From My Point of View It's You Who's Evil [PvP | NDE | R]

[Deleted]

Thread Title: ^ that
Participants: Luke and Hadrian
World: Human World
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location:
Special Conditions:
Circumstances:

[Deleted]

"Tch. Damn trash actually nicked me." the Private complained as he placed a hand over the bleeding wound on his left forearm. Wipping the blood away and grunting that his perfectly white uniform was ruined, he turned his attention downwards and actively began kicking the man's corpse that lay at his feet. "Trash! Hollow child! Piece of shit!" he complained, each kick getting harder, as he took out his rage and frustration on the Fullbringer laying at his feet. "Knock it off." Another voice came, from behind him, clearly annoyed with his partner's actions.
Hey, I said knock it off. There's no reason to get that mad over a little nick!"

"No reason? This piece of shit ruined my coat! I won't ever get this blood out!" the Private complained, before lifting his foot and stomping on the bodies head. "All of this over your outfit?" the calm one asked again as the one having a a tantrum finally stopped and ran a hand through his hair to straighten it back out. "It doesn't look good if I come back with even the smallest injury on me. I'm looking to be promoted to Lieutenant." he said once again as he straightened out his outfit and turned to his partner, who let out a sigh. "I hope the Hour is having better luck with finding converts than we are." he said with the shake of his head as he looked out across Karakura Town from the alleyway they hid in.

"Oh please. Who cares. The Hour is probably having just as much luck as we are. Faithless dogs can't appreciate the lifeline we're throwing them. How dare we try to make their lives actually mean something." the man complained again before spitting on the corpse at his feet, fluffing the collar of his coat out before approaching his partner. "You won't get promoted if you lose your cool over every little thing, you know?" his partner advised him as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Pft. Whatever. Where're we heading next? Hey, I'm talking to you!" He shouted when he noticed that his more level headed partner was staring, wide eyed, down the alley. When the loud mouth turned, he also had his eyes widen rather exponentially.

Standing at the end of the alleyway was a single man. His eyes were focused at the body lying on the cold pavement floor instead of at the two Quincy responsible for what had happened. Narrowing his eyes as a unmistakable anger began bubbling up inside him, Luke turned his hateful gaze to the two Quincy before he moved. Vanishing with a step technique the loud mouthed one was the first one that Luke hit. Driving his fist home into the chest of the Quincy, the man was slammed into the brick wall with a loud choking sound as undetermined fluid escaped from his open mouth. The other Quincy, however, was quickly generating his bow from reiatsu.

However, Luke did not give him time to prepare a shot. As if made from the very air itself, a sword generated in Luke's grip that was quickly used to slash open the Vandenreich Private's chest. "G-guhgak!" he gurgled out, choking on his own blood, before falling backwards. "H-heehee...Eeeek!" the other one cried out in panic, noticing what had just happened and trying to flee. Luke quickly turned and lunged after the fleeing Private, slamming himself into the man and toppling them both to the floor. Quickly getting on top of the Quincy and holding him by the throat with one hand and his right arm with his left hand, Luke lifted the Quincy up slightly before slamming him down onto the hard pavement.

"The only reason you're still alive right now is because I have questions that need answering. Now, tell me, where is the Vandenreich's base?" Luke questioned, those burning amber eyes glaring down at the man in his grip. "W-what?" the Quincy asked, before the back of his head was suddenly slammed into the pavement once again. "I asked where is the Vandenreich's base?" Luke asked once more. "S-Silbern? The Silbern!" the Quincy coughed out. "Silbern? And how does someone get to Silbern?" Luke asked, suddenly blinking with surprise when he noticed the Quincy was starting to laugh. "Y-you stupid faithless dog. Nobody c-can get to Silbern without His Majesties power! You worthless anar---GAAAAH" he cried out once more as he was slammed into the pavement again.

Luke frowned. His Majesty? Just what did that mean? Did the Vandenreich have a King or something? "Hehe...ehehehe..." Luke brought his attention back to the Quincy, before suddenly noticing his free arm was being lifted. In the hand of his unrestrained arm was a small bow formed of reiatsu, being directed to aim right at Luke's head. The Bount quickly let go of the mans neck and grabbed the short bow arm and, with his left hand, delivered a knock out punch directly into the Quincies head. As he did so, however, he was suddenly aware of another source of reiatsu behind him. Turning, Luke got to watch as the Quincy he had cut down moments ago fired a rather large arrow directly into the air. Didn't take long for Luke to realize it had, essentially, been a signal flare. Narrowing his eyes he pushed himself to his feet, immediately feeling another source of reiatsu heading his way.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Sorry forgot Stats and Skills}

• [Weapon: Swords] {2}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {3}
  
  
• [Strength of Will] {3}
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] {2}
  
  
• [Anti-Stealth] {2}
  
  
• [Charisma/Leadership] {1}
  
  
• [Battle Focus] {3}
  
  

Luke | Soldier

Strength - 200 Points

Speed - 300 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 400 - 700 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 100 - 60 Points

Light Aura - 90 Points

Dark Aura - 10 Points

Instinct - 150 Points

Senses - 150 Points

Energy sensory - 100 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: 1400 Points

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

The alleyway was awash with blood - both physical and spiritual. Gnarled corpses lined the street like gargoyles - caught frozen in the moment just after death. All this destruction, all this pain - caused by one single Hollow that had run away. Hadrian gritted his teeth, in both anger and an attempt to hold back the bile that was trying to rise in his throat. It was so wasteful… All of these people did not deserve to die here, no matter how they had lived. The viciousness of this Hollow attack was something nobody should ever have to experience. But this wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time, that this had happened to the World of the Living. And no-one was to blame, except the rotten cycle which perpetuated this violence.

Hadrian blessed himself and knelt, praying in the blood-soaked alley that those slaughtered here would find peace - and for the peace of those who had been left behind as well. Was he did so, more and more instances of the same brutality came to mind. London, Paris, Chicago - even Dublin - all of these cities were in danger all the time, and yet so little could be done about it. Why would anything be done? The Shinigami, while powerful, were not omnipotent. They could not be everywhere at once, nor even where they needed to be all the time. They were ‘human’ too, Hadrian knew that much. No, the only wrong here was the state of this universe, the delineation of the worlds that created the concept of Death itself. Would there be nothing else-

A flare of Reiatsu shot up in the distance, immediately registering with Hadrian thanks to his above-average Energy Sensory. What on earth have Canas and Mikael gotten themselves into now? Recognising the signature of the arrow, even from the distance was pretty straightforward - especially given the fact that the shooter had made no attempt to disguise their unique spectrum. And to do this, now, meant they could only be in danger. From what was uncertain, but Hadrian was pretty sure that no Hollow would cause those two to raise a distress call. They were somewhat prideful, but reasonably competent. It would have to be something slightly stronger than the average Hollwo from around here for them to shelve their pride and call for help - especially from Hadrian…

The maze of streets and alleys between Hadrian and the location of the signal certainly slowed Hadrian, but by the time he arrived he could sense that both Privates were definitely alive and well - their vibrant auras were full of ego (though slightly bruised at this stage, given their situation). With their safety ascertained, Hadrian tried to work out who or what their assailant was as he ran. He tried to tune out everything else but that singular attacked - who seemed so entirely focussed on their goal…

A Bount?!

Hadrian began picking up his pace. He had heard reports of a Bount in this area - a creature that had managed to successfully fend off both Amalia and Alicia (though neither of them would admit to such a thing). Hadrian grimaced - if neither of them had been able to get away from him unscathed, how on earth could he extract those two Privates? This was bad. Bad, bad, bad. "Silbern? And how does someone get to Silbern?" The voice was loud in Hadrian’s ears, despite the still-large distance between him and the attacker… But it wouldn’t take much longer for him to get there, he had to keep him away from Canas and Mikael! But the Bount had realised he was coming - Hadrian could see as he drew himself up at the top of the alley, looking down towards where Hadrian was running. The Bount stood between him and the two Privates - Hadrian could see that Mikael was now unconscious, but still relatively uninjured.

”Please, sir, don’t bother with Silbern. If you would just let me attend to my comrades, I’m sure we can all walk away from here without having to fight.”

Hadrian’s words were more confident than he felt. But what he had done was flooded with them with his Reiatsu, displaying to the Bount that he meant no harm. Hadrian could see that the Bount’s soul was, at its core, good. He desired right and justice, but it seemed as though as he had been tainted by a recent experience… It seemed as though Alicia had… left quite the impression on him… But Hadrian was more concerned for the wellbeing of the two soldiers than the wounds of a man he had just met, for now.

”Please, hand them over sir. There’s no need for anyone to get hurt.”

SPOILER: Click to show

{Hadrian’s Stats and Skills}

Stats and Abilities

Strength - [80] Points -> [48] Points from Strategist Type -> [60] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Speed - [240] Points -> [180] Points from Strategist Type -> [225] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Spiritual Pressure - [180] Points -> [225] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points -> [500] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Light Aura - [100] Points

Dark Aura - [0] Points

Instinct - [120] Points -> [360] Points from Strategist Type -> [450] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Senses - [60] Points -> [180] Points from Strategist Type -> [225] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Energy sensory - [120] Points -> [360] Points from Strategist Type -> [450] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1200] Points

Skills

• [Battle Skill: Weapon: Gunblade] {4}
• [Mental Skill: Calm Mind] {3}
• [Mental Skill: Battle Analysis] {3}
• [Mental Skill: Strength of Will] {3}
• [Utility Skill: Leadership/Charisma] {2}

[Deleted]

The sudden arrival was the someone that Luke was picking up on. He didn't possess any aptitude in stealth or even tried to suppress his reiatsu, so Luke was able to track him easily enough. It might not have been wise but Luke decided to wait and see just who it was. He couldn't tell already, though, that is was neither of the other two Sternritter he'd encountered before. It was someone new. Those muddy browns narrowed themselves when they spotted the Quincy that came to rescue the other two. A man, a few inches taller than him, with a rather striking hair style. White with black roots? What an odd color scheme.

"C-Captain Sup-pervisor..." Luke suddenly heard, his hard gaze shooting to the Quincy whom had his chest cut open minutes prior and the one who had fired that signal arrow into the sky. So this guy was there boss? While Luke had guessed that already he now had it confirmed for himself. "Can I lick his feet?" He suddenly heard in his mind, his Dolls pushing themselves to the forefront of his consciousness like a trio of curious puppies. "Hmph. He looks pathetic. I'm certain a strong enough breeze would push him over." Springflut decided to mock, his distaste for the Vandenreich obvious in his voice. "Don't listen to the duo of morons. This one is different." Windstarke calmly advised.

He didn't really need to though. Luke had already realized that this Quincy wasn't like the other ones. "This is a surprise.." Luke said with a low volume tone. "You're the first of your group I've met who didn't just attack right away." Luke could laugh. His experience with the Vandenreich had been the worst moments of his life and now he was meeting one with a shred of humanity and decency? What a stupid twist of fate. Luke frowned, though, as he thought over Hadrian's request. He didn't want to fight? He wanted to tend to his comrades? "What're you gonna do?" Jäger asked.

Muddy browns finally left Hadrian and focused on the Quincy, laying on his back, coughing as he tried to stop the blood escaping from the deep slash wound in his chest. Narrowing his eyes, Luke closed them for a moment before relenting. "He'll die if he doesn't get medical attention. Take care of him. But this guy?" Luke asked, motioning to the one he'd been interrogating "He'll answer with either incarceration or blood for taking that man's life." Luke told Hadrian, refering to the Fullbringer corpse laying in the alley. "If you don't want to fight that's fine. Take your injured man and go." Luke told him again, striving to keep the bile building up in his gut from being spilled onto the street.

He was willing to let a Vandenreich go? Why? Because he wasn't some bloodthirsty savage? "Don't you dare let one of them go. Not after what they've done to you." Luke suddenly heard from Springflut. Anger and malice followed behind those words as if they were water allowed to run free. But before Luke could be swept along with those emotions, they were quickly frozen over. "It is true he's a Vandenreich but that doesn't make him evil. He does not possess the same sort of aura those other two did." Windstarke decided to add. "What did you say? Any Vandenreich, bitch or not, is our enemy. Crushing and destroying them is the right thing to do!" Springflut snapped back.

"Is it now? Is it really the right thing to do or is it what you want to do, Springflut?" Windstarke retorted. Now was not the time for this sort of shit. "Mommy and daddy are fighting. Just do what you want Luke, that's what I always say. Springflut wants you to kill your enemies and Windstarke wants you to reason with them. Just do what you want." Luke remained quiet as he waited for Hadrian's response. Those muddy browns with blackened bags beneath them staring straight at the Quincy as he waited.

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"He'll answer with either incarceration or blood for taking that man's life.”

The ripple in Hadrian’s Reiatsu would be painfully obvious to everyone, especially Mikael - the Quincy guilty of killing the innocent man. But for now it would have to be quelled. The damage Mikael had caused caused Hadrian great distress, but he couldn’t show that weakness to this Bount. Amalia and Alicia had come back to the Silbern with grave injuries from encounters with this man… Horrific wounds caused by someone who was either far more powerful or far luckier than them. Either way, Hadrian would be a fool to underestimate his opponent. He would not - no, he could not - appear weak. Not now.

”Canas, Mikael - you have my permission to retreat for now. Mikael, I will personally see to it that you will receive the appropriate punishment for insubordination. Don’t you dare try to flee.”

Again, that ripple of anger. Perhaps it would be too subtle for the Bount to realise it - but from Hadrian’s tone he was sure to deduce that Mikael would punished appropriately. Hadrian motioned listlessly with his right hand - a silent communication with those who were monitoring them in the Silbern. The Bount would watch as a foreign shadow, unlike anything that could be created naturally in the World of the Living, descended on the two Privates, cloaking their bodies from the light of the sun. Then the shadow would evaporate, like a puddle on a hot day, leaving nothing behind. The two of them had ben transported back through the Gate of the Sun to the Silbern. They were ‘safe’ for now. Canas would be treated, and Mikael would be… ‘appropriately’ dealt with.

”While I would love to leave it at this… I don’t know if I can just leave here without at least talking to you for a moment.”

Hadrian’s face was impassive for now, but his aura was radiating warmth. While he was being so open, however, he was also wary. He had not yet made any use of his Reiatsu, but his fingers were instinctively curling as if to grasp a handgun. A precautionary measure, nothing else. Hadrian was ever the optimist, but his recent experiences had jaded him. Inocuous situations had a terrible habit of spiralling out of control all too quickly. Anything could happen in this moment. This electric tension could snap at any minute, especially now that Hadrian had snatched away the Bount’s quarry.

He could feel the conflict within the Bount. The tumultuous shouting of voices urging him down different paths. He was a good man, who didn’t want to fight, but there was part of him that wanted to push himself down the path of violence. What had Amalia and Alicia done to this man? How had they defiled his ideas of justice? Hadrian’s temper, which was already stretched with Mikael’s behaviour, was now dangerously close to snapping. More and more and more of their brutality was coming back around and around. Slowly dragging more and more and more people into the mire. Pulling them down, staining their souls… Was there no hope of salvation for this brutal world?

”I’m sorry for whatever has happened before now. But I need to know - do you hate me?”

Hadrian was hopeful that he would answer honestly. But the hands of his Spirit Fragment and Cross spun backwards slowly, drawing in Reiatsu from the world around him. With a final click, both clocks set themselves to one. An unwelcome precaution, but a necessary one.

Reiatsu: 3050/2250: +800 from Quincy Cross

Timer: 1/12

[Deleted]

Brown eyes narrowed fiercely for a brief moment when a flicker of reiatsu was sensed from the Quincy. But, confusingly, Luke didn’t sense any other use of his reiatsu aside from that slight flicker. Was he preparing an attack or was it an emotional response? It did happen just after Luke explained Mikael’s crime. Was the Quincy upset about this? But when Hadrian suddenly said that the two Quincy had his permission to flee, those brown eyes blinked with surprise. ”Didn’t you hear what I ju-” but Luke’s words suddenly halted in his mouth when he witnessed what happened next. A shadow descended upon the two Quincy, consuming them entirely before basically evaporating. What the hell? Luke questioned, watching what little remained of the shadow vanish before returning his glare to Hadrian.

”Idiot. You let them get away. You should have killed them!” Springflut roared in his head, only giving Luke a further growing headache. ”Springflut shut up. Your yelling isn’t accomplishing anything!” Windstarke snapped back at the Doll. But while they argued, Luke’s gaze remained locked on Hadrian. Maybe the Dolls didn’t hear what Hadrian had just said to Luke. This Quincy just said he wanted to talk to Luke. He wanted to talk? Did Luke actually hear him right? ”You want….to talk?” Luke repeated the question, not really able to believe what he just heard.

A Quincy from the Vandenreich didn’t want to just kill and destroy? One actually wanted to have a chat with him? What sort of bullshit was this? It had to be a trap. There was no other explanation for it. There was no way the Vandenreich had anyone like Hadrian in it. It made the next question directed at him even more confusing. ”I’m sorry for whatever has happened before now. But I need to know - do you hate me?” Luke blinked. That glare softened into a more confused look. ”What?” Jäger said just what Luke was thinking.

”Do I hate you?” Luke repeated the question again, staring at Hadrian for a few moments as that question worked its way through him. It was such an odd question. It wasn’t directed at the Vandenreich themselves, but rather the man himself. A man Luke didn’t even know. ”I hate your group. I hate your group that destroys and murders for fun As long as the Vandenreich exist nobody in this city is safe.” Luke answered, immediately remembering what that woman had said to him the night he first learned of the Vandenreich. But he wasn’t really answering the question. Did he hate Hadrian?

He certainly saw Hadrian as yet another Vandenreich. While Hadrian had certainly confused him, it wasn’t enough to really change his opinion on him. ”Maybe I do hate you. I don’t know. I don’t know you. But what I do know is that, right now, you’re my enemy.” Luke answered, his eyes narrowing once more. He could sense Hadrian taking in reiatsu and thanks to those animal like ears of Luke’s he heard that click in those pockets. His eyes darted to Hadrian’s hands for a moment and noticed the way they were angled. He returned his gaze to Hadrian’s own. ”I was hoping to get some answers from those two...but I guess I’ll just have to get them from you.” Luke hissed as, in that moment, his reiatsu activated. A brief flash of light emerged from his hands as twin curved swords suddenly appeared, almost as if made from reiatsu and the very air itself.

Unlike the other two, Luke could tell that this man was strong. He was on a different level than Canas or Mikael. One of the Quincy had referred to this man as a Captain Supervisor. Luke wasn't too familiar with the rankings within the Vandenreich. He had a vague idea that a Sternritter was a big name within the group, but the meanings of the ranks were still unknown to him. But just sensing him with Energy Sensory clued Luke in that this guy was, at least, equal in power to he was. His reiatsu was stronger but he had less of it than Luke did. The problem was, however, the fact that Hadrian had stronger reiatsu. If Hadrian had the same defensive ability as the other Quincies..."Then tough titties hurting him." Yeah, thanks Jäger.

The reason Luke had created his own swords in the first place was in response to Hadrian activating his own defensive measures. It was a response. Staring at Hadrian for a few more moments, Luke decided he would make the first move. He chose to test the waters rather than go all out. Reiatsu burst into his legs just before Luke used Movement, hurtling himself towards Hadrian with his right arm brought back. Thrown forward at 900 Speed, Luke swung his right arm downwards in an attempt to slash through Hadrians left shoulder and leave that air sword stuck in his torso. Would it work? Who knew.

Remaining Reiatsu: 6575 / 7000
-400 for x2 Class 4 AAA swords
-25 for Movement

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

”Please don’t…”

Hadrian’s cast his eyes away from Luke, shame building on his face. He could not contradict the Bount - for he was correct. Alicia, Amalia - both of them were perfect examples of what Luke could hate about the Vandenreich. Agents of wanton destruction who lived for no goal other than their own self-advancement and gratification. Who could blame Luke for his dislike of the Vandenreich now? And it would be only natural that the Bount would extend his hate to all who bore the white uniform of the Emperor… A foolish move, but one Hadrian could not blame him for. He had done the same when those Hollows had murdered his friends…

”Maybe I do hate you. I don’t know. I don’t know you. But what I do know is that, right now, you’re my enemy.”

”Well, Mr Clyburn - if it helps make your decision any easier - I don’t hate you.”

This wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t a ploy, a bluff, a gambit. It was just a truth. Hadrian’s reiatsu would swell with the words, lending them credence. If Luke had any Spiritual Awareness he should be able to see beyond the uniform - to the heart of the man who wore the white coat. Hadrian would never be so arrogant as to say that he was perfect, in fact he would be the first to deny any such compliment, but he liked to believe that at least he was good. That he was doing his best to act on what he believed in. And if that was enough for Luke, surely they could cast their blades aside and reason this out properly. There had to be another way! Perhaps, just this once, they could put an end to a cycle of hatred!

”I won’t ask you to forgive every Vandenreich member on my behalf -“

Hadrian cut himself short, as he realised that Luke was intending to get the answers first. Now was not the time for a heart-to-heart. And so, Hadrian began his dispassionate analysis of the situation. The Bount was strong - obviously - his muscles rippled with raw physical strength. Blocking melee attacks would be difficult. His Reiatsu was weak, however, but voluminous. If he were to bring out his dolls, Hadrian would be in quite the state. His speed would also be an issue, especially if it were to be augmented by Movement or other speed-increasing techniques. Hadrian would be relying on his wits in this fight above all else.

Hadrian’s incredible processing speed had analysed Luke and deduced this information in the time it had taken him to summon his blades and begin his attack. Perhaps as he was moving he would see the hands of Hadrian’s golden eye wind back around to the 2 o’clock position. The Quincy had made his preparations. Now he would have to defend. Hadrian watched as the Bount turned his body - his arm drawn back for a strong diagonal slash. If it were to connect, Hadrian had no doubt that it would bifurcate him. The overall power of the swing would be, of course, difficult to block directly. Blut would probably prevent the blade from piercing him - but that was not a technique Hadrian wanted to rely on so early on. If this became more drawn out, he would be competing against the Bount’s more sturdy reiatsu pool - being conservative now was his best option.

As the Bount raised his blade, a blade appeared in Hadrian’s own left hand. A hollow sword, as if a portion of the blade had been cut away from the centre of it. This was the fastest and most efficient sword technique - Hohle Schneide. Although pretty, the blade itself was quite fragile - though Hadrian was hopeful that Luke’s attack was not so powerful as to shatter it in a single hit. He raised the blade to block the strike, bracing his block with his right hand - in doing so creating an opening on his right side. It was not that he had forgotten about Luke’s second blade, but rather that Hadrian was hopeful that the Bount wouldn’t have the heart to use it.

He had some hope that his words were at least planting seeds of doubt in the Bount’s mind - and the perhaps, if this attack was successfully blocked, he might back off and they could speak for a moment. But if the Bount decided to exploit the opportunity… well, it was precisely for emergencies like those that Blut Vene was created after all. Hadrian took the impact of blade against blade - and he felt the shock in both his shoulders, while his hollow blade pealed loudly at the strike like a lone bell. But it would hold, and it held. His eyes locked with Luke’s, one blue and one gold, but his attention was still focussed on the second blade.

”If you think this fight will help you, sir - please continue.”

It was not an attempt to goad him on - but Hadrian hoped his words would help the Bount realise the futility of this fight.

Reiatsu: 3825/2250: +800 from Quincy Cross and Fragment, -25 for Hohle Schneide

Timer: 2/12

[Deleted]

Bleh, sorry it's so short.

Something was wrong. Even when Luke attacked the Quincy never faltered in his personality. His response remained the exact same as it had been up till now. When Luke’s sword clashed with the Quincy named Hadrian’s he came to realize it. There was an experience that you often heard about in different kinds of media. It was often described as two warriors coming to understand each other when their swords clashed. Only during the times of combat did their personalities, intentions, and thoughts reach one another. When Luke’s sword, constructed from air and reiatsu, came into contact with the concentrated reiatsu of Hadrian’s blade the Bount’s eyes suddenly widened.

As Hadrian hoped, the second sword held in Luke’s other hand remained unmoving. It was kept in the position that Luke held it at. Despite how much Luke wanted to use it to run Hadrian through, he stayed his hand. Luke’s eyes remained locked on Hadrian’s own, the Bount noticing the Quincies strange clock like eye. The two swords creaked as both parties kept the forces they put into their swords applied, but Luke didn’t press the attack any further. Disspassionate. Remorseful. Words like those and more were the emotions that Luke was receiving from Hadrian. This Quincy didn’t want to fight.

Grinding his teeth together, Luke perhaps surprised Hadrian by suddenly backing up and gaining distance between him and the Vandenreich Captain Supervisor. Luke was confused. So very, very, confused. His mental image, his belief, of the Vandenreich was that they were bloodthirsty Quincy that sought to only spread misery and grief. Every single one of them had been like that...up to this point. ”What the hell is wrong with you?” Luke asked, his question directed entirely at Hadrian.

”You’re one of them but you don’t want to fight? The Vandenreich kill and destroy whenever they want! How can you even say anything about forgiving them for the things they’ve done! If you’re nothing like them then why the hell are you with them??”

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

There is no situation more tense than waiting for one’s opponent to strike you down. Hadrian’s guard held beneath Luke’s attack, the steel creaked under the duress but held firm. But now was not the time to worry about the attack that had been guarded. It was the Bount’s second blade that held Hadrian’s attention. It trembled, wanting to bite into Hadrian’s flesh. But Hadrian’s faith remained resolute. He had a good idea of the kind of man Luke was - he would not fight for no reason. And if Hadrian provided no retaliation, no provocation, why would Luke strike him down? And so, with this absolute faith in the image of the Bount that he had constructed in his head, Hadrian created neither a defence nor a riposte. Instead, he allowed Luke to dictate the pace of the battle. This was what it was to reveal your character through the blade.

Hadrian was not surprised when Luke backed away, a somewhat anguished look on his face. The look of man who had been, perhaps, fighting for reasons that he didn’t quite believe in. Perhaps he could not quite discard the mental image of Amalia and Alicia from his mind, the stereotype of Quincy that he had constructed from his limited encounters. Hadrian empathised with his plight entirely. Too many times he had seen comrades fall at this same hurdle. It was easier to fan the embers of hatred into flame than attempt to put them out. But that was all they were in the beginning, embers. And, if Hadrian was just lucky enough this one time, he could make sure that destructive flame would never leap from this Bount’s heart.

”What the hell is wrong with you?”

Hadrian chuckled softly at the question, the blade in his hand disappearing as he dismissed it. It had served its purpose as a defence, not as a weapon to be pointed at a foe. It was perhaps one of the most powerful swords he had created in a sense, for it had driven itself deep into Luke’s heart in a metaphorical sense… Hadrian averted his eyes from his opponent and shook his head gently, tossing the white hairs of his fringe over his eyeline. Now was not the time to be waxing lyrical within his own mind. He perhaps owed this Bount an explanation for his madness. The least he could do would be to be honest.

”Well,” the young Quincy chuckled again, ”You are not the first person to ask me that question. You could say that I’m somewhat of an opportunistic pacifist. When I can resolve by situations by not fighting, I’d prefer to take that option.”

Hadrian smiled gently at the Bount, his eyes meeting Luke’s. Although his voice sounded shy and reserved, he hoped that Luke would sense the authority that his gaze conveyed. Hadrian was a man who held firm in his convictions. Perhaps Luke would understand something of why Hadrian, who was so atypical in the Vandenreich, had gotten so far within the organisation. Devotion was a powerful motivator, and Hadrian was devoted to what he believed in - absolutely. That unwavering resolve, the burning desire for peace and justice… And Hadrian could feel those same desires mirrored in Luke’s soul. They were truly kindred spirits.

”You’re one of them but you don’t want to fight? The Vandenreich kill and destroy whenever they want! How can you even say anything about forgiving them for the things they’ve done! If you’re nothing like them then why the hell are you with them??”

”Guilty as charged.”

Another chuckle from Hadrian, who raised and his hands as a joking admission of guilt.

”I am indeed one of them, and I would indeed rather not fight. And the Vandenreich certainly should not kill and destroy whatever they want, we’re just in an unfortunate situation where some of our more powerful members might disagree. I will admit, asking for forgiveness was certainly rather hasty of me, sir. I know as well as you do, perhaps even better, of the atrocities that Vandenreich Quincy have perpetrated across the worlds in the Emperor’s name… And those weigh heavily on my heart, I assure you. As to why I am with them, well… I feel I can do the most good where I am currently.”

Hadrian’s eyes locked with Luke’s, his pale blue and vibrant gold eyes looking right across at the Bount. Luke, if he was paying enough attention, would see the hands of Hadrian’s eye wind back again, settling back at 3. Not that the motion would reduce the intensity of the stare. Hadrian was looking intently, trying to gauge if his words were having any effect. He had answered all the Bounts questions as fully as he could, withholding no secrets. Lies only led to further lies, and would only serve to undermine the message Hadrian was trying to convey.

”All I’m asking of you, Mr Clyburn, is that for a moment you will extend me the same courtesy I am offering you. I will not hold you accountable for the violence and injustices the Bount have wreaked on the human population, I want to look at you as your own person. Please try to understand, I don’t want to trick or mislead you. I feel like we are both working towards the same kind of world, and for that I want to be your friend.”

Reiatsu: 4625/2250: +800 from Quincy Cross and Fragment

Timer: 3/12

[Deleted]

What Hadrian said made Luke twitch. It was an uncomfortable sort of twitch and one that caused Luke’s frown to deepen and his glare to harden. He had never given Hadrian his name. Yet, despite that, the Quincy knew his last name. There were two possibilities behind that, and Luke liked neither of them. It meant that the Vandenreich knew who he was on a name level, despite him never introducing himself to any of the ones he’d fought. Or it meant Hadrian was a mind reader. Luke had heard that people with exceptional training and strength in Energy Sensory had the ability to invade the minds of other people and subtle acquire information with the victim knowing. If Hadrian was reading Luke’s mind...it made the Bount exceptionally uncomfortable.

But what he had also said got under Luke’s skin. ”I will not hold you accountable for the violence and injustices the Bount have wreaked on the human population, I want to look at you as your own person.” Hadrian was actually trying to compare the Vandenreich to the Bount? He was trying to compare a race to a religious nutjob army? Luke had nothing to do with the Bount as a whole. He was not guilty of any crimes they had committed. The way he said that further angered the young man, though he kept his calm and remained still.

”A pacifist in the Vandenreich is like saying you’re a vegan that eats a steak for every meal. It doesn’t have any meaning.” Luke retorted, noticing how the strange clock like design in the Quincies eye had gone back to...a three o’clock position. What was with his eye? ”You can say that you want to do good all you want, but your company speaks for itself. Hell, you just said that the strongest of the Vandenreich are the ones running around killing whenever they want. Everything I’ve seen leads me to believe the Vandenreich is lead by strength, not ideals.” Luke said to Hadrian, his words clearly insinuating something.

”Quit then. Abandon the Vandenreich. If you say you’re not like them, and you think we have a similar worldview, then quit. The Vandenreich just wants to kill and destroy. That’s all they want. You can’t do any good with them. You should KNOW this!” Luke told him, realizing he was raising his voice a bit too much. ”Come join Uzaki Enterprise. They want to bring peace to the world and keep everyone safe from spiritual threats. You’d actually be doing good. You could help us put a stop to the Vandenreich!” Maybe the idea of convincing a Vandenreich Quincy to turn his back on the Emperor was far fetched, but Luke was going to try anyways. If Hadrian was indeed a pacifist and disagreed with the other Quincy, then that meant he was possibly in danger.

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

Hadrian listened to Luke earnestly, for it seemed as though he had somewhat annoyed him. It had seemed a reasonable comparison to Hadrian. A large portion of the Bount species were bloodthirsty killers who killed humans to sustain themselves. If one were to have this image of a Bount, and then stumble across one, prejudices would naturally rule over common courtesy. If Luke felt himself so far above his race to be considered removed from their very nature… Well, then perhaps he was guilty of the same crimes that he accused Hadrian of. No… That’s not right. It seemed Hadrian was just somewhat indignant at being rebuked, rather than actually mad. But he would continue to listen.

”Come join Uzaki Enterprise. They want to bring peace to the world and keep everyone safe from spiritual threats. You’d actually be doing good. You could help us put a stop to the Vandenreich!”

Ah, of course. Uzaki Enterprise. Contrary to popular belief, the Vandenreich did keep an eye on the affairs of the Spiritual World, or at least Hadrian did. But the name was more familiar to him than simply just being the face of an abstract do-good organisation. Kazura and Hadrian had crossed paths a long time ago, back when he still went by the name John - back when things seemed a lot simpler than they did now. But it would do Hadrian no good to dwell on the past. The offer Luke had presented him with was entirely reasonable. Join my side, help us exterminate the evil Vandenreich, keep doing good until all the bad guys were dead or incarcerated. The strategic asset that the knowledge of a defecting Sternritter could provide was certainly nothing to be sniffed at. But Hadrian was not tempted, not even for a moment.

”I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your kind offer, sir. But please, do send Mr Uzaki my regards. I’m glad that he has found such talented people to work for him. I am sure you do a lot of good.

But I’ll have to ask you to forgive me, for I cannot simply abandon the Vandenreich. There are things that can only be done - that only I can do - when in service of the Emperor. There are people in the Silbern that I cannot bring myself to abandon. There are more ways to fight injustice than to just simply tackle it head-on on the battlefield, Mr Clyburn. I will not turn my blade against the Emperor, even in spite of the atrocities that some of His subordinates have committed. I do, however, hope to some day gain the strength to attempt to atone for our crimes. There are some things that can only be done with His divine blessings. A future of peace that could not be achieved without His aid.”

Hadrian finished with a sigh. This was never the most convincing argument, but it was the truth at the heart of the issue. If the person he was speaking to denied the full scope of His Majesty, they would always struggle to understand. Without having been in His Court, without having spoken to the Emperor… It was a hard sell to believe that such a strong military leader could also be filled with such compassion for life and the world. He just wanted to help those in need, and the implementation of that help was through the Sternritter and the Quincy.

”You ask me to put a stop to the Vandenreich, as the Shinigami tried to a millennium ago. Did it ever occur to you, Mr Clyburn, that those kinds of acts are the ones that continue this vicious cycle? Genocide begets genocide, violence begets violence. Only when both sides learn to reach out compassionately to one another can we choose to break the chain of events that brought us here. Forgive me for being idealistic, but I do dream of a world where an accord can be reached. Our existences are not so incompatible that we must forever fight. I have to believe in peace. Don’t you agree?”

Hadrian held eye contact with the Bount, desperately looking for some kind of reaction. He had given his reasons as to why he could not join Uzaki enterprises. But that did not mean Luke would have to accept them. He may not even consider them good enough reasons to allow Hadrian to leave. If Luke was so beyond extending an olive branch to his enemies, he may simply view Hadrian as yet another instrument of destruction - another obstacle to be cut down on his bloody path to peace. But Hadrian could only pray, to both the Emperor and to the sense of good that emanated from the Bount, that there would be another way. There had to be another way.

Reiatsu: 5425/2250: +800 Reiatsu from Quincy Cross
Timer: 4/12

[Deleted]

Sorry for short shit post

Luke found his frown deepening. The things Hadrian was saying didn’t sit well with the Bount. While what the Quincy said was true, it wasn’t how the world worked. Hadrian spoke of wanting the factions that disagreed to reach a peaceful agreement. Luke closed his mouth when he was finished talking, closing his eyes for a minute and realizing just how futile saying anything to Hadrian was going to be. The swords in his hand dissipated, becoming air once more. ”By saying you’re going to stay with them because you need your Emperor’s power, then you’re just as guilty as the other Sternritter honestly. You’re aware of what they do and just close your eyes and pretend it isn’t happening.” Luke said with a shake of his head before he opened his eyes back up.

”You’re going to have to get a lot stronger if think you’ll change the Vandenreich with good words alone. You know, just as well as I do, who else is in your fucking cult.” Luke spat rather nastily, glaring at Hadrian before softening his gaze. It sucked. Hadrian didn’t belong with them. Luke realized this. But he also realized that nothing he could say or do would force someone who was brainwashed. What he said made sense. Peace was better than war. But that wasn’t how this world worked. Of course Luke would prefer peace, but he knew such things were impossible so long as those with powers continued to abuse them. So long as people like the Vandenreich, who killed and tormented at their pleasure, existed then there wouldn’t be peace in the world.

”I don’t have the stomach to fight you now. I can say with certainty now that I don’t hate you, but I hate the decision you’ve made and the people you associate yourself with. I really hope you’ll realize how stupid you’re being and leave them before they kill you, because we both know that’s going to happen at some point or another.” Luke forewarned before placing his hand against the wall of the alley they stood in. ”Next time we met, if you’re still with them, then we’ll be enemies. I won’t simply let you go next time.” Luke warned, before the Bount sunk into the shadows and, steadily, his reiatsu presence vanished as he left the area.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Luke - 300 TP
Hadrian - 300 TP + 100 for winning