What do the masks we wear hide? Hoshi vs Maharo, DP, R

[Hoshi]

Thread Title: What do the masks we wear hide? Hoshi vs Maharo, DP, R
Participants: Hoshi and Maharo
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Death Prevented
Rating: R
Location: Karakura Town by the river side near of the few bridges.
Special Conditions:
Circumstances: Minding their own business and likely searching for hollows their squad were after, Maharo finds a strange person near the main river of Karakura. To make matters worse it's not just the bodies of disintegrating hollows around the man, but others from Squad 13 and the man in question is covered in the blood of those Maharo came to the human world with. To no one's surprise a fight for Maharo's life ensues.

[Hoshi]

Today was a wonderful day for Hoshi. He'd left his shift on time. He'd managed to find himself another new diner hidden in the shopping district. And he'd even managed to recently regain another stage of power (and currently hadn't been punished beyond an excessive amount of paperwork) for using it haphazardly. Things really were on the up and up. Except for one thing. Really a kind of small thing to most, but for Hoshi it was a make or break for his day more often than not. His days off kept finding him near or in front of various hollows. It didn't matter what part of the city he roamed, it didn't matter how long it'd been since he got a day off, they always managed to find him. And when hollows were around that meant there would always be one other thing around. Shinigami. And if that weren't the real pain in the ass of it all. They neither could do their job right, nor could he just let them be out and about when he was nearby.


Today was one such day. He'd been enjoying a nice walk through the cool winter weather with a clear sunny sky, a solid breeze, and a full stomach from breakfast. When he heard the screams of hollows around. Hoshi stopped walking on the street and started to look around himself. Maybe if I just look slowly, I'll be able to say I didn't see them. Just maybe I can finally have a day where I don't need to find something to kill. For a solid couple minutes, it looked as though Hoshi was well and truly unable to find anything. Much to his pleasant surprise. With no further screams echoing around and his ability to sense energy literally dysfunctional, he started walking down the street again. Slowly but surely relaxing his body as he found himself returning to enjoying the stray thoughts that roamed through his head while making his way towards the bridge.


But like all his days off, something came to fuck it up right before him. Literally as he was walking onto the bridge the side of the bridge was slammed through with chunks of concrete thrown around into the nearby traffic. A sizeable chunk making its way towards Hoshi and almost finding him, had he not slammed the chunk of rock with one of his rebars. Hoshi's heart rate immediately picked up from shock but almost as quickly began to turn into anger. "DID YOU SERIOUSLY HAVE TO BLOW UP CONCRETE AT ME!?!?! GODDAMNIT WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!" The hollow gave a cursory glance at Hoshi before jumping away, only to be followed by a couple other hollows who had jumped into the air, followed by a small squad of shinigami. Hoshi's teeth started to grind as his hand tightened around his rebar, shooting a look that by all rights should have killed on sight.


"So, you try to hit me with concrete, then run away, bring you pals who, ALMOST, did the same thing, and you have the audacity to not only bring fucking SHINIGAMI with you BUT YOU IGNORED ME?! No! NO! NONONONNONONOONONONONO!!!! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU ALL FOR THIS! FUCK YOU FOR RUINING MY DAY OFF!!" Hoshi jumped into the air after the group with no plan in mind but to slam his rebar through the chest cavities of all present. The problem with this plan being that the group seemed to be constantly moving around. Let alone splitting up. Hoshi could swear he felt his temper and reiatsu flaring as things continued to just piss him off further. If he couldn't catch up to them, he'd just fight them at range then. With as much strength as his flimsy gigai could muster Hoshi threw out the rebar towards a pair of shinigami and a hollow, while making his way towards another, closer pair of shinigami and their hollow rival.


With a burst of speed from Movement Hoshi found himself before both the hollow and the shinigami. With a glare to the shinigami he caused them to pause just long enough to grab his second rebar, point it in the face of the hollow next to him. For a second the hollow seemed confused along with the shinigami as to why Hoshi was pointing a metal stick at him. That was until it saw a small flame at the tip of the rebar and subsequently found its body engulfed in bright blue flames as a swathe of fire blasted over its form. The hollow screamed out in agony, but it was too late for it as its mask had been hit point blank by the flames. It stumbled back and clawed over its form before finding itself falling towards the river below. Hoshi then began stalking towards the two shinigami that had just watched him burn the hollow to a crisp. "You know, I've REALLY had it up to here with your sorry asses not doing YOUR GODDAMN JOB!"


As Hoshi readied another flame the two had the good sense to step away causing Hoshi to damn near growl in frustration only to hear someone landing behind him. He spun around to find that there was a blade coming for his head or had been and was now going for his left arm. . . or what would have been his left arm. . . if he had one. It did however mess up his kimono and that just riled Hoshi up further. Without any hesitation he swung his rebar from his right with the express intent of slamming into the man's torso. They stepped again to get space but found themselves instead face to face with the same fireball that Hoshi'd been holding onto. They immediately detonated into a screaming mess of flames before falling towards the hollow. As Hoshi turned around to find another the other shinigami what he found was a third hollow currently consuming the body from the neck up, two tendril arms wrapped around the torso of the shinigami.


Can't say I feel bad for em. Though I do wish I'd have killed them than this thing. Whatever. Hoshi simply launched another fireball at the beast and quickly exterminated the shinigami's body alongside the hollow since it was too busy eating to be concerned with the person that "gave" them the meal in the first place. With another burst of speed, Hoshi ran over towards the other pair of shinigami who'd just finished decapitating their hollow. One of the two, a younger female saw him making his way over and tried to warn their friend before Hoshi quite literally impaled their skull with the rebar. The woman who had been looking toward her died almost instantly. Hoshi threw her body down to the ground along with the hollow she'd killed and looked over at the last shinigami present. While she looked at him in abject fear, he simply made a "come here" motion with his hand then placed his bloodied rebar into his kimono sash. A few moments later the other rebar found itself impaling through this one's stomach, throwing blood all over Hoshi's kimono. He then made it his personal goal to make this shinigami's death just that much more painful for ruining a white and pink kimono. The cleaning cost would be absurd. . . again.


With a quick kick to her, the other found themselves being forcibly pushed through the rebar and down below. Hoshi took his time following them down and took no small amount of joy in hearing the sound of a body slam into the ground. When he descended to the bank of the river, not but a few feet from it he found himself in the middle of several bodies. Most charred with light blue flames still eating away at the corpses, and the rest decapitated, impaled, or otherwise bleeding out. And wouldn't you know, the last shinigami somehow survived the fall. She was most certainly bleeding out and paralyzed as she couldn't even move her arms let alone her legs. But that wouldn't have stopped Hoshi from what he was about to do. Using his right foot, he stepped on her chest, slamming his heel into her and making it just that much harder for her to breathe. Then stared her dead in the eyes. "Know the world is better off without your FILTH around and be happy you did ONE good thing in your pathetic life by helping kill a hollow. It's more than most of your kind can say." Hoshi then stabbed her through her left eye, through her brain, and into the ground on the opposite side as he coated his weapon in flames. Searing all the flesh that it touched.


When he pulled back her face was in abject terrorr and agony and he smiled as he looked over it. Then he looked over the remainder of the bodies just to be certain that everyone was dead. The hollows especially because some of them could regenerate as he'd found out in a previous Lance meeting. Thankfully these weren't such hollows, so he breathed a sigh of relief. Another look over the group and it was apparent that these were new shinigami or low end if they'd been around for more than a year. No one important, and certainly no one Soul Society would actually be concerned about losing. He rolled his eyes as he kicked one of the bodies. I really need to kill off one of their lieutenants or third seats. A captain is beyond me right now, but not for too much longer. . . I just need a little more power. . . then I'll find Squad 12. . . And burn them to the fucking ground. Before Hoshi lost himself in his thoughts, he heard grass crunching and swore he heard a breath. When he looked over, he'd find someone new. Someone who hadn't been with the group initially. His eyes narrowed as he held out his rebar towards them, letting blue flames start to coat the weapon in a very deliberate promise of their demise.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Hoshi Stat and Skills}
Stats:

Strength: 50 (30)

Speed: 200

Reiatsu Strength: 400 (700)

Spiritual Pressure: 300

Instinct: 100

Senses: 100

Energy sense: 0

Healing expertise: 50


Light: 100

Dark: 0






Skills:

Improvised Weapons: 2

Anti-Stealth: 2

Illusion Resist: 2

Battle Analysis: 2

Strength of Will: 2

Street Fighting: 2

Cold Tolerance: 2

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}
2x Class 4 Beastick+}

Name: The Beat Stick
Description: This can be made into any weapon the user wishes upon purchase. In short, this is a very strong, very durable weapon. What you see is what you get with this one.
Class: 4
Item Type: Weapon
Item Power (IP): 750
Offense Type: Physical
Durability: 3x IP
Bonuses: N/A
Drawbacks: N/A
Form: Steel Rebar



2x Class 4 Throw Equip (On the Beatsticks+)

Description: This is a modification that can be equip to any weapon from the Kitai Shop. This allows the user to call back the item this is equipped to, at a speed of 625, with a strength equal to the speed. This costs 100 reiatsu to perform.
Class: 4
Item Type: Equipment
Item Power (IP): Equal to Beatsick's IP
Offense Type: Physical
Durability: N/A
Bonuses: Adds the IP of the item to the weapon it is equipped to.
Drawbacks: Only three Equip items can be attached to any one weapon at a time. Added IP does not count towards the durability of the Weapon, or the OS/IP required to damage the item.



2x Class 4 Fire Equip (On the Beatsticks+)

Description: This is a sigil, engraved into the blade of a weapon, or somewhere on it that has a large flat surface on it. This sigil comes in many forms, but they all represent fire, in some way, shape, or form. Be it a figure that resembles the user dancing with a figure of flame, a figure meditating with a circle of fire behind them, or something like the Kanji for fire that glows orange pressed into the metal. The sky is the limit for the user.

Class: 4

Item Type: Equipment

Item Power (IP): Equal to Beatstick IP

Offense Type: N/A

Durability: Equal to the weapon it is attached to.

Bonuses: This is a modification that can be equip to any weapon from the Kitai Shop. While this weapon is equipped, the user can coat their weapon in flames in whatever manner they deem visually appealing. These flames can launch up to three different fire attacks, with those being a large fireball that explodes, a cone of fire, or a curtain of flames that linger for a post. The IP of the fire is equal to the IP of the Weapon this item is attached to. Each fire attack costs 100 reiatsu.

Drawbacks: Only three Equip items can be attached to any one weapon at a time.

[Date Maharo]

Maharo had never been a very sociable person. They simply did what they were to do and kept their head down. At least, they had figured that's what they did. It hadn't occurred to them that their exceptional sparring record in the academy would leave an impression on anybody. So it came as a surprise when one of the rookies that they had taken out for their first patrol brought it up. The rest of the group also acknowledged that they had remembered the red-masked "champ" of the sparring ring.

Maharo struggled to find a fitting response for this novel experience, especially as one of the young Shinigami expressed that she had joined the Thirteenth Division to meet them. To make such a major decision for someone as insignificant as them? It seemed silly, yet here she was. The most that Maharo could eke out was a soft "Thank you." but that seemed to be enough to satisfy the eager rookies. It may not have been the most dramatic interaction, but it certainly gave Maharo something to think about.

---

A bloodbath. The scattered bodies of the young Shinigami that Maharo had spoken to just minutes ago, instructing them to pursue the weaker Hollow while they took care of the most powerful one in the group on their own. They had promised to rejoin them shortly and help them finish off the rest of the beasts. Four lives taken, a promise broken, and standing over it all, a white-haired man who was neither Shinigami nor Hollow. The woman he stood over had only joined the Thirteenth Division to meet Maharo.

The masked Shinigami stared at Hoshi for a long while, blue eyes peering out from beneath their painted visage, a cold and intense stare hidden beneath the ferocious guise of a tengu. For the second time that day, Maharo found themselves in an unfamiliar situation, not only at a loss for words now, but also at a loss for what they were meant to do. Run, right? Only, their legs wouldn't move when they commanded them to. Were they meant to give up and face death here? It would only make sense with all the other dead Shinigami.

It took a small moment for Maharo's emotions to catch up to them. Fear, guilt, things they were well-acquainted with, yet more than those two, a wave of burning anger washed through them. What right did he have to cut down their lives? He wasn't some Hollow acting on base instincts, no, this was nothing more than an act of malice.

Scared, conflicted, angry, and confused, Maharo fell to their knees, overwhelmed. Their body wanted to give up before even trying to do anything. They would have doubled over if they hadn't caught themselves with their right hand on the ground. Their left shakily reached for their Zanpakuto, hyperventilating as they kept their eyes glued on the Mod Soul. One by one, Maharo's surroundings disappeared from their awareness. The touch of grass, the sound of the river, the smell of blood in the air. All that remained was the man. Their target. It felt like they were remembering something long forgotten. If they weren't so focused right now, the thought would likely have made them hesitate.

In an instant, the tall Shinigami tensed, knees raising off the ground, hand drawing their short blade from its scabbard. In the next instant, they had vanished from their spot, becoming a vague, black blur at the bottom of Hoshi's peripheral vision. For such a tall person, they had compacted into a very low stance. They drove their guardless wakizashi upwards, aimed at the Mod Soul's abdomen, reverse-gripped in their left hand, right hand on the butt of the hilt.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Techniques Used:

Shunpo - Proficient

2500 - 50 = 2450 Reiatsu Remaining


Stats (Before/After Type):

Strength - 300/450

Speed - 300

Spiritual Pressure - 200/250

Reiatsu Strength - 100/70

Instinct - 100/75

Senses - 150

Energy sensory - 100

Healing Expertise - 0


Skills:

Strength of Will - 2

Weapon: Jōki Ken-Hōchō - 1

Street Fighting - 2

Battle Analysis - 1

Pain Tolerance - 2

Battle Focus - 2

Damage Recovery - 1

Crafting - 1

[Hoshi]

Hoshi watched the strange shinigami before him waiting longer than he really wanted to. However, he found himself quickly becoming far more willing as he saw the signs of the other breaking. They were breathing more quickly, more frequently too. They were shaking just a bit. Their eyes almost looked glazed if what he could see through the mask wasn't messing with his own eyesight. A possibility he hadn't considered until now actually. Then what really put everything together was the fact the other fell to their knees and were far more noticeably shaking. Hoshi couldn't help but burst out laughing at the shinigami. "Pfft, talk about a delayed reaction, it really took you this long to realize your friends were dead. Hahaha! Fucking idiot!" Then as quickly as his laughter spawned it stopped as his eyes narrowed, and he realized the other was starting to move their left hand. Before he disappeared, Hoshi managed to get one last comment out. "And I'd kill them again. Just like you did to my kind. Again. And again. And AGAIN."

Hoshi would realize the other was under him all too late and in what seemed like slow motion to him a blade, of not insignificant size at that, found itself moving towards him. And then it was hitting him, and ultimately piercing through his stomach and completely going through him. Pain exploded through his body as his eyes widened and then he went and grabbed the sword. A single touch was enough to realize he would never be able to remove it like this. Unlike himself, this one was strong. Not just strong but far stronger than anyone barring the heat shinigami he'd fought awhile back. Without a moment's hesitation Hoshi would activate his Level 4 and clamp his fist ever tighter around the sword. His body would burst into flames with his right arm completely burnt to the bone revealing swirling plasma that was starting to heat up not only Maharo but the world around the both of them as Hoshi's reiatsu continued to spike.

"Well, well, well, aren't you a strong one? MUCH stronger than most of the shinigami I've met. You just might be important enough to actually catch Soul Society's attention. Mark my words, YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD." As Hoshi's body continued to burn itself to the bone, his form would grow in size bringing Maharo up from his crouched position if he continued to hold onto his blade which by now, he'd likely realize was starting to heat up from being in contact with Hoshi's flaming skeletal form. Worse yet, his vision would find itself rapidly red shifting as Hoshi's body burned brighter and brighter by the minute and would start to inflict burns on Maharo for simply being too close to him. The next thing he'd see of Hoshi would be a humanoid "skeleton" with shifting plasma that made vague musculature, a cruel smile on a fairly demonic skull as bone shifted to create an expression, and what could only be described as an eyeless stare of pure hatred given, he didn't even have pseudo plasma eyes in his new form.

If Maharo didn't let go of his sword and run another direction Hoshi would reach toward his arm, burning it almost immediately from direct contact, attempt to crush him with his monstrous grip strength. Then release his hand on the sword and immediately punch Maharo into the ground via slamming his fist into the top of his head. Fully intent on fusing him with the ground that was quickly turning into incredibly hot bare rock. If Maharo did give up his sword and leave, Hoshi would look at it, stab it into the ground, and then slam his foot into the hilt and bury it into the ground only to superheat the ground around it to ensure Maharo couldn't reach it, let alone use it, without burning himself severely. Then he'd grab his two rebars and immediately superheat them upon holding them. "Come at me Shinigami, I'll kill you just like I did your pathetic friends. I'll make sure you all are nothing but ASH when I'm done with you! Regardless of what Maharo had done, he'd start to smell the bodies around him, hollow and shinigami that were burning away even more furiously than before along with the smell of smoke as the grass and plant life began to rapidly incinerate from Hoshi's heat.

SPOILER: Click to show

{New Stat line for Hoshi}
Strength: 700

Speed: 200

Reiatsu Strength: 400 (700)

Spiritual Pressure: 300

Instinct: 100

Senses: 100

Energy sense: 0

Healing expertise: 50

SPOILER: Click to show

{Mod Soul Level 4}
Here we get to the stars near the end of their lives. The giants of the universe. These stars are massive and bright as can be. Thus, the same thing occurs for the user and their AoE. The main body of the AoE, the star represented, is now 40 feet in diameter, while its extended AoE for what it heats in the world around it is 30 feet in length. As before however the heat in this extended zone while definitely intense can be ignored if one has superior OS to the user or has a 1 in Heat Tolerance. If an individual does not meet these requirements, they will suffer a first degree burn across the front of their body every 2 posts. Upon entering the Star AoE this requirement increases to a 2 in Heat Tolerance or a 1.2x the user’s OS to ignore. If these are not met the individual will suffer a first degree burn across their entire body. However, if they have a 1 in Heat Tolerance or superior OS but not equal to 1.2x the user’s OS, they will only suffer burns across the front side of their body. These burns occur / grow in severity every 2 posts. Meanwhile for interacting with the core, the user needs a 3 in Heat Tolerance to interact with them or an OS of 1.3x the user’s OS to avoid being burned. For the core specifically, if the individual has 1 -1.14x they act as though they’ve got a single point in Heat Tolerance. While for anything 1.15x - 1.29x the individual acts as though they’ve got a two in Heat Tolerance. For those with a 1 in Heat Tolerance they will start with a second degree burn after coming into contact with the core twice. From there every additional point of contact increases the severity of the burn on the point of contact. If they’ve a 2 in Heat Tolerance, they will gain a first degree burn on their second interaction with the core and then every two subsequent points of contact will increase the burn's severity.


As for the other abilities of the previous level, the Solar Flares, while not cheaper, can now be stacked to 30% in addition the duration is increased to 3 posts. The superheated material can be created for 25 reiatsu while still remaining a 10-foot cube. Double if the user wants to melt or incinerate something on the spot. Meanwhile it costs nothing now to superheat a weapon or item that is being held. It also follows the interaction for coming in contact with the core. Lastly the damage dealt to items is now 75% of the user’s RS and items without a durability stat now last for 4 posts. Lastly if the user pays 75 reiatsu they can immediately sacrifice their item and melt it. Allowing for the melted substance to coat opponents. If this is done the item takes a durability strike if the thread is DP/NDE. If the thread is DE, then the item is destroyed permenantly.


While the initial description of this power has been about how things from the previous levels are changed, we now come to a point where the power at this level gains new abilities. The first is a static and passive effect, the Sun AoE, having become a giant type of star, is now incredibly bright. Bright enough that without something to dampen the light produced that an individual can either find their sight being reduced or at worst becoming completely blind. Obviously, those who are already blind will find this to be a non-issue but to those with sight this quickly becomes a problem. A 2 in Battle Focus or Focused Eye will allow an individual to see through the star AoE without any issues. This also includes those with a 200 in Senses. Those who have only one in either Battle Focus or Focused Eye will find the light hard to see through but can manage to a degree. They can make out objects that are within 10 feet of them but any further is difficult to determine. Superior OS does not aid in this, only senses or the requisite skills.


Moving from the passive light ability we now go to the active ability gained. The user can produce sunspots. These are areas on the sun that are naturally cooler due to gravitational forces that are present on that section of the star. Because of these gravitational forces things are naturally drawn to them. Thus, any ranged attacks or ranged abilities that attempt to pass into or through the AoE are now drawn to the Sunspot. The gravitational pull is equal to the user's RS and should an attack be successfully drawn to the sunspot it will be broken down. This spot lasts for up to 3 posts and costs 150 reiatsu to start and 75 reiatsu per post to maintain. This can be as large as a 5-foot cube and while within this cube the brightness as well as the heat is reduced causing all clashes to require one less in Heat Tolerance, Battle Focus, or Focused Eye. This also reduces the OS needed to prevent being burned by 20%. I.E. At this level to not be burnt in the Star AoE, the individual needs 1.2x the user’s OS. If they are inside a Sunspot, they need only equal or higher OS to ignore being burnt. Or a 1 in Heat Tolerance as opposed to a 2 normally required.


Last but not least the limbs in this form now have a durability of 1.6x the users RS. To use this form costs 300 reiatsu and lasts for 4 posts. Lastly if the user cannot pay the cost, the skeletal form fades away with only the pill remaining. The body from prior is not regained. If the user has HSR, each portion of the skeletal body can be regenerated in their following post. When regenerated in this way the body regains its full durability. This also includes durability damage done to the user's skeletal body that did not destroy the body part in question.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Hoshis new form}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Mod Soul Level 4 info}
Class: 4

Limb/Head/Torso Durability: 1,120

AoE: 70 feet in all directions
Zone 1 (Heat Zone): 70 to 40 feet from Hoshi
Zone 2 (Star Zone): 39ft to Hoshi

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu}
-300 for Mod Soul Level 4
-25 for superheating the ground (Happens if Maharo gave up his sword)

3,000 - 325 = 2,675 reiatsu remaining (or 2,700 if Maharo didn't give up his sword)

[Date Maharo]

Maharo couldn't deny that feeling their blade pierce Hoshi's skin was gratifying, but they pushed that thought back. Taking pleasure in causing minor pain would only distract them from focusing on the fight. Anger and guilt may have been the catalyst for their attack, but even those emotions had slipped from their conscious thoughts. Now that they have engaged their target, all other thoughts and feelings took a back seat to seeking the best way to neutralize Hoshi.

The genderless Shinigami tried to pull their Zanpakuto from Hoshi's gut, intent on delivering another deep stab up into his chest, sneaking the blade under his sternum. When they tried to pull, however, the Mod Soul's strength seemed to surge, preventing Maharo from retrieving their wakizashi. They soon realized what was happening. That strength that had slaughtered their subordinates was a mere fraction of what Hoshi could muster.

Even as the Mod Soul's body grew and burst into flames though, Maharo failed to be intimidated. In whatever fugue state they had surrendered themselves to, they could only make the observation that their target would be more dangerous than initially estimated. As such, they needed to make some distance. Using their still-embedded Zanpakuto as leverage, Maharo swung back as they were lifted, returning with a solid kick to Hoshi's abdomen, right under where he had been stabbed. They used the one-legged kick to jump off of the flaming giant, landing on the grass and sliding back a short distance on their feet.

Pain shot up their leg as they realized that their wooden sandal had caught fire upon contact with the Mod Soul's body. They quickly kicked the cindering remains of the footwear off of them, eyes remaining locked on their target as they watched him seal their sword under the ground.

“I am an unranked officer of the Thirteenth Division.” With an icy stare and quiet words, they rebuked Hoshi's intentions of gaining the attention of the Soul Society by killing them. Granted, their lack of rank had more to do with their hesitation to apply for promotions than their actual strength or skills. As they spoke, they had been carefully stepping out of their remaining sandal. Just as they had nearly pulled free, they whipped their leg forward in a kicking motion, launching the wooden sandal at Hoshi's face.

They were well aware that such a move wouldn't actually harm the target, but given the way that he looked down on Shinigami and seemed to be trying to intimidate Maharo, he might take it as them acting in panic while putting up a tough facade. After all, that is what they were doing, isn’t it? Brushing aside that thought borne of wariness, Maharo acted fast, leaping behind a large tree as though they were trying to hide. With a loud CRACK, the tree was felled, aimed to slam into the fiery giant on its way down.

Maharo’s hand stung as they ducked behind another tree, taking a second to look at their bloodied knuckles before peeking from behind the tree to see what, if anything, their arboreal strike accomplished. Even if it failed to make an impact, how much of it burned and how quickly it did so would help the Shinigami understand the intensity of the heat they were dealing with.

One could almost mistake them for clever if it weren’t for the fact that their mask’s long, red nose entirely foiled their attempt to peek while hiding from sight.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Techniques Used:

2450 Reiatsu Remaining

Stats (Before/After Type):

Strength - 300/450

Speed - 300

Spiritual Pressure - 200/250

Reiatsu Strength - 100/70

Instinct - 100/75

Senses - 150

Energy sensory - 100

Healing Expertise - 0


Skills:

Strength of Will - 2

Weapon: Jōki Ken-Hōchō - 1

Street Fighting - 2

Battle Analysis - 1

Pain Tolerance - 2

Battle Focus - 2

Damage Recovery - 1

Crafting - 1

[Hoshi]

Hoshi took glee in seeing the moment of hesitation in Maharo. Or at least that's what he believed it to be, though it seemed they were a thinker as they were deciding on what to do and ultimately sacrificed their blade to Hoshi in order to save themself. Not without some amount of harm coming their way through. Tough as they were, and for a shinigami, they were pretty tough, Hoshi only moved back a bit as they jumped backwards. He mentally chuckled as he took note of their burning body and decided that if he were going to mess with this one then he needed to ensure they couldn't fight back nearly as well as he suspected they could. Removing the blade from his ribcage didn't take but a moment before superheated the earth beneath him until it roiled and boiled. The sword found itself completely embedded and engulfed in essentially magma after Hoshi stomped on the handle to ensure it was completely within.

There was one thing that took Hoshi by surprise however and that was his enemy's rank. An unranked officer. Essentially a nobody. In truth that meant nothing as he could be lying but if they weren't lying then that implied, they were a possible prodigy? Something about them was different than normal shinigami if only because they were a good degree stronger than his comrades. Still, that did mean that when he killed Maharo he'd get no more notoriety than he had already. He frowned at the notion and admittedly was a bit let down by that information. Enough so that being smacked by a sandal that was burning didn't really do much but call him back to the fact he had a fight to continue. One that returned to an exciting level as the other disappeared to a tree and then proceeded to slam into it and launch it his way. Hoshi smiled up and pointed his left rebar at it, blue flames dancing upon it before being fired out in a wide cone that enveloped the tree and burnt it away almost immediately.

Hoshi didn't even move as he knew the other would have to come at him eventually. He'd either burn down what came his way or slam it into something else. All while having his preferred weapons at his beck and call, all the while the other needed to get his weapon back if he realistically expected to do anything. Because he could only throw so many things at Hoshi before realizing it wouldn't work. So, he smiled a wide malevolent grin and kept his eyes on Maharo. Until he got an idea and decided to play a similar game. Using his right rebar, he shifted his grip until he held it akin to a javelin and then waited for a moment to see if the other reacted by stepping or moving out the way. Then started the motion and would hold on until the last moment possible to throw the rebar just in case he needed to re-aim the thing. All the while knowing that if the other wasn't careful, they'd be in for quite the surprise. Once the rebar was thrown Hoshi shifted the rebar from his left into is right hand and continued to wait.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu}
-100 for creating a cone of blue flames

2,675 - 100 = 2,575 reiatsu remaining

SPOILER: Click to show

{Mod Soul Level 4}
Class: 4

Duration: 2/4 posts

Limb/Head Durability: 1,120

Torso Durability: 670 durability)

AoE: 70 feet in all directions
Zone 1 (Heat Zone): 70 to 40 feet from Hoshi
Zone 2 (Star Zone): 39ft to Hoshi