Ouroboros [Jounin/ANBU Exam] <IO, P>

Another day breaks, Xhesi hadn't slept for the last two months, a factor attributed to the affliction many would consider a sufferance. She basked in the cold embrace of undeath.. Depended on it. Constant training took precedence over any type of rest, her regime consisting of consistent physical exploitation; brutal exercises revolved around punching into the side of a canyon located just south of the southern Johogakure provinces.

For the last several years she had remained hidden, tucked far away along the same aforementioned mountain. As a matter of fact, she had actually fashioned a rather well made primitive cave-like fortress hollowed out of this cliff side, though positioned high enough to be out of both ear shot and eye sight and concealed by clouds that regularly surround the peak. The perfect hideaway for a hermit like Xhesi.

In this time, Xhesi had remained classified as a Special Jounin, but had actually imagined a more intensive and purposeful role in Johogakure's military ranks. News of a specialized group of shinobi that answer only to the Johogakure's Kage and Clan Chief's alike had been revealed several years prior, back when Xhesi hadn't developed this ambitious desire. Discovering this was rather easy as word travels fast and she had been fortunate enough to be capable of walking among the citizens under the facade of any other typical human. It was time to become more than she already was, and that was quite a lot already.

Departing her mountain-side residency, she uses her vast speed to make short work of the lengthy distance between her home and her destination - that of course the village. Along the way she figured if she was to make a good impression, she should very well be in the absolute best condition possible for tackling and completing this task, whatever the circumstances would have called for once she arrived. As a result, she stopped only to track down and feed upon some local nomad traveler who had been traveling through the forests and swamps to an unknown destination.

She figured his existence held no importance and that no one would probably even know if he suddenly disappeared. So, she proceeded to swiftly kill and drain the poor soul, her eyes taking on a pitch black sclera coupled with a glowing blood red iris. She could feel her body becoming empowered as her victim grew completely motionless, discarding the exsanguinated corpse after the session had concluded. She would wipe her mouth of blood with small scraps of his clothes she'd torn off prior to removing him, stuffing them into his sack-woven pant pockets. With that she was off again.

About an hour later, she arrived at the village gates, the heat of high noon casting a shimmer of heat across the rooftops and streets. It was a rather dry heat, thankfully - not really causing sweat as much as it does general discomfort and annoyance. Xhesi is rather tolerable of it, enjoying it even. She headed through the market district, the residency grid and through the academy training grounds, straight up to the steps leading toward the office of the Kage. Two guards on each side of the door hold their arms out, beckoning Xhesi to stop as they questioned her intentions.

"Who are you and why do you seek an audience with the Johokage?" his voice already filled with doubt and uncertainty. Xhesi would slowly shift her head toward the guard who addressed her. "I am Xhesi no Akuma, Tokabetsu Jounin - And I wish to speak with the Johokage about becoming an asset of your.. esteemed ANBU Black Ops. I actually would like to lead a very specifically selected branch of them known as the "Ryōshinin" (Hunter Ninja)." she'd reply, nodding her head.

The two would scan Xhesi up and down with their eyes, and laugh lightly to each other. Her rather small stature and soft facial features prove quite deceiving, which is after all, one of the talents a vampire specializes in most. This made Xhesi seem innocent and underestimated regularly, a fact she normally banks on. They must believe she is some push over, until their gaze meets her eyes. Her pupils in the shape of a sliver, her eyes themselves seeming to gleam with pure killing intent. With this, their snide laughing seemed foolish, and Xhesi would slyly smirk in return. They now know she means business and should probably take her seriously.

Elated by their response, they'd push the doors of the building open in unison from each side. As she walked in, the doors closed behind her and two more guards approached her side by side from the northern corridor of the foyer. Residing in each individual corner of the room stood four pillars, supposedly the load bearing columns. At the end of the corridor, a handful of armored shinobi stood guard of a large yet masterfully crafted staircase leading upstairs. The guards simultaneously stopped about a foot or so from Xhesi, and did a one-hundred and degree pivot, now facing the stairwell.

Beginning to head down the main hall, she assumed they wanted her to follow. They seemed to be ninja of great discipline and expertise, adorned in ANBU operative armor and their face covered by masks depicting animalistic representations. Xhesi would attribute these masks to likely represent the personality and fighting style of each respective shinobi. A unique concept, she rather liked the idea of somehow acquiring a mask that could represent the attrition of life itself. The guardsmen protecting the entryway dispersing in a coordinated fashion as the trio passed them one by one. The first step up the staircase filled her with excitement, butterflies even. Oh boy, a chance to kill or maim something horrifically.

At the top of the staircase another hall lay, though more grand in appearance in nearly every way. Candles lit the walls giving off specific lighting details that gave hanging chandeliers an ominous yet inviting atmospheric contribution to the entire smoothly beveled ceiling. The flooring seemed to be made of some type of very heavy but beautifully harvested granite. The constructors spared no expense of imagination during the creation of this edifice. They made their way down to the southern corridor, the structure taking a more militaristic impression. The door to the office. The two guards would stop, one of them turning to face Xhesi, who stopped accordingly, the other entering the office by literally walking through the door. Fucking cool, right? Such was the purpose of the ANBU. They were no less a personage than a Kage in some regards.

Xhesi would remove her hood, her long blonde hair being pulled from each side as the hood fell, reaching about seven feet in total length. Crossing her hands in front of her, she rested them on her stomach, elbows slightly bent at around thirty-five degrees. Here she would await the response of the Kage in hopes at he would honor her with an audience, hopefully being insightful enough to recognize her as a puissant asset to his military conquests.

Xhesi would have cordially been addressed by the ANBU who returned, giving her instructions to knock before being allowed to walk behind the two massive doors which separated the outer hall from the Kage's office. A rather cliche act, but still she would knock in a familiar rhythmic tone - tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap-tap. With that, she slowly opened the door, revealing the Kage who was sitting at his desk sipping on some freshly brewed coffee. 

The smell was nice, though such things were simple human pleasures, something Xhesi herself never having had the luxury of sitting back and actually relaxing. After all, the world she comes from is more akin to a cutthroat sanctum, the ideal of kill or be killed. She'd never willingly choose the latter, and as such, developed quite the dogmatic personality as a result.

The Kage was a man of moral principles and held on to his values, almost as if bound by a steel wire. This was a fact most citizens and shinobi alike know of their leader. This however would render him in need of someone like Xhesi. A ruthless straight edged kunoichi who held on to no aspect of fear or fear of consequence. Someone who lacked the finer spiritualistic qualities that mankind relied on so heavily. 

A soul, a conscience. These were the things she lacked, the qualities that would otherwise make her "less than" by comparison of her human counterparts. At least in regards to an empathetic or merciful outlook. She would sit in front of a high-back chair positioned across from the Johokage and angled at about thirty-two degrees from the far right corner.


"I am Xhesi no Akuma, Lord Kage.." She'd smile, ever so slightly tilting her head to the right. ".. Though as I explained to your security personnel outside, I would like to cordially become the leader of a very select group of ANBU operatives much like the ones that greeted me outside your door - but more.. Direct. Hunter Ninja, to be exact. A unique branch of your military whose sole existence serves to further Johogakure's military, political and diplomatic assets through less than accepted forms of execution." She wasn't sure whether or not the Johokage would amuse her idea, but it was worth at least throwing the information out there to be considered. She would shift in her chair for but a moment, her axes making a rather crude shuffling noise as her body sat more upright against the high backing.

Xhesi would continue her explanation after settling and becoming more comfortable in her seat. "The group in its entirety would answer to, and receive orders from, you exclusively. As for their mission objective, there are no bars held for what they will be and must be willing to do to ensure Johogakure continues to rise to their rightful place as the infamous powerhouse it has become in its late years; rightfully so, given their leadership." She'd wink, her fangs peeking through as her smile gradually turned into a smirk. Not a prideful one, but a flirtatious one. 


"If a demonstration of my own capabilities is a matter of question, or what leadership skills I have, then I will gladly oblige. I specialize primarily in hunting, tracking, infiltration and target elimination. As for the heightened security protocols, I have come to understand the necessity for such a thing - I had actually stood in defense of Johogakure during the invasion and routed around eight waves of terrorists before they managed to reach the walls." A breeze traveled through the window, the two strands of Xhesi's hair that remained strewn and exposed from beneath her hood dancing in the winds embrace.

Certainly the preconceived notion of an ANBU Hunter Squad was one to be considered seriously. They would specialize in anything ranging from infiltration to actual assassinations. All from behind the scenes and never revealing their origin. As such they'd likely dress accordingly, with no items or clothing baring an emblem of their village heritage or otherwise. Additionally, Xhesi thought it would be a good idea to create such a thing especially in the case of any possible Johogakure shinobi that would choose to defect. The secrets of the village must never be compromised, and furthermore, neither its safety nor disposition either. This would be a time of emergence for the village in its prime, an opportunity Xhesi would ultimately try to seize rather than squander and let fade away.

Xhesi would listen to the Johokage as he spoke, every word resonating with her as each escaped his tongue. He spoke of a fugitive who had been released South of the Johogakure village gate, and that he was attempting to make his way out of the country. Her test was apparently to go and escort this foolish shinobi to deaths cold embrace, a test she did not plan on failing at any rate. She took note of his unique sign language, though remained unable to read or decipher it. She assumed this would be a quality she may adopt once she has become the Hunter-Commander. It was time. Dispatch.


With a blinding movement, she seemingly disappeared, a blur being left in her stead. The nearest window, the very same the breeze had found its way through, Xhesi did as well. She seemed to move with such conviction, her chair hardly even making a noise as she forced herself up and across the two foot gap between her and the intended window. As she fell, she seemed to float toward the ground with an almost unnatural buoyancy, though the tenacity of her raw physical prowess would soon be realized. 


As Xhesi soon made contact with the ground below, she threw her feet downward, sticking the landing from the nearly fourty foot dropoff. The ground around her would shake vigorously for but a moment, a dust cloud escaping from beneath her stompers and a crater about six feet wide in radial diameter appearing in her place. 


Kicking off almost immediately after landing, the only indication of her intended destination would be the dust cloud attempting to settle after she'd adjusted her course for the southern provinces of Johogakure. 


Reaching the gate rather quickly, her mission was clear. Xhesi began tracking the man the moment she arrived, clearly seeing his foot prints leading into the southeastern forests, the prints themselves starting at the forefront of the gates rather complicated gateway; a pair of handcuffs laying at origin of his trail. 


Her eyes would begin to glow red, Xhesi would smirk and become excited at the situation. Savoring the kill to come, her fangs almost dripping with saliva. Her robe blew in the distance, hood up, as she made short work of divulging the escapee's location. 


Footprints lead her in his initial direction, but soon enough she would not need visual cues to assist with finding him. About a half hour or so after she'd left the Johokage Office, she was close. The fugitives chakra signature became evident to Xhesi, which meant she could pinpoint exactly where he is now. It was odd however, as Xhesi would immediately configure that this was intended to be a misdirection, a trap. 


He was supposedly a very well trained specimen who specialized in Ninjutsu, meaning he would undeniably have been able to cover up or at least dampen the source of his chakra signature. The fact that he didn't likely indicated he wanted to be found. 


Other notes would reveal he was especially important to the nullsec security documents and information divisions of politics. Xhesi would have to end this fight very quickly or she just may give this intellectual powerhouse the opening he is looking for. 


This was a fact that Xhesi wouldn't take lightly, she always held great respect for her prey. She also came to understand that underestimation of any opponent is perhaps the most foolish mistake a warrior can make, and over the eons of time Xhesi has spent alive she has seen both the rise and fall of one thousand nations. 


It was no surprise to Xhesi to witness these events time and time again. Humans seemed to be creatures of habit, repeaters of history - doomed to kill themselves by their own hands for what seemed to be an eternity. Forever ignorant and defiant to change or learn from their mistakes no matter how trivial. At some point one questions why their devotion can somehow turn into fanaticism and zealotry. Likely the same way love can turn into something toxic, she imagined. 


After all, throughout her years spent gathering her wisdom, one conclusion had always been deduced no matter the face of who bares it. Man does not do evil for the sake of doing evil, only what he perceives to be his good. Undeniably so, no one truly wants to acknowledge themselves as the bad guy no matter how ill their intentions may measure up to become, or how their intentions are interpreted by those who witness them; miracle and atrocity alike. 


Both seem to always serve the same divine purposes to serve those who enforce their own ideals. Xhesi was no exception when it came to this kind of lifestyle and mindset alike. Even now she is about to take a life to serve her own purposes and drive her own will forward. Nevertheless, it was necessary. She would close in on the escaped fugitive, who was seemingly already prepared for her arrival despite not being a sensor type. Impressive, but could he keep up with her speed or take a hit from Xhesi, she wondered. One would soon find out.


The fugitives position, having now been compromised, was about seventy five feet from where Xhesi stood, she would grip the handles of her two crudely crafted primitive axes, removing them from the leather loops which held them in place by her side. Just before grasping the axe on her right hip, she would remove a kunai from the pouch on her thigh and hail mary it with almost unprecedented power, sending it soaring into the sky and toward the position of the fugitive. 


As it reached the peak of its trajectory, Xhesi charged forward, a vacuum being created behind her as her path surged forward toward her target. The fugitive would turn to face Xhesi, slamming his palm down onto the ground in front of him resulting in an earthen shield arising from the minerals beneath. Xhesi figured he would have set up a defense like this, and as such, pivoted her left foot, allowing her to spiral around the edge of the rock wall just as it would have formed. The fugitive clearly hadn't anticipated Xhesi's physicality, which gave her an advantage.


However, this mans intellectuality was not completely wasted, and it seemed years in captivity hadn't dulled his capabilities or sharp mind in the least bit. Xhesi would put her foot down, ending the spin by using the force generated by the spin itself to swing her right axe toward the head of the fugitive, her left axe following suit with an underhanded uppercut maneuver. As the first axe traveled, the fugitive ducked, avoiding it with just enough anticipation. However, he was unprepared for the second attack, which came straight up from below and would serve to sever his torso in half. 


As it made contact, the axe propelled through the fugitive with certain death following in its wake. A puff of smoke was generated instead of a trail of blood and torn flesh. Xhesi had guessed correctly back when she had been tracking him that he was very much aware he was being hunted and had prepared a bunshin clone technique in preparation of her arrival. 


Surprisingly so, it was actually an Earth Clone technique, as evidenced by the emergence of the real fugitive coming from behind the wall, brandishing a small ball of lightning that twisted in his palm, its raw energy projecting a rather intense killing intent. At least the rumor was true, he was a skilled Ninjutsu specialist, indeed. 


As he emerged, he would thrust his palm forward, completely removing himself from the cover of his wall of rock, giving Xhesi the opportunity to counter his surprise attack by utilizing her speed as well as the rotation from her initial attack to emphasize her reactivity in relation to his own. 


Following through with the curvature of her initially missed right swing, she would concurrently find it placed directly into the juggular area of the fugitives neck, the sheer power of the devastating blow seemed to kill him almost instantly as his head separated from neck, hanging by but a few remaining strands of muscle tissue and skin. 


Pulling him, she would lay her back down, essentially rolling and placing the torso of the fugitive on the pads of her feet, lifting him into the air. As she did so, the kunai she had previously thrown prior to her assault came spiraling down like an out of control plane nosediving toward the ground. 


Xhesi's acute hearing had been allowing her to differentiate its position while in the air by tracking the sound of it cutting through the wind. She would complete her roll, placing the head of the fugitive in the direct path of the kunai, which seamlessly cut through the remainder of the tissue connecting the head.


The head would fall with a thud, the kunai jamming itself into the ground with such force that the entirety of the blade was concealed by the ground. As his head rolled along, a trail of blood followed it, red being painted around the area by intermittent sprays of blood from the severed jugular. 


She would finish her barrel roll, kicking the body into the distance and causing it to slam into a tree; which fell from the force of the impact with the cruely thrown corpse. A loud crack could be heard as the bark snapped and the massive branches came crashing down onto the now lifeless and headless cadaver. Accordingly, Xhesi would restrap her axes to her side, the blood from her victim dripping from the serrated edges of the weapon. 


She would then walk over to the head of the fugitive, picking it up with her left hand and removing the kunai from the ground with the other. Kneeling, she grasped the head firmly, and carved kanji into his face, starting from the forehead and ending at the peak of his chin. "裏切り者, Uragirimono (Traitor)" - it would read, Xhesi figuring this would be enough for Rei to understand that this is exactly how she intended on treating the defectors of Johogakure, and anyone else who would threaten the sanctity behind its coveted walls. 


She wanted to make absolutely sure that the Johokage would never question her loyalty, nor her dedication to both himself and the village she had now called home. The implacable, rather inexorable treatment of the fugitive would hopefully express her ambitions to the Kage and show him all she hoped to achieve. 


She quickly made her way back to the village to deliver the head of her prey, bundling it up into a woven sack, adorning the top by tying it with the defectors headband. The village fell silent around this type of day, minus the regular hustle and bustle of the marketing district which almost always remained loud and full of chatter even during the moonlight hours.


Reaching the village around an hour and a half after the mission had been given to her, she arrived at the Johokage office. She figured she need not say much more about the issue and that by delivering the head in its present condition would surely serve as enough of a fundamental way to convince the Kage that she meant business when she first stepped into the office.