Under The Setting Sun

[Nakajima Kimiko]

40th District, Western Rukongai, Soul Society. Another day of September would come to an end for those who remained within the mountainous, so-rumored Capital of Swordsmanship. The autumn skies above, sunny yet briefly covered by a myriad of smaller clouds, had began to turn from a crystal blue to a bright orange, and the winds had risen ever-so-slightly, leading to a steady drop in temperature. In response to this, those who were wiser began to wear jackets or heavier robes, both things that had become readily available to the people of the district over the course of time. Many who were of a stronger heart, however, decided to brave the cold with the usual wears they branded themselves within during the summer. At a first glance, this may have seemed like a foolish endeavor, as it could have easily led many to catch widespread diseases such as the flu. Yet they did, and they all somehow remained whole, for that was the strength that was brought to them by the Capital.

At this time of the day, the two sides of the district - the village at the beginnings of the mountainous slope and the immense dojo which remains at its top above a great number of stone steps - were both active, bustling. In what remained below, the people conversed and spent their time together as the workday slowly came to an end. Builders studied what they have constructed and confirmed their work as legitimate, farmers watched over their paddy farms and rice crops with care, and those who dedicated themselves to the arts and crafts of cuisine began to prepare themselves for the evening to come. All in all, it was a relatively quiet evening, one that paled in comparison to what was exhumed from what stood above. Over there, the voices of the followers of the Nijū Kanmeki-ryu could be heard resonating quietly against the mountains, spreading their energy and motivation throughout the district. It was a sight to behold. One that was perhaps harder on the ears than others, but a sight nonetheless.

Behind the impressive gates of the dojo, a great crowd stood in the courtyard. At a glance, it would be difficult how many people there were in it. There were many men and women of every age, even a few Shinigami, and they all stood in a number of perfectly-aligned rows. Some of them wore the robes of common civilians, and so it would be easy to assume them as being villagers of the aforementioned settlement. However, judging by the quality of these robes, it would be clear to any observer that they did not all come from the village. There were a few whose robes were pretty and well-kept, as to be expected from a person who came from the first districts or even Seireitei, but others instead wore something that was more disheveled, maybe even damaged. You would think that such people would see one another with contempt. However, they did not. Perhaps it was because of what they all wielded: a moderately-sized Japanese sword. Not even the Shinigami would appear differently in a place such as this one.

In front of this crowd stood the one person who owned this dojo. Nakajima Kimiko, Captain of the Eleventh Division of the Gotei 13. She was Shinigami in every sense of the word, a being who was naturally more powerful than any person in this courtyard. Even so, she did not see one person with contempt or any form of superiority. Instead, she raised one of her blades above her head and swung forward, letting out a loud cry as she did so. In response, the crowd raised their swords and swung them forward in unison, crying back. It appeared almost as a ferocious challenge, though upon further inspection, it was less so a challenge and instead more so a conversation with an unique form of communication. One expressed her eagerness to teach, and the others under her care expressed their eagerness to learn. The fact that this was even accomplished given the many people's circumstances was shocking, especially due to all that's happened to the Soul Society, but those who were there - especially the villagers of the 40th western district - felt the officer deserved it. After all, she and Celes Shindazu, Captain of the Tenth Division, had taken care of something that was endangering their lives years ago, and they had never once asked them for any kind of compensation in return for their deed.

This form of intense conversation had begun a time ago, and it would continue on for some more. It went on for a full minute, then many minutes, and finally, half an hour. By then, one would expect the people of this crowd to grow tired, and they would be right to assume so. Sweat was beginning to accumulate on the bodies of the students, and they were beginning to pant quietly. Even so, despite the difficulties they felt in continuing to stand, it almost felt as though they could still go on. Such was the strength of the energy they shared with their teacher, and the eagerness that they all shared together. But of course, the teacher would notice their physical pleas. She always did so, keeping an eye on each and every one of them throughout the entire course. In so doing, once she would notice that exhaustion eventually became a collective problem in the crowd, she would find herself delivering one last swing, one last shout, before then taking a deep breath and sheathing her blade.

"Good work, everyone! Let's take a fifteen-minute break here!" She would call shortly after allowing her students to deliver one last swing by themselves. As to be expected, a relief would wash over the students as they were finally granted a pause in this session. They had all been going on for quite some time now, and their body thus needed the break. Sure, they were a few who were disappointed that they needed to stop, especially since Kimiko did not appear to be tired in the slightest. However, they would soon be reminded of their difference in strength, and would eventually find themselves settling down without spouting any form of criticism. Unlike this entire crowd, the officer was a powerful individual whose strength vastly surpassed theirs. Moreover, she has accomplished what they have all accomplished several times every single day over the course of multiple decades. It was no wonder she was not tired. For all they knew, not even a whole day of this could bring her down.

As this conclusion was made, the teacher would find herself walking into the crowd with an energetic smile as she gazed over her students. There, she found small differences that she so enjoyed to see. The lot of them were still positioned in rows, which was good, but she could see that the most of them were taking their pauses differently. There were students who spoke to one another enthusiastically, while others were sitting down as a form of meditation. A few even continued to stand, using this time to train their legs. The sight was impressive not in its own right, but also for the Captain. "Good form! Leg strength is very important. If you can still stand by the end of this session, your posture is gonna be great," she would compliment in a friendly fashion before then moving on. Even though it had been years now since had established her school, she was visibly still having a lot of fun teaching and rewarding her students from time to time.

Eventually, after passing through the crowd and making her comments, she would make her way to the main gates, then find herself gazing down at the sunlit village below. As to be expected, it was as beautiful as ever. From where she stood, she could fully appreciate the greenery of the village, its more ancient design, and the way it complimented itself well with the sun above and the many rocks of the mountains that surrounded the district. It was not like the first districts that she had grown so used to during her career as a Shinigami where all was cleaner and more pristine, but she felt that the further presence of nature made this whole place simply easier to appreciate. Though it had certainly gotten more popularity as the rumors about the place spread across the Soul Society, it nevertheless still felt more peaceful in comparison to the first districts and Seireitei. She was glad that she ended up having a dojo here... especially now more than ever. It was a notable distraction, to say the least.

[Rafael]

While the light of the day was coming to an end, shifting from the ever present brightness to that of the warm yet fleeting orange, there was a massive black spec moving through the air. A speck that a good portion of the villagers would be able to see if they happened to look up towards it. There was nothing keeping them from visually catching it as the figure was many times larger than avians that would often be spotted flying high above by children and adults alike. The black speck though wasn’t flying through the air, but descending with a fall onto the village. Rafael was going to be landing in just a couple more seconds and the Shinigami who overlooked everything from her high point would have no problem witnessing his arrival.

Rafael was making one of his usual stops although lately there hadn’t been the resources available to make such trips, the two foes held on his left shoulder that he’d managed to hunt down and collect posed no problem for him. The game was what he normally brought to the districts in order to trade for either money or valuables that were necessary for the pack. Hunting enough that he had anything left to trade was starting to become a hassle though. Going from just a single handful of companions to over a hundred followers overnight, Rafael still didn’t know if he could handle it all but he was going to do his best now that he’d saved them.

Perhaps he’d have to start hunting down different animals that some of the others didn’t like the taste of or something more useful. Doe were great as the meat was tasty and the fur could be used for clothing so trading them was usually easy to accomplish. Hunting them to the point of disappearance though wasn’t an option either. He’d been toying with the idea of expanding their hunting grounds, but that had its own problems that could potentially bite him down the road. Thinking all this over Rafael sighs once again as stress weighs down on his immense figure.

Leading just a few friends had been stressful, but rewarding. Leading a hundred humans that saw him as a caring protector . . . He didn’t know how to feel about it. All he did know was the familiar sight around him, so many humans just stepped away from him in fear. A beast clan towering over them in height while his physical body looked like something sculpted from marble back in the human world. He had to find someone willing to trade so he could just get away since the eyes of fear never got any easier to ignore for the giant panther.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

From high above the stairs leading towards the great wooden gate of Nijūkan West, Kimiko's scarlet eyes continued to gaze down upon the evening-lit village. Here, away from the class and during this moment of brief relaxation, the noise which was to be expected from a martial arts institution was quieter than usual, allowing the Captain to properly experience the silence that she was looking for. Usually, nowadays, she preferred to remain close with people and to hear their voices so that she could respond to them in kind. However, in this moment, she wanted something else. She wanted a brief moment of quietness. She wanted only but the simplest of peace. She wanted somewhere that would allow her to behold the work that she has accomplished in her lifetime as of now. It wasn't perfect; after all, she could still hear the noise of her students behind the gates, even though she had tasked them to take a break. Yet, it was enough. This was all that she needed.

The village below was a bit quieter than usual. This was to be expected; after all, the majority of its inhabitants were her students, and they were each currently participating in this evening's class. With that being said, there nevertheless remained a few businesses down there that were still as active as ever. Some were restaurants and bars, institutions who were designed to bring food and drinks to the ones who needed them, but there were also a few stores that were still open. One of these stores was a mixture between a warehouse and a general store, more specifically the largest one in town. It was the trading center of the village, where provisions are received and evenly distributed across the village. A time ago, there was no such store, for the past calamity that had been brought onto the district had prevented the creation of such a thing. However, with the advent of Nijūkan and the great rise in living standards which came with it, it had only been a matter of time before such a thing would come to fruition.

As of today, the store received provisions and supplies from all over the Soul Society. The majority of them come from other districts of the Soul Society, namely those closest to the 40th, but there were others which came instead from the holy city of Seireitei itself. Indeed, after the four great Capitals of Swordsmanship were established, a few contributors had decided to invest in the school to ensure that it would remain float. One of these contributors was none other than the Eighth Division of the Gotei 13, the Funding Organization. While Kimiko had first refused their aid, seeing as she did not want the school to be primarily perceived as a Shinigami training ground, she had come to eventually accept the held of the Eighth over the course of time out of necessity. The influx of students that she had been recording lately - both from Rukongai civilians and Shinigami alike - had been increasing, after all, and there was only so much she could have done then in response to it all.

Such were the more conventional contributors. However, there was then the less-conventional kind. These contributors were often single individuals who were mainly experts in a single field. One of these contributors was Emile, Kimiko's very first disciple. Although he has become a follower of the Nijū Kanmeki-ryu and is thus making sure to uphold his training regimen as much as he possibly can, his duty as this district's guardian has not ceased. Indeed, even now, he continues to defend the village in a multitude of ways. At times, he defends the village from stray Hollows who who are wandering about the nearby mountains, but more often than not, he hunts. While he is no longer the sole provider of meat to the village, it is often said that what he brings to the village nevertheless remains among the greatest catches the general store has been processing and then storing. It also helps that he often tends to bring those things for free, to say the very least.

So when Kimiko saw the incoming spot in the sky, she first assumed it to be Emile. Not that long ago, she had taught him how to use a few Hohō techniques that greatly enhanced his movement capabilities, and of those techniques was the Advanced Air Ground maneuver. The fact that he could even learn this technique while, only a few years ago, he wasn't even able to use spiritual energy in the slightest was rather astonishing to the Captain, but she was glad that she was able to learn it nonetheless. What she was slightly less glad about was instead the realization that the dark spot wasn't actually Emile. It was a bit difficult for her to see from so far away, but once she got a good glimpse at it, she could deduce that it wasn't him. In fact, it... wasn't even Human. At least, it didn't appear to be, judging by the fact that its body was completely covered in what appeared to be some kind of dark fur. A Beast-Clansman? Huh. What a rare occurrence.

At first, the Captain would remain immobile atop the stairs. She would watch as the newcomer descended from the sky and then landed on the ground, causing some of the nearby villagers who had decided to remain in the village during the evening class to appear surprised at first. This surprise was only accentuated by the Beast-Clansman's stature. Even from where she stood, Kimiko could tell that the man was huge. She could also notice that he was seemingly holding onto something which was currently lying on his shoulder. Hm. Interesting. Perhaps this was a hunter looking for compensation? Perhaps. He didn't seem to be particularly hostile to anyone, after all, and he also seemed to be a bit lost, something which Kimiko hoped would be remediated by the nearby villagers. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the man's appearance was enough to intimidate a number of them into remaining quiet. The sight was slightly disappointing to the Captain, to say the least, especially given that she was currently holding a class. Nevertheless, this was her break. She had time to deal with this quickly enough.

With her decision made, Kimiko then vanished from the top of the stairs with the aid of Shunpo before proceeding down towards the village near where the Beast-Clansman stood. The entire process took her a couple of seconds at best, all thanks to a masterful execution of the movement technique at a Speed of 7000. Once she arrived at the village onto the road, she would begin to walk towards the furred man and give him a wave. "Hello! Welcome to the western Shutokendō!" She would greet with a friendly and welcoming tone, the kind to expect from an experienced teacher such as she. Noticing her presence, the nearby villagers would blink, then appear to be slightly-relieved at the fact that the Shinigami was going to resolve this in their stead, as made apparent by the way she then granted attention to what the newcomer was holding. "My students are waiting for me at the dojo, so I can't stay for long, but if you're here to trade that, we have a store not far from here! It's about two streets up this one, on your left." 

The bright energy that was being emanated from the swordswoman laid bare the way she thought of the man. She held no prejudice for his kind, nor did she think of him as being unwelcome here in any capacity. Even so, he would be quickly able to notice that she was not a normal officer or martial arts teacher, all thanks to what she wore: a haori branded with the sigil of the yarrow. This was a Captain of the Gotei 13, most notably the leader of the Eleventh Division, the Primary Attack Squad. It was possible that the panther was aware of her identity already, depending on if he previously interacted with the Shinigami of Seireitei. Either way, it didn't matter to Kimiko, and she was not going to use her rank in the organization to bully him in any capacity. That would be beneath her.

[Rafael]

Trying to find a shopkeeper that was willing to trade him something of value for the does that he was carrying, that was all Rafael wanted out of this district and yet perhaps he’d come too far in towards the Shinigami. Normally when he came to these districts the humans did look at him the same way, nothing more than a mixture of fear and contempt. Although it didn’t last long, a lot of the time he managed to find someone that saw what he had with him and was willing to stand up to his figure long enough to get the spoils. Right now that didn’t seem to be the case though, perhaps these humans didn’t see Beasts enough to tell he wouldn’t attack them at any moment, but either way he had to find someone so he kept walking.

It never got easy to handle all the eyes staring at him. It was a sensation that he dreaded and one that drove his nerves up a wall. At the same time though he never had to worry about stepping on someone or bumping into them as the streets got clear when he came through, all the humans were always rushing to the side of the stalls or alleyways in the hopes they’d get away. Rafael’s massive stride though would cease immediately, he didn’t sense her, no he felt something off for a moment and then heard that noise. The sound of someone using Shunpo and it came from just a few feet in front. The source of the noise was something he really hadn’t been expecting although wasn’t surprised all the same. A Shinigami with that damn uniform and white cloak, a Captain.

The sort of Shinigami that Rafael knew even with his current strength, he couldn’t underestimate. He’d seen what so many of the Shinigami could do with and without relying on the power hidden within their swords. Those that stood at the top though possessed power that defied logic. It wasn’t even on the same level of what he could accomplish physically in his own opinion. He reached a point that most would deem impossible along with what he could do now, but what he’d seen from the Captain with his purple poison. . . that Shinigami made nightmares into reality. He was confident, but not arrogant and thus wouldn’t underestimate this potential threat.

"Hello! Welcome to the western Shutokendō!. My students are waiting for me at the dojo, so I can't stay for long, but if you're here to trade that, we have a store not far from here! It's about two streets up this one, on your left."

Well that settles it this Shinigami was either incredibly annoying or someone that was going to be annoying to deal with in battle. Rafael didn’t have the best of luck when it came to dealing with people that were overtly nice. This Shinigami seemed bubbly to the point that he thought of a small child. What really got his attention though wasn’t even the fact she brought up that she had students in the area. It was the way all the residences of the district began to stare. They knew this Shinigami or at least felt like they were now safe. “Just try and find this trader and go. You don’t need to make the first move. You’ve already made your point so no need to make another.”

Rafael reassured himself as he began to walk further down the street, if she was telling the truth then he wouldn’t need to walk for long to reach this Trader and then he could leave. Keeping his thoughts within his head Rafael made his way past the tiny Shinigami with only a short response to her. “Thanks for the directions.” He didn’t have any reason to be here beyond getting rid of these doe. Fighting here could cause another devastation, dozens or hundreds of dead again. Flashes back to his previous battle run wild throughout his mind. Keeping Rafael from challenging the Shinigami to test once again just how much his effort had helped him.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

the swordswoman's scarlet eyes would find themselves further analyzing the panther-man as he took her words. He could tell that the man wasn't particularly the talkative nor the social type. There was no immediate reply to her greeting and he didn't seem particularly inclined to better precise why he had come to the 40th district. On one hand, this could simply mean that she had judged him correctly and that he had come here simply because it was the first village to which he could sell the result of his hunt to. On the other, there was nothing that suggested that he had an ulterior motive that he was deciding to not reveal to her for the time being. He could be a worker here, someone who hunted for one of the local cooks that didn't want to disrespect Kimiko for her faulty assumption. He could also be someone who wanted to come to the dojo for one reason or another, perhaps to meet Emile who was also a hunter. Or he was quite simply a man who wanted the Captain to mind her own business. For now, it was hard to say which was which.

More importantly, however, she could tell that there was something about him that was evidently impressive. His musculature was impeccable, if not downright astonishing. Even though she was not necessarily an expert on the matter nor was she someone who possessed impressive muscles herself, she could tell that the man had trained incessantly for many years, maybe more than entire decades in a row. This may be due to the fact that he was simply taller than her, and so she was forced to raise her head and thus further put emphasis on his upper body, but from her perspective, she could tell that the arms he sported underneath all that fur were ridiculous. The same could be said for his legs. For all she knew, he could most likely punch a whole mountain with a single punch just like how Celes could. Even Dai, a subordinate of hers who possessed one of the largest builds within the Eleventh Division, was not as bulky as that Beast-Clansman.

The swordswoman was aware that the Beast Clans remained outside of Rukongai and so were forced to fare against a multitude of threats. After all, though the wilderness was occupied with typical fauna and flora much like how the forests past the outskirts of Rukongai also were, they were not as periodically cleaned of the standard Hollow occupation as those first forests were by patrolling Shinigami and the various swordsmen of the Hakabe. Because of this, they often roamed about throughout the wilds, free to attack the local populace whenever they pleased. A few of these creatures even dared to set foot in the latter districts of Rukongai and cause troubles for the people there, with a few even being capable enough to completely erase entire districts without anyone noticing. Kimiko herself unfortunately had the displeasure to deal with one of those particular Hollows as of late with the help of Kaen. It was needless to say that the experience wasn't particularly pleasant.

But surely, not all of those Hollows were that powerful. Although there were the souls of animals in the forest, they were surely not as nutritious for them than the souls of standard Pluses, which would thus case many of the Hollows of the wilderness to grow less powerful in comparison to those who remained within the limits of the Soul Society. So then, why would a simple hunter such as this panther-man require the strength he currently possessed? What has compelled him to sport such musculature? Surely, he did not need such powerful arms to be able to kill that animal he carried over his shoulder, even if he wanted to hunt it with his bare hands. Was it something that was part of his clan's culture? Was it instead because there was a surge of Hollows in the wilderness that none within Seireitei, not even Kimiko, were aware of? Or perhaps, was it not a surge of Hollows, but another threat altogether that constantly pitted the Beast Clans in a war for survival?

More questions again. More and more of them that the Captain will perhaps never find an answer for. At this point, she wasn't sure whether she was thoroughly hating them or starting to get used to them. Either way, she was already starting to develop a bit of a headache just from the way they kept piling on and on seemingly without end. So, trying her best to push them away in a spot that she believed would be most comfortable for her, she would attempt to not think about the matter of the Beast-Clansman's strength any further and instead solely focus on the most evident reasoning of the man's presence here, which was the result of his hunt. This would put her at east to some extent. Even now, changing her focus was lessening the weight of the questions on her mind. However, she had a feeling that the questions would most likely come to haunt her again later. Why? It was simple, really. It was because she could see her again.

The illusion of her Inner Hollow stood in front of the panther-man in her vision. She was showing her back to the Captain as she stared at the man, giving him her attention like how a predator would be rendered curious by another's presence. From the looks of it, she was curious. She was taking a few steps here and there around the man, appearing and disappearing at seemingly-random intervals near his limbs and body. At times, she even hummed in approval, as though she appreciated his strength. Then, without warning, she appeared in front of Kimiko's face with a smirk. Her silver eyes were so close to Kimiko's that she could feel their gaze almost become as one with hers. "It's not often you see kitten men on steroids around here, right, Kimiko-chan~?" She asked with a teasing tone before her body began to trail backwards towards the panther-man, all the while her her head slowly began to twist itself to the right. "Careful now. You now how it goes with kittens, right?   T h e y   a l w a y s   w a n t   t o   p l a y   w h e n   y o u   l e a s t   e x p e c t   i t ."

A sickening series of cracks then came from the Inner Hollow's image as her neck tore through the skin to allow her head to further twist onward. Then, just as it almost seemed as though her head was on the verge of completely tearing itself off of its base, one final louder crack rang from her entire body before her eyes went completely white. Fortunately for Kimiko's beating heart, the hallucination would stop there, as just before it would appear as though the mangled thing would do anything more, the stranger's body would move onward right through her body, causing it to dissipate in a patch of grey smoke that was akin to the "ink" of her Zanpakuto. Again, it took the Captain's entire willpower to resist the urge to lose her cool in front of not only the stranger, but also those who were currently staring at her. It was a difficult position for her to be in, especially since the man hadn't yet said anything to her... but nevertheless, she held on the best she could.

In the end, nothing more came of it all. The stranger simply thanked her for telling her where the general store was located in the village, and that was it. It was a bit of a relief for the Captain. As much as she did want to somewhat know a little bit more about the man, she had to admit that it wasn't the time for her to do so. Besides, her Inner Hollow had already made things more difficult for her, and there was no way for her to tell what she was going to do next. So, she would give him and a friendly wave, then begin to move back towards the dojo. "No problem! If you need anything else, feel free to ask anyone around! I know they look a bit scared, but we're just not super accustomed to the people of the Beast Clans coming around here," she told him as she moved, preferring to retain a steady pace for the time being. Perhaps she would be able to better observe him that way, rather than by simply going back to the dojo with the aid of Shunpo. "Oh, and if you're interested, feel free to come to the dojo! We'd be glad to have you around."

And with that, she would leave Raphael alone for the time being, allowing him to proceed towards the general store. It was probably better this way. Maybe there really was nothing abnormal about the man and he just wanted to move on from his hunt.

[Rafael]

Making his way in the direction of this supposed trader Rafael felt like he was overlooking something about that Shinigami. She looked the part and he could tell that she was definitely someone of power despite her size. She gave him a feeling that was different than the typical, at the same time it was familiar though. Something that he’d felt before although all he could really tell from the sensation beyond that was it had happened before when he looked at a different shinigami although which one was something he couldn’t lock down. He had no way of knowing what his instincts were trying to tell him right now. Whether or not it was a warning he couldn’t tell either. Along his skin actually beneath his pitch fur was the sensation and yet it didn’t make his fur stand on end or fizzle either.

Either way he didn’t have the time right now to focus on it in order to hammer it down to figure it out. He came to this district to sell the meat he’d managed to get and thus that’s what he did for the next dozen minutes. Actually managing to find the store owner that would be willing to buy the meat didn’t take much longer, but haggling with him about what Rafael wanted for two fully grown doe, that took quite a bit more effort. Although normally his size and appearance was enough that fear would allow him to get what he wanted, this guy was such a businessman that it seemed even death would have to make him an offer to collect his soul. Rafael respected it, it didn’t happen often, but a normal human that wasn’t afraid of him at first glance. It was a shame he lived so close to that shinigami otherwise Rafael wouldn’t even need to think about coming to this guy all the time.

Usually Rafael would trade the meat he could spare to one of these souls that were destined to stay in squalor since the Sbhinigami didn’t work to improve the living conditions of anyone even close to this distance away from their white utopia. This time though he felt like he couldn’t risk carrying anything else back with him. He’d run into a shinigami that seemed strong enough or perhaps just skilled enough that if something were to happen he could potentially lose what he was carrying. For this reason he sold his meat and kept the small coins in his pants. The black clothing he wore over his pitch fur was formed from discarded uniforms of the shinigami. Although it wasn't the wisest decision he was essentially making a jab at them as a whole by wearing part of their own uniform.

Walking away from the owner of the general store now with a nod of his head down at the small man as a brief sign of appreciation. After that he managed to get to the middle of the dirt street and saw that everyone was keeping their distance once again now. He allowed a sigh to escape from his massive maw of a mouth and gaze up at the dojo that the shinigami had directed him towards. “Should I?” Rafael questioned himself out loud now. He thought about it for a moment now, actually trying to see the situation through his friend's eyes. It didn’t take him more than a moment to know how Zadora would react. She was the strongest one after him, but avoided conflict whenever possible. Lolth would pretty much do the same thing although he didn’t know what she’d think about him going to investigate anyway. Ippin didn't think had a grasp on things enough yet, but likely wouldn’t care beyond asking him questions about what he saw.

Zadora was going to be the problem if he went through with it and anything bad happened because of that, she would say right now was the moment he could just walk away. He didn’t have to go and see the Shinigami or the dojo at all. Just because it was a dojo didn’t mean he had to go there. Think , think , think stop acting on instinct and feeling for a moment. Another sigh left his maw knowing he was going to get some sort of response like that once he told her about his trip and why he’d come back with coins instead of tools. Squatting for a moment Rafael bent his knees and then jumped leaping high into the air right towards the Dojo on the mountain. It would only take a couple moments now for his massive muscular body to land on the steps in front of the dojo.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

It appeared as though the panther-man of the Beast Clans had gone on with his business unappended. That is, if Kimiko's observations were anything to go by as she climbed the steps of her great dojo. Once their brief conversation came to an end, he had followed the directives she had given to him and, eventually, he had reached the general store. It was a casual end for what was, in the end, a rather casual interaction. Again, she would have preferred the people of the village to not react with such fear before the man, especially given how much she has tried to push them to share an equal treatment for all things throughout the years. Unfortunately, though, there was only so much she could do once it came to the matter of those who came from the wilderness outside of the Soul Society. As kind and patient as some of them may be, they remained the one kind of people within the heavenly realm with the most striking appearances, and thus, there really was no other civilization out there in this particular world who could possibly further embolden the fear of the unknown in the hearts of others.

If anything, she was glad to see that the hunter had not somehow detected her own fear. Not her fear of him, for she was not that shocked by his appearance, but rather her fear of her Inner Hollow's antics. It was clear now that her shenanigans have been worsening as of late. The hallucinations, somehow, were becoming more morbid by the day, and every time she saw them, it took just about everything she could possibly muster to immediately silence the dread in her heart before it can become overbearing. Even now, she could feel the strain of the effort on her mind and the effect of the glacial cold which was previously coursing through her veins. It was a painful experience, both physically and mentally, and at times, it all made her feel as though she was on the verge of insanity. If it wasn't for that will of hers, for that utter determination that was bestowed onto her over the years... She would have most likely already fallen a long time ago. Well, at least she liked to think that it was those things and not something else.

Even now, as she thought about such things, she could still see her. When she first climbed the stairs, she was able to see the shadow of the dark being floating above the school. It stood there, silent and unnoticed by anything and anyone but the swordswoman, all the while the clouds behind it passed by without a care in the world. Then, a certain number of steps later, she saw the morphing of these clouds into something unbecoming of them. Initially, they remained as they were, but eventually, they started turning into something akin to eyes. The transformation of a few other clouds would then follow. There would be a nose, a mouth, and a myriad of teeth. Finally, together, they would form a voice in the wind. "That guy was wearing the robes of a Shinigami. Not fancy ones, either~," its feminine tone teased, prompting the swordswoman to clench her fists as tightly as she could. "Surely, you noticed that, didn't you, Kimiko-chan?" 

She has. While she tried to ignore it by only focusing on his physique, the Beast-Clansman had been wearing something peculiar in order to cover himself. At a glance, they appeared to only be nothing more than simple black robes, but further observation made her understand that they were something more pressing to her, for they were more than just black robes. Instead, they were Shihakusho, the robes of the Shinigami. How the hunter came to the possession of such robes, she couldn't say. He was not a Shinigami, that much was obvious due to his lack of a Zanpakuto, but he also was not a typical deserter either. This either meant that he had covered himself with those robes because they were the only clothes he could find before coming here... or he had picked them from Shinigami he had slain. Truly, it was difficult for Kimiko to consider what could be the truth between those options, but it left her worried about what to expect from the man as long as he remained here... and the voice in the wind knew that.

"It's pretty interesting, right? Little kitty boy just decided to show up here, show off how good he is at hunting, and he decided to do all of that while wearing that stuff. If you ask me, there's a good chance that he's some crazy serial killer who came here to kill you~," it continued to tease as the teacher proceeded onward. Its voice, by then, had risen in volume, becoming loud enough to echo throughout the area at least two or three times as it traveled the mountainside. Meanwhile, an aura began to creep up from the shadow over the school, pitch-black and akin to snake venom. It was an energy of great malice and feline cruelty, and the more she spoke, the more Kimiko began to feel a great pressure booming in her ears. "Maybe he isn't here to kill you specifically. Maybe he's here to just kill everyone just because your school has a bunch of Shinigami wandering around~. Watch. Once you see him again, he's gonna be covered in bl-"  

A loud bang would suddenly cause the voice and everything that came along with it to disappear in an instant, all at once. When she realized how quiet things had suddenly become, the swordswoman attempted to understand what had caused such a noise to occur. At first, she looked down towards the stairs she was climbing, expecting the noise to have been the result of her spiritual energy having somehow arisen as a form of emotional response to what she had been experiencing as of then. However, it would not take long for her to realize that the stairs were still intact, and that the noise instead came from behind her, down below. Left both curious and alert by this, the swordswoman felt a clenching around her heart. It was him, wasn't it? The panther-man. The beast from the wilderness. He had come back from the slaughter that she had allowed him to commit, and now, he was here to do battle with her and her students all at once. Clenching her teeth as hard as she could behind her closed lips, she readied herself with widened eyes as her mind was briefly enraptured by emotion. Then, she turned her scarlet eyes over her shoulder to behold the source of the noise.

As she expected, it was the stranger she had spoken to earlier. From the looks of his posture, the damaged grounds that surrounded him and the small cloud of dust that had arisen around him, Kimiko understood that the man had quite literally landed onto that particular position, like he had jumped from a far distance and did not bother to control his strength when he returned to the earth. However, unlike what the swordswoman's hallucination had attempted to convey to her, the man was not covered in head to toe with blood. The does that he had brought here as a result of his previous hunt were gone from his shoulder, yes, but it didn't seem as though he had killed or even battled anything during the last few minutes. In fact, he didn't seem to sport any form of aggression or hostility to expect from a standard killer, as he instead appeared to hold the same casual yet reserved attitude he had been holding ever since he arrived here.

He... He had just come here to visit the school. Just like Kimiko had suggested.

A brief moment of anger came over the Shinigami in that moment. A spark... That was all it took for her Inner Hollow to take hold of her emotions and twist them into her favor, without even needing to directly manipulate them with her power. That was all it took for this thing inside her, this dark being, to begin to mold her into something that was ready to commit to something that could potentially lay waste to the foundation of her entire career. It sickened her, repulsed her. She could not believe that she had allowed the creature to use such plentiful ammunition against her. If this were any other place, there was a chance that she would have allowed everything that remained in her lungs at that moment to leave her throat through a great scream. Unfortunately, she could not do so now. Not before her students, not before the people of the village, and certainly not before a stranger who sported such strange robes. The only thing she could do is maintain her composure.

So, she did just that. Inhaling as much air as she could, she would turn her body to a certain extent so that she would face the man from above the stairs she had climbed thus far. Then, once she believed herself to have grasped his attention to a certain extent, she would regain the friendly smile that she had previously shown to him. "Ah, there you are! I guess you must've been interested after all!" She called with that welcoming and accepting voice, using the tricks that she has learned during the course of her teaching years to devoid herself of any trace of the hostility that she had almost showcased to the world. "You can jump up the stairs if you want to, but I'd advise to climb them at least once! They're pretty good for your legs!" Then, once she finished calling to him, she would begin to climb towards the dojo once again so as to return to her students, hoping that that panther-man was in tow in spite of her earlier beliefs of his true intentions.

[Rafael]

Descending down from the high point that he reached after jumping it didn’t take long for Rafael to descend down onto the staircase that led up to the dojo that Shinigami had pointed towards. Almost as if to show him he couldn’t be mistaken he looked down at the point where he was going to be landing and saw that Shinigami was not far away. He’d jumped just the same way that he had a moment ago hundreds of times now and throughout that experience knew exactly where he was going to land and now just wished he’d waited a couple seconds longer. He knew he’d made the decision to interact with that Shinigami again even though they were one of the leaders, but the prospect of seeing an entire dojo was enticing. He didn’t know whether they only trained to use swords or if they could fight like a beast as well, but he was curious to find out.

Landing almost on top of the shinigami though wasn’t something that he had planned nor something he believed was lucky either. He knew it was within reason for any of them to believe that he could attack at any moment especially if she actually recognized him. Although it wasn’t something that meant anything to him he didn’t like that his weight and muscle were enough to crack and indent the stairs as he landed. It was something he knew could be seen as disrespectful and although a beast in reality that didn’t mean he possessed no honor. Looking down at the Shinigami he was slightly surprised to find that she didn’t make any sort of aggressive action against him.

It’d be at this point that Rafael would just go about the reason he’d jumped and started to ascend up the steps to the dojo at the top. What he was expecting to find he wasn’t really sure. A dojo was a place to honor martial arts, but whether or not this dojo would actually employ hand to hand combat or just weaponry he wasn’t aware. It made no difference to him, but he wouldn’t be able to deny that deep in his soul he felt a want to see dozens of true martial artists in his eyes practicing. Rafael got a feeling that the Shinigami behind him now had some sort of darkness about her, but he didn’t feel anything beyond that nor did he hear anything that was alarming.

“Not sure why, but interested.”

Rafael heard what the Shinigami had to say, but continued to remain someone of few words towards them. Jumping up the remaining stairs to reach the top was something easy yet it wasn’t necessary. “Have time and have already damaged enough.” Rafael makes the quick response acknowledging that he’d crushed a section of the stairs already and didn’t actively want to do more. He wasn’t sure what sort of dojo he was going to see in a few minutes now, but he’d keep making the climb with the Shinigami only responding to her if she would speak herself.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The Beast-Clansman's arrival onto the many steps leading towards Nijūkan had had been loud enough across the district to get the attention of some of the villagers below. Down there, near their houses and shops and other businesses, they would find themselves watching the stranger with curiosity and perhaps caution. While there were a number of them who remained intimidated by the man, mainly because the presence of the man-beasts within this area of Rukongai was once again too rare for them to properly get accustomed to it, the majority had come to understand that there was nothing to worry about from the man. At least, not for the time being. He had proven that he was only here as a visitor and not as an aggressor, no matter how strong he appeared to be, and thus, it was the responsibility of the people here to make sure that such a person be eventually welcomed with more-open arms. Such was the duty of the place at the base of the school, such was the objective of the community of the sword: to welcome all, to accept all and to strengthen all, whatever they are or may be.

Kimiko tried her best to maintain this view as much as she possibly could as she watched the man from her position above. Admittedly, to do so was more difficult than she cared to admit. Even though she had understood that the man had come in peace and that the horrible things her Inner Hollow had been conveying to her were nothing more than words accompanied with the typical horrible visions to expect from the dark being, she still found herself wondering if this man was something more than what he was. He may not show any intent to harm or kill anyone around here, but he had left a crack within the stairs that they would have to repair once he'd make his leave, which was enough to suggest that he was not against showing off his strength, whether it be consciously or unconsciously. He may not show any apparent hatred towards the Shinigami, but he was indeed wearing what appeared to be rags composed of ripped Shihakusho, which was enough to suggest that he has fought and even perhaps killed officers of the Gotei 13 in the past. And then, there was his body altogether and how powerful it appeared to be...

All of those things combined made for a particularly-potent cocktail that were enough to at the very least ring a few bells within her system. They had to ring, for if they didn't, she couldn't be classified as this place's protector as the founder of Nijūkan and as Captain of the Eleventh Division. The problem was that, nowadays, they almost constantly rang for just about anything she sees or hears about. Whenever she sees a stranger in this side of the Soul Society, there's a voice in her mind - one of her own creation, not her Inner Hollow's - that openly wonders if they could people an agent of the Vandenreich under Lucien's or another officer's command. Whenever there are rumors of wild beasts in the mountains not far from the district or the woods in another section of the realm, another voice then wonders if they could be a Hollow ready to completely destroy the district nearest to them, and therefore kill any students that may be remaining in that place. It happened before, when one of the members of the Espada struck, and it was going to happen again.

To ignore these bells, if only for a moment... It was the equivalent of taking a risk. This was no exception. If her current assumption is right, then this Beast-Clansman could be a noteworthy student. However, if it is wrong and her Inner Hollow is right, then much of Nijūkan West could be destroyed in the matter of a few minutes. Simply imagining the casualties that could result from such a disaster was enough to make her internally wince and her internally chuckle, like she was glad that her point was being taken regardless of Kimiko's opinion of it. So she needed to make a decision. Either she would attempt to drive this man away from the district and then take him down with the mere presumption that he could be a threat to Nijūkan and its people, or she could allow him to proceed as though he was indeed nothing more than a visitor, just like the people of the village have decided to eventually do after a brief period of suspicion.

Eventually, she chose the latter option. It was more convenient for her in the long run, or she at least believed that it was. With the assumption that this man was not a threat, she could treat him as a potential student, and in so doing, she could accept him as a new person to guide forward as a member of this community that she has now been building for years. If he does happen to be a threat... then she would be there to defend the school, and so would many of her students. They may not have reached her level yet, but they possessed strength and speed superior than even some of the most dedicated soldiers of Seireitei. As such, even if this man was indeed powerful enough to face her properly, it was somewhat doubtful that he would be able to face an united Nijūkan force on his very own. For all intents and purposes, he would be very quickly overwhelmed and, in so doing, he would be forced to retreat from the district as quickly as possible.

In any case, the swordswoman was glad that the Beast-Clansman was cooperative so far. His interest in the school was there and he made sure to make that interest known, both through words and through actions, if the way he jumped onto the steps earlier was anything to go by. With her vibrant smile, she would watch as the man passed by her and headed up towards the steps in a way that seemed to be more respectful in his eyes. Soon after, she would decide to catch up with some positive energy in her step. It was just about the only thing that prevented her from further worrying about this man's intentions. "Oh, you don't have to worry about the stairs! We've had a couple of similar accidents happen before. Someone almost blew up one of our facilities that one time!" She chuckled with a casual demeanor, somehow making what she just said appear completely normal. "Of course, that only happens every once in a while. There's only so much our budget can handle after all, haha."

It would take some for the two of them to finish going up the steps, as they would rapidly prove to the Beast-Clansman that they were quite high. The further they climbed up the steps, the more he would realize how far they were heading up should he take a look down towards the village below. At a certain point, he would realize that a normal person would have a hard time properly identifying the people walking around said village from where he was, as they had become almost akin to little specs of dust in the distance. Even the air was starting to become just a little bit harder to retrieve than usual. Not enough to properly cause breathing problems, as such a thing would have rendered most people unable to even remain within the dojo for very long, but enough so that remaining here would at the very least be a challenge for some of the weaker beings in the world. Fortunately, neither the man-beast nor Kimiko could fit that criteria.

Eventually, they would reach the top of the stairs, which is where the stranger would be able to witness quite the impressive sight. Before him would stand the wooden gates of Nijūkan West. He could already see them as they were climbing the stairs, but from such a close distance, they could easily be mistaken not for the gates of a martial arts institution, but an enclave of impossible proportions. They appeared as two almighty doors of solid wood placed under an arch that resembled the likes of the eastern Tori gate, and they were each surrounded by the stone walls that spanned the entirety of the enormous school. Usually, it could be assumed that the gates are meant to be closed; however, for the time being, they had been left open wide, seemingly to welcome those inside. From past their frame could be seen a courtyard that easily rivaled their size, as well as three massive structures occupying the eastern, northern, and western walls. Needless to say, simply establishing these structures must have taken days, maybe even months and years of constant work and amelioration.

From where they stood, the panther-man would be able to see that the immense courtyard was absolutely filled with what seemed like tens of thousands of people, if not hundreds of thousands of people. Surrounded by various sakura trees and plant life seemingly taken care of by the people of the dojo as well as a few key individuals who appeared to be other teachers guiding the monstrous masses, many people remained in rows with swords in hand. Some of these people appeared to be mere citizens of Rukongai, but there were others who instead appeared to be citizens of Seireitei and other more fortunate occupants of the Soul Society. There were also a number of Shinigami officers as well. Not even their weapons were similar, as they varied wildly in appearance. A few of the blades were more typical katanas, but there were curved swords the size of which forced the displacement of a few rows, daggers that appeared more as pocket knives than anything else, and there were even some students who didn't even wield a sword at all.

At a glance, they appeared to have been waiting for Kimiko, as they were each conversing with one another. With that said, they would eventually notice that their master had returned. At first ready to face the class again, they would find themselves quickly becoming curious by the man-beast's presence. However, unlike the villagers below, they did not appear to be too fazed by his presence. They were surprised, but not taken aback or even intimidated. Perhaps the Beast-Clansman would first believe this to be a mere act of confidence, but he would be able to tell that there was something about their behavior than meets the eye. Either way, Kimiko would find herself walking forward onto the path between the rows of students before she looked over her shoulder towards the man. "Alright, here we are! Like I said earlier, class is in session, so I must continue the lessons. You can observe us, or you can join us. Either works. If you want to participate, though, we'd just need to give you a sword first. While some prefer to not use blades, we typically recommend using them for general lessons."

[Rafael]

Approaching the top of the stairs took slightly longer than Rafael liked with the Shinigami woman right next to him. So far she hadn’t really made any sort of pin again him and yet at the same time there were instances, tiny moments that just happened and then were gone again. Rafael wasn’t sure why, but he could feel them all the same and recognized what it was that he was feeling. A warning from his body itself telling him that this Shinigami for very brief moments was a threat. He didn’t get how or why when all he could gather so far was her swordsmanship, but even that wasn’t to be underestimated.

The sensation of having a limb chopped off, a blade cut into flesh, a bone severed or even broken into multiple pieces. These were all things that Rafael had suffered when fighting down others and knew that it wasn’t pleasant. He was confident now more than ever before that he could handle most individuals, but all it would take was one well placed cut with an exceptionally sharp sword. It was for this reason that he always trusted his instincts so every time he got that sensation he made sure to listen and feel for anything the Shinigami could be doing.

Everytime though he couldn’t find anything and she did nothing. So eventually he found himself at the top of the stairs ready to see what it was like inside. He heard her talking about how he’d broken the stairs and didn’t need to worry about it, but hadn’t given her a remark. He didn’t like destroying things without cause, but his muscles and size didn’t always allow him to be gentle. The cracking of the stairs just happened to be one of the instances where his weight worked against him. A pointless observation for him that he could do nothing about.

He could see right away though this Shinigami possessed more money than anything. The doors of her dojo reminded him of the gates the Shinigami hid behind. He’d already knocked one of the gates down off its hinges a few months ago. These ones were open though and he wasn’t here to make a statement so they could stay up and ready. What he did see inside though blew away all expectations. He’d been anticipating perhaps a few dozen if not maybe a hundred students. To actually see thousands though all spread out and practicing how to use a sword. It wasn’t something Rafael would have even thought believable.

“Certainly have a handful. I’ll watch. Unless you’ve got a sword large enough for me laying around.”

Rafael spoke for the first time, really actually revealing that he didn’t have any problem talking in a normal manner at all. It might be a surprise as most Beast clan were like fresh Hollows and couldn’t put their thoughts into words clearly for others. Rafae though had developed enough mentally that everything he’d been able to do in his previous life was now possible once again. He didn’t really have any interest in learning how to use a sword, but wouldn’t disrespect a style of martial arts either. Perhaps he could develop something new as well by watching what was on display now.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The Beast-Clansman's analysis of the woman would indeed allow him to very quickly realize that she was presenting no threat to him for the time being. Even after she tried to stir up some kind of conversation with him and found herself somewhat disappointed by his lack of response, she did not show aggressiveness nor hostility towards his person. In fact, as they went up the steps together, he would be able to conclude that he was trusting him when it came to her current belief, which was that she could treat him not as a potential invader and someone that could harm her students, but rather someone that she could possibly treat as her student alongside everybody else who had joined the roster of the massive Nijūkan schools. This made her shockingly trustworthy in return and only accentuated the image that she was attempting to create for herself, which was the one of the caring teacher who wished only to better one's mastery of the sword.

However, within the image were still the swords she carried themselves, as well as the sigil on her back. No matter how hard she tried to fabricate that image for herself, they were very much still there. If the panther had any knowledge of the Gotei 13 and its divisions, he would be able to understand the significance of the yarrow on her back. That was the symbol of the Eleventh Division, the Attack Squad, which was most known for its offensive capabilities as well as its battle-oriented tasks. This effectively meant that she was not only a Captain of the Soul Society like the haori she wore made sure to point out, but also a master of combat. Thus, it was no wonder why he would be able to sense her earlier suspicions and her wilder wishes. There may be much kindness and care in her actions, but in the end, she was a warrior all the same, someone who could unsheathe these blades at any given moment to cut him down should she find the reason to do so.

There was also something else. It would be difficult for him to properly describe what it exactly was, but it was as though another being rested within her. It walked with her, but it did not show itself to him nor her, for it was not a physical being. Instead, it took advantage of his nature as a beast-man by allowing him to realize that it was observing him. It would feel as though he was being constantly watched from far away by another predator, a creature beyond his or even the Shinigami's capabilities. No matter where he looked, for as long as he remained near Kimiko, he would feel as though he was being watched by an invisible pair of eyes from in front of him, from behind by him, from his sides and even from the heavens themselves. As a being with lacking spiritual sensory, it would be unable to identity the source of that gaze; however, in spite of that, he could understand how dark and sinister it was. Truly... this could not be the work of a standard Shinigami.

But by the time he would be capable of realizing this, he and Kimiko would have both reached the top of the stairs where they would be able to enter the dojo proper. After they crossed the gates, the dojo master went on to explain what the Beast-Clansman could do from there on out. A part of her wanted to see him train, if only to further understand what kind of power she was dealing with here, but he seemed to be somewhat more interested in simply observing the class rather than participating in it. With that being said, it appeared as though he remained curious about this class, enough so that he expressed his willingness to participate if there was a sword large enough for him around. Hearing these words was enough to cause the dojo master's smile to brighten. It was so bright, in fact, that the beast-man would realize that the dark presence that he had been feeling throughout the entirety of their climb of the stairs had somewhat dissipated.

"Of course! We should have a couple of ōdachi in our storage room. They're not really standard swords, but considering your size, I think you should be able to treat one of them like a normal katana," she would deduce, doing so with an expert gaze aimed at his body again. Then, once she was done, she would gesture to one of the teachers out in the back. "Clarent! Could you come here for a sec?" For a moment, it seemed as though she wasn't particularly calling for anyone in particular, as there were so many people in the courtyard that it was difficult to discern her target. However, with almost no warning whatsoever, said teacher would suddenly appear right beside Kimiko, seemingly with the aid of Shunpo. He appeared to be a young man with short spiky blonde hair and blue eyes wearing standard Rukongai robes. He was a little bit shorter than Kimiko, roughly 5'8, and he sported what could only be described as a rather-distant gaze. At a glance, there didn't seem to be anything special about him. That is, except the large sword on his back. It appeared to be a great claymore, one that a person as slim as he should not be able to properly wield.

The man's eyes turned towards the Beast-Clansman shortly after he arrived. He didn't seem to be surprised by the stranger's appearance, instead simply curious like much of other students. With that said, his curiosity appeared to be slightly elevated. In his silence, he continued to analyze the man, and right before Kimiko could even properly give him her request, he simply disappeared. This would cause the swordswoman to stand there in surprise before she let out a quiet sigh. "Ah, Clarent... Sorry about that! I've been trying to tell him to change his habits around people, but it looks like there's still some work that needs to be done," she concluded as she rubbed the back of her head. Needless to say, she wasn't particularly pleased by the fact that one of his students behaved in such a way. Then again, it was her fault for calling to Clarent to begin with. "Don't worry, though. He's one of my fastest students! Usually, this takes him around a few seconds."

Shockingly enough, she would be proven right at the very moment she finished her sentence, as at that point, Clarent suddenly reappeared right in front of the beast-man. He had appeared as quickly as he had disappeared only a few seconds prior, and by then, he was holding onto a sheathed curved sword. The weapon was surprisingly big, enough so that he was forced to hold its scabbard with the both of his hands as he presented it to the dojo's new visitor. It was also a true weapon and not a simple wooden instrument to expect from a standard sword school, and so it was needless to say that it was quite heavy. Not even Kimiko would be able to properly wield that thing. In spite of this, Clarent didn't appear to show any sign of struggle as he held it. It was no true challenge to his arms, which had remained relaxed throughout the act, and his gaze hadn't changed at all. Moreover, he had remained silent throughout it all, not even muttering a single word.

Whether the stranger accepted the weapon or not, Clarent would then give the panther-man one last look of curiosity. It was as if he was truly wondering why such a stranger would be here and if it meant something in particular. Regardless, he would eventually disappear with another Shunpo and return to his previous position, not bothering to stay with them in order to assure that the weapon was truly the right one that the stranger could use. A bit of impatience was felt deep down within Kimiko at that moment, as she felt as though what the young man had done lacked the courtesy to give to newcomers. With that being said, it would not take long for her nor the Beast-Clansman to realize that the weapon was perfect for him. "What do you think? It's not a Zanpakuto, so you're gonna have to be a bit careful with it, but this is one of the better quality swords you can get in the Soul Society," she nevertheless reassured him before she then began to walk towards the front of the great crowd of students. "Well, alright, enough talk! We really have to go back to schedule!"

And so, once she would find herself almost at the fore-front of the crowd, her voice would then suddenly explode across the entire courtyard:

"Alright, everyone! It's time for us to continue! Take your positions!"

In an instant, every single person within the school - the Beast-Clansman included - would feel a wave of emotional energy hit them head-on. It felt energetic, reinvigorating, inspiring... and for many, that was enough to immediately bring them out of their break and take the positions they had previously adopted during the class. Once again, they would quickly place themselves in vast rows of people, with each taking into account the size of their fellow students' blades as they pointed them forward with the both of their hands around the handle. For those around the stranger, they would make sure to not get in the way of his ōdachi, as its size would make it quite dangerous to anyone who was near him. Once this was accomplished, the teachers would position themselves in accordance to the students, calling to them so that they could get their attention. Shortly after this was done, Kimiko's voice could be heard across the courtyard again.

"We'll resume with ten sets of twenty vertical sword swings! Follow me and the instructors! Aaaaand STRIKE!"

A loud roar came from each student as the each swung their blades onward in unison. It was an impressive sight, one that would most definitely bring much emotional energy to the Beast-Clansman should he attempt to follow the class in its entirety instead of simply observing. In the meantime, Kimiko's voice would be heard again, and again, and again, pushing everyone in the courtyard to follow the class as well as her instructions.

"Aaaaand STRIKE!"

The dark that the stranger had felt as they crossed the stairs wouldn't be felt anymore... but it was difficult to deny that this was just as overwhelming in comparison.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Used}
Technique Name: Akuma no Ishi (剃るかんめき, "Demon's Will")

Technique Type: Other | Strength of Will Buff

Technique Element: None

Usable by: All races

Class: 3

Technique Reiatsu Cost: N/A

Technique Description and Effects

The projection of one's own will to empower the hearts of others. The user channels the strength of their very soul within themselves before shouting it out, most typically either in a short inspirational speech or a motivational war cry. By accomplishing this, the user is capable of bringing forth the Strength of Will skill of all of their surrounding allies by one point for the next three posts, inspiring them to go further beyond towards victory even if such a thing may cost their lives. A master of this skill is said to have such a powerful will that they are able to instead bring the aforementioned skill of their allies up by two points.


Drawbacks & Weaknesses

As saddening as this may be to those who may be interested in learning this technique, not everyone is born with a powerful will. That is simply a natural, uncontested fact that cannot be refuted even by the greatest minds there is in this world. In so doing, it is not difficult to imagine that this technique will not always show any kind of positive effect onto the people surrounding them, especially if they are used by naturally-uninspiring individuals. In order to guarantee this technique's proper success, the user must possess a 2 in at least one of the following skills: Acting, Charisma, or Strength of Will. This technique can be executed by those who have a lesser version of these skills if they so will it; however, upon execution, there will be a 50% chance of this skill failing to provide any kind of inspiration to allies altogether.


Made by: Nakajima Kimiko

Reserved? : No