The Power to Survive

The mask of the owl. The chosen mask used to hide Satomi's identity as a ANBU operative. It hid any and all emotion from him, something another was trying desperately to crack. Liandra always wondered what drove him to do what he does.

Satomi turned around to face his soon to be wife and gave her a stern staredown. "Are you ready to meet the Mizukage?"

She tried to look through the slits of his eyes also being careful to notice if his Sharingan was active. "I am ready," Liandra said with her head held high.

Satomi was clad in all white and black ANBU gear with a Flak Jacket. There was a steel Katana on his back as he had been seen usually sporting. A master swordsman, probably ready to join the Seven Swordsman.

Liandra only wore a samurai and ninja inspired armor. They were outside the Mizukages office. And they were being summoned in finally.

[1/20]

An A rank mission was to be briefed to him and his protege. She was a rising star and her water efficiency made her a real threat in true form from a Mist Ninja. Satomi pushed open the giant elegant doors that led to the Mizukage's chambers. Surprisingly the Mizukage was not there as he had anticipated. But there was two of the village Elders and the ANBU Commander there as well.

They bowed to them but they were quickly hastened to approach. The eldest looking one spoke first. His name was Gonshiro, and he had quite a history with aiding in a plan to kill Satomi. Something he didn't know Sato knew. He would use this information for a later time. Now he needed their sway in power.

"You are sure she was ready to be an ANBU operative still Sato," Gonshiro asked.

"Yes sir. She is ready," Sato replied hiding his disdain for the elder.

[2/20]

There distrust and hate filled within his eyes as he was basically strong armed into this promotional opportunity on behalf of the Uchiha. Sato was leading the mission designated for Liandra to show her worth to the ANBU. They needed specific ninja for specific jobs and it was time for Liandra to prove without a shadow of a doubt she could hang with the big dogs.

"So be it. Here is your mission. You are to hunt down the target Mysterious Oynx. She is a tall woman, who was last seen with long, black hair. She’s often seen wearing a black dress, unsuited for battle if it were not for her ability to control ribbons to a masterful degree. Many have been sent after, all were left alive. None of them were fit for another bounty; which suggests mental torture. It is unknown if it is genjutsu, or other forms of psychological torture.

Dead or alive. Understood."

Satomi nodded and so did Liandra. "So have your mission. Leave at once." Gonshiro gave Sato the scroll and he couldn't wait to leave.

[3/20]

They gazed at each other as per their discussion before thinking about taking the mission. They were comrades and partners before anything. They had to think about the mission and not about the other, it was a weakness ANBU needed to destroy and eradicate to be truly effective in their field. Tracking, capturing and killing were all flowed skills that they needed to excel at.

However this was considered an A rank mission so there was already a classified danger they knew beforehand. This mission could cost them their life, and they needed to work together without distractions. "I vouched for you Liandra because I believe you are ready to protect this village. And strive even further. Do not prove me wrong," he didn't intend to sound like a hardass. But in the field, he was THE hardass.

[4/20]

"I will not fail you Satomi-sama." Liandra replied fiercely. Adamant about the mission ahead of them.

"Good to hear. Let us be off." With the scroll already tucked away, they were fully equipped to be on their journey. They would scope out a nearby village. It was the last known sighting of Oynx. She was indeed very dangerous, but couldn't help but be weary of someone who was efficient in mental torture and the strange use of ribbons. But no matter she wouldn't have the drop on them when they eventually found her.

She too was on the move and knew she was being hunted so they had to move fast and hit hard. As they departed the gates and started moving with quickly through the extended Mist surrounding the village.

[5/20]

It was a bad time really. He had only asked her to marry him just a few weeks ago. To which she agreed vehemently. However she wanted him to give up on serving the ANBU. But she knew it was foolhearted to even try. She could not sway his malice and contempt of the village elders. This would allow him to kill those responsible in the assassination attempt on his life. So instead of trying to convince him to stop, she would join his crusade against the hierarchy.

So this would open the doors for her to be even looked upon to join the ANBU. For the most she was able to keep up with Satomi, but he was slowing down to keep an even pace. They had a few hours before they reached the small village.

[6/20]

Satomi decided to keep talking obsolete and used hand signals to convey messages to each other that they needed. Teaching her to be a ANBU Hunter-nin, the Kirisame. She needed to be silent, to move more quietly. They're prey was to never know they are about to be killed or captured when they strike. Liandra began leading the way after moving to the trees. Satomi looked at her from behind, and he couldn't have felt more prouder.

The Uchiha pride themselves on strong Kunoichi and how they would make a better wife to a great Shinobi. Liandra though older than him. Saved him when he was thrown out into the woods to see if he would die. She happened to come upon him and guide him on was back to Kirigakure.

[7/20]

Sato would always be grateful to the woman and ended up falling in love with her. She had everything he needed and it felt real. Something even his eyes couldn't tell him why. However unbeknownst to there was looming danger. They both had only been on the journey for an hour and they weren't even close to being to the village yet.

However Oynx, the missing ninja they were searching for happened to be on a crash collision with the two hunter nin themselves. Satomi's attention was diverted for a second, and Liandra hadn't activated any chakra sensory. However, the world began to turn dark.

[8/20]

It was already dark however the world was becoming one with darkness itself. Satomi and Liandra immediately stopped in their tracks as they noticed the giant moon in the sky disappearing. There was blackness eating away at the moon to become completely black. Oh no. A genjutsu. Its a powerful one at that. It was rare for someone to get the drop on the Uchiha, but he was momentarily distracted and had not been expecting to meet their prey in this part of the woods.

Instantly Satomi's Sharingan was activated. The Genjutsu began stop and it faded back as Satomi's three tomoe Sharingan made it possible for him to see past this Genjutsu. The world became clearer, things more defined than ever. He could also see Liandra struggling as she could not escape the Genjutsu yet. He went to free with his hand but a kuani flew right by her shoulder stopping him.

[9/20]

"So what do we have here. Someone whos not overwhelmed by my Genjutsu." A voice spoke out a few meters east of them. Satomi already knew her position after she released the kunai to thwart him. This was the power of Sharingan however that is why he worked better alone as his prowess really suited him alone though it was useful for others.

"Not bad looking either." They had found their target. Sure enough it looked like she just came from a brothel. Very provocative clothing used to entice lesser men then him.

"Your tactics will not work on me," Satomi replied trying to find a way to release Liandra from the Genjutsu binds.

[10/20]

"Not so easily swayed. I see. A Uchiha from the looks of those eyes. Now I'm real scared," she jibed. She was not hindered by the sight of a Uchiha and another kunoichi. Oynx was confident in her abilities.

Sato did not even bother to answer as he dashed forward and tried to put a hand on Liandra. But all of a sudden red ribbons appeared from under the tree trunks and they tried to grab onto Satomi. He managed to jump forward and land higher on the tree off of the branch he was on with Li.

The ribbons however feinted and shot towards Liandra instead. Five ribbons shot and wrapped around both her arms and legs. Another finding itself wrapped around her neck. Effectively she was captured in a Genjutsus and also physically.

[11/20]

Liandra! Satomi quickly eyed from his vantage point two attacks. He swung both his hands out flicking them out two times. Also activating his seals on his forearm. Twelve shurikens shot at both the ribbons and at Oynx simultaneously. The shurikens flew fast and the flew true however the ribbons were incredibly strong and the shurikens merely bounced off of them.

Liandra immobilized and the ribbons tightened at the attack and there was an audible crunch. Oynx laughed as his deflected the shurikens easily with a kunai of her own. "My ribbons don't like to be bothered. Why don't you see for yourself?!"

[12/20]

Oynx seemingly had complete control over these fast and durable ribbons. Sato was hard pressed. She wasn't entirely dangerous however she had already immobilized Liandra and even if she realized she was in a Genjutsu she couldn't free herself because of the binds on her. They started to lift her in the air, and Sato panicked. He was about to jump towards her when he saw in the corner of his eye handsigns.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!" Oynx inhaled deeply and let out three large blasts of compressed hair that shot towards Satomi and towards a restrained Liandra. However Satomi was just as fast making a few handsigns and bellowed back, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

[13/20]

Satomi held is right hand up to his mouth and exuded a large stream fire to counter the two wind pressure balls headings his way. The fire shot out like flamethrower stopping the wind attacks right in their place in a large explosion. However Satomi could not stop the last one heading for Liandra. The blast shot downwards and broke the tree branch she was on.

The Branch fell away and the Special Jounin did not fall. She was actually dragged through the air to Oynx by the red ribbons. She was to far for Satomi to reach and could only watch as she was held in air in front of Oynx. He unsheathed his Katana and prepared to save her. He had to save her.

[14/20]

"I see you hunters haven't learned your lesson. I was more than fair of letting those who came before you to live." She tightened the ribbons at every pace of her sentence. Satomi looked how to cover the distance quickly without dying himself. Liandra could not scream or anything but the look of being helpless in an illusion was spelled on her face.

"But sending the Kirisame after me. No such mercy shall be extended again. Both of you shall die tonight!"

"No!" Satomi screamed.

Oynx held her hands out and manipulated the red ribbons to all snap at once. Sato could see them break her legs, her arms, and than finally her neck.

[15/20]

The feeling in Satomi's gut was no Genjutsu. The feeling of complete darkness that he was experiencing earlier was nothing compared to this. Oynx released Liandra's body and it fell almost in slow motion. As she was released from the torture of whatever infections that was drilled in her mind and the physical torture of being binded by all her appendages and neck.

She hadn't lasted a minute against an opponent like Oynx. He was wrong. She wasn't ready. And now she was dead. And it was his fault. He could faintly hear the lady jibing him in killing his lover. The distance between them seemed to stretch even further because...

His fiance was dead.

Satomi roared out as his rage was consumed with pain and sorrow.

[16/20]

There was giant pulse inside Sato. It felt like it stopped his heart, or it stopped all movement in his body. Something akin to a heartbeat. As if something was just being born. He felt it again this time much stronger and it almost knocked him to his knees. His eyes, were pulsing with unbridled power. What else was befalling him in the worst moment in his life.

There was a final pulse but this one didn't jerk his body. It shook his eyes and he felt them change and he felt himself change along with it. Satomis Sharingan began to change into something. His pupils began to swirl into something much more magnificent.

He awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan.

[17/20]

His eyes took on the shape of a nova with 6 spirals on the outskirts of his pupils with the center resembling a fierce sun. He felt a surge of strong emotions. The elation of such power he could feel in his eyes. To his surprise what he thought were tears running down his eyes was actually blood. His eyes were bleeding from the sudden evolution to the Mangekyou Sharingan.

He could not cry. The person who killed her was still alive. He didn't have time for anything else. The picture of situation seemed to come back to focus. His mission was clear. Everything seemed to align in the chaos he just witness. His life was over, and he would both get revenge and finish the mission given to him.

"Whats that Uchiha you'll join that useless woman soon enough. Cry some more. Damn are you bleeding? Mwhahaa" Oynx was beside herself. Satomi however didn't waste time to banter. He instantly put two fingers together as he made a shadow clone and it appeared next to him.

[18/20]

Oynx shut up and began to focus on the fight again noticing Satomi was dead serious now. The shadow clone stepped forward on the large branch and kicked off to another tree and to flank the Oynx. While the original jumped on another opposite of Oynx as to not get caught in the opening. She was already on the offensive sending her ribbons to attack both versions of Sato.

The Uchiha and his clone dodged the ribbons by jumping from tree to tree however they were incredibly fast and of even speed with them so they had no choice but eventually deal with them. As they both neared a tree next to Oynx who was preparing to leap away however it seemed she needed to maintain still in order to use the red ribbons. A weakness.

[19/20]

Both version of Sato instantly knew what to do, the original use his sword and the clone used a Kunai. They channeled chakra into their blades as they landed on the nearest trees next to Oynx who was trying to desperately to subdue them. She had never met anyone who could outrun her red ribbons. They both turned around and at the same time said, "Flying Swallow"

They swung their blades which were suddenly surrounded by chakra and the ribbons were cut to shreads. It all happened in a flash, the quickness of the cuts were genuine. Satomi's Mangekyou Sharingan could see everything now, her new fear and the realization she messed with the wrong one.

Oynx realizing the danger tried to turn tail and run but the other clone dashed forward to cut her off, his arm glowing with lightning chakra just as his kunai did only a few moments ago. Startled she tried to go foward instead. However Satomi himself appeared suddenly with his other hand glowing with lightning chakra as well.

"Lariat!" The blast of the clones attack took her top body and Satomi took her stomach. The force of their blows tore her apart into two. Blood spluttered in almost every direction. He had finally killed her. She was no challenge at all. However he was still to grieve. As he no longer paid attention to the dead Oynx.

He instead jumped downwards into the abyss Liandra fell into and found her body. Her eyes were opened when he cradled her into his arms. After closing them he didn't stop crying that whole night. This time real tears falling down his face.

[20/20]

(Claiming Mangekyou Sharingan)