Shinobi Legends Forum
Roleplay => Hero's Guild => Village Square => Hunter's Guild => Topic started by: Hazama on December 20, 2015, 11:01:42 AM
-
Down one of the paths within Carne Forest was the opening to a dungeon carved into the side of a large hill. There was a slight clearing around the entrance of the cave, save for a few rocks. On one of the rocks sat the six foot and seven inch man atop a rock big enough for his form, legs crossed. He wore the elegant and symbolic outfit of the guild leader, it being a surprisingly strong and reliable piece of armor. What was to note more importantly was the white gauntlets over his hands, that were lean and sleek, complimenting his outfit. On his waist was a black case holding a long weapon, though the hilt was also beautifully designed. His crimson hair, which was like silk, came down only a few inches past his waist. He sat with his arms on his lap, taking a deep breath and meditating as he waited for the group of people to arrive. He had heard word from Palom that they should be on their way soon.
-
The raven haired Nara glided trough the forest, much like a bird as his feet barely touched the branches of the trees. He was glad to be out in the open air like this, his hair billowing behind him like the waves of the sea. He wore the basic Guild Armor, with his various weapons on display on his person, the amulet not as it was beneath his shirt for protection mostly. His crimson eyes caught of glimpse of the clearing the map had shown, it was just behind a cluster of trees ahead. A wide grin split his face as he jumped through the cluster, a small explosion of leaves would break around his body, signalling his entrance into the clearing. Unfortunately without another tree to land on, he came down to the floor of the clearing, about 10 yards away from where he spied the Guild Leader on the rock. He didn't know who he was, but his armor was awesome as hell and he seemed to be waiting for them. Knowing the expedition was assigned by the Guild Leader, he could only assume this was Athos. He walked a few yards closer to the man and gave him a bow, expecting his team to do the same. "Greetings Leader-sama, sorry to keep you waiting." Despite standing at 6 feet himself, he could already tell he was gonna be towered over by this mountain of a man.
-
Ichirou was close behind Jay as he traveled through the forest, choosing instead to stick to shadows of the ground, the treetops providing excellent cover as he moved through everything, Jay's entrance to the forest was followed quickly by the white haired wolfs, staying close behind him as he greeted the man that waited for the duo.
Of course Ichirou knew the identity of this man, though for the sake of anonymity he would shoot the Guild leader a smirk followed by a bow, but no words, instead he turned around to see if the third of the members were close behind them, sniffing the air a bit to see if he could pick up Ray's scent, provided that he was not just as close to the rest of the team as he was expected to be.
-
Just as the other two had, Ray himself was quickly in tow of the other as he arrived a few feet of the leader. Ray himself is dwarfed in height as he was only 5'10, and his ax was 6 feet long. He wore the guilds simple armor as it helped conceal his wounds from the earlier ent fight. His hair was short and blue, like his eyes, which may be a little odd but then again who isn't. "Hello guild leader, I think we are all ready to get the info on dungeon hunting."
-
As the group came clearly into view, the man would have opened his eyes and watched each as they bowed or gave their greetings. Of course, he knew one of the three men easily, though the details of that were unimportant. Once he had their attention fully, he would have moved to casually uncross his legs and then stepped off the rock, standing at that towering six feet and seven inch tall stature that he was infamous for. Out of the four people there, even Ichirou, Athos had more experience when it came to dungeon crawling, monster hunting, and things of the sort... But, then again, Athos was also a good many years older than anyone else here.
Athos offered them a charming smile before speaking,"It is a pleasure to finally get to meet all of you, especially the two new recruits. I heard you slew an Ent," Athos remarked as his eyes cast towards Ray as he let the man know that the Guild Leader had taken note of his actions,"Impressive stuff, Ray Iburi." His eyes fell onto Jay,"And you... A simple thief, eh?" Of course, the glimmer in his eyes and the way that they scanned the chain around his necklace, to the thing hidden beneath his shirt. He nodded his head at the man,"Know that I'm watching you closely, Jay Nara."
He established that he knew what the men had done, even something more secret such as the Amulet and what it may have been capable of, as well as other things. Of course, he tossed his eyes to 'Wolf' for only a moment before turning his attention back to everyone,"Now, obviously enough, you all have come here to learn the basic of dungeons. As well as get your feet wet. During this expedition, I don't want any of you trying to play hero. Dungeons exist to drag Heroes like us to our graves, don't think that they can't just because you're confident. It takes more than that to survive a dungeon, and even more than that to clear a dungeon." He nodded his head, gesturing to the cave opening behind him,"Basic standard procedure says that we stick close, usually with someone leading, the tank or shield, and someone in the back, the archer or strategist. It is also good to have someone to take command, like a leader," He gestured to himself before continuing,"But I will actually be trying to do the least amount during this expedition, unless the situation calls for it. This isn't for me to show off."
He took in a deep breath and addressed the men again,"Ray, I'll start off leading us but eventually, you'll be in front. Jay, I want you in the back with your bow. And 'Wolf', you can be in the middle with me." He nodded his head, golden hues scanning the faces of the men before him,"Questions, concerns, complaints?"
-
The prospect of not leading the group filled him with a feeling he had not completely identified yet. His crimson eyes cast a customary glance towards the mouth of the dungeon ahead, a question popping in his mind as he looked back to the man. "What type of monsters are inside? Their skills? Their weaknesses? How deep does it go? Is there a respawn system in place, or is it just a one and done?" Just cause he was wet behind the ears concerning the guild, didn't mean he was when it came to fighting monsters.
His eyes narrowed in thought as he tried to stretch his senses into the dungeon, but found nothing as of yet. He'd never been inside of a dungeon, but he could barely contain his excitement, a wide grin splitting his face, a row of sharp teeth making themselves known to those who could see them. He had one last question, his grin leaving his face. "How will we determine who gets what in the dungeon?" Were things split evenly or was the last hit to kill the one to get the reward? It was very important to know these things before he ventured inside with everyone else.
-
Ichirou cracked a undeniable smirk across his lips, he was loving this already and it was only going to get better. As the order of troops were established Ichirou would trigger his item seal to summon his bow, before seemingly breaking it into two pieces, the draw string retracting in to one of the ends as they released a distinct click and the edges of the now blades sharpened as if on command, he would then holster the weaponry onto a more convenient back holster that he had on his person
"Well. Provided that things within here can actually be sensed, I can set up a sensory field around us that will stretch a bit, it's not the best that could be done, but it's what I have to offer with my Paper ninjutsu as of right now." he commented, giving his strategic input to the situation. "Is there any chance we've got some form of idea of what is actually in there enemy wise? Also is it safe to assume that we're the first to ever step foot in here? If so, then that would mean that we should probably keep eyes open for traps, no? Seeing as there hasn't been anyone in there before to trigger them and die. Unless there has been." This was one of Ichirou's biggest concerns, sure he could fashion torches and things of the like and he assumed he wasn't the only one here who could do so, but the idea of traps attacking them from unknown directions and means meant that the structure itself bore an element of surprise. It was going to be difficult enough carving there was through the beasts that reside here, let alone having to worry about spikes and firetraps bursting out of the walls.
-
He grinned as the Guild Leader commended his fight with the ent and had one, of course the other two had already asked the questions he himself would have asked and feel it redundant to ask again."I will gladly take lead when told to sir. I am most confident in my abilities. And I can tank quite well due to my affinity to Earth and explosions."He would shoulder his Ax upon his right shoulder like it was nothing, though a person not used to the weight would find it strenuous to keep on their shoulder for any length of time.
-
Athos took in their questions, questions that he had mostly expected to get, and dismissed them all with a swipe of his head,"I've always been a 'hands-on' type of teacher, so you know. I will not tell you about the monsters, their weaknesses, or anything else about the Dungeon. While I have scouted out most of the first floor myself, most of the traps are inactive still, so that is also something to keep in mind. Of course, if I thought any of you had an overly large risk of death inside this dungeon, none of you would be stepping foot inside." He nodded again and then addressed the questions he would answer,"It is safe to tell you all that only the Byakugan can really help see them, seeing as monsters don't generate chakra, even if they can use elements. It's a weird phenomenon but one that can't really be explained. Which also means attacks that absorb chakra won't do you much good."
"The depth of the dungeon is unimportant, because we will only be exploring parts of the first floor. We aren't aiming to run into Mini-Bosses or anything crazy, just the basics. And while respawning is something of a slight concern, monsters respawn only after, no less than, twelve hours. And they time is further increased when the Guardian, or Boss, of the floor has been beaten." His eyes swept over the men once again before he nodded, gesturing for the group to take formation and then follow as Athos entered the depths of the dungeon.
-
'Twelve hours?...' The time limit of the respawn rang in his mind, plans of visiting the dungeon in his down time already being put in motion. First he'd have to survive this tutorial, which it will be called for now. He would have to find that out the fun way. As he began following the man, he thought about these Guardians, each floor had one. If the respawn time extended with its death, then it must control them in some way. He tucked that topic in the back of his mind and like Wolf, began moving his bow in preparation. Removing it from around him, he held it firmly in his left hand.
He still hadn't answered his last question, but that would have to be a hands-on experience as well. He had to match sure to keep track on the arrows he shoots and the ones in his quiver.
-
Ichirou nodded his head at the mention of hands-on teaching. Something that could be expected from someone like Athos. And he drew his swords once more as he stepped into formation, following in line as they would begin their trek into the depths of the structure. If the Byakugan was useful in the detection of these beasts, then it was possible that his Gelel sensing would be as well.. but that would be something that would need to be tested.
The mention that the beasts do not emit chakra lead Ichirou to believe that the only way the Byakugan would be useful in detecting them, is looking for 'voids' of chakra so to speak. But he couldn't be for sure quite yet. Either way there was one more question that he needed answered, as it was relevant to the safety of the team on this mission.
"What's the structural integrity like? If we go blowing things up with explosive tags or any other form of explosives, do we risk caving the dungeon in on us? Or breaching to lower floors?" Ichirou was keen on explosives, whether it be in one form or another. Though they weren't a necessary tactic to his combat strategy he would need this information to make sure he didn't put a comrades life in harms way.
He wondered just what they would encounter here, were they biting off more than they could chew? He doubted that. Even given the strength that these monstrosities possessed, it was safe to safe that a capable team had been assembled. One that could take on the challenges of the first floor of this dungeon, to say the least.
Or so he hoped.
-
He fell in behind the Guild Leader as they began their trek through the dungeon which would be new to him in every way, though he had a few other things going through his mind, he wouldn't let a distracted mind lead this team to failure. The monsters, from what he studied briefly studied about dungeons was that the weakest ones were on the beginning floors. Wolf's question about explosions did concern him as well."Since I use bakuton I do also wish to know the answer to Wolf's question."
-
As they moved into the dungeon, the tunnel slowly opening and increasing in size as they entered,"Breaking through walls isn't going to work, the ground is thick between the floors. It'd be a waste of time and energy by the time you even started making progress." Athos nodded his head as they moved, darkness slowly coming around them. From his pouch, though, Athos would pull out a torch that would burn brightly enough to fully give light to the area around them.
Once the entrance was far out of sight and the noises of the dungeon surrounded them, followed by the murky smell, he motioned for Ray to take the lead as he'd fall back into his place, still holding the torch.
-
From his position in the back, the Nara had to watch as his comrades disappeared into the darkness one by one, something he did not like in the slightest. He removed an arrow from his quiver and notched it by the time the entire area was illuminated. A relieved sigh escaped his lips, being in darkness caused his instincts to react on a very sensitive hair trigger. He didn't want to harm his teammates and cause any resentment to flow his way. Though he didn't participate in the talking like the others, he listened to every word and made mental notes of what was said. He kept his eyes peeled aura m ahead of them, turning his head to get everything in his sights, except of course his 6 o'clock, which he began channeling his ice chakra for such an emergency. If a monster decided to show it's face anywhere, it would find an arrow in it.
-
Ichirou sniffed the air, his training with Sunauto had given him the gift of the Shikyaku no Jutsu, that combined with his recent... body changes. Meant that he was passively becoming more feral as the Gelel Stone infused itself with his DNA. "I can smell them." he informed the rest as his eyes adjusted, his wolf like night vision assisting him in seeing through the darkness. He drew his twin blades and ran the edges across one another, much like a butcher would do before slicing into their pigs.
"I can smell blood too. Maybe deer blood? Do these things eat deer? How'd it even get in here?" he questioned, though it was both possible that whatever was eating had gone out to collect the deer, or that whatever he was smelling just bore the similar scent. Either way he remained in formation, taking quiet steps as he walked alongside Athos.
-
He took lead from Guild Leader as he fell back, and Ray himself took the front. He had his ax in a ready position as his right hand griped the lower part of the staff end, and his left gripped a few inches below the steel blades. He kept his guard up and his instincts on edge to react quickly to any possible ambushes. He also was absorbing the information that was spat out to the three of them so as he knows what to do.
-
Just as Athos was about to open his mouth to say something, a sound could start to be heard from in front of them. It was still a bit of distance away but the torch Athos had in his hand would illuminate the ground before them. Ray was preparing to step into sticky blood, suggesting that it wasn't exactly new but not old enough to be dried yet, either. The sound was an unmistakable sound; someone digging around inside of guts before tearing some out, then the sickening sound of someone chewing almost rabidly on whatever they had pulled out. But slowly this had turned into a chorus of sorts, suggesting there was more than one of whatever was up ahead.
As they got closer, Athos would gesture for Ichi and Jay to stop moving, having to tap Ray on his shoulder for him to stop moving and making sure to do so. From where he stopped them, the edge of Athos' light, granted by the torch, let them see a fraction of what was happening.
Just on the outside of the flame's light was a hunched over figure, which would have looked human, if not for the sick and dead looking blue color of skin. The thing was crouched on it's feet, it's heels pressing back against the skin tightly hugging it's formed as if trying to rip out the flesh. Of course, blood came from the thing that was being eaten, which was the destroyed and torn apart corpse of a deer. There was only one body and one deer, though, so there had to be more where they couldn't see, where the other sources of sound were.
Slowly the smells of dead deer and dead bodies could be smelt, especially by Ichirou and his strong nose. They had come up to their first encounter. Deciding to let Ray fully take the reigns on how to go about this, he'd perk a brow if the man had looked back at him, his face easily saying without speaking,'Well, what exactly do we do?'
-
Much like Ichirou, his senses were above average as well. An archer's senses had to be sharp, as well as their reflexes. And while his weren't on a supernatural level, they were good enough. The string of his bow had already been drawn and the arrow had already been aimed at the predator ahead, only their subtle action of the Guild Leader had halted any further action from him.
Though he loosened the range at which he had pulled the string back, to relax the structure of the bow, he still held it firmly. It was clear what the red headed man wanted, thus causing the Iburi to focus in his perspective. He was also curious about what he was going to choose. From his position, his arrow could easily whizz past Wolf's ear, Athos' shoulder, and lastly, Ray's hair. Sure there was a dangerous possibility of someone moving, but he had more than enough control to refrain from letting the arrow fly prematurely.
-
Ichirou licked his lips in anticipation as he heard the draw string of Jay's bow tense as it was pulled back, causing his to crouch low and ready his blades as he prepared for engagement of the enemy. Of course they were only waiting on the head of the squad to make the first move before the blood bath would begin, his feral stance ready to burst forth should it be necessary.
-
Ray took notice of the blood and made sure not to step in it to avoid making noise and leaving a possible track to be followed, though he wouldn't need to be told to stop as he stopped to hear the noises on his own. He heard the bow from Jay become strained, meaning he was ready to fire it, but as Athos looked at him he decided to take these creatures on. He turned to the group and would tell them their roles, hoping he wasn't overstepping boundries.
"Jay and wolf keep your weapons primed, Guild Leader you stay on alert in case we get in trouble,"Spoken quietly to avoid the creatures from hearing him he would continue with his own role."I will create a clone to go and attack them or to purposely stir the nest. We can't continue with them there."With that Ray would create a clone and sent it into where the light hadn't reached as it would swing the ax towards the one closest to where Athos' light reached.
-
Athos raised a brow at the direction given to him by Ray but nodded his head and waved his hand, stating that much was obvious. Though, as he made the clone and the attack came down, it'd strike the beast in the side of it's head.....
And as the first screech echoed, Athos' torch would go out, leaving the group in darkness. Ray's clone would find itself killed almost instantly, but a bite to the neck. But then more screeches followed the first, resonating with each other to create a high pitched noise. Those with sensitive hearing would find the noise unbearable, painful and temporarily robbing them of proper hearing...
And in the darkness, standing at six feet, skin against bone, surprisingly, and no less than a dozen and half beasts would come charging at the group. But not like fools, like a pack, working to surround the group before moving in for the kill.
-
Jay's muscles tensed as he watched the clone rushed towards the feasting creature. He imagined that it would be more of a silent strike in hopes of decapitating it, but that wasn't the case at all. It was made painfully obvious to the Nara that the creature wasn't entirely alone. Whatever had been near it, more than obviously seen it perished and alerted the entire pack.
The chorus of screeches sent the Nara into immediate action. With a rapid series of pulses(1) of wind chakra through the entirety of his arrow, he muttered his command and let the arrow fly towards the group with a soundless twang from the wire of his bow. His intention would be to not only lessen their numbers, but to prevent them from surrounding them.
Just as the light was snuffed out, along with the life of the flame sitting atop the torch, so would the sight of his attack. As the wind infused arrow impacted against the very first creature, the technique commanded into the wind chakra of the arrow would activate. At the very tip of contact, all the wind chakra would rush towards the tip of the arrow and spring out dozens upon dozens of razor sharp blades of wind(2) that would stretch out for 15 feet in every direction.
Also, along with the disappearance of their source of light, the Nara didn't stop his movements as he immediately reached for another arrow from his quiver. At the activation of his winded technique, he yet again sent pulses of chakra into the sturdy metal, this time the nature of the chakra was of frigid ice. The Nara wasted little time in muttering his command into the icy chakra and releasing the arrow towards the roof of the dungeon. The arrow flew with similar speed to the first arrow and jammed itself into the roof, the icy chakra would rush towards the roof and spread out like a wildfire above them for an incredible 25 meters. The chakra would obviously freeze the roof of the establishment, for at least a few inches thick, but the main point of the technique would come around the time the wind technique ended. The chakra, being emitted throughout the ice, would bring light(3) to the once brief darkness of the cavern.
1- Myaku Seikei (Pulse Shaping)
2- Futon: Sokuji Tekishutsu (Wind Release: Immediate Evisceration)
3- Hyoton: Hyoga Shomei (Glacial Illumination)