Wrath of the Mind Claw

Military action

In an attempt to broaden The Wolfpack's utility as a mercenary organization and relationship with the Hashinara Clan, Grand Administrator Tōdaisen Nobuhara developed a plan by which complaints of mid-to-low-level threats across their domain would be collated as Bounties with minor rewards offered. These requests, while not necessarily worthy of interest by the Cardinal Generals themselves, also offered an opportunity for the many mid-ranking generals of the Hashinara to gain real-battle experience. The Wolfpack would have first pick of these bounties, but any they did not undertake would be released for any other generals to pick up the next day.   For his first Bounty, Knight Commander Maxim chose to tackle reports of Feral Crab Swarms on the coasts around Ago. Put forth by Harukor, this request had to do with large, ravenous crabs attacking with eerily military precision to steal catches from the fishermen of Ago. Maxim summoned Tarō and first gave him a brief of the situation. Then, he teamed the eager ashigaru up with Kiban, Ishinomori Naho, and Elyan as a leader before asking Shigeaki Fujino to teleport them to the last known location of crab-plunder activity.

Upon arrival, the situation proved worse than they expected. A group of four Ravenous Crabs infested what must have been a beachcomber's tent here on the coast, frolicking around with malicious glee as they feasted on fish, bread, or whatever else they could get their pincers on. As Elyan watched, a particularly large crab scuttled by with a whole cheese wheel gripped in one claw.   The crustaceans didn't seem particularly afraid or interested in the newcomers at all, granting them an opportunity to form a plan of attack. Elyan took the lead, ordering that they would attempt to crack these cancers one by one. If they grouped up to swarm, Ishinomori Naho would strike at all of them at once with her twirling staff. That understood, the four readied to charge into combat.   Their first target, a hapless crab closest to the water, suddenly found itself surrounded. The creature's thick shell proved more of an obstacle than expected. Indeed, the crab itself was surprisingly skilled. With a warrior's precision, it grabbed their blades more than once. Eventually, through the combined efforts of Elyan, Kiban, and Naho, the crustacean finally flew backward, its shell cracked almost in two by the force of their blows.   Meanwhile, Tarō had been building up to a new technique. With an ancient scrolll beseeching her power in hand, he invoked the power of Tamamo-no-Mae. The ancient Kitsune answered, perhaps begrudgingly. In a flash of foxfire, Tarō was transformed, adopting a feminine aspect and features of a fox, as well as Tamamo's haughty attitude. The pact also granted him* access to great and powerful magics, which proved only moderately effective on these samurai-skilled crabs.   The fallen crustacean's comrades had indeed begun to swarm, but their slow scuttling speed made it unlikely that any member of Elyan's group would be truly overwhelmed. It was then, however, that the true threat showed itself. With an almighty impact, like a kick from a giant, Elyan found himself lifted off the sand and flung hundreds of feet inland. Although it hurt, he wasn't seriously injured, but that attack spoke of a power they had not reckoned on.   Indeed, Tamamo-no-Tarō saw it now. In the water, lurking just beneath the shallow surf, a particularly Suspicious Crab seemed to be somehow leading the others. It was a psychic matrix that had launched Elyan temporarily out of the fight, and more matrices connected that crab with its comrades. As the Wolfpack team struggled to regroup, that crab-mentalist began raising its pincers and clicking them in a sinister rhythm not unlike a war drum.   Tarō watched as another matrix spread itself out across the entire coast, stretching to cover even Elyan. As if in response, the sand began to rumble and crab after crab poured from the earth. Kiban and Naho fought to defend from the onslaught of crustacean fury, as Tarō hovered over it all, mustering his power. Tamamo-no-Mae was not unfamiliar with such supernatural powers, and the shadow of her spells offered a solution.   Just when it seemed they would be fully overwhelmed, with Elyan not even able to regain the beach, Tarō broke the matrix connecting their crab-leader with its compatriots. Immediately, the other crustaceans all lost focus. Scuttling around aimlessly, they more resembled large animals now than the crack military team they had been before. Although the suspicious crab managed to rejoin them all to its own mental network, the disruption allowed Elyan's team to regain their bearings and regroup.   Although he was far away, Elyan had been infusing his harpoon with ki to throw it at high speed into the water where their true foe lurked. He was unable to score a clean hit at such a distance, but that suspicious crab had to know that its role was now discovered. Kiban, infused with Tamamo-no-Tarō's magic, proved and indefatigable opponent, and Naho twirled through the crustaceans, encouraging her allies with bubbly charm as much as she fought the enemies.   It seemed as though the tide of battle had turned, but none were prepared for what came next. The rumbling beneath the sand at their feet reached a peak, then exploded as an enormous Antlion burst through the sound right next to Kiban and Naho. The monstrous, crab-shelled beast opened its mandibles wide and struck with such ferocity that poor Kiban had no chance to even defend herself. When it drew back, however, their Namahage companion still stood there, completely unscathed. With a big, lopsided grin, she pointed at the foul burrower and declared it a fake. From there, Kiban pointed out which of their crab enemies were real and which were illusions created by their mastermind.   Now understanding the purpose of that wide-area matrix, Tarō was able to break it next. In an instant, most of the crabs and the antilon itself vanished, leaving not a trace of their presence on the beach. The suspicious crab lashed out, trying to punt Tamamo-no-Tarō off in the same way it had Elyan, but the ancient yōkai power which now infused him would not be shifted by such a meager assault. Elyan had regained his original position now and, with another burst of magic, Tarō broke the last matrix, leaving the mastermind cut off from its allies.   With those crustaceans now no threat, and egged on by Naho's cheers, Elyan and Kiban entered the shallows to flank their true opponent. It fought with fierce skill, but their combined onslaught eventually proved too much of it. Without so much as a crack in its shell, the suspicious crab finally succumbed to a lightning bolt from the floating fox not far away. It rose to the surface of the water and floated there limply. His transformation now starting to waver, Tarō was able to collect the oddly powerful soul that emitted from its dead body and store it to deliver to Maxim later.   What crabs remained were now scuttling mindlessly back to the ocean, so Elyan grabbed the corpse of their leader and the other they had killed. Taking up a circle around the campfire that marked the beachcomber's camp, their team cooked up their prey and enjoyed a well-deserved meal as a reward for their hard work.