Always bandits (solo/mission)

mission specs:

The weather outside was calm and cool today. A slight breeze blew through the air as the sun reached its highest point in the sky. Having received a new mission, Tatsuo found a quite place to review the briefing scroll and learn what he could before embarking. As he read the scroll, he couldn't believe his eyes. Finally, a mission that might actually challenge him! According to the scroll he was to eliminate a small group of bandits that had been causing some trouble near the border, harassing travelers and things like that. He was instructed to either kill them or scare them off, as long as they didn't come back it was completely up to him. It also had some information on the bandits themselves. It appeared that they weren't very strong individually which is why they stuck together. It didn't really matter though as Tatsuo would have no problem fighting off guys like this.

Putting the scroll back in his ninja pouch he set off towards the village gates. The walk to the gates was a short one in contrast to the time it would take him to reach the borders to the north of the village. With no time to lose he jumped high into the nearest tree and began traveling above the forest towards where he figured he would find his targets. As he was traveling he drummed a few strategies in his head of how he was going to handle this. Most likely he could just pick them all off one by one from the trees but where was the fun in that. He needed to send a message and make sure they never came back right? So the best way to do that was to fight them all head on and kill all but one to tell the tale to his buddies. For some reason Tatsuo was feeling overly sadistic today, much more than usual so he decided he would be aloud to indulge himself in violence on this particular mission.

Nearing the place where the bandits were last spotted he began moving much slower and stealthier to avoid giving himself away before it was the necessary time. Hearing some chatter near his location he slowly crept in on what it could be, and here they were as soon as he drew close enough to the sounds he heard. There were five of them from what Tatsuo could tell right off the bat. Other than the number he noticed a few more things about the unwanted fellows, things like the fact they didn't appear to heavily equipped or armored which would make his life much easier in the long run. They were oblivious to Tatsuo's presents, sitting roughly ten or so meters away up in the trees. They were in a small opening between the trees, however, large branches still sat high above them. That gave Tatsuo a little idea as to how he would start this off.

Forming a quick series of hand signs he inhaled deeply before launching a series of fireballs aimed at the large branches resting above the bandit crew. The balls of fire impacted the branches and severed them causing them to fall towards the bandits in a hail of flaming wood. Immediately upon seeing the threat they retreated however still sticking together. Tatsuo gave chase, being sure to keep out of sight still though. After a few moments they stopped and so did Tatsuo, he remained quiet to listen in as a few of them spoke.

"Someone is here!"[/color] "Watch the tree tops!"[/color] After another few moments Tatsuo dropped down from the trees a few meters away from them finally allowing them to know of his presence.
"So you have two options, leave this place now or I have been instructed to kill you. I'll allow you to choose how this ends and normally I would say choose wisely but for me both choices are desirable." The bandits upon listening to his speech simply laughed at him and the one in front charged him. Swinging a punch aimed for Tatsuo's jaw at a speed easily detected and evaded by Tatsuo. As he ducked underneath the punch he brought his fist up into the mans chin with an uppercut before kicking him in the stomach hard and sending him flying back towards his pals. Now the men all charged at Tatsuo, all except the now unconscious one lying in the dirt.

Tatsuo drew his sword and also dashed towards the bandits. As he drew close, they unsheathed a few kunai knives so they could counter his sword with blades of their own. They all attacked Tatsuo at once the first one slashing at Tatsuo stomach, an easy attack to leap over. As he leaped over and landed behind the bandit, he kicked his back and sent him into the dirt as well. The other three leapt at him all at once, Tatsuo simply jumped out of the way and brand his sword down into the back of the one he had kicked earlier. "One down, you sure you don't want to quite while you still can?" Tatsuo said with a grin but to his surprise they replied with a threat. [b]"Your gonna regret that creep."

Tatsuo plucked his sword out of the back of his first kill, it now soaked with blood half a foot up. He charged at them immediately stopping when he got in close range, kicking dirt up into the face of the first bandit to blind him as he drove the hilt of his sword into the guy knocking the wind from his lungs. As tat guy fell to the ground, the other two immediately sprang at him. He dodged the first few slashed before he was able to kick the kunai from one bandits hand disarming him. Afterwards he parried a thrust from another bandit and counter with a fatal slash to the mans back, spraying more blood on the ground. The third began to retreated but it was too late now, Tatsuo through his sword into the mans leg before slowly approaching him. He quickly and cleanly finished him off along with the other two before beginning his trek back to the village, a good mission well done and one that he would later say he had some enjoyment in doing.

(Exit)

(WC: 1063/1000) (Mission Complete: Claiming 1000 ryo)
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