[SC] Crows

[Akuma]

...and now my watch begins.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

Okay okay, now tell me everything you know about winged-rats... I mean crows.

 

[Akuma]

They are black, they eat pretty much anything and are commonly associated with things such as death, darkness and evil. They are victims to many myths, amongst which one that picks my interest is the supposed ability to predict rain. I know there are more sub-species to the Corvus genus that just "crows". Such as the hooded or jungle crows.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

Okay, that's enough about crows in a broad sense, now tell me more specifically how crows can be used in battle. What strategies do crow users (I guess that means just Itachi) use?

 

[Akuma]

A flock of crows to distract the opponent simply my swarming and flying about their person. It can block their vision or conceal the user's own location to some extent. Larger crow summonings can be used for transportation and as supplementary means of movement in combat of course. Their beaks and claws are useful for assaults against opponents, either to fight them off or create a divertion while the user deals a finishing blow. As for strategies, Itachi is known to use them with genjutsu a lot, as is his area of speciality. Personally I don't see myself using them as such very much, but it's an effective method.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

Okay, then how do you plan on using crows in that case?

 

[Akuma]

I can't say i've thought about that atm. I don't make plans for an ability i've yet to attain. I do however, know that the techniques I create for the contract will stay true to myths about Crows. Revolving about darkness and the likes. I imagine Crows would install fear in opponents more so than regular birds would.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

There sadly aren't that many crow techniques to ask more on the topic and this isn't exactly a "what customs do you want to make" training so... that'll suffice.

Let us do some image training so that you know what you are going to summon to make it easier to call forth a crow. Describe the general features of the crow. Size in relation to other animals, colors, etc., the basics. Essentially, what does a crow look like to you in your mind.

 

[Akuma]

There sadly aren't that many crow techniques to ask more on the topic and this isn't exactly a "what customs do you want to make" training so... that'll suffice.

Let us do some image training so that you know what you are going to summon to make it easier to call forth a crow. Describe the general features of the crow. Size in relation to other animals, colors, etc., the basics. Essentially, what does a crow look like to you in your mind.

They are all black or black with little white or grey plumage. They are stout with strong bills and legs, Crows are pretty big when you compare one to your average bird; they are also smart, included in the group of smartest animals. I've seen enough of them due to Itachi and i've very live images of them as I see quite a few in rl.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

-I take out a scroll and unravel it-

It's time. Bite your thumb and use your bleeding thumb to sign the contract in blood.

 

[Akuma]

Biting the edge of my thumb, I run it over the scroll and ink down my signature onto it.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

The smallest weakest possible crow appears.

Well, at least you summoned something. Try again. The summoning is proportional to the chakra you put in.

 

[Akuma]

*I perform the required seal and place my palm against the ground. The chakra channeled would be as enormous as the large bird I imagine in my head as I perform the summoning ritual*

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

You fail in your attempt to summon a massive crow but summon a decent sized crow. Now summon the same exact size crow, except just summon many of them at the same time. No other difference than that. The crows do nothing more than annoy your opponent. Giving you a small opening. Of course, you opponent could just spam a large technique and get rid of them at once. But nonetheless, go ahead and summon a bunch of crows.

(Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Satsujin Konmei no Karasu) - Summoning Technique: Murder of Crows Confusion
Rank: C
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short-Long
Chakra Cost: 15
Damage Points: N/A
Description: Summoning a massive swarm of crows, they will fly around the target, causing confusion with their dark forms and quick movement. With the target distracted by the crows, the ninja can strike more easily. Also the mass of crows can obscure any retreating ninja. When no longer needed, the murder of crows will simply puff away in smoke.

 

[Akuma]

You fail in your attempt to summon a massive crow but summon a decent sized crow. Now summon the same exact size crow, except just summon many of them at the same time. No other difference than that. The crows do nothing more than annoy your opponent. Giving you a small opening. Of course, you opponent could just spam a large technique and get rid of them at once. But nonetheless, go ahead and summon a bunch of crows.

(Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Satsujin Konmei no Karasu) - Summoning Technique: Murder of Crows Confusion
Rank: C
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short-Long
Chakra Cost: 15
Damage Points: N/A
Description: Summoning a massive swarm of crows, they will fly around the target, causing confusion with their dark forms and quick movement. With the target distracted by the crows, the ninja can strike more easily. Also the mass of crows can obscure any retreating ninja. When no longer needed, the murder of crows will simply puff away in smoke.

*Repeating the same process, this time I ensure that the amount of summons increases by deployed a measured amount of chakra. The flock is summon as it swarms around the tree nearby. Coveing it over with their black wings all over. Once the demostration subdues, the flock puffs back onto where they come from, leaving behind pure smoke.*

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

Same exact technique, but this one allows you to make the crows peck your opponent. So it has some offensive uses. Other than that, not much has changed.

(Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Karasu no satsujin) - Summoning Technique: A Murder of Crows
Rank: C
Type: Offensive, Supplementary, Defence
Range: Short
Chakra cost: 15
Damage points: 20
Description: The user will summon a flock of small normal sized crows which can be used in a variety of ways. The user can use them to simply distract and slow down a target or use them to simply attack them with their beaks.

 

[Akuma]

I summon a similiar swarm of Crows, however in this case they savagely rip leafs off the tree, creating a localized rain of leafs around us before dispersing back and turning into smoke. Much like any other summon does after it summons itself away. Technique albeit simple and weak, would be good in situations where the target can't see clearly. Mist, fog, etc. Creating tension within them which would eventually provide an opening for us to strike.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

Okay, remember when you first summoned something and it ended up being that pathetic crow... that was because you put too little chakra into the technique. The other times you performed the technique, you put a decent amount of chakra into the technique and thus were able to summon normal sized crows. This is essentially the boss summon for crows (as it stands right now). So in order to summon it, simply channel more chakra and try to specifically call this crow. If done properly, instead of a generic summon, you'll summon this specific one.

(Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Kuroi Karasu) - Summoning Technique: Black Crow
Rank: B
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short
Chakra cost: 20
Damage points: N/A
Description: The user will summon a large black crow that stands about as tall as two people with a wingspan of about 5 meters which can be used for various tasks in combat such as generally attacking the opponent or for maneuvering around on the battlefield. The crow itself is only capable of standard physical attacks using its claws, beak and wings.
Note: can only be summoned once

 

[Akuma]

Having had a contract previously, it would be easy to recall the required focus and amount of chakra required to summon a "boss" of a contract. With these notes in mind, I keep the image of a rather large Crow in my mind and attempt to re-create it when I perform the summoning ritual and cast a large puff of smoke before myself.

 

[Crutch Kaguya]

This is somewhat of a basic transformation technique but it also includes your chakra so you are able to control the transformation. Instead of transforming your chakra into your image like with shadow clones, you use crows as a physical structure, and transform several of them to give your physical appearance. They're basically the same as regular clones except made of crows and can only use up to A-rank techniques. And you can only make up to 2 of them. The technique is somewhat inferior to shadow clones, but still counts as a use of clones. I'd recommend sticking with shadow clones unless for showmanship of course.

(Karasu Bunshin no Jutsu) - Crow Clone Technique
Rank: C
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short
Chakra cost: 15
Damage points: N/A
Description: A technique that produces a clone by projecting one's own chakra towards dozens of crows. These are summoned by the technique itself. Because it uses crows as a medium, it requires less chakra than the normal Shadow Clone Technique, while still being able to perform techniques (up to A-Rank). The dozens of crows come together to form the body of a clone. When the chakra projected by the user is severed, the crows disperse, though the user is still able to continue to speak through it.
Note: Can only be used by signers of the Crow contract and can only make 2 clones with each use.