Combat Evaluation [PG-13, NDE, Iwa vs Yoko]

[Deleted]

Thread Title: Combat Evaluation [PG-13, NDE, Iwa vs Yoko]
Participants: Iwamichi Saeke and Yoko Kusanagi
World: Human World
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: The thread takes place in a training room deep beneath Uzaki Enterprises main headquarters. The area is roughly a 100 foot cube. Typically, the walls, floor, and ceiling are made of luminous white ceramic tile, but the person being evaluated can request various additions to the normally barren room. ((Iwa can add basically anything to the room within reason during her intro post.)) No exit is obviously discernible once you enter the space. The elevator that takes you down to the chamber is sealed behind a wall as soon as you leave. Without knowing how to open it back up, you're basically trapped in this training area.
Special Conditions: None.
Circumstances: Iwamichi is a fairly new recruit to Uzaki Enterprises Spiritual Division. As head of security, part of Yoko's job is analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of all the personnel in UE that can fight against spiritual forces. She's called Iwa down to the training room for the most basic form of evaluation there is: combat.

[Deleted]

It had been awhile since Yoko had actually done anything active for Uzaki Enterprises. Sure, she’s around when Kazura needs a helping hand… but he can usually hold his own just fine. There was slowly becoming less and less of a need for her in her old capacity. The time had come for her to begin a transition away from the role of a simple bodyguard. Once in a great while, she would need to be by Kazura’s side, but she needed to keep herself busy the rest of the time as well. Her employer had begun recruiting others with powers. Someone needed to take a leadership role amongst all the new people with powers running around. Obviously Kazura was the political leader of the group, but Yoko didn’t think he was the best choice for running combat operations. Too much of his time was devoted to his tech, and his business. Someone needed to lead from the front lines, and Yoko was yet to meet someone better for the job than her.

Unless someone else stepped forward and showed a natural talent for military leadership, Yoko was going to take it upon herself to become the leader that the group needed. With most military groups, you didn’t need more than a quick review of a file to know what someone’s capabilities were. Normal soldiers did things like weapons proficiency tests. Results like that were clear cut and easy to analyze. It’s really too bad that you can’t analyze spiritual powers that easily. The only option that Yoko had come up with was to experience everyone’s power first hand. Maybe a quick exit interview to learn about what talents they had unrelated to direct confrontation as well… but simply experiencing everyone’s power was the number one priority.

And so Yoko began her preparations. All she really needed to do was enter a few commands on her terminal, and everything was ready to go. With everything set up, Yoko took the elevator down to the sub-basement training room. Once she arrived, the building computer granted her access to the room. Simultaneously, a message was broadcast over the building’s intercom wherever a certain rogue Shinigami happened to be at the moment. ”Iwamichi, please report to the elevator.” The rogue was first on the list, largely because Yoko had the least info on her capabilities. Since there was so little data to go on, getting more was a top priority. Assuming Iwamichi made her to the elevator, it would automatically bring her down to the training room. During said ride, a second message would explain the circumstances. If Iwamichi was compliant, Yoko would wind up with all the data she needed after a light workout.

All that was left now was to play the waiting game until Iwamichi got there. The Fullbringer was well prepared for the fight to come as well. Even though she hadn’t been terribly active lately, her petite frame was still in its prime. Her body was still firm with muscle, barring her metallic left arm. She’d also discarded her normal work uniform, as she was preparing for a fight anyway. Instead, she had opted for a plain white tank top and a pair of black slacks. It was a simple outfit that offered complete freedom of movement. With her hair pulled into a loose ponytail, there wasn’t anything to get in her way. She was ready to let loose a bit. Maybe Yoko would be lucky enough that she wouldn’t even have to hold back against this one?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}

Strength - [400(600)] Points

Speed - [200(300)] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [350(175)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [50(25)] Points

Light Aura - [40] Points

Dark Aura - [60] Points

Instinct - [165] Points

Senses [235] Points

Energy sensory - [0] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1400]

• [Martial Art: Kunlun] {3}
  
  
• [Weapon: Sword {3}
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] {2}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {2}
  
  
• [Calm Mind] {2}
  
  
• [Anti-Stealth] {3}
  
  
• [Weapon:Guns] {1}
  

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa woke up on the top of a large flat roof. She didn't know what building she was currently resting on, but it didn't matter. After a long day of searching for interesting people - and not finding any - she was taking some time to relax. The building was high enough so that the sounds of the city were completely drowned out; the main reason she picked this spot as her resting place was this fact. Iwa could see the vast, expansive sky and be alone with her thoughts. She didn't have to interact with anyone, which was a necessary escape. Unfortunately, she also knew that Kazura could come and interrupt her at any time.

She was supposed to keep a stupid little pager with her at all times. It was annoying because it beeped - loudly. And it disturbed her whenever she was busy with other things. There was no initial warning signs either; it just went off. There were many times when Iwa thought of just throwing it away. She could think of many different ways to dispose of the nuisance. She could throw it in the water, short-circuit it. She passed by a lot of various rivers, streams, dams, and waterways before. She had many chances. But doing just that didn't seem satisfying enough. Smashing it on the ground was classic, but too simple. Maybe she could drop it off the edge of this building.

In the midst of her thoughts...the darn thing went off. Like it knew she was thinking about destroying it. Breaking her reverie, she sat up. She glared at the buzzing equipment that was disturbing her peaceful afternoon. It had destroyed one too many. The message was a little weird though. It didn't sound like it came from Kazura. Upon further inspection, it had indeed come from a different source than Kazura's own computer (or whatever he was used to using to contact them). Anyway, she was a little curious. There were many people in Kazura's organization that Iwa had no knowledge of. Who had the authority other than Kazura to order her like this? Disregarding the please, it definitely seemed like an order.

The pager kept buzzing and she couldn't figure out why. She had already looked at the message, so why did it continue to bother her? Iwa had no experience with human technology; this left her more than easily frustrated with these things. It was time to dispose of it, for sure. Standing, Iwa looked briskly around. It was a large roof, with a large red circle in the middle. The circle had a large red letter H. Iwa didn't know what that meant. Although the roof underneath her feet was concrete, the rest of the building was constructed of a white marble looking substance. That seemed familiar; where had she seen that before?

Iwa walked out onto the ledge. There were dozens of people walking by, oblivious to the things above them. She had the bright idea to drop the pager onto one their heads. How much would it surprise and hurt them? She wanted to see those reactions. That was the only time when humans were interesting. Iwa had swore to remove emotions in herself, so watching them in others became her hobby. Anyway, it was about time to crush the pager once and for all. Iwa held it out in dramatic fashion, letting it dangle there for a moment. Before she dropped it, she caught a glimpse of something she recognized. The lettering on the side of the building caught her eye. Was this...?

Iwa jumped and flew down the building's side. Halting her fall with an air-ground, she stood to get a better look. Uzaki Enterprises shone in metallic letters. No way; the building she chose had to be THIS one? Of all places. She cracked her knuckles loudly and excessively. She was trying to control this awkward and confused feeling she felt. Since she was already here, she guessed she had no choice but to meet whoever at this elevator. She floated to the ground, then stopped. The elevator...did she really have to take that thing? Well, she had taken the elevator shaft the first time. However, she didn't feel like doing that again.

Iwa entered an empty elevator and waited. She wasn't sure what to do at that point. Was she supposed to push a certain button? Would it automatically take her to her destination. She received her answer as soon as the elevator began to lurch downwards. Well, it seemed she was heading towards the underground dojo again. Did that mean she was meeting Kazura? She wasn't sure. At least there wasn't any of that wretched music to drive her insane. It was a quiet ride. It finally stopped, and the doors swung open to flood the compartment with bright, white fluorescent light. That was familiar. The woman standing in the middle wasn't, however.

The woman wore a sleek, business suit. She must work here; she looked neat, organized, and methodical. Iwa liked that, and she figured that the two could probably get along well. They were probably similar in certain ways. Iwa walked briskly into the small room. it looked a little different than the dojo that she had trained in with Kazura. Maybe the woman that called her here would explain more. Iwa stretched a little and waited for an explanation. She had a feeling that they weren't here for a talk. There would be more involved. That got her a little excited - was she going to do battle? And if so, how would Iwa fare against her? Iwa had a feeling the woman was strong: she could see it in her stance and the look in her eyes. The woman stared at her, not through her or around her. That meant confidence. All that was left was to back it up.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}Strength - 160 (112) Points

Speed - 140 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 245 (367) Points

Reiatsu Strength - 200 Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - 155 Points

Senses - 150 Points

Energy sensory - 50 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: [1100] Points

New Kido: (400 TTP to spend)
Hado #1: Sho - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #4: Byakurai - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #11: Tsuzuri Raiden - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #32: Oukasen - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #34: Kongobaku - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #35: Raiko Kawa - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #50: Mabarashi Dangan - mastered = 120 TTP

Bakudo #39: Enkosen - proficient = 40 TTP
Total TTP Spent: 400

Used SKP: 13/15

Abilities



Analyzing [2]

Lack of Fear [2]

Learning [2]

Strength of Will [2]

Martial Arts: Karate [2]

Focused Eye [1]

Damage Recovery [2]

Current SKP: 13/15

[Deleted]

((Yoko is totes just wearing slacks and a tank top right now (see para 4 in post 1), not a suit. Edit your reaction to the wardrobe choice if you want, but it’s nbd.))

There wasn’t much intel about Iwa for Yoko to review. Kazura hadn’t given a proper debrief about the encounter. Only a few details had been offered. Iwamichi was known to have powers that sounded vaguely similar to earthbending and airbending. The scope of these abilities sounded fairly limited from what Yoko recalled, but the fight between Iwa and Kazura was incredibly brief. There was no way of knowing if Iwa had shown anything close to the full extent of her powers. It was possible that she was avatar-tier, though that remained to be seen. She hadn’t demonstrated remarkable speed of physical strength, but the powers were noteworthy enough to put Iwa about the role of a basic foot soldier. Even if they weren’t incredibly powerful in terms of direct offense, geomancy always had a place as a control ability.

A bit more could be inferred based on one detail that Kazura had passed on. Yoko’s employer had allied with Iwamichi because she was a rogue Shinigami. Yoko knew the basic abilities of the average Shinigami. High speed movement, a personalized special power, swordplay, martial arts, and magic made up the kit for the supposed guardians of the afterlife. Each one varied a bit of course. Some could be experts in magic, and others could be experts in close combat. Like all spiritual beings, their special power was unique. Normally, this made it hard to figure out the ins and outs of it in advance, but Yoko had a feeling that the geomancy and aeromancy made up this rogue’s specialization. That wasn’t a sure thing, but it was a good hunch.

Having had plenty of time to ponder, Yoko was brought back to the task at hand when the elevator let out an electronic beep, signaling that it had arrived in the training room. Unless Kazura himself was paying a visit, that meant that Iwa was here. First impressions are always important. It was too bad that the rogue seemed so bland. Her outfit was rather generic, if a bit masculine. She didn’t say anything, but instead simply began stretching in preparation for the trial to come. Military discipline was apparent from this first sequence of events… at least on the surface. Beneath that, Yoko sensed something else. Excitement. The rogue seemed eager for the opportunity to fight. In the right circumstances, that was useful. Usually though, it meant that Yoko would probably have to ensure that Iwa didn’t bull rush superior opponents.

After letting Iwa stretch out for a bit, it dawned on Yoko that her second message in the elevator might have failed to play for some reason. There was no fighting stance, or declaration of readiness to be found. Quite simply, it appeared Iwa was still in the dark on why she’d been called down here. Possibly, she didn’t even know who Yoko was. The Fullbringer wasn’t much of one for monologuing, lengthy explanations, or even formal introductions. She kept it as short as one could hope to, given the amount of points she had to hit. Iwa needed to know who Yoko was, why they were both down here, and probably what the rogue’s place in the organization was. Well, Kazura could handle the finer points of that last one, but Yoko figured she ought to at least touch on it.

[smear:00ffff]”If you’re done with warm ups, we can get started. I’m Yoko, chief of security for Uzaki Enterprises. That means I’m the one who gets to deal with Kazura’s whole ‘show the Shinigami who’s boss thing.’ If we’re on the battlefield, you answer to me. If you have a problem with that, then you can prove you’re strong enough to not need orders by taking me down right now. Even if you aren’t going to challenge me, I still need to get a feel for your strengths and weaknesses. Fighting’s the fastest way to get that done. Don’t bother holding back either. I’ve got a feeling you’re the type who’d get annoyed if I only let you fight the small fry, and if you hold back now, then you’re probably going to get stuck with exactly that job.

I don’t know what Kazura’s told you about your position here, but I’ll put at least part of it right out in the open. This is a military force. We may not be subject to national borders, but there are still politics at play. You’re a soldier. You don’t make decisions about if we go to war or not, but your actions can cause one. Keep this in mind before you attack anyone or anything. If you’re unsure, retreat and contact myself or Kazura. And that pretty much covers everything worth saying.”[/smear:0000ff:1] Yoko let out a quick sigh of relief. She was glad to be done with the boring part of this process. With the talking over, it was time for the fighting. The Fullbringer didn’t immediately bother to take a fighting stance. Instead, she asked a single question that conveyed the desire to fight all the same.

[smear:00ffff]”You ready?”[/smear:0000ff:1]

After receiving some kind of acknowledgement, Yoko dropped back into a loose fighting stance. Her arms were raised, but the entire thing looked almost sloppy. Of course, this was only the case for practitioners of more rigid martial arts like Karate or Tae Kwon Do. Users of styles like Tai Chi or Kung Fu would be less likely to object. Either way, Yoko didn’t stay in that spot long enough for it to matter much. She pushed off with her right leg, causing her to fly through the air towards Iwa. Her speed was held back to only 150, so reacting wouldn’t be a problem. The opening charge was really just Yoko making sure the rogue wasn’t brain-dead. There wasn’t even a real attack or anything to go with this. The Fullbringer simply sailed through the air towards Iwa. If the rogue tried to stand her ground, then she’d get shoulder checked in the face by 200 strength. It wasn’t enough to cause serious damage, but it was definitely enough to be a wakeup call if the rogue just stood there. This response would show Yoko something important. How would Iwa deal with a non-threatening attack? Would she still dodge, or would she meet it head on? That was what interested Yoko at that moment.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

As Iwa stretched, she could sense the woman studying her. That was alright because she was studying her as well. The woman, Yoko, finally made it apparent why she had called her: a basic evaluation of sorts. Iwa appreciated that the talk was brief; it was straight and to the point, with no added gestures or niceties. Kazura tended to be a lot more long-winded. What was interesting was Yoko's role in UE. She was the head of security, which meant she was one of the members with the highest authority. Naturally, that had to mean she was one of the strongest. Iwa's excitement continued to build. If she could prove her strength to this woman, she wouldn't be doomed to be a low level bottom dweller forever. She could rise and, perhaps, take that position away from her.

Iwa wanted to be the strongest, and this situation presented just the right opportunity to test her worth. There would be no holding back. Why would she ever do something so cowardly? Yoko would soon learn her modus operandi. Whereas Kazura was not always appreciative of her persistence (the joint employee training session came to her mind), maybe this woman would. It was unfortunate that Iwa was going to have to take orders - she loathed that. But, if she was going to stay within this organization and rise within it, which was more advantageous to her, than it would have to be done. Maybe she wouldn't have to be taking orders for very long.

When Yoko was finished speaking, she immediately assumed a defensive stance. Although it looked inept, it was probably less sloppy than it looked. Being trained in martial arts herself, Iwa knew that there were many different styles and stances. It would be an interesting fight if they were both skilled in close-range combat techniques. Iwa didn't reply to her speech, however, because the fight was already beginning. She didn't want to have to talk if she could help it. This fight was way more interesting. She was glad that it could get started so soon. Iwa assumed her own stance and gave a nod to her partner, signaling her compliance.

Unfortunately, Iwa expected more at first. All there came was a charge - if one could call it that. By her stance, Iwa could see no sign of an attack. She was just rushing at her. Was this just a test, or was Iwa unable to sense her powers at all? Either way, she wasn't going to stand there and do nothing about it. Yoko was still rushing at her, whether that was particularly foolish or not. It was annoying, however, that Yoko was holding back. Seriously, didn't she just giver her a speech about not holding back her potential? And yet, was she going to do that same thing? Did she feel so secure as to not need to go 100%? How infuriating.

Surely Iwa could not let her be so comfortable. She was going to have to shake her and catch her off guard. Maybe then she would show her true power and the fight could begin. Now was the time for Iwa to act and reveal her determination. As Yoko came closer, Iwa waited until the right time. When Iwa believed her to be close enough, she did a shunpo directly toward her. With her hand outstretched, she would catch her in the face and give a swift knee right in her rib cage. Then, she would give her face a good shove and send her flying. If she could in any way dodge or evade her move, she would be impressed. After all, her speed was already relatively slow, Iwa had increased her own speed 10x, and they were so close that it would probably be impossible to react between the time of the step and attack.

Iwa's strength was not the greatest as far as spiritual beings go, but she knew that on a human body, the damage could be immeasurable. Either Yoko would go flying back or she would fall on her back, gasping for air - if Iwa's assumptions were correct. Hopefully, all of this would teach her that Iwa was not into playing games. She wanted a real fight, one to get excited about. Yoko would probably be in a lot of pain, but she shouldn't be unable to fight. But, as the woman said earlier, she wasn't going to hold back. Normally, Iwa would step back and watch the woman's reaction to her attack. That was because she enjoyed watching people, and it would give her good insight into her character and fighting style. But, she wasn't going to give her time to collect herself.

Iwa pulled out her katana and got ready for another attack. If she was anywhere close to her, she would simply swing the sword in an attempt to slice her upper torso. And, if she was some distance away, she would give herself a running start before jumping and swinging down over her head. Whether she could pull herself together and dodge the next attack was more of a mystery; however, it certainly wasn't a fool-proof plan, nor a devastating attack. It didn't have to be though. She could go all-out without using all of her energy or reiatsu at once. It would be interesting to test Yoko as well anyways. She had probably underestimated Iwa, so Iwa had to show her that that was a mistake.

Remaining Reiatsu: -50 shunpo 2880 / 2930
Life Force: 2930 / 2930
(OOC: I'm pretty sure that Iwa is class 4 at the start of the thread, but I just want to make sure.)

[Deleted]

((Couldn’t tell you what class you were when this started to save my life, and too lazy to check. Use whatever’s convenient.))

Success. The goal of Yoko’s initial attack, if you could even call it that, had just been to see how Iwa reacted. To the average fighter, it seemed that the fullbringer’s opening move was nearly suicidal, but that missed the bigger picture. Sure, the girl had gone airborne without any real plan of attack. Yeah, her stance wasn’t as solid as most hand to hand stances. Those were both on purpose. Opponents who could overwhelm Yoko with raw speed were, in her experience, basically nonexistent. Having held back to the equivalent of a slow jog she was able to clearly observe any reaction to her attack. So little effort went into actually moving that her thoughts weren’t split between her actions and her opponent’s counter. On top of that, the loose stance opened up more possible reactions than “block whatever the counterattack is.” Her strength was the flexibility to go with the flow of battle.

As soon as Iwa moved, Yoko’s suspicions about the Rogue’s fighting style were confirmed. Following an attack in the midst of a step technique was tricky between equals, but there was a great deal of distance between these fighters. In this case, the human was over twice as fast as the Shinigami when not holding back. Granted, Iwa had used Shunpo, so she was actually moving around five times faster than Yoko’s base speed… but even a normal human can track the movement of something traveling several times faster than they can run. Uzaki Enterprise’s Chief of Security had reaction times that rivaled any apex predator on the planet. Worse still for Iwa, the Fullbringer had senses generally superior to that found in any wild animal. Any attempts to overwhelm Yoko with raw speed were doomed to failure.

Disappointingly, it seemed that Iwa had interpreted “don’t hold back” as “try to overwhelm me with brute force.” In truth, the Fullbringer had been hoping for a display of skill. If she had wanted to see how strong Iwa was, she would have asked her to punch increasingly larger rocks until the rock didn’t explode. If she wanted to know how fast she was, she could have had the former Shinigami just run some laps. Perhaps the Chief of Security hadn’t been clear enough, or perhaps this was simply Iwa’s nature. Ultimately, it mattered not. The Rogue didn’t seem the talkative type, so the Fullbringer decided to force a display of skill through action. From this first attack, Yoko had decided it. Iwa was to be taught the futility of throwing brute force at a fight.

Music

Step one was presenting the obviousness of how misguided the rogue’s actions were. Yoko’s only preparation for the incoming blow was to deepen her ever-present scowl. In that moment, as Iwa gripped Yoko’s face, the Rogue was able to literally feel the disappointment of the Fullbringer. Perhaps at first the Rogue thought this disappointment was inwardly focused. Initially, Yoko did not appear to resist the attack in the slightest. Her momentum reversed itself completely as she was pushed backwards face first. What was more likely to trouble Iwa was the lack of effect that her knee strike had. Knee strikes, especially if they hit someone right, were attacks that could end a fight in a single blow. That was far from the case this time.

While the difference in speed was definitely in Yoko’s advantage, the difference in physical strength was far worse. The Chief of Security was, in terms of raw physical strength, one of the most powerful humans alive. Striking her head on using a part of the body not protected by fat or muscle bordered on insane. What Iwa had done was akin to a normal human trying to kick a soccer ball with their bare foot… and instead hitting a brick wall. All was not lost though, as this brick wall was being pushed forward by Iwa’s own movement. That forward momentum kept the two sides from directly opposing each other. Instead of the great deal of pain that the Rogue might have experienced were the situation slightly different, she instead might simply have felt that her knee strike was unable to leave a mark on the Fullbringer. That could be blamed on the momentum in play, Yoko’s strength, or both, but it wasn’t clear from that exchange alone that the Fullbringer was monstrously strong.

Despite the disparity in strength, Yoko let herself be shoved backwards. A few factors, varying from the one handed nature of the shove to the force all going to her head, meant that it threatened to knock the Fullbringer over more than anything else. A lazy backflip rectified this easily enough. The maneuver allowed Yoko to land with a good dozen feet or so between her and her fellow employee. At the end of that part of the exchange the only damage dealt was a few hairs out of place on Yoko’s head. The difference in physical strength was far too great to overcome without the aid of a weapon, special technique, or a hit to a specifically vulnerable area like the eyeball.

Though Yoko hadn’t received any major damage, she had still decided to take the fight a bit more seriously. Her stance after landing, though still loose in the eyes of most martial artists, was more noteworthy. Her left leg stood in front while the same side’s forearm hovered horizontally in front of her chest. Her right leg was off center just enough to give her stance some stability, but not enough to greatly expose her chest. Lastly, her right arm was chambered at waist height. It was a stance that covered both the upper and lower body well, but it had weak spots. As with nearly all martial arts stances, her back was relatively exposed. Ignoring that obvious one, the standout opening was Yoko’s head. Both her arms were positioned low enough that defending an attack from above would take a bit more effort than usual.

Possibly in an attempt to avoid the ever-predictable backstab attempt, Iwa opted to attack the latter of the two weaknesses in Yoko’s stance. Were the Fullbringer unaware of this weakness in her stance, it would have been a great tactic. As was expected of a master of Kunlun, Yoko knew exactly where the openings in her stance were. In fact, she had picked this stance specifically to invite an overhead attack. Yoko had a feeling that, though Iwa seemed too forceful, she was still a capable enough fighter to take advantage of such an obvious weakness. She had been right about that, and it paid off with by giving Yoko the perfect opportunity to show that skill could overcome raw power.

Iwa had drawn her blade and charged Yoko. She’d opted for a fairly standard overhead swing that was easy enough to defend against. A decent swordsman could have just guarded with their own blade, but Yoko was unarmed at that moment. More importantly, she was looking to make her point. Instead of the standard defense with a blade, Yoko stepped towards the incoming attacker just as they began their jump. By itself, that single step made the overhead sword swing incredibly awkward. Were that the only defense Yoko used, it could have been corrected with a little bit of fancy footwork on air ground, but there was more than that one step in play here.

Accompanying the step towards her attacker, Yoko swept her right arm (then the front arm) across her body and over her head. Her forearm met the Rogue’s hands in the air, but the Fullbringer offered little resistance. Instead of forcing an actual block, she only used that hand to slow the fall of the sword just enough for the final part of her defense to finish. A second step, along with the removal of Yoko’s blocking arm, took the Fullbringer clear of the sword strike. Rather than narrowly stepping past Iwa, this second step went out wide, leaving the human at kicking range on the Rogue’s right side. From that spot Yoko fired off a right side kick, aiming for Iwa’s hip at the moment the rogue touched back down.

Truth be told, the sequence was fairly basic in terms of attacks employed. What made the moves challenging to counter was the combination of timing and angles. Two quick steps while the Rogue was airborne were all it took to render the overhead slash useless. The quick footwork exploited the ever-present weakness of aerial attacks; that momentum was nigh impossible to cancel, especially without mastery over one’s method of fighting. As for the follow-up kick, it presented challenges since Iwa’s momentum had all been going forward. In that position, she could easily defend against an attack from behind by continuing to move forward. Against a head on attack, the rogue could just state it down and counter it directly. As she was, Iwa was most vulnerable to an attack from the side.

Realizing these details all these details as an observer wasn’t too hard, but Yoko had figured all this out, and applied it well, in the heat of combat. This strong application of the basics was a testament to her mastery of Kunlun. That being said, a master knows better than to strike down a student. Though Yoko had instructed Iwa not to hold back, the Fullbringer kept her own strength and speed restrained. Through the entire exchange, she kept herself limited to only 200 strength and 150 speed. It was a level to which the rogue could react in theory, and not a level that would cause major injury if that reaction failed. With any luck, Iwa would realize what happened. Yoko’s method was not steeped in raw power, but in skill. If the Rogue wanted to see the fullbringer’s true strength, she’d have to prove she had the skill to pressure Yoko at this level first.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa felt uneasy as her first attack landed. For sure, it was not exactly what she was expecting. Well, what was she expecting? She didn't know anything about this woman. As her knee hit the woman in the rib, she felt a lot of resistance. It stung a little and ultimately, it was probably only her momentum that helped her push Yoko back. Not like that was anything special either. It was like a small playful shove. Yoko skillfully flipped backwards and landed perfectly balanced. Iwa noticed that she changed her stance slightly. It had to be some form of martial arts, although she did not know what it was. Iwa herself was skilled in karate, but lots of people were. She felt inferior and stupid in that brief moment.

Maybe that's why she charged ahead with little preparation. It wasn't all bad. Yoko's stance had left her weak to an overhead attack, but of course she knew that. It was difficult to surprise someone if they knew their own weaknesses. Yoko started moving just as Iwa did, which meant that Yoko must have predicted her reaction. Even so, she definitely wasn't giving the fight 100%. If she was, Iwa would probably not have been able to do anything to Yoko's counter attack. She could end up across the room before she had time to process things. Iwa could tell that Yoko wasn't using her full strength and speed, because what she was using right now would not be enough to land her the position as head of security.

Iwa definitely needed to rethink her mode of attack. Brute force wasn't going to work; it would only humiliate her. Yoko seemed to be more fluid and calculating with her movements. She planned ahead and used skill and technique over force. If Iwa was too rash, then that would spell the end of the battle quickly. Iwa was going to have to be just as precise and organized with her attacks as Yoko. Whether she could do that or not would be tested soon. That was what this fight was about. How long would Iwa last? Could she possibly win this? She didn't know - that's what made it so exciting. As she continued forward, Iwa watched Yoko slide to her right. She was attacking the spot that was the most vulnerable in this situation.

Because Iwa was still in the middle of moving forward, there wasn't a whole lot she could do. Her sword was still swinging downwards, so it would take too long to black with the katana. Forward was the only plausible place she could dodge, if that was possible. Regardless, Iwa still had to act fast. Her plan might be risky, but it was one that she was going to take. If done right, she could make it out unscathed and recollect herself for a better plan. As Yoko raised her leg to strike Iwa in the side, she took one hand off of her sword to point it in Yoko's direction. "Had no ichi: Sho." Iwa was hoping that the kido would be fast enough and strong enough to force Yoko back.

Even if she moved one foot, that foot could mean the difference between a hit and a miss. It could at least reduce the impact if she was still able to hit Iwa. What would most likely happen, if it hit, that Yoko's balance would be skewed, since she was putting all her weight on one leg. In theory, she should be pushed back more easily since she only had one foot planted on the ground. If her earlier shove didn't knock her to the ground, this probably wouldn't. Her goal was not to send her flying but to push her back enough for Iwa to dodge. That being said, Iwa finished her swing and landed. Twisting her body to face Yoko, she held her katana in front of her, at the ready. She was contemplating releasing the bakkoto, but before she would do that, she needed a good plan.

Should she go on the defensive? Wait for Yoko to try her own attack, to gauge her abilities, techniques, and fighting style more? The only problem was that Yoko still wasn't fully engaged in this fight. She was probably nowhere near 100%. It irritated Iwa. Was this woman looking down on her already? She had to quell her pride and her frustration. It would only make matters worse. IF Iwa wanted her to be serious, she was going to have to show herself to be a capable fighter. That, in and of itself, might be a challenge. What she knew after these first moments was that sheer force was not the way to go. Maybe not yet. Things could possibly change; but not now.

There was probably no other choice. Iwa gathered her reiatsu and called forth the beast from its slumber. The eye grinned, if that was possible. Tentacles slipped down her body, across her arms, her shins, and legs. The steel plated armor glossed her skin. What would Yoko's reaction be? Surprise? Disgust? Interest? She had seen it all. She would test this woman. Whether the woman hated the thing or not didn't matter to her. She just wanted to how she would react. Maybe, it would encourage her to be more interested in this battle. Iwa still had much to prove though. First, she would send a wall of highly compressed air toward Yoko. It would be as tall and wide as the room, so she couldn't dodge to the side or jump over. Whatever she chose to do, Iwa had another thing waiting.

Iwa liked to attack multiple sides at once, to catch people off guard and explore weaknesses. Raising the ground behind her, Iwa would slam the wall of earth straight into Yoko's back. Whehter the wall hit her or not, which she believed it probably would, the earth would be coming for her. True, this wasn't a grand display of power or force. It was hopefully a better show of Iwa's skill and intellect. If Yoko still looked down on her, well, there was still so much that Iwa could do. For now, the important part was drawing out Yoko's power. She wanted to fight on an equal level. Only then could she find out who was stronger and where Iwa's limits were. Because Iwa was going to be the strongest. Until then, she needed to learn from this woman and grow stronger.

-25 reiatsu for sho -200 for bakkoto release
Remaining Reiatsu: 2655 / 2930
Life Force: 2930 / 2930
Bakkoto Stage 3: 1/3

[Deleted]

Music

Hado. It was a word Yoko had heard often enough to know that it meant trouble. The last way of destruction she’d stared down was Kazuko’s Soukaho, which was not something she’d prefer to do again. Though she knew Hado were spells, she did not know the specific use of Sho, nor did she know that bigger numbers meant deadlier Hado. There wasn’t much time for her to change movement either. She was a master of Kunlun, but her mind could only transition so quickly. Not knowing the effect of every Hado meant that she was unsure whether or not she could tank the blow. The only safe choice was a dodge. Still, that was tricky to do without going all out. Tricky, but not impossible.

Instead of following through with her side kick, which had been aimed high, the fullbringer transitioned into an axe kick, dropping to an incredibly low horse stance as her leg fell. Her arms flew out in to either side of her torso, keeping in line with legs. This helped her to keep balance through the rapid change in momentum. Not only had she changed which way she was going, but she had also sped up. Her speed had increased to 200. It wasn’t her maximum yet, but it was enough for her movements to appear slightly blurry to Iwa. This was the speed of an animal in motion, and it was just a fraction of what the fullbringer could do if she pushed herself.

With this lowered stance, the Sho flew over Yoko’s head harmlessly, shattering a tile on the ground a bit away. Still, the goal of the Sho had been accomplished. Yoko’s kick did not score a hit. Having realized that the new hire was getting a bit more serious, the Chief of Security pushed off and flew backwards, giving her about a dozen feet to work with. The sho itself hadn’t been truly dangerous, but it meant that something other than martial talent was being used. It was an escalation of the fight, and Yoko was not naïve enough to take that lightly. She definitely the stronger fighter here, but underestimating anyone too much was a poor decision. Yoko wasn’t even armed, so she had to be a bit cautious.

And that caution was well rewarded. The rogue Shinigami took this space as an invitation to try something a bit more powerful. It was unlike any release that the fullbringer had seen thus far. Tentacles grew out of the sword and covered part of the rogue. The look on Iwa’s face signaled that she wasn’t in any danger. No, the power being shown was under her control… but it wasn’t her own. Not fully anyway. Yoko had fought several Shinigami, but they always had one thing in common: their weapons always had the same smell as they did. This wasn’t the case for the rogue. Her weapon had its own scent that words couldn’t easily describe. It was almost… slimy. Who knew what kind of powers such a bizarre release could have?

Yoko didn’t have to wait long for an answer to that question. She hadn’t reacted to the release itself, aside from a slight smirk in realizing that Iwa was actually going to go all out. The first attack from this weapon warranted an actual response from the fullbringer. She heard the wall of wind whistling as soon as it started towards her, and she felt a need to respond to it. [smear:00ffff]”That’s more like it.”[/smear:0000ff:1] Short, simple, and to the point. She didn’t exactly have time for a monologue with a wall of wind rushing towards her. All she had time left for was a single breath. Her stance shifted to white crane as she prepared to meet it the attack. Her left leg was chambered in front, as if she was going for a front kick. Her arms were not in a guard though. Instead, her left arm was over her head, and her right arm was across her waist.

She took the single breath she had time for, and that was when she heard it. The earth rumbled behind her, and she immediately knew that it was a pincer attack. As fast as she could move without the use of reiatsu (300), her front leg lowered and immediately rose again. At the same time, her arms swept down and up, in a circular motion. This propelled her up and backwards, in a flip through the air. For a master of Kunlun, this was a fairly easy movement. With her speed unrestrained, she had enough time to wind up, so the flip was completed safely. This wasn’t just a move for show either. She had only moved backwards a couple feet, but that was all she needed.

A wall of earth passed through the spot she had been standing a split-second ago, and it met the wall of air head on. The two walls were both Iwa’s doing. They had equal power behind them, so they cancelled out well enough. The air wall was larger though, so the earth wall just put a big hole in it. Still, that hole was large enough for Yoko to stand right where she was without being in any further danger from either attack. This fight was definitely getting to the point where Yoko couldn’t hold back completely. That was fine. She had a feeling that her holding back was only irritating Iwa. It was time to teach the rogue that she should’ve been thankful the fullbringer was playing nice.

It had been only a second since the walls of earth and air collided. Dust had already filled the air from those forces meeting each other, but both still knew where the other was. Yoko had her nose, and Iwa could sense energy. Neither was hindered by the dust alone, but it was enough of a distraction nonetheless. There was still barely over a dozen feet between them, and the dust filled most of that. The first thing to emerge from the dust cloud wasn’t Yoko, but rather a wide spray of rocks. A spinning roundhouse from Yoko, paired with what was left of the earth wall, had sent half a dozen basketball-sized hunks of earth flying towards the rogue. They were in a horizontal spray, with gaps here and there. Dodging wasn’t that hard, but it meant the rogue needed to move, and movement tended to create an opening.

For just a moment, Yoko waited. She was listening for a single sound amidst the chaos: the sound of a foot landing on the ground… or air ground. Eventually, she heard something that she figured was that sound. With her senses, she was probably right, but there was always the chance it was something else. Either way, as soon as the fullbringer heard that sound, she was off and moving. The dust cloud had already started to dissipate, and there was just enough visibility to see a small glow of light flickering where Yoko had been. With a use of Bringer Light, she had reappeared behind Iwamichi, wherever she happened to be.

Once more, Yoko was in the loose fighting stance she had shown off a moment ago. There was no flair on this attack. It was a simple right palm strike towards Iwa’s back. Though the roundhouse to send the earth flying had mandated her full strength, she once again reduced herself to only using 200. A direct hit from her full power could be fatal, and Kazura would probably frown at Yoko killing employees. That being said, her speed was no longer restrained at all. Bringer Light had moved her behind Iwa at over 20x the rogue’s base speed, and this strike came in at a blistering 300 speed. If it hit, given Iwa’s strength, it would only leave a hell of a bruise, and probably send her flying across the room a bit. It wasn’t quite enough to shatter a bone. Whether the strike hit or not, Yoko immediately bounded backwards, just out of range of Iwa’s sword. Staying in melee against a sword user was risky without a weapon. What did Uzaki Enterprises' newest hire have up her sleeve to deal with all this?

Reiatsu: 1700/1750
-50 for Bringer Light

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa was only a little surprised that Yoko continued to use her martial arts prowess to escape her blows. Although Iwa's attacks had been timed well and quick, the woman was faster. This concerned Iwa because she knew she still wasn't using her maximum capabilities. If this slower speed was enough to easily dodge her attacks, then it would be very difficult to land something in the future. What's more is, she could easily make a hit of her own with their difference in speed. All this meant was that Iwa needed to stay sharp at all times and not let Yoko take an easy advantage. She wasn't too worried yet, though. They were barely warming up.

True, the wall of earth and air had collided with each other; she didn't expect them to cancel out. But, come on, could Yoko really have just stood there and not be affected? It didn't seem possible. She angrily bit her tongue. The air rushing past her at that speed should have at least wobbled her a bit, right? No, there was no use dwelling on these things. Iwa needed to calmly accept things and move on to the next move. If one thing didn't work, fine. She would figure out another way, and another and another. That was the essence of battle - of perseverance. Battles are usually not won quickly. But the strongest, whether mentally or physically, is always left standing in the end.

There was some dust resulting from the collision, but not much. After all, the wall was only Yoko's height and width, so it wouldn't fling dust everywhere. It would rise between them, but Iwa could see around that to to some extent. If Yoko moved at all to either side, Iwa would be bale to see it. Yoko's ensuing strategy was to try to distract her more, on top of the some of the debris that came loose. A string of rocks flew her way in a horizontal arc. They were relatively good sized, flying at a good speed. Obviously, Yoko still had not figured out her ability. That was just fine. because thing wouldn't go according to her plan.

Watching the rocks come toward her, Iwa didn't move. There was no need. With her mind, she bid the rocks to stop. That was a funny way of putting it. Rocks don't have brains; it was more like controlling inanimate objects. The idea was the same though. She controlled the earth, whether it was attached to the ground or not. With little effort, she brought the rocks to a halt, hovering in mid air. A couple fell to the ground - those that posed no threat to hitting her. Since the dust still remained, Yoko probably didn't notice that Iwa had not moved. Immediately, a flash of light was visible from between the dust. Yoko was making her move.

Iwa was right. Yoko was fast. It felt like only a second before she felt her presence from behind her. Iwa had to move quickly in order to avoid being directly hit. Even if she couldn't completely dodge it, it was better to try than to let herself be hit. Fortunately, the rocks that Yoko had swung at her were still under her control and still usable. Iwa let a couple fly past both her shoulders aqnd past her sides behind her. That way, she could possibly hit yoko in the head or the stomach depending on her location. She wasn't sure if that would be fast enough to completely stop Yoko's attack; but, she would have still have to deal with it. If Yoko decided to go forward with the attack, she probably wouldn't have the tie to dodge the rocks.

So, there was a possibility that Yoko would elect to save herself first. Iwa didn't want to take too many risks though. As soon as she felt Yoko's presence behind her, she did a shunpo forwards to escape. Although Yoko's speed was great, Iwa could match it with a shunpo at the moment, since it was still probably slower than her maximum. Using only melee attacks certainly had its disadvantages, especially when Iwa was rather skilled in longer ranged attacks. As long as there was space between them, Iwa had some advantage. Or so, it seemed. She didn't know the extent of Yoko's abilities either. It would be wrong to hasten to conclusions and underestimate her.

Having once again increased the gap between them, Iwa started another plan. She had to find some way to get around Yoko's speed and agility. Manipulating the earth, she grabbed onto Yoko's legs in an immense grip. That could be done wherever Yoko was - whether she was in the same place or had moved after the failed attack. Iwa could do more than just air and earth, though. With what information Iwa had observed, it seemed that Yoko's martial arts used fluidity and flexibility of the body and limbs to dodge and to attack. If she could somehow disturb this balance, this stance, maybe it would be harder to move and attack in this art form.

Iwa knew that in colder environments, muscles tended to stiffen and contract. Colder weather had a heavier atmosphere that weighed on one, as if the air was more dense. Iwa thought that by lowering the temperature around Yoko's body, she could restrict her body movements even more. It should definitely have some impact on her, even if it wasn't her intended result. At the moment, Iwa couldn't make too drastic changes in the temperature; hopefully, it would be enough. The greatest change she could do was a difference of just below ten degrees - so 9 degrees. It would be something Yoko was not expecting. That may possibly give it a better chance to have Iwa's intended effect.

After restricting her movements to the best of her ability, Iwa created three balls of densely packed air. These were roughly bigger than the size of a basketball. She circled them around Yoko, charging each one at her one by one. If they hit, then they would dissipate, but if they did not, Iwa could quickly send them back around to try again. If Iwa's plan worked perfectly, Yoko would be unable to move, or at least move well enough to dodge completely. There were things that could go wrong, as is usually the case. Nothing is completely guaranteed. But, there should be a good chance of hitting the mark; or, at least coaxing the woman out of her relaxed state.

Remaining reiatsu: -50 for shunpo 2605 / 2930
Life Force: 2930 / 2930
Bakkoto Stage 3: 2/3

[Deleted]

Same Music – Naruto Shippuden OST 2 – Nankou Furaku

Things were definitely heating up. The dust had settled, and Yoko had launched her attack. She appeared behind the spot where she had heard the noise she had been waiting for. It was indeed behind Iwa, but it wasn’t footsteps she had heard. The rocks seemed to have simply dropped to the ground before the Rogue. Troublesome. It appeared that Yoko’s opponent hadn’t just been using mentally casted Kido. She was familiar with that trick from fighting Kazuko, but it wasn’t the case here. The earth manipulation was part of her release for sure. No single spell granted that level of control over an element. Still, there was a twinge of doubt in Yoko’s mind. There was still the chance of another explanation, such as a silent spell stopping the rocks.

It appeared that the world, or perhaps Iwa, had sensed Yoko’s doubt. Before Yoko was able to fire off her palm strike, four of the large hunks of Earth threw themselves at her. Her right leg was in front, so her chest faced off towards the left. A quick pivot pulled her front half off to the left, causing the rocks on the right side to fly wide by mere inches. As for the rocks on the left side, the upper one met her right hand, and the lower rock met her left hand. Her reaction wasn’t fast enough to release all her strength until a moment after the rocks made contact. This delay, however slight, kept her from simply crushing the rocks instantly.

Instead, she was only able to shove them around in a circle towards the ground. The whole thing was another flexible, fluid movement. As Iwa was no doubt beginning to realize, this was the strength of Kunlun. It was an incredibly dynamic style that was able to adjust what it was doing in a split second. What had been a strike had become a whirlwind block. The change also came easier since Yoko was holding back her strength. True, it made shifting to full strength to defend against rocks far harder, but altering her movements was easier when they were done softly. These variations were nearly textbook, and their execution felt no different than practicing a form. Despite that, Yoko knew that she probably couldn’t keep fighting at this level forever.

The Chief of Security hadn’t given the new hire enough credit. In the instant it took Yoko to deal with those rocks Iwa had already used a step of Shunpo to get away. It didn’t take the fullbringer long to try and follow, but she found that she couldn’t move. The floor itself had spiraled up and around her legs, trapping them in a crushing embrace. Instead of struggling, Yoko decided to see what Iwa did when she thought she had an advantage. So the fullbringer just stood there a moment, leaving an open invitation to attack her. Were the two of equal power, this move would’ve been bordering on suicidal. Yoko wasn’t worried though. She had been able to stop the hunks of Earth flying at her before, so she had no doubt she could break the Rogue’s grip on her this time.

That wasn’t all that Yoko had to contend with though. Within an instant of her legs being locked in place, she felt the temperature around her fall several degrees in an instant. It wasn’t enough to be truly cold, but it was definitely a brisk feeling. Had the fight started at this temperature, it would’ve been troublesome. As it was, her body was beginning to warm up, and it didn’t bother her that much. Her mind was calm enough, and her control over her breathing powerful enough, that it wasn’t that bad of an adjustment to make. She had her Kunlun training to thank for that. It was a martial art with an emphasis on meditation and self-control. Still, if the temperature kept dropping like that, even someone as stubborn as Yoko would be freezing before too long.

Regardless, targets like this were far too tempting to pass up. Three orbs of air, around the same size as the chunks of earth a moment ago, spiraled around her. They didn’t seem that threatening at first, but it was fairly obvious they were a form of attack. From what Yoko could see, they were basically just smaller versions of the air wall that Iwa had used previously. The spheres circled around her, waiting what seemed far too long before they struck. In truth, it was only a second or two, but the adrenaline had started to kick in. In a fight like this, where Yoko had already had to react in tiny fractions of a second, a whole two seconds was an agonizing lull in the battle.

So Yoko did what she did best. The Kunlun master took a deep breath in, and she waited. As if on cue, the first orb darted towards the left side of her torso. Yoko bent low and right, circling back up as the sphere of wind whipped past her golden hair. The instant she was back up to full height, a second orb came towards her right side. There was no way she could dodge, as most of her weight was no on her left leg, and her legs were anchored to the floor. She met it head on. Her right arm swung down in a hammerfist, striking the center of the orb. Her physical strength and constitution were enough to see her through that part of the exchange. Her muscles were strong enough to meet the likes of air head on, even if it was created by a release.

There was no time to rest on her laurels though. The third sphere of air came straight at her chest, not bothering to try flanking her. Once more, the Kunlun master’s arms went through a half circle. Her right arm rose up, and her left arm cycled downwards. A split second before this third orb would’ve impacted her, she dropped her weight as low as she could manage without being able to move her legs. In the same movement, her right hand struck downwards, blasting through the top of the controlled air. She didn’t stop her movement there though. Her hand continued downwards until it hit the floor. Her strength wasn’t restrained one bit, and that meant there wasn’t much left of the ground where she was standing. That punch shattered all the tile for several yards around her, and there was a crater several feet deep and just as wide beneath her.

The earth holding her legs didn’t have a chance, and neither did the last, or rather first, sphere of air. Immediately after she finished that strike, the first orb that she dodged had circled around to strike at her back. Yoko held herself aloft on air ground. These spheres of air were getting annoying, and the remaining one flew straight into a rising roundhouse from her left leg. The force of the kick spun her around so that her left side now faced the rogue. She had landed back on the air ground in that same loose fighting stance, but she wasn’t quite the same as before. Her hair was getting messy. Her heart rate was up a bit. Her breathing was quicker, and a single drop of sweat trickled down her forehead. Keeping up with a release with nothing but Kunlun was a hassle. She was clearly on the defensive right now, and she’d just given Iwa plenty of time to charge up a big attack, or come up with a new plan.

On the other hand, Yoko had a moment to think. The orbs weren’t that intelligent, so they didn’t require all her focus to deal with. She had spent those few seconds assessing her opponent’s capabilities as well. The new hire had proven to have masterful control over both Earth and Air. She was a veritable Avatar in training. Thankfully, she had only shown off two elements, and there was no sign of Avatar Mode on the horizon. Fighting a being backed by an ageless spirit of light didn’t rank very high on Yoko’s to do list. Right now, releasing wasn’t up there very high either. If she was going to bring out her true power, Iwa was going to need a better attack.

Reiatsu: 1700/1750

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa had been quietly assessing her opponent, waiting for the best chance to strike. With the air circling around Yoko, and her feet locked in place, she had a pretty good chance to figure things out. Of course, that didn't mean that she was going to take her sweet time. She had to act fast; as much as she would like to slow down and really observe her opponent, she didn't know how long she would have Yoko trapped. Every second would count indeed. In the back of her mind, she was preparing steps in advance to corner Yoko. Even if she avoided the air attacks, which anything was likely at this point, Iwa would take out another weapon from her arsenal.

Iwa let the first air ball fly. Immediately, she prepared a kido strike. She didn't know the incantation, unfortunately, but it was still one of the most powerful kido that she currently possessed. In addition, she knew that it could be devastating on a human body. Although Yoko had supernatural powers, she was still mortal. The effects of this kido could seriously wound her if it hit its mark. Iwa was going to use this to corner her. If this combo failed, she might never get the same chance again. Now was her time to prove to Yoko what she was capable of. But, she still wasn't sure if it would be enough to impress the woman. No, it most certainly would not. Iwa was going to have to dig even deeper.

With her hand pointed toward the target, she muttered, "Hado no sanjuu yon: Kongobaku". A blast of pure molten fire shot out and barreled toward Yoko. At this point, Iwa could see that Yoko had freed herself with pure strength and force. That was impressive, but she had already guessed that her strength was amazing. Her flexibility was showing itself once again as well. But, not only did she have the air to dodge, but fire now too. If she used a step technique to dodge the massive fireball, Iwa could counter with the air and hit her when she was vulnerable. obviosuly, she had to do something to get out of the fire's path or negate it. If she was going to negate it...

She would have to release. Iwa's goal would be achieved. The woman would have to get serious then, right? Iwa knew that she had to keep her goals realistic; if she couldn't defeat Yoko, then the next best thing would be to pressure her a little. At least give it all she had so that she wouldn't be underestimated. Iwa hated being looked down on, so this fight was crucial in establishing her dignity as a fighter and a rogue. With the fire ball on its way, Iwa sent three walls of earth to box Yoko in. Now, she knew that Yoko could punch through them, but that would take more energy. Also, it would slow her down - perhaps enough for the fireball to partially hit her. Who knows? It was worth it just to try.

The walls were large enough that a single jump would not be enough to clear, but they weren't as high as the ceiling. At most, they were 12 feet in length and six feet wide. They would come together to form an open box, with the opening facing the incoming fire. In case Yoko tried to jump straight up, Iwa would be prepared. She figured it would be easier to do a straight on attack if the woman was in mid-air. Even her martial arts skills should be limited while flying through the air. Her sword at the ready, she carefully watched what Yoko would do. Iwa had to be ready for anything, ready to react to whatever the woman did. Although it seemed like Iwa had an advantage, it was only because she had released her power while Yoko had not. She was still holding back.

The creature gurgled, straining for more energy. Iwa sensed that the time limit was almost up. It was annoying to constantly be feeding this parasite, but there was nothing to be done about it while in the thick of battle. She definitely could not let her power disappear for a moment. That would be too much of an opening, especially for the head of security. That opening could be fatal, if this fight was to the death. Iwa knew that it was jut a training spar - a test - but it was better to regard it as a life-or-death situation. Anything less than 100% would upset the woman and not leave a good impression, as she had stated at the beginning. Having been pacified once more, the parasite relaxed its tendrils. It continued to glance around erotically, thirsting for the woman's blood.

Remaining Reiatsu: -100 Kongobaku -200 re-release 2305 / 2930
Bakkoto Level 3 1/3
Life Force: 2930 / 2930

[Deleted]

Not bad at all. Yoko was aware that her defense had given Iwa plenty of time to prepare a follow up attack, but that was fine. She was here to evaluate the Rogue, not crush her. If this had been a contest, then Yoko wouldn’t have been holding back for this long. Nonetheless, it seemed she couldn’t go much farther while holding back. Enough time had been spent dealing with the air and earth that Yoko had almost no time to deal with the fireball now streaking towards her. She had been aware of it since it started. Having to call out attack names was one of the major weaknesses associated with Kido. Some people were good enough to get around it, but others were not.

There were several options open to Yoko. If she activated Pulley, then crushing the fireball through sheer force was probably quite reasonable. As it was, she didn’t want to risk getting burned in the process, and that was likely at her current strength. Even if she used Pulley, the consequences weren’t worth it. This wasn’t a fight for her life. Pulley would give her enough power to end this in an instant, but if she relied on that technique for even a minute, her body would be covered in burns. That was unacceptable method of defense for a situation like this. It wasn’t appropriate in the slightest. No, she needed strength enough to crush the fireball that would still give her plenty of time to observe Iwa.

Only one answer was the correct one. It was time to release her Fullbring. Level one was sufficient to make a point, and it would be rewarding for Iwa as well. Yoko could tell that the new hire was the type that wouldn’t take kindly to being belittled. Even if the Rogue only merited a fraction of Yoko’s power, she’d see it as an insult if the Fullbringer didn’t at least put on a show. Pride like that was a hindrance… but Yoko saw that in herself as well. If an opponent was able to defeat her without even trying, she would be downright furious. There was no sense in treating Iwa with that level of disrespect. Even if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, humoring the Rogue seemed like the best bet.

Music – Naruto Shippuuden Movie 4 OST – Hishou

Perhaps Iwa was stronger than Yoko gave her credit for. The Chief had already determined that releasing was the best way to deal with the fireball, but it seemed she wasn’t given a choice in this matter. As she began to let out her reiatsu, walls formed on all sides of her but the one with a fireball. Maybe it was just a good strategy, but Yoko saw it for what it really was. This was a challenge from student to master. Can you take my strongest attack head on? That’s what Iwa was asking her. A warrior understood these questions instantly. There was no need for words. True fighters spoke with their actions, just as Iwa had done.

No longer was this just a matter of humoring the Rogue. She had earned the Chief’s respect. Amidst the roar of fire and groans of earth, the new hire might have heard the four words that the Fullbringer uttered. [smear:00ffff]”I am Gundam. Guardian!”[/smear:0000ff:1] In the instant just before the fireball struck, Yoko’s release showed itself. Light gray armor covered her body, but traces of golden energy flowed throughout the suit. Somehow, her appearance now was even more chilling than her unreleased form. She was serious, and the arsenal of heat she was packing proved it. A crimson tower shield covered her left arm, and a massive blade that any Final Fantasy Seven fan would recognize was slung across her shoulders. Her only firearms were a pistol on either hip.

From where the Rogue was standing, all that would’ve been visible was a brief golden glow before the fireball washed over the Chief. She did nothing to move from her spot; it was a direct hit. This fireball wasn’t weak, but it didn’t have the strength to melt the Fullbringer’s spiritual steel. There was no need for her to move when her tower shield covered the entire side of her facing towards the attack. False hope wasn’t on the menu for long though. An instant after the fireball exploded, a column of golden light flickered in the dust left behind by the blast. She was done toying around. It was time to see how the new hire reacted when she was the one being pressured.

That single step of Bringer Light brought the Chief towards the new hire, but she landed a good five feet away. She was easily outside of normal sword range, but she wasn’t wielding a normal sword. No, her shield may have shrunk back to a mere buckler on her wrist, but the blade that crashed down in an overhead swing towards Iwa was the Buster Sword. This thing was bigger than either fighter by quite a bit, but it was still naught but a feather in the Fullbringer’s hands, and she wasn’t holding anything back. If this attack hit home, it would slice cleanly through the new hire. In the more likely event that it missed, the razor sharp edge would put a nice hole in the floor.

This wasn’t an attack meant to end the fight. No, Yoko was just making a statement here. She had given the Rogue what she undoubtedly wanted: a no holds barred taste of her power. After that swing, the Chief waited to see how Iwa would react. If there was no immediate counterattack, then she would calmly swing her blade back up and over shoulder. Then she asked a simple question that was a test in and of itself. [smear:00ffff]”Do you still want to continue?”[/smear:0000ff:1] It was an honest question too. There was no shame in a retreat when you knew you were outmatched, nor was there any shame in giving it everything you had. This was a question without a wrong answer. Its sole purpose was to get a more accurate grasp of how far the Rogue was willing to go.


Reiatsu: 1500/1750[
Fullbring Stage 1: 1/10 Posts

SPOILER: Click to show

{Release and Sword Reference Images}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Weapon Info}

Name: Physical Sword
Appearance:] Varies. Any sword she's seen can be replicated in terms of form.
Slots Required: 1 Main Slot if length of the blade is >10 inches. Shorter blades use 1 Sub slot.
Effective Range: Melee.
Power: Based on wielder's stats.
Speed: Based on wielder's stats.
Ammo Capacity: N/A
Special Traits: Spiritual Steel Durability. Edges can be made blunt when swords are formed.
Alternate Fire: N/A
Spawn Cost: 50
Drawback: It's not a gun, and it doesn’t do anything beyond cut people.

Name: MMI-RG59V Mobile Shield
Appearance: Link
Slots Required: 1 Sub
Effective Range: N/A
Power: Based on wielder's stats.
Speed: Based on wielder's stats.
Ammo Capacity: N/A
Special Traits: Can freely convert between a buckler-sized shield for storage or skirmishing and a tower-shield for full-on tanking. Additionally, the shield can be forearm-mounted so that a hand is not needed, and orientation can be changed on the fly between parallel to the arm, perpendicular to the arm, or any point in between. Durability is that of spiritual steel, requiring an attack stat of twice Yoko’s reiatsu strength to destroy it completely or cut straight through it, but it can be damaged by any attacks with simple superiority.
Alternate Fire: N/A
Spawn Cost: 100
Drawback: High cost for no offense.

Name: Beretta 92FS
Appearance:Link
Slots Required: 1 Sub Slot
Effective Range: 50 meters
Power: 600
Speed: 600
Ammo Capacity: 10
Special Traits: Can be equipped with a suppressor for 50 additional reiatsu.
Alternate Fire: None.
Spawn Cost: 100
Drawback: Low range, low power, low speed, and only a moderate ammo capacity. This is just a basic sidearm. The only reason to use it is for the low cost, or if you need a suppressed weapon.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa felt the wave of heat as it left her hand. She could feel a rush of adrenaline as she sent it flying towards her busy opponent. What would be the result? Iwa had made sure to limit Yoko's options, so she was anticipating one of two things: a charred Yoko or a more serious one. The latter was her preferred choice, even though it meant that her attack was a failure. It was as they say - you lost the battle, but not the war. Iwa's ultimate goal was to pressure the woman and make her stop fooling around. She didn't want to be underestimated anymore. Now, Iwa understood that she was vastly outmatched. A new employee like her couldn't dream of being equal to the head of security, yet. Iwa was still too inexperienced. This training session would make her stronger, though. She was, essentially, killing two birds with one stone.

For a split second, it seemed like the fireball had engulfed her opponent or landed a hit. After all, Iwa didn't see Yoko move or any of her walls break. As she had thought, Yoko was going to take her attack head on. Iwa knew that Yoko would come out intact. Almost as if it was on cue, a bright flash became visible from behind the chaos. Over the roar of the fire and the groaning of the earth, Iwa could barely hear Yoko shout something, although she couldn't discern any words. Emerging from the dust was a heavy mechanized suit. It looked bulky, but it was not a detriment to her speed. She stood five feet away from Iwa, but it was not a large enough gap to prevent her from attacking. The sword she gripped in her hand was massive as well. The skill with which she swung the sword, however, was incredible, since it could make even the strongest of men buckle. This was the woman's true power, no doubt about it.

The sword came down towards Iwa's head. With a quick shunpo, Iwa dodged to the right, away from its dreadful arc. It hit the ground with a resounding thud. Her eyes slanted, Iwa stared at her opponent with an intense fire in her eyes. She was assessing its power - and her chances. The sword had undoubtedly put a hole in the floor. The white ceramic tile was nothing compared to the force of her swing. If Iwa had been there, she would have been dead. Cut in half probably. Her hand clenched tighter around her sword, her heartbeat pounded obnoxiously in her ears, and the hair on the back of her neck stood erect. She knew that adrenaline was still pumping throughout her entire body. She never was so excited to face such a daunting and challenging foe. To have fought this well against her so far was an accomplishment, she thought.

Yoko swung the sword to rest on her right shoulder. Turning coolly towards Iwa, she gave her a choice. Would she insist on continuing this fight or back down? Some part of her didn't want to stop, not when she was this riled. But, what purpose did continuing the fight serve? She had to admit that the outcome was practically inevitable. Try as she might, Iwa would still end up with her face in the dirt, her body and spirit completely crushed. Iwa could see the result of the battle. Was it worth it? She succeeded in gaining Yoko's respect; at least, Iwa wouldn't leave empty handed. She could still keep her pride, her head held high. There was nothing shameful in retreat. Barbarians might think differently, but Iwa was not a barbarian. She had a trained mind, and she knew when she could not win.

The eye could sense her decision. It squirmed unashamedly, obviously resenting her decision. It just wanted blood, all the time. Even if it was Iwa's blood, it didn't matter. No matter what challenges they may have faced or will face together, it will always be a monster - and it will devour her at any time if she gave it that chance. Her choice was clear to her, then. She was not ashamed to admit taht she was outmatched. Iwa sealed her Bakkoto. The parasite shrieked in anger but begrudgingly shrunk back into her sword. She was the master here, not it. Finally, she returned the katana to its sheath. "I guess you have my answer. And my thanks, for this fruitful experience." Iwa gave a slight nod of her head, a rare sign that acknowledged her respect for an individual of superior strength. Yoko would probably report her evaluation to Kazura, since she was the head of security. And with that, their encounter would come to a close. But, it surely wouldn't be the last time they met.

-25 for shunpo
Remaining Reiatsu: 2280 / 2930
Life Force: 2930 / 2930

[Deleted]

All in all, it had been a battle worth writing home about. At the level Yoko was at, she wasn’t strong enough to beat Iwamichi while holding back her power completely. That much was probably true, but there was one thing that was beyond certain. The moment Yoko released, the battle was over. In order to safely dodge a swing of the Chief’s sword, Iwa had needed a use of Shunpo. That wasn’t sustainable, and they both knew it. With the Chief’s strength, there was literally nothing that Iwa could do to defend herself now that the Chief had a blade in her hand. That was the limit of the rogue’s strength, but it was still fairly good for a new hire.

It seemed that the rogue was a smart one though. She knew she was beaten, and she knew that continuing combat against even this level of the Chief’s strength would be rapidly fatal. Honestly, even though there had been no wrong answer to Yoko’s question, this answer was definitely more correct than the alternative. If Iwa had insisted on continuing to fight, it would’ve been a respectable answer, but the rogue would likely have been maimed at the least. There was no shame in wanting to keep fighting, but there was plenty of shame in being maimed or killed because of overconfidence. Iwa’s answer had shown that she had a good enough head on her shoulders to know when she was beaten.

Defeat was admitted first by the sealing of Iwa’s release. Thank god that was done. Even if it was something the Chief could deal with, it was definitely a frustrating power. Iwa’s power, in hindsight, seemed to be limited to the control of the air and earth. There wasn’t any fire, water, or lightning to speak of. So no, Iwa wasn’t the Avatar, but she still quite formidable. Her control of Air actually seemed to exceed that of an Airbender. She could control a massive amount of it at once, her control was incredibly precise, and she didn’t have to be the origin point for any Air she controlled. That was more into the realm of Aeromancy than Airbending.

Then there was the Rogue’s control over Earth. This seemed to be far more limited. There wasn’t anything very precise about that. Instead, it had just been large walls. This one was more on par with what was expected of an Earthbender, rather than a full on geomancer. There might still be room to grow in that facet of power before Iwa reached her true limits though. On top of that, the Rogue had acceptable skills in martial arts and swordsmanship, as well as the Shinigami magics. Overall, Iwa was a well rounded fighter with many facets of talent. She didn’t seem to have one specific specialty, but all her methods of fighting seemed to be decent enough to hold her own against a master, assuming that master didn’t simply overpower her.

Really though, Iwa’s analysis was the most promising part. Her attacks were rarely wasteful, and she had never failed to identify a threat and counter it. Yes, this battle was over, and Yoko had one, but the Rogue hadn’t actually taken a real hit. Neither of them had honestly. Everything that the new hire had done had been a well thought out attack or defense. For a new hire, that was actually quite impressive. Sure, there was plenty of room to grow in terms of raw power, but Iwa had the instincts and sense for battle required to become a truly fearsome fighter. That was what really mattered. Power could always be increased, but a poor mind for battle was hard to overcome.

Once the rogue had spoken, and admitted the battle had gone to Yoko, the Chief resealed her Fullbring. Interestingly though, neither the shield nor the greatsword disappeared. That was one of the interesting things about her Fullbring. It didn’t only manifest things temporarily. Once they were summoned, they were there to stay unless broken. The shield, rather than being clipped onto her suit’s armor, had fell down until the Chief caught the handle in her left hand. As for the sword, it was largely unchanged. Sealing her Fullbring didn’t mean she couldn’t hold it across her shoulders after all. So, Fullbring or no, the Chief was still armed. Despite that, her expression and stance made it clear that the Rogue wasn’t in any kind of danger. Yoko was far too relaxed to be especially threatening.

[smear:00ffff]”Well, that was a pretty good showing. I’ll be submitting a report on your capabilities to Kazura, and you’ll have a copy of it available to you as well. If there’s anything you wish to note about your capabilities that wasn’t displayed in our spar, now would be a good time.”[/smear:0000ff:1] As always, Yoko was fairly straightforward about this kind of thing. She had no reason to hide her intentions, but this wasn’t going to be like most reports she wrote for new hires. Most of the time, it was a brief summary of their skills, and then a long list of attitude problems and combat weaknesses. That was far from the case here.

The report Kazura would eventually receive would be glowing. Iwa had thoroughly impressed Yoko in every aspect aside from raw power. Though the Rogue wasn’t quite ready for a fight with some of the biggest threats out there, Yoko foresaw no issues bringing the Rogue into dangerous fights. She had a useful ability, would follow orders without questioning them, and was unlikely to try and take on an impossible fight that would just make her a liability. The reality of squad battles meant that the weakest person there was a target, and if that person didn’t know how to stay alive against someone stronger than them, then they were literally worse than dead weight. Unlikely many others, that was not an issue with Iwamichi.

Once Iwa had gotten in any responses she wanted Yoko to make a note of in the report, the Chief gave a nod of acknowledgement and offered a few words of praise. [smear:00ffff]”You did well today Iwa. If you have no objections, I’ll also be putting in the paperwork for you to be transferred to my command. You’ll work directly under me in the Security Force, which means your primary responsibilities will defensive. Don’t worry though, we see plenty of combat with how many random people seem to have it in for Kazura.”[/smear:0000ff:1] It was quite true. Yoko was in a fight almost every day of the week. Most of them were rather dull and onesided, but occasionally someone that was a genuine threat to Kazura’s life. Having other people as strong as Iwa under her command would be quite useful, as there were few she could actually call on to deal with spiritual threats.

Security work entailed more than just protecting Kazura or HQ lately though. With the installation of the UEDN, Uzaki Enterprises’ Security Force was responsible for all of Karakura as well. Ironically, if Iwa accepted the position, she would be doing a lot of the same kind of work as if she was still a Shinigami assigned to Karakura Town. Something told the Chief she’d be fine with that though. For all the praise Yoko had for Iwa, there was still the issue that she liked battle a bit too much. But, that battle lust could be put to good use keeping the people of Karakura safe from the hollows and other threats of the day. Really, it was a good fit for Iwa, and the Chief was sure she’d accept. There was just one question left.

[smear:00ffff]”You in?”[/smear:0000ff:1]

Reiatsu: 1500/1750
Fullbring Stage 1: Ended

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa watched Yoko relax as soon as her Bakkoto ad been sealed. It seemed that maybe she was glad the fight was over. Or, she was relieved that Iwa wasn't going to insist on continuing the fight and end up maimed. Iwa was curious as to why the facets of her release still remained, even when it was clear that she had sheathed her Fullbring. It made her nervous for a slight second; but, she knew from what she inferred from Yoko's personality and fighting style that she wouldn't attack her now. She would have given Iwa a heads up, a chance to defend herself instead of doing anything sneaky, Besides, there was nothing to gain from it now that their purpose for coming here was finished. Yoko's stance said that she was done, so that was it.

Yoko asked her about any other capabilities she might have been holding back in their spar. Iwa knew that people often jumped to conclusions while fighting her. They thought that the extent of her abilities were only over earth and air. But, there was so much more for that. Iwa mainly used air and earth because they had the strongest power, in her opinion. If the situation had presented itself, Iwa would have pulled the other tricks from her hat. In this spar, the need for certain things had not arrived, especially concerning plant life. That wasn't to say that she couldn't have used it during their battle, but it wasn't her best option. Iwa decided that she needed to inform Yoko of her other skills.

"My abilities are all about manipulation, which you have probably ascertained. I can control earth, plant life, air pressure, and temperature. However, not only can I manipulate, I can create. I have the ability to create earth from nothing. In the future, I should be able to create even more. My capabilities are not simply earth or air bending, although many might think that. If the situation arose where I believed that using a different one of my abilities would have been more advantageous, I would have done so." Pausing, Iwa let Yoko digest what she just said. Maybe she would ask to see her other abilities, but probably not. She had seen enough of her fighting style through combat. Her report to Kazura, then, could be more about how she used her abilities than what her powers are. Iwa was very proud of her capabilities, and she didn't want Yoko shortchanging her on what she could do.

As she expected, Yoko's next course of action would be to file a report with Kazura. That was the purpose of their fight, after all. She was very relieved when Yoko offered her a compliment. This powerful, experienced fighter had said she did well today. Iwa kept her pride in check and remained stoic, even though she was excited. Yoko thought so highly of her as to put her directly under her command. Iwa recognized this for the great compliment that it was. She was being acknowledged. Even better, she would be able to work directly with Yoko and observe her. There was so much that she could learn from her. Iwa relished the idea of growing stronger; her ultimate goal, of course, was the top. One day, she would be her own boss. Until then, she was going to obey the orders of her superiors - those she recognized as physically and mentally superior than herself. It was the only way to get where she was going. So, she wouldn't mind taking orders from Yoko at all.

Now, she just had to answer Yoko's question. "You can count me in. It will be an honor to serve under you and learn from you. If that is all, I will leave you to your duties. Unless there is something else you would like me to do, I will depart." Iwa waited to receive anything more from Yoko, then turned to begin her departure. The elevator opened up for her. Boldly stepping in, she ignored the thought of obnoxious elevator music. She could leave, proud of what she had done today and content with her standing. Although she was going to have to be a bodyguard for Kazura, at least it wasn't going to be a dull job. She was sure that Yoko would make something up for her to do if she was bored. Maybe they would make a great team. Iwa was usually a loner, but she wouldn't mind the help from such a strong individual. Stopping at the main floor, Iwa stepped out and headed for the nearest alleyway where she could watch people passing by.