Merry Christmas Eve guys. It's been a long while. but I am still writing. Just...You know how stuff has been...Gets fricking annoying...Anyways enjoy this and please have a safe holiday and a safe weekend. Enjoy yourselves, the peace, and time with the family. Seriously. I will also keep writing this story until I reach where I want it to end. I won't mark an end or else I won't finish it because I get sad and even more attached. I've been working on this story for years and to end it...Is like watching the last episode of anything. It's always a sad time for me. Thanks for reading!
They came from a high cliff as soon as they broke what seemed to be a thick cloud of fog, ducking below any branches that might take their head as they soared, skimming the vast plains and tangled plexuses, weaving around the mountains, and mesas. The whole of the landscape seemed to be a jungle, rain forest, with verdant and bright sprawling plains, but their sensory perception did pick up chakra activity all around them. The duo skimmed away from that direction, climbing one cliff face and running low.
They moved under a rocky overhang and jumped down onto a broken path, then climbed out and walked to the forest edge, looking back at the mesa every now and again which grew smaller. The air had a curious electrical or magnetic feel to it, and the temperature was comfortable at the moment despite it being very humid. A strong breeze blew in their faces, carrying the taste and odor of their surroundings, and the occasional noises of creatures deeper in.
"Hold steady."
Yosuke gave a long sigh.
"Patience." Disuke reminded him.
"We shouldn't be long." Glad to be back on the low ground once again, Yosuke checked his surroundings, measured against the area where they had been, and started off, moving along a narrowing trail.
"We're crossing the border now...This is Domou and Subatsu land." Disuke said as he dropped low to the ground.
The surroundings rose into view.
Huge trees and boles of the landscape tried to hang above the clouds, including the thousands of meters of canopy. People could be seen emerging from and disappearing into the high-stacked clouds. Yosuke indicated a tree, tipped over on its side, its trunk heavily punctured by chakra blasts from the appearance of the gouges.
Connected to the downed trunk were a pair of earthen supporters that looked more like musical horns than jutsu.
"Hold..." Disuke said.
"Are they onto us?" Yosuke asked.
"No, not yet. We're clear. They're probably investigating what happened and piecing things together...They take measurements and make it all very accurate. If you paid them enough, they could probably show us where the Water damiyo will pinpoint his attack based on investigation skills alone."
Yosuke had heard as much. Inventive handiwork was the primary reason Domou and Subatsu frequently fell prey to encroachment recently, especially from the Sarutobi, who were turning into their most hated enemy along with the Hyuga. Skill, however, hadn't brought the Sarutobi, or the the clans who tried to encroach on their land before them. The territory was not only close to several major sea trade lanes, but also worked as an entry point to the Elemental Nations. A group of Subatsu and Domou scouts were said to have mapped routes that didn't even appear on Damiyo maps or widely available maps.
Their surroundings reverberated a repeating series of chirps, roars, cries, squawks, and buzzing.
"We're going to route. We want to set down near the jungle." Disuke said.
Yosuke nodded. "I'll have a clone communicate and relay."
Disuke threw a stoic look over his shoulder. "I've wanted to avoid coming to this place again. It's a hostile environment."
"Half the Elemental Nations would like to visit this place...But, nothing here caters to tourists. No luxurious accommodations."
Disuke shook his head. "They might be willing to provide a tent before they tell you to leave. If they don't cut off your head for trespassing."
"How many times have you been here?" Yosuke asked him.
Disuke thought about it, then shrugged. "More than twelve times. In between regular missions on our way back to the compound. We'd sometimes rest deeper inside."
"Can you understand the Subtasu like Hashirama-sama seems to understand them?" Yosuke asked.
Disuke's expression was only stoic. "I trusted them without a doubt in the heat of battle. Osen, Usagi, Ryoku, Hesui, Nagakura, Tsugi, Haji-they were always clever and knew about the blind spots...Then there was our uncanny ability to fuse our ninjutsu together into one super ninjutsu. Perfectly balanced and controlled I will add."
Yosuke frowned. "That's when the two tails had to be chased away right? Do we have some sort of ambassador?"
"That exact time. We won't be needing an ambassador yet. Things haven't reached the stage yet, and we have our own situation to help out with sales and trades."
"Who do we need to avoid in that case?" Yosuke got right to the point.
Disuke took a few minutes to answer. "Last time I was here...There were more than a few...But there was someone named Saji Subatsu. That's one man we must avoid at all costs."
"Do you mind me asking why?"
Disuke grunted audibly, almost as if he were insulted to some degree. "He killed five foes with one swift feint and movement of his blade. When he pulls his leg back and draws his blade...It's over."
Yosuke clicked his tongue, but managed to stay in good spirits despite the solemn warning. "That saves us time by a long shot dealing with a swordsman of that level..."
The duo began their trek into the dangerous surroundings, light fading as they walked below the canopy of the land's several thousand meter tall boles that moved into an area of majestic canyons and valleys, all crowned with vegetation and misting water from the coursing streams. Adjusting their course to stay mindful of the natural predators, Yosuke and Disuke guided themselves towards a lake shore that was knotted with vegetation and moss. Towering majestically over the expanse and the aquamarine lakes rose the verdant land, which consisted of clusters of giant, tiered boles, towering waterfalls, wide canyons, sprawling valleys, vast plains, and huge ravines that seemed to lead to a drier area in the far distance.
In his caution to avoid any nests, Yosuke nearly lost his footing, but was quick to recover with no sound, despite almost falling into the lake. Yosuke gazed at the trees and cliffs in awe. His hopes for finding any information notwithstanding, the Domou and Subatsu land rendered other countries he had visited mundane by comparison. The scene at the exotic forest entrances alone was impressive, with critters coming and going, and groups of predators and their packs resting with hundreds of different species.
The air was rich with the smell of oxygen and moisture, and loud with the drones of nearby flying insects. All of this activity and more was sequestered and dwarfed by boles and trees that seemed to reach to the very edge of the clouds. Yosuke had to catch his breath. The gargantuan size of everything made him feel like an insect in comparison. He was still gaping like a tourist when Disuke returned, accompanied by four clones of himself in short trousers and sleeveless shirts.
"We are in the clear for now." Disuke said, by way of introduction.
Yosuke nodded in response, but was clearly skeptical.
"It's a lot to take in the first few times. Even the insects here are larger than us. You must be careful and stick to the paths that were made." Disuke said.
"Yeah..." Yosuke trailed off.
"Hopefully it's our last time like this." Disuke added. Forcing himself to remain hyper alert more than usual, he eyed his surroundings. "This feeling?"
"We can't be spotted already...That's too fast. Besides we're still pretty far from either of the compounds. Those are more in the central part of this area where there's cover." Yosuke said quickly.
Disuke made no gesture or expression. "Don't underestimate anything here. It may not even be the Domou, Subatsu, or other former clans that get us...It could be one of the huge predators. If we disturb any nests we're as good as dead. They will empty out and chase us for miles without any intention of stopping. We can't carry as much as we are while we trek through this land...This place isn't like the Fire country or any country for the matter." Disuke finished.
"This more of a fact-finding mission." Yosuke realized, keeping his expression calm.
"Hashirama is very interested in knowing what is going on here and why they're so interested in making alliances with clans the way they have...What draws those clans here in first place...We have to at least deduce that. Anything more is a bonus." Disuke explained to Yosuke while some massive predators glared down at them from just several dozen miles away.
"Idle curiosity." Yosuke said of the packs, which only succeeded in eliciting rumbling growls from the packs before they ran away.
"They're scouting. There's more." Disuke said needlessly.
Yosuke looked into the wide valleys of the landscape he knew he'd never be able to budge with any jutsu. Peripherally he was aware that the confrontation had begun to draw the attention of other creatures lurking close by. multi legged, shelled, fanged, and clawed alike were suddenly interrupting their usual movements, and began turning toward the lake shore, then fixated on their position from their respective high grounds.
Quickly they both made up their mind to risk everything by swiftly sprinting into the tangled plexus.
"We're better off in here. They can't keep our scent." Disuke said just loud enough to be heard.
From the way the older man tilted the hilt of his sword upward, Yosuke grasped instantly that Disuke was readying for an attack. They kept their weapons sheathed, but at the same time their expressions of wariness softened somewhat. Disuke shifted his footing a fraction before relaxing while Yosuke shifted his hilt so it was more parallel.
"Now, the idle curiosity explanation isn't enough to explain it...Don't you think? I mean, considering the fact those pack hunters all scattered..."
Yosuke nodded, then centered his gaze on the surrounding terrain. "Maybe if we took provisions as if we were going against the Inuzuka and their Ninken, then we'd on the happy side of the gaseous assault."
Disuke scanned the land even more carefully, striding swiftly through the knots and tangles, staying on the one narrow path that was barely visible beneath his feet. "It is useless to anticipate to that degree here. Even if we were to use those...That would only attract other predators or critters. It may bring out the centipedes, and those are the last things we want to be dealing with here."
"I meant as provisions." Yosuke said.
"So it's just you, then?"
"I'd like to hope not." Yosuke said before Disuke could finish. The landscape shifted and writhed as a gust of wind blew across.
Disuke looked from Yosuke to the shifting landscape. "Now you have me a little curious. To anticipate like you have is to invite disaster Yosuke."
Yosuke mulled something over, then looked to Disuke. "Hashirama-sama pointed out that we should be prepared for anything. We can handle ourselves of course, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take the extra precautions..."
Disuke smirked a little. "You should check your information more carefully. If we were to take all of those precautions where we are right now...We'd be winded by some creature or a nest. The less we have like that here the better off we're going to be."
"I'd still feel better." Yosuke cut in. "We could at least create a perimeter, just the way we always used to when we were allied with the Subatsu."
"A perimeter" Disuke questioned.
"The very same kind we'd use before." Yosuke explained. "It kept a barrier around us of at least three hundred feet."
"And what of the blind spots? There's only two of us here. You're going off past formations when there were at least ten of us. The Subatsu aren't here with us and they aren't our allies." Disuke said quietly.
The two fell into a silence, before sweeping over the landscape once more, their eyebrows slowly moving up in surprise.
"Apparently, there's been some heavy travel in this location. If you look here, you can see track marks."
Yosuke stopped in his tracks, nearly tipping over a tree root. "Has there been travel in here recently?"
"It's been quite some time...These tracks are old. After the last of the enemies left this land before...The Subatsu searched the local area for any stragglers, but none could be found at that point."
"Was there genjutsu at play?"
Disuke shook his head. "It could have been...However, the Subatsu train to repel genjutsu from a young age...The chances of them falling for it are closer to none than slim."
The landscape shifted again with another gale. Yosuke listened attentively while keeping himself calm. "There's a chance it was."
Disuke looked at Yosuke, eyes narrowed in observation. "What makes you think so?"
Yosuke stared at the gnarled ground beneath him. "There were rumors circulating that Daiki Hyuga, Hajime Hageshii, and several other clan leaders led an attack on this land in the central part of it. There was also the rumor of Arata trying to goad the Hagoromo into an attack..."
"Oh?"
"Same rumor has it Arata was killed by assassins in Kumogakure."
"Now that doesn't seem right...Arata was always resourceful." Disuke said from his side.
Yosuke looked thoughtful if a bit torn. "He's an Uchiha with the Mangekyo Sharingan. He was the First Raikage...So I put nothing past him...However, that village of Kumogakure is more than a force to be reckoned with...Even as it stands right now."
Disuke broke the noise that descended on the surrounding area. "If Arata is alive, then there's a chance he'll stroke the flames of the Water damiyo or another haughty noble. He'll make himself known once more before we discover him. When that happens we will see what he's been doing all of this time...If he was really assassinated or if it's something else."
Yosuke felt confident. "What should we do now?"
"I suppose we'll continue our search since we're still in the clear." Disuke said.
"Should we pull back if things get too hectic?"
Disuke nodded. "Hashirama-sama's orders are to do just that."
As the duo marched through the jungle, they noticed the sun beginning its descent through the canopy. They had been walking for hours with moderate rest periods beneath its heat. The small clearing they had been in, and the trees that towered over it were far behind them. They had been reduced to mere specks on the landscape. If they were to look back, they wouldn't have been able to make them out in the fading light. They marched onward in their mission. The blazing heat and dreaded humidity hadn't slowed them, neither would high temperatures that remained in place despite the sun setting and light mist coming through the high canopy.
Physical discomfort, cold, heat, thirst, hunger, fatigue, had no significant effect on them at this point, with their severe mental training and being sustained by chakra. Still, Yosuke was troubled. He remembered the first time he'd set foot on this land. He sensed the power. This land was alive with chakra. Yet the feeling had been faint at times, despite the fact it always sweltered. Always making one adjust their sensory perception to account for the subtle fluctuations that were far beneath the surface.
During his time resting here, Disuke grew so accustomed to the almost subconscious hum that he noticed it even right now. When they left the clearing behind, he was expecting that feeling to grow stronger. With each step drawing him closer to the central part, he thought he'd feel chakra growing in its intensity. Instead he felt the same hum. No noticeable change at all. He was only a few kilometers away from a massive valley's entrance. He could see the shaded outlines of the nearest boles carved out to form shelters and rest spots for those traveling. And still the chakra was no stronger than a hollow echo, no more than the lingering memory of distant words spoken in the distant past. A past he was part of not too long ago.
Pushing his doubts and reservations aside, he kept his pace even with Disuke.
He wanted to reach a valley or clearing before complete darkness.
He could use chakra as a light source to find his way if it became absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, their light would act like a beacon in the darkness, signaling their location to anyone or anything. Yosuke was confident he could survive almost any encounter, but there were things that lurked in the valleys whose attention he would rather not attract. The last few rays of light still hung in the air when he finally reached his destination. The valley lay sprawled out before him, hidden beneath the cover of twilight's fixture.
He briefly considered stopping for the night and making camp until dawn, then rejected the idea since Disuke was still keen on moving. Day or night would make no difference once they were inside the valleys. He'd have to use chakra no matter what time it was to see clearly. And now that he was finally here he was too alert to see what he could find to put it off any longer. He chose the nearest tree that had been carved out, the only one he could actually make out in the dim light.
Like all the boles, this one had been dug out from sides that boxed in the valley on either side. The grand archway at the entrance had been built out from the valley's face, but the chambers that housed the remains wound their way deep into the darkness. As he got closer, he could make out intricate writing carved into the archway.
He paused at the entrance, taking in the air of forbidden mystery.
He still sensed no change in the chakra.
"I'm going in." Yosuke said.
"Be mindful of your thoughts and memories when you do go in there..." Disuke said.
"Is there genjutsu in here?"
Disuke only remained stoic as he replied. "Only the memories and emotions you carry with you."
"Right..."
Stepping up to the entrance, he was shocked to see that the great stone slabs of doors had been split apart or moved over. He ran his fingers along the edges of the clean slice that bifurcated. Smooth. Worn. Whoever had broken the door had done it long ago. Yosuke stood up straight and marched through the shattered portal. He made his way down the long entrance tunnel, moving slowly through the darkness. Half a dozen meters in, the darkness became absolute, so he pulled out a glow rod and activated it. An eerie blue light filled the natural tunnel, sending a small swarm of deadly bugs scurrying for refuge beyond the dim circle of illumination.
They had been stalking him, closing in from all sides. He could still sense them there, lurking in the shadows all around him, but he wasn't afraid. After all, it wasn't the light keeping them at bay. These bugs, like many of the creatures indigenous to this land, were attuned chakra. They would have sensed his arrival with Disuke even before he entered the tomb. His power would inevitably draw them in. Yet it also kept them and their paralyzing bites at a safe distance. Instinctively, the bugs could sense the sheer scope of his power. They were wary of him. They wouldn't come close enough to actually attack him, making them nothing more than a nuisance.
Larger predators, especially the pack roaming ones might pose a real threat due to their coordination abilities and their refusal to back down once they locked their sights on their prey. But he'd deal with them if and when the time came if Disuke didn't beat him to it. Right now he was more concerned with the potential dangers the builders of this tree shelter might have left behind. These havens could be brimming with fiendishly lethal traps. The worst of them would be the pits where swarms would await their next meal to drop in.
Yosuke spread his chakra sense out around him in a sphere, carefully probing the walls, ground, and ceiling in front of him for anything out of the ordinary. He was relieved, and slightly disappointed, to discover nothing. Part of him had hoped he would stumble across an undiscovered chamber, something the Domou, Subatsu, or whoever had been here missed in their departure.
He continued down the tunnel, winding his way past various chambers where the clothes and provisions would have been situated, along with any weapons that would have been used. The rooms held no interest for him. He wasn't a grave robber like some rogue ninja who made their way by robbing the tombs of nobles and their descendants.
Instead he continued deeper and deeper until he reached the central chamber itself.
The bugs and insects matched his progress, endlessly circling just beyond the invisible sphere cast by his chakra. The high pitched squeak of pincers and mandibles scratched at his ears, almost frustrating him as much as he was frustrating the swarms. All of them were powerless to attack him, yet they were irresistibly caught up in the potency of his chakra. The chamber was easily identifiable by the enormous stone pillars in the center of the room, resting atop a long, stalagmite-like extension of the tree.
It was little more than a shadow on the fringes of his perception, but it filled him with a sense of both fear and awe.
Still using his acute chakra perception to scan for traps, he cautiously approached the innermost of the central chamber, his trepidation growing as the blue light washed over it to reveal more and more details. The stone was carved with symbols similar to Fuinjutsu, but these weren't the characteristic gridlock seals of the Uzumaki. These stood out as starkly, fierce, and sharp strokes.
He couldn't read the unfamiliar calligraphy or identify the person who made this from the craftsmanship, yet he knew this was a place that had once been a command post. He reached the platform, and looking down he noted that it stood a little higher than his mid thigh. He put one foot on it, then reached out to grip a protruding edge of one of the carved symbols on the side of the platform itself. He half expected to receive a spray of venom or shock of steam, but all he felt was the cold stone beneath his palm.
Using his hold to maintain his balance, he hauled himself up so that he was standing with both feet on the platform, looking down at the top of the platform. To his surprise, he could now see that the stone slab sealing the storage away from prying eyes was completely destroyed. Whatever had been inside was gone, replaced by rubble, dust, and a few bits of old parchment that might once have been the sealing scrolls housing weapons or other projectiles.
He stepped down from the platform. Slowly, he turned in half a circle to survey both sides of the chamber, as if he expected to find something lying in a corner. Knowing there was nothing left to find he made his way out of the chamber and slowly back out into the jungle where Disuke was patiently waiting for him. He took a moment to compose himself accordingly and take note of his surroundings. Despite it being dark under the canopy where they were, with his acute chakra sense and five senses, his awareness wasn't limited or hindered by the lack of light.
Disuke looked at the young man, gauging him carefully. "Satisfied?"
Yosuke blinked in realization, slowly turning his focus to the older man. "You were in there before?"
Disuke grunted with a nod.
The sound of the canopy breaking jarred Yosuke and Disuke from their restless alerted state. They had curled themselves awkwardly in so nothing could get to them without them being able to spot it first, and now something big was moving around. There were plenty of places to lie down and hide their position, but they both knew if whatever that was, was hungry enough, it'd search for them. Their adrenaline levels were still high from remaining alert, with some quick movements they had managed to stay ahead of the dangerous creatures that lurked.
As Disuke continued to gaze up he noticed the enormous winged creature circling high above the canopy, hunting for food. At the same time, the hunter noticed him. Folding its wide leathery wings tight against its body, it dropped into a dive headed straight for him. Disuke regarded the creature with a cool, analytical precision as it speared toward him. This was one of the aerial predators that ruled the skies of this land at night. The same ones that the Subatsu warned them sternly about.
Their appearance was deceptive of their brutal nature. With violet feathers, a long, thick tail, and heavily muscled body and legs, it would give even the Bijuu a hard time.
A sharp beak and narrow head sat atop a brawny neck. It had tiny avian eyes with a wide jaw full of jagged yellow teeth. Just by looking at its sheer size Disuke estimated this one to be at least twenty meters in length from nose to tail with a wingspan of at least forty meters . A full‐grown specimen easily large enough to take down anything it wanted to. An instant before the beast swooped in to snatch him up with its razor‐sharp talons, he reached out with his chakra making it a binding chain and took hold of the monster's throat, attempting to dominate the brute with his own will.
He had done this once before, to a hulking monster that had terrorized several countries. But this winged fiend was stronger than he anticipated, and the beast shrugged off his efforts as it let loose a bloodcurdling shriek and slammed the earth collaring jutsu into the canopy, nearly yanking the jutsu clear out of Disuke and disrupting his concentration. It shot around, its feet lunged forward to impale Disuke with one enormous claw, only to be deflected by the impenetrable shield Yosuke threw up. Instead of being skewered and carried away, Disuke was sent flying backward by the momentum of the creature's dive and backlash of the jutsu being obliterated into dust.
He hit the ground and rolled several times before springing back to his feet, uninjured thanks to his newfound physical prowess.
"Be careful. That thing nearly ripped my jutsu." Disuke hissed.
Yosuke had the decency to look confused as he skidded to a stop near his comrade. "What do you mean ripped?"
Disuke gestured to the collar still latched around the neck of the flying beast. "It slammed into the canopy and when it did that, my jutsu extended as far as it could."
"Can it absorb chakra?" Yosuke questioned.
"I doubt it. I think it's aware of chakra...This can't keep going."
They watched it hurl itself back up just above the canopy, readying for a second attempt to dive down and seize its stubborn prey. Yosuke and Disuke reached out, kneading their chakra into earth and bringing their combined will down with the crushing force of giant sledgehammers around the winged foe. The beast's body tensed under the impact of their binding assault, and it screamed a piercing cry of fury that split the sky and reverberated over the treetops for the entire distance.
"Fucking wretched..." Yosuke seethed, knowing that shriek got the attention of everything.
This time, however, with their combined efforts, they succeeded in their efforts to battle the beast's strength with their own. It circled twice again, trying to snap the jutsu, but Yosuke kneaded as much chakra as was needed, keeping the jutsu stable and active. It shrieked once more and smashed into the land beside them, plowing through trees and chucking up clay as it snapped the jutsu in two, startling both of them for just a moment.
At an unspoken command, it staggered struggling to gather its bearings.
An instant later it spread its wings and took to the air, climbing higher and higher.
"Damn that monster..." Yosuke growled, wiping the mud dripping from the crown of his brow. "It ripped the jutsu just like you said."
Disuke glared at the shrieking monster now making its descent.
He focused his chakra, channeling it. Above them the beast grew in size until it completely filled their vision. Only a few hundred feet separated them from its maw, a sliver of a distance. Already Yosuke could feel the faint gravitational pull of the draft kicked up by the wings trying to draw them in. Driven by Disuke's relentless will, the chakra speared forward, gaining speed and elevation with every second. Disuke began to summon every ounce of his willpower, letting it build until the last possible instant.
Then, the earthen spear cleaved through the monster like a knife, splitting it in half, and spurred the beast forward with its own momentum, and a second later its body broke free of its spinal base and plunged into the jungle with a thunderous and bloody thud. A spray of gore, bones, and other fluids scattered through the air and made audible splattering sounds as they hit anything solid. Yosuke clenched his teeth and covered his mouth the best he could as a cloud of dust, gore, and dirt reached out towards him minutes later, coating both him and Disuke in a fine powder.
The clouds of debris drove the weary men from the sheltering confines of the canopy. Leaving most of the blood and gore behind, they ran through the trees, a mad scramble to escape the choking atmosphere. They managed to stay just ahead of the deadly clouds, eventually bursting out of the plexus and into the rocky plains.
The trail was narrow and steep, but they were around clean air. A shrill shriek split the air, startling them both out of their daze. Yosuke's foot slipped. He nearly tumbled but caught his balance, as a bunch of ground fell loose, bouncing down the side of the hill into a small pool of water. Without a second thought he drew out his sword but did not swing it.
He moved along cautiously down a bend in the path, growling when he caught sight of a large, lizard-like creature coming for them, its huge fangs dripping lines of drool. It stood on strong hind legs, its little forelegs twitching eagerly.
"Control." Disuke warned through stern lips.
Their blades beamed to life with chakra, and Yosuke dived down to the side, slashing back as he pivoted, while Disuke threw himself forward, both opening the creature's sides from foreleg to hind. The creature slammed into the ground, forcing itself to turn, but as it staggered in pain, it overbalanced and fell off the trail, plummeting hundreds of feet and shrieking all the way. Neither Yosuke nor Disuke had time to watch the descent of the beast, for another dozen of the pack appeared, coming at them fast, their toothy maw open wide.
Disuke filled that maw with with an earthen blade, slicing through teeth and gums, driving the blade right through the back of the creature's head. He pulled hard to the side, the blade carving the beast's skull clean through, and turned to face yet another three leaping beasts. He struck one as he turned out of its range, slicing open its hind leg.
Falling back and down, he let the duo of lizards fly past, then he came up immediately and started to pursue.
Yosuke stopped, reversed his grip, and stabbed out behind him, impaling a fourth creature before it could get the jump on Disuke. He spun about, flipping the weapon from his right hand to his left, then slashed it out the side of the dying beast as he completed his transition, coming right around to face the one that had leapt past Disuke. The creature circled slowly, sizing him up, and Yosuke turned with it, but kept his eyes and ears scanning the area for the rest of the pack. He thought perhaps the creature would scare off, and with several of its companions lying dead on the rocks and one having gone over the cliff, he expected it it to flee.
But, this fierce beast didn't run. It charged, jaws snapping so hard and fast saliva flew in great globs. A sidestep and diagonal slash had the creature's head rolling free on the ground.
"That's not good..." Disuke remarked after a while, when he was confident that no more of the pack hunters were stalking them.
He sheathed his sword and moved along quickly, and soon after rounded the corner of the mesa. A great verdant land spread out wide before him with many towering, giant shapes in the far distance, indistinguishable in the growing darkness. Yosuke focused some chakra into his eyes and peered across the expanse the best he could. He saw a cluster of great trees-not sprawling branched behemoths that towered into the clouds like those he had seen covering the landscape, but shorter.
A knead increased the magnification of both size of the pupil and available light to go through, and he scanned slowly to the side. Tree lines, jagged mountain edges, scores of them, lined the surrounding area, settled on the plain's and forest's edges to leave a ghastly message. Yosuke watched in amazement as another valley rose beside one growing swath of darkness that had been the landscape. Another plexus rose to the side, and again, thousands of boles formed knots across the landscape, and that one, now filled with destruction and gore from battle, was clear as day before him.
"Unbelievable. That's what we did..." He muttered and he looked to the carnage, trying to gauge the amount of time they had before dawn, wondering if they could make the run before the light found them.
If they quickly worked their way through and around the tangled vegetation, Disuke realized they'd be able to stay concealed, for how long he couldn't guess considering the attention this battle would draw, and so he shrugged and stepped ahead, closing his eyes and finding his calm. Then he leapt out, lifting himself with chakra to increase strides. He hit a tree branch at some point many feet ahead, but sprang away and fell again, and again, half bouncing, half flying his way down the plexus. The sun was still below the eastern rim, though the land was beginning to lighten around him, when he reached the grandest clearing towering with a cliff and massive waterfall.
The duo quickly scaled upward, but neither had no intention of going anywhere near that waterfall's immediate vicinity. Using chakra and their own finesse, the two bounded upward, until they came to a small incline that branched away from the waterfall. Disuke took the lead, slipped in silently and moved from shadow to shadow, then ducked behind another as he heard the approach of a pair of strange-looking creatures.
He couldn't help but see the contrast between this place and everywhere else. Where each country was a work of art, unique, all rounded and smooth, all rough-edged, all sharp corners and strictly pragmatic designs, this place was better put as primeval and harsh. It was not civilized. It was not a place for people.
The duo finally came to an opening, sharp noises and smashing sounds echoing up from it. They dropped to the ground and looked all about, then crawled and peered over the edge. A battle. A huge assembly of pack hunters and other nocturnal beasts, lay below, in a wide-open area warring for supremacy. They followed their instincts along the maze, at last coming to a vast clearing with rough-styled arches for a canopy.
Without hesitation they both started across, moving swiftly, shadow to shadow, gap through gap, sensing that something or someone was near them.``