-- A Throne Unfit [T]

[Umehara]

Mind's Eye of the Kagura
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Skill: Passive
Effect: The basic technique needed in order to learn all Sensor Techniques.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: The basic yet complex ability that allows Sensor's to find, sense, and track individuals over a vast range. This ability is done by the user closing their eyes and opening their mind's eye in order to see the advanced chakra systems around them. At A rank and above, Sensors no longer need to close their eyes in order to access their mind's eye. The user of this jutsu can only sense those up to the equivalent class rank of the rank they know. (i.e. If the user knows up to B rank in this jutsu they can sense characters of all the way from D to B rank. The basic range of this technique is ten meters.
Limit: Must fulfill all requirements to become Sensor in order to learn this technique.

0.100 - S-Rank Version

"Are you sure that this is the place..?"

My footsteps ended just as my guide's did, the stones afront my boots scattering to the wayside as the late morning greeted me. The skies were dotted with pristine white clouds that loomed overhead and momentarily shielded us from the Sun. The temperature, a perfect mixture of cool with a warm wind to soothe the skin, beckoned me forward. I had the desire to continue my Sensor's Perception training. But what I had received in return for my curiosity would be far more than what I had bargained for. I had begun by allowing my chakra to seep out and into the area around me. For the maximum range of my abilities, I sought to find every chakra signature that could have matched the one that I had recognized from so many years ago.

However, what I hadn't counted on was a soul whose abilities were something familiar to mine own. I stood beside a man who had been watching from the perch of a stone pillar that I had passed seconds before my ability had come to the surface. Known only as "Dealer" to me, he had offered his services in exchange for the tale of why I had enabled the use of the Sensor to begin with. A strange trade, to say the least, but I gave him the information he sought as he crossed into the uncharted territories of the Earth Country. Along the way, I had been sure to secure what I had learned thus far of this special power. Every person in every vicinity was revealed unto me, not even the Sharingan's exquisite eyesight comparing in just what information I could gather by concentrating.

But for all that I had done, our long journey had led us to a clearing as far and as wide as a terrain of desolation. Mountains sat in the distance like jagged rocks that had caused a natural maw in the terrain. Large obstructions of multiple colors blocked our path onward - inevitably, we would come to face a wall that only Ninjutsu would have been able to overcome. Inevitably, this discovery had pushed me to ask that single question as Dealer's lips curled into a grin. "I am sure." I could not detect a fluctuation in his words. But before I could continue, I had to stretch my Sensor's power once more. I need not close my eyes to perform the technique, and thus Dealer was no more aware of my rising disbelief than any who would cast their gaze upon me.

I reached out in every possible direction. I had not sensed Pandoru's chakra like this so long ago, but my Sharingan Eye had not lied to me in the time that I had spent gazing upon her person and finding out what I could about the secrecy of her character. I breathed slowly, my chest rising and falling beneath my cloak as my left forearm draped across the Apashi blade. "What is your relationship with Pandoru, vagabond? You are eager to help a man who has provided you meaningless information. Why do you persist beyond this point?" I asked, the incredulous tone in my voice all too apparent. While I waited for him to answer, I continued to extend my Mind's Eye concentration.

[Umehara]

[. 2nd Post]

"I am merely an old friend who recognizes the Tsuchikage of our time. Though the current one is quite mysterious, I have no doubt that Pandoru still holds a legacy that continues to forge this earth into a wondrous place." His voice was deep and calculating, almost as if he could think and talk at the same time with impressive result. Pale skin stuck out from what looked like an old set of gentleman's wear, slightly too small and bearing wrinkles as if he had been sleeping in the attire for days. Beady, amber eyes watched as I began to focus my abilities toward the Sensor's Perception once more. Whenever he could sense my chakra moving, so would he silently scrutinize me.

My eyebrows were visibly furrowed as I sought Pandoru out yet again. Against my better judgement, I persisted in my efforts. "There is something that you neglect to tell me, Dealer. What is your angle?" I asked, still reaching out to attempt to take hold of the more powerful of those that my Mind's Eye could sense. I had been able to instantly tell the location and information of Mayu and her company. Why, then, was I having such a difficult time with Pandoru's chakra signature? Dealer's lithe form allowed his arms to rise along his lower back, clasping his fingers together as a mess of gray hair fell about the crown of his head. Dirty and most likely unwashed for a time, it surely gave him an older appearance. "Well, my Lord.." he began. "This is the Land of Earth. And as such, circumstances can be out of the reach of those who do not know how to manipulate the elements."

As he said this, I began to feel my chakra rising and increasing. I willed it forward, farther than the usual ten meters in which I had first discovered that I could locate the prowess of another by concentrating my mind. Undivided attention went into reaching that same range that I had trained many days ago. To my relief, I was still able to hold steady to the promise of finding any and all signatures within the circumference I'd practiced toward. But it did not mean that I was not keen to his words. "You speak as if the very ground beneath us is my destination.." I murmured. But as if on cue, the very earth beneath us began to rumble.

Immediately, I took evasive maneuvers while continuing to hone the Sensor's power. With frantic resolve did my feet leave the gaia, skidding along the earth as cracks began to span out from beneath us. Clouds of dirt and dust broke free from the ground as what looked to be a shift in elevation fell upon us. Dealer merely stood still as I took a knee beneath the powerful force of nature changing the element. But as I listened closely and continued to search for Pandoru through the large change that began to fall across the terra, I could hear Dealer's voice seemingly echoing within my mind. "Good. You're aware. Then we can skip the formalities. Pandoru is indeed beneath us. But first there are some....welcoming committees that need be slain before we can continue. I will leave it up to your capable hands."

So this was his game.

I had no time to contemplate the validity of his words. Like a sudden alert, my entire mentality shifted toward focusing my chakra into that same blanket that would reach out and cover the earth around me. Multiple mountainous formations were beginning to diagonally break out from the earth. Pillars and spires alike were being carved out of the stone monoliths that rose into the skies. Far beyond my expectation, not even my Mind's Eye was able to reach to the top of the ongoing edifice that was now blotting out the Sun as it ascended into the heavens. It was the most magnificent thing that I had ever seen.

...A castle that had been born from the ground.

[Deleted]

+20; 20|100.

[Umehara]

[. 3rd Post]

"I do not sense Pandoru's chakra!" I exclaimed, the constant use of my ability beginning to wear thin upon me. I pulled my cloak tighter about myself as I shielded my gaze from the granite that began to fall away from the large structure. Pointed spires held large windows that I could not see into for the brief moment that had been given to me, instead my Mind's Eye searching the stories of the seemingly impregnable fortress for my old friend's whereabouts. It was the gift of the Sensor that had allowed me to see the advanced chakra systems of those around me. I was unaware of just what type of prowess I'd found in order to be able to perform this feat. Still, it was incomplete in my attempt to bring it under lock and key to finally realize that Pandoru was anywhere within the immediate vicinity.

Lowering the cloak, however, I had noticed that my Mind's Eye had picked up an entirely different information: Dealer was no longer within my scope of view. My eyes searched the area as I turned upon the heel of my right foot. The castle had come to settle many meters before me, an easy task to reach the scarlet double doors that appeared to be locked and guarded by an invisible barrier of crimson. I once more focused my chakra forward. "Dealer! What game do you play with my intelligence? Show yourself." My attempt was futile. But if I could master the final step in the Sensor Perception, then it would inexorably lead me to the nearest source of ancient power that would grant me access to Pandoru's supposed captivity.

"No games, Anotsu. Simply use your gift to find the keys to us passing this small test. But be careful; you were a friend to the Land of Earth, but that does not mean that you were without fault in the small amount of time that you spent here.."

How was such information known? Had someone told him of my turmoil? I had sought to ask these questions aloud, but I was quickly disturbed by the sound of sickles. I need not cast mine eyes toward the direction of the oncoming projectiles to know that they were intended for me. And so I would use the balls of my feet to leap backward at an angle. Time seemed to slow as I could see no visible attacker; there was only the scythes of wind that broke beneath me, splitting into multiple attacks that tore into the earth and created deep gashes within the terra. I twisted my form until I landed, immediately standing to full height.

"So this is a test, then. A foul game to be played by tricksters, Dealer." I silently reveled in the fact that I hadn't needed to close my eyes any longer to be able to find the advanced chakra systems that were around me. I merely took a deep breath, the chakra from my core stirring and rising toward my gullet to spill out and into the atmosphere. A tedious task, it was. I had been able to pick up on those who were just starting out with the ability to manipulate chakra. Further and further I pushed myself, unaware that I was about to reach the pinnacle of the Mind's Eye for all who would inhabit this earthen realm with me.

The pings of chakra systems that filled the area began to come in waves. Like wisps of energy that merely materialized, these were surely the guardians of the front door that would allow me admission into the unknown potential of such a grand display of terra being used to hide precious structures. I would be forced to rid them of what little mortal coils remained. But first, I would need to find just where the signatures were truly coming from. Hopefully, this exercise would bring about the mental clarity that would allow me to make no mistake in the future. "They call me the Dealer for a reason. Now, then....get to it."

I would also find a way to deal with Dealer, as well.

[Deleted]

+10; 30|100.

[Umehara]

30.100

The anomalies that had managed to flank me were now within somewhat of a plain sight as I began to use my Sensor's ability. The gift had implanted in me a sort of sixth sense, my Mind's Eye now working doubly to locate just where the signatures were originating from, let alone just what sort of power each one held. The terra had finally settled from the castle emerging, the crimson barrier resonating every time I lunged out with my chakra in an attempt to capture those who had challenged me. "We will discuss this matter soon, Dealer.." I murmured. I could not contest the ghosts alone. And so I would resolve to make use of my Curse Seal and its prowess.

With a single push of my energies toward the mark that sat beneath my eye, the chakra implanted there began to rush through me just like it had done when Abaddon had granted me the Curse and all of its power. Quickly, the black tribal markings began to consume the entirety of my epidermis. Simultaneously, I took to seizing control over being able to sense chakra higher than that I had encountered before. It was an easy feat to be able to discover others when my eyes were open. But I was reaching for a pinnacle that was almost out of my realm of understanding. What had I been missing? Why had these chakra signatures eluded me for so long and with such haste?

I had to search mine own chakra, the Curse Seal's markings coming to bear fruit as I used my increased Taijutsu prowess to dodge another set of attacks. To and fro would my feet move, ensuring that I never remained stationary for very long. All the while, I was attempting to get a trace on my assailants. It had been long told to me that I could grow no more powerful with the amount of chakra that flowed through my veins. Perhaps if I could relate the other sources of life to my own embodied skill, they too would relate in some manner. By this time, the tips of my toes skidded along the earth before I stood.

I need not search the land any longer. I had recognized my own signature from the concentration of my mentality. Thus, I would once more search out those who kept the keys to unlock this door. Chakra was given off in waves as I began to step forward toward the very center of what was going to be a battleground. A calm and collected nature fell about me, even with the ominous foreshadowing of the Curse Seal circling my frame and threatening to make me more ravenous....more sinister. If my Mind's Eye were able to finally target any one of them, so would I strike. Not a moment later. Not a moment before.

[Umehara]

[. 2nd Post]

The world around me became substantially smaller when I'd allowed my chakra to rise just enough so that I could apply it to a chakra signature that could possibly match mine. My cloak whipped about as I prepared myself - even if I had found them, they would not yield to a game of cat and mouse ending with only half the results to speak for it. With my chakra generously filtering out and into the atmosphere, I began to notice a small change in the air to my southern flank. Quickly did I turn, unleashing the sword at my left side just as a ghostly falchion cut through the air and attempted to cleave me in twain. This was one of the chakra signatures that I was beginning to pick up on.

As we locked blades, I looked upon the ghost of a figure to find that he had been a ninja before his demise. Empty sockets of obsidian regarded me with natural hatred. The clang of sword against sword seemed to make its very composition shake with a sort of silent excitement. How close it had been to cutting through me. "Why do I not sense that all of you is here, ghost?" I asked, bringing it to attention of my Mind's Eye being able to tell that there was an advanced chakra system within it. What appeared to be eons passed before the figure spoke up. Its jaw unhinged and hung loosely as the crimson barrier reacted, a hand of raw chakra reaching out to nip at me. Luckily, its range was of no concern.

"You are one of the Mind's Eye practice, yes? Then perhaps you know our plight. He who inhabits this castle has enslaved us to do his bidding, all for the sake of the dead's riches. We are many. He is one. And yet, he controls us." The words echoed through me just as effectively as when Dealer had spoken. And as it stood, I could not quite concentrate clearly. The chakra system of the wraith began to fade. I was no longer aware of the informative view of the inner eye, instead having to resort to physical means in order to keep myself from falling off balance against its attack. "There is a woman here. Her name is Pandoru. What do you know of her?" I asked, tearing my katana away from my opponent's sword.

I was close enough to the castle that I could allow my Sensor's ability to ring out again. If he was as powerful as he had been spoken to be, then I could use the Mind's Eye to locate just what floor he was on. The ghost of a man advanced - hovering - across the plain so that he could raise his curved blade above his head. But as it struck down, it would find its home in the gaia that he had once stood upon. I'd Shunshin to the opposite side of his attack hand, my fingers tingling in anticipation as I searched for this larger signature. I had to fathom far greater power than the average ninja, regardless of the grim victory that they had scored in bringing to my realization that I was not yet ready to face it.

[Umehara]

[. 3rd Post]

"The woman is hidden at the very highest spire of this castle. An object to be adored and admired by he who enslaves us, no less. Defeat the Six Scythes of the Western Wind, and you will be granted permission. You have sought me out. Now....open your Eye to my prowess!" It was almost as if the last exclamatory statement had been designed to trigger a violent response from the wraith. For as I looked on with my Mind's Eye and began to trace his form's Advanced Chakra system, I could tell that his strength was relatively as potent as my own. This was what I had been missing. The fluctuation of the Sensor had been deceiving me into believing that I had been watching for those signatures that were lower than my own. But in my haste, I merely need try to identify the last height.

"I will open my eyes to all that surround me, wraith. Not just yours."

I desired for these words to be true. As I took a stance and allowed the blade to flicker against the sun that was once more dotted from the clouds overhead, the corner of my lips formed a slight grimace as I used the Sensor's Perception to prevent further flanks from my would-be opponents. The gaia had shifted in their favor; I no longer had a solid footing that could be maintained for more than a small while. They would surely use their scythes of wind to attack entire areas that I would stand on. Still, the task remained the same. I had to concentrate. I had to increase my success with the Sensor jutsu. My right foot engaged in stepping forward until I was able to sidestep the wraith's falchion once more. I was beginning to see the swell in his spiritual chakra network.

"A ninja from Otogakure? The Land of the Medics, it seems. Tell me, young one, why do you activate the Curse Seal and not that of the Sharingan Eye?" The question was poised with venom. But in truth, I had not truly thought to unleash the full potential of my Doujutsu just yet. "In due time, wraith. It is my Mind's Eye that I am concerned about, not the effect of the physical. This skill was given to me. I was chosen. For that, I will not forsake the knowledge that comes with the struggle." I said this as I used another burst of chakra, those same waves of potency flowing out and into the atmosphere for over twenty meters. It was becoming increasingly easier to thwart the nuisance of separating the physical from the meta.

If it had a true body, then it was not within my scope of search. Only when I found a truly large gathering of chakra in one certain area would I be able to persist. I could feel my Mind's Eye ability growing by the moment. "We, too, once belonged to a village. We were its elite. But the secrets of a shinobi are to die when the mind holds information that could potentially unravel mysteries that not even Genesis could have thought true." I'd done enough running. I could physically hear the wind scythes rushing toward me. With scabbard and blade in hand, I merely turned and struck them down with a flick of my wrists; my Sensor's ability was revealing that they were not as strong as I had originally thought.

....A calculation that I would surely write into the coming moments.

[Umehara]

[. 4th Post]

My sixth sense was beginning to pick up, much like the rain that loomed overhead as I continued my struggle. The same clouds that had once brightened the cerulean sky were now beginning to cause it to grow dreary, the first droplets of rain falling from the skies and tapping along the flat of my blade. They slowly slid toward the razor's edge and dipped low to the handle as my fingers increased the grip upon the hilt. I stood with my back toward the crimson barrier that only intensified as I used my Sensor's perception to yet again seek out the ghosts of old. I had grown skilled in activating the ability without physically alerting anyone to my attempt. There was only the need to properly pinpoint my targets within seconds now.

"What do you know of Genesis? Some have claimed that he is me. The contract that I hold with Burakku Ekirei. Are you also knowledgeable of this, as well..?" I asked. The supplementary portion of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique was revealing itself - manifesting in a way that only my intelligence could perceive as fruitful. While some may not have keen to the subtle change in the air, I was all the more wary as the less than corporeal beings began to show me their chakra systems. "Ha! You look alike. But this castle is a reflection of all that is the bane of Genesis and those who have come after him. It details much, but offers no respite for those who would seek its corridors." Cryptic, these spirits were.

I allowed my left arm to raise as the scabbard fell sideways, the Sensor's Perception able to grasp that the proximity betwixt myself and another attacker was quickly closing. The sound of blade meeting scabbard resounded as my eyes snapped toward the spirit whose shackles clanked and screeched like caged animals attempting to break free. Such an immense power, and yet I had only begun to be able to acknowledge its constant travel and flank. The secret to the Sensor was still far from me, I surmised. Just when I had believed myself a master of the technique, fatal flaw and error were my response.

"And so this castle is alive? And it has captured a memory, then.." I responded with a grimace. The Curse Seal mark only served to amplify the chakra that had been granted to me. With it, I did not have to conserve my strength to search the vicinity for the signs of other presences as I wrenched my blade away and continued the dance of countering the wind scythes. At this rate, the battle would not be won before fatigue had settled in. I had to concentrate to a greater degree. For if I were to stop, then surely one of the projectiles would make my pursuit all the harder. For my troubles, I would be sure that Dealer was dealt a hand doubly as tedious.

[Umehara]

[. 5th Post]

The rain was getting far heavier as I stood, the scarlet tresses that were once flowing freely now matted to my face and drenching my clothing. I took deep breaths as I remembered my encounter with Emi only days ago. Still, I was fighting for my life against forces that I could not see. I silently wished that I could have been farther along in my training at this point; to have known that I was destined for mastery, and yet knowing that the blood that coursed my veins may not have been there long enough to seize the opportunity. For the first time in a long while, I knew the frustration of something being out of my reach. Still, I would not falter in attempting to sense the presences. I had learned, at least, to pick up on the momentary surge of chakra as my enemies scattered. If not for my Sensor's ability, then surely I would be speaking a different tale.

I reached out with that same sphere of influence from before. Relaxing my muscles and allowing my blade's scabbard to rest at my western flank again, I allowed both hands to rest along the hilt of the Apashi blade. I would have to resort to my roots in order to see any sort of prevalent notion about this training. Pandoru was now just a fleeting moment of remembrance. There was the thrill of battle to be had, no matter the momentum that had to be served in the process. Even as a child, I had felt this same surge of energies when my chakra was brought to the surface. My lips parted as I lowered my head, my jaw tightening rather perceptibly moments before it had released so that I could exhale. My life's energies were beginning to coat my frame, slowly emanating from my epidermis and traveling south until meeting the gaia.

"Yes, Uchiha. A memory. This castle will be your grave if you are not careful. You have lived your life and denied your throne for quite some time, a mistake that Kouketsu did not make. Perhaps you should consider your own fate - one that revolves around your release from this mortal realm.." one of the spirits echoed. By this time, my chakra would begin to form that same barrier of influence that it had done when I'd first tried to make use of the Mind's Eye technique. Fortunately, I could avoid the repetition of handseals. There was only my stillness, every muscle and bone of my body frozen solid in a statuesque state of concentration. "Release? Is that what you would call it? For a man who is enslaved to the blade to give up all that he has known? To forsake the memories that he has managed to create?" I replied.

I was growing more and more restless. My feet pounded hard into the puddles that were forming from the rain, thunderous roars overhead beginning to pull me from the insanity that had been corroding my patience and attempting to corrupt my mettle. Once more, I was able to filter in those momentary glimpses of chakra. And as I turned, I was able to pinpoint them for a few seconds more. The water beneath me buried my foot up to my ankle before I took kinetic energy at its greatest force; a horizontal slash as I stopped upon my left foot, and the first of the many wraiths would know my kissaki as it tore across his decrepit form. Somehow, I had been able to strike. The shriek of death carried across the atmosphere as I stood to full height, the specter vanishing into thin air.

"....One down."

[Umehara]

[. 6th Post]

I had experienced the first bite of the fruits of my labor.

Lowering my head so that my eyes might meet the earth, I once again used my Sensor's Perception to decipher the secrets of the wraiths that moved without physical detection. Slated orbs began to find the trick in their movements. There was only the fact that I would need to keep track of their chakra systems as I combat them. The same eerie feeling that had crept up on me so long ago when I had first become a Soulcaster was yet again threatening to nip at my heels. As such, I would take the time to familiarize myself with all that I had known. The Sensor's Perception was based entirely off of my own Mind's Eye. There was no secrecy in how to utilize it. The technique appeared to be naught but mental prowess.

Derived from many other passive abilities that I had seen, even the Sharingan's minuscule amount of chakra paled in comparison to needing to hone one's own life energy to restore the true vision of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. I would even go so far as to focus not on the offensive side of the combat, but on the pattern in which they began to maneuver. "We will fade into nothingness, much like the memories of your childhood. But all Uchiha are stained, and thus we make no judgement on what has become of you since the downfall of your clan. Tell us, Uchiha....why do you work so hard? Why do you toil within a field that you do not call your own, defend the honor of a village that was not originally yours?" they asked. It was as if they were speaking simultaneously, making it immensely easier for me to choose just how many of them were closest and to be sought after next.

"Because my soul demands it. I am not what I once was. I am far superior. I am no longer a boy. I am a man." My answer was followed by my next attempt at filtering out the Sensor's Perception technique again. I pulled my cloak tighter about me as my fingers began to furl, creating balls of flesh and bone. Into my secondary weapons would I pull few kunai, fitting them betwixt my fingers as the sphere of influence for the Sensor ability picked up on at least two more chakra signatures. They were exactly the same, and yet their only contrast was the unique identity behind each of the swelling energies. I could tell that one of them was humanoid - or perhaps, it had been humanoid. The other, contrast in its personality, belonged to a beast of a man. While I could not physically see them, I knew that their proximity was e'er closing.

"Man will eventually perish. All that will be left is a legacy, unfulfilled and ultimately negligible for those who will surely come next."

The certainty of their words was like knives digging into my cerebral, temporarily stifling my ability to summon the Mind's Eye technique. I passively restored it as I took up a leap backward, the earth and water before me exploding into a torrential wave that began to bear down upon me. I maneuvered multiple times through the puddles and the mud, the spires above crackling aloud with lightning as it seemingly watched my every retreat. My sword once again became unsheathed as I picked up on an advanced chakra system behind me. Suppressing all else, a burst of chakra met the soles of my feet. I turned immediately, bringing the edge of the sword down in a vicious slice that would relinquish the hold of yet another spirit. Its chakra system perished almost immediately. A dilapidated castle flickered within my mind for a moment; ruined by age and neglect, it was the final moment of the wraith I had just struck down.

"Man will eventually fall. But I have secured my place among Kings. Even without a crown, they will persist. And so shall I be."

[Umehara]

[. 7th Post]

Little fatigue was beginning to settle in as I stood, my eyes slowly sliding to a close as I began to search at least twenty five meters around me. It was all becoming increasingly clear to me. The clarity that I felt was almost invigorating - so much so, that I would almost immediately relinquish my passive ability to seek out chakra signatures around me. As I turned toward the castle and watched the scarlet barrier begin to weaken, the corner of my lips turned upward into a satisfied grin. "Dealer - you are no doubt watching. I will have this door opened very briefly. You will provide me the answers that I seek thereafter." Surely, he had known that there was no longer any hiding from me. I looked up toward one of the mountainous structures that had hidden the castle. Though the terra had been broken, I could see fully along its edifice.

And there Dealer stood, his hands within what looked to be pockets through torn and tattered clothing. I had used my Sensor ability to locate him quite easily. A small swell of his power had ignited the flame, and I had quickly snatched up the details of his whereabouts. The same was to be said of the specters that now gathered to attack me. Without fail, I sidestepped their wind scythes easily. For every one that was released, I only need turn my head to watch them pursue greater haste in trying to fell he who now saw the light of their efforts. "Man learns something, and his arrogance knows no bounds. You are but the same as the rest of them, Uchiha!" The spirits were clearly angry. But though they had manifest some normalcy in their partial existence, it had already been written that I was not to lose track of them ever again.

Quickly, I made use of the Shunshin technique and stepped forward upon my right foot. No less than a moment later, I was gifted the speed of the gods; there was no longer a vision of flesh and bone. There were only after-images that served to confuse my adversaries. They were spirits, at best. And yet still, they thought with a mentality of mundane principle. Fortunately, I was no longer of the same hindrance to my power. I had ascended above the realm of the living, trading my once fragile mind from the Curse Seal's imprint to a deity who had come to fully accept my role as the bane of the Uchiha. My Mind's Eye easily allowed me to place myself two meters from yet another of the wraiths. "I am ever adapting. Ever changing. Slowly...steadily.." I muttered, my blade tearing through the air. The chakra system of my victim would explode. And once again, that old image was mine to bear.

I was only allowed to revel in that single moment for a brief pause, turning and holding my blade in a horizontal fashion to stave off an attack from multiple specters at once. So their endgame was to overwhelm me with their seemingly endless numbers, was it? I would take that singular moment to push forth with the Sensor's Perception technique. Finding that all of their chakra signatures were as powerful as mine own, I would utilize their folly to end this charade. A step back upon my right foot, and I would give them no quarter to use their combined weight to place me in a state of suspension. My blade met the scabbard. But no sooner than when I had heard the click of the hilt touching the sheathe, I once again unleashed my power. Their chakra systems filtered through my Mind's Eye like fully formed targets.

"Perish."

The Dragon Strike that followed was one of epic proportion, speeding forward and cutting through their numbers with the same intensity as their wind scythes against me. I could hear the howl of the damned as the castle began to warp and twist once more. Landing upon my feet and careful so as not to stain my clothing with the mud below, I turned away from the now invisible signatures and watched as that same crimson hand reached out. But to my surprise, it shattered into hundreds of small shards before dissipating fully. I would find Dealer at my side as I moved toward the double doors, a small insignia etching itself along my right hand in the shape of a dragon.

"You've done it. And now, we proceed!"

I merely glanced at him out of the side of my eye. "When we get inside, you WILL answer my questions."

[~Emi~]

+9+9+10+9+8+9+10 = +64

94/100

[Umehara]

94.100

My amble forward made no tension in my journey to find the meaning of this castle's sudden appearance. As I adjusted the blade at my side and allowed my forearm to prop against it, I would allow the newly honed ability of my Sensor's Perception to reach out to the immediate area. The Curse Seal that had established itself along my body would begin to relinquish its hold upon me. And to be sure, I would focus all of this passive ability on any who would dwell along the nooks and crannies of the earthen fort that had naturally been carved out of the terra. "What are you getting out of this, Dealer? Information is priceless, but your bargain is too meager on your end." The words were followed by a single pulse of my chakra. Effortlessly, I was able to hide my attempt at even he whose fingers crossed together behind his back signified his deep contemplation on the matter. I could only sense his chakra.

"You've managed to pull a man's cards right from beneath his wrists. I am a....collector of sorts. While ninja like yourself collect weaponry, I collect antiques that would suggest an other-worldly power. Items that hold chakras of legend." The veil had been pulled back. As he spoke to me, the very notion to explore the castle crossed my cognizance. And so I would attempt to locate these items, though I knew that I would exceed no more than at least twenty to twenty five meters in any given direction. Inanimate objects, I could not see. But if there were any who held these items, then their advanced chakra networks would stick out to me like a strobe light against the darkness. Seconds passed as I fished through my pockets for nothing in particular. My cloak, soaked and wrapped around me still, dropped water along the cobblestone pathway that lead up to the double doors.

"Chakra of legends, you say. How can a lifeless object hold the very key to life, itself?" I asked him, an honest question as my eyebrows furrowed slightly. The roar of thunder behind us paled in comparison to the screech of the doors as I reached forward. My fingers wrapped around the rusted bars that would allow me to pull them open, metal grating against the stone underneath and causing my ears quite the frustration. My Sensor's Perception could find no one that lingered on the other side. Without reaching for weaponry, I casually strode across the threshold and pushed my chakra even further into the atmosphere to judge our surroundings; if we were to be flanked, then my aggressors would know no element of surprise when I'd cut them down.

An entire realm of possibility had been opened to me as I discovered a large statue of an angel sitting between two different sets of spiraling stairs. My Mind's Eye wandered forward and searched all throughout the immediate floor. Only mine own and Dealer's life called out to me, a signal that the first few levels of this spire would be ours to inhabit by our lonesome - spirits and other undead necromancy notwithstanding. Still, I was able to filter through even the smallest creatures. This further reassured me that little would escape the realm of my supplementary jutsu. "It is preservation, my boy. The preservation of the greatest minds of past generations. Pandoru was one such mind, though one might have never guessed it. And the owner of this castle - while his name and face escape me - recognizes this all the same."

I had no time to attend to Dealer's cryptic words. Stepping toward the center of the room, my eyelids fluttered to a close as I withdrew my Sensor's passive energies back toward myself. I would need to stall no longer. "Preservation that you desire to compromise. Tell me, Dealer. Where do we go now?" I asked. Multiple doorways would lead us up and toward newer spires, though they were currently blockaded by those same scarlet barriers that I had seen before. If I were to pass, then I would need to use other means than merely jumping or parkour.

[~Emi~]

+6

100|100 Learned~

[Umehara]

[. Exit]