Post by Zeich Yajuu on Nov 6, 2023 0:29:56 GMT -5
Mm, this doesn’t look very good, does it?
Haiiro’s head swiveled from side to side, constantly providing an influx of images to Zeich’s mind and giving him a general idea of the situation. Destruction was everywhere, with buildings shattered and the ground itself split and cracked. The sky seemed to be filling with a dark, viscous-seeming fog, a miasma that painted the air with a black smog. Zeich didn’t recognize whatever it was, but even his weak ability to sense energy gave him a clear sense of the enormous power above him. Whatever it was that had caused all of this, its source was above, and it was no small situation. The Vizard could not think of the last time he had sensed such immense energy, and although it was mostly a sense of density and depth than sheer power, it was still intensely powerful.
Well, I suppose we were overdue a disaster. For some reason or another someone always wants to destroy everything. I suppose we should add a therapist at the company, maybe talk it out a bit?
Careful steps had Zeich moving towards the mass of Reiatsu at the center while minimizing his profile against the destroyed landscape around him. His ears were constantly taking in everything around him, from the sound of collapsing rubble to the screams of those who managed to survive the initial assault. His nose caught the constant smell of smoke, and something almost sulfuric seemed to taint everything as well. The air felt heavy and thick, both physically and spiritually, the powerful energy radiating outwards feeling like a hand pressing down atop them. All of these things were reviewed, sorted, and shuffled away in Zeich’s mind as he pieced together the situation around him, trying to formulate an idea of exactly what had happened.
Mm, though getting them to therapy in the first place might be tricky, but I suppose the tried-and-true of smashing a face in until they can’t resist may be necess—
Enough. This is serious, Haiiro.
Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan for the future. Anyway, you may want to move now, there’s something coming down from above.
Zeich’s head reflexively jerked back, even though his eyes could not see. Haiiro accommodated him with an upward gaze of his own, and the Vizard was shown the sight of several dark blobs of fog floating down from the greater mass above. Those shapes seemed to congeal and form figures, eventually taking on defined features before reaching the ground. A broken, bloodied beast, a multi-limbed humanoid, and another animalistic creature of what looked to be wood. Twisted monstrosities, but no mask indicating that they were Hollows; Zeich had no idea what they were, but the fact that they were approaching rapidly and looked to be aggressive was enough for him to confirm that they were at least an enemy.
Howl, Tsukikage.
Haiiro’s weight vanished as the wolf himself did, and Zeich was left without any sort of visual stimulus to guide him. He didn’t need it, however, having already determined his target’s descent and speed from his brief observation. A quick flicker of concentration caused a wave of ash to rise from his Zanpaktou’s sheath, forming into a long, bladed katana much like its original. That blade whipped upwards rapidly, and without any sort of hesitation or pause would aim to slice through one of the wooden canine’s forelimbs. It was a brief test to see how durable the creature was and determine if the material covering its form served as some kind of defense akin to Hierro; if not, and he was able to cut it, that blade would simply twist around and aim to sever the creature’s head. Zeich didn’t even slow as his ashen blade swung rapidly at the monster, continuing in the direction of the main mass and preparing to rise up to more closely investigate it once he had dealt with his current threat.
The sound of something heavy impacting came behind him, along with a powerful surge of Reiatsu, and Zeich reflexively stepped aside with a Shunpo, expecting that it could be an attack aimed at him. This step brought him firmly to the ground and around the side of a building, out of the way of whatever was being released. Loud explosions and the rumbling of the ground suggested that something had been fired; whether it was Cero or Kido or something entirely different, Zeich could not be sure, not without being able to see it. However, the direction was away from his current one; hopefully that meant that whoever it was wasn’t an enemy. Assuming it was an ally would be careless, however.
Now in cover, Zeich waited to see how effective his attack on the beast he had struck at was.
Remaining Reiatsu: 7800/8000 (-100 for Shikai, -50 for Kaijin Ken, -50 for Shunpo)
Haiiro’s head swiveled from side to side, constantly providing an influx of images to Zeich’s mind and giving him a general idea of the situation. Destruction was everywhere, with buildings shattered and the ground itself split and cracked. The sky seemed to be filling with a dark, viscous-seeming fog, a miasma that painted the air with a black smog. Zeich didn’t recognize whatever it was, but even his weak ability to sense energy gave him a clear sense of the enormous power above him. Whatever it was that had caused all of this, its source was above, and it was no small situation. The Vizard could not think of the last time he had sensed such immense energy, and although it was mostly a sense of density and depth than sheer power, it was still intensely powerful.
Well, I suppose we were overdue a disaster. For some reason or another someone always wants to destroy everything. I suppose we should add a therapist at the company, maybe talk it out a bit?
Careful steps had Zeich moving towards the mass of Reiatsu at the center while minimizing his profile against the destroyed landscape around him. His ears were constantly taking in everything around him, from the sound of collapsing rubble to the screams of those who managed to survive the initial assault. His nose caught the constant smell of smoke, and something almost sulfuric seemed to taint everything as well. The air felt heavy and thick, both physically and spiritually, the powerful energy radiating outwards feeling like a hand pressing down atop them. All of these things were reviewed, sorted, and shuffled away in Zeich’s mind as he pieced together the situation around him, trying to formulate an idea of exactly what had happened.
Mm, though getting them to therapy in the first place might be tricky, but I suppose the tried-and-true of smashing a face in until they can’t resist may be necess—
Enough. This is serious, Haiiro.
Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan for the future. Anyway, you may want to move now, there’s something coming down from above.
Zeich’s head reflexively jerked back, even though his eyes could not see. Haiiro accommodated him with an upward gaze of his own, and the Vizard was shown the sight of several dark blobs of fog floating down from the greater mass above. Those shapes seemed to congeal and form figures, eventually taking on defined features before reaching the ground. A broken, bloodied beast, a multi-limbed humanoid, and another animalistic creature of what looked to be wood. Twisted monstrosities, but no mask indicating that they were Hollows; Zeich had no idea what they were, but the fact that they were approaching rapidly and looked to be aggressive was enough for him to confirm that they were at least an enemy.
Howl, Tsukikage.
Haiiro’s weight vanished as the wolf himself did, and Zeich was left without any sort of visual stimulus to guide him. He didn’t need it, however, having already determined his target’s descent and speed from his brief observation. A quick flicker of concentration caused a wave of ash to rise from his Zanpaktou’s sheath, forming into a long, bladed katana much like its original. That blade whipped upwards rapidly, and without any sort of hesitation or pause would aim to slice through one of the wooden canine’s forelimbs. It was a brief test to see how durable the creature was and determine if the material covering its form served as some kind of defense akin to Hierro; if not, and he was able to cut it, that blade would simply twist around and aim to sever the creature’s head. Zeich didn’t even slow as his ashen blade swung rapidly at the monster, continuing in the direction of the main mass and preparing to rise up to more closely investigate it once he had dealt with his current threat.
The sound of something heavy impacting came behind him, along with a powerful surge of Reiatsu, and Zeich reflexively stepped aside with a Shunpo, expecting that it could be an attack aimed at him. This step brought him firmly to the ground and around the side of a building, out of the way of whatever was being released. Loud explosions and the rumbling of the ground suggested that something had been fired; whether it was Cero or Kido or something entirely different, Zeich could not be sure, not without being able to see it. However, the direction was away from his current one; hopefully that meant that whoever it was wasn’t an enemy. Assuming it was an ally would be careless, however.
Now in cover, Zeich waited to see how effective his attack on the beast he had struck at was.
Remaining Reiatsu: 7800/8000 (-100 for Shikai, -50 for Kaijin Ken, -50 for Shunpo)
{Shikai Overall}sukikage's power is to suppress the opponent, particularly their Reiatsu. When this Zanpaktou’s abiliy is released, it simply dissolves into a thick gray ash that floats in the air and can be guided consciously in any direction. The ash moves at 600 stat speed, and the amount is roughly enough to coat a person from head to toe. When this ash comes into contact with something, it can bind itself through the use of Zeich’s Reiatsu to that object and remain in place. When it comes into contact with spiritual beings, it uses the target’s Reiatsu to keep itself bound. At first, the layer of ash seems harmless, but as it accumulates, the victim first begins to feel pain in the afflicted area, and then starts to have a harder time using their Reiatsu, both in terms of the fact that their pool seems to be diminished as well as the fact that they are having a harder time drawing it from their bodies to manifest it in the form of a technique.
The first effect of the ash is immediately noticeable in that it causes pain. It is equivalent to having hundreds of needles jabbed into one’s flesh continuously wherever the ash coats a major region (see below); this part ignores a single tier of Pain Tolerance, meaning that without multiple points in this skill, it cannot be ignore or resisted, meaning that it is almost impossible to concentrate as long as the ash is coating one’s body. The constant pain will eat at one’s focus, meaning that interruptions are frequent and easy, ruining a number of strategic or charged-up techniques. Zeich is also immune to the pain effects of his own Zanpaktou, though he cannot extend this same protection to anyone else. However, this is not the major effect of Haiiro, merely a harbinger of what is to come.
When an enemy is coated in Tsukikage’s ash, their Reiatsu is slowly depleted. For every major section of their body covered, the victim loses 100 Reiatsu per post. This means that the more of one’s body that is covered in ash, the more Reiatsu is absorbed by the ash to keep itself in place. It also has the effect of making Reiatsu harder to use; for every major section of the body covered, all techniques cost 10% more Reiatsu to use. As the ash continues to coat an opponent, not only does burn through their Reiatsu by consuming it, but also causes the opponent to use up their spiritual power more quickly as they try to fight through the layer of ash. There is enough ash to coat up to five major areas, but only a single area can be coated per post, and atop that, for every technique active during Shikai, the number of major areas is reduced by one. An opponent can disperse the ash from their entire body by using 200 Reiatsu to break its grip on their spiritual energy.
When major parts of the body are mentioned, it refers to certain areas being covered at least halfway by ash. These parts include limbs, the torso, and the head; each limb counts individually towards the total, so if all four limbs are covered, that's a loss of 400 Reiatsu per post along with a 40% increase in Reiatsu costs. Hands and feet do not count towards these, as they are considered generally too small to be enough to block Reiatsu output; otherwise, most of the body is vulnerable to being a point in which Tsukikage's ash can drain and hinder the foe's Reiatsu flow.
Additionally, as the ash's ability is suppressive in nature, the substance itself exudes no spiritual presence. It traps, binds, and suppresses spiritual energy, including its own, preventing energy sensory from ever detecting it. This does work both ways, however; as it cannot be sensed, if it coats a target completely, that target's spiritual presence completely disappears, suppressed and hidden from any form of energy sensory. Though their Reiatsu may be slowly depleted and their costs may go up, a target coated in Tsukikage's ash has the advantage of vanishing spiritually, which can be turned against Zeich by one who knows how to take advantage of such a situation.
Lost in the Gray (Passive) – As an extension of the overall power, Zeich can coat himself in his entire Shikai's worth of ash, the substance covering him completely like a suit. Being immune to its pain effects and Reiatsu drain but not its ability to suppress, Zeich can completely mask his Reiatsu signature by wearing his Shikai on his body, hiding it from view as though he had a 3 in Other – Reiatsu Masking. In other words, he becomes invisible to Energy Sensory radars, though it does not make him invisible visually or undetectable otherwise. However, he is susceptible to a continued 50% increase in costs while this ability is active, meaning that while he is able to get around quietly or avoid detection while in combat and moving quickly, any technique he uses will drain more from his pool than usual in exchange for this form of stealth. This is also available in Bankai, though with near-unlimited ash available, the five parts of ash cost is mitigated.
The first effect of the ash is immediately noticeable in that it causes pain. It is equivalent to having hundreds of needles jabbed into one’s flesh continuously wherever the ash coats a major region (see below); this part ignores a single tier of Pain Tolerance, meaning that without multiple points in this skill, it cannot be ignore or resisted, meaning that it is almost impossible to concentrate as long as the ash is coating one’s body. The constant pain will eat at one’s focus, meaning that interruptions are frequent and easy, ruining a number of strategic or charged-up techniques. Zeich is also immune to the pain effects of his own Zanpaktou, though he cannot extend this same protection to anyone else. However, this is not the major effect of Haiiro, merely a harbinger of what is to come.
When an enemy is coated in Tsukikage’s ash, their Reiatsu is slowly depleted. For every major section of their body covered, the victim loses 100 Reiatsu per post. This means that the more of one’s body that is covered in ash, the more Reiatsu is absorbed by the ash to keep itself in place. It also has the effect of making Reiatsu harder to use; for every major section of the body covered, all techniques cost 10% more Reiatsu to use. As the ash continues to coat an opponent, not only does burn through their Reiatsu by consuming it, but also causes the opponent to use up their spiritual power more quickly as they try to fight through the layer of ash. There is enough ash to coat up to five major areas, but only a single area can be coated per post, and atop that, for every technique active during Shikai, the number of major areas is reduced by one. An opponent can disperse the ash from their entire body by using 200 Reiatsu to break its grip on their spiritual energy.
When major parts of the body are mentioned, it refers to certain areas being covered at least halfway by ash. These parts include limbs, the torso, and the head; each limb counts individually towards the total, so if all four limbs are covered, that's a loss of 400 Reiatsu per post along with a 40% increase in Reiatsu costs. Hands and feet do not count towards these, as they are considered generally too small to be enough to block Reiatsu output; otherwise, most of the body is vulnerable to being a point in which Tsukikage's ash can drain and hinder the foe's Reiatsu flow.
Additionally, as the ash's ability is suppressive in nature, the substance itself exudes no spiritual presence. It traps, binds, and suppresses spiritual energy, including its own, preventing energy sensory from ever detecting it. This does work both ways, however; as it cannot be sensed, if it coats a target completely, that target's spiritual presence completely disappears, suppressed and hidden from any form of energy sensory. Though their Reiatsu may be slowly depleted and their costs may go up, a target coated in Tsukikage's ash has the advantage of vanishing spiritually, which can be turned against Zeich by one who knows how to take advantage of such a situation.
Lost in the Gray (Passive) – As an extension of the overall power, Zeich can coat himself in his entire Shikai's worth of ash, the substance covering him completely like a suit. Being immune to its pain effects and Reiatsu drain but not its ability to suppress, Zeich can completely mask his Reiatsu signature by wearing his Shikai on his body, hiding it from view as though he had a 3 in Other – Reiatsu Masking. In other words, he becomes invisible to Energy Sensory radars, though it does not make him invisible visually or undetectable otherwise. However, he is susceptible to a continued 50% increase in costs while this ability is active, meaning that while he is able to get around quietly or avoid detection while in combat and moving quickly, any technique he uses will drain more from his pool than usual in exchange for this form of stealth. This is also available in Bankai, though with near-unlimited ash available, the five parts of ash cost is mitigated.
{Kaijin Ken}Kaijin Ken (Ash Blade) – Kaijin Ken is one of the few offensive techniques in Zeich’s Zanpaktou, and makes up for the fact that he does not have a weapon at Tsukikage’s activation; the Shinigami can use the ash to form a melee weapon of any shape or type. The weapon can be bladed, can have spikes or blunt force, etc; regardless of the means of attack, the ash provides the shape and definition. The density of the weapon is dependent on the size; if it is the size of a normal katana or roughly that amount, then it is regular spiritual steel and can be broken with offensive power equal to twice Zeich’s Spiritual Pressure as normal. If it is larger than a katana by at least a 25% margin, then the weapon is more fragile and able to be broken with more ease, requiring only superior offensive stat to his Spiritual Pressure. On the other end of the spectrum, a weapon that is smaller by at least a margin of 25% has twice the density, and requires four times Zeich’s Spiritual Pressure to break. Finally, Zeich treats all weapons formed with Kaijin Ken as though he had a 1 in that weapon, due to the technique being guided mentally as much as it is physically as a natural extension of his Zanpaktou's ash. This technique costs 50 Reiatsu per weapon formation or reformation, in the event of breaking.
In Bankai, this technique gains an additional trait. By paying 100 Reiatsu, Zeich can add an extra “point of durability” to his weapons, both those formed from Kaijin Ken and other ones. To do so, he thickens the ash around his weapon, reinforcing the steel and making it sturdier against powerful blows. For each additional point of durability, Zeich’s enhanced weapon can take one additional hit from a powerful source (see above for weapons formed with Kaijin Ken, or 2x Zeich’s Spiritual Pressure for any other spiritual steel weapon) without breaking, even if it normally would. This does not mean he can suddenly defend against any attack; though his weapon may not break, it does not reduce impact, increase his ability to block, or anything else. The weapon only becomes sturdier and more durable.
Finally, when Zeich's Hollow mask is active, one more trait is activated. Though the technique is limited to normal weapons, an extension allows the use of long, claw-like blades at the end of each finger, each extending far enough to double the length of each digit. These blades are razor-sharp and are treated like any other weapon from Kaijin Ken, meaning that it takes 4x Zeich's Spiritual Pressure to break, as they are, as a whole, a smaller weapon. These weapons, despite being claws, are treated as though Zeich had a 2 in "Weapons - Claws" due to drawing from Tsukikage's knowledge on use of them. This is increased to a 3 in Bankai. Additionally, a portion of ash can be used to form similar blades on his feet, though these do not grant a proficiency and are generally used only for traction or bracing.
The first drawback to this, though, is that the weapons in themselves are not special. They are easy to form, fairly inexpensive, but they have no special traits to them. They are just standard weaponry, and when formed have a variable amount of durability depending on their size. Each time a weapon is formed or the shape of a weapon is altered, it costs 50 Reiatsu, though this seems like a negligible cost unless an enemy possesses the superiority of offensive power to break weapons repeatedly. Being made of ash, they can reform quickly, but the cost to create them causes them to become a drain on Reiatsu against an opponent who possesses that superiority consistently.
In Bankai, this technique gains an additional trait. By paying 100 Reiatsu, Zeich can add an extra “point of durability” to his weapons, both those formed from Kaijin Ken and other ones. To do so, he thickens the ash around his weapon, reinforcing the steel and making it sturdier against powerful blows. For each additional point of durability, Zeich’s enhanced weapon can take one additional hit from a powerful source (see above for weapons formed with Kaijin Ken, or 2x Zeich’s Spiritual Pressure for any other spiritual steel weapon) without breaking, even if it normally would. This does not mean he can suddenly defend against any attack; though his weapon may not break, it does not reduce impact, increase his ability to block, or anything else. The weapon only becomes sturdier and more durable.
Finally, when Zeich's Hollow mask is active, one more trait is activated. Though the technique is limited to normal weapons, an extension allows the use of long, claw-like blades at the end of each finger, each extending far enough to double the length of each digit. These blades are razor-sharp and are treated like any other weapon from Kaijin Ken, meaning that it takes 4x Zeich's Spiritual Pressure to break, as they are, as a whole, a smaller weapon. These weapons, despite being claws, are treated as though Zeich had a 2 in "Weapons - Claws" due to drawing from Tsukikage's knowledge on use of them. This is increased to a 3 in Bankai. Additionally, a portion of ash can be used to form similar blades on his feet, though these do not grant a proficiency and are generally used only for traction or bracing.
The first drawback to this, though, is that the weapons in themselves are not special. They are easy to form, fairly inexpensive, but they have no special traits to them. They are just standard weaponry, and when formed have a variable amount of durability depending on their size. Each time a weapon is formed or the shape of a weapon is altered, it costs 50 Reiatsu, though this seems like a negligible cost unless an enemy possesses the superiority of offensive power to break weapons repeatedly. Being made of ash, they can reform quickly, but the cost to create them causes them to become a drain on Reiatsu against an opponent who possesses that superiority consistently.
