Snippet #2285425

It was well that Mashio was upset. Such words were not given without truth, for he was to always speak it. It served another purpose in angering his powerful opponent which could distract her from minute details. In their world, such minor things could determine the outcome of even the greatest conflicts. Akimoto did not think himself guaranteed victory however, Mashio was still a seasoned kunoichi. A simple clever trick like that had its use but was easily recognizable.

Their duel was underway when the most uncommon of shinobi made his presence known. Zetsumie was a name affiliated with great wonder and fear. At times elders would spin fictional tales of his accomplishments bemusing themselves to terrorize ignorant Genin. As you grew older, Zetsumie became less fantastic but more deadly. Highly respected, but taken with caution he was after all a killer, and one of the best the clan had ever produced.

Worse still he was toying with Akimoto. The young man froze in place and his head bobbed slightly masking his face from view. Perhaps a jest but Akimoto saw the remark as insulting. To be a junior to Zetsumie wasn’t unusual, but to be taunted as though he were a child was hurtful to his pride. Especially when given by someone of such high regard, even if Zetsumie was more infamous than anything else.
Akimoto wheeled about on his heel and faced Zetsumie. His dim orbs swallowed the brilliance of the sun in their reflection, leaving nothing exposed behind them. Steadily those gloomy eyes locked with the illustrious copper of the fabled shinobi. A smile creased his lips etching itself through the somen and produced such an uncanny expression that none could believe the sincerity of such a grin.

“Good morning Aku-sama! Forgive me, but I must be on my way.”

There were some that would have considered such small talk a dangerous omen. To so casually address death itself and to look him in the eye, others could not do such a thing. It was an uninformed thought; the shinobi was flesh and blood like everyone. Given the situation Akimoto simply had no time to address even a man with ability like his. So off he went, placing his back to the office building. A scowl reforming the moment he was sure Zetsumie could no longer see.

When he at last arrived to the destination of his duel he found his adversary making final adjustments. He mimicked these actions and quietly ran a few mantras through his mind. Once Mashio declared herself ready, Akimoto revealed his opening move. Both of his arms rose up with open hands, the right leading out ahead. His off foot positioned back and the entirety of his lower torso was bowed, both knees bent to allow fluidity. To those with a keen eye Akimoto was taking a type of Aikido stance. A martial art primarily used to disable an enemy without harm by using their own force and momentum against them.

The ninja claimed no mastery to any school of combat; he remained a dabbler of many techniques and philosophies. He was known for his capabilities in both Kenjutsu and Taijutsu but remained independent from specific arts. Instead he mixed and matched as deemed appropriate and while this served to give him great flexibility, against a true master he would find himself outpaced.

“… Ready.”