The Hearts Gallows (x2 mission!)

[The Roar of the Falls]

Name: No Comrade Will Fall!
Rank: B
IIC Length: 2-3 Days (48-72 Hours)
Difficulty: Moderate - Hard
Description: A group of six Shinobi from Takigakure was sent out on an infiltration mission in Uzu no Kuni. But their two medics were killed in battle and the remaining four team members are all seriously injured. Three Shinobi (one being a medic, but if all three are then that's even better) are to travel to Uzu quickly and to treat the wounded and escort them back to the village for further treatment. If you can bring back the bodies of the two fallen medics, an extra reward will be given to you.
Objective: Rescue the remaining survivors of the six-man team and bring back the two deceased medics. This mission is a Credit for AnBU Frog.
Reward: 18,750 Ryo; an extra 700 Ryo each will be given upon bringing back the fallen medics; Takigakure Shinobi Only.

She'd not even gotten to take the Kaishin in for questioning yet before the AnBU had sent her messenger bird, two scrolls with a mission pertaining to a woman who had the means and ideals to... threaten Taki. Always with the threats. It'd take a lesson, something extreme to let everyone know Taki was no slouch, there would be no 'easy' kill less it be the attacker themselves who dare, DARE, threaten these grounds. Yuki Mi? She was going to be luck today. This mission required her death to be quiet and for once Isabella wanted to let loose, to shred off these restraints she'd put on herself to keep her sanity in it's regulated parameters.

She was with Spectre and had been impressed with his past endeavor of dispatching, his ability to move around and through things with a certain kind of ease only one of the utmost skill could do. He was going to be an amazing AnBU Commander one day. She'd make sure of he'd climb right there with her. "Spectre." She called back over her shoulder, walking down the trail that led to Taki but veering off it towards the border they shared with the Land of Fire, "We're being sent on another mission. There is a Rogue by the name of Yuki Mi who is planning an assault between Fire and Waterfall. Her death must be quick and silent, no suspicion of her assassination. This sounds right up your alley."

She could do it as well, more of Taki could but... she wasn't going to just sit back and let him do the work. This was a mission of insane importance. "But first we are being sent on a recon to rescue a group of Taki-nin. They are pinned down and the medics are mortally wounded... fuck." This? Again? If the medics were being the primary target then the whole unit should be medic trained. Another time. So much on the back burner as it were, "Tell me what you think is the best course of action, I'll steer you back on path if it gets too lone ranger."

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Spectre climbed the hill without any difficulty at all and over looked the scene before speaking. He was thoughtful in his speech, even though his voice carried that odd echoic tone it wasn't intentional it just was. His eyes glowed for a bit while he spoke, he was activating soul given abilities just to be prepared.  With a slight sigh for knowing the medics and other injured parties are going to be in trouble no matter what he turned back to Roar.

"Basically, two fold, the scouting portion of this mission is going to be troublesome. I have no medical background at all. So I hope you do. But more so the assassination should be interesting. You can see without your eyes right?" Kuroki raised his eyebrow here. " Got a basic idea of luring this Yuki Mi into the swamps of this area. Ever heard of the Will - o - Wisp? /well the legends of the swamps say they could lead the innocent to safety and the guilty to be lost forever on foggy nights. " With a small little movement a wisp of a ghost fire ball showed up for a moment then disappeared.

"Yuki is going to find the fog of the swamps can be a deadly thing. You want animal attack or full disappearance? Or would you prefer my spectres drag Yuki to the grave?" It was a simple question with very dark meaning. A chill would rise around them as his Y'la played around, Spectre played his calling card well. His eyes darken again as the soul gifts were finished being applied to him. His large frame still had the same look as it did before. His excursion with Ken wasn't harmful to him at all.  His face was still hidden behind the shadows of his hood and the three quarters mask that he wore when his eyes faded.

He still had a translucent look to him as he was barely in focus on this realm. If anyone tried to touch him without certain help would pass right through him. Even as they talked though a miniature version of him has gone on ahead to scout and find their objectives. Kuroki himself loosen his coiled bundle of wire that was wrapped around his gauntleted hands. His frame filled his sleeveless trench coat.

A full bandolier across his broad chest that was wearing a sleeveless shirt. In it was his customary yo-yos, a bundle of silk rope, a lighter, some un-smoked cigars, a walkie talkie set to silent at the moment, a penlight, a slot worth of flint, a glass cutter, a pair of compasses, couple slots of each of both bo and hira shuriken, even a pair of kunai and knives. In a leg holster he had a second pair of kunai and knives.

Techniques activated:

SPOILER: Click to show

Controlled Soul
Rank: "D"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: User's soul can adapt souls to temperatures normal people could not handle.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: A personal or touched based technique. Works on 1 creature at a time. Duration of the Jutsu is 5 hours per Class Level. A creature protected by Controlled Soul suffers no harm from being in a hot or cold environment. It can exist comfortably in conditions between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-45 and 60 degrees Celsius). The creature's equipment is likewise protected. Controlled Soul des not provide any protection against other environmental hazards such as smoke, lack of air, and so forth. User also gains 10 fire and cold resistance (this stacks with any they may have already).
Limit: Must be a Soulcaster.

Lofted Stride
Rank: "D"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: User gains the ability to walk on water and do it silently.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User's soul grabs hold of their body and holds it just off of the ground making their movements much more quiet. The target of this Jutsu is personal. Duration is 5 hours per Class Level. By performing this Jutsu the user gains the effects of walking on any liquid as if it were firm ground. Mud, oil, snow, quicksand, running water, and even lava can be traversed easily, since the subjects’ feet hover an inch or two above the surface. (Creatures crossing molten lava still take damage from the heat because they are near it.) The subjects can walk, run, charge, or otherwise move across the surface as if it were normal ground. Does not leave footprints. User also gains a +10 per Class Level to Stealth due to the silent running.
Limit: Must be a Soulcaster.

Soul Sliver
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: User makes a 3 inch copy of themselves.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Takes a Full round to perform. Target is Personal. Range is Personal. Duration is 5 hours per Class Level. User splits off a small piece of their soul it gathers up energy creating a small copy of themselves. By performing this Jutsu the user makes a 3 inch copy of themselves it looks thinks and acts just like the user. It uses the user's Class Level Movements and Abilities (Saves/Handseals, etc.) but is treated as a Fine Size Category Creature. It takes Light Wound of Damage to perform this Jutsu. This health cannot be regained until the Soul Sliver is dismissed or Destroyed. It uses the user's skill checks and grants a +50 Difficulty to Opponent's Observation Checks. Its voice is not much more than a whisper when shouting. It cannot perform Chakra/Chakra Jutsus but it does get the Searing Soul ability though it only has a range of 1/10th while doing only 1 Armour Point of Damage. User can have only one Soul Sliver at a time and it has a copy of the same gear as the user but non-Chakra.
Limit: Must be a Soulcaster.

Eyes of the Planes
Rank: "D"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: Gain Low-light vision and see invisible.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: A personal based technique. Works on 1 creature at a time. Duration of the Jutsu is 5 hours per Class Level. User stumble on a way to change their soul's eyes so they are more like the eyes of planar creatures. Since they are a reflection of their own soul their eyes change as well. User gains the ability of low-light vision and can see auras of invisible creatures (issuing invisible creatures only a 20% concealment). User also sees lingering auras where living creatures have touched solid objects much like a footprint. These lingering auras only last for 2 rounds and fade away.
Limit: Must be a Soulcaster.

[The Roar of the Falls]

Isabella wasn't very much the dirty type, not the silent assassin that people called upon. She was a roar, a symphony of too noisy a sound and she never let on of being anything other than that sort either. Spectre had ideas and that was almost frightening that he had so many of them on a whim. Was this his personal mindset? "We just need her gone without a sound and without a trace. Animals leaves too much of a muss. Whatever you decide I can cover up the sound with a hush and no one will hear a thing no matter how loud she gets." It made her stomach twist in knots but this was her duty to Taki and it's people.

----

Later on at the site of attack she'd led them into a thicket of trees, peering down into a low dome shaped valley where a small group of people sat huddled together, defending themselves from what seemed to be random projectiles that flew out of the opposing woods. "I forgot to answer you earlier but yes, I can see roughly 125 meters without the use of my eyes. Anything more and that'll be stressing it." She'd done this once before, rescued a dying group of Taki nin from the clutches of the enemy.

"Alright we aren't here to engage we are here to retrieve. I can make our approach silent but I don't think that is going to matter here, you're the only one who can move invisibly." Her mind turned over thoughts and gears, another plan, another scenario, how to use their skillsets to the maximum. "I am the draw. I can hold my own for as long as we need until you get them out of here. We need the bodies too, no one get's left behind." How to get all 6 of those bodies out... "The scroll says all 4 members are wounded critically and this was their last distress call they could manage out... I had to lead the group I was with last time, they were too inexperienced for this but I have faith we'll pull this through."

Humming softly she sent out a pulse throughout the area, a resonance that bounced off the walls and carried far and wide without stall or issue. What fed back to her got her whipping around instantly. They were absolutely and utterly surrounded. Heavy camouflage jutsu hid them from the eyes and ears, even hers. but not from her resonating sonar.

Sucking in a breath that sounded almost like a shriek she blew out a thunderous roar, one that passed through Spectre harmlessly though the decibel spike was something she had no control over. The windforce of her bellow tore the trees from the ground, upended deep roots, sent the earth tumbling over itself endlessly. "Surrounded. Go." She barked swiftly, readying herself for the next shattering scream to level the surrounding trees and leave her mark on this wartorn land. They were surrounded not just in the forest but the entire cavern, all sides. She hadn't iterated that but hoped Spectre would be keen enough not to run in blindly.

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Kuroki started laughing maniacally as Roar revealed they were surrounded.  He hadn't been sure before but he could feel the wavelengths of living things being near. He had no clue what his range was though for he was still developing the skill to see through the soul's senses. His eyes flashed dangerously as his hand seals were thrown together in a flash. Suddenly a mist surrounded them and spread. It dampen sound but more so everyone was basically invisible unless that person had a doujutsu.

And Kuroki had something more than a Doujutsu, no he saw through the soul with enhanced vision. Not that he needed the vision very much for his senses could literally feel the living wavelengths around him. " Roar I would use that ability of seeing without sight and you find our comrades. I got these idiots. They think we fell for their trap they are wrong. " And suddenly a scream could be heard and cut off in front of them. The miniature had ambushed one of the ambushers and got it's little wires around that one's throat. It was basically garroting that ambusher.

More Hand seals later and a glow to their right appeared. Just under thirty meters from Kuroki, appeared thirteen dancing and dangerous balls of ghostly fire. This was the ghost lights of spectral form. A very dangerous unlucky omen and Kuroki was why, that was. The balls of fire would slowly creep towards the heat signatures of those that were on their right. Not a sound could be heard from Kuroki as he continued to do yet a third string of hand seals and unleashed his spectral phalanx. On the left the spectres appeared out of the mist cutting down any that were in their way. Twenty or more Spectral swordsmen in heavy armor marched out of nothing.

Only those behind him were left unscathed so far but they wouldn't be able to see without doujutsu. And more so they should hear their comrades screaming in fright and in death as the trap that was Kuroki was sprung. Yes he did one on one very well but he was actually specialized in crowd control. Combining fire and water in ways that only the dead would not fear.

Techniques activated:

SPOILER: Click to show

Legion of Sentinels
Rank: "C"
Skill: GenJutsu
Effect: A phalanx of spectral swordfighters appears.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: Affects anyone within 5 meters diameter emanation centered on a point. The user is able to perform this technique at a distance of 7 meters plus 6 meters per class level. The duration of this technique lasts for 5 rounds per class level. A phalanx of spectral swordfighters appears. Their blades are drawn, and they stand ready to strike. 2 ghostly, incorporeal swordfighters appears in each meter covered by this Jutsu's area. A swordfighter can share the same area with another creature or object since it's incorporeal. The swordfighters do not hinder movement, block terrain, or block line of effect. They can flank an opponent with each other and with the user's allies. Since they are illusory incorporeal they gain the incorporeal effect to the attackers minds. They can be destroyed with enough attacks or a target may use Dispel GenJutsu to remove them to the target. Each swordfighter may make 2 movements per round. Every strike they make does "D" Rank worth of damage.
Limit: Must know the Shadow Perception.

Gōsuto-kō no Noroi (Ghost-light Curse)
Rank: C
Skill: Ninjutsu
Effect: Creates thirteen balls of flame that creep forward slowly towards anything with a normal body temperature or higher.
Special: Handseals
Drawback: The flames can only move in one direction. Flames move very slowly. User must be within the range of Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) or else the flames will disappear.
Description: The user performs the handseals and creates thirteen floating balls of fire in front of them. These flames will move forward away from the user and spread out gradually, covering a total of ten meters in a line beside each other. The flames move extremely slowly, comparable to the average person's strolling speed. Should anything with a normal body temperature or higher come within five meters of these flames they were begin to slowly converge towards it until they come into contact, burning whatever they come into contact with. Should the flames go outside of the user's maximum range of Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) they will disappear. If they come into contact with something inanimate (A tree, a rock, etc.) they will simply disappear.
Limit: Fire release. Must know O Ni Bi En (Will-o-the Wisp Circle).

              O Ni Bi (Will-o-the Wisp)
Rank: C, additional D rank
Skill: Ninjutsu, supplementary
Effect: Gives the Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) the ability to give off a more prominent and appealing light, letting people see it even in genjutsu induced darkness.
Special: Handseals
Drawback: ---
Description: This jutsu gives the Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) a stronger and more appealing light, allowing it to be seen easier in the dark and giving off a sense of "warmth" that draws those looking at it closer to the flame. This also allows the Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) to be seen through genjutsu induced darkness, though blinding genjutsu are unaffected. The first time learned the user learns how to actually make the flame more alluring without it being a normal flame. The second time learned the user learns how to project it through genjutsu.
Limit: Fire release. Must learn Gōsuto Hikari (Ghost-light) before learning.

Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Skill)
Rank: "C" Rank
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: A Skill where a user uses the water around them to create a massive mist to fill around the user.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: A skill which creates a very dense fog that descreases the surrounding visibility to near zero. It produces an environment perfect for a silent assassin who follows an opponent through sound. This mist can not be blown away by any type of Wind Jutsu.
Limit: Water Release

[The Roar of the Falls]

There it was again, the likelihood of the younger generations stepping up to stake their claim as fighters but this wasn't about fighting so much as it was about the rescue. Even is she blew holes in the oppositions ranks they were surrounded, would thin out to to cover them and the only upside of it was the chance of punching through them when it came time to do just that. There wasn't a way in hell she was splitting off from a young budding genin to run into the fray to grab the wounded on her own. That'd be utter madness.

Instead she did precisely what she had intended to do while he flooded the trees with the mist. The spectral warriors and Spectre himself were safe from the physical impact her roar produced, trees toppling under the sonicboom as she cupped her hands around her mouth and blasted a hole through the foliage. "We are outnumbered and potentially overpowered with 4 wounded and two dead. Solo tactics wont do this trick. Fall back to the wounded and I'll be in tow." she was their adhoc medic and utility support, minor offensive and main defensive applicator, built for a well rounded approach. She was as important to the mission as Spectre making it out alive without these ninja trailing him to the village or him leaving them all behind but that didn't seem to be his intentions.

It was only because she was Chuunin and on her way to the AnBU Jonin ranks that such missions were delegated to her. To help them along she trilled a short note that raised their active movement speeds and allowed the two of them to hit just a little harder if need be, turning and dashing towards the end of what had once been the treeline to cross into the clearing and, hopefully, make headway towards the group suffering the heaviest losses. The ghostly protectors would do them much more use defending rather than attacking.

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Kuroki shook his head and sighed at Roar not seeing what he was doing but in the end he shrugged and followed along. He couldn't see of course and he doubted she could either. But he knew her wavelength of the soul as well as he knew anyone's including his own by now. So he followed the feeling of her wavelength while he assumed she guided them by sound. But now at least there should have been a hole in the surrounding forces that would give them the ability to move on. One was dead for sure while at least two had contented with a phalanx of spectres.

Either way with his chakra commands the spectres fell back and provided a guard for them as they moved. The spectres worried not about sight or anything else as they were shadow constructs. And as fast as they were going his miniature had disappeared and was somewhere up ahead probably over the wounded. He could sense the little one's presence but not exact location in his own fog. Occasionally one would hear a strangled cry as another unfortunate would walk into wire nooses created by the miniature just to die.

The ghost lights were to slow to keep up with their hurried movements and eventually winked out of existence. But at least the fog would follow them well as he barrowed the water from the swampy ground. This place was naturally misty anyways so it made it an easy to maintain jutsu, and kept them safe. Roar would notice that now that they entered the swampy portions of the area that, Kuroki didn't make a sound or disturbance of the water. He was actually walking a inch or two above the water.

[The Roar of the Falls]

By the time was running down the cliffside and charging down the group it was clear this was very much the plan of the enemy. When the reinforcements came they'd collapse around and trap them as a whole. The edge of the treeline shuddered, the ground shaking as earth beneath foot towered into the sky, massive walls that blocked them down into the bowl of the cavern, leaving no way out. "Of course." She was planning to simply barrel through the wall when the time came, for now she leaped over the group, whistling her song the Apple of Idun. Healing was boosted, medical and natural, applying a simple heal factor to those around. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

The walls climbed high, up towards the clouds it felt like but those same clouds weren't quite right. They were changing, fading from white to grey, grey to black and finally raining down a thick viscous oil that splattered all over the rocks. The clouds built and built, threatening a deluge. A bowl of oil? The only other thing left was to light a match. Where was Spectre?

"We'll have to heal on the move." She muttered, quick seals, a clone of sound chakra splitting off from her and running off to grab the bodies. Two medics dead... slain in the service of Taki. She'd make their graves herself for not being along. "We move as a group, one unit, the Spectre's will be our first line of defense." The oil rained down hard, blotting out the sun with the thick substance. She could only assume that there were people standing at the top of this bowl they were walled into, ready to make a flaming ocean of them.

"They'll try to burn us alive but I'll hold it off as long as possible." The moment the flames touched their skin they'd be doomed. The mist helped obscure them but she had to use sound to guide them. The mist was saturated with chakra and because of that, she'd be blind if she used her Dojutsu.

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

A bowl of oil eh, of course the oil was slopping right through his form but fire would still hurt. That also closed out some of the jutsus Kuroki had planned on using. No matter his selection of tactics was rather large for his level. He hadn't mastered anything of course yet, but he did dabble a lot. At least the mist he was still putting out hid them completely. Only sound and scent could betray them,  Probably the reason for this area tactic.

Kuroki directed his little self to climb up the bowl and start taking out fire archers and anyone else that was an enemy one by one. That would by them some time as the little wire artist took out grown men and women by garroting them. It wasn't pretty but it was getting the job done. The main body was still near the group they now were. Well the first move would be to figure which one of the enemies was doing the oil and take care of him. With a quick series of hand seals there was four more insubstantial Kuroki's running around. One went in each direction to find the culprit of the cloud oil.

"Roar think you can get the rest of these out of here? I figure lets go ahead and light the match in a moment and show them when you play with fire you get burned. I will cover our rear as I can just walk through the wall anyways." As the Oil came down and started to fill the bowl Kuroki rose with it. He wasn't even standing on the oil more like standing above it. He was very calm about their situation worried more for their comrades than himself.

[The Roar of the Falls]

Spectre was well adept alone to survive this attack possibly and he was more worried about her getting them out then he was himself possibly. More points. A Chuunun in the making if she had any say in the matter at hand. While he floated above she continued to trill one song that bled into the next. Speed boosts into healing into more speed boosting. When they reached on eof the far walls it wouldn't matter if they couldn't get through it but Isabella had an idea. Walking on oil was just the same tech as walking on water, if the bowl got too full they'd have to ride the oil up.

She didn't expect they'd wait that long. With such a MASSIVE area to cover she was sure they'd come lighting the bowl anytime now. So the second the reached the wall she slammed a hand into it and immediately carve a humongous orb of earth out of it's center, 30x30 meters, and with that the first fireball on the far, far end lit the rain and soon the fire came sweeping. "I will get them through the wall just make sure YOU make it out too Spectre."

Into the wall she ushered them, medics in tow as the wounded healed slowly from severe to serious not a much bigger change but better than what they had been. The earth collapsed as she funneled them in and made another orb that burst through the opposite end. One on the other to plug the hole she'd made. The clone took one of the medics from the injured and Isabella took the other, a little verse and a quick whistle putting a nimbleness in their step and creating a 45 meter done of silence around them. Sound could come in but it couldn't and wouldn't leave for 5 posts but she planned to have them out by them.

She expected to see Spectre soon as they dashed through the forest, silent to those outside the done bu ta noise sprint to those within it's influence. She made it so wide she he could increase his chances of stumbling in and finding them.

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

The wild fire spread quickly as the group of Taki nin went through the hole that Roar created. But that was fine with Kuroki because he knew how to both speed it up and slow it down. It was risky as hell to do this but it would leave the flames ones that he created. He had a plan to slow the fire down and give them more time. And even as he was throwing together hand seals another of the enemy's lives was ended. One could tell by the tell tale yelp and then strangled silence that followed. His miniature was effective in stealth and use of wire. Usually Soul silvers thanks to their lack of chakra and weak soul abilities rarely do large damage but Kuroki was different. And his wire was as deadly small or big.

When the hand seals were done he made his ghost fire reappear and set alight the oil. It took them a second because of their low temperatures but it did eventually alight. He basically was creating a fire break using fire. It was a common fire fighter technique that he was using. He knew the theory but never actually did this before. So it was partially effective but it did work. It slowed the fire, it gave his team time to get through to the other side. While he merely finished up by walking right through the wall like it wasn't even there.

He wasn't far behind the group of Taki nin as he followed his senses to reach them. He knew specifically Roar's wavelength from working with her to be able to hone in on its general location. With him followed the fog he was maintaining though at a weakened state as he couldn't pull the oil into the fog. He was draining his Chakra but he still had a bit left as he hadn't really done that much yet. He soul jutsus require very little energy and once engaged just worked for long periods of time. He made no sound and was barely a presence as he rejoined the tail of the Taki nin. "Lets get them out of here and find Yuri." His eerie voice would be the first sign of him being back with the group.

[The Roar of the Falls]

The smoky voice of Spectre was almost a chilling expectancy when he appeared almost entirely silent to the group, Isabella simply cracking a smile as he did so and entirely within the mindset of just going off to murder Yuri. "I'll drop them off at the gates but I need a shower. This oil rain has left me greasy in places I'd much rather not discuss." The mist followed him and effectively rolled through the forest noiselessly as she shrank the sound barrier to encompass simply the 8 Taki nin. 6 Strong, just as it should be finally. The two medics would get their honorable burial.

//exit

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Kuroki chuckled and shook his head. "I guess I should get clean up as well. It would do good to do some maintenance on my equipment anyways. Maybe we should stop by the tower for some up to date intelligence as well why we are at it. " Even after the harrowing running battle, he was completely comfortable again. His steps making very little noise for someone of his size. He reached down and grabbed one of the bodies from the clone and hauled it up on his shoulder. "I will take care of the carrying. " And with that his massive arms took the second and the weight was like nothing to him.

/exit

[Nekomata Minh]

-Both of you have been paid 37,500-