Soul Society Control Those Beasts! (DP-R)

[Rafael]

Thread Title: Soul Society Control Those Beasts!
Participants: Rio vs Rafael
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Permanent Injuries Enabled
Rating: R
Location: The 45th District of the Western Rukongai. A district of mediocre wealth and status where many citizens making a living through sales and physical labor. Scattered throughout the district are many small wooden shakes of civilian homes, while there are dozens of cement buildings ranging from single to two stories high that are both hospitals, inns and businesses.
Special Conditions: As this is a battle in the Rukongai between enemies of Soul Society. When the second page is reached Shinigami of all classes up to (3) are allowed to enter with the intention of stopping Rio and Rafael. Those that do join along with Rio and Rafael are expected to post within a 1 week time span. Should anyone miss the deadline they can be skipped and any actions taken against them are to be considered what occurs.
Circumstances: Rafael is traveling through the Rukongai wanting to get a closer look at how the human looking souls live from day to day when an enemy of a race he has never seen before arrives. It's mid-day with a gray sky and looks like it could quite easily start to rain.

[Rafael]

So this was what the area of Soul Society controlled by the Shinigami looked like closer to their capital. Rafael was taking a very large risk today was he walked through the alleys of the Rukongai of the West trying to get a closer look at where his enemies lived. The massive panther had made the choice a few weeks ago after what had happened the last time him and his pack had come to the Rukongai and they had been attacked by the shinigami for nothing.

Knowing there was a chance that he may be seen and remembered because only two weeks had gone by since that had happened Rafael had decided to use something he had picked up. In fact he hadn't even really learned what he had well . . . learned normally. Usually Rafael was fairly thick headed and required a good bit of practice to learn anything including his martial arts. Not having anything to do, but hunt that was usually what the big cat did throughout the day.

Last week though he had awoken after a nightmare to find that well he was different. It was definitely weird and not something that he had been comfortable with at the beginning. The leader of the small group of Beasts had woken up to find himself as a simple panther or at least his body was that of one. He wasn't on two feet anymore nor did he have arms, but instead he was on all fours and by the gods! He didn't have his thumbs!

It took more than a bit for him to calm down and try to figure out how it had happened. Over the rest of the week Rafael had gone through many different ideas to learn about this new discovery. The first thing he had realized was he wasn't quite as strong as normal nor was he as fast. Not to mention he couldn't use any of the energy to help him in combat. As far as he could tell the only use for this . . . change was . . well what he was doing right now.

He didn't want anyone to recognize him and so he had changed back so now as he walked throughout the Rukongai all anyone saw would be a bigger the normal panther. It would definitely be weird and many of the citizens that did see them ran away in fear, but he found so far that as long as he kept out of sight and away from the asshole humans he would be alright. "Its already been several hours. Just how much longer until I reach wherever the shinigami live?"

Remaining Reiatsu: 2900/3000
Form Reversion: {-100}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique}
Technique Name: Form Reversion
Class: 4
Technique Type: Beast Technique
Usable By: Beasts
Technique Element: N/A

Technique Description and Effects: One of the very few transformation techniques accessible to Beasts. While they're not typically spiritual Beasts are exceptionally primal and although this technique enables them to change their physical form it does so by pulling at the primal core of the Beast and turning them back into that which they commonly can be referred to as. What this means is simple. This technique enables a Beasts to transform into the natural form of whatever animal they happen to be. More than simply changing the physical form of a Beast though this technique once activated effects the Beast in a single way that has two separate yet prominent side effects. While a Beast is transformed utilizing this technique they lose the ability to control their reiatsu completely.

In fact the reiatsu of the Beasts goes into a dominate state making it not only impossible for the Beast to utilize their reiatsu, but also making it impossible for anyone to sense their reiatsu. This means that while the Beast may be weaker they're safer. This technique is typically picked up by Beasts in the Human World making all who know of its existence question whether or not every animal is really a simple animal or instead a Beast lurking in plain sight. When this technique is used the user although they may change their form stays the same size meaning that certain species such as insects aren't able to blend in with the typical animal of the same species. However, when this technique is Mastered the user upon activation is actually able to alter their size to match that of the natural animal counterpart.

How to use technique: The Beast must feel within themselves and channel the inner animal of their soul.

Technique Drawbacks: Costs 100 reiatsu to transform although doesn't cost anything to return into the normal form. While this technique is activated the user is unable to utilize their reiatsu at all. While activated the user's physical stats are reduced to 40% of their total.

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio Demoniogalgo. There were many things that could be said of the Fifth Espada in Sonken Kouhai's army of Las Noches. Foul mouthed. Arrogant. Short-tempered. Vindictive. Destructive. Savage. Boisterous. And there were a few things that, although rarely said of him, could also be seen as true. Cunning. Ambitious. Perceptive. But among all the things that could be said of Rio, there was one word that, under no circumstances should have ever been uttered about him. That word was "Subtle." Once, when he was alive, Rio might have known stealth and guerilla warfare. His long life had eroded such things from his mind, until he was nothing more than a crashing wave of martial power. A rampant force of devastation; a cataclysm in the guise of a man. Such were the people of the 45th district of Rukongai to learn today, as the Espada emerged from a Gargantua. Soul Society had been sleeping too easily these days. Rio was about to stir shit up.

Rafael's exploration would be likely cut short by the sound of screaming. Rio wasted no time. He emerged from his Gargantua in the middle of a crowded street. Several citizens of the Rukongai spun around in alarm to see the arrancar emerge. And Rio was very obviously an arrancar. The reaction was as expected. People fled. Immediately. Rio grinned. "GOOD MORNING YA FUCKIN' RATS!" He bellowed. "GET SOME FUCKIN' TRASHY SHINIGAMI OUT HERE SO I CAN RIP 'EM TO PIECES!" He snarled out, and swept an arm across in front of him. An invisible wave of force rippled out from Rio, crashing into the wooden buildings in front of him. The fronts of shops and homes exploded outwards, hurling debris through the air. Rio grinned at the devastation and began to advance forward.

Rio didn't believe in doors. For someone like Rio, doors were optional. Outside of the most fortified locations, Rio's strength allowed him to move through something like a wall as if it were only a mild inconvenience. Akin to wading out into the ocean. In this manner, Rio literally walked clean through a wall of a nearby building as he looked around. Tch. Nobody there. No doubt the Rukongai rats were already fleeing for the safety of their vaunted Shinigami protectors. Rio had one major advantage over many of the other Espada. Most Espada practiced the spiritual arts. Reiatsu based skills. While Rio was certainly competent with his reiatsu, his true power lay in his physical abilities. As such any particularly reiatsu-attuned Shinigami would only notice the power of an above average arrancar. Nothing requiring a Captain's intervention. At least. Not immediately. That'd probably happen as casualties started to mount up. Rio wasn't here to destroy all of Soul Society today. But since Kuroi Naito had launched his little excursion it had been too quiet, and the Quinta was here to shake things up.

Rio wasn't aware of anyone's presence at the moment, and although his senses were keen to notice any hostility directed at him, Rio had not yet taken notice of Rafael. The Espada walked past a support beam, reaching out and crushing it with his arm, the building beginning to crash down around him. He walked through another wall and towards another house. That's right. Flee you worthless trash! Bring me a worthy opponent! The Quinta thought as he looked for the next target of his destruction in the interim. If nobody showed up soon, there wouldn't be anything left of the 45th district!

[Rafael]

As he traveled through the alley he currently was within Rafael suddenly heard the sound of screams coming from only a short distance away. He then could hear the familiar sound of wood being broken while being sent scattering through the air only to hit everything in its way. He had done something that sounded identical when he had been attacked by the shinigami while he had been in the Rukongai last.

"Perhaps a thug is attacking? or maybe one of the bug beasts. Either way not my problem." Thought Rafael as he continued to walk through the alleyway getting further towards the headquarters of the shinigami. As he kept walking the sound of the shakes being destroyed got louder and louder meaning he was actually getting closer. Still though he would stay out of sight and pay no attention to whoever was attacking the horrible humans that deserved to suffer for all their selfishness.

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Nobody was stopping the Quinta's rampage. Even if Soul Society knew about it by now, it'd take some time to mobilize troops out to the area. By then, the damage would be too severe. Rio tore through buildings, and shattered streets with his steps. Already a neighborhood was crumbling, but the Espada wasn't finished. He saw a group of Rukongai citizens attempting to flee. "Worthless maggots." Rio snapped in irritation. "Maybe if you all die..." He approached a nearby house. "Someone'll come out here..." Rio's fingers crunched through sturdy durable wood and he began to lift. "Who can actually fight worth a damn!" The Espada raised his arms, and with a tearing sound, the entire front of the building tore away in his hands. Rio hefted it above his head and grinned. "Well. If your saviors don't come, tough fuckin' shit." Then Rio hurled the debris at the escaping citizens.

Rio's hurricane of devastation was ripping through the Rukongai district, rapidly encroaching on Rafael's location, until at least, the Espada tore through a building directly in front of Rafael. "Hmm?" Rio turned his head to look at the Beast clan with a look of disdain. "A bigass cat? Get fuckin' lost!" Rio snarled at him, and threw a kick in Rafael's direction. Rio didn't give two shits about some big cat wandering around the Rukongai, but he did like causing destruction. So when he kicked at Rafael, his kick carried with it a forceful shockwave that would pulverize his ribs if it hit. Well. A normal big cat would literally be reduced to a gory stain decorating the entire street. No sooner had Rio thrown his kick though, the Espada turned away, looking for new prey.

"Useless. Useless. USELESS! You're all running away and it's pissing me off! Get your asses back there! ONE OF YOU PIECES OF TRASH GROW A FUCKING SPINE AND FIGHT ME, ASSHOLES!" Rio roared at them, as he ripped a section of wall out and threw it like a trebuchet over the houses, where it could be audibly heard crashing in the streets. A few people's screams could be heard, though the cause was uncertain. Rio started storming towards the sound of screams, grinning, despite his apparent rage. Nah, Rio just liked cussing and ranting a bit. It felt good to blow off some steam. Now if only he could find someone who was actually willing to at least try to throw a punch.

[Rafael]

Whatever was going on it certainly wasn't good for all these humans. Rafael still hadn't gotten a clear look to what was going on although now as he kept trying to get closer to the headquarters of the Shinigami he was starting to hear the sound of someone shouting. The moderately quiet town had erupted into a loud, annoying area that Rafael was eager to get out of now.

It wasn't until he crossed in front of an opening to the main street of the district. It all happened in a blur he could see the humans running in the opposite direction terrified, some of them simply children. Then he saw what they were running from, a freaking shake! Just like that Rafael was suddenly in the street picking up the three humans that were in danger of being hit by the shake in his massive mouth and carrying them forward. It wasn't until the shake hit the ground behind him that Rafael even realized what had just happened.

Why had he risked a small structure hitting him to save humans? Especially when two of them looked to be simply criminals who ran away from him immediately. The other though was different. Perhaps he was just like him when he had been a human. The small boy raised a hand and pet his nose. "Get out of here." Rafael turned unsure of what had just happened and why it felt the way it did. He hated them, but maybe some weren't like the others. Or was the change with him?

Now that he was in the street though Rafael turned around and saw the individual that was attacking the town. He was a large man yet he seemed different. He couldn't tell why, but he was obviously a problem. Rafael had no reason to stay and protect these people though. They hadn't helped him or his friends when the shinigami had attacked them. Could they have done anything though? Could they do anything now?

Next thing he knew the problem was right in front of him.

"A bigass cat? Get fuckin' lost!"

Rafael was in danger in this form! In the next instant as the issue kicked towards him Rafael reverted back to his actual body and the man would find his leg stopped not from reaching the maximum length, but from receiving a force of equal strength. Rafael would appear in front of the man now looking down on him slightly a cold anger in his eyes. He could tell something was off and perhaps he had just made a bad decision by the throbbing in his shin.

"Looking for someone that can push you huh. Let's see if you're worth all the talk then loud mouth."

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio's eyes narrowed as he suddenly found his kick blocked. True, he had not put all his force behind the kick-- deeming it not worth the trouble, but few people out there, could block the kicks of Rio Demoniogalgo. The Quinta Espada was a prodigious physical specimen and the number of people that he had encountered that could stop even his most casual of blows could be counted on one hand. Yet this strange furry creature had done it. That... That made Rio angry. As most things tended to. The Quinta Espada had a temper as short as it was violent. Rio was a hypocrite. A man who lived at the extremes of emotion. He'd been looking for a good fight with a Shinigami but this creature wasn't what he'd been expected. "What the hell are you, you filthy little furball!?" Rio snarled at him. His leg had been repelled by Rafael's and he had planted it back down, not yet in a fighting stance. Rio was a huge person by human proportions, standing almost seven feet tall. And yet the Espada still found himself looking up at Ranth instead of down. The Espada sneered at Rafael. "Are you volunteering to die in the place of these worms?" He asked.

The panther answered that he was willing to take up Rio's challenge. The Espada spit at the ground. "You think you can push me? Don't get fuckin' cocky with me, bitch." Rio snapped back. Hmm. Nah, not a bitch. That'd be a compliment to a kitten like the one in front of him. But Rio did see the anger in Rafael's eyes and a mocking, slasher smile crossed his face. "You're angry at me? Why? Do you care about this trash?" Rio asked. "Is that why you're in my way? Pathetic." Rio struck. The Espada's fist flashed outwards at what was shoulder height to Rio, but would impact Rafael solidly, right below the chest, with a right straight. Many boxers or martial artists would always advise to test distance and the opponent's defenses with jabs or feints. Rio didn't give a flying fuck about that. Those tips were for people who hadn't spent 4,000 years learning their body mechanics down to the most precise millimeter. Those tips were for people that lacked the confidence to react to an opponent's counters even with a committed strike. Those tips were for people who were not Rio fucking Demoniogalgo.

Rio's fist flew at Rafael's chest with immense, crashing force. The same force and strength that had allowed him to rip a building out of the ground with ease. And Rio followed it right up with a left hook to the liver, and then a right uppercut hurtling up from below. Rio was a big man, but in the Hollow world, there were plenty that were bigger than him. And despite his brutish exterior, he was still a very skilled fighter. He knew that Rafael would have a much more difficult time fighting him in close range, deep inside his reach. The Beast Clan's blows would be limited, be forced to come in at more predictable angles. Rio, however, could hammer Rafael's entire body with his attacks. At close range, Rafael's hips, torso, legs and chest could be attacked from a variety of angles, and direct defenses against Rio's uppercuts at such close range were limited. Besides. Rio was more comfortable fighting at extreme close range anyways. He loved it when he was splattered in the blood of his enemies. "Tell ya what pussycat. You give me a half decent round, and maybe instead of tearing your fucking head off and feeding it to the crows, I'll just put a collar on you." He mocked Rafael. Rio's three punch combo was quick and efficient but it wasn't done. After throwing his upper cut, Rio allowed a half-second pause. Not so much to give Rafael pause, but to break up the rhythm of his attacks. To make Rafael consider for but a moment that the attack sequence was done, right before the Espada used the close range he'd used his combination of punches to throw, in order to ram Rafael's body with his shoulder, in a forceful drive to knock the Panther-Man to the ground.

Each of Rio's three punches was aimed at drawing him close for that. The straight-- a medium ranged punch. The hook? Close range. One. Two. Each bringing Rio a step closer to Rafael. And the uppercut? Well, when Rio had stepped in with his upper cut, he had been intending to reach chest to.... erm.... ribs. With Rafael, to throw the blow straight up at his jaw. And at that range, the shoulder ram was perfectly solid. "Come on T'Challa!" Rio mocked, vaguely remembering that name of some weird superhero movie he'd heard one of the Fraccion talking about. "Show me what you fucking got, you little shit! I'll break your fucking spine!" He roared triumphantly. Rio was angry, yes, but he was growing eager at the prospect of what might turn out to be an actually decent fight. At the very least, based on the strength Rafael had shown, he could probably be a serviceable punching bag for awhile. The Quinta's rage soared, as the battle between the two titans began.

[Rafael]

He had faced off against more than a few different adversaries since this second life had began yet this man gave off an aura he hadn’t felt before. He didn’t know what he was feeling, all he knew was that this guy was dangerous. His kick had quite a bit of force behind it which told Rafael if nothing else he had trained physically enough to be a threat.

“I’m the challenge you’ve been looking for.” Rafael had overheard the child like screaming of this strange man from some distance and all he could feel right now was the overwhelming urge to beat the living shit out of him. He was nothing more than a bully and bullies needed to be destroyed. “I hate them, but the children are innocent. I will not stand by while you attack them as well.” The two of them were definitely going to clash against one another, but just as he had surmised this man was a loud mouth bully who just didn’t know how to shut the fuck up.

This man just never stopped speaking. “Get on with your tantrum little man. Everyone here can’t wait for your smug ass to get throw back into whatever pit you crawled out of.” The anger spitting between the both of them was then ceased when he struck forward utilizing his fist with a straight strike aimed to hit just below his pectoral muscles. As big as he was Rafael had seen how strong this guy was although his upper limit was still a mystery. Flexing his torso as much as he could Rafael took the strike and could feel the pain of the punch. This guy was physically stronger than him at the moment.

He would have to eliminate this guy fast otherwise he ran the risk of suffering serious injury. Not to mention if another large scale problem surfaced in an area like this more Shinigami would arrive. He had come here to get a good look at the stronghold of the Shinigami, but now it seemed he would be lucky to progress even a little more. His left hand would latch onto this guys forearm and immediately squeeze as tightly as he could in an attempt to crush his muscles and at the bare minimum fracture his bone. The true assault began now though as a swing was sent towards his liver. Blocking the swing with his right knee Rafael managed to stop the hook by impacting the forearm surface.

He couldn’t go on the offense as he held back the might of this loud mouth. Changing up his attack next came an uppercut with the right that had just been blocked. It wasn’t something that he had practiced much, but it was the best thing he could think of at the moment. Pulling on the left arm towards the left Rafael would attempt to hurl this dude through the air towards the shakes and stalls on the left with enough force to easily break through the wood. “So much talking from someone who has yet to show me he’s anything more than muscle. You can keep running your mouth all you want in the end you’ll be the one laying in a pool of your own blood.”

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

The panther had opted to try and boast of being the challenge that Rio was looking for. Rio raised an eyebrow. "Based on what, shitstain?" He snapped back. The line about protecting children, caused Rio to laugh. "Oh whatever. They'll be fine, I wasn't aiming at them. And if a few of them happen to get squashed like the ants they are, so what? If they were stronger, it wouldn't happen." Rio answered. "Look at this whole stupid society. It's worthless. Weak trash like this lives so mindlessly and stupidly. If they weren't prepared for someone like me comin' along they shouldn't be living so unprotected." Rio answered. "This happens because the weak get bold, and it's my job to make sure they remember their place in the world." He smirked. "Sorta like I'm about to do to you, cat-freak."

The Panther shot a barb at Rio and the Espada laughed at him. "Well, you've got a mouth on you, don't ya. You'll be fun conversation if nothing else!" Rio chuckled at Rafael's expense. The Panther took Rio's first blow, a solid blow to the solarplexis, which, even with two individuals of comparable strength, would likely knock the wind out of the Beast Clan. Rafael attempted to counter, instead of blocking or dodging, but by grabbing Rio's forearm and squeezing. A futile effort. This was certainly something Rafael could get away with against normal opponents, with his own immense physical strength. But Rio was much, much stronger than that. And the forearm was quite difficult to crush just by squeezing it, regardless of how large Rafael's hands were. With the gap in strength between them, there was no way his squeeze was going to do much more than annoy Rio. It was unlikely to even cause much of a bruise. Rio gave him a flat look. "What, you just wanna hold hands, dumbass?" Rio exclaimed, as Rafael blocked his hook with a knee strike, catching his forearm with the appendage and stopping the blow in its tracks.

Then Rafael avoided Rio's hook by throwing the Espada through the air. Rio was flung by Rafael's formidable strength but in the same instant Rio was thrown, Rafael would feel a sharp and heavy impact slam into his jawline. An invisible force had just struck him in the instant he had flung Rio. It was true that by throwing Rio he'd managed to prevent Rio throwing the uppercut, but as Rio was thrown, the Espada had countered by throwing a shockwave off of a kick. Not a conventional shockwave either. This one was focused and fast, about the size of a baseball, with all of Rio's power concentrated behind it, so that the blow from Rio's shockwave was not unlike being kicked by Rio personally. A very unpleasant experience, if not, for most people, a fatal one. Most individuals, were they to take a shockwave hit like that would find themselves out a lower jaw entirely, their tongue dangling horribly from the hole that was their mouth. Rafael was likely stronger than that, but a blow to the jaw could still be quite disorienting. Either way though, his throw was a success, and Rio was flung through a cluster of stalls that crashed around him, falling to pieces as the Quinta was thrown through then. There was a brief moment where the dust settled. And then as Rafael delivered his taunt, there was an answer in kind.

"Hah.... That's cute, furball." Rio was picking himself up off the ground, splintered remains of the stalls he had crashed through falling from his shoulders as he did. "Anything more than muscle, huh? I could say the same to you." Rio began walking back towards Rafael. "You've got a bit of muscle yourself it's true... but if that's all you've got to rely on, you are gonna be a dead man very soon." Rio informed the Beast Clan, as he began to walk back. There wasn't much sign of injury on Rio. Some dust, sure, but very little actual noticeable damage. Rio reached over and his fingers crushed into the remains of one of the stalls he had been thrown through. With apparent ease, he lifted the stall up... Then lunged at Rafael, swinging the stall sideways like an improvised club. If Rafael was actually struck by the stall, it would likely shatter into pieces, with minimal damage but it could still knock Rafael off balance to allow Rio to follow up with a second attack like before. And it also extended Rio's reach, making a counter-attack more difficult for Rafael. How could Rafael fight back when Rio was outside his reach?

[Rafael]

What he felt as he tightened the grip of his left hand was something that he was definitely not anticipating. The muscle beneath the skin that quite honestly felt like a sheet of metal was dense, tough enough that his grip couldn't breach through and damage the inner workings. This had already proved to be much different than all of his previous fights. Throughout all of his intentions in this life he had only ever come across a couple of others stronger than himself.

This guy wasn't a Beast and the weird white mask on his face told Rafael that he most likely wasn't a Shinigami either. He wore different clothes when all of them wore the same uniform. He had come across a creature almost a year ago that had a white mask covering its face that had also been strong. Perhaps this was what they could become? Although it was quite possible that this guy could become like that creature as well. Rafael had no clue about what he was or how it all worked all he knew now was that he was going to need to put in a lot more effort.

The small exchange between them although only the first was a clear indicator that this guy knew how to fight. Rafael after he had just thrown him several meters away through the stalls of wood that decorated the street felt his face wash over him with pain. If he had still been human perhaps this would have been enough to stop him or at the very least make him reconsider fighting. Now though with all of the pain that he had been through, the dislocated, fractured jaw was only a moderate wound.

Raising his right hand Rafael grabbed his jaw yanking the lower section of his face back into place releasing a grunt of pain. Wiggling his jaw from one side to the next in order to work out whether he had full movement once again. This guy was definitely a problem. Still though he had a few others he had crossed that he would rather not face even when compared to this asshole. Perhaps it was time to let him know that. "Well you're not just a loud mouth it seems. Still though the way you spoke I thought you'd hit harder than that Shinigami girl at least."

Rafael had decided, he couldn't allow this guy any sort of time to think or act. He'd have to go completely full throttle otherwise he risked actually losing and the little kids being killed. So the moment that this guy reached down Rafael knew he was going to do something. Stepping forward Rafael would vanish executing the technique known as Shunpo to close the gap in an instant. He'd appear inside the guard of this guy raising his right knee ready to hit the entire lower gut. Likewise he was bringing his left elbow down angled to strike the top of this guys head. If he managed to block he'd have to deal with Rafael's tail, the long black appendage happened to move silently around to grab a leg and then hurl him through the street again.

Remaining Reiatsu: 2950/3000
Shunpo: {-50}

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

The big cat seemed somewhat alarmed at the fact that his crushing grip was ineffective on Rio. Poor thing. He wasn't used to fighting people as strong as him, or stronger it seemed. Well, it wasn't surprising. Rio acknowledged the panther's physical strength as being considerable to be sure. But against him? Against Rio? No, no, no, it wasn't near enough. "Dumbass." Rio snarked, right before Rafael attempted to disengage with his throw. Even in mid-flight, Rio was pleased to see that his shockwave kick had succeeded in causing a considerable injury to Rafael's jaw, as he was blasted through the market stands. Anyways... That hit had only hurt his opponent. It hadn't beaten him. Hadn't taken him out. And for that, Rio was quite pleased. This wouldn't be any fun at all if the big guy went down just like that! Rio advanced on Rafael, ripping up the market stand as the Beast Clan answered his taunts. Rio laughed at the insult. "Aw, that was just a love tap. Don't worry! I'll let you experience what I can really do once I pull your spine out your neck!" Rio answered beginning his counter-attack.

Rafael, however, seemed intent on seizing the initiative. He attacked Rio with a step technique. Shunpo, huh? Rio thought. The Espada immediately released the stall he'd been wielding as an improvised weapon, sending it flying, where it crashed through the wall of a nearby building, splintering both itself and smashing the wall apart. One more piece of property damage. One more Rukongai citizen without a safe home to come back to. Not that Rio cared one way or the other. That was incidental damage. Accidental. He didn't care about the damage he caused to the area. All he was focused on, was breaking down the punk who thought he could take the Quinta Espada-- the fifth strongest arrancar alive (would that be undead?....Huh. Odd terminology. Anyways--), just because he had a bit of muscle on him.

Rafael would find something extremely surprising though. When he threw a knee strike at Rio, he'd feel a sudden resistance, before his knee made contact. Almost like it had run into an outwardly expanding invisible wall-- no, perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as an immensely powerful wind. Rafael's knee wasn't stopped, but he'd find it slowed, as Rio unleashed an unfocused shockwave. Among Rio's talents was a prodigious mastery of utilizing his great strength to produce shockwaves. Rio had reached such a level of mastery, in fact, that merely flexing his muscles was enough to produce a "weak" shockwave. Of course. In this case. Weak was relative. Even an unfocused shockwave could shatter the bones of a normal human, but in this case, it was merely a decent amount of resistance. Insufficient to stop the knee, but enough to slow it down to such an extent that Rio simply stepped aside, the knee passing harmlessly through space. As Rafael swung his fist down on Rio, Rio answered, simultaneously throwing a punch at the cat's liver (or where the liver would be on a normal human, while lifting his left hand to catch Rafael's elbow. The elbow slammed down into Rio's palm, forcing the Espada's arm to bend slightly from the impact. Rafael was strong, certainly and the elbow strike was forceful, almost pushing through Rio's guard. But Rio's defense held, preventing the elbow strike from reaching his head, while Rio's own fist went to crash into one of Rafael's fleshy organs. Liver blows tended to hurt. A lot. A fact Rafael would be learning very shortly if Rio's punch met its target.

Rafael's tail strike was successful, however. Gripping Rio's leg and flinging the Espada aside, through the street. This time, Rio was prepared, and as he was flung through the street, he turned in mid-air. The long throws Rafael was attempting gave Rio time to react, even at the velocity he was thrown, and the Espada landed feet first, down the street, skidding along it. "That all you got? You trying to take me for a carnival ride or something?" Rio mocked as he raised a hand. A green orb began to form in the Espada's palm as he charged his next move. A Cero! "Get fucked." A colossal pillar of light blasted out of Rio's palm, engulfing the space between the two. Even if Rafael blocked or dodged, it wouldn't completely stop. The Cero would rush over him like a wave, leveling even further the district, and leave Rafael standing in a field of scorched rubble afterward, along with any damage he might have sustained from the powerful reiatsu blast.

Reiatsu Remaining: 1800/2000 (-200 for Cero)

[Rafael]

His jaw was throbbing while he could feel the taste of blood on his tongue. That strike from this asshole felt like he had been hit with an iron bar. It hurt yet it wasn’t the worse thing he had experienced by far. Now though as the exchange between them continued Rafael began to realize this guy really had to be something different. He wasn’t like the shinigami nor any of the humans in the village. He just was different.

He had to try and take this guy out otherwise he would actually have a problem and so would all the children. He didn’t really believe that most of the adults deserved to be saved, but the kids definitely didn’t deserve to be crushed by some random asshole. He knew now though that his strength wasn’t something that could be underestimated nor ignored. He was stronger than him which wasn’t something he found as much as he had a year ago. Now it was time to put more effort into beating this bully down to the ground and throwing him out of this . . . Poor town.

Executing the technique he had picked up to accelerate his movement Rafael would close the distance in a moment planning to knee this bastard in the stomach, but raising his leg brought attention to a problem he hadn’t ever faced. Somehow he was managing to stop his leg by using a shockwave. How could he do that though? Rafael had learned a few months ago that by punching the air or even just striking it in anyway now he could cause one. He hadn’t ever thought about making one as a defense. The force opposing his knee was strong yet he managed to use through although this bastard managed to get out of the way just in the nick of time.

If nothing else he was giving Rafael ideas and showing him that despite how much he had improved he still had worlds of training left before he reached the peak of what was now possible. The next step in the sequence of combat that Rafael planned to unleash upon this foe was meant with a brutal blow to his side. He could feel the impact shake him as his muscles began to bleed from the strike. His own though would just have to be that much worse! The simple elbow wouldn’t do. He only had a moment, but he could see that his blow was going to be intercepted.

When his elbow met the hand of this prick the loud mouth would find the blow wasn’t typical. He wouldn’t be able to just catch it with no consequence now that Rafael really knew he couldn’t pull any sort of power. He had to utilize a technique that he had been told about while he had still been human. One that at the time had sounded simply fiction. He had been practicing for hours, days, weeks. Picking it up and increasing his proficiency with it until now he felt like this legendary strike could help him bring down even this gorilla of a man. Upon impact the hand would crack almost like glass spreading across his hand only for blood to immediately start oozing out from the numerous wounds that would now leave his hand in more than likely critical condition.

Neither of them would manage to get off another blow to the other as Rafael was successful in hurling the douche down the street. He wasn’t hurt or even hit the ground in a negative way this time though. He managed to land on his feet although now the distance between them had increased once more. Based on what he could see the distance was roughly thirty meters. He still wasn’t expecting what came next though as this bastard extended his arm only for a bright light to form in his palm.

Rafael couldn’t really explain what he was feeling, but for some reason he had the notion that he was in danger right now even from the distance that separated them. It was like all of the fur that covered his back was attempting to crawl right off of his body. He knew that he had to get away, but if he moved he risked whatever attack this ass was preparing hitting some of the children. He risked their homes being destroyed even more. Not just because of the unwelcome guest, but because of his own actions. He couldn’t bring himself to listen to his own animal instincts and rush for cover.

He stood his ground slamming his paws down intending the dirt beneath him several inches. A foothold now secure Rafael inhaled through his nose as fast as he could his lungs expanding rapidly surpassing the size of the asshats head. When the moment came and the cero was fired Rafael could see just what sort of attack was coming at him now. In a roar to rival every animal king Rafael fought back the reiatsu beam with a shockwave of his own might. All across the district, no the sound would be heard for hundreds of miles, to the corresponding districts, the cero meeting the roar of the panther.

It would take little more than a moment for the shockwave of the panther to break through the strength of the cero dispersing while pushing through the attack until after another moment it would reach this dick. The technique that Rafael had utilized to match the cero though was sadly unable to inflict any sort of harm. If it accomplished anything it would be sending his foe backwards several feet. Rafael was fed up already shifting his stance and executing the acceleration technique known as shunpo once again. He pushed off the ground with his left paw as he closed the distance in an attempt to slam his right knee against his foe as he flew through the street at his accelerated speed.

Remaining Reiatsu: 2850/3000
Shunpo: {-50}

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio felt pain flood through his hand when he intercepted Rafael's elbow strike. Felt blood drip along his palm as his palm was split open. Rio was surprised, but as a veteran of thousands of battles, it didn't stop him. It barely slowed him, in fact. Rio's own blow hammered into Rafael and he could see an expression of pain in Rafael's eyes. "This is all new to you isn't it?" Rio crowed, even as he got flung away. As Rio charged his Cero he continued to taunt Rafael. "You're so green it's sad. You've got some strength and skill, sure. But based on how you're reacting... This is the first time you've fought someone stronger than you in a long time, isn't it?" Rio asked. "You're not used to fighting someone that can match you blow for blow." Blood trickled from Rio's hand, but in spite of the pain, Rio simply balled his injured hand into a fist. Its strength for grappling might be somewhat lessened by that injury, but it wouldn't stop him. Rio was a Spartan. He was a warrior. He was used to pain. The injury might weaken his strikes if he was willing to check it. Its grip strength was probably down too. But if Rio didn't care about the pain he could still use it as it was meant to be used, in a fist. He could still hit Rafael with it, with either a weaker blow, if he cared about protecting his hand, or just as hard if he was willing to damage it further. It would really depend.

Rio's Cero blasted out and Rafael countered with a shockwave roar that dispersed Rio's Cero. The Quinta's eyes opened slightly in surprise, but he raised his arms in a cross in front of him and braced himself. The shockwave rolled over Rio almost flinging the Espada off his feet, but the Espada dug in his heels and resisted the roar sending him backwards, feet digging furrows in the earth as Rio fought to hold his ground. Then. Just as Rio seemed about to be flung, the Espada hurled out his arms with a bellow of his own, unleashing his own shockwave against Rafael's and breaking through. His own shockwave, possessing greater strength than Rafael's and with Rio's greater mastery, broke through Rafael's air blast, racing toward Rafael, just as the Panther lunged at Rio with Shunpo.

Rafael wasn't going to reach Rio with that Shunpo this time though. Rafael's Shunpo, was going to rapidly bring him on a crash course with Rio's shockwave. And this wasn't like the weaker shockwave that had slowed Rafael's knee before. This was a wall of 800 strength force hurtling towards Rafael. A wall of force that he was about to collide with. Although more dispersed than Rio's previous shockwave that had caught Rafael's jaw, this one would have no give at all, and still possessed enough force to demolish any of the buildings around them. The shockwave would, at the very least, stop Rafael in his tracks, if not forcibly blast him backwards and over, when he collided with it. If Rafael was unfortunate enough to ram into it at his Shunpo speed, he'd likely take tremendous damage from both a higher strength than his own, as well as the high velocity he'd hit it at.

Rio began a slow methodical approach towards Rafael, following his shockwave. Rafael might have had some counter or another, but assuming that Rafael had indeed struck headlong into the Quinta's shockwave, Rio would advance on the panther and continue his little speech. "See? Green as new grass. I am a veteran, cat." He stated. "What have you got besides that strength of yours? You gutted my hand with that little trick of yours, but so what?" Rio clenched his fist and blood visibly seeped from it. "I can still break your ribs with it. I'll still crush your skull with it." He hissed. "Maybe you think you're some big hero, coming to the defense of the weak? Thing about heroes though... A lot of them end up dead, when they get in over their head." Rio had a savage grin of delight on his face as he advanced on Rafael. "Maybe if you'd gotten a bit more experience you coulda returned and taken me. Maybe. Well. Nah. Not even then. But you might have at least been a challenge. Like this? You don't have a fucking clue what you're doing do you? You're hitting me hard, you're hitting me with skill, but you're leaving yourself wide open to my counters. Let me guess. You're used to people being afraid of getting hit by you?" Rio laughed. "Well if you're not down from that, then come on! Test yourself against someone who's not afraid of that thing you call a punch? Let me pound this experience into your feline skull, and spend what's left of your short life lamenting that you dared to raise a hand against Rio Demoniogalgo!"

[Rafael]

The dirt beneath and around the toes of his feet was a feeling that Rafael had always welcomed especially after his second life had began. There was just something so natural about it. It brought him a feeling of comfort even if he didn't quite understand why all the same though it was helping him now as his roar clashed with whatever sort of attack this douche had just fired off towards him. All he could see about the attack other than it was coming right for him, simply the color and the fact it looked sort of like lightning, but also fire. So strange.

Thankfully though it seemed that he was correct in his assumption that this guy despite having physical strength that surpassed his own didn't have the sort of . . . well whatever determined the power of these sorts of magic attacks to rival the shinigami. The beam of energy was decimated by Rafael's roar giving the panther the false hope that he needed to rush inwards and plan the assault against this enemy. He had to finish this quickly now otherwise he was risking the shinigami getting here and then he'd be in a real corner. He wasn't afraid of fighting even someone stronger than him like this guy in a one on one fight, but if he was out numbered and facing off against him as well. That wasn't a fight to welcome.

Taking off from his standing position rushing this dude at his accelerated pace Rafael was ready to deal a flying knee to his chest only to see his arms raise as he began to move. This wasn't good at this point he couldn't stop himself from continuing forward even though it seemed this guy was going to pull something else off and he was running right into it. Flexing his arms in front of him along with the rest of his body turning himself almost into a massive clump of metal from the strength of his muscles Rafael took the impact of the shockwave sent right at him. In less than a moment he was sent backwards slamming through the building that had been behind him. The ground torn up in a linear line making his resistance as he lay upon broken wood of the shacks these people had only this morning called their homes.

It only took him a moment to get back up the fur and skin on his arms was torn right off revealing the pink of his flesh beneath along with a bit of red from his blood. "You really never shut the fuck up do you? I've never met anyone who's loved their own voice quite this much. You're worse than a twelve year old girl. It's quite sad though that you think yourself so impressive when I've fought several others stronger than you. One of which was a tiny little red head shinigami. Haha you've got all that confidence and yet a little girl could still lay you out. I might be green, but that's hilarious." Rafael would have to give this everything which meant holding back wasn't really an option any longer. He'd likely be forced to utilize his ability as well as every bit of his strength and skill.

So the panther began to stretch. He couldn't let his guard down and thus he never took his eyes off the enemy, but the large Beast brought his right over across his chest grabbing his elbow and pulling to the left. Lifting his legs, bending his back even wobbling his head from side to side a bit. He took this time to really look over his opponent. Yeah he was still running his mouth, but for the most part Rafael just didn't have anything to say to him anymore he was simply annoying. What he saw though was that his technique had managed to inflict a good deal of damage even if this guy claimed otherwise. That simply meant that if he could land the blow one or even two more times in different more essential areas than perhaps he could bring this guy down before any shinigami arrived. "You talk just to much. If you find me so green than prove it and end me." Rafael got into his fighting stance now giving his opponent the opportunity to attack him.

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio laughed at Rafael, even as the Beast Clan absorbed his Shockwave, getting blasted back. Good, good, he could even take a hit like that. Maybe Rio had underestimated him just a tad. That mistake would have liquified anyone else, but Rafael was proving an enjoyable punching bag. "Well, if you want me to stop, shut me up yourself." Rio replied snarkily, as he advanced, bringing his hands together and cracking his knuckles. Rafael threw out some taunts and Rio frowned. "That was weak. Try harder next time." He replied, in a disappointed tone. Rafael's little stretch show didn't amuse Rio much either. "If you find me so green, then prove it and end me."

Rio sighed heavily. "...Sure. Why the fuck not." Rio lunged forward. Demonstrating more restraint than Rafael had previously, the Espada was not using a Step technique, but instead using a natural sprint, allowing him time to react to incoming attacks if Rafael threw them out. Rio closed in rapidly, right before another invisible blast of force would hit Rafael. Wait what--!? How!? Well, the answer would be unpleasant if Rafael worked it out, and potentially terrifying. Rio was a master of shockwave techniques. He had mastered the art to an incredibly high level, such that the Espada could have been considered to have turned shockwaves into a martial art. With three points in shockwaves, Rio could generate them even just by the motion of his running, and as he closed into Rafael's fighting range, as his foot hit the ground, it emitted a shockwave with almost no telegraph, exploding out to blast Rafael's feet out from under him. Right into another uppercut from Rio. The technique was timed with expert precision, such that if the shockwave took out Rafael's legs, the panther-man would actually fall right into Rio's upcoming fist, and be smashed flying into the sky, where he would no doubt be left incredibly vulnerable to Rio's future shockwaves.

Rio would follow this attack up by spinning away from Rafael with a spinning backhand with his left arm, hurtling a crescent shaped shockwave to follow-up his uppercut. This next move served two purposes. If Rafael was able to defend the shockwave, it would create space and enable Rio to avoid a counter-strike from Rafael. Additionally, the new shockwave was aimed at Rafael's ribs. If the sequence was successful it would add another hit to the combo and accelerate Rafael's skyward journey. If Rafael had blocked or countered, it would be a new move to defend against, one that could blast him hurtling through the rest of the building and demolish it around him. Rio seemed to have worked out Rafael's reach by now, and was fighting with the precision of an expert fighter, fighting now just outside Rafael's reach, where the panther would have little time to react to Rio's shockwaves, but where Rio would be safe from counters.

As if to finish his sequence, as Rio gauged his next move, the Espada reached for his hip and drew out his single handed spatha. "You wanna die quick and painful? One skinned kitten coming right the fuck up." He growled out. Rio's draw was not with a flourish or any elegance. It was quick and practical. The fastest way to get his sword in his hand and ready to start hacking and slashing. True, Rio didn't really think he needed it, but if Rafael wanted Rio to end him, then Rio was going to up his game to show the Panther why the Fifth Espada was someone to fear.