It had several months since Grave had saw his family after the small war and the uprising of Hikari Grave seemed to keep to himself. However something happen to him several days ago. First the arrival of meeting with the man known as Hayabusa whom carries a sharingan from which Grave noticed when he was with the man in person. After which It seemed like that was all but obtaining the Kumo Kinjutsu Scroll which now dwelled within the realm of Limbo. But it seemed nothing stopped that as Grave then started training to control the power of the bijuu that also dwelled within his own body. Seemed things were turning out different than what he thought. It was not until a strange package came holding a mask allowing him to train even longer. The item proved its worth but it was not until Grave finished some training that he ran into Raijin allowing him train even harder. Yet it seemed something was more or less stressful as the next day after. Grave saw his grandfather whom introduced him back to a childhood friend of his. Then Ayame Asakura, the adopted daughter to the Asakura clan whom lost her family at a young age whom arrived next.
Needing to be escorted to deal with several locations of spirits because of Grave lacking the abilities to seal he was given the mission to be her bodyguard. This was nothing he had planned at all but had no choice but to accept it. As the first location was to head towards Kusa country whom had a spirit dwelling issue that was absorbing life force from others to try and live again. Ayame proved she was able to seal the gravesite from allowing the spirits to leave causing them to pass over by force. After which the two young priest and priestess left to head to their next location that needed to be sealed but they seemed to have come a across something even worse. A clash of blades hit one another as Grave was in-between two with his staff making sure Ayame would not be harmed. "What are you doing!" Grave yelled pushing back the two that had attacked them first with Grave guarding Ayame close by. "You are trespassing on our land thus you must be enemies to know of this location!" Said one shinobi from the right side as Grave was watching carefully.
Grave gripped tightly on the shakujo before watching their next movement as one vanished appearing from his blind spot. 'Grab I have to do something…' Closing his eyes he figured what he needed making a hand seal, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Creating three clones, one jumped in front to block the attack coming from the blind spot. While the other stayed on the right hand side. Grave's original body went for the one on the left side of him hitting him across the head catching him off guard while the other clone kneed the far right one. This allowed Grave to come down with an aerial attack onto the shinobi that attacked them. Ayame watched with an amazed expression on her face wondering what was going on but noticed that Grave had gotten stronger since the time she knew of him. The clones tied both of the shinobis down. Having Grave watch over them and look for anyway of telling what village they were from.
"Odd…they are from the Awe Country. I did not think they would prove to be a small challenge for us at all but I seem to be wrong on my part about information. I should be able to inform Raijin later on about this. Looking at Ayame whom was looking and review a map for the both of them, Grave was curious as to what she was studying about the area. "What's up Ayame?" AS she studied the map she came to the conclusion, "This is the next stop…maybe they believe we are enemies cause of the fact we did not introduce ourselves… I mean you did not kill them did you?" Grave took a look at her shaking his hands, "What of course not!" Poking one of the shinobi they grunted in pain before coming too as Grave was leaning over. The clones had vanished leaving Grave with a smile on his face saying, "Well hello their gorgeous…care to explain to me why you are attacking us even though you requested for visitors to see to a speaking?"
The shinobi looked at them for a moment before saying something, "You…two are the ones we called for?" Grave sat up nodding as Ayame waited to the reply. After which the man shook his head saying, "Forgive me, we have been dealing with some bandits coming in causing chaos around small parts of the land. A few of us were put on patrol to watch the boarders just in case neighboring countries decided to attack us for any reason to confuse us with the chaos of the bandits." Grave took note of this nodding his head as he cut the rope that was binding them. While Grave was still wearing his mask he turned to see Ayame smiling at him for some odd reason. But it was not long before the other shinobi awoke shaking his head wondering what had happen.
His partner explained everything as they both took note to that as well. As they all walked together for a moment Grave was starting to become more relaxed with others around seeing as the countries were different in many ways allowing their own form of defensive motives. Grave thought about this knowing he had a map leading to Hayabusa's country wondering what kind of defensive actions he has to take up. 'Well, thinking about it now it seems I'll have to pay a small visit to the damn country after all even thought I tried to avoid it.' Within his deep thought he was visited by a familiar voice as well, [color=darkblue]'Thinking of entering a country you have no information about what so ever, seems pretty reckless if you ask me boy.' Grave thought about it looking up at the air sighing cause of the truth be told the nibi spoke the truth entering a country without any other information would be a problem.
Thinking about it as well he remembered how far they had moved with technology as well using a strange mask as it is to detect chakra and breath for air. It seemed times were changing as Grave was falling behind trying to keep to the old ways. Thinking about it for a moment Grave noticed everyone came to a stop looking at desolate wasteland ahead of them. "Why are we here?" Grave asked looking at the shinobi as the rain was starting to come in. "This place is known for a battle that took place before with two of our village leaders. Though for some reason people have been saying a spirit of a dragon roams here… we have no seen it but several men of came up dead because of this beast. Those that survive say it devours the soul of whom ever challenges it but it has no real form." Grave took a look at Ayame saying, "Get the seal ready… I'm sure this beast is nothing really but a illusion but if anything I want to be sure." As she nodded she began working on the seal as Grave created two shadow clones saying, "Be on guard even though you already know this we have to be ready for anything. Jump into the crater but be sure to watch all sides carefully understood?" Both clones nodded as Grave jumped down into the crater with the clones having their backs against his. Soon a voice was coming through as a fog started to roll in. The rain was starting to die down only this time a figure appeared before him.
"Why…why are you here…are you here to steal it as well…No…you cannot have it its mine!" The ghost soon changed its form into something else a more fearsome creature that left Grave watching carefully. Jumping back though the beast stepped forward trying to devour him with a mighty step. However Grave and the clones dodged out the way to try watching its movements carefully thinking about it Grave remembered any contact would cause the person to die instantly. As the Grave knew fighting a ghost was not something to be handled with fear it was more of its effects that worried him most. Landing on the wall of the crater Grave watched as he finished his hand seals each one holding the staff outward with a powerful blade forming with spirit energy. One quickly darted off under the legs of the beast with a massive swing hitting the ankles of the beast watching it fall to the ground as the other came down stabbing the blade of energy into the mouth of the beast to keep it shut.
Grave stood back watching as the beast seemed to start absorbing the energy in the blade. "What…it can do that as well…damn better switch to defensive then… Ayame how much longer?!" Grave quickly watched as one clone was slapped with a tail vanishing the instant it touched, "Oh…well shit…better be quick…"Ayame yelled out, "Jus a few more minutes I did not think this would be like this at all I have to use a different sealing method." Grave looked back up and sighed lightly watching the other clone jump back with the staff sword landing by Grave, "Notice it too?" The clone spoke as Grave turned to notice the fog was started to sink into the beast recovering the wounds on the beast that was dealt to it. "Strange… I know the attacks can wound a spirit but I've never seen a spirit actually heal like that before… usually they just place the part back on themselves."
Thinking about it they both jumped into the air landing placing their hands on the ground having the Doton element be released in a mighty clash of stones flying at the creature as it was starting to take damage for some reason. "Hmm… so it is what we though…" Ayame finished the seal throwing Grave a strange pair of prayer beads, "Here Grave catch!" As she had released the beads Grave's clone pushed him out the way as the claw of the beast made contact with him. Watching his own clone take the hit to save him as Grave got the beads he got the knowledge back from what the clones had noticed and each learned something different.
"Ah…that could explain it all then." Grave quickly ran facing the beast head on as it opened its mouth to devour him in one shot. But releasing the beads Grave kicked them into the mouth of the beast. Having it trigger trapping it inside the beads as it roared as though it was in pain, "Noooo!!" As the beast was getting sucked in landing on the ground a kunai fell beside the beasts which at a tag wrapped around it reading, "Soul" Walking over to it slowly Grave picked up the beads that were flashing violet and the kunai sighing lightly jumping into the air to land beside everyone. "Hear you go…the items you need to place deep within a seal. It seems that spirit was more of a lone soul that cursed itself wanting to something it could never have…" Grave said turning away after handing the items to the shinobi as he began walking away. Ayame ran to catch up to him confused as to what was wrong.
It was not till she spoke did Grave answer as the rain fall had started back up for them leaving the country. "Grave…what was that all about…"Grave sighed lightly saying, "The tag was a curse tag the beast was a human longing to be human again…so it lived within the tag that had…its soul in it." Taking show to this she looked down upset but nodded only to follow Grave to the next location.
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