Name: Tatsuya Kesshoukei
Age 22
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Birthday: December 22nd
Zodiac Signs: Capricorn
Height: 6’2
Weight: 175 lb.
Eye Color/Shape: Captivating blue eyes.
Hair Color/Style: Naturally wavy light-blue hair, extends down to the jaw.
Skin Tone/Build: White skin with little tanning. Athletic.
Unique Features: No matter where he goes, Tatsuya keeps a teardrop-shaped gemstone made of sapphire around his neck on a strongly-made chain.
Written Description: Tatsuya is a prime example of Kirigakure’s effect on your skin. Due to the lack of sun in the Land of Water, Tatsuya’s skin never got much sunlight. As a result, his skin is fairly white, with little sign of tanning. His eyes are sharp, colored with a captivating sky blue. He has a small nose, and pearly white teeth(although his smile is hard to catch). He has naturally wavy light-blue hair that extends down to the jaw. The hairstyle also hides the ears. Tied tightly around Tatsuya’s forehead is his Otogakure headband. While acting as a representation of his allegiance, the headband also serves to keep Tatsuya’s wavy hair away from his eyes.
Tatsuya wears very simple clothing. Tatsuya can typically be seen wearing his casual clothing. He sports a regular white t-shirt. On top of that, Tatsuya wears a navy-blue cloak with black on the inside. The cloak is shorter than most, cutting off just above the elbows for the sleeves, and for the body, cutting off just below Tatsuya’s read end. The cloak also has a chin-high collar. While Tatsuya has long-sleeved cloaks otherwise identical to this one, the short-sleeved cloak is his prefered outfit. He wears semi-loose black pants. These are tucked into the bandages that wrap around his leg. For footwear, Tatsuya has the traditional ninja shoes, colored black.
Around Tatsuya’s neck is a very special accessory. While it has no meaning to others, the necklace means the world to him. Attached to a strong chain is a chunk of sapphire shaped into a teardrop. This necklace was the last gift given to him by his beloved Akane, shortly before her untimely assassination. Now, it serves as a memorial piece of her that Tatsuya keeps with him at all times. Tatsuya also wears two gauntlets to cover his arms. These gauntlets are black with dark-blue fingertips. The right hand is actually covered by the legendary Petrification Gauntlet, an object passed down through Tatsuya’s family for centuries. In the middle of the back of the hand lies a bump. This covers the eye of the gauntlet. When closed, the regular design of the gauntlet covers the eye to hide it. The other gauntlet has been made to act as a perfect replica to the Petrification Gauntlet(minus the abilities, of course). When opened, the Petrification Gauntlet has a bright orange eye possessing a snake-like slit for a pupil.
Picture(s):
NOTE: BIG PICTURES INCOMING!
- Spoiler:
The guy above with the gauntlet below attached
Faceclaim?: N/A
Personality; Tatsuya is a confident individual. Through his years, he built a sense of superiority over most people. Of course, this doesn't extend towards everyone. People of importance such as the Otokage or a teacher(assuming they actually teach him) do not face his feelings of superiority. It's something that applies more to those below him in rank, equal in rank, or even just from a different village at times. In recent times, he has matured past arrogant outbursts from his superiority complex. Although it’ll certainly be in his thoughts, Tatsuya has trained himself to keep it under control, and will normally only let it out intentionally to those who he has reason to not address with a polite tone.
Tatsuya isn't one to be impressed by the strength of an opponent easily. Often times, he'll simply consider his opponent's action 'alright' and nothing more. There are exceptions to this, of course, but the words previously mentioned hold true for most usual situations. When given the opportunity in a spar or some sort of training, he'll occasionally begin to critique their moves. It's so much more fun when the opponent grows angry. In combat, however, he prefers to keep to himself, and focus on the task ahead. What’s the point in talking to a soon-to-be-corpse, anyway? It’s not worth his time in most cases.
Tatsuya isn't particularly nice or mean. He lies on a line in between the two. As relationships begin to grow, he'll lean towards one side. That lean isn't large, though. It won't make him the nicest person in the world. It's more of a nice-ish personality, I guess you could say. This is thrown off-scale in the face of great men commanding of respect. For men such as the Otokage(a man whose strength has been seen by Tatsuya first-hand), Tatsuya’s respect extends towards the kind side of the scale. If the person is commanding of respect, it’d most likely be in Tatsuya’s best interest to be on their good side.
Although he doesn't care for making sure everyone loves him enough to not harm him, he knows the boundaries he shouldn't cross to keep the situation in his best interest. If he sees it in his best interest not to enrage a particular person, and he is already on the path to accomplishing that, by all means he'll try and resolve the situation with a change of attitude. In the end, everything comes down to shaping the situation into one that is ideal for Tatsuya’s own personal agenda. In this perspective, he could be called a bit of an actor: storing away his true ideals and absorbing a different persona for the purpose of poking the situation into his direction.
While Tatsuya himself holds no strong bonds with the village of Otogakure, he does have his reasons for defending it. Tatsuya’s deceased lover, Akane, was born within the Land of Rice Fields. The family had lived in perfect happiness while she grew up. Eventually, she arrived in Kirigakure to walk the path of a shinobi(causing her to meet Tatsuya). Tatsuya had never felt a strong bond to the village of Kirigakure. It was a home, sure, but that was all it ever was to him: a place to live. When Akane was later assassinated by the Kirigakure ANBU for false accusations of being a spy, Tatsuya was told she was killed on a mission. When he later learned the truth, his ideals found themselves speared through. His desire to defend Akane’s “home” of Kirigakure went down the drain, and he found anger and hatred for their crimes. Otogakure had been the only true home Akane had. With nowhere else to turn, and nothing left to defend, Tatsuya set his sights on Otogakure, establishing it as his new home. To honor Akane’s memory, Tatsuya fights for the defense of Otogakure, and bears a burning hatred for the men of Kirigakure. Their sin is unforgivable. The days of friendship between Tatsuya and Kirigakure have come to a close.
He's more about his own well-being. If something is in his best interest to do, then he'll do it. Tatsuya places himself above everyone else. He'll protect his allies, definitely, but throwing himself into the path of death for their life is something he just wouldn't do. In his opinion, other people are almost never worth that much. This goes hand-and-hand with his superiority complex. It is for this reason that Tatsuya enjoys bettering himself in all regards, anything to give him an edge in this crazy world. Tatsuya’s strength to survive is admirable. He has a will of steel, one that pushes him up every time he falls.
Likes/Dislikes:
Likes:
- Otogakure
- Scenery
- Paintings
- Tea
- Training
- Being the best
- Making a name for himself
Dislikes
- Kirigakure
- Obnoxious brats
- Failure
- Alcohol
- Oppression
Nindo: Live on and fight ‘till the body stops pumping.
Catch Phrase N/A
Place of Birth: Kirigakure no Sato.
Resident of: Otogakure no Sato.
Class: Shinobi
Rank: Jounin
Job: N/A for now.
Title: N/A, Previously known in Kirigakure(six years ago) as “He who claimed Zanaan’s testicles.”
Element(s): Doton, Raiton, Shouton, Fuuton, Suiton
Combat Skills(s): Jounin - 125 Total
*Ninjutsu - 41
*Bukijutsu (weaponry) - 41
*Sensory - 43
Stats: Jounin - 210 Total
*Strength - 13
*Constitution - 16
*Stamina - 50
*Agility - 50
*Dexterity - 50
*Wisdom - 31
Clan/Bloodline: Kesshoukei - Crystal Release - Clan Leader
Special Abilities:Major: Kesshoukei Clan Leader - Access to the Kesshoukei’s bloodline, Crystal Manipulation.
Major: Crystal Proficiency - Throughout his youth, Tatsuya was regarded as the rising star of the Kesshoukei bloodline. Countless hours of practice with Crystal Release have given Tatsuya a bonus 50% off on the Chakra usage of Crystal Release techniques.
Major: Legendary Artifact - Owner of the Legendary Artifact, the Petrification Gauntlet. This item has been passed down through his family for generations, and now resides with Tatsuya.
Major: One-handed seals - Due to Tatsuya’s heavy practice in Ninjutsu to effectively use his bloodline, Tatsuya developed the necessary chakra control to use one-handed seals.
Flaws:Major: Kesshoukei Weakness - Although the Kesshoukei bloodline allows for the crystallization of substances such as Water, Earth, and Wood, energy-based techniques such as those of Fire and Lightning are unable to be crystallized.
Major: Whoops, was I slacking off again? - Even though Tatsuya enjoys training, he has a tendency to slack off on occasion. Tatsuya starts with no XP bonus.
Major: Water? Let’s not … <.< - The element of water, being the signature element of Kirigakure, does not hold Tatsuya’s favor due to this connection. Tatsuya’s hatred of Kirigakure extends to the water element, requiring twice as much experience to learn techniques of this element.
Major: Ehh, money isn’t that important … - Tatsuya, being the simple guy that he is, does not feel the need to gather much money. Therefore, 50% of all earnings are immediately deposited back into the Otogakure banks.
Family Members: Takanori Kesshoukei -
Relationship: Father
Age: 45
Previous Occupation: Chuunin of Kirigakure; retired when Tatsuya was eight, then became the founder of “Kesshoukei’s Krystal Jewelry” in Kirigakure
Current Occupation: Working at his private Jewelry shop in Otogakure
Nene Kesshoukei -
Relationship: Mother
Age: 44
Previous Occupation: Academy Instructor of Kirigakure; retired at Tatsuya’s birth
Current Occupation: Assistant at her husband’s private Jewelry shop in Otogakure
Rya Kesshoukei -
Relationship: Younger brother
Age: 13
Previous Occupation: N/A
Current Occupation: Genin of Otogakure
Kamereon Kesshoukei -
Relationship: Younger brother
Age: 13
Previous Occupation: N/A
Current Occupation: Genin of Otogakure
Midori Kesshoukei -
Relationship: Younger sister
Age: 13
Previous Occupation: N/A
Current Occupation: Genin of Otogakure
Backstory: In the midst of all Kirigakure’s struggles in this violent world of the shinobi, two beings found a road that belonged to them both. Takanori and Nene Kesshoukei, two Chuunin of Kirigakure, met and were stuck by love at first sight(at least, that’s how Nene always tells Tatsuya that it happened). Fortune allowed no grief to fall upon the two; their lives were not their own anymore, but crucial to another. Death did not come knocking for these two fortunate shinobi. After a couple years of undeniable love, news arrived that left the two in tears: they had a baby on the way. A child was all the couple had ever wanted, and their joy radiated for miles. In preparation of the baby, Nene retired from their ninja careers. The life of a shinobi was a dangerous one-- now that a baby was on the way, she could not bear the thought of death. Takanori also had the idea to do this. However, he knew a source of income would be needed, and at the time, the path of the shinobi seemed to be a stable source. Time seemed to fly by for the two lovebirds. It seemed like only a few months before the baby was born. The baby boy was given the name Tatsuya. Tatsuya Kesshoukei.
Growing up, Tatsuya lived a pretty uneventful life. His family met no great catastrophes that invoked an incurable wrath. They just lived that simple life. Tatsuya was different than the other kids. He seemed to grow up faster than the others. While they all invested their time making “Vroom!” noises with their toy cars, Tatsuya found no such interest. Becoming of his eventual personality, Tatsuya already began his quest to better himself. His time was spent learning to read, write, and other essential human skills. His progress was far above that of other children. This was because of two reasons: 1) Tatsuya was naturally blessed in intelligence, and 2) His mother was an Academy Instructor, so she had training with instruction. Due to this outburst of intelligence, Tatsuya had plenty of time as a youngster for additional learning. While other children were still learning those basic life necessities, Tatsuya had already began learning the knowledge taught in the academy. Tatsuya did not have any concrete ideas of what he wanted to accomplish with his life, so he simply rolled with the hand given to him. This landed Tatsuya in the Ninja Academy of Kirigakure.
When Tatsuya entered the classroom, he soon found disappointment in the material that was taught. The introductory information that the classroom went over was the exact same course his mother had put him through. Seeing as most of the information had already been drilled into Tatsuya’s memory, he often dozed off, hardly paying attention. Of course, he still managed to score very well on every single graded assignment. Lucky for him, Tatsuya also developed a strong natural instinct as a child, gifting him in the combat academy students participate in. This furthered Tatsuya’s reason to pay little to no attention in class. Slowly but surely, as the days went on, a superiority complex began to grow. Tatsuya acknowledged the fact that he was more prepared than the rest of his class, and that not a single one of them could top him in battle. Seeing as Tatsuya already had the mindset of an older child, he found no real entertainment in the rest of his classmates, and preferred solitude whenever possible.
Around this time, Tatsuya's father discovered a mine filled with precious stones. Ruby, topaz, sapphire, and more. With this, his father began a jewelry business, known as “Kesshoukei’s Krystal Jewelry.” The business reached smashing success, combining the wealth of exporting gemstones and shaping them into magnificent accessories. Tatsuya began to spend time learning the trade from his father. After all, the academy required no extra studying from Tatsuya, and he had nothing better to do. The development of economical skills could be an asset later in life, which made it far more appealing than anything else. Tatsuya also developed an appreciation for these types of natural beauty.
At the age of 12, Tatsuya Kesshoukei graduated from the academy. His ranking placed him as one of the most successful students. However, the position of #1 slipped from his grasp due to him not applying his full potential. At this point, his confidence in his ability became a hindrance. Tatsuya was a cocky individual, with the intelligence and fighting instinct to back it up. With all that behind his back, Tatsuya hardly felt the need to exert himself. This allowed him to be outdone by a few of his classmates(although, he’ll defend himself by bringing up the fact that he never lost a spar against any of them). With the academy behind him, Tatsuya was assigned a team consisting of himself, two other Genin, and a Jounin sensei. Now that he was a fully-fledged ninja of the Village Hidden in the Mist, it was time to enter the next stage of his life. This brought his mother some worry; it was hard to see her little baby go off on missions. Takanori and Nene had faith in their son, and that faith gave them the endurance to stand by and watch. Because it was that time, Takanori passed down to Tatsuya the legendary artifact known as the Petrification Gauntlet-- an item passed down through the family for years. It was a unique tool, the only one in existence. It would serve Tatsuya well.
Tatsuya never really appreciated his teammates. His teammates were your average-joes, and their sensei seemed to be nothing special either. While it was true that they weren’t that impressive, part of Tatsuya’s negativity towards their skill came from his personality. His superiority complex downgraded their skill before it was accepted into Tatsuya’s brain. Because of this, he never made great friends with his teammates. The majority of his time as a Genin was pretty boring. If you were to ask Tatsuya about these days, there is only one major event that would cross his mind: Akane Kesshoukei.
A couple months after Tatsuya graduated from the academy, he met Akane Kesshoukei, a girl bearing the same age, rank, and bloodline as Tatsuya. Strangely, the two became fast friends. Akane was a shy girl, with abilities strong enough to be recognized by Tatsuya’s ego. Tatsuya rarely saw anyone worthy of friendship, so when he found Akane, the two went together like butter and toast. The two continuously met up to enjoy each other’s company, and oftentimes would spend hours training side by side. This buzzing friendship soon turned into a blooming romance. It started as just a bud, but as Tatsuya and Akane slowly began to reach out, it blossomed into something true. The two had something special, that special feeling that you just couldn’t describe. Before Tatsuya found Akane, he had little he knew he wanted out of life. But eventually, Akane turned into one of his main desires.
Eventually, it was time for the Chuunin exams. Tatsuya felt more than ready to enter. At his sensei’s recommendation, Tatsuya’s squad was registered for the exams. For the most part, Tatsuya did perfectly fine. He did a magnificent job on the written portion of his exam, and his team managed to make it through to the final round. When Tatsuya reached the final part of the exams, he skyrocketed. The final portion of the exams presented the Genin with 1vs1 battles to test their individual skill. Tatsuya faced off against an Aburame from Konohagakure. Unfortunately, the two bloodlines did not match. The Aburame’s insects were decimated by Tatsuya’s crystal fury. Of course, Tatsuya had neglected to study the other elements at his disposal, but in truth, he needed nothing else. Tatsuya had focused almost solely on the great power imbued within his blood. The strength of the Kesshoukei stood at his back.
At the age of 15, Tatsuya had shown the village what he was capable of. His skill impressed the higher-ups, and he was granted a promotion to the rank of Chuunin. This was a relief for Tatsuya, because he now got some freedom from his old team. His skill had been acknowledged, and he began to be sent on missions solo occasionally. For awhile, life was good. He had reached the rank of Chuunin, and his love for Akane still burned bright and remained mutual. The next year was filled with enjoyable memories. However, that golden era was not meant to last. Like the golden eras of all all great civilizations in ancient history, his was bound to shatter.
Shortly after his sixteenth birthday, tragedy struck. To present day, this particular day is still burned into Tatsuya’s memory. He was sitting at home, indulging in a book on ancient Chinese history when there was a knock on the door. Tatsuya answered, recognizing the man in the doorway to be Yenmaru Kesshoukei, the Clan Leader of the Kesshoukei Clan. The man looked down, sparkling tears sliding down his eyes. Tatsuya looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Tatsuya … Akane Kesshoukei is dead. She was caught in a surprise attack on a bandit assault. I’m sorry.” Tatsuya’s body went numb with shock. His ears could not believe what he had just heard. A painful dagger had just been thrust into his heart, dripping with a poisonous substance that ate away at his joy. Tatsuya did not know how to react. He went into sulking for several weeks, heartbroken by her death. Then, she appeared to him in the dead of night. Tatsuya’s dreams brought about a realistic image of her, greatly to Tatsuya’s surprise. He was not able to respond, but only able to listen to her words. She pleaded that he continue on. She said she was watching over Tatsuya in spirit, and it wounded her to see his sorrow. She prayed that he live life to the fullest, to free himself of pain. Her words lifted Tatsuya’s soul from the depths they had plunged into, awakening his old self from its slumber. When he awoke, he sat in bed, holding firmly to the necklace around his neck. It was a sapphire teardrop, a gift given to him by Akane shortly before she died. It was his treasure in honor of her.
Now, Tatsuya was finally able to continue on. His time as a Chuunin was well spent with his new source of energy. He had to carry on, not just for his sake, but for Akane’s peace. Tatsuya became an active shinobi, doing more for the village than most at his time did. Tatsuya’s training results skyrocketed as his body continued to develop, and his deeds became known. Tatsuya became known as one of Kirigakure’s finest, even if he was just a Chuunin. He whipped his physical capabilities into shape, even turning himself into a basin of stamina(actually, his strength and constitution were left lacking, but he felt that his crystal armor made up for it, so he focused on other subjects). His chakra control and reserves became something to be envied, allowing him to cast technique after technique of devastating crystal without breaking a sweat. He achieved fame throughout his village; only those who lived under a rock in Kirigakure were unaware of Tatsuya and his deeds. Not only did he slave away for the village, but he also was there for them in their times of crisis. When the three-tailed beast assaulted the village, Tatsuya stood alongside his Mizukage, ready to defend the homeland Akane loved. In the midst of a training practice, Tatsuya’s crystal managed to rip off his current teacher(a man by the name of Zanaan)’s testicles. Of course, this was not intentional, but rumors went about. Soon the whole village knew of Zanaan’s lost of manhood to the Chuunin of the Kesshoukei. That particular story spread due to the hilarity of it. His name even reached the ears of a few from other villages. Tatsuya also achieved the rank of Kesshoukei Clan Leader, acknowledged throughout his clan as the strongest in Crystal Manipulation. The old clan leader was getting too old, a new one was needed, and no one fit the bill quite like Tatsuya did.
In time, a great event would begin sweeping across the nations. The rise of the Akatsuki began to make international crisis. Each Kage was summoned to attend the
Kage Summit, a meeting of the shinobi village leader’s to discuss the upcoming threat. The current Mizukage, Ayame, was unable to attend the meeting for reasons unknown to Tatsuya. Lady Ayame decided to choose Tatsuya Kesshoukei as her representative to fill her shoes at the meeting. This came as quite a surprise, because again, Tatsuya was only a Chuunin. A itty bitty Chuunin, and yet he was sent to represent Kirigakure in a meeting with the Kage of each nation. He did not complain, though, and was soon on his way. While the travel was peaceful, the meeting … Well, it was anything but.
The meeting erupted into total turmoil, as the Akatsuki launched an attack. Shinji Uchiha and Tobi(among others) bombarded the meeting, and the Kage all were launched into an all-out brawl. Tatsuya fought bravely against his foes, but Shinji Uchiha proved to be too much, and Tatsuya was ejected from the battle. He had suffered a few injuries from the battle, and he took time to recover. The meeting was a total disaster; It was time to return to Kirigakure and report to the Mizukage. On the way back, Tatsuya ran a member of his own clan. Anger and hatred ran across his face as he shouted to Tatsuya from afar. The two met up, and the clansmen shared a shocking tale. While Tatsuya had been away, inner turmoil had been incited by the hand of a single Kirigakure official, who shared with the Kesshoukei clan the tale of Akane’s true death …
The village learned she had connections to a group of people living in Otogakure. The Kesshoukei clan knew of this: Akane was originally born in the Land of Rice Fields, but made the journey to Kirigakure to join her clan on the path of the ninja. However, she still kept in touch with her parents. The Kirigakure officials knew nothing of the truth, and took it as a sign of betrayal. She was marked a spy, and hunted down by a pack of elite ANBU. Capturing her and bringing her back for a fair trial would have been acceptable, so they would learn the truth. But, instead, they murdered her in cold blood after she had already surrendered without a fight, incinerating the body to destroy any secrets she held.
Tatsuya was outraged by this. Hatred began to boil when he thought of this betrayal from his own village. Just as he was considering his own course of action, the messenger informed him of the clan’s overwhelming support of taking leave of Kirigakure. Apparently, some of the current-day officials of Kirigakure sympathized with Kesshoukei feelings, and understood their desire to leave the village. At the current time, the Kesshoukei clan had transferred back to the island where their ancestors had lived before Kirigakure. Tatsuya returned, and the clan agreed on taking their leave. It was a convenient time for Tatsuya to make the switch, too. He was last seen by the village departing for the Kage Summit. On the trip back, Tatsuya concealed his identity from the local villages. Now, Kirigakure would have him labeled as MIA, and given the events of the Kage Summit(and the absence of the two guards Tatsuya had accompany him), he was labeled KIA. Tatsuya and the Kesshoukei clan headed out onto the mainland, and soon found their destination: Otogakure.
Tatsuya brought his clan around the edge of Otogakure, then made an appearance at the gates. He came in peace, seeking an audience with the Otokage: Shinji Uchiha. As Tatsuya walked into the Uchiha’s domain, memories of the Kage Summit flooded his memory. He recalled all thoughts he had on Shinji Uchiha, of the admiration he had held in regards to the boy’s power. Shinji, while of the same age as Tatsuya, fought with unimaginable strength. As it was, Tatsuya had heard his tale. Tatsuya knew of how Shinji had invaded Konohagakure, defeated the Hokage, and brought the Uchiha on an exodus to Otogakure. Shinji’s story with the Uchiha was similar to Tatsuya’s story with the Kesshoukei. Both clans suffered from unjust treatment and oppression of the government. With that in mind, Tatsuya thought his clan would fit well here. After an audience with Shinji Uchiha, the Kesshoukei clan was welcomed into the village. Here, they began their new life.
Tatsuya served Otogakure loyally, now knowing the truth of Akane’s death. Otogakure was the only real land where she had received any love; Otogakure was the only place that could be called her home. Almost instantly, Tatsuya regarded it as his home, and fought to defend it as any native would. Fortunately for him, his name did not receive as much fame as it did in Otogakure. Otogakure was definitely an active village, with tons of other powerful shinobi to catch the public eye. With shinobi such as Shinji himself, Jun, and many more, Tatsuya stayed out from the spotlight. Of course, he caught the attention of his own village, but the war against Konohagakure kept his name in specific from reaching the ears of other villages, particularly Kirigakure. His actions earned him the rank of Jounin early on in his service, and that is where he now sits. What else is in store for the young Kesshoukei? Only time will tell.
RP Sample:
- Spoiler:
The young and foolish may regard the life of a shinobi as the greatest joy of the world. The small boys and girls may regard it as a type of 'fairytale' life, so to say. The dark, painful truth of the matter is that those words couldn't be farther from the truth. The path of the shinobi is one of violence and gore, blood and tears, losses and deaths of those you could call a friend. To watch the life slip out of the body of those you hold most dear? That is what the gruesome adventure of the shinobi entailed. Although many brave souls have tried to put an end to this natural flaw of the shinobi way, to abolish it is simply too radical.
If only, at the current moment of time, Keiri had known the truth of the day, perhaps the flow of his emotions would have been different. Had he known that the death bells tolled for Konohagakure time and time again, perhaps he would have shed a tear. It had been a mere fantasy of his to believe that things would be alright, and to believe that Konohagakure would make it through this cruel day with minimal casualties. Through years of experience, however, he should have known: Death is unavoidable.
It was on this day that Keiri would join the biggest battle of his life. Not a single match before this would compare. His life was truly thrown into the bet. Life or death would only be a step away. Keiri would now be entering one of the greatest chapters of his life. And perhaps ...
His last.
Keiri made his way through the streets, moving at an arguably quick pace. The symbol of death that had plagued Konohagakure's forests had vanished. It seemed, for a moment, that the village may have been safe. Why was Keiri not able to shake off the feeling that the fox was only the beginning of what terrors fate had in store for Konohagakure? He wasn't sure at the time. It would, however, be revealed in a matter of minutes.
Keiri cut a corner of the streets of Konohagakure, and continued down the street. He was nearing the spot where he had first split from Nakago and Chi. Another turn was coming up. Only a couple meters away from the turn, a surprise voice erupted from Keiri's ear. The communication device that linked Keiri and Nakago activated. The words hung on Keiri's heart.
"Keiri! Don't go back into Konoha! A huge group of VERY strong shinobi are here to kill us all! Escape and continue the Will of Fire! You must live!" Those were the words transmitted by Nakago's voice through the communication system. The levels of disbelief that rised within Keiri were unbelievable. For starters, he couldn't believe that so soon, another catastrophe could strike Konohagakure. The other matter of disbelief was directed towards the idea of running.
As if Keiri could live with himself if he did that.
All his life, he had dedicated his every move towards furthering Konohagakure's greatness. Everyone in life that he had befriended died for the sake of the village: Akane, Takanori, Ryo, Keydo, and many more. Everyone had put everything on the line to fight for what was important to them. How could Keiri not do the same? His thoughts returned to Shashu Okami. Memories of their dreams and ambitions came to mind, ending in the memory of a certain time. Shortly after Shashu and Keiri had been crowned Hokage, when Shashu had to step down in order to pursue what goals he needed to follow, he left Keiri with one huge promise. "Keiri, when I'm gone, Konohagakure's protection and success rest with you. You are the guardian of the Will of Fire. Carry on the dreams that we hold, and do a part for me as well." Those were the words that were said, and Keiri remembered them vividly.
It was a lifetime promise that Keiri made. He would make sure he kept it, no matter what. If he were to run away now, what good would he be? The village had entrusted their defense to him. He was granted the title of Hokage! Running away would be betraying the trust of all of Konohagakure. For all those who had fallen for the village, he would stand tall! He drew upon the powers of his bloodline, and awakened the crimson eyes it blessed him with. With three comma-like figures surrounding the pupil, Keiri turned the corner.
His eyes locked onto the sand-fortified trap that Nakago was caught under. His eyes would catch the boy for only a second before he enacted his plan. There was no time for Keiri to interfere. "Nakago!!" He cried. He hadn't payed much attention to how loud it was. In fact, he hadn't really intended to say it. It was a natural reaction. If they could hear him or not, Keiri didn't really know. All he knew was that there was a boom. Quickly recovering from the shock, pushing back the desire to pay attention to what had just occurred, Keiri turned towards the masked man. Immediately, he identified the man's cloak.
The Akatsuki. They had made their return.
Konohagakure was in great danger. A battle with the Akatsuki would be tremendously destructive, most likely. Konohagakure would be badly damaged. Keiri had to divert their attention to allow the people of Konohagakure a chance to escape. Around the beginning of Keiri's next line of dialogue, four members from Konohagakure's ANBU squad appeared and knelt behind their Hokage. "Leader of the Akatsuki!" Keiri shouted out, obviously referring to the masked man known as Tobi, "Order your men to standby. Before further conflict, I wish to speak with you. Let our two sides have a moment of ceasefire before continuing." Keiri kept his eyes on each and every person visible on the scene. After speaking towards Tobi, Keiri would issue an order to the arriving ANBU. "If he complies with my request, I expect you to as well. Keep your guard up, but do not strike." Keiri prayed that Tobi would agree to Keiri's request. If he were to hold his own forces back, and forbid a movement of hostility, it would allow for Keiri to speak with less worry.