with the same cold and collected manner it had so far. "You will fix this, or neither of you will leave this island again until you do." He would continue to stare over his shoulder at Nozomi, his final statement being a hint as to what he meant. Today was going to be a much more difficult day than the young one had been anticipating, that much must be certain.




Using: Sensory

Honiko could sense agitation coming from her disciple. However, it wasn't of the same character that she had sensed from the moment she told Nozomi of her plans to leave. This emotional reaction was directed inward and tasted more of wrath towards a specific entity rather than a general situation. She didn't have time to contemplate the reaction as she herself was soon overcome with feelings of anger. Nozomi refused to bow. Honiko shot an angry glare at Nozomi and her eyes narrowed. Wretch! Have I not taught you better than this? For Nozomi to give a mere bow to the man whom Honiko owed her life was nothing less than insulting. It was a clear slap in the face to the one who would soon re-order and re-establish the proper framework for the world. It was a serious offense, not unforgivable, but quite severe. The seared edges of her eyes darkened and her crimson pupils narrowed in on the young woman. Nozomi would know that Honiko was utterly displeased and embarrassed by her refusal to show the utmost respect to Hizashi. Fortunately, the look did not linger for Hizashi's attention was upon them and she dared not speak about it while in his presence.

She was ordered to stand. Stand she did. Honiko kept her hands at her sides and her gazed fixed forward. She was not being addressed and so she opted to remain at attention. Hizashi had no use for unfocused and idle warriors with wandering eyes and lackadaisical posture. He had taught her the importance of standing at attention. Leisure and relaxation were not for instruments of prophesy such as herself. Honiko could still sense them though and without looking at him or Nozomi directly,  she could also tell that he was examining her pupil via her astute peripheral vision. Honiko's heart skipped a beat as she sensed his scrutiny. It was possible, even likely, that she was more nervous than Nozomi although she did a great job of not showing it.

He commented on Nozomi's relationship with Isobu and then turned to her. Honiko met his eyes and didn't flinch as he delivered a stunning blow to her own pride. She had failed him. The pain was not as severe as what Nozomi was feeling regarding Honiko's imminent departure, but it did hurt nonetheless. She had opted to separate the host and the beast. Keeping Isobu's influence at bay and forcing Nozomi to rely on her own power. The result worked wonders for the girl's base combat abilities. Nozomi was the perfect specimen when it came to the shinobi arts. A 10/10 kunoichi whose ability rivaled and exceeded that of the Gokage. Honiko was proud of her disciple and while she despised vanity, she couldn't help but bask in the light of her student's glory. After all, elite ninja were almost always trained by elite sensei. But after Hizashi's words, all of the pride and accomplishment she had invested into Nozomi was stripped down.

I have failed him....

She was wrong to neglect Nozomi's development with her Bijuu. If the two were to survive the coming wars then they'd need to be in sync. She believed they would have time to work that out but Hizashi thought otherwise. He needed Nozomi to be in harmony with her Tailed Beast and he needed it done now. Honiko, and the Society by extension, operated on his time frame. It didn't matter when she had planned to help Nozomi tame the beast, their entire timetable had changed. He gave her token praise for her efforts in the Blood Prison, but then made it abundantly clear that they would not be permitted to leave until the deed was done. Despite the stain of disappointment she felt on her spirit, Honiko did not even blink. She gave a slight nod and replied:

"Apologies my Lord."

There was no explanation or excuses. Hizashi was not the type of man who enjoyed hearing the sound of his students plead for his patience. He was results driven. He had certain expectations. She had failed them. He'd remind her of her duty and she'd meet or exceed them. It wasn't often that she made a mistake, but when she did, she made damn sure that it wouldn't happen again. Honiko looked at Nozomi for the first time since they had begun speaking to the man. The words were directed at Hizashi but by looking at Nozomi she left no room for interpretation. She wanted the jinchurikki to understand that there would be no other task of higher importance.  

"Isobu will be brought to heel and he will be brought to heel swiftly."

Nozomi broke her bow, standing up to her full height, which was still over a foot shorter than Hizashi was. Nozomi wasn't a tall girl, nor was she physically imposing. However, there was a comfortability with the way she stood, a confidence in her self that didn't let her get intimidated by anyone. She was sure of her own capabilities, and size had stopped mattering to her a long time ago. Hizashi's gaze was met with her own unwavering gaze, while she ignored the glare that Honiko had given her moments before. Nozomi would accept Honiko's anger, but she would never bend the knee to anyone else, whether ire was brought out or not. Whether for her benefit or not.

His comment about Isobu seemed to make the turtle stir inside her, and she felt his power start to swell. It was almost as if the 3 tails was responding in its own way. Nozomi's control was almost complete, and the 3 tails more or less let her use most of his power because she rarely needed it. He had a massive respect for Nozomi's strength and her will power to keep him from taking over without using his powers. She had rarely needed him. Even during the Prison, he hadn't ended up being needed.

The 3 tails appeared to be getting ready for something, although Nozomi wasn't sure what, until... "You will fix this, or neither of you will leave this island again until you do." She understood immediately that he wanted her to gain full control of the 3 tails. The last bit required to enhance Nozomi's power as a Jinchuuriki. And the last little bit of respect that Isobu had to gain for her. He wouldn't willingly give her control unless she could wrest his chakra from him. Then he would be ready to fully work with Nozomi instead of them just lending abilities here or there.

Nozomi chose to ignore that he was saying she could only be so useful. She had been thinking the same thing earlier, when she'd asked Honiko for the Snake Contract. She could only be so powerful by herself. However, his assertion that Honiko had failed him somehow incited Nozomi's contempt. While Honiko felt shame, Nozomi's emotions were ablaze of righteous fury, directed at Hizashi. However, she kept her emotions in check. Honiko may forgive her for not kneeling, or at least realize to argue anything else would get her nowhere on that topic, but Honiko would not forgive Nozomi lashing out at Hizashi.

Instead, Nozomi weaponized her anger. She used it to fuel her drive to prove him wrong. If he thought Nozomi's skills were a failure, he was dead wrong. Honiko had been a perfect teacher. Nozomi was massively powerful, and there were a handful of people who could even present a challenge to her, let alone beat her. The Prison was no small feat? She had completed her job without so much as a drop of her own blood being spilled. To her, it was nothing, just another task that she had to complete. She wouldn't fail her master. So how could her master's master think Honiko had failed?

Nozomi's anger boiled beneath the surface, but she kept her face calm, perhaps the most basic muscle twinges to even suggest anger. She was used to hiding her emotions from perceptive people. Without sensory, very few people would even be able to discern her emotions unless she let them. Turning to Honiko, she spoke. "If you have the Contract on you now, I would like to sign it first. If you don't, it's not an issue." If Honiko permitted her and had the contract, she would sign it immediately, and then commence with what she would have done if Honiko didn't have it on her.

Dropping into a meditative state, Nozomi entered into her inner realm to begin her fight for control in front of Hizashi and Honiko. She sat on her knees with her hands in her lap, completely straight with perfect posture. Her eyes closed. She'd prove Honiko hadn't failed in her teaching at all. Nozomi was perfectly capable on her own. She had surpassed most of the world without the 3 tails. With him, she was even more powerful. Sure, she had more to gain by working with him, but she didn't need to. She wasn't fighting the 3 tails to gain more power. She was going to fight him as a response to Hizashi.

-

Inner World:

Inside Nozomi's inner realm, Nozomi found herself appearing on a simple rocky plain. In front of her were two spires, suspended between which was the 3 Tails. He was more or less unable to move, which worked well enough for Nozomi. "And so it's time." The creature spoke, ready for the fight to come.

Nozomi simply nodded in reply. Lifting up her shirt, she messed with her seal, loosening it enough that the suspension of the 3 tails was lowered down. When he reached the ground, the immobilized 3 tails was no longer unable to move, and the battle was allowed to begin. "So it begins."

It was hard to tell exactly when Isobu began to hate and despise humans. To want to crush them beneath his feet and hear the sound of their bones crack under the whip of his tails. To listen to them plead and beg as he impaled them with coral and drowned beneath the pressure of thousands of litters of water. He had always had the power to do this, but it was hard for him to remember when it was that he began taking pleasure in doing it. When it was that he went from avoiding humans to actively seeking and killing the pesky little creatures. Because you see, Bijuus aren't born evil.

Isobu wasn't created for the purpose of killing and murder. He was merely a creature, like so many others. But he happened to be a creature with power and that made him a target. He could not even remember the first time he killed a human who tried to hunt him down... He wondered if in a thousand years he would remember killing Nozomi Himitsu. Would he snap her beneath his tail? Drown her? Impale? Or would he come up with some new method? Perhaps if he was creative he would remember her broken body but he doubted her name would be worthy enough to remain in his memory.

His paws touched the ground, and an immense pressure was removed from his body. While sealed it was hard to breathe and to move, to speak and sometimes even listen. His existence was so limited and yet...he had gotten used to it. He had been sealed and bound inside Nozomi for enough time that he was no longer used to the real dimension of his power. So when he was finally released and his power flowed freely, the Three Tailed Beast was taken over by a sensation of pure pleasure and ecstasy. It was even hard to control the chakra that began overflowing from his body into the rocky fields around them.

Slowly but steadily, small corals began to grow within a 600 meters radius of him. Easily crushed into dust by even the most average of humans, but the corals which grew to the size of small bushes were nonetheless a demonstration of his power, as a forest of tiny fragile trees grew around him.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!"

The roar and first step of the bijuu made the ground tremble, and a small amount of the coral trees shattered. The beast's eyes would focus on the Jinchuuriki 400 meters ahead of him. She was here all alone? The Bijuu almost pitied her. But the disappointment for only having the opportunity to kill one person here spoke higher... perhaps when she died he would be able to kill more people outside. This expectation made him want to kill her quickly and his murderous intent grew. Oh how he longed to crush her spine beneath his shell and be free.

"So you have come." The beast stated, with a tone of despise. "For years now you have been shamelessly been keeping my power, for your selfish reasons. Twice now have I saved your life and countless other times have I offered you advice.

And now you are here. To selfishly take that which does not belong to you. And for what reason? Destruction? Revenge? To serve the wishes of the white devilish creature whose loyalty is not even towards you? How dare you? I'm the only reason why you still breathe.

Nozomi Himitsu. You poor ungrateful excuse for a human. Weak, in mind, spirit and body. Too weak and scared to find and pursue your own purpose, so you serve the purpose of others.

And now you want me to submit my power to you? When your own power isn't even truly yours?" The creature chuckled.

"No, you ungrateful creature. Coming here alone was your last mistake. This is where you die."

It was a strange thing, to develop a bond with the Bijuu. It may seem easy to befriend a caged animal, but when confronted with the possibility of freedom one's true nature comes out. Not all the time Isobu spent sealed inside Nozomi had been bad. Some of it had been entertaining even. But what was that when compared to true freedom? Damned be Nozomi. In a hundred years she'd be dead and dust. And Isobu would still live. If he didn't take this opportunity now, perhaps his next hundred years would be spent in a cage.

When the beast finished his speech, the last piece of the seal broke and the last barrier that both protected and contained him, shattered completely. Now he was free to rip and tear at Nozomi's body, and she was free to try to tame the beast.

Honiko's reaction was as he figured it would be judging by the fluctuations in her chakra when he spoke. Truly loyal... I think you would even kill this one if I wanted you to. I wouldn't even need to order it, I could simply ask. You've been raised well, Faithful One. Hizashi's inner praise did not show on his cold demeanor. His latest protege was a powerful woman, driven to succeed, though she was too zealous for his tastes. Everything in balance, as he had come to learn in life. He turned slightly once he processed Nozomi's reaction, not quite having his back turned to them now. "Good." That was his only response to Honiko, delivered in the same calm voice as always.

His eyes settled on her, her chakra fluctuating ever so slightly. Muscle twitches that even she likely did not notice, he saw with clarity. She was angry. Yes, that had to be it. She was good at hiding her emotions, Hizashi had to admit that. But good was not good enough with him. A man such as he was too smart, too perceptive to let such small things pass by when he was interested. He would remain silent as the following exchange happened, regardless on whether she signed the contract or not. It mattered little to him as long as this matter was settled. One had to admit though, to be so willing to do it on the spot was worthy of praise. Of course, he did not show this.

Not yet.

She had to win first, and that would be no easy task against Isobu. Despite only being the Three-Tails, he was one of the more difficult beast to subdue due to his durability. Could she crack a nut that hard as many times as would be needed? It was hard to tell. As she dropped, Hizashi would turn back around completely and began to stroll back to her. "That takes courage, Disciple," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I wonder if she believe this will be easy," he mused to himself in a whisper so low even he could barely hear it. He waited for her to enter this inner realm of hers. He pondered what it could be briefly, imagining it to be a hard place based on his thoughts of the girl.

"Your successor is... bold, Honiko," he commented once Nozomi could not hear them speak. "Have you informed her of the dangers of this particular course of action?" Hizashi knew the answer already, but it was always good to test the faithful to see if they were still true. Honiko had not lied to him once as far as he knew, and Hizashi knew everything worth knowing. After her response, he would turn his full attention back to Nozomi. He had sensed the seal being disturbed, and Honiko may have as well.

So it's time. Hizashi's lips turned up in a small smile, imagining those to be the words Isobu would have spoken. He knew the beast quite well, better than Nozomi herself in all likelihood. It was unlikely the beast had divulged so much of itself in the few short years he had been inside of Nozomi. Isobu had known Hizashi for most of the man's life and the two were on relatively good terms, all things considered.

He squatted next to the girl, head cocked slightly to the side as he contemplated something. After a good minute of waiting and thinking, he would raised a single finger on his right hand since his left still bore the katana. A touch ever so slight on Nozomi's cheek with that finger would link him to the girl as he decided to monitor the battle personally. He was curious to see how the battle would go and could interpret it very well through this direct touch. Perhaps, should the need arise... he might even see what her inner world looked like for himself.

Honiko had never been able to read her sensei with her Mind's Eye. She knew he was there. She knew his chakra existed. But she couldn't gather more from that fact like she could with other people. She figured he had to have a means of hiding or masking the fluctuations of chakra that accompanied one's emotional state. The man's wisdom and power knew no bounds and her inability to read his mind only increased her esteem of him. Nozomi, however, she could read like a book. Despite the disappointment Honiko felt, Nozomi did not feel any ire towards her. Hizashi was essentially saying Honiko had trained her incorrectly and a lesser mind might have felt cheated by her. A ninja forced to spend two years without their greatest weapon. Yet, Nozomi's love for her sensei was not diminished. Instead, Honiko felt Nozomi's rage directed towards Hizashi. She sensed a desire to prove him wrong, to vindicate the both of them as the greatest Master and Disciple pair in the world. Honiko was touched. Nozomi would go to great lengths to demonstrate her worth to any naysayer, even if that naysayer was her teacher's teacher. Before Nozomi spoke a word, she already knew the girl would rise to the challenge.

Keeping with the tradition of the others, not an iota of emotion showed on her face. Honiko would have told Nozomi to be patient. To wait so that they could develop a seal which would permit her, Raijin, and even that deplorable scientist Menza to join her. She'd need the help, and who better to assist than the Society? But that was not meant to be. Nozomi was driven and Honiko could tell that she wanted to fight Isobu immediately if only prove Hizashi wrong. Honiko was not convinced this was the wisest move. Nozomi was acting out of anger and it was causing her to behave rashly. It was something she had warned her about before. This was back in the Land of Earth when she expressed a desire to subjugate an entire nation by herself. Nevertheless, despite her doubts about the girl's imminent decision, she decided she wouldn't say a word. She'd stick by her student. If Nozomi believed that she could take on the Beast with minimal to no assistance then so be it. She would place her trust within the jinchurikki knowing full well that the girl had never failed her before.


Nozomi's request had scarcely left her lips when Honiko used Lightning Flash Blade Creation to summon a scroll into her hand. Honiko nodded and unrolled the scroll. A small white snake poofed into existence near the end of the parchment. The snake opened his mouth but then closed it. He could tell by Honiko's body language and the fact that he was in the presence of Hizashi that now was not the time for jokes. He'd assist with the signing process and within moments Nozomi's name would be etched onto the scroll. She was now a signatory to the Contract.

Once that process was complete, Nozomi wasted no time sitting down and entering her inner realm. Honiko's expression remained placid and unmoved. Inside though, she was a whirlwind of emotions. Fear. Concern. Pride. She prayed to Jashin that Nozomi would find the strength to overcome this beast. Hizashi was mildly amused by her willingness to jump straight into the fight. She knew he favored bold and decisive action, especially when it paid off with victory. The power move reflected well on them both even though it was fraught with danger. He complimented Nozomi's boldness. He then inquired as to whether Honiko had told her that a loss to Isobu at this stage would result in her death. There was no use lying, but even if she was sure he couldn't tell, she wouldn't even dream of misleading him.

"No my Lord I have not....she doesn't quite know what's at stake but she's very intuitive. I'm sure she can imagine. I am also certain that she does not believe it will be easy....but she knows that it is necessary. She has never failed me before and I don't expect her to start today."

Hizashi took a position near Nozomi and touched her. Honiko could guess what he was up to. He wants to watch.... If he was doing it then Honiko saw no harm in joining him. The Sage sat near her disciple at an angle. She took the Lotus Position and intensely focused her Mind's Eye on Nozomi. She shut out all the other activity on the island and focused on her and her alone. She was extremely proficient with the Mind's Eye of the Kagura and was able to sense both of the chakras inside the girl. The Tailed Beast and the Nozomi's own. The interactions between them could be analyzed and broken down with utter precision. It would allow her to paint a vivid and clear mental picture of what was going on. It wouldn't be as clear as what Hizashi could see but it would allow her to monitor the fight. And if worse came to worse, she'd intervene. They would lose face and Hizashi would be disappointed, but Honiko could stomach that if it meant saving her disciple's life.

With the contract being signed, and Nozomi's path locked in, the battle for control would commence. She continued her meditation as usual. The snake had been very helpful in the process, and Nozomi was fairly sure that when it had returned, it would tell the others that something big was happening soon and to be prepared for summons. The way it had reacted upon being summoned, immediately taking note of the seriousness of the situation lent credence to that it would let the other snakes know to be prepared.

-

In her inner realm, while Nozomi was lowering the defenses of the seal, the 3 tails began to talk to her, gaining a sense of anger as it saw a taste of freedom, a chance to escape its prison. As the seal began to loosen, the 3 tails sent out a wave of coral, filling their immediate surroundings with the weak stuff. Nozomi smirked at the showing that it made. If that was supposed to intimidate her, the Bijuu had another thing coming. Nozomi had been given a task, and she didn't ever fail those, no matter what. It would take more than some coral to make her rethink her actions.

Nozomi didn't mind that he was mad at her, or thought that she was being selfish. She didn't particularly care what people thought about her, let alone a Bijuu. However, as he said that Honiko's loyalty wasn't to her, the smirk on her face dropped, shifting to a scowl. Her ire was placed towards the Tailed beast now, in a manner that it hadn't been before. How dare he think that Honiko's loyalty was questionable. Nozomi and Honiko shared a bond that was insurmountable, of that Nozomi held no doubt. To think otherwise was an outrage.

"I didn't need you for the Prison. My strength is my own. Your strength is mine too. This world is about strength, and I've got plenty of it without you. I earned my power. I'll take yours too."

From there, Nozomi readied herself for combat. Focusing her will on herself, Nozomi was fully prepared to take damage, and with no way to get a sneak attack on her, she would be able to tank much more damage than usual. Against a Bijuu, it probably wouldn't be that much more, but every little bit helped. She was a well conditioned warrior, used to taking damage. Not quite as tough as the Turtle's shell, but hopefully tough enough to take a hit or so if needed.

Nozomi was a very perceptive girl, as she always had been. She'd been taught growing up to be quiet and listen, watch, and take in everything she could, for that would make her the most useful as a ninja. Of course, she'd been being groomed to be a Jinchuuriki used by the village as a weapon, but that training had been invaluable to her early stages, and had stuck with her forever. Due to that, and to her special connection and obsession with Honiko, she'd studied her during every single encounter they'd had together, with a certain degree of intensity.

She already knew the hand seals required for the Summoning Jutsu. It was something she'd paid special attention to, as Nozomi had always somewhat wanted to be a summoner herself. It would let her have a powerful creature without relying on the 3 Tails for power himself. Especially considering a Tailed Beast was a dangerous thing to use, as using it without full cooperation was a danger to the seal that stored it.

That said, between her newly signed contract and the knowledge of the hand seals for the summoning technique, Nozomi was perfectly set up to take on Isobu without any backup from other people, because she didn't need Honiko or Hizashi or Raijin's help. She knew that if she wanted to, she could probably summon the head boss of the snakes, although that wasn't a thing she wanted to do right now. There were others that were probably better suited to it, and if she got the head boss killed in a fight against a Tailed Beast, she would likely be suffering the repercussions of that for quite some time.

Still, Nozomi remembered something being said about Manda in the past. A large snake, incredibly powerful, and incredibly vain. Not likely to want to be summoned by somebody who couldn't effectively wield his power. Not likely to want to be summoned by someone who couldn't defeat him in combat either. No, she shouldn't use him unless she really needed to. For a shinobi of her caliber though, there was no doubt that she could summon him, and not only that, but control him as well. Compared to a Bijuu, summons weren't too powerful, but could hold their own. Honiko could tear Balerion apart with ease, and she didn't have a Bijuu. Nozomi was at least on her level. It stood to reason that she'd be able to tame Manda, and between them, they would definitely be able to take on the 3 tails.

However, she wasn't going to use him from the start. Nozomi didn't have the luxury to afford that unless she really needed him. Summons drained chakra she was sure, and the stronger they were, the more chakra they would drain. In fact, Nozomi didn't really want to open up with a summons to begin with. Instead, she was going to start out fairly normal for her.

Forming the Ram seal, Nozomi directed a spray of water at Isobu, making a large series of waves head his way. It wasn't exactly the strongest of openings, but it let Nozomi set the field. Isobu had an affinity to water, but so did Nozomi, and unlike Isobu, she also had Raiton. The turtle was tough, and would probably be strong as well, given its size, but that made it a large target, and in a body of water, she would be able to hit him even further. Besides that, the waves had a lot of force behind them to begin with, and she wasn't quite certain that Isobu had the versatility to use the Suiton in the same ways as she could. Her ability to mold chakra was quite different than a turtle's would be.

The Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave would fill the rocky field of her inner world, making the place more or less a large lake. The power of the waves would be immense, but again, that wasn't the entire purpose of the waves. Nozomi just needed a little bit of set up, and she would punish the 3 tails for its insolence.

Trained:
Summoning Jutsu 0wc
Aoda (A rank summon) 0WC
Garaga (A rank summon) 0WC
Three Giant Snakes (A rank summon) 0WC
Manda (S rank summon) 350WC

-5 UA: Body Like Steel: Nozomi has been training and fighting for years, and her body has been well conditioned to pain. Unless caught off guard via sneak attack, whenever Nozomi is in a fight, her constitution is raised by 1. Freebie UA.

As the 3 Tail's Host, Nozomi's Suiton is reduced by 1 tier of cost.
-10 Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave

Spoiler:

195/210

Strength: B
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A
Coordination: A
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

This girl's arrogance almost rewarded with a laugh from the giant turtle. Although he knows that hit a mark about Honiko, and that to him was a liability. Vulnerable as it were.

"That prison was child's play full of the weak. Anyone worth their salt could've done the same thing. Your strength doesn't include mine, and even then it wouldn't be truly yours so long as you continue to be used until they no longer need you." It makes Isobu furious on how long he has been used as a tool for war, and in a sense even Nozomi was being used for war whether she knows it or not. Her stance and body language spoke to Isobu that she was getting ready to attack. Much to his anticipation, Nozomi started off with large suiton technique. A strong one, but not strong enough. With a sharp inhale of his enormous lungs, Isobu exhales an equally large blast of air pressure at the lapping waves. Carrying the blast is the deafening roar that seems to make the rocks tremble and the sand ripple from the bijuu.

Upon impact of the two waves, Isobu's air pressure pushes back the colliding waves. Unfortunately this results in an attempt to send the technique back at Nozomi! Not wasting time to see if the waves were a hit or miss. Isobu builds up an enormous amount of chakra from within as his eyes burned with hatred and bloodlust. Then Isobu will launch in rapid fire of small bijuu blasts at Nozomi's general direction. Taking advantage of both the waves Isobu reckoned that she would evade, and then the widespread volley of bijuu blasts leaves Nozomi little room to move around. As not only does each blast was capable of exploding with bijuu chakra within 5 meter radius each; but it also covers a 30 meter radius with Nozomi at the center. Then Isobu opted to circle counter-clockwise of Nozomi to reposition, although he doesn't move closer just yet.

Used Consecutive Bijuu Dama - S rank

((I'm going to count the breath as an application of Tailed Beast Shockwave, cause otherwise it's a bit unrealistic. Even still))

Nozomi was almost uncharacteristically agitated. The 3 tails had struck a nerve by implying that Honiko was only using her. Nozomi knew there was more to it than that. They were close. But that nerve had been struck, and to compound it, he was attacking her ego now as well. Saying that the Prison's assault was child's play? Anyone could have done it? Nozomi's eyes burned with a righteous indignation. Her accomplishments were just that: Accomplishments. Nobody else could have done what she did, or they'd have done it already. The Blood Prison was one of the most secure places in the world, and not one of their people had been able to hold Nozomi back.

The sheer amount of Air Pressure that the 3 tails used was enough to knock the waves back at Nozomi, although the force behind them would be significantly less than it had been moving forward. Still, it wasn't something she wanted to really deal with. Forming the hand seals for Water Heaven's Convergence, Nozomi split the waves that moved towards her, and quelled the water with but a whim. The likelihood of her falling prey to a returned jutsu of her own was minimal. Kiri's exclusive jutsu had helped her out many times at this point. Water was Nozomi's ally, not her enemy. Running forward, Nozomi began to close the distance between her and Isobu slightly, bearing down on her prey.

Still, she needed to be careful not to blow through all of her chakra. She'd be on the defensive a lot through this fight, but with more careful planning, she might be able to whittle down the Tailed Beast's chakra, exhaust him, and then assimilate its chakra into herself, fully commanding it. With the wave casually deflected, Nozomi replied to him, the fury behind her words evident."Child's Play? Maybe to beasts like you and me, but to anyone else? Not in the slightest. Where you're wrong is that nobody else could have pulled it off with the ease and grace that I did! Nobody! And Honiko isn't using me. The Society isn't using me. I joined them. I'm their leader!"

In the back of Nozomi's head, there was some doubt. Some leader, you're losing your cool at a turtle. In the end, Nozomi's level headed self had a limit, and that was when it was implied that Honiko was only using Nozomi. Her master trusted her, had trained her up to be a true force to be reckoned with. And Nozomi was ultimately loyal to Honiko, the two having formed an unbreakable bond over the past couple of years. Nozomi had never failed Honiko, so of course she wanted her to take care of things. Other people failed. Nozomi would not.

Isobu charged up his chakra, amassing the dense energy and letting loose a barrage of small orbs. Nozomi used the Body Flicker technique, launching herself with extreme speed to the side by 100 meters, not confident that she could take hits from the Tailed Beast balls for long, or even block them with her own defensive jutsu. Narrowly avoiding the cluster of fast moving balls as well as their small explosions, Nozomi grimaced as she tried to calm herself down. Within her impossibly fast speed, Nozomi was easily able to dodge, and she found herself ready for the fight. She just needed to keep Isobu in range, but also make sure she had enough time to dodge his attacks. Close quarters might not be the way to go.

Being frustrated wasn't going to do her any favors. Isobu was larger, stronger, had more chakra, was more inteligent than Nozomi, and had a shell that was sure to be incredibly durable. The odds weren't in Nozomi's favor, but she had to calm down or this battle would be a guaranteed loss. Her excitement started to grow as she realized the fight was going to be an up hill battle for her, something she wouldn't be able to end fast, and could actually enjoy.

Water from the explosions hitting the veritable lake that Nozomi had made blasted up into the air, showering the field with tiny rain. Nozomi commandeered the water as it was falling, and lobbed needles of rain water at Isobu. He might have an insane durability, but Nozomi could whittle him down with continual attacks. From underneath Isobu, the water he stood on would begin to launch upwards, turning into spikes that would pelt his underbelly, the bottoms of his feet where he stood, and would continue to do so, needles of water machine gunning upwards towards him.

Nozomi would not let up on this assault, and would continue to have that working away at Isobu for as long as they fought. She had to be a thorn in his side. Nozomi would keep Isobu in her sight, waiting to see his next moves. She had a plan, but it wasn't time to enact it yet. She had summons, but she didn't really want to use them unless she absolutely needed to. That was sure to drain a lot of chakra. Nozomi needed all the chakra she could get.

-As the 3 Tails Jinchuuriki, Suiton jutsu cost Reduced by 1 Tier

Water Heaven's Convergence (A) -5 Stamina

Spoiler:

Body Flicker Technique (D) -5 Stamina

Spoiler:

185/210

Strength: B
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A -> S (BF)
Coordination: A
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

[48 houring.]

Clearing the distance was a simple matter for the young blonde, as her speed was already immense without considering the Body Flicker technique. Between her dodging and repositioning, Nozomi made her way into range of Isobu rather immediately, and the water needles peppered the creatures face and front, as that had been facing Nozomi. Sure, his shell was hard, but his eye wouldn't be nearly as tough, and needles would hurt him immensely. Perhaps even blinding the creature.

Her spikes and needles growing underneath Isobu peppered the underbelly and the bottoms of the feet of the tailed beast, whittling away at his constitution and perhaps injuring him even slightly. Perhaps making movement more difficult. She doubted it, but damage was damage, regardless. Nozomi couldn't use low ranked techniques against Isobu, she knew that. Water Heaven's Convergence was going to be a huge benefit to Nozomi. A low cost, high ranking attack that she could maintain for a while, without draining herself extremely fast. And this battle probably wouldn't be a fast one, and she would need every advantage she could get if she was going to win. Nozomi was a "win by inches" girl when she had to be though.

-

Taking advantage of the situation though, Nozomi would move quickly. While spikes of water and needles continued to shoot upward into Isobu, formed from the ambient moisture of their surroundings and water that already existed in her Inner Realm, she moved walls of water up his legs, keeping him in contact with the water. If he were to run or jump, she wouldn't try and restrain him, but would maintain her connection of the water to the beast, stretching it out to keep her Isobu drenched and connected to the larger pool of water on the ground that Nozomi was building. Nozomi's Raiton was a powerful tool for her, something she was incredibly good at. And she was perfectly set up to take out the beast.

See, the trick she figured was that Isobu was absolutely stronger than she was. There was no doubt, Nozomi would not win a head to head confrontation with the beast, but she could pelt him from a distance, use her water to extend her Raiton to hit him, even should she miss an attack. Raiton travelled through Suiton, and with a large volume of water, it would diffuse long before reaching her.

Nozomi moved through the hand seals for Viper's Wrath, a jutsu of her own creation. Aiming down towards Isobu's lower half, so if he were to move, the jutsu would hit Nozomi's water and still blast the Raiton through it and affect the turtle just the same, and pointed her hand, while Isobu's eye was either closed or hurting from the previous needle barrage it had taken. See, Nozomi wasn't a time waster in combat. She knew that capitalizing on even the smallest thing was something she had to do in order to win. When there was little time, Nozomi didn't waste any of it. From her hand, a serpent made of pure Raiton launched out at immense speed, and would likely hit the turtle or the water underneath it.  The force behind it wasn't anything to laugh at either.

With the barrage of needles and spikes below the turtle, he wouldn't likely notice the water creeping up its legs, as it was already drenched by water to begin with, but even if he did, it wouldn't matter too much. Dodging the attack wasn't going to help. Nozomi knew she had to pull out all her tricks here to wound Isobu, wear him down. The serpent would continue to travel forward, either pushing Isobu along with it, should it hit him, or travelling through the water until it reached 500 meters, before the serpent would launch upwards into the sky, disappearing.

Either way, Isobu would have taken quite a hit, something he would really feel. Nozomi was not a push over. She had her own strength, and Isobu had chosen the wrong girl to rile up. Even as Nozomi would be forming more water under Isobu, the little path that Isobu had blown through her sea of water would start to close up, filling into the gaps and becoming one surface of water as it was anyhow. There was an absolutely absurd amount of water created by Nozomi's technique previously, and even with the waves having been negated, it was unlikely that anybody could remove the entire volume in one go.

-3 Tails Jinchu, reduced Suiton costs-
-Ninjutsu Affinity, Raiton: Raiton reduction-

Water Heaven's Convergence (A) -3 upkeep:

Spoiler:

Viper's Wrath (S) -20 Activation:

Spoiler:

Stamina: 162/210

Stats:
Strength: B
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A
Coordination: A
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

The little blonde was fast on her feet as he watched her every move. He found it a bit amusing that she chose to be so close to him. Still she was quick to try to seize any advantage she thinks she might have. Albeit the needles were bouncing harmlessly from his body as they couldn’t even scratch the eyes. Still if he was anything normal like a human Isobu would’ve been in a bad shape. However, Isobu predicted Nozomi’s next course of action as she continued to move and before she built up chakra. A raiton technique no less. Given his vast intellect and centuries of experience Isobu makes an accurate wager of what she was trying to achieve. Given the puddle around his legs, whether he dodged or blocked he would not only be taken the brunt of the force, but it would also lead up to something even more deadly. One that Isobu, despite his pride, would have a hard time ignoring.

Isobu curled his body into his shell with the legs tucked in. Where he drops onto the ground with a spinning motion that causes his spikes to dig deep into the snow. The sheer drop emits a shockwave of force that will push the water away. The instant he makes contact with friction Isobu rolls in rapid speed at Nozomi's direction. The mere force behind Isobu's spin carries the water with him like a large wave. Rapidly closing in, at the 40 meter mark Isobu launches himself high in the air while moving forward. The wave of water collapsed on itself and fans out into a seafoam current that washes over Nozomi's feet up to her knees. Effectively surrounding her with water. Meanwhile Isobu arcs over to where Isobu will crush Nozomi into a bloody mess as his durable spikes makes multiple attempts to shred her apart. Hopefully before she can fire off that technique of hers.

Precogged Nozomi's Viper's Wrath -1 (6/7)

Isobu wasn't content to just let Nozomi control the field. Luckily, that ended up playing into Nozomi's entire plan. One of the things that she excelled at was controlling her opponents with her own actions, whether they realized it or not. If Isobu had been content to let the water stay connected to him, she would have hit him with her Raiton technique, but in reality, there was a way out of it, and Nozomi was glad he took the path that he did.

As Isobu withdrew into his shell and smashed into the ground, Nozomi knew that she had him dead to rights. The water was forced back with the shockwave created by his weight, and he began to spin like a blue hedgehog, building up speed, power, and momentum. He launched towards Nozomi, who, herself was not going to be a stationary target.

Her time to shine had arrived. As Isobu launched himself in the air, Nozomi had already primed her jutsu, launching it while there was no way for him to dodge. Due to her control over water with Water Heaven's Convergence, she easily shoved all the water around them out of her path, keeping any of it from touching her. The force of Viper's Wrath would push into Isobu as he was midair, but Nozomi wasn't quite done.

Nozomi knew she had no way to actually fight the Turtle herself up close, but she wanted her set up to pay off. Isobu's lack of ability to shift himself midair would be his downfall. The Viper's Wrath jutsu was a set up to lower Isobu's ability to coordinate his own movements, hence weakening him. It had only benefitted her more that he had launched into it.

The devastation of the attack would deal quite a punch to Isobu, who usually would be quite braced to take the shot without budging if he tried to defend properly, but in the air, it would raise him up just long enough for Nozomi. She launched off to the side, biting her thumb and completing the signs for another jutsu as Isobu's momentum was slowed to a halt in the air for the briefest of moments. The Raiton Serpent would be launched further upward, Isobu's spin enough to throw it off path, but the damage would have been done, however, that air time was enough for Nozomi.

As Isobu began to fall again, Nozomi had slammed her hand into the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Nozomi poured a massive amount of her chakra into the technique, emulating how she'd seen Honiko do it, and with her knowledge of Fuuinjutsu as well, she could easily figure out how this tech worked. The snake that had been present for her contract signing was smart enough to have given the higher ups a heads up that some situation was going down, and it was serious.

Manda, the boss summons and head honcho of the Snakes of Ryuchi Cave, appeared, already ready for the fight that was sure to come. The massive purple snake took quick stalk of the falling turtle who he appeared almost directly under and he reacted with blazing speed for something his size. With Nozomi's jutsu messing with Isobu's coordination as well, Manda's own speed would be enough to overcome Isobu's lack of mobility.

As a snake does, Manda quickly coiled around Isobu, his own large size and strength enough to catch Isobu's own massive size. Manda's coiling strength was incredibly intense, exerting enough power to rival that of a Bijuu's own strength, and he would try and keep the 3 Tails restrained, wrapped around the body and keeping the tails from lashing as well. Furthermore, Manda would use his Petrification technique to harden his own body, not only using his massive coiling strength, but locking himself into his powerful coil and keeping his own body protected from retaliation from Isobu.

Should this happen, Nozomi would immediately move to the tails and grab onto Isobu to begin the extraction process. "WORTHLESS! You see how Honiko cares for me, even now providing me the tools to take you?! Without her, I'd be nothing but another Kiri slave! I owe her my strength, my power, and you owe her your life, so your power is mine, as I am hers!"

Nozomi wouldn't be content with just extracting Isobu's chakra normally. You see, she was also one of the few people who could drain chakra on contact alone. And against Isobu, she knew she'd need to, to keep her own stores replenished, as well as draining Isobu of his own. On top of extracting, she'd take his chakra quickly and end this as fast as possible. Lasting a long time against the Turtle wasn't going to be in her benefit, and she'd have to take advantage of everything she could. Killing Isobu wasn't her goal, and tiring him out wasn't going to happen. She'd have to do this now, or lose her one opportunity.

- 3 Upkeep, Water Heaven's Convergence
- 30 Summoning: Manda
Post 1/2

Stamina: 129 [potential +15, 144]/210
Chakra Drain UA cap: 15/105

Stats:
Strength: B
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A
Coordination: A
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

Manda:

Spoiler:

UA Used:

Spoiler:

Unfortunate for Nozomi, she played right into Isobu’s hands as she continued to fire off that technique of hers. There was a wicked sense of satisfaction when his predictions come to fruition, but he didn’t let it distract him. Using the massive chakra reserve within his massive body, Isobu uncurled one of his tails as Nozomi was releasing that Raiton of hers. From the one of many spins of Isobu’s form, the tail releases a very condensed wave of force and destruction at Nozomi’s direction. Her focused stream of raiton ejects from the palm of her calloused hands towards Isobu’s direction. The very air was full of static and crackling energy before the deafening howl of energy overwhelms all sense of sound throughout the mindscape.

The two energies clashed against each other as the shockwave decimates the area and the large bodies of water seem to cower from the clash. Both sides warring for victory, and each neither side budge as nearby boulders cracks before reduced to rubble as the very air is heavy with raw chakra. The cloud above them seem to part a little as strong gusts of wind emitted from this clash threatens to shove Nozomi aside, and yet the heavy weight of chakra feels like it is weighed her down at the same time. Finally, both sides power drastically drops into nothingness. With Isobu dropping his massive body right on Nozomi's original location as he really wants to crush Nozomi and be done with this already. After he had released that Tailed Beast Shockwave Isobu had stopped spinning.

If Manda is still being summoned, Isobu will see the fuuinjutsu on the ground just beneath him. His eye narrowed as he quickly flips his body and Manda bursts from the center of the seal. However Isobu will attempt with his flip and given there is no resistance in mid-air from either party. Isobu will grab at Manda’s thick neck and with a very strong grip his talons pierce through the snake’s flesh enabling a far better grip and shredding the wound. Where Isobu will continue with his flip dragging Manda with him before driving a very strong slam into the stone floor. Multiple cracks at the size of fissures webbed around them as an immensely strong shockwave emits from the impact. What’s more Manda will find that all three of Isobu’s tails actually attempts to pierce into the snake’s massive flesh so even just trying to squeeze Isobu’s body will shred his mid-section of the snake. Unfortunate for the snake, Isobu will repeatedly slam his fist one after the other into Manda’s skull while holding Manda’s neck down with the other. As Isobu attempts to break, shatter, pulverize, and brutalized Manda’s head into a bleeding mess if the snake is even alive. Each blow to Manda’s head produces immensely shockwaves as the stone continues to break and eventually Isobu creates a large crater with Manda’s head. These shockwaves unfortunately will shove Nozomi back and any physical attack she throws will either be held at bay or deflected entirely because the shockwaves is so rapid.

His hand slick with blood as Isobu’s two tails withdraw from puncturing the snake’s body, the tails thrust back into Manda’s body in different areas. One tail going into Manda’s upper section, and the third tail pierces into Manda’s lower section. After the thirtieth punch into Manda’s skull, Isobu will leap with a shockwave as Isobu proceeds to rapidly spin as he climbed higher into the air. Wherever Nozomi is located at if she hasn’t been squashed already or battered from their previous clash. Isobu will throw the brutalized Manda as the massive snake’s body sails at immense speed and strength at Nozomi’s direction. Blood splatters everywhere within the snake’s path as it barrels down at Nozomi. If the previous attempts didn’t kill her or damaged her, this will certainly crush her since it is a giant snake in high velocity crashing down on her.

Afterwards Isobu will thrust his tail to embed into the stonework at the edge of the crater, and with a curl and pull Isobu lunges forward with a tremor that can be felt throughout the mindscape. His watchful eye wary of Nozomi, as this will hopefully finish the fight, and then Isobu can be free. The taste of victory and freedom was just too sweet to resist. Yet Isobu refuses to get careless. For once Manda’s body crashes onto Nozomi’s location the stone underneath the snow and water cracks and even caves in for a good 30 meter radius. Large volumes of water pours into the crater as it’ll at least partially submerge Manda in water. If Nozomi is still alive somehow yet still underneath Manda, the water will attempt to drown her under normal circumstances.

Used Tailed Beast Shockwave - S rank (Cancels out Viper's Wrath)
2 Precogs Nozomi’s Raiton Technique and Manda’s Summoning (4/7)

Isobu’s Throw of Manda: S++ Speed | Strength

Stamina: 260/350

Unfortunately, Isobu was able to cancel out Nozomi's technique, which more or less meant that Nozomi didn't have anything to go on with hitting the 3 tails, but she still wasn't out yet. Their techniques having collided exerted a massive amount of force, shaking the inner world immensely, but Nozomi wasn't super fazed by it. See, she was quite strong and sturdy herself, with a good deal of coordination. She knew how to balance through most things by virtue of that alone, but she also tended to use a technique that allowed her to more or less skate on the ground, and that had trained her for this sort of thing years ago.

Still, with her technique canceled and Isobu on his way down, she had to do something, and Manda was summoned as originally planned. The massive snake popped into existence here, and immediately took stock of the giant turtle falling on him. This time, instead of coiling and using the petrification as he had been doing prior, Manda reversed the order. As Isobu tried to grab onto him, knowing that a Bijuu was powerful, Manda's petrification technique hardened his skin immediately, and the hands of Isobu would find themselves unable to pierce into his flesh like he had wanted them to. Perhaps he could get partially in, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as deep, and the pain was nothing to the massive snake.

Still, Isobu attempted to complete his midair flip and smash Manda into the ground, but that wasn't going to go quite as he planned. Manda was able to use the momentum of his body to assist in his coil speed, and even moved with it. Easily able to wrap his own massive body around Isobu's and capture his tails from the base down Manda, would hold on and constrict the turtle, locking down the tails of the beast, while Isobu's arms were left free, as he was unable to completely get the coil done.

However, Manda's petrification technique had hardened his body considerably, and the slamming hands were more or less ineffective against his head, unable to damage him quite as he had planned on doing so. Unfortunately, he'd have to endure through it, but luckily enough, he didn't feel the pain, so it wasn't too bad.

Nozomi hadn't been idle though. As Isobu had grabbed Manda, she herself had used the Body Flicker technique launching herself at Isobu, something that seemed perhaps counter intuitive. She had a plan though. Isobu had just grabbed onto Manda mid flip, Manda's body was constricting Isobu's and the added weight and change of the center of mass would futz with his ability to properly slam Manda or complete his flip, and the two of them would land, shaking the surroundings, but Isobu would be notably upside down, with Manda held above him. Launching herself towards the top of Isobu's head, Nozomi knew what had to be done.

See, she wasn't the strongest person, but her strength was nothing to laugh at. With a practiced focus that only comes from having pulled off a similar maneuver tons of times in the past, Nozomi's stance shift changed. From there, with her Awakened Spring Chant stance's coordination, and her using Spring's Potential, pushing her strength to its utmost, the boosted speed from Body Flicker, she was just as strong as Isobu, and faster than him for a moment. That moment was all she needed though.

Her body moved at a superb speed spurred on by all that and with her momentum, she would slam her hand into Isobu's eye, the force behind it enough that even Isobu couldn't ignore. With their size difference, Nozomi would be like a bullet, blinding the eye surely, having to pull her arm out of his eye pushing against him with her other arm.  She'd quickly launch herself to his other eye and without even hesitating would repeat the process, punching through the closed eyelid, however long it took, to hit the eye regardless. He'd already taken the needles of water that would have irritate him, but Nozomi was looking to blind him completely. He'd regenerate later, sure, but for now, she couldn't have him seeing. She would unleash an unrelenting flurry of blows down upon Isobu, until he was well and truly injured or unconscious. All the while, she'd been draining chakra from him, so that she could start to replenish her own.

If Isobu would let go of Manda at any point, the snake's head would twist and deliver a bite to the captured Tailed Beast delivering a paralytic poison into it that would serve to paralyze the creature for a little bit at the very least. Sure, his hide was thick, but Manda was incredibly powerful, and so was his toxin. A bite wouldn't kill him, but it would do something more than nothing.

If Isobu was well and truly captured, Nozomi would move to his tails and begin the extraction process.

-Awakened Spring Chant [A rank] [5 Stamina Tai reduction]

Spoiler:

-Spring's Potential [5 stamina, tai reduction]

Spoiler:

-Body Flicker [5 stamina]
(We all know this one)

Spoiler:

Maintaining Water Heaven's Convergence, -3

Using my Chakra Drain UA if applicable

----

Manda post 2/2:

Spoiler:

Manda Stamina: 130/185
Nozomi Stamina: 126/210
-18
(Body Flicker, Awakened Spring Chant, Spring Chant's Potential, Maintaining WHC)
Nozomi Absorbing UA: 15/105

Nozomi Stats:
Strength: B -> B++ [ASC] -> S [SCP]
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A -> S [BF]
Coordination: A -> S [ASC]
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

Manda was quicker than Isobu originally anticipated. He didn't expect Nozomi to actually summon the boss snake of the contract so soon. Regardless as Isobu found that his blows weren't doing enough, Isobu began to gather immense chakra that formed into the size of a large black sphere. Even if Nozomi moved to pummel into his eyes, the shock doesn't bother him. Regardless of the outcome Isobu will charge his ultimate attack, and Manda will feel it as Isobu remains to have a firm grip on the snake's head.

Isobu heard a noise, a large disturbance of air, and shifting his eye over to the source and sure enough that was Nozomi. Charging at him with a strong fist at his eye accompanied by those needles albeit doing nothing to him. Isobu would turn his head after Nozomi swung a fist or two into his eye. However she followed up and went for the other eye that remained closed. Meaning his eye is shielded for the most part, but Nozomi seems to be cracking the skin and shell. Strong as she might be, more than likely she will feel the strain in the muscles from hammering so hard against Isobu. Nothing worrisome about it, however Isobu brings his free fist to crash down against Nozomi attempting to crush her. The next target will be Manda, as both the snake and Nozomi will feel the overwhelming Dread that Isobu will obliterate all of them even if it meant catching himself in the blast. For Isobu can regenerate from it, but they cannot.

[Charging up Tailed Beast Bomb]

Stamina: 245/350 (-15)

Nozomi's maneuver was completely successful, managing to get Isobu restrained. Manda had interrupted the flip beautifully, causing Isobu to land on his own back, which turned Isobu into a sitting duck as Nozomi's beatdown began. Manda didn't mind being held aloft by the Turtle, as he had constricted Isobu, and movement for him wasn't necessary. The one eye would be temporarily blinded after a couple of punches from Nozomi, and his other eye remained closed throughout her continued assault, several powerful strikes pounding into him. Nozomi was unsure whether or not it was because he didn't have sight underneath that eye, or whether he just knew better than to open it, but she didn't care either way. Several hits would rain down onto it, cracking into the armor like chitin.

The air around them began to feel dense, as Isobu started to charge up a Bijuu bomb, getting ready to catch himself in the explosion to deal with Nozomi and Manda. That was surely a move of pure desperation as he realized he was in a tough spot. Nozomi noticed the charging up immediately as it began, something that was actually worrisome. He kept Manda in one hand, not releasing the snake, so he didn't end up getting bit, but Manda's restriction tightened, as his coiled body maintained its hold. He'd begin working on tightening enough to force Isobu's arms to its body, something that Isobu would need both arms to truly fight against.

In doing so, if Isobu focused on trying to swipe Nozomi with his hand while only holding Manda with one, his arms would end up restrained as well, Manda's body twisting up and down the massive turtle, focusing on the tails and arms mostly, leaving the body of Isobu mostly exposed. While coiling, Manda's strength was entirely equal to Isobu's, but Manda was using his entire body to fully constrict the turtle's tails and arms, something Isobu would need all of to even attempt to hold him back, at least until Manda's reserves tired out. Maintaining his own armor was draining Manda's stamina a lot though, and he'd need it up to withstand the Bijuu bomb without dying.

Nozomi's arms were exerting an immense amount of force, surely doing some amount of backlash, but her constitution was enough that she could sustain that for a long time before her body gave out. With the adrenaline coursing through her, she was more or less able to ignore it for now, and since this was a battle on her mental plain, damage wouldn't transfer to her physical body in the real world unless she died.

If Isobu's swipe would still come or not, Nozomi would shoot around Isobu with another body flicker, going towards his tails which would still have just a little bit sticking out for her to grab onto. As she arrived, Nozomi reached into her pouch, grabbing 3 Military ration pills and shoved them into her mouth. It was time to begin the extraction, the only hope she had of surviving Isobu's Bijuu bomb would be if she could complete the control fight fast enough.

Grabbing a hold of Isobu's tail, Nozomi noticed the Bijuu bomb on the other side of him getting bigger and bigger. She focused on draining his chakra though, even while she pulled out his Bijuu chakra from a tail. That's all she could do. Her focus on Water Heaven's Convergence dropped for the time being as she focused on the tail in front of her. She didn't think Isobu would really blast the entire area and catch himself in the blast, so she was willing to call the bluff. The amount of damage to himself and the area would be immense. He'd already taken a pounding from Nozomi moments before, and with Manda keeping him in check and more or less doing everything he could to break Isobu's tails and arms from the pressure of his coil, he'd have to be insanely desparate to blow them all up. Then again, perhaps he didn't care because Nozomi's death would free him. However, she had committed herself already, and there was no turning back at this point.

----
Completing Extraction Process 1/3

-Awakened Spring Chant [A rank] [5 Stamina Tai reduction]

Spoiler:

-Spring's Potential [3 stamina, tai reduction]

Spoiler:

-Body Flicker [5 stamina]

Spoiler:

Using my Chakra Drain UA.
+30 from Military Ration Pill x3 (10 each, capped for thread)

Manda post [1/2] [30 upkeep to keep summoned] (Manda refunded 20 for his poison tech as he didn't use it)

Spoiler:

Manda Stamina: 127/185
Nozomi Stamina: 128/210
-
(Body Flicker, Awakened Spring Chant, Spring Chant's Potential)
Nozomi Absorbing UA: 30/105

Nozomi Stats:
Strength: B -> B++ [ASC] -> S [SCP]
Constitution: B -> A (BLS)
Stamina: B+
Speed: A -> S [BF]
Coordination: A -> S [ASC]
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

The large ball of white and black chakra in the equal ratio of 8:2 continued to mold as Nozomi continued to pound onto Isobu. Feeling the increased pressure from Manda almost rewarded a chuckle from the bijuu for the snake actually thought it can hold against Isobu. Perhaps that was the bijuu's arrogance in him, but regardless Isobu forfeits his initial target and slams against the ground. Granted Nozomi would've dodged regardless, but Isobu slammed his hand into the earth with enormous force. Enough that even with Manda is restricting Isobu, the bijuu can launch himself into the air before Manda could completely restrict that arm. Granted this was during when Nozomi reached her new destination and was reaching in her pouch for the pills. So she would have very little time to grab onto Isobu.

With Manda still deciding to hug Isobu, the 3 tailed turtle continued to sail up to twenty meters into the air with a flip of his body from the launch. Remembering of his position and with accurate calculations Isobu will fling the condensed ball of chakra at the ground below them. Doing so will cause Isobu to flip his body more to angle his back towards the ground. This will cause an enormous explosion of pure destruction as it covers the entire mindscape leaving hardly anything to survive from the sheer power of this blast. It will threaten to consume Nozomi in the blast as it would no doubt obliterate her remains into nothingness. Manda would survive better albeit that shell will be cracked and a good portion of his body will take moderate burning damage. Isobu however will take it square on his back which causes scorch marks all over his shell. His tails were burnt as skin is removed revealing the muscle tissue underneath down to the tailbone. Isobu's left arm took the less amount of damage since it was restrained inside his shell anyways leaving small burnt marks on his skin and his right arm has large scorched marks of muscle tissue on him. His face has no skin left, but even as the damage was done the skin seems to gradually piece together around his face and limbs.

The force of this bijuu bomb pushes both Manda and Isobu high and far from Nozomi. By the time they begin to arc downward they were roughly 100 meters away, and then finally crashes at a total of 150 meters as the whole mindscape has been completely leveled. Emitting a thunderous crash as they fell from high velocity to the point where both Manda and Isobu will embed insert themselves at least 25 meters into the ground with nothing but rubble surrounding them. Leaving Isobu to appear to be mostly limp.

Used Tailed Beast Bomb -30CP
Attempted to interrupt Nozomi's Tail Grab

215/350 CP (Possibly 200/350 if failed on the attempt)

Nozomi was fast, popping her chakra pills, and as Isobu slapped the ground, Nozomi leapt, reaching out and still managed to grab onto the tail, dragged into the air with them instead of being left where she had been. Always reactive, always watching for certain actions so she could use them, that was the way Nozomi tended to fight. It lent itself well enough here, and with her strength, speed, and reaction time, she was well within her ability to react and jump, grabbing on.

Isobu lobbed the bomb down at the ground, the massive, dense chakra colliding with the earth in her mind, something that should have resulted in cratering immediately and then exploding with such intense force that Nozomi could hardly believe it. The sheer power behind the attack was enough to dwarf any of her own jutsu in scale, barring perhaps her Colliding Waves, but this was a magnitude stronger than even that.

The explosion ended up encroaching on them, enveloping Manda, Isobu, and Nozomi in its might, and Nozomi was sure that it was the end. There was simply nothing she could do at the moment. However, she was determined to pull through. All of her will power and intensity focused on one goal. She would pull through. Nozomi would survive this explosion. She wouldn't let Isobu kill her, freeing itself. She wouldn't fail Honiko. She would prove Hizashi wrong. She would pull through. She had to.

That singular thought filled her with an immense source of energy, and as Manda and Isobu seemed to burn next to her, the force ragdolling the group, Nozomi felt.... nothing. No pain, no strain from holding onto the tail she had been holding onto, nothing. For a moment, all of her fatigue disappeared, her mind was clear, and everything was okay. In fact, she hadn't ever felt better.

Due in large part to the fact that she was holding onto Isobu's tail, pulling on his chakra and absorbing his energy, when they were launched, bits of Isobu's tail falling apart with her still holding it, Nozomi was launched with them, her grasp on the tail quite strong.

The combined weight of Isobu and Manda shuddered her inner world, although with the smoke from the explosion, the sound was all that they heard. Nozomi's body landed on the ground with a thud as well, but much less audible, and much less damage done. As the smoke cleared, two things were evident almost immediately. Something was off.

The Bijuu bomb would normally have completely obliterated the area that it impacted, and the weight of Isobu and Manda would have been enough to crater the earth around their impact site as well, but that proved to be something untrue in this situation. That was the most evident part. And the second thing that became apparent, came fast to everyone involved. To the two watching their fight, Nozomi was still in the fight. Isobu hadn't been freed in his final gambit. Manda was still summoned. That could only mean one thing. Nozomi was alive.

However the true extent was unknown. The smoke cleared more and more, blown away by the winds of the area with haste, and Nozomi was in a kneeled position while she yanked the chakra from Isobu's tail with all her might, surprisingly as undamaged as the area itself. Isobu's Bijuu Bomb hadn't had quite the effect that the tailed beast had hoped for. In fact, it was perhaps the opposite. He'd come out more damaged than anyone.

You see, Nozomi's will power was unmatched in its intensity at times. The fact of the matter was, her drive to prove herself and win this match, to survive the explosion, to win for Honiko, it sustained her. Her body and mind had become fully protected from harm. The mindscape itself, being part of Nozomi's psyche and thus linked directly with her full well being was given the same protection that Nozomi herself was. And Nozomi suffered not the cratering, nor the damage to her inner realm. Beyond that, the place was just incredibly sturdy to begin with, held together by the power of her seal as well.

Isobu was damaged as well, but he wouldn't be out for very long, given that Bijuu could actually regenerate their damage. Perhaps the most annoying part of the Bijuu was that damaging them was difficult to begin with, but they could heal that back with little issue as well, so fighting them long term was more or less impossible.

Manda, now freed from Isobu's grasp and injured enough for it to be an annoyance, but given his own armored hide, the Bomb wasn't too much of an issue for him. Another one or two of them would be required to keep him down. For he was Manda, the boss summons of the Snakes of Ryuchi Cave. No single mere attack would be able to keep him down. Not even from a Bijuu.

Nozomi, having done a complete extraction at this point, using Isobu's own attack, which had weakened him, to do so, reached deep inside her core, pulling on a hidden valley of energy that existed inside her. Her Chakra levels began to build back up again, in addition to her still absorbing Isobu's chakra, as her own will drained her stamina to refill her chakra again.

Standing up fully, Nozomi formed the shadow clone hand seals, making 3 clones of herself to finish this job with her. Manda kept Isobu restrained, while the turtle was weakened for the moment, not resisting at all. He turned his head, now freed from the grasp of his opponent, and lunged forward, sinking his fangs into the exposed muscle of Isobu, injecting his paralytic venom into him, infused with his chakra to make it more potent. "Girl, finish your job and dismiss me. I grow tired of this fight and this world." Manda said lazily, having done what he was needed for. Manda maintained a nonchalant demeanor, as if this was all beneath him, but he saw something in this girl. A girl who could tank a Bijuu Bomb and get back up with no problem. A girl who could damage a Bijuu. And a girl who, amusingly, wore a Dragon's Talon on her neck. If he was less disposed currently, he would laugh at that, but he wouldn't just yet. This girl was more than met the eye.

Nozomi nodded her head silently, focused on watching Isobu for any signs of movement. Nozomi began to form handseals for Viper's Wrath but instead of actually finishing the jutsu, Nozomi held the last seal, ready to blast Isobu at a moment's notice. Since she was capable of one handed seals she held it with one hand and placed a hand on Isobu once again, draining him of chakra herself.

Meanwhile, while Manda had been biting Isobu, and throughout Nozomi's own handseals, her 3 clones had been working on their own. 2 of them each took a single tail in their hand, and began their own extraction processes, while the third also took up Nozomi's own action of keeping Isobu in check. She however, had gone up to Isobu's mouth immediatly on creation, since he'd formed the Bijuu bomb before using his mouth.

She had been planning on keeping his mouth shut, but spied another opportunity. His eye socket was completely empty, the eye being destroyed for the moment. An idea hit the clone. She didn't even think before launching herself into the empty eye hole. She formed the same hand seals as the real Nozomi did, launching a Viper's Wrath directly inside the socket, sure to knock out the creature, or disable him for the rest of the match. See, Bijuu were unusual. They couldn't "die". And since Isobu's chakra was tied to Nozomi's seal, dying was even less possible for the creature, as usually a Bijuu's chakra disperses across the world before it came back later at full strength. His chakra was locked inside Nozomi's seal, and killing him would simply leave his chakra there for her to take, and his "body" would reconstitute itself over time. Functionally immortal so long as he was inside Nozomi, she could make him brain dead for a bit at least, the chakra completely hers to take uncontested at that point.

The clone would destroy itself in the process, restoring the rest of its chakra to Nozomi in the process and perhaps that would end this fight with Nozomi as the undisputed victor.

--------------
Destiny Point LBP USED.
Completed 1 Extraction (1/3)
Started Extractions 2 and 3 using clones.

PREPARED: Viper's Wrath on Real Nozomi
-5 stamina activating Hidden Reserves UA, +1 Stamina for -1 Con

Stamina: 128/210 (start) -> 203/290 (Hidden Reserve) -> 50.75/290 (3 clones)-> 65.75/290 (Chakra absorb UA) -> 96.5/290 (Clone 3 returned Chakra)
Nozomi Absorbing UA: 45/105

Clone 1: 50.75/50.75
Clone 2: 50.75/50.75
Clone 3: 50.75/50.75 -> 30.75/50.75 (Viper's Wrath) Returned 30.75 to Nozomi
-------
Manda post [3/2]

Spoiler:

Maintaining- Petrification and Coil, Activating- Venom Technique
Manda Stamina: 84/185
-------
Nozomi Stats:
Strength: B
Constitution: B -> A (BLS) -> B (HR)
Stamina: B+ -> A+ (HR)
Speed: A
Coordination: A
Intelligence: C
Perception: A

-48 Houring-

Sure enough, Isobu had taken himself more or less out of the fight by doing his move. As the Nozomi clones did their actions, uncontested by the momentarily stunned Isobu, they successfully completed their actions and took down the turtle fully. The one that moved to pull of Viper's Wrath inside Isobu's eye socket completed the flashy jutsu, ensuring Nozomi's victory outright. Pulling out the Bijuu chakra from Isobu, the two clones took in the chakra, and then vanished, returning all their chakra to Nozomi, along with the captured portions of Isobu's chakra. The turtle was more or less a husk as his entire chakra supply was drained away, no energy and for the moment, lifeless as his chakra would take some time to return to himself and refill.

Nozomi turned to Manda and bowed to the giant snake, who uncoiled from Isobu, no longer needed to keep the Bijuu restrained. "Thank you for your assistance. I apologize for the lack of notice, but I couldn't wait after Hizashi challenged me."

Manda turned a weary eye to the small human in front of him, saying nothing for a moment before letting out a laugh. "You're spiting Hizashi? By fighting a Tailed Beast alone? I can't tell if you're brave, or stupid. I suppose the results speak for themselves, since either way, you pulled out what most would consider an impossible victory. I wrote you off after the Bijuu Bomb, but somehow you survived. I'm impressed...... that said. Dismiss me now."

Nozomi nodded, letting the summoning jutsu release, returning Manda from whence he came. Placing her hand on her seal, Nozomi closed it once again, her task here completed. Isobu's body was grabbed by some invisible force and dragged back to the prison area he was usually suspended in, the barrier returning and the Bijuu would begin his restoring of himself, however long that took.

Nozomi felt the tug of herself returning back to the normal world as there was no longer a need to be here.

-

Nozomi's eyes opened, back once again at the shore line with Honiko and Hizashi present. She blinked a few times, eyes adjusting as they had actually been closed while she meditated. Standing up, Nozomi brushed off her shins, and bowed to Honiko and Hizashi. "Task completed Mistress." she said, addressing Honiko. "Without your training, I never could have completed this, but I knew that thanks to the past several years I've spent learning under you, there was no other chance of anything but victory."

Her response was measured and calculated. Nothing but praise came from her as she attributed her victory to Honiko. However, the underlying message was clear. Hizashi had been wrong. Honiko's training methods had proven the be the best thing for Nozomi to have focused on, rather than the Bijuu. This man that Honiko respected so much had misjudged his student Honiko, and Nozomi could never forgive that. She couldn't outright attack him, but she sure wouldn't let him get the last laugh here. This was a silent victory for her in protecting Honiko's honor without being incredibly disrespectful once again.


-------

Control Fight: COMPLETED

From the moment the battle for control began, Honiko prayed. She prayed that Jashin would grant Nozomi the strength to fight this Demon. She prayed that Jashin would grant Nozomi the courage to take the necessary risks. Finally, she prayed that Jashin would grant Nozomi the wisdom to know when to retreat. Honiko herself had never fought a Bijuu solo and while she had the tools and perhaps even the ability to pull off such a feat, never in her wildest dreams would she have even attempted such an endeavor without adequate planning and preparation. If Nozomi succeeded then she'd have undoubtedly surpassed her Master as a warrior. The thought was a bit scary, but also comforting. Honiko could finally put all of her trust and faith in someone other than herself and Hizashi. Someone who was loyal to her and her alone. It was almost too divine to hope for, but she hoped all the same.

Thanks to her Mind's Eye, Honiko could see the entire fight unfolding before her as though she were watching it on television. It wasn't as vivid or clear as she'd have liked, but it did give her an accurate representation of the battle. She remained in the Lotus Position, hands resting on top one another in the center of her lap Buddhist-style. Her chakra primed and ready to execute the Five Element Seal so as to lock down her student's chakra and pull her out of the fight in the event that a loss was imminent.

The beginning of the fight started rough. It was clear that Isobu would not be pulling any punches in this fight. Nozomi peppered the creature with water needles but ultimately he was too large and durable to be checked by such a technique. Isobu had tried taunting Nozomi. He wanted to shake her faith in Honiko and the Enlightened Society. He was present for all of her interactions with the organization and he knew her deepest insecurities. This meant that he also knew how to exploit them. Fortunately, her disciple's will was as hard as steel. She defiantly rebuked him and declared that she was a once in a generation shinobi. The only kind of ninja fit to lead the Society. Honiko's posture was rigid and unyielding. Her eyes were closed and she sat with such stillness that a bird would feel comfortable perching on her shoulder. Yet despite this display of perfect physical discipline, she found herself smirking. Nozomi was a quiet girl but when it came to all things Honiko and the Society, she had a fire inside of her that was so hot it could never be extinguished. Isobu was wasting his breath trying to turn Nozomi against her.

What he couldn't accomplish with words, he sought to do with violence. Realizing the futility of his psychological attack, the creature hurled himself at Nozomi. She was fast but small, and without the benefit of his power, she was not nearly strong enough to survive a direct attack. Honiko felt her heart skip a beat as she realized that large scale techniques and maneuvers would only exhaust Nozomi. The options she had available to her were limited, but if she acted intelligently she could make the most out of each encounter. Honiko analyzed the fight carefully for an opening. The moment Isobu was airbourne was the moment she saw an opportunity. There! She hoped that she had trained Nozomi well enough to see the vulnerabilities of an opponent's approach. Hizashi had given her reason to doubt her effectiveness as a leader and as a sensei. His words had cut her to the bone and she found herself unsure of whether she had taught Nozomi well enough to have a chance against a Bijuu. In a stunning and dramatic move, Nozomi openly confirmed her worth and value as a teacher.

"WORTHLESS! You see how Honiko cares for me, even now providing me the tools to take you?! Without her, I'd be nothing but another Kiri slave! I owe her my strength, my power, and you owe her your life, so your power is mine, as I am hers!"

For the first time since she had met Nozomi, Honiko felt completely humbled and in awe of her student. Up until that point every accomplishment and victory had been something that was expected. Predicted. Foretold. However, as wise as Honiko was she had no idea as to how this encounter would go. She had faith that Nozomi would prevail, but she had no idea how her acolyte would get there. For Nozomi to be doing the impossible and attribute her success to Honiko was more than touching, it was inspiring. The gratitude and love she had for Honiko was something so pure and resolute that it almost made the Sage reconsider leaving. She had her duty to Hizashi, and that duty was to find artifacts of immense power. One of which was no longer on Earth. Yet, with someone so willing and eager to fight for her sake, she felt compelled to stay. How in Jashin's name could she leave Nozomi's side, knowing that she was this girl's source of seemingly limitless strength?

Honiko knew that Hizashi was watching. She assumed that he'd think her weak if she showed too much attachment to the outcome of the fight. But with so much riding on this fight, her soul couldn't help but be fraught with a groundswell of emotion. The Dragon Sage considered the words again.

"I owe her my strength, my power, and you owe her your life, so your power is mine, as I am hers!"
私たちは互いに属します

The moment was too much even for one as disciplined and unmoving as Honiko. A tear formed at the corner of her eye and fell to the ground. She could cross the world and visit every dimension in existence and she was certain she'd never find someone like Nozomi. Leaving her would be hard, but it would be necessary. If Nozomi was willing to fight a Bijuu for her sake, then Honiko had to be willing to cross into the unknown for the sake of her own Master.

Having made her own resolution, Honiko continued to observe the match. Nozomi had capitalized on Isobu's mistakes by summoning Manda. The giant purple snake wrapped around the turtle and secured the beast. It was a brilliant strategy, although it was fraught with danger. The beast was desperate and Honiko could see that he was willing to do anything to escape. Isobu began charging up a Tailed Beast Bomb just as Nozomi began the extraction process. A bluff?!. Isobu's opponents were too close to use such a powerful and devastating ability. Manda might survive via his ultra-tough snake-skin, but Nozomi was a sitting duck for lack of a better word. If he fired it at point blank range she'd be annihilated. It was possible that she could escape the blast radius, but it was no guarantee, especially considering the range and scope of this attack. The Bijuu of course would be injuring himself but he could regenerate. It was a luxury that her disciple did not possess and that's what made the situation so dangerous. Honiko saw that Nozomi didn't move in response to the formation of the Tailed Beast Ball. She was calling his bluff.

The tense stand-off continued for a while longer. Eventually, the ball reached critical mass but instead of dissipating it, Isobu was primed to fire. No... Honiko realized that the beast was not making a feint. He was fully prepared to decimate himself in pursuit of his ultimate goal: freedom. Honiko wanted to shout out. She wanted to warn her follower of what was coming, but she couldn't. Nozomi wouldn't be able to hear her from the inner realm and all it would do was displease Hizashi. Honiko lifted her hands in preparation for the Five Element Seal but then she stopped. Something told her that Nozomi had a plan. She wasn't sure if it was to interrupt the attack or avoid it altogether. If she pulled Nozomi out now then it was all over. All of her fighting thus far would be for naught. They'd both be an embarrassment, not just to Hizashi but to the Three Tails and even Manda. No. This was Nozomi's fight and Honiko would trust her. Even if the imminent risk of death was tearing her soul from the inside out.

The moment she made the decision was the moment the blast was fired. The Sage's heart sank. The explosion was so powerful that it lifted the turtle and the snake off the ground and rocketed them across the inner world. A crater was left in their wake as the blast annihilated the ground and surrounding landscape. The realm was still in-tact, it being a construct made of will and chakra, but the damage was very real. Honiko was in shock. There was no way Nozomi could have survived such a blast. She had pined her hopes on her disciple stopping the blast or escaping it, yet neither had occurred. She had just watched her most beloved disciple die and she had done nothing to stop it. She had allowed it to happen. Honiko felt sick, but just before she broke her concentration on the scene, she saw a shape moving in the haze of destruction wrought by the explosion.

我が神よ....

Nozomi was alive and completely unharmed. Honiko was speechless. She had seen miracles happen before in combat. She had seen Nozomi pull through when the odds were stacked against her. This was something entirely different. This was certain death. Yet against all logical possibility, the girl had survived a direct attack from a Bijuu Bomb. Jashin is protecting her! Honiko reasoned. This defied all sense of understanding, but when it came to moments such as these, Honiko Yoshidara had learned long ago not to question fate. Menza had often argued that such phenomena could be explained. He speculated that science simply lacked the tools to do so. Whatever pithy excuses he came up with were meaningless in the end. The truth was that Nozomi was destined to win this fight. She was destined to help Honiko and Hizashi right this world. And Jashin was willing to bend the laws of reality to ensure that it happened. Isobu's Bijuu Dama would not keep her from fulfilling her destiny.

From there it was a slow and smooth path to victory. Manda himself could see it was over. The Boss Summon of the Snakes ordered Nozomi to dismiss him. It was a bit rude but Honiko could understand his reasoning. She was not the primary signatory of the Contract and in her first time summoning him she had put his life in jeopardy. Yet as he spoke, Honiko noticed a twinkle in his eye. He was both amused and intrigued at her power. Oddly enough, the Snakes were also asking her to pick a successor. While she had not offered Nozomi's name, she could see them being interested in her. Normally they preferred those who were experts in Ijutsu, but unlike the Dragons they were not nearly as dogmatic and ideological about their criterion. She had more than proven her strength, and so it was likely they might overlook the fact that she wasn't a doctor. They'd need to talk more about that at some point.

With Manda gone and Isobu more or less dormant due to the extensive damage he had taken, Nozomi knew that it was best to wrap things up. She created a few clones to quicken the extraction process and delivered the coup de grâce via a Lightning Ninjutsu. In a few short moments, the chakra was ripped out of his body and transferred to Nozomi. The Battle for Control was over. She had won.

Honiko closed her Mind's Eye and opened her eyes just as her disciple had done. She stood alongside her student and accepted the bow. The Sage's facial expression was neutral and serious, but her eyes beamed with pride. Nozomi had done it. She had overcome Isobu and taken his power for her own. Honiko wasn't gay, but the accomplishment aroused her. The Sage felt giddy with excitement over the doors that were now open to them as a result of this victory. With full access to Isobu's power, there was nothing stopping the Society now. All nations would bow before them. They still had to move cautiously but the risk of defeat was even lower than before.

Nozomi credited her success to Honiko's training. It was obviously a veiled refutation of what Hizashi had said earlier. A blatant denial of the accusation that Honiko had trained Nozomi incorrectly. It felt good to have Nozomi stick up for her and after such an undeniably impressive display of ability, it made Honiko more sure of herself even in the face of her Master's disapproval.

She looked at her student and nodded.

"I never doubted you for a moment. There are few who could handle the training I put you through and none who could take that training and accomplish what you have just accomplished"

The Sage then turned to her own Sensei, hands clapsed behind her back and head held high. Honiko had to focus all her will and discipline into not breaking into a smug "I told you so" grin. For such an act would be uncharacteristically insubordinate. Hizashi was above juvenile games like that and thus he wouldn't take kindly to disrespect from his most loyal student. She was certain he could read her thoughts so to soften the blow of proving him wrong, she offered a tribute of her own. Honiko knelt before Hizashi and spoke with submission and reverence to her own Sensei.

"Master, I have taught her all that you have taught me. Under the grace of your tutelage, I have trained our greatest champion and she will perhaps go on to train someone greater...if such a thing is even possible. You have inspired a never-ending line of divine greatness. We look forward to serving you in the wars to come."

She unsealed the scroll for Flying Thunder God that she had received from Merryweather. The scroll was a reward for their role in freeing her daughter Chiheisen. Honiko raised the scroll to Hizashi while keeping her head down.

"The scroll for Flying Thunder God. One of Menza's conditions for joining us was that he would not share his knowledge of the technique with us. We acquired this copy from Merryweather as a result of the Blood Prison excursion. Nozomi was an invaluable asset in freeing Chiheisen and thus Merryweather was forced to give us what was owed."

Hizashi accepted the scroll and stored it on his person. The man apparently had little to say at this juncture as he merely looked at Nozomi then Honiko. He quietly told her to stand, and she did. He continued to quietly analyze them as a few tense seconds turned into a few tense minutes. However, rather than verbally responding to what had happened, he merely turned away and left. It wasn't completely like him to do such a thing, but it wasn't totally unheard of either. Honiko couldn't read him using her Mind's Eye and it was a waste to even try. Honiko only turned to Nozomi when he had left the area. The grin she had been holding in slowly made its way across her face. It was truly a rare occurrence for Honiko to be this outwardly happy.

"It seems that every task I throw your way....no matter how difficult, no matter how impossible....you always seem to find a way to overcome it. Nozomi Himitsu, what am I to do with a disciple that knows nothing but victory?"

Nozomi was oddly silent afterwards too, as despite her victory, it was a bittersweet moment. She knew that Honiko and her time together was now extremely limited. Had she failed, then she would have had more time to train with Honiko and Nozomi unable to leave the island until control was gained. Nozomi cared more about proving Honiko's training effective than she did about spending time with her though, as nobody talked shit on her sensei.

She found that the victory was bittersweet as reality came rushing back to her, but she saw the pride in her sensei's eyes, and it filled her with more energy as well. Menza left after being given the FTG scroll, without saying anything, and Nozomi knew that she had won. He had nothing to say, as Nozomi had proven him wrong. There was nothing he could say to that.

Nozomi turned to Honiko and smiled at her sensei. What was she going to do with a disciple that knew nothing but victory? Nozomi responded simply. "Anything you would like. If you want the world, just ask."

Nozomi paused for a second before asking shyly, "I was hoping that.... maybe we can make another memory before you have to leave? Hagoromo's Comet is coming, and I figure it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. The cave will always be there to visit, but the comet isn't quite so accessible.."

If Honiko assented, then Nozomi would excuse herself so she could go get ready. She hadn't had time to shower or eat much on the ride back from the Blood Prison.

-Exit-

Ever the loyal student, Nozomi replied that Honiko could have anything her heart desired. All she had to do was ask and Nozomi would give it to her. She couldn't possibly have asked for a better right hand. She could feel the love and intense desire to please through the power of her Mind's Eye. She also sense a bit of hesitation. True to form, Nozomi asked to spend time with her before she had to leave this world. Hagoromo's Comet was a truly historic event and while she had predicted she would miss it, it appeared the object's passing would coincide with the day of her departure. Destiny. she reasoned. Nozomi's victory was so complete and inspiring that she would have granted more or less any request asked of her. Yet what the girl wanted was so wholesome and simple, there was no reality where Honiko would have refused her. She could think of no better way to spend her last few hours on Earth than with her chosen successor.

Honiko nodded.

"The Comet represents the dawn of a new era....it stands for everything we fight for rebirth, renewal, a true paradise under the leadership of my Master and his comrades....Let's usher in this new age together. Just you and I.."

Honiko would give Nozomi instructions on where to meet her and then they'd part for the time being.

[Exit]