Post by Kaen Youji on May 14, 2022 0:56:17 GMT -5
Kaen smirked just a little at the comment being shortly cut-off. "Sorry, but this round doesn't end until you've learned a thing or two!" He chirped in amusement. "And I'm not convinced the lesson's stuck yet!" Ashland was trying to back off, but that wouldn't last. Kaen was faster than he was, his footwork was better, and even if these two things were equal, Kaen's greater experience meant he'd corner Ashland eventually. Probably sooner, rather than later. Fleeing was barely a stalling measure. Something Ashland seemed to recognize, using his escape only to buy enough time to switch his grip.
"Ho~ A reverse grip is it? I hope you've practiced it, that technique can be a little tricky to mesh with conventional swordsmanship, if you haven't trained it!" Kaen coached, launching into his attack. Ashland moved the blade such that it was clear he was intending on having Kaen cut open his own hand on his blade. A trick Kaen had seen used before. One of his own subordinates had tried this move on him in sparring, even countering Kaen's counter at the time. So Kaen had worked on devising a counter to the counter to the counter! In other words, he was feeling quite comfortable trying his traditional countermeasure to the move Ashland was trying to employ.
If all went to plan Ashland would see Kaen seemingly punch directly into his sword-- and then the fist simply glide past, to crash against his chest, and send him staggering back with a forceful strike. Kaen's target was the solarplexis-- a punch to wind Ashland. True he wouldn't land his flurry of blows, but a hit like that was still going to suck. But the real question was how Kaen's punch slipped past his blade so easily. And it was relatively simple. Kaen's preferred striking style was Karate. The traditional Karate punch came in with the fist flipped upside down, turning the fist over at the moment of impact to add torque. Kaen simply.... flipped the fist a bit early. Right as it was about to collide with Ashland's blade. A katana's edge was incredibly narrow. It was a very slight evasion, using the bare minimum of movement, but by turning his fist horizontal right before it collided with Ashland's sword Kaen's hand would glide past Ashland's maiming trap, evading being cut on his sword by the thinnest of margins and continuing on towards its intended target. There was a second defense if Ashland was somehow able to adapt his defense at the last second, but that would be a bridge crossed if it came to it.
Of course this did mean that Kaen couldn't continue with his flurry, and Ashland dodged back again. It's curious he abandoned the conventional grip and kido combination he was going for though. Most students would have tried it again after the near success the first time. He immediately discarded it and went for a new strategy. I wonder... Does that mean that this reverse grip technique is also going to be discarded immediately now that I've exposed a hole in it? Kaen wondered as he kept up his pursuit of his quarry. Ashland was backing up towards the fence now. He was going to be cornered soon. And what then? Kaen asked. What will you do when there's nowhere to run and no other option besides meeting me head on?
A question Kaen planned to answer as he drove in closer to Ashland, throwing snapping jabs at him to test his defenses-- if Ashland failed to block them with his reverse-gripped sword they may not knock him out, but he would certainly be staggered by them, as Kaen's fist lashed at his face. And the moment Kaen sensed the slightest opening or faltering in Ashland's guard or footwork. The moment he made an out-of-place piece of footwork, the Vice Captain would capitalize, with a sudden step-in and a follow-up reverse punch directly to Ashland's solarplexis again, aiming to cripple Ashland's fighting ability with a second blow to the same target!
"Ho~ A reverse grip is it? I hope you've practiced it, that technique can be a little tricky to mesh with conventional swordsmanship, if you haven't trained it!" Kaen coached, launching into his attack. Ashland moved the blade such that it was clear he was intending on having Kaen cut open his own hand on his blade. A trick Kaen had seen used before. One of his own subordinates had tried this move on him in sparring, even countering Kaen's counter at the time. So Kaen had worked on devising a counter to the counter to the counter! In other words, he was feeling quite comfortable trying his traditional countermeasure to the move Ashland was trying to employ.
If all went to plan Ashland would see Kaen seemingly punch directly into his sword-- and then the fist simply glide past, to crash against his chest, and send him staggering back with a forceful strike. Kaen's target was the solarplexis-- a punch to wind Ashland. True he wouldn't land his flurry of blows, but a hit like that was still going to suck. But the real question was how Kaen's punch slipped past his blade so easily. And it was relatively simple. Kaen's preferred striking style was Karate. The traditional Karate punch came in with the fist flipped upside down, turning the fist over at the moment of impact to add torque. Kaen simply.... flipped the fist a bit early. Right as it was about to collide with Ashland's blade. A katana's edge was incredibly narrow. It was a very slight evasion, using the bare minimum of movement, but by turning his fist horizontal right before it collided with Ashland's sword Kaen's hand would glide past Ashland's maiming trap, evading being cut on his sword by the thinnest of margins and continuing on towards its intended target. There was a second defense if Ashland was somehow able to adapt his defense at the last second, but that would be a bridge crossed if it came to it.
Of course this did mean that Kaen couldn't continue with his flurry, and Ashland dodged back again. It's curious he abandoned the conventional grip and kido combination he was going for though. Most students would have tried it again after the near success the first time. He immediately discarded it and went for a new strategy. I wonder... Does that mean that this reverse grip technique is also going to be discarded immediately now that I've exposed a hole in it? Kaen wondered as he kept up his pursuit of his quarry. Ashland was backing up towards the fence now. He was going to be cornered soon. And what then? Kaen asked. What will you do when there's nowhere to run and no other option besides meeting me head on?
A question Kaen planned to answer as he drove in closer to Ashland, throwing snapping jabs at him to test his defenses-- if Ashland failed to block them with his reverse-gripped sword they may not knock him out, but he would certainly be staggered by them, as Kaen's fist lashed at his face. And the moment Kaen sensed the slightest opening or faltering in Ashland's guard or footwork. The moment he made an out-of-place piece of footwork, the Vice Captain would capitalize, with a sudden step-in and a follow-up reverse punch directly to Ashland's solarplexis again, aiming to cripple Ashland's fighting ability with a second blow to the same target!