"No..." Natsumi murmured, "That's the technique of the Tsuchikage... She's another one of his disciples then... They say it erases the user's presence completely- that you can pass through them without even noticing that you've done so. Maybe... uh... Kaede... you could just give her back the skirt?"<br/><br/>Kaede remembered then... the only thing that caused her to sense something was amiss earlier. She reacted on pure instinct, but just moments before the woman appeared and smashed the defector... she saw a bit of dust billow off of the top of the Torii. It could have been wind... or the technique was not as impeccable as the hot springs kunoichi seemed to think. Still, the debris underneath her hadn't moved since she went invisible again and it was doubtful that she hadn't moved all this time... Especially if she still weighed nearly a ton. She disturbed the dust on top of the gate, but didn't disturb the rubble beneath her at all since then.<br/><br/>"Why would I leave now-" The woman's voice came from right next to Kaede, practically right into her ear, "When we're just starting to have<em>fun?</em>"<br/><br/>Kaede's fist hurled through the air, but she felt absolutely nothing. The voice came from<em>there</em>, no doubt about it... yet all she heard was giggling, coming from someplace else entirely.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Testura: -71 HP, -48 Chakra, -20 Reserve.<br/></div></div><br/><hr/><br/>"The swordsmen have been around since the days of the warring clans, before the village was founded." Saizō said, looking down at the younger ninja, "I presume you ask because of how one may join us... You may think there's enmity between us, but we<em> are</em>a fraternity. The sword is worthy of respect, as is the ninja who possesses it."<br/><br/>"There is no dishonor in death." Kohaku said, closing his eyes like he was reciting some ancient tract. Rokurō's grimace relented, and he went back to smiling... though his shark-toothed grin wasn't any less unsettling, "It is what makes us the most<em>elite</em>in the village." He said, "The price of blood ensures that our blades remains keen."<br/><br/>The older man tilted his head, just slightly, towards the other man. Despite his words about their brotherhood, Saizō seemed just as cold to Rokurō as he was to Kakumei. Yet he was a 'gift-sword' and Tsukire said he could be trusted... Kohaku brought his hands together, "Ah! Kyuuri-sama, would you allow me to escort Kakumei to lady Mochizuki's quarters?"<br/><br/>Rukorō tilted his head, and Saizō nodded, "Very well."<br/><br/>Kohaku leaped off his seat, bringing Samehada with him and heaving it onto his back. He didn't have any sort of sheath or holster, and Kakumei could have sworn he saw something poking through the bandages on the sword against the youth's back. Even standing, he was short- shorter than Kakumei even, and especially diminutive compared to the two ninja before them. Where he found the strength to carry that sword, let along swing it...