The Path to Power (NDE, Training)

(OOC: this post is for Senka and is worth TTP. Given that Kazuko is Class 2, and Senka is Class 5, he can instantly learn it at proficient for the normal TTP cost. Meaning that Kazuko can Master the technique for 40 TTP. Since this is NDE, all that is required to Master the technique is 8 paragraphs.)


The Vice Captain of Squad 9 decided to use his free time in order to practice his step movements and his Kendo. While some told him to relax and take a load off, he nonetheless felt that he should put his time toward something useful and productive. With the sun overhead, Kazuko had plenty of time before the sun lowered to get something out of the day. He stretched his arms and legs, making himself loose, and made sure his reiatsu flow was steady. He would begin with his steps and then move onto his swordsmanship.


Kazuko shifted his weight forward, using gravity as leverage, and pushed off in a burst of speed. A staccato of foot falls later; he had reached one end of the courtyard. Without losing stride, he quickly spun around and ran to the other end. When he reached the other end, he again spun around ran to the opposite end again. Each time, he made sure to keep his momentum in check and his weight leaned forward in order to keep his speed constant. The Vice Captain repeated these sprints over and over again, until he finally felt the muscles in his legs burn to a point where he couldn’t stand it any longer.


With his legs on fire, Kazuko ceased his sprints and decided to work on his Kendo instead. He was quick to unsheathe the zanpakuto on his back and get into his routine before his muscles had a chance to cramp up. His routine consisted of a series of forward slashes, a few kicks or palm strikes, before finally ending in a quick lunge of his blade. Like the sprints, he repeated this motion insistently, until he felt his arms go the way of his legs. Hesitantly, he lowered his zanpakuto, to tired to offer any protest to his body. While he hated to admit it, Kazuko was obviously nearing his limit.


However, having been there already for a few hours, he suddenly realized how he could further his arsenal of attacks. While he practiced both his step training and his Kendo training, he had not thought of mixing the two up. His mind set was that if he could somehow sync his attacks with his step movements, then he could create something new and lethal entirely. With a new of spark of energy in his eyes, he stretched his stressed arms and legs, this way and that, as he prepared himself for this experiment.


Without warning, Kazuko disappeared in a blur of movement. Too quick for the eyes to follow, his Shunpo took him out about 10 meters or so before he reappeared near the center of the yard. Just as he would reappear, his zanpakuto would lash out in quick cut. Despite how close the two movements appeared, they were not synchronized and thus two separate movements. What Kazuko wanted was to combine both movements into a technique that accomplished more than just a step or an attack. He wanted something that could through off his enemies. So, he decided to keep trying until he got his movements in line.


For the good part of an hour, Kazuko kept at it. He would disappear and reappear throughout the courtyard, performing quick and steady cuts. The air was filled with the sound of sharp steel and the heavy footfalls of numerous Shunpos. However, each time, his movements fell short of being perfectly synchronized. His timing, as it were, was off with each attempt. And if he couldn’t get his timing right, then this new technique would be useless in combat. The Vice Captain paused from his efforts in order to ponder what he could do to salvage this predicament. After a few moments, he thought of a solution.


What he had been doing was the wrong approach to the matter; instead of focusing on competing a two separate attacks at the same time, his body needed to move as one. He didn’t need two motions to execute one result; he only needed one. What he planned to do with his Shunpo was make it so that when his he reappeared, his forward motion would be the drive the motion of his slash. Meaning, while his body was moving forward, his arm would be moving backward, in a sort of backhand cut. In this way, he could create a fluid movement, which accomplished two things as one, since he only needed to rely on his momentum to throw back his arm for the backhand slash.


The Vice Captain took a deep breath and then started swinging his zanpakuto in a few practice swings. He intended to get it right this time. Without warning, he once again vanished with Shunpo and reappeared near one end of the courtyard. Just as the momentum of the Shunpo carried him forward, his right arm would swing back with the movement. After a split second, the movement had ended, with Kazuko moving slightly forward, and his arm lashing backward. He had finally done it: the hoho he had been practicing at had been accomplished in one fluid, and synced motion.


With a grin on his face, Kazuko repeated the technique a handful of times to make sure his muscles remembered the feeling of the technique. After all the effort spent attempting it, he did not want it all to go to waste. While he was doing this, he also realized that he was a bit faster when performing the technique he later learned was called Senka. All the training he had done that day had culminated in mastering Senka. Finally, after the sun was on the cusp of the horizon, Kazuko ended his training. He had accomplished more than he thought he could that day.


After a full afternoon of training, the once polished tiles of the courtyard were scuffed beyond recognition. Everywhere, there were streaks of dirt and pieces of splintered wood. In the midst of it all, stood Kazuko Shiba, panting and drenched in sweat. His brow was furrowed as he took a quick glance around at the mess he had made. while it was not his job to clean the courtyard, he would nonetheless have a heavy conscious if he left it as it were. So, after exhaling a tired breath, he went and grabbed a broom and brush and began cleaning the mess he had made.

(OOC: Senka Mastered.)

(OOC: This post will be used to learn and master Shunpo Karin. Given that Shunpo Karin is Class 5, and Kazuko is Class 2, he can instantly learn it at proficient level for the regular TTP cost. Since this is NDE, all that is needed to master this technique is 40 TTP. )


With a new day brought another opportunity to grow in strength. Kazuko eagerly stretched in the morning sun as he contemplated how he would proceed with his training. After a few moments of deliberation, he soon came up with a productive way to spend his time there. Kazuko tightened the torso portion of his kimono and laid his zanpakuto on the ground, next to the sack he carried with water and food. As it were, he would practice moving at high speeds with Shunpo. The faster he could make himself, the more striking advantage he would have.


He took out the training weights from the sack on the ground and strapped them onto his wrists and calves. It didn’t hurt to add a little resistance every now and then in order to mitigate results. Without wasting another moment, he lunged forward, for a fraction of a second, before disappearing with Shunpo. The step technique took him out about 10 meters or so, before he reappeared again. As soon as his other foot made contact with the ground, he would move forward in another Shunpo. This time, he would reappear high above the ground.


Without air-ground, the Vice Captain would have a rough landing if he wasn’t too careful. So, as he descended back down onto the ground, he concentrated his reiatsu at the sole of his foot. With a disciplined patience, he waited for a few moments before his foot finally made contact with the ground. As that happened, he would disappear with Shunpo yet again. By doing this just right, Kazuko had redirected the force of the fall into the Shunpo’s forward movement.


Having made it through the fall unscathed, Kazuko decided to kick things up a notch. He sauntered over to the sack on the ground and pulled out another set of weights. He strapped the ten-pound restraints overtop the ones he placed earlier; he needed to push his limbs to higher level of resilience. He gave himself a moment to adjust to the weight, and then sprung forward. He ran full speed across the tiles of the courtyard, every step was alive like the beat of a heart. He aimed his trajectory at one of the corners of the courtyard.


As he almost came upon the corner, the Vice Captain would abruptly fling his arms crosswise, in order to redistribute his weight, and move his body in a perpendicular direction. The whole set of movements served to stress the muscles in his limbs. He then moved to another corner of the courtyard. Again, when he neared the end, Kazuko would again suddenly redirect his body. Every time he did this, he aimed for another corner to sprint to. This, of course, would put his limbs under great stress, but allow him to access much more rapid, and sudden movements.


He repeated these movements until he made a few circuits around the courtyard. When he finished, Kazuko took a few seconds to catch his breath. For the last stretch of his training, the Vice Captain decided to add another set of weights to his limbs. With heavy arms, he added another set of ten-pound weights, this time, to his forearms and upper calves; he would push himself through this last set of drills. The Vice Captain intended to use Shunpo to make his way all around the courtyard.


The Vice Captain took one step forward with Shunpo and then another. Each time, he progressed a dozen meters or so, until he made it to one corner. When that would happen, Kazuko would change direction, always keeping a wall to his side, and continue going with his step techniques. When he was at the halfway point, Kazuko had to take a moment to clear the sweat from his brow, before continuing again. By the time he reached his starting location, he was breathing roughly, with sweat running down his face. He had just completed a full 400-meter circuit with 120 pounds strapped onto his body.


By the time he finished he finished his training, the sun had already moved high above the sky. It was an hour or so past noon already, so Kazuko decided to spend the rest of his time that day finishing his paperwork. He picked up his zanpakuto, and his sack of gear, before making his way out of the courtyard. If he were lucky, the Vice Captain would be able to enjoy a good cup of coffee or two if he finished his duties early. This would surely complete his day on a high note.


(OOC: Shunpo Karin Mastered.)

(OOC: this post will be used to Learn and Master Soul Bind. Since Kazuko is Class 2 and Soul Bind is Class 4, he can learn the technique at Proficient for the regular cost. Therefore, Kazuko can Master the technique for 80 TTP; 16 paragraphs is all that is required to Master this technique. Note: Soul Bind requires a custom version of the tech to be made for the user, which has been submitted for Grading as well, and is located at the end of this post for reference.)


On this day, as the Vice-Captain made his way through the corridors of the Barracks, he kept finding himself thinking about recent events. As of late, after the Vandenreich invasion, he had been trying to make himself stronger in order to make himself more useful to Soul Society and his family. This venture had sparked numerous solo training sessions as well as a few sparing matches with comrades. Through it all, he found some improvement with his skill and ability, but he still felt lacking; almost as if he had not bridged the gap he had set out to conquer. Even with his new strength, it still wasn’t enough for what he eventually hoped he would accomplish. No, as his sandals padded along the wooden floor, he couldn’t figure out what else he needed to do to make improvement.


When he rounded a corner, his back slightly bent, his mind was still in a flux of thoughts. That is, until he heard two voices in tandem exclaim, “Good morning, Sir!” Two Shinigami, having been surmised as unseated members by the lack of decoration on their uniforms and their weak spiritual pressure, had stopped just beside the path of the Vice-Captain with their hands held up, saluting. Kazuko, looking up at them, went rigid with protocol and straightened himself up that second, and quickly responded, “At ease, and good morning to you both." They eased their postures, hesitantly, and one of them inquired, “A few others and I were wondering whether there was to be a training session today? Nothing’s been announced so far, so we were curious.”


Ah, Training. The Vice-Captain affirmed, “Not this week, no. I’ve had much on my roster lately, so I haven’t found the time to call another training.” Surprisingly, instead of finding relief etched in their features, both men looked slightly disappointed. Strange? Kazuko never thought much of how the squad thought of his training, but he always assumed they weren’t too happy with it; given, it took time away from other things they could be doing, like getting work done, or partying (When Kazuko wasn’t looking, of course). The other Shinigami mentioned, “Well, we’re looking forward to it then. I’ve gotten much better with my Kido, since we started. I can actually fire a few off in quick succession now.” His partner agreed while grinning, “Yeah, and now I know a few nifty combinations with my sword.” Taken aback, Kazuko responded, “Well, glad to hear it. Hopefully, we can continue next week if work allows it. Nice speaking with you two.” With the conversation over, both men said their goodbyes and continued on their way.


Kazuko, still surprised that they actually liked his training, did the same himself once they passed him. After a few moments, his face lit up with a smile. He felt proud knowing the Squad actually liked his training and were improving with it. It almost made his job that much more bearable. When he rounded a final corner, he arrived at the door to his office. He walked in, turned on the lights, and came face to face with the massive pile of papers laying all over his desk. Apparently, even with all the reconstruction going on in Soul Society, the upper echelons still found time to jam paperwork down the throats of every Squad. While Kazuko respected order and discipline, he still disliked doing paperwork and tried to put it off whenever he could. Unfortunately for him, with all his errands lately, the papers on his desk had been piling up more and more with every passing day. If he didn’t want his office drowning him with papers, they would need to get done one way or the other.


However, before he could sit down and begin, the feeling from earlier reared its head. Inside, he felt the same feeling of weakness. Like an annoying itch, he couldn’t shake the feeling away. After a few moments of deliberation, he finally came to a decision; until he found some way of increasing his current level of power, he would have to postpone his duties as a Vice-Captain. While this may of sounded drastic to anyone else, in Kazuko’s mind, he felt himself sigh in relief. If he was busy training or something, that meant he didn’t have to contend with all his paperwork. Like a child stealing a piece of candy, he scurried out of his room, making sure not to look back when he did so; no need reminding himself what he had waiting for him when he came back. While, it seemed this was just a way out of getting out of doing paperwork (which it was), Kazuko was serious about getting stronger; however, how he did so was the real question here.


Kazuko marched on through Barracks, returning salutes every now and then, until he finally made it to the courtyard. Outside, he realized just how early it was with the sun rising above the cusp of the rooftops and the sky such a deep shade of blue. Perfect, it meant if he finished early enough, he could return in time to finish his paperwork before it got too late. However, having come to the conclusion of how he went about getting stronger on his walk there, he knew it wouldn’t be as easy as he thought. Then again, nothing ever was when it concerned his zanpakuto, Chikyu Gagoiru. If he wanted the power he wanted, he would need to consult his zanpakuto spirit to get it. As it were, Gagoiru was not really the “giving” type whenever Kazuko was concerned. Both men never quite saw eye to eye on most regards. For that reason, Kazuko never really consulted him for much, until occasions such as these were concerned.


Finding the courtyard deserted, he walked picked a shady area underneath the wooden veranda of the outer walls to settle down. Kazuko unsheathed his zanpakuto, unsheathed his zanpakuto from his back, and placed it on his lap. He took in a deep breath and prayed Gagoiru was in a better mood that day; if he played his cards right, he might just come out of this with as little pain as possible. However, he made sure not to get his hopes too high as he settled his mind. With deep, calming breaths, the Vice-Captain began preparing his mind for the journey ahead. Little by little, his pulse slowed down, as did the rate of his breaths. Almost as if he were trying to fall asleep, he quieted all thoughts and focused on syncing his reiatsu up with his zanpakuto. Eventually, when found that his reiatsu was lined up perfectly with that of his zanpakuto, he opened his eyes and found himself in the mountain range that was his Inner World.


Everywhere Kazuko looked, there were mountains that soared spread for leagues all around, almost as if there were more than could ever be seen. These mountains were so massive and so high in the sky that the only parts of these mountains that could be seen were their peaks, which jutted out from the clouds below. Like a sea of white, nothing could be seen or discerned through this screen of fluff; it could be called the “bottom” of Kazuko’s Inner World. Kazuko himself was standing in the midst of these mountains, on top of the highest one. This mountain, however, did not end in a jagged peak like all the rest, no; its top was completely flat. This area of the mountain was roughly circular in shape and was about thirty meters in diameter. At the center of this plateau, hunched on his cane, was the person Kazuko had come to see.


Looking as grim as ever, Gagoiru just stood there, watching him through the two slits that were his eyes. Standing roughly five feet and six inches hunched over, Gagoiru was a poor sight to see. He had wisps of gray hair jutting out from his scalp and a thin bear on his chin to match it. Through the folds and wrinkles in his skin could be seen the outline of his skeleton; however, noticing the outline of his body would be quite difficult to anyone else considering he wore a gray, torn and patched up kimono which hung loosely on his malnourished frame. Almost as if a scowl were etched in granite, his face shows nothing but contempt to whomever as the ill fortune of finding their sight on him. With his gnarled stick for a cane, he does nothing but stoop there, like a skeleton, staring right through you as if he were trying to focus on something in the background. The complete contrast of everything Kazuko embodies and looks like, this man had dominion over his Inner World.


Kazuko took a deep breath, as if he were trying to draw in confidence from the stone around him, and walked over to his zanpakuto. As he approached the old man, Gagoiru neither moved nor made any attempt to say anything, as per what was usual with him. The Vice-Captain, only a meter or so away from him, stopped abruptly, not willing to take another step forward; any closer, and chances were he’d get the broad end of that cane smashed against his skull, again. With his expression flat, and his eyes set with determination, Kazuko began, “Gagoiru, I think you know what I’m here for.” There was no hello between them, no sign of respect or formality; there was only business. Gagoiru, rigid whether from age, preference, or maybe both, said nothing for a long time; the only sign of acknowledgement was the cold, heartless stare he kept locked on Kazuko, almost as if he wanted to murder him with his eyes. After what could have been hours, his voice, thin, raspy, like metal scraping on metal was heard.


“You want power, like you always do, you worthless runt.” Gagoiru rasped, contempt and rage evident through every word. Neither his voice nor his attitude fazed Kazuko in the least bit; the Vice-Captain was used to this his Inner Spirit already. So, without hesitation, Kazuko responded, “Your power is mine, we both know that; you’re just holding it for me while I get strong enough to handle it. So, if you know what I want, then give it now.” There was no emotion with lining his voice; in fact, the mere absence of it sent a greater message than anger or vindication ever could. A silence stretched out between them, with neither of them bothering to make an attempt to break it. However, unlike both of them, the environment around them was not completely devoid of sound; every so often, the sounds of rocks tumbling down into oblivion could be heard. Like a feint whisper in someone’s ear, the wind would brush against the side of the mountain, sending dust and dirt into the air with it.


Almost a minute later, Gagoiru began chuckling in his throat; a raspy sound that seemed to translate anger rather amusement. Through his “amusement” he goaded, “Fuck off. I don’t have to give you anything you spoiled brat. In fact, I don’t even have to listen to your incessant squabbling.” And with that, he turned around, letting his back face Kazuko. Damn it! Kazuko, finally annoyed enough, took an unconscious step forward in anger… and unexpectedly got knocked backward by something. His cheek burned red with pain; shocked, he brought his hand up and touched the spot. As he did so, he noticed that Gagoiru was had somehow turned himself around and was now chuckling to himself again. After a few moments, his face grew grim again and he pointed his cane at Kazuko. “Never get near me again, kid. Never.” Of course, it took the Vice-Captain seconds to figure out what happened. Actually, it had happened a number of times before; Kazuko would get mad and try to approach his spirit, who would then knock him backward with a quick, but brutal THWACK from his cane.


“You senile old man!” Kazuko barked, his chest heaving. “Its always the same with you! I come here, trying to ask for something that I EARNED and you just tell me off.” While the Vice-Captain was usually ordered and calm, his Inner Spirit, no matter how hard he resisted, always set his temper on fire. They had known each other for years, but Gagoiru still acted as if he hated Kazuko. Which he was pretty sure he did. But despite that, Kazuko still had to try to reason with him to give him the power he needed. It was the only way of accessing it. For that reason, the Vice-Captain allowed himself a few seconds to collect his thoughts why taking a few deep breaths. There was no need to get himself riled up again just to make things worse. No, he needed to be delicate with the situation and play off of what he already knew of his zanpakuto spirit.


Gagoiru had just stood there watching, not even bothering to respond to the Vice-Captain seethe in rage before finally calming himself down. He showed no emotion, however, other than the grim set of his face anyway. With his emotions in check once again, Kazuko offered, “Okay, Gagoiru… what will it take for you to give me the power that I want?” His zanpakuto scanned his eyes, as if he were trying to see the truth of his statement and repeated, “What will it take?” He paused before a grin set in his face. Whatever he had in mind, the Vice-Captain already knew he wasn’t going to like it, at all. But if this was what it took… then so be it. Everything with Gagoiru needed to have a price that was the only way you could get anything out of him. Before, it had taken weeks of negotiating and bickering in order for Kazuko to obtain his Shikai. This was trivial in comparison.


“Fine. I’ll GIVE you the power you want, you shameless mutt. The only thing I want in return is that you ASK for my permission to use it. Understood?” Gagoiru offered, a grin of mockery setting into his features. He was using what Kazuko said before about who held all the power against him. As if to say, all the power that belonged to the Vice-Captain came from Gagoiru, and not himself. His own zanpakuto knew full well how to get under his skin; hurting his pride was just one way to do it. Clenching his fists, until his nails almost cut into his skin, Kazuko hesitantly relented, “Alright, I accept… for now. Now hurry up and cough up what you promised before you die on me.” His zanpakuto, with a grin of victory exposing his rotted and crooked teeth, continued, “Good. Looks like the dog knows how to follow commands then, Eh?” Not willing to escalate the price for this power, Kazuko held his tongue and his body back with all his strength.


“Then we have a deal,” Gagoiru finished for him when he said nothing back. "All you have to do is ask for my permission, and I’ll give you some ‘power’ of MINE.” He cackled at the last word, knowing it chiseled away at Kazuko’s pride. Letting the moment sink in, the zanpakuto continued, “Now that that’s settled, this technique I’m giving you allows you to absorb my physical form and take up my powers for a short while. All you have to do is consult me first, and I’ll activate it for you.” With nothing left to say, the spirit barked, “Now get out of here already, brat! You’ve got what you wanted now go!" For this, Kazuko complied without arguing, what was done was done; he had gotten what he needed, there was no point staying in with his “partner” any longer. It was time to go. Before he did, however, the Vice-Captain, with the remainder of his dignity, said as he was walking away, “Just wait, Gagoiru. I’ll take what’s mine sooner or later.” And with that, he broke off the meditation and went on with his job.


(OOC: SoulBind Learned and Mastered.)

(OOC: this post will be used to learn Way of Omnitsu: Utsusemi (Cicada); since Utsusemi is a Class 2 technique, 180 TTP is needed to learn it; this equates to 36 paragraphs. For the sake of learning of this technique, training will be held outside of the Squad Nine Courtyard, and in a mountainous region that Kazuko is familiar with.)


Whoosh! Whoosh! The sound of wind echoed through the canopy of leaves and branches overhead, adding its own part to the orchestra that was nature. Birds chirped atop their leave and twig homes, sparks of innocence amidst the inferno of life and beauty all around. Even the soft padding of feet on the forest floor added its own flavor to the music. Peaceful; tranquil; all these words could aptly describe how the environment resonated in the mind of the boy who expertly made his way through it. It had been a few months since the last time he had visited this place. The toll of work and duty meant that time was at a premium, especially for ventures such as this one. Nonetheless, Kazuko had finally done it; he had managed to shrug off his workload at the squad and give himself some time to put in quality training.


In reality, the Vice-Captain did a lot of training as it was in the squad; most of it was to train others, but the fact remained, he did spent his time off pushing his body to the limits. However, there was only so much training within the confines and jurisdiction of the squad could produce. Kazuko could practice things like Kido and Hakuda in the courtyard, but only to a certain degree. If he used high level Kido, for example, he put others at risk of the blowback the spells could potentially produce. More than that, it was against regulations to use spells such as those in the nineties in the vicinity of others. Crimes such as these were punishable by probation by Squad Seven, or time in the Maggots’ Nest located in Squad Two. These sort of consequences meant that the boy had to routinely use lower level spells and attacks in the hopes of maintaining the vigor of his own battle capabilities.


Besides, the training that the Vice-Captain did do was too few and not as challenging as he would like. Nonetheless, after some push and pull with a few of his contacts within Central, he had managed to give himself a few days leave back home. The name of Shiba, although old and past its glory days, still held some weight in the eyes of the bureaucrats and nobles that led the Gotei in these times of war. War, though, might have been the real reason why the Vice-Captain was making this journey. The Vandenreich threatened to destroy everything that the Gotei stood for; Captains and officers alike had met stiff resistance against these bow-wielding adversaries. Kazuko knew first hand how strong of adversaries these holy-men made. He had fought two Generals and a number of lieutenants as well, so he knew that their power was something palpable and great. For that reason and more, he needed to grow stronger; faster; he needed to uphold and defend what he held dear.


The forest that the Vice-Captain was in was one that belonged to his household; the house of Shiba. It was secluded, and far away from most of the Rokongai, so it made for an excellent training ground. Decades ago, when his reiatsu was still developing, he had often ventured into the depths of this forest to practice his sword work. Even now, as an officer of the Gotei, those times spent in this forest brought a smile to the round cheeks of the boy. He missed the innocence and carefree nature of the time, as all adults did; however, Kazuko was still a child himself, so the memories had a different hue to them than they would for others. As he pressed upward on a knoll, climbing upward toward a small hill and towers of trees, he thought about his life in the Gotei. It was a hard life, that was sure, but it had its rewards and glory. Though, he could not help wondering how it would feel like to spend his time playing with other children and having fun like he used to…


The thought, though novel, soon evaporated as he made it to the top of the small hill; make no mistake, he was still in the midst of the forest, but the trees in this area were at shaper angles and shorter by a few yards than the trees below. Through the canopy, the rays of the sun peaked through overhead, signaling that it was midday. With a sigh, the Vice-Captain dropped the sack that he had carried with him over his shoulders and began rummaging through it. From within, the boy pulled out a set of cans and sheets; food and shelter were always a necessity. However, winter had passed, and they were in springtime, so the fear of rain was not as great now. For that reason, the Vice-Captain had brought with him sleeping mat for the night, and some rations of food. If he was in need of anything else, he would be able to procure it from the environment around him – or the Shiba manor, which was not too far off from his location.


It took him the better part of an hour to finish setting his things on the floor; he tied his rations up on low hanging branch, and set his mat and gear nearby. Kazuko had even assembled a few sticks and rotted logs together in a small pyre. It took only a small mental cue, and the aim of his index finger, for him to fire off a small Byakurai and set the whole mass ablaze. Kido, as the boy knew, was the age-old friend of the Shinigami; it made both battle and survival easier – more exactly, it made them more skilled or adapted to it than it would others. Nonetheless, with a fire in place, and his stomach still full since he left the Shiba Manor a few hours ago, Kazuko decided that he might as well begin his training as soon as possible. Every minute was precious, and the boy did not want to return back to his squad without something to show for his efforts. Maybe, if he learned quickly enough, he would be able to pass down to his subordinates what he learned in his time away.


Before beginning, the Vice-Captain made sure everything on his person was in order before beginning himself. He brought along a standard black robe that all Shinigami were accustomed to wearing. On the upper portion of his left arm, a wooden badge with symbol Nine inscribed could be found, as it always was. Strapped securely to his back, the Vice-Captain wore his zanpakuto; Gagoiru was far too long for the boy, short as he was, to wear at his hip like other Shinigami did. Luckily, ease of access was not sacrificed by having it there, and it always made the Vice-Captain feel secure that his vestige of power was always close at hand. Save for a compass, a scroll, and Hell Butterfly hidden snuggly within the sleeve of his right arm, Kazuko did not carry much on his person. This was good, since carrying too much would probably slow the boy down for the training he would be attempting.


For this training venture, the Vice-Captain had decided that instead of focusing his time on many areas of combat, such a Kido, Hakuda, and Hoho, he would only focus it on one. As it was, Kazuko decided to dedicate his time to practicing his time and skill in the art of Hoho; the brand of skill for Shinigami that focused on maneuverability and speed. Of course, he was skilled in this art as well, as he had mastered such things as Advanced Air Ground, Shunpo, and Senka, he nonetheless felt he could do more and thus push himself farther. So, he would work on this skill of his, and try to master a new technique. In the inner pockets of his robe, he had a special scroll that the Vice-Captain had taken great lengths to… procure. As the second-in-command of the information dissecting squad, the boy was privy to information that many in the Gotei were not. Such as pieces of information that the Stealth Force wanted encrypted to keep out of the prying eyes of others.


Kazuko had encrypted the scrolls that were given to him by the Stealth Force; he had gone through seemingly endless rows of kanji, putting all of it into a cipher. During this process, the Vice-Captain had taken interest in one manuscript of a technique, and decided to commit the general workings of the technique to memory. He was skilled in learning large quantities of information, and taking note of the essence of the technique was nothing too great for him. After the encrypted scrolls were returned to the Stealth Force, Kazuko himself committed what he had learned to the paper-cloth of a scroll, so that he would have something for reference later on. Not that he needed it, but it was always a good idea to keep a record of things just in case he needed to pull up on old information later on. And although others might consider what Kazuko did a violation of conduct or what not, he had not actually “stolen” anything. It was their fault for putting such information in his hands and expecting him not to take advantage of the opportunity.


Nonetheless, without delaying any further, Kazuko, with a start, sprung forward in a blur of speed and motion. His outline etched a pattern as it zigzagged past columns and columns of trees. Whenever something like a low-hanging branch or tree got in his way, the boy would either duck under, never losing momentum, or simply springboard off the object. Though it all seemed fancy and choreographed, the Vice-Captain was simply preparing his body – more specifically his legs – for the strain and pressure of the training he would have to endure as his training progressed. In a way of words, Kazuko was warming up, and this was the way he would go about doing it. This constant motion and activity lasted for a good chunk of time – maybe an hour – before the boy ceased his motion and took the time to regain his breath.

The Vice-Captain was never one for arduous physical activity, so the time spent acclimating his legs did take a toll on his stamina; but he recovered after a few minutes of rest. Now that his legs were properly adjusted to the strain they would have to endure, Kazuko decided it was time to test the limits that his reiatsu control could take him. Shunpo, the standard brand of step technique for Shinigami, was nothing without both the physical and reiatsu aspects of the technique. Without both controlling the burst of reiatsu at the sole, the leg could never move at the speeds it did to produce the vanishing effects that it did. Utsusemi, as Kazuko had learned, was much like this in theory. Instead of a small burst of reiatsu at the sole, the user needed to, and for lack of a better word, make their reiatsu explode in a fraction of moment and force their muscles to move in tandem as well with that motion.


Easier said than done, however. There was a reason why the sneaks and aloofs in Squad Two considered the technique high-caliber. The mere act of expelling so much reiatsu in so quick a time frame, and forcing their bodies to match and cope with the speed and pressure, could literally decimate the vitality of any who used it. On the other hand, if the user did not succumb to complete bodily failure and muscle spasms, then they ran the rest of permanently damaging their legs, or at least straining the muscles. For that reason, Kazuko was not taking any chances in warming up before he actually attempted performing the technique. As long his legs were at a level of strain close to the level that Utsusemi would produce, then the likelihood of a bodily mishap or break was low. Still, the chance was there and the boy had time, so he would take things slow for now and not exert himself too much on the first day.


Whoosh! What was once the sound of wind before was now the aftermath of a wave of reiatsu jettisoning itself from below the feet of the boy. Plants and shrubs alike on the ground were easily flattened or tossed aside with every subsequent explosion of reiatsu. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! After two hours or so, the Vice-Captain had actually created a body sized crater below him by simply expelling reiatsu through his feet. Although he was not actually moving, the boy was laying the groundwork for the technique in the near future; the boy was trying to find that sweet spot between excess and excellent that the technique required in its expenditure. However, this was just one part in the whole that comprised how Utsusemi worked and operated, and by now the Vice-Captain had expelled a great – no hefty – amount of his reiatsu just getting the reiatsu right.


With sweat masking his face, Kazuko decided to call it a day. He had trained for a handful of hours and had gotten his feet wet, so to speak. Therefore, with some difficulty, the Vice-Captain walked back to the top of the hill wear his gear laid. The fire, which once seemed immense in its intensity and hue, was now nothing more than a pile of glowing red embers. The boy the time to refuel the fire, as darkness settled, and open himself a can of rations as he sat down next to the flames. With a stomach roaring for sustenance, the Shiba ate his fill, marveling at how tasty military rations could be when you were so hungry. And with that, the first day had ended, and the boy tucked himself within the warm embrace of the sleeping mat he had. As his eyes slowly drooped with the promise of sweet sleep, he had the sounds of crickets, breezes, and the calls of a few small animals to serenade him to sleep.


The next day, Kazuko awoke early, making sure to get in something to eat and make sure that everything he had brought was in order before starting again at his training. Again, like the day before, he began by loosening up and preparing the muscles in his legs and body. However, he did not follow the same path like before; instead, he took a different route through the collage of foliage and old trunks. Afterward, the boy took a few moments to collect his stamina before doing a handful of the reiatsu exercises he had begun the day before. Since he already had a feel for how much reiatsu he should have been expelling, it only took a handful of these bursts before he felt he was ready to begin the true essence of his training. More exactly, the boy would be testing just how well he would be able to blend the physical and reiatsu elements of the technique in one crisp and fluid motion.


Slowly, carefully, the Vice-Captain repeated the steps in his head so that when he put it into practice, he would not fumble and tear his legs off. Whoooosh! In the breadth of a second, the boy disappeared in what appeared, at first glance, to be a step with shunpo. However, it one looked closer, they would notice a few differences. For one, their was a pothole size crater where the boy had once been; the second, there was a thin outline, like that of the pixels on a computer screen where an image as stayed for great lengths of time, where Kazuko once stood. The Vice-Captain himself was a dozen or so meters away, hunched over and panting. He had failed and succeeded at the same time; the step he had used was faster than a step of Shunpo, but far slower than the speed he needed to be at. It was sort of like trying to find a house but only being in the same neighborhood as where you expect to find it. Though, this in itself was not a bad start.


Thus, for the remaining hours – or amount of sunlight that Kazuko had – he practiced this same motion of both body and reiatsu again as many times as his body could handle. The sheer exertion of reiatsu was taking a heavy toll on his small body, and the child found it much more difficult than the day before to make it up the knoll; he was so tired, in fact, when he reached the summit where his campsite was, he took a quick bite of food bar, tossing the rest aside, and fell on top of his sleeping mat. The night was cold, to say the least, without the Vice-Captain stoking the fire as he had done before, but it was beyond him now. Fortunately, nature was kind, and the wind that normally blew through in gusts only came in small tuffs of air. So, the boy was spared coming down with some fever or terrible sleep – well, a really terrible sleep. He woke up in the same manner as he had the day before, this time, with his muscles aching, and his reiatsu not quite replenished as to its full extent.


Like a wolf, the Shiba ate fistfuls of cooked rations, after he had started up a fire again and prepared his meal. Although taking the opportunity to rest for the day seemed advisable and relevant, the Vice-Captain knew that his time there was in short supply. There was only so much time that the Gotei could allow him before he was recalled back by a detachment of Shinigami. If he took longer than that, then he would be labeled as missing, or worse, as a deserter of the Gotei. For that reason, the Vice-Captain settled everything he had to around the site, making sure that his food was well above the ground from the scurrying animals and insects that passed through his gear when he was away. Then, with his feet dragging somewhat, and his dedication waning in the fits of his sore muscles, he made it back down the knoll and commenced with the routine from before; the loosening of his muscles and the flexing of his reiatsu.


Whooooosh! Whoooooooosh! Whooooooooooosh With every forceful step he took, the Vice-Captain found that the margin between his current speed and his ideal goal was getting smaller and smaller. Likewise, his reserves of stamina and reiatsu depleted just as quickly – in fact, it would have been safe to say that he was getting tired faster than he was actually improving. Thus, the boy found himself back in his camping site with a few hours of sunlight remaining; to be franc, he was completely exhausted and spent. Kazuko had just enough energy left in him to stoke the fire once again with the remainder of the supply of wood he had collected on his way up the knoll and make himself a quick bite to eat before falling asleep; it was just about sunset when the Vice-Captain found himself falling into the welcoming embrace of sleep. During the night, he dreamt of his family back home, and the squad that needed him as well. They were both his family, and the boy, even unconscious, wanted desperately to return to them – stronger, albeit.


A new day brought a new opportunity for advancement; when Kazuko awoke, his muscles did not feel as bad as they had the day before and his reiatsu felt nearly full, meaning the extra sleep had done its work. It seemed that he was finally adjusting to the strain and pressure that he was subjecting his body to. The boy almost felt giddy as he realized he was making improvement. In fact, the Vice-Captain found that he did not even need to loose up his muscles with a speed run through the forest to attempt using Utsusemi again. His muscles, and his body by extension, was acclimating itself to the level speed and strain he had been enduring for the past few days. Thus, the boy went right at; this time, however, he took the step further and began using it to escalate trees and traverse larger spans of distance. Likewise, the speed of the technique grew and grew as well as a result to this change up in exercise. Already, he could feel the goal he so desperately sought becoming reachable.


With his adrenaline running high, Kazuko thought of a way to help bring the process of learning Utsusemi along. Maybe, if he subjected his body to a stimulus, such as danger, he would be able to push the boundaries of his step technique, and force himself, innately, to move and respond faster. With anticipation brimming, the Vice-Captain found a nice cluster of trees that were relatively in line and stood a few meters behind one of them. The boy aimed his hand toward the one before him, leveling it as he did so, and began concentrating his reiatsu at the palm. With a start, he discharged a Raikoho, which caused a massive mass of thunder and electricity to sputter forth and cleave a path through the trees. The top portion of tree trunks, separated from their hosts, fell downward, hesitantly, under the natural pull of gravity. Kazuko waited a moment or two, before disappearing in a burst of speed; his attempt at Utsusemi had actually begun to produce an afterimage. Traveling underneath the paths of the falling trees, the boy spanned ended his step a great distance away from the nearest collapsed treetop; success!


However, the new method of training had some negative consequences that the Vice-Captain did not foresee beforehand. First of all, his stamina had been greatly taxed, much more, in fact, than any of his other attempts beforehand. Next, his Raikoho had started a fire, which thus required the Vice-Captain to put out with a combination of both Sho and Area Thrust for some time. Eventually, when all the fire had sputtered out, his reiatsu reserves had been, for the most part, depleted. Worse, he had wasted a great deal of time, and the sun had already gone down when he had finished. So, with a sobering walk back to camp, he ate a sparse meal, and went to sleep as soon as he could. The day had seen some great improvement in performance with Utsusemi, but it had also produced a lot of waste and needless destruction. He had taken things a bit too far, so he would be need to be a bit more cautious if attempted repeating this method of training in the following few days.


Which he did, believe it or not; the thrill of danger and progress was like candy to the child who had seen nothing but routine and training for the time being there. Every hour or so, the sound of thunder or fire would blast through the forest canopy, sending flocks of birds into the air, and groups of animals scurrying away. Even the members of his family in the Shiba Manor nearby were beginning to get a bit worried as day after passed with the sounds of war or destruction resonating in the distance in the light of day. Then, the sounds and light coming from the forest began to make their claims in the time of night as well. It seemed that Kazuko was pushing his training forward and making headway at the same time. In fact, this turned out to be the case indeed in the days after Kazuko decided to use the environment itself to further his training. But what was the result of this, you ask?


All around the knoll that Kazuko had set up camp at, every tree for about fifty meters had been toppled; whether by spell, fire, or another neighboring tree, the boy had cleared the area of a canopy of leaf or wood. With exception to the top of the knoll, he had created a circular perimeter of charred trees and leveled trees. Just how many times had he been practicing Utsusemi for him to warrant the use of this much destruction and power? Well, it must have been quite a lot, because now the boy found that activating the technique took only a moments notice. His muscles and body had nearly acclimated themselves to the pressure and speed of using the powerful step technique. Even the amount of reiatsu he used to activate the technique had diminished to more manageable and repeatable amounts. Though, do not be mistaken, he still required a period of lag between usages to attempt using the step again, but he had made some pretty incredible improvement in the better part of only a week.


Although his progress in learning the technique had been greatly advanced, he had not quite got all the details ironed out on it. It still was a tad bit slower than what he would have wanted it at, and each use of the technique created a small crater. Obviously, he needed to streamline the way his body moved during the step and focus the amount of reiatsu that he released. Like a faucet of water, he needed to funnel all the power of the movement into one quick, but potent burst of speed and maneuverability. That was the essence of what Utsusemi was; for that reason, Squad Two, and the Stealth Force by extension, had gone to great lengths keeping the application and methodology of Utsusemi a secret to most who were not in their own ranks. Now that Kazuko thought about it, he would have to come up with a story on how he came about learning the step technique. The last thing he needed was a knife at his throat and a tribunal being arranged.


However, the pros of finally getting the technique under wraps greatly outweighed the cons in the mind of Kazuko. For example, it provided an excellent source of speed at a moments notice to launch an attack or avoid one if needed. More so, he would be able to outpace others of greater speed in one fell swoop, or step in this case. Though, he would have to use sparingly, as even his current control of the technique required a big chunk of reiatsu to attempt. Plus, there was the fact that his muscles were being put under a lot of excess pressure and strain. Even if he were to master the technique given more time, the strain on his muscles would remain; no matter how much people pushed their bodies, there are always natural limits imposed on them by their anatomy and by nature in the extension to that. But hey, moving at godlike speed was its own reward, even if it hurt like hell doing.


Nonetheless, in the next few days, Kazuko practiced not in improving the speed of his technique, but in managing the reiatsu and force he put into it. Right now, his application of the technique was sort of like how a shotgun functioned. Although great power and speed are produced, there is still a lot of waste and excess that is lost in the process of firing. Kazuko, therefore, needed to fine-tune his efforts and channel all the waste so that the step technique as a whole was improved and benefited. However, this meant that he would have to change his method of training up a bit and try another approach at completing his training. Not that leveling trees and plants was not fun. Oh no, there was a sort of primal ecstasy in toppling something that was greater and bigger than you are. Alas, his family might come after him if they found out he had leveled these many trees down already.


For that reason, the next two days in the forest were spent a bit milder in pressure and difficulty when compared to the past few days. Instead, he spent the time in quiet mediation; well, not quite meditation, but reiatsu control. Though, on the outside, it did look like he was meditating while sitting next to the crackling flames of the fire. With every slow and peaceful breath, Kazuko channeled his and flexed his reiatsu around his body. When it flowed through his feet, he would give the reiatsu a small push and release a fraction of it, not unlike how someone uses Shunpo. As time progressed and the sun moved across the sky, the boy, with every breath, would increase the volume of reiatsu expelled; however, he kept surface area where the reiatsu was expelled the same. In this way, he improved how his reiatsu moved during the technique.


On the second day of this part of his training, the child had reached the level of reiatsu expenditure that Utsusemi normally required. Though, the only part missing was the actual movement of his body, but this was a good step forward. In fact, this training was not unlike his training at the beginning of his venture. The only difference now was that his use and control of reiatsu was far more controlled than when he began. Especially, since he did not make a pothole size crater every time he made the exertion of reiatsu. At the end of the day, Kazuko realized that he was nearly complete in his training and that his time in the forest was coming to a close. As much as he liked his time with nature, he missed working back at his squad. He missed the routines, the discipline, and the manner of work he normally engaged in there.


Besides, without Kazuko, the squad did not operate at its maximum efficiency or output like it normally did. His Captain, Raion Souretsu, a capable fighter and great analyst was not as… disciplined as Kazuko would like. Even his secretary, Tomoe, as the Vice-Captain now knew her, had to put up with the Captain’s antics and exploits. Kazuko himself was then left running the squad on a day-to-day basis, assuming both his duties and the duties of his Captain. The workload was large, and he often found himself disheveled and in shambles at the end of most days, but he was used to it already. Now, in the remote and lonely expanses of a forest, he knew realized how much he missed everything back at the Gotei. Well, he conceded, at least when he returned back to the Barracks, he would be doing so with more to offer his men in terms of experience.


Nonetheless, he was on the last legs of his training already; at the break of day, as he ate a small but hearty meal at the fire, he knew that it was finally time to work out the kinks in his technique. He finished up after a few minutes and made it down the broad side of the knoll. At the foot of the hill, he found a nice place where the fallen trees did not clutter up his path. It was there where he would begin and end his training, or more exactly, the circuit of his training. In the circular perimeter of leveled and burned forest he had created, he would make his laps with his newly modified step technique. The area he was in would be where he would begin and end his trips around the hill and thus finally finish things for good there.


With a heavy sigh, the Vice-Captain readied his stance, and in a fraction of a moment later, using the skills he had developed in the length of his training, vanished. Well, not exactly vanished. The image of Kazuko was still there, but after a few seconds later, the image distorted and vanished into thin air; the Vice-Captain himself was well away, dozens and dozens of meters away at the edge of where the forest was undamaged. He could not believe it. His step technique was perfect! He had reached the sweet spot between excess and excellence that he had so desperately sought his whole time there. His speed was so great that his regular shunpo speed was nothing in comparison to the speed he reached using Utsusemi. The boy felt a mixture of both elation and pride knowing he had come so far in so short of a time.


Now, however, he needed to make sure his body was properly accustomed and ready to attempt this technique at a moments notice. Thus, after taking a few more breaths that served to reinvigorate his stamina, the boy stepped off again with Utsusemi. And again, another afterimage was left in the wake of the technique; the boy reappeared at the other edge of the undamaged forest, his face bright with a smile and a few tendrils of sweet. Turning back, he could see himself back where he had stepped off, his image shimmering out of view after a bit of time had lapsed. At least now he knew that this technique was not a one-hit-wonder and could be used in succession if needed. Though, it did mean that his muscles would not suffer themselves if he attempted it again and again if he did choose to do that.


For the remainder of the day, Kazuko spent his time going in circles around the knoll; each time he did so, he found that his application and results with the technique did not change, which meant he had in fact come to the place where he had finally learned it at its fullest. Even as he walked back to camp, his legs strained and sore, and his body drenched in sweat, he still felt happy – no giddy – in finally succeeding in what he had set out to do days and days ago. Without master or teacher, the Vice-Captain had taught himself how to implement and perform one of the fastest step techniques he knew even existed. Never before had the boy ever traveled so far or so fast in less time than it took to blink ones’ eye. It was almost mind boggling knowing that this was at his disposal. But then again, he also had to keep in mind that he would have to use the technique in moderation, as he did not want to give away his ace in the hole after so much effort learning it.


Back at the campsite, Kazuko decided to spend one more night lying under the stars of the night sky. He had expended the last of his rations in that meal that evening, and now he would have to return back to the Shiba Manor, where he would leave soon afterward and return to the Gotei. Then, the child would make it back to his squad and his barracks. The walk and distance itself would meant that the Vice-Captain would have to spend a few days on the road making it back to his barracks, even after he reentered its massive walls. That was just how massive the Seireitei was; just like the massive Rokongai that surrounded it and forests around that as well. But for now the child put all those thoughts and worries out of his head as he drifted peacefully back into the warm embrace of sleep. It was a long quiet and chilling night, but the boy slept just as well despite it all.


When Kazuko Shiba awoke that morning, he packed up all his gear and other things that he had brought along, and made sure when he left, nothing foreign was left behind. He did not want to litter the forest that belonged to his own family, after all, not when he was already in trouble for destroying a fair chunk of it. The walk back to the Shiba Manor was, for the most part, uneventful, save for the few instances when Kazuko spotted a deer or a family of squirrels. When he made it to the household itself, the boy ate a quick breakfast there, said his helloes and goodbyes, before venturing out again back into the nearby districts of the Rokongai. The Vice-Captain had a long journey ahead of him back home, and their was no need in putting it off any longer; he missed his squad, and it was finally time to return to them.


(OOC: Finished! Way of Omnitsu: Utsusemi (Cicada) has now been trained for and learned!)