February 23rd - Special News Bulletin: Tailed Beast attacks Lightning Country

It’s a moment of darkness for Konoha this week as we mourn the loss of four great shinobi, who served Konoha greatly in their own unique way. What should have been a day of new beginnings quickly turned to horror.

The day started with a group of newly enrolled Academy students partaking in their induction classes, the group met their homeroom teacher Jounin Kasake, who quickly surprised them with the news that they had all been invited to the Daimyo’s palace for a meet and greet, Lord Yashida has been absent from the public eye for some time and saw an opportunity to do an act of recognition for the future generation of his shinobi village. The group set off full of excitement and were joined by superiors, mostly Chunin and Jounin who were no doubt keen to take a look around the Daimyo’s palace, but were intercepted with news of an incident in Lightning Country.

The group was informed that a tsunami hit the coast of Lightning Country causing devastation to the settlements that nestled the coastline. The Council of Raimei were quick to hire Konoha to come to their aid and investigate the area of the disaster to find survivors or looters.

The Shinobi and students arrived in Lightning Country expecting to be faced with mostly a task of search and rescue, however after speaking with some locals the cause of the Tsunami became clear as from the depths of the ocean emerged a beast, comparable to a large turtle or crab with grey and pink skin, with three-tails. The shinobi were quick to react, rushing towards the beast as it crawled onto the beach. They fought it off enough that he returned back into the ocean but he continued to fight, launching a large ninjutsu projectile towards the group, who were saved by Senju Kasake, who ensured the students got out of harm's way but sacrificed himself to do so. At this point the higher ranking shinobi sent the students back to the safety of the village whilst the rest remained to deal with the beast.

Another difficult assault began, with many of the shinobi being wholly inexperienced to fight a beast of such power. Former Councilwoman Vida almost lost her life early on as she was captured by the beast but she heroically freed herself by stabbing it in the eye with her Nuibari. Angered, the beast prepared its final assault against the remaining Konoha shinobi, launching projectiles that struck and killed three. Lord Sixth Uchiha Katsuo, Former Councilwoman Vida and Kaguya Airi, Lord Sixth’s Student, were killed in action, it’s a testament to the strength of our Shinobi that their comrades were focused and resilient enough to retrieve their bodies before the beast dragged them down into the ocean as he submerged, victorious, with Vida’s Nuibari protruding from his eye.

The trio were carried back to a now overrun Konoha Hospital, it is not known who broke the news to Lady Heiri, wife to Lord Sixth, Councilwoman and Head of the Hospital, but witnesses describe her desperately attempting to save her husband, though nothing could be done. The hospital was full of chaos and grief as news spread of the fatalities more people arrived to see for themselves. No statement has come from Lord Seventh, but it is thought that funerals will be held tomorrow with everyone welcome to attend and pay their respects.