Fascination: Sequel

Fascination: Sequel: Part 7

--

Fascination: Sequel

Part 7

--

Oriko focused her chakra, forming a small gathering seal at her chest, as she attempted to locate and pinpoint all of the chakra sources within the tower; it seemed that the vast majority were concentrated in roughly the middle level. 

No doubt as the easiest place for them all to intercept her if she attacked from above or below.  Oriko stole her way through the entrance hall, looking for a means to move further up into the tower – her unfortunate suspicion proved correct as she didn’t think that she’d seen any steps or means of moving further into the tower from the room. 

Sighing lightly to herself, she decided that now would be an opportune moment to take her soldier pill – she had now probably closer to fifty minutes left and she would need as much chakra and energy as she could afford. 

Crunching the solder pill before immediately directing charka to all of her opening points bar those on the soles of her feet, she immediately ran at the wall and up it, allowing her body to pass easily through the ceiling she pushed off to leap the rest of the way through and too changed her charka flow to the soles of her feet and passed completely through.

Landing on the upper level, she again allowed only the soles of her feet to form physical manifestation as she looked around; an enemy shinobi (also apparently adept at hiding his chakra) threw a kunai right through her head as she involuntarily ducked by dictation of habit. 

The enemy had an almost dauntingly sharp mind as Oriko darted a few steps back and he again lunged for her with a long katana held out – as he leapt forward, he aimed it down toward her feet. 

Oriko, dragged out a kunai as she too moved forward to engage him; ducking and weaving her still vulnerable soles out of the way, she plunged the kunai through him (although she inserted some of her chakra into it so that it would be intangible to anyone or thing other than herself). 

Just as the kunai cleared the back of his head, she leapt up to clear herself of his body and severed the chakra flow to the kunai – so that as she brought it back down to connect to the back of his head with violent force – she could be sure that he was unconscious. 

With her body now completely tangible again, she stole away to the small set of steps she could see at the side of the room, holding her kunai tight, she suppressed her chakra once more. 

Her steps were silent and sure as each step she took led her closer to her destination, a sudden thought struck her; if they hadn’t yet taken off her minor ‘seal’ from the scroll, which contained her own chakra, surely she would be able to sense its signature, right? 

Pausing, she allowed her senses to open completely, bringing the chakra-gathering seal to her chest, as she attempted to find a source of chakra with the signature of her own. 

Frowning slightly, it seemed that there were too many other sources of chakra interfering with her ability to distinguish them, cursing slightly, she redoubled her efforts, knowing that it was the only realistic chance she would get of retrieving her scroll in the allotted time. 

After some minutes a small flicker of familiar chakra occurred to her, and she managed to tell the rough location – much higher in the tower, almost at the top; of course! If they knew that I’d be coming looking for them, then they’d be sure to hide in somewhere where I can be easily cornered or subdued! Haa, well this will be fu-

She was dragged back to the present as she only just noticed the man at the top of the flight of steps who’d thrown a kunai aimed right at her chest, the kuniochi just managed to lean back out of the way, causing it to tear horizontally across her, just below her clavicles, drawing a long, thick red, glaring line of her inattention.