A Captain's pupil [PG-13,NDE,SP]

[Brother Jeremiah]

A shadow appeared, crossing into the clearing. The figure crossed into the noon day sun, it was hot but this was the price you paid to train with one of the most powerful captains of the seiteitei. Akeru sighed his hair was starting to bug him in this heat, he sighed. When is Ran-Taicho going to arrive, if there was anytime to be late it would be now wouldn't it... He stood waiting for his captain to arrive.

Maybe just maybe their vice captain would arrive, last he had heard she was off doing something on her own. Whether it was training or something involving money he didn't know and really didn't care. He just knew that he needed to get stronger, "hmmm..." he though that if the captain trained Akeru himself, Akeru would not only get stronger himself but also gain fantastic fighting skills to complement his captain.

This is going to be something, and we are going to get even stronger aren't we raziel? His zanpakutou's spirit was surprisingly silent. he turned his head to the sun and let the heat bake him as he waited.

Remaining Reiastu: 1880

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - 50 Points

Speed - 110 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 150 +25% (188) Points

Reiatsu Strength - 100 +25% (125) Points

Light Aura - 100 Points

Dark Aura - 0 Points

Instinct - 60 -25% (40) Points

Senses 60 -25%(40) Points

Energy sensory - 70 -25%(53) Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

Shortly after Akeru arrived the reptilian captain came slithering along the ground on all fours behind his san-seki. “Sorry I’m late...” said Ranmyaku as he stood up, towering over the smaller shinigami, “You wouldn’t believe the amount of financial paperwork I had to take care of...” Ranmyaku was the captain of squad 8, the division in charge of money and banking, therefore Ranmyaku was often overloaded with paperwork. Anastasia Solis, the vice-captain of Squad 8, didn’t help out often and left her captain most of the work intended for her. But the lizard didn’t complain. To him this was all the price of acceptance. He didn’t view it as her taking advantage of him at all. She was his friend and he was more than happy to take over some of her responsibilities. Making life easier for his subordinates was part of his responsibility as captain, which is why he so readily agreed to do this training session with Akeru. Training was, in its own way, a way of making life easier for one’s self, which is why the captain encouraged members of his squad to practice as often as possible.

The captain pulled out two leather gloves and placed them over his hands. “To lessen the damage...” explained the shinigami as he covered his long, sharp talons. However the claws on his feet and his sharp teeth were still there and very visible. Akeru would need to be wary of such weapons in his captain’s arsenal. The next thing the captain did was take out a piece of rope and tie his sheath on to his zanpakutou so he could use his sword, but it wouldn’t be harmful at all. He was making every possible effort to ensure the safety of his comrade. Ranmyaku wasn’t in the business of harming his sparring partners, but he still wanted Akeru to improve. The lizard swung his sword around a bit to make sure the knot would not come undone and then placed the weapon over his shoulder. His tail waved behind him and he smiled at the third seat. “Let’s not dilly dally. I still have some more paperwork to do after this and I’d like to finish it in time to sunbathe for a few hours,” said the captain.

Ranmyaku hoped that Akeru would go all out on him. In fact, Akeru was doomed if he didn’t attack to kill. There was simply no other way he could stand up to the reptile. Ranmyaku was taking responsibility for his own well-being AND Akeru’s. He was going to give the third seat a work out and ensure that he left unharmed for the most part. It was not beneficial for him to hurt his own subordinate to the point where he couldn’t work. No, the main focus of the following minutes would be in building Akeru up and establishing him as a solid san-seki like Kaen Youji or Irudai Izumi. Making Akeru stronger would in turn make Squad 8 stronger. This was the ultimate goal. Ranmyaku was in business to repay Soul Society and building a powerful squad was one way of doing that.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [350] Points

Speed - [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [250] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [250] Points

Light Aura - [60] Points

Dark Aura - [40] Points

Instinct - [50] Points

Senses [50] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

[Brother Jeremiah]

IC: Akeru is going to Transfer 250 SP to RS

SPOILER: Click to show

New Stats:

Spiritual Pressure: 1630

Reiastu Strength: 375

IC:Akeru flexed his muscles, wait scratch that. He flexed the little chunks of meat he had managed to grow on his bony frame. Sure his captain was a 8-foot tall lizard with hands the size of catcher mitts and talons and teeth that could shred him into chow. He knew as he watched Ran-Taicho take so many precautions that he wasn't going to try to hold back. This was going to be a training session unlike anything he ever experienced. He drew both of his swords and then took a deep breath. This next part was important, his Reiastu started to pour out of him glowing a blinding white. growing steadily more controlled and sharper. Stronger as he fed his Reiastu into it.

His Captain had his sheath still attached to the blade but his strength was easily 6 times that of the San-seki. So don't fight force with force. Fight with controlled aggression. He brought his zanpakutou out and started to chant, this wasn't like when he fought shade. He wasn't holding back at all, not even in the beginning. "Bless those to hear your words, feel the power of the divine and let it flow through your voice for us all to hear. You, who are that which guides us, praise Raziel'sTensai!"

His sword then melted down and slithered up his arm latching and forming onto his face forming his metallic mask covering his nose down to his voice box. The next thing he did was call upon the first of his 3 shikai techniques, Baion. He then spoke, "Bakudo 8. Seki." running his hand down the flat of his blade in 6 voices creating a Flat yellow sheen of energy, normally Seki would not have been able to create a coating, but his abnormally good Reiastu control and the fact he was able to create enough to run together as a continuous curtain of Kidou to cover the blade.

"Bakudo 8. Seki..." He then repeated the Bakudo 3 voices and a polished shield of energy covered his knuckles imbibed with the power of 3. He did this to trick the captain, the shield covering his knuckles looked to the naked eye like it was just was Seki, but it was actually three of them compressed into the size of a single Kidou. Time to test the new speed and strength.

He flexed his legs and used a Shunpo flying right above Ran-taicho slicing down with his broad sword, his blade gleaming a wicked golden along with the white reiastu expelling from his body. He arced the blade to impact into the crease where Ran-taicho's neck met his shoulders his hand held up defensively for a reaction from the captain. Should his blade connect anywhere on the captain's body the Kidou would help negate some of his natural armor and give him a small opening with it's extra ability of paralysis, also if he tried to deflect it with his own blade the Kidou would repulse that as well as his gloved hands should he have tried to catch it.

The heat worked in his captain's favor, where the hot air made Akeru pant and sweat. Surely Ran-taicho was surely feeling much more then good. His blade whistled through the air, his whole heart to aim to kill or be killed.

Remaining Reiastu: 810 (-250 Transfer, -200 for Shikai, -275 for Kidou, -45 for Baion, -50 for Shunpo)

Shikai: 1/10

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

Ranmyaku’s tongue flicked out of his mouth as he watched his third seat release. “Well... At least he’s taking me seriously...” thought the lizard with a smile. This wasn’t the reptile’s first time seeing Akeru’s shikai. He was well aware of everyone in his squad’s abilities, for he had files on each and every person in his squad. Akeru’s shikai was formidable, but he needed to learn how to use it better. The san-seki’s zanpakutou possessed the ability to heighten the potency of his kidou spells, but at the cost of great strain to his reiatsu pool. Ranmyaku dropped to all fours and raised his tail in the air as Akeru began transferring spiritual pressure into reiatsu strength. “The fool... He’s trying to take me out in one blow instead of having a nice, long practice session. He’s forgetting the primary reason we’re out here is to train, not win...” thought Ranmyaku with a stern look. Because of the transfer, Akeru would not be able to fight nearly as long. This upset the captain as he waited for the third-seat’s move.

“Bakudo 8. Seki...” stated the shinigami as a coating of reiatsu seemed to form around the san-seki’s other sword. The captain could guess what Akeru was doing and was well acquainted with that particular kidou spell. The captain then heard his third seat state the kidou a second time, imbuing his fist with the bakudo this time. Ranmyaku knew that either of the two could be multiple times stronger than normal. That was the ability of Akeru’s shikai. He would need to be careful, especially with Akeru’s considerable reiatsu strength. However, the third seat was overestimating the power of such a low level kidou and underestimating his captain’s power. It didn’t matter if you multiplied a garbage spell by 3, 6 or even 100. It was still garbage, and Ranmyaku was just the person to power through the third seat’s attacks.

In an instant the third seat used a shunpo to bring him directly above the lizard as he sliced down with his broadsword. The blade was aimed at the shinigami’s neck and would surely deliver massive damage if the captain didn’t do something. The captain turned his head just as Akeru swung and opened his mouth, looking absolutely ferocious with his dagger-like teeth. Just as Akeru was about to cleave his head from his neck the captain bit down, squeezing the blade between his powerful jaws. Ranmyaku caught the blade with his teeth, possessing adequate strength to simply ignore the repulsion and the paralysis would be negated with pure strength. Ranmyaku was a beast among animals and it was pointless to try and bind him. He would simply break out of any binding Akeru put him in.

“Look what I caught...” said the captain with a smile as he held Akeru in the air by his own sword, which was still in the captain’s mouth. “I caught you... Akeru Kurohi...” said the captain as he stood up, making it impossible for Akeru’s feet to touch the ground and hold onto his sword’s hilt at the same time. The captain took his sheathed sword and made a swing at the san-seki’s torso with speed that would be nothing but a blur to the third seat. The san-seki would receive a blunt blow that would send him flying away unless he somehow did something. Dodging was out of the question due to his inability to even sense the attack.

[Brother Jeremiah]

Akeru was screwed, okay not totally screwed but really screwed. He did the only thing he could think of doing right at this moment in time. He snapped his hand forward and punched the sheathed sword coming at him. Most people if not everyone would probably think he was stupid but hey wait! he had Seki on his knuckles, he hit it on the left side of the blade repulsing the blade up and away from him. As he did so he felt a flare of pain erupt from his knuckle.

He let go of his blade and started to drop to the ground but he never touched it, his body flashed away appearing behind the Captain. His right hand already outstretched and his index finger pointing to the back of his captain's neck the blind spot for most creatures and that included him. "Hado 4. Byakurai..." The lightning shot from his finger zinging down to peirce the captain. The truth was that if he was going to try to fight on par with the captain he was going to have to play with his strengths, he tripled his kidou's destructive and binding power.

As the lighting arcted ahead Akeru casted another kidou, he knew some of his captain's strengths and Weaknesses, one of them is he wasn't the greatest sensor. "Bakudo 26. Kyyako." His reiastu signiture and his appearance vanished, he wisked around the captain to his left side and in a mute whisper sent a second deadly attack, "Hado 4. Byakurai Bakudo 26. Kyyako, Seishou yuukai..." His shikai's second special ability to morph kidou together in new ways. this fusion was simple it made the byakurai's power and appearance invisible, he wouldn't be able to see or sense that it was coming and as he would have suspected the first byakurai this one was completely invisible to him.

It shot siliently towards his left leg, the femoral artery, it would end this fight, though he wasn't trying to win and he was trying to train he had to keep the fight in his pace so that his captain didn't just start pummeling him into the ground.

Remaining Reiastu: 610 (-150 for the kidou, -50 for Shunpo)

Shikai:2/10

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

(OOC: Try to limit your posts to one main attack since my response to that attack might prevent you from making your next attacks. For example, in this post you fired a triple Byakurai. Your post should have ended after that. Also, you can’t flash step while in mid-air. There’s no air ground in Soul Society, so I assumed Akeru touched the ground before flash stepping.)

As Ranmyaku lifted his third seat into the air he noticed that the other shinigami relinquished his weapon to free himself. “Looks like he doesn’t know Tsuzuri Raiden,” thought the captain as his eyes followed Akeru. Ranmyaku had assumed his san-seki’s next move would have been Tsuzuri Raiden and had been ready to act accordingly, but Akeru had chosen another route. The captain’s sword approached the san-seki’s torso but was barely blocked by Akeru’s bakudo. The shinigami’s sword was blocked for a brief moment, but not repulsed. No, the captain was simply too overpowering. The only reason the san-seki was able to slow Ranmyaku’s strike at all was because the kidou had been tripled, but Akeru didn’t stay there for long. As soon as the captain smashed through the bakudo, the third seat had disappeared with a flash step, reappearing right behind him.

The third seat’s finger was pointed at the back of the lizard’s head, and Ranmyaku heard him recite the kidou spell he was about to fire. “Hado 4. Byaku-” was all Akeru would be able to get out before he’d feel himself falling. The captain smiled as he turned around swiftly. It was foolish of the third seat to attack from directly behind the captain, for he possessed one thing that no other shinigami did. Akeru would noticed that his leg was being pulled out from under him by none other than the captain’s tail. His Byakurai would miss its mark and he’d be unable to cast the other kidou as Ranmyaku spun around. Akeru would be on his back now and viewing his captain in a whole new light. Akeru was being given a glimpse of how Soul Society’s enemies viewed Ranmyaku on the battlefield. He would probably feel the same terror of a human being pounced on by a cougar, tiger, or bear as Ranmyaku leapt on top of him. His eyes had taken an animalistic appearance and his teeth were bared. Ranmyaku didn’t appear the least bit sane as he pinned Akeru to the ground and lifted his right hand up, curling his fingers to make a claw-like fist.

As fast as he could the lizard brought his gloved hand screeching down towards Akeru’s chest. It was as if he forgot that they were training and that he was wearing gloves. The leather would certainly keep the reptile from piercing his flesh, but Ranmyaku’s strength was not to be underestimated. It would hurt the san-seki regardless. As the shinigami delivered his blow he let out a ferocious growl unbefitting of a shinigami and more fitting of an animal. This was the creature the captain was on the battlefield. He was completely overwhelming and he hadn’t even touched his zanpakutou’s powers. In truth the lizard wasn’t even aware he was appearing this hostile. This was how he fought and he didn’t know that he looked so frightening. “What will you do, Akeru?” wondered Ranmyaku as his gloved hand threatened to collide with the shinigami’s body.

[Brother Jeremiah]

SPOILER: Click to show

Okay now im screwed..., He thought he was trying to come up with a plan as he was whipped around like a blasted rag doll by his captain. The worst part, was that his captain seemed less like his captain and more like a rampage barely contained in his beastly form. Ran-Taicho was a scary person to fight, not only because of his fighting prowess but becasue of his apperance. He didn't think of the consequences of such an action that he took next only that he needed to be free. surely normally he would have done nothing with this attack but since he all but tripled his reiastu strength he believe his power should be effiecent to at least cause his captain to back off, or at least stop the strike.

He pointed his free hand at the captains face, using a fire kidou would have been stupid and he knew no ice kidou so the next best thing to do was to shoot one of just energy, using Baion he spoke on two voices and with all of his 375 RS called, "Hado 31. Shakkahô!" The shakkaho shot from his palm glowed a deep red imbibed with double the power and shot mere four feet at his lower face, his body was so bulky that he had to dodge or take the hit and sure his captain was strong, but even Akeru doubted he could take that lightly especially to such a vital area.

Akeru kept struggling and managed to wriggle a little farther out of his grasp but he was still caught, gloves to make things a little safer indeed, they also acted like a C-clamp and stopped him from going anywhere. He guessed had it been Ran-Taicho's claws he might have been able to escape but not before slicing up his arm in a very bad way. He didn't think he just did, he kept squirming till he slipped his hand out of the glove and jscrambled back. he was on his feet and running in an arc as he snatched up his sword and took his stance.

Remaining Reiastu: 735 (-150 for kidou -5 for baion)

Shikai: 3/10

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

Ranmyaku took the fight in close as he landed atop his third seat, his mighty hand threatening to collide with Akeru’s chest. Ranmyaku may have appeared to be ravenous and far gone, but his mind was still about him. As he lifted his gloved hand he saw Akeru point his arm up at his face. “Hado 31.” said the shinigami. There was no way Akeru could finish a kidou spell faster than Ranmyaku could deliver a hit, but the captain didn’t want to kill his third seat. If it had been an actual battle against an arrancar or hollow the captain wouldn’t have hesitated to rip the man’s heart out right then and there before he could finish the spell, but this was a shinigami. The captain’s gloved hand screeched down and hit Akeru’s forearm with unimaginable force. “Shakkahô!” yelled the san-seki as he finished his kidou spell. But it was to no avail. His arm was pinned to the ground by the captain’s own.

The kidou spell erupted out destroying a good portion of the ground next to the two shinigami. “Your glaring weakness is the time it takes you to fire off a spell...” whispered the lizard to his subordinate as he kept him pinned to the ground. With that the reptile allowed his weaker comrade to escape from his grip and go reclaim his sword. Akeru would realize now that his captain was not some enraged beast. It only appeared that way because Akeru had never fought against such a monster before. This was the fear that all opponents who fought Ranmyaku felt, and now Akeru had felt it too. He would likely remember this experience and count himself thankful that he was on the same team as this creature.

Ranmyaku sheathed his sword just as Akeru picked his up. The lizard was going to show him the style of fighting he himself had invented growing up on the streets of Rukongai. “Scaled Fist” he called it. He was the only practitioner since the style took advantage of certain attributes he had as a gigantic lizard. Unless someone possessed hard scales, a strong tail, sharp teeth, and piercing claws they would be unable to utilize this style the way the captain could. As soon as Akeru grabbed his zanpakutou the lizard was sprinting at him, but not on two legs. No... Ranmyaku was on all fours and was a blur of speed as he snaked his way to the san-seki in an instant. Because he was on the ground Ranmyaku could stop instantly. He wasn’t top-heavy like bipedal creatures and came to an instant halt in front of Akeru. As soon as he’d arrived the captain struck out at both Akeru’s feet in an attempt to pin the to the ground as he lunged forwards. His mouth was open wide and threatened to remove a large chunk from his midsection.

[Brother Jeremiah]

The captain's fighting style forgive him for thinking it, reminding akeru of trying to fight a large reptillain hollow, with the tail and fighting on all fours. Of course he would never say that out loud because he would never try to offend his captain that way but he was well aware of fighting beasts. As the captain closed in he waited to the last minute and as he began to trust out his his mitted claws he jumped into the air bringing his legs up in a crouching motion and he thrust-ed his sword straigt for the middle point on the captain's head, equally between the ridges of his eyes.

He new this probably was going to do nothing but burning through his reaistu was doing nothing. He needed to start to conserve it, or he was never even going to come close to beating the captain.

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

Just before Ranmyaku could place either of his powerful hands on the tops of Akeru’s feet, he jumped. This would save the shinigami from impending doom for a moment, but the captain was quick to respond. Scaled Fist wasn’t simply an offense. A true martial art possessed a defense as well, and Scaled Fist was no exception. The captain looked up as Akeru’s blade came down threatening to stab him between the eyes. His san-seki could have been leagues faster and Ranmyaku still would have been able to deal with the attack. Akeru had made the mistake of transferring all his spiritual pressure into reiatsu strength early in the fight. To a kidou user like Akeru, spiritual pressure essentially determined how long he could fight. He’d cut down his stamina exponentially too early and now he was suffering the consequences.

It was obvious that Akeru was not a physical fighter like Ranmyaku was and it was apparent as Ranmyaku turned his head to the side and opened his jaws ever so slightly. Akeru’s blade slid right into the captain’s teeth and Ranmyaku swifly clamped down on the flat of his zanpakutou. Ranmyaku wasn’t done here though, he was about to fight a kidou user with kidou of his own. “Hado 11. Tsuzuri Raiden,” muttered the shinigami as a sudden burst of electricity shot out of his mouth and up Akeru’s sword. This was a kidou that could be fired as long as Ranmyaku was touching any object that his target was also touching. In this case it was Akeru’s blade.

The captain hadn’t spoken the incantation, but he’d mastered the spell. Akeru would nearly black out from the sudden jolt of electricity and be sent stumbling backwards. The captain wished that his san-seki hadn’t given up all his stamina so soon. Akeru was a lousy physical fighter, and now that he backed himself into this corner, it was all he could really do. “You blow through reiatsu so fast,” said the captain, spitting the sword out, “You should either train to become a better physical fighter, or find some way to boost your stamina.” The captain hadn’t forgotten why they were out here. Akeru was here to learn and Ranmyaku intended to teach him, even if the lesson may have been a little short because of Akeru’s lacking stamina.

Remaining Reiatsu: 2,475

[Brother Jeremiah]

The captain caught his broad sword in his jaws and held it fast and Akeru couldn't get it free without breaking his sword... then he heard something that made him disregard the sword all together. "Hado 11..." He knew of the kidou, and he let go of the blade trusting back as the lightning shot up the blade making it the perfect way to knock him unconscious. He skidded back, he was getting frustrated. that blade was his way to fight against opponents when he needed to conserve his kidou. he took his hand to hand stance, this was going to drive him nuts if he didn't do something quick. he was faster then he used to be but it did him nothing against the captain.

He was trying to pace his breathing to calm down before he wore himself out, he tired very quickly and all of the reiastu he used to power himself up did nothing if he couldn't fire his spells. but maybe he didn't have too he could still breathe and fight while speaking on another voice preparing a spell so this was the key. the problem was he didn't know if he could even try this strategy against Ran-taicho. AYE-YAH! there are no answers!

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

(OOC: Just dodge the first thing, cause I honestly needed to just throw it in there cause I’m TRYING to get us posting longer again and needed to pump out 3 paragraphs at least. Please... PLEASE try to make a lengthy post...)

Ranmyaku observed his san-seki relinquish his sword and evade the hado. The captain spat the blade out on to the ground and began approaching his retreating third seat. “Better do something...” said the captain as he lifted his sword with the sheath around it into the air, “This is gonna hurt if you don’t...” Once the captain reached Akeru his arm came down bringing his zapakutou with it. The strike was so fast and so powerful that it would create a crater in the ground where it it. This might kill Akeru if it hit, for the reptile’s strength was impressive to say the least. The other shinigami’s hope was to dodge, and hopefully he would. Ranmyaku had given Akeru adequate warning and hadn’t exactly hidden his intentions for that very purpose. Dust would be flung up all around the captain’s strike and it created a sound loud enough to be mistaken for a high speed collision between semi-trucks. This was the power a captain possessed. This was the epitome of a shinigami. This was Ranmyaku Youmei.

Assuming Akeru did dodge the lizard’s strike the reptile would look in his direction and smile. “Very good...” he’d say as his tongue flicked out of his mouth, “Here I come... Do try your best...” Anyone in their right mind would be frightened by those words. A beast of Ranmyaku’s status and stature was announcing his plans on attacking. It was a scary thought indeed that in a matter of moments Akeru would need to deal with perhaps an onslaught of stabs or avoid being bitten or crushed or blown apart with kidou. But it was okay. Ranmyaku wouldn’t kill him, right? Surely Akeru knew that the captain had no such intentions, but the thought of dying during training had no doubt entered his mind since their practice session had begun. Just how much longer could the shinigami go on fighting? He had already depleted a good chunk of his reiatsu to no avail. He’d need to play things smart from now on if he expected to impress his captain.

At that moment the lizard put his zanpakutou back on his belt, dropped to all fours again like before, and dashed at the shinigami like a monster from the pits of hell. Upon reaching his subordinate the captain spun 360 degrees on the ground, effectively using his tail in an attempt to sweet the san-seki’s feet out from under him and send him sprawling to the ground. It would be a non-lethal attack that would simply knock him off balance, but the same couldn’t be said about what the shinigami did next. Ranmyaku, upon the completion of his spin leapt forwards straight at Akeru whether he was falling from the leg sweep or whether he had simply jumped over it. Either way, the shinigami would be unable to dodge unless he’d taken another route in evading the lizard’s tail. Like he’d done to many opponents the lizard would pin his vice-captain to the ground with his immense weight and strength. His feet would pin Akeru’s feet to the ground and his hands would pin Akeru’s hands to the ground. This was a very advantageous position for Ranmyaku since he still possessed two weapons to use against him. Those weapons were his tail and his powerful jaws. Even without the use of any of this limbs the lizard could tear apart and batter his enemies to a pulp using just those two things.

[Brother Jeremiah]

As the captain rushed forward, he was truly HUGE. Akeru tensed waiting for the last moment, letting his training kick in. Akeru rolled at the last moment tucking to the left and around the hefty captain, rolling onto the balls of his feet. He was about twenty feet away from his broadsword. Rushing over he grasped his sword off the ground, he didn't have time to turn around but he didn't hesitate at the last moment he used a shunpo. Fading from view as his captain's shadow loomed over him, shaking the ground with each step the captain took.

Akeru was getting faster, and this to him was even better then increasing his power of his kidou. His greatest strength meant nothing if he didn't have the speed to evade his opponents until his spells were ready. This was his major flaw, and it made him such a weak seated officer. Faster, stronger, better and at sensing and reacting to things on the battlefield.

Akeru appeared in the best possible location to be out of strike range, fifteen feet behind the captain. Out of the strike range of the captain's tail. He wasn't going to try to strike until he could figure out what his captain's weakness was... He was unsure as Ran-taicho's skin provided excellent defense while the tail blocked all attacks from behind , unless he could possibly cut it off. He was going to have to bait the captain and maybe he couldn't beat him but he could prove something... "Ran-Taicho! can you go alittle slower?! You know this isn't even possibly fair. So give me a tip here or something!!!"

Remaining Reiastu: 685 (-50 for shunpo)

Shikai: 6/10

[Ranmyaku Youmei]

Akeru evaded his attacks like Ranmyaku had hoped, but instead of attacking him back the third seat opened his mouth to talk. “Ran-Taicho! can you go alittle slower?! You know this isn't even possibly fair. So give me a tip here or something!!!” said the third seat. Ran-Taicho was a nickname for him that had been circulating around members of Squad 8. He didn’t mind it. In fact, he welcomed the fact his squad adored him enough to give him a nickname. It made him feel like he belonged, and this sense of belonging only made him work even harder for Seireitei. “Go slower?” said the captain, taking note of how worn out Akeru was, “But that would defeat the purpose of our training!” Ranmyaku stood up straight, his battle-aura disappeared as he took a relaxed stance. This was how the captain appeared around his squad when he was not in the heat of battle. This was how Akeru was used to seeing him. He looked kind, welcoming, and as fatherly as a giant lizard could.

“I think we should wrap things up for today...” he said with a smile, “No sense in overdoing it. That only leads to injury, and we wouldn’t want that.” The captain turned around, removing his gloves and untying his zanpakutou from his sheath. “You did well... We’ll do this again some other time.” he said as he began walking back towards the barracks, his tail making a trail in the dirt behind him, “Come Akeru, don’t dawdle...” With that the two shinigami would head back to the barracks. Their training was complete for the day and hopefully Akeru had learned something about his strengths and weaknesses. He’d definitely be more prepared for future confrontations against powerful opponents and was on the road to becoming a powerful shinigami and a true contributor to Soul Society. Who knew? Perhaps one day he’d serve side by side with Ranmyaku as equals instead of as a subordinate. The lizard smiled as he toyed with this thought.

TRAINING COMPLETE

[Zieg Revolver]

Grade: 105 SP each.