.The Climb.

[Aoshi]

- 3 -

The God of Taijutsu was surely watching. He could only hope that he was pleased with the newest form of Ninjutsu that mixed his extremities into the forceful blow of Katon proportion. Aoshi hadn't anticipated the uses of this jutsu until he'd seen the damage that had been done. As pray of crimson and vitae would shoot forth as he who had lost his limbs pounded against the floor, crashing into the nearby wall as Aoshi's hands dispersed the flames once again. "Damnit! Somebody kill this bastard! It doesn't matter who he is! Mobilize everything we've got! Kazuya's orders!" Their frantic actions were most likely a direct result of the twin explosive fists that he delivered. There would surely be a third.

Aoshi's form was lithe against the backdrop of evasive maneuvers, bending backward and allowing his hands to shoot out toward the floor as yet another blade made its way toward him. The steel had attempted to embed itself deep within his shoulder - perhaps their notion of stopping his handseals by keeping him injured. If Kazuya wanted a better shot, though, he would have to try another method. Aoshi once more broke out into the handseals that were needed to form the Fist of Fire's Will. A generous amount more of his chakra would meet it head on, birthing the tenketsu to awaken within him. His reserves were still quite full as he maneuvered around those attacking him, their swords inches away from cutting into him.

But with every evasion, he'd only buy himself more time. His Hokage's garb ruffled violently against the wind that picked up, a scythe of sheer gale being blown toward him as he finished the concentration necessary to bring about the Fist of Fire's Will technique. Without delay, he reared back with his left hand and began to close the gap betwixt himself and he who had utilized the Ninjutsu. "So there are those of you who CAN manipulate chakra!? The more, the merrier!" Aoshi exclaimed. The wild look upon his features spoke volumes as he ran straight ahead, the scythe of wind barely making it away from its point of origin by five meters. He'd close the gap and make sure that the jutsu never made it past its fruition to power.

"Gah! ARGH!!" his opponent roared out, Aoshi's fist slamming into the scythe of wind and only serving to increase the flame's explosive property. Yet again the immediate vicinity was rocked along its foundation, chunks of the dojo beginning to break away as walls caved in from his influence. His assailants couldn't truly gather a good footing as Aoshi kept them bottle-necked. With the fire jutsu creating waves of flame that bathed the very walls and floor, it would be nigh impossible to get to a vantage point where the Uchiha wouldn't be able to follow. "Take me to Kazuya....or you will all die here..." he muttered lowly, standing among the blaze of fire that circled his person in an ominous tone.

Narrowed eyes prevailed as he watched them and waited. Their casualties were already beginning to build, leaving some of their ranks hesitant in attacking. He had to buy himself some time. Surely, Kazuya wasn't going to let him rest if he didn't take the opportunity to pace himself here and now.

[Holy Grail]

20+ | 30/60

[Aoshi]

30.60

"You're insane! You intend to burn all of us alive! Including yourself!?" one of the garbed attackers exclaimed. Aoshi's head dipped low as he pondered the question, his grin no longer present. Nay - it had descended into something whose foreshadowing could have only lead Kazuya's subordinates to resume their attacks. He could feel the hairs upon the back of his neck beginning to stand on end, forcing him to turn upon the heel of his right foot as he quickly began to formulate more handseals. The appearance of Raiton could be seen traveling toward him from the distance, his body swiftly dodging to the right just before a tendril of it could shock him. The technique passed over just as he finished the last seal.

So they were becoming more crafty. Once again, Aoshi began to dash forward. He managed to pirouette against a number of blades that began to pour out from scabbards, more of the foot soldiers turning the corners of the corridor to join the fray. Now that they had gathered, however, it was the very fabric of time that had given them quite the disadvantage from Aoshi's standpoint. The Uchiha's feet left the floor as he turned once in midair. Grace unparalleled flowed across the gap betwixt himself and the Raiton user. The ball of his foot would crash directly into the jaw of he who had barely missed the mark. But upon landing, that same Fist of Fire's Will technique had shown itself.

Aoshi couldn't help but smirk as he turned toward the closest to them. "I'll do what I have to.." he growled. He wouldn't even sprint. With a brusque pace toward them as they shouted and sneered, he cocked back with his left hand and let loose that same fiery twist of flame he'd used to knock the door down. The circumference of the fire was growing with his attempts, pouring extra chakra into the process by which his appendages would be the conduit for the jutsu. Smoke billowed upward and through the walls of the corridor as a refreshed Aoshi punched into the chest of his closest enemy. It hadn't taken long for the effect to take place. The blast was much bigger than before; even the floor began to tear apart as those surrounding him cried out.

Flames swept the floor and coated the hallways as Aoshi's lungs gave a ferocious roar of violent proportion. Try as they might, they simply could not quell the beast whose attack had now exploded and impacted a great number of the assailants. Charred flesh wafted through the air as he landed upon his feet, regaining himself in the wake of the violent explosion of his fist. He was started to suffer the recoil of his technique. Clutching his right arm and jumping away to make space for himself, he'd skid along the floor on the soles of his feet as he winced. "Hmph. It looks like my body's not ready to keep up just yet. Fine.." he said, shaking the pain away with a few twists of his arm.

Aoshi began to amble forward, their spirits completely broken as they began to slowly make their retreat. He could even see Red within the distance, her eyes narrowed at the new height of power that he'd reached. She disappeared within the numbers that were retreating, though plenty had stayed in order to stave off his attack.

[Aoshi]

- 2 -

It was a spectacle that not even Aoshi had anticipated, his reserves still quite topped off as his body followed suit to the lion's roar that came from within. He rotated his neck slightly as a single hand lifted to quell the tension that was gathering. Otherwise, there was only the potential of the Fire Fist and its ability to have blown the rest of them clean out from where they stood. Aoshi need not have words, his palms smacking together as they began to rush him once more. Their blades truly did have a taste for his flesh. But he would deny them, just as he had done so many times before when he had encountered them at the abandoned tower. His chakra began to rise to the occasion, and thus he knew that he would not disappoint.

The sheer level of strength that he possessed was almost palpable. Only a single man had caused them this much uproar as they attacked him relentlessly. But try as they might, the Sharingan was far too much for their attempts on his life. Aoshi was effortlessly beginning to weave his magic without the use of strain. Even though his right arm began to feel the tedious stretch of using the technique more than once, he'd continue to conjure his life's essence in an attempt to power the jutsu further. He'd decided to make this his last attempt for the hallway's construction. There had to have been other areas to have been made a major point of conflict. With this in mind, he'd concentrate on what he knew about his technique.

Luck would surely be on his side as he performed the handseals required, still content to dodge the weapons that were being thrust at him. He gave a final push toward the back wall that housed a better view of the dojo. And as he would sail toward the gathering of enemies that were pouring into the room, Aoshi reared back with his right hand and allowed his digits to curl. The weight of his form was expressed as he jumped into the attack. Much like a Kamikage, he would force them back and away from him with the explosive property of his jutsu. By this time, he was certain that it would make the correct amount of damage.

And as if on cue, his fist collided with the wall.

The amount of pressure and force were almost doubled in his efforts as he roared out, feeling the sting of pain hit his arm as it flexed completely to try and keep from the recoil breaking his extremity off. Power of will poured out into the jutsu as it immediately knocked back anyone within a certain radius. Death awaited those who would have tried to thwart him in those last seconds, charred remains beginning to jut forth from the various holes he'd put into the establishment with his hasty actions. Aoshi knelt down and allowed himself to recuperate from the sound of the blast destroying the wall, chunks of it facing at least five meters away from where he had put his fist. And there, he could see Red, her lips pursed together incredulously.

"....You've grown stronger, Hokage.." she murmured. Aoshi stood to full height and lifted a hand, brushing stray strands of his locks from his visage. "...I have. Let me show you just how much I've improved."

[Holy Grail]

20+

[Aoshi]

50.60

It was a moment that he had been thinking about since his last encounter with the woman. A growl left his lips as he immediately began to dash forward, his speed increasing tenfold. The Shunshin would carry his form at least ten meters forward to meet Red, after-images of his body falling away in an arc pattern. She would attempt to match that speed as her legs pumped full of adrenaline. Her handseals were swift; the same set that had been used to make her clones before were used again, her doppelgangers reaching the pinnacle of identity before attempting to rush him with Taijutsu attacks. But again, his Sharingan would come in quite useful. He'd already begun his handseals. He'd simply use the clones as a means to cover himself.

To hide within the tracks of the clones was rather simple. He didn't focus on attacking the true form, instead beginning to awaken the chakra points that existed all over his body. The first reaction is usually to act immediately once one felt their chakra beginning to surge to the surface. Aoshi, however, would wait and allow the events of his clones exhausting themselves to unfold. Three of them approached as he underwent the simple process of converting chakra into the change of nature he'd specified with the Katon element. He'd even smirk as he ducked and jumped away from their attacks, none of them reaching a mark close to him.

"How are you--!?" Red exclaimed, even going so far as to join in the onslaught. The closer she got, however, the more volatile Aoshi's actions would begin. A series of back flips and evasive jumps toward the walls would allow him to avoid the majority of her techniques. Their fists slammed into the ground where he once was, unearthing quite a bit of the establishment. Her armor poked through that same cloak as she watched him, slight disbelief clouding her better judgement as she began to perform handseals of her own. The clones would unleash a kunai each, exploding tags split between them. "Die, damnit! You won't get past here!" she shouted.

And it was then that Aoshi realized just how desperate she was. His legs halved at the knee, his head yet again dipped low as he pushed off of the wall and managed to Shunshin toward them for another ten meters. The resulting explosion gave a strong sensation toward his back as smoke and fire threatened to engulf him. But he'd timed himself correctly. The clones had moved to shield the true Red from his onslaught, but they hadn't accounted for the power he'd put into the blast. That same surge of chakra that had been yielded before now roared to his fists. Rearing back with his appendage, he bit out a growl of pain before slamming his fist directly into Red's chest.

!

The resounding explosion was far greater than what he'd even anticipated. The recoil threw him back and along the ground as her scream of agony erupted through his ears. Plumes of smoke among the black smog signified that he'd destroyed the clones, leaving only a battered and broken Red to slide along the ground in a charred heap. Aoshi landed upon his feet and stood to full height, slowly beginning to walk toward her in those fleeting moments of the jutsu's pain subsiding.

Checkmate.

[Holy Grail]

learned

[Aoshi]

Fire Sparrow
Rank: D
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: Creates swallows out of fire.
Special: handseals
Drawback: weak; will fizzle out after one post.
Description: The user forms handsigns and begins to heat the air around them in five concentrated spots. If heated high enough, the air will begin to burn in the shape of a sparrow. They will appear in a half of a second once this technique is mastered. Once formed, the user can send them towards their opponent with the point of a finger and a boost of chakra. The projectiles fly in a straight line, allowing for minimal control in direction while in flight. All though made from fire, they cannot do much damage beyond a burn since they lack substance and intensity of other fire jutsu.
Limit: Fire release

0.10

Aoshi stood before Red, his form nearly towering over her as she struggled to make sense of the immense power that she had just felt. The flames that surrounded them continued to burn brilliantly, representative of just how forceful he'd been to break through their lines. The gigantic hole he'd left behind with the Fist of Fire's Will technique looked akin to brimstone. He was now in what appeared to be a garden that had been fashioned to be managed on the inside. The flora had all but been incinerated, what vegetation remained trampled beneath his feet as he'd approached her. "Where...is Eru?" he asked. The woman's soft whimpers did nothing to quell his ability to have ended her there. He would even go so far as to attempt another technique, standing right above her.

His handseals were moderately done, this jutsu needing only a small amount of his overall chakra pool. It was a weak technique, though it was perfectly capable of wreaking havoc on her already damaged form if she hadn't been cooperative. Forming the final handseal, his eyes fell onto her with the sense of remorseless brutality that she now knew he was capable of. "I...I don't know.." she said. The wrong answer. As if on cue, the very air around them began to crackle and flicker with concentrations of heat. Entire pockets of it could be found. One by one, they were birthed into a sphere of what looked to be waves of heat flowing off of their singular points of location. This was the Fire Sparrow technique, a harnessed ability from the mind of those with chakra control and the affinity for fire to craft the small projectiles.

"She's here. I know she is. But I want to know how to get to her. Tell me, and you might walk away with this ordeal with your life." His tone didn't change. Supporting his very words, his chakra began to manifest and reach out to the pockets of heated concentration that he had made earlier. The sound of fire beginning to grow more wild, more rapid poured out and into the atmosphere. Five birds composed of flame alone spread their wings, flapping them with accuracy as the searing heat began to rush from their extremities. Shaped in what looked to be the form of a sparrow, they darted to and fro around the Uchiha as he watched Red's every ministration.

"Kazuya will kill me, anyway. If you knew that, then you'd have just finished me off seconds ago. All I can tell you is that this place....this place isn't just any ordinary dojo. It's a fortress of sorts. Beneath the shell of the turtle, you'll find the secret of scarlet's oculi.." she managed. As Aoshi pondered the cryptic words, the sound of various gears and locks clicking began to take place. Footsteps interrupted his thoughts as he turned toward the distance. A cloak of shadow approached with swift resolve, the glint of silver hinting that bladed weaponry was now attempting to strike at him. Aoshi willed his fire sparrows forward, their proximity to the entity close enough that they might all bombard him at the same time.

But somehow, he'd managed to dodge them with a move akin to the Shunshin. The swallows hurled into the ground beside him only a few inches, bursting into small gouts of flame as they perished. He turned and was immediately pushed back by a sword swing to his raised scabbard. Skidding along the floor on the soles of his feet, he watched with a mirthless grin as Red was lifted into the arms of an armor-clad hulk of a man. "....I look forward to your discovery of secrets....Hokage." And with that, the two vanished into thin air.

"Damn.."

[Holy Grail]

well, i be dog'd, you doin' pertty good sonny, you wouldn't happen want to have a bite to eat with good old granny?

10+

SPOILER: Click to show

[Aoshi]

Flaming Flock
Rank: B
Skill: ninjutsu
Effect: Create Hundreds of Fire Sparrows from surrounding fire.
Special: handseals
Drawback: All Fire Sparrows only last one post.
Description: User creates handseals and then creates a thin field of chakra that reacts with the surrounding fire. User can use the surrounding fire to create hundreds of copies of the Fire Sparrow Technique. These Fire Sparrows last one post and fly just like sparrows and can be controlled by the user. Each one deals very little damage as they still have the same flaw as the Fire Sparrow technique's lack substance and intensity of other fire jutsus and they still only last one post. However there are so many copies that this small amount of fire can add up to deal some serious burning damage. This can affect all fire within 20 meters of the user.
Limit: 250 TP in Fire Release, Must have Fire Sparrow, must have source of fire

0.60

Aoshi moved forward, deeper into the dojo with the thought of Red's words still fresh within his mind. Kazuya had foreseen this outcome. The irony, then, that he was an Uchiha who was now playing prophet. If the skill of the shadowy figure was any indication that Aoshi would have it rough, then there would be far more to deal with in the coming hours. Corridors would lead him into what appeared to be a large spherical room. Ceremonial statues sat collecting dust within the distance, mirrors located along every inch of every wall. They all showed the Uchiha his own reflection. Shaped into a fashion of doors, one of them would ultimately allow him to move forward.

But he had to be sure about which one he'd be using.

This would call for something more drastic than a single sparrow. The Uchiha remembered a time where his father was able to summon multiple, even Kazu managing to multiply his five into something much greater. With this in mind, Aoshi would resolve to recreate the technique in order to better suit the purpose. But first, he would need a source of fire. With every battle he'd seen of his kin, the one thing that remained constant was the necessity of creating as much fire as they could muster. It was the place where the sparrow technique usually came, a big enough gout the origin of where so many could rise into the air and be controlled. The cathedral-like room was more than spacious enough.

So would it be - Aoshi began to conjure his chakra. The first maneuver would be simple, as he'd simply pull one of his own jutsu that he'd already mastered from his bag of tricks. Deep breaths began to come, his chest rising and falling. He'd use his esophagus for the initial chakra techniques, and then he would be done with the process entirely. Unlike those that had come before, he wouldn't need his breath in order to send the sparrows at their target. Aoshi's eyes narrowed considerably as he stood and surveyed the world around him. It looked straightforward, but he knew better than to have relied on his mundane vision alone.

The handseals that were needed were flipped through with care. The process itself would take a generous amount of his chakra, and thus he'd attempt to relax himself. Of course, such a process wasn't going to naturally happen while behind enemy lines. If they were watching, then he'd have to conserve his strength until the more important battles approached. As if on cue, he could hear footsteps beginning to echo all about him. No doubt, they were hidden behind the mirrors. If he chose the wrong entrance point, then he'd simply have to deal with the consequence.

He could only wonder just how many sparrows he could create. The Katon release depended on great heat signatures and traces in order to be used to its full potential. It was said that over a hundred swallows could be made with such a Ninjutsu as this. He would have to try and match such an estimate with little more than complete focus guiding his every footstep.

[KoKoKo]

+10

[Aoshi]

- 2 -

Aoshi had already set to work on crafting a fireball Ninjutsu that would allow him to set the place ablaze. Narrowed eyes prevailed as he leaned back upon his right foot. His lungs were set with oxygen as his lips parted, taking in the oxygen and allowing it to linger. The gears within his mind were already beginning to turn, the carbon dioxide slipping from his soft twins granting him just a meager proof that he had formulated a fire jutsu. As Aoshi began to breathe out, he'd ensure that his head would move in a swivel fashion. A gout of flame began to spray forward from his mouth as he started to bathe the floor in fire. Brilliant lines of amber and orange spilled out and over a crimson wave of flame, immediately beginning to heat the atmosphere.

The technique was one of simplicity. As the flames began to spread out evenly around him, the Uchiha immediately began to focus his chakra into a central point all over again. Handseals began to make their way afront his abdomen as he concentrated his life's essence, delivering the change in nature at a moment's notice. Already, he could feel the technique beginning to come to life. Since his very vessel wouldn't be the source of fire where the swallows came from, he would have to utilize his chakra and coat the area about him with its potency. And so he would, his breathing normalized as the invisible blanket of essence began to envelop the flame. Aoshi thereafter closed his eyes to focus on the formation of the swallows.

But such a task was easier said than done. He would start with a small area of the totality of the flames. The crackling embers danced beautifully along the floor, nipping at the heels of their creator. But he was home here. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. Vivid imagery of what had happened with the Uchiha clan began to filter through his very thoughts. It was hard for him to even concentrate on the physicality of the birds. Instead, small spheres of flame would rise from the distance and begin to circle. They were altogether ineffective, however. Uncontrolled, it was only a matter of time before they scattered abroad and became nothing more than spots of fizzled out Katon element. He had to try again.

Once more, he allowed his chakra to rise from the various chakra points along his body. He'd seen this scene before. If he had to be forced to remember, then he would merely remember a bit differently in order to get the technique done. Through the battles that waged on within his mind - the sound of his kin fighting to their bitter end - he imagined being able to help them with the number of swallows that he'd force from the fires that all of the combat had started. He envisioned the birds, their small frames beginning to flap their wings, lifting up from their fiery nests and delivering weak attacks at those who he saw as faceless adversaries. It wasn't exactly what he sought, but it would suffice for now.

[KoKoKo]

Evil has gone on in this world long enough... now it is your turn to protect the children.

+10

[Aoshi]

- 3 -

"Pull the forces back!"

"We can't take them all!"

The words echoed across the tablet of his mind as he narrowed his eyes. The legacy of the Uchiha had been completely lost since the days of their defeat, but this would only serve as the catalyst for Aoshi's maneuvers. The ivory daggers along his jaws began to clench, his jaw tightening considerably. Through the fire and flames he focused, a certain anger once more brought out of him and traversing the surface of his mind. It hadn't taken away his ability to feel. It hadn't put him in a place of eternal regret. No - it had sparked a fuel inside, creating the desire to finish this technique with little more than the sweat of his brow to compensate. If his kin could pull off this jutsu, then so could he.

And with that resolve, he set out to creating multiple swallows of fire. The ones before had seemingly been made out of little imagination. So he'd imagine the simplicity of the swallow's body. The wings, head, beak, chest, and even the talons along its lower half. The perfect anatomy of the swallow managed to filter through his mind. And with his handseals being performed to turn such a vision into a thought, that thought would inexorably lead him to action. With a mighty push of his chakra, Aoshi caused ripples of his own life's essence to birth a great number of swallows from the fire. As if on cue did they rise, beginning as embers and transforming themselves into the shape of birds that began to hover around him.

"Kazu....Kazu, I won't let you down. This asshole shares almost the same name as you. I guess I need to beat him to prove that he's not even half deserving.." Aoshi muttered. A hand pushed forward as he began to notice an inconsistency, however. The swallows were not only beginning to fly around him, but it also seemed as though he was able to control them. His left hand lifted toward the swallows as they began to move forward, their cries of fiery proportion beginning to mimic his every gesture. To and fro they darted, another gathering of them piercing the surface of the flames and joining the ranks of their identical counterparts.

The projectiles began to shoot forward, but only when his mind commanded it. And so he would attempt this jutsu. As he spread his hands out, at least seventy five swallows were created in the time span of seconds before they began to descend. Quickly and without fail, they began to pelt the mirrors with all of their combined fury. A beautiful shower of fire began to rain out from above the Uchiha, forcing him to jump backward as the sparrows cried out in vigor. He could already feel the mirror beginning to break. At least one of them was nearly burned to the point of shattering, the cracks dotting inches of the mirror as a satisfied Aoshi watched on. But there had to be more. Many more.

[Aoshi]

- 4 -

"I have to do this....I have to DO this!!"

It was as if something sacred had been awakened in him. The illusion of the small boy that had once looked up to his father and Kazu had been no more. Now the puzzle fit far better, a gargantuan sphere of flame rising out from beneath Aoshi's feet and surfacing to the very expanse of his epidermis. He continued to train the Fire Flock technique with little more than a grunt to show just how heated it had gotten in the room. The swallows had all but severely damaged nearly all of the glass. If he kept up at his relentless assault, then he would be able to see what lay behind them. The footsteps had ceased to create audible queues now. Just the sheer number of his projectiles had most likely stopped them in their tracks.

"Come...GET...some!" Aoshi roared out. It was that same burst of energy he'd felt earlier, the mastery of the fire techniques beginning to plague him. It was a yearning that took the form of a shinobi - nay, a Hokage - that had been set ablaze, a single blink delivering him back into the world of the Sharingan. To protect those he loved, to protect those who he called "friends"...he would make the sacrifice and push himself past the limits of what he'd already known. With handseals forming once more, the source of fire grew even stronger as he took a deep breath. His left hand lifted toward his mouth as his fingers created an "O". With the single breath and a step forward, he unleashed the Goukyakuu No Jutsu into the middle of the sanctuary of sorts.

The sphere of flame started out small at first. But much like the rest of the Katon affinity, it would grow into something bigger when he pushed his chakra into it. And without hesitation, the Hokage did so. He cared little that the walls that didn't house the mirrors were beginning to burst and grow charred. As the flames spread out in a sea of crimson yet again, he'd inadvertently created more room for the swallows to exist. Sweat threatened to trickle down his chin as he focused, gathering enough chakra to formulate even more swallows. These had to number more than seventy five. And more importantly, these had to shatter the images of his own visage. If he could complete this, then perhaps his adversaries would not attempt to hide behind the illusion.

His Sharingan Eye was able to pierce the veil, though it would only restore itself if he attempted to find the one glass that would grant him passage. It was some sort of illusion, hindered by his fire that was beginning to spread out and wave in the general direction of his assailants. He could even see their chakra signatures to a small degree. Some of them were already beginning to quickly fade, the fire sparrows having struck the glass and broken through to pelt them with their strongest physicality. A single hand thrust forward as the birds began to yet again rise from the flame. Numbering at least one hundred this time, the sinister smirk that crossed Aoshi's youthful countenance was almost offsetting.

His resolve had been doubled over as the swallows began to fly about him, their wings simultaneously giving off waves of searing proportion that caused the windows to heave and crack even further under the pressure. The oxygen in the air was beginning to threaten his comfort, but he cared little. This was the only way to break the foundation of their Genjutsu. And so he would persevere. He didn't care what the cost was.

[KoKoKo]

Rise from the fallen and smite those who seek to harm others. I am Angemon and I say you shall rise.

+20