A Rogue encounter [DP PVP | Madelyn]

[Deleted]

Name: A rogue encounter

Participants: Caballero and Madelyn

Location: Karakura

Threat Level: DP

Plotline: As usual, Caballero is patrolling Karakura Town to ensure that no Hollows are roaming about in search of a snack. Since they're not being precisely subtle about their patrols, they may get spotted by a certain Rogue...

[Deleted]

The sun had already begun to set in Karakura Town, and with it, it was another day closer to summer time. That meant that its denizens would be out and about more than before, enjoying the warmer weather and the extra hours of sunlight. Of course, that also meant that they would be far more exposed to any Hollows that prowled about the spiritual hub the city had become in search for a tasty snack, ready to prey on the unsuspecting humans and the helpless Plus that crowded the area. Fortunately for the latter and unfortunately for those monsters, things would be different that summer. Standing on air ground right above town, making no attempts to conceal themselves and banking on the fact that their small size would make them difficult to see at that height even for those spiritually aware, Caballero patrolled the rooftops of Karakura, keeping a watchful gaze not just on the crowds, but on those that were alone as well.

While they kept their Reiatsu in check so as to not crush anyone with their gravitational pressure, they also made sure that any Hollow watching would have it easy to catch a whiff of what might be raining down from above if they even thought about killing a human. When finishing watching over an area, they moved on to the next, and then to the next. They would do that in repeat until they found one or two Hollows to strike down and maybe sate the faint itch of hunger, although they were doing a much better job at keeping it at bay since becoming an Adjuchas. The only times they had to be careful was when the Shinigami squadrons were patrolling, but high ranking officers that could compete with their current power level were few in number. If an unseated came to strike them down, Caballero would be more than willing to entertain them with some lessons in swordplay, but it would be clear they'd only be playing. In any case, they would leave the scene if they thought that the Shinigami would be calling for reinforcements, as there was no need to focus Soul Society's attention on their existence.

How ironic that was. Before, there was nothing they would've liked more than gaining recognition within the organization. Now, they knew that the more they were under notice, the better it would be for everyone; specially for the Captains they had befriended, and whose positions and maybe even lives would be endangered if that connection came to light. That didn't mean they had any hatred for Soul Society. On the contrary, if there was any way they could help them keep the peace in the world of the living, they would continue to assist in that way. That was why they chose to continue patrolling, despite the fact that it might draw more attention to themselves.

Sometimes, though, Caballero would get distracted by the exact same people they were supposed to be watching, even if it was only for one or two fleeting moments before setting themselves straight and returning to the job. There was just something about watching them going up and down, with different expressions in their faces, some of them laughing, some of them angry, some of them serious... All of them living different lives, most unaware of how close to death they could come close to at times. Many Hollows had memories of their times as human. The souls within themselves clearly did, judging from their time as a Gillian. Caballero, however, was empty beyond that burning desire of wanting to become a Shinigami. They had no recollections, not even an inkling of what their previous life had been like. Perhaps some flashes, ingrained in their very being that came through as instinctive actions, like how their swordplay had ended up greatly resembling their style.

One day, they would need to get answers. For the time being, they were content just watching from above. For a bystander with any knowledge on how Hollows preyed on Plus and humans alike, it may seem as if Caballero was scouting for their next prey, and even though it was far from the truth, not much was needed to misunderstand just from watching that scene. It was just the way the world worked, and like it or not, nothing Caballero did would be able to change that... for the time being, at least.

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

“No, no, no it’s empty, cold no please it hurts, please just make it stop, make the hurt stop.”

Madelyn pleads on the ground seemingly to herself. The happy teenager that had been learning about the spiritual world with a smile on her face wasn’t present. Although everything had been pretty bad beforehand she’d been getting lucky all things considered. She’d found someone that had been willing to help her at first, but now Lady Keira was missing. She’d met a few different people like the Shinigami and a toy that could talk, but she hadn’t seen anyone in awhile.

No everything had changed though about a month ago. She’d met another Shinigami, a nice one like the other although the second one was a lot bigger. Big enough that he could probably give the first one a piggy back ride without breaking a sweat. He’d been nice and helped her think some things through, but then one of the Hollows shows up. Stopping there though was the clear vision of her memory. All she got after that were scattered images and a sensation. A sensation she missed, one she wanted back more than anything.

That sensation had felt intoxicating, it made all the negative feelings that’d been stewing inside her heart vanish. All the worries gone, all the anxiety, depression, remorse and fear just disappeared so that the hole could be filled with thrill, joy and excitement. How could she know what it had felt like when the images in her head were bloody. These weren’t the things she enjoyed, she didn’t want to hurt anything yet she was stabbing the Hollow over and over again. She attacked that Shinigami, she hurt him badly.

Madelyn had woken up the next day unable to do anything beyond cry her eyes from her skull at what she’d done. She’d hurt someone that was so kind to her. She’d done her best after that to stay away from the Hollows in the town, scared that she’d black out again if one got too close. Scared that she’d hurt one of the people in Karakura. After a month though alone and now hungry with depression wrapping it’s fingers across her throat Madelyn grasps her left forearm squeezing and begging to experience the positive feelings as an escape from this Hell.

Just like that Madelyn heard the impact of something large landing on the top of the building she was currently leaning against. Looking upwards Madelyn sees a white mask looking down on her. A king tongue extending outwards licking its face yet the Hollow would see something strange. The crying plus met its stare with a twisted smile as her reiatsu flares off her body and her hair begins to change color from blue to white. “YES play with me!”

[Deleted]

"YES! Play with me!"

The voice came from the streets below, speaking in an eager, aggressive tone. Caballero immediately turned toward the source, silent as ever in contrast, and spotted a woman whose hair was slowly shifting colors from blue to white, in a way they had never seen before. She seemed young, just a teenager; not too far off from the age of those children they had tried--and failed--to save when Karakura's public school was the unfortunate host of a Hollow rampage. The bitter memory brought forth a pang of guilt that mercilessly surged through their bizarre body with surgical precision, hitting right where it hurt. What was more, she was clearly addressing them, as she was staring at them directly.

This immediately lit up a fire of alarm within the Adjuchas. Was that a Plus? A spiritually powerful human? Caballero, who had absolutely no ability to sense anyone's energy, was at a complete loss to tell. What they knew, however, was that she was most definitely staring at them. At the very least, she was not wearing a Shihakusho, meaning that it was highly unlikely that it was a member of the Gotei 13 down below. Shinigami very rarely came to the human world unless it was on business, and if she truly was one, she would have to be carrying her Zanpakuto, which didn't seem to be the case. That meant they would not have to worry about causing any problem for Celes, Kimiko, Akira, or any of the Shinigami that had made previous contact with them.

Focusing on the matter at hand, Caballero could feel the way she was flaring her Reiatsu, energy sensory abilities or not. She was being completely overt about it, after all. Still, something was off about this woman, and not because she was clearly picking a fight directly with an Adjuchas at her current level of power. Given how overwhelmingly positive their own soul was, they were fairly capable at discerning whether ill intent was hiding behind someone's words, and conversely, when the opposite happened as well. They didn't directly realize the duality within Madelyn Furinji, but could at least tell that something was off about her wanton disregard for her well-being and her eagerness to challenge them to battle.

In any case, Caballero could theorize all they wanted about it, but just thinking would not get them anywhere here. They would need to test the waters and truly see what was going on with her. All things considered, this person was spiritually strong, and her aggressive disposition could be worrisome for the inhabitants of Karakura. Caballero was deeply conflicted about fighting something that wasn't a Hollow, but there were times when there was no other choice. Regardless, that didn't mean they needed to go in for the kill. No, first they would test the waters, and then they could aim to restrain the woman, see what was going on with her. They carried their Purification Blade, but that weapon of theirs was dull as a toy and only served as a means to perform Konso, which they were not sure would work on a soul like her. Still, questions for later.

Still above her, the tiny Adjuchas would wait for her to come up and fight, if she had picked up on how to use the air ground in the world of the living. That would serve as further evaluation of her abilities, and if they brought the fight to the rooftops, they wouldn't have to worry about collateral damage that much. A confrontation like this, they'd usually try to end quickly so as to not cause any commotions or draw any unwanted attention, but that was not an option this time. Whatever the case, the creature tried to lure Madelyn up onto the flat surface of the rooftop by giving her a slow nod. The Adjuchas would then bring a stubby little hand under their rag, and from the dense, concentrated pitch black Reiatsu that formed their body, they produced their weapon of choice: Filo.

However, this was not the same Filo they used to bring down Hollows. Caballero purposefully lowered how concentrated the Reiatsu forming the sword was before it solidified and coalesced into their usual blade, making it weaker. They weren't that good at gauging strength levels other than a general feeling, but they felt that about half their usual power would be a good place to start. After the dulled weapon took form, the 'Destruir Huecos' engraving that had being appeared as of late did not manifest, perhaps due to their conscious choice to hold back for the time being.

Thus, Caballero waited for Madelyn to take the first move in battle, confident on their speedy sword technique.

OOC:
Reiatsu: 4000 -150 [Class 5 Filo] = 3850
Caballero's current Filo will clock in at 300 Reiatsu Strength

Stats and skills

Stat	SP	Type
Strength	75	50
Speed	400	400
Reiatsu Strength	400	600
Spiritual Pressure	400	400
Senses	100	100
Instinct	125	125
Energy Sensory	0	0
Healing Expertise	0	0
Light Aura	100
Dark Aura	0

Saber Filo: 2
Strength of Will: 2
Learning: 1
Lack of fear: 1
Battle Focus: 1

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

A white mask that appeared to be formed from bone, the only thing Madelyn knew meant she was looking at a Hollow. A creature that normally she’d be scared of would usually tear the flesh from her bone. She knew that a Hollow could normally kill her yet at the moment all she felt was that joy. The very sensation she’d been pleading, begging to experience again was now pulsating throughout her body. What should have been scary had turned into pure excitement Madleyn couldn’t explain why, but the prospect of cutting into the tiny body staring down at her was excilerating!

This one even from the angle she was looking at right now seemed smaller than all the other Hollows Madelyn had seen, but her mind wasn’t really processing information beyond what she felt. Her blue hair suddenly gone as the sight of the Hollow sent her further than she’d been previously. Last time she’d lost control her upper body as a whole had been changed. The first time it had only been her left arm. Whatever was causing these feelings, whatever was pushing her to fight it was gaining more and more ground on the clueless soul. Who now stood her entire body it’s plaything.

Long white hair with strands of bright pink laced throughout, not only her left yet both arms changed clad in black armor as dark as the night sky. Her torso clad in the same armor yet the front of her chest offering up an almost obvious bait with its bare appearance. The black armor extends down covering her hips and back with the only openings located in the arch of her back and her navel. She could feel the blades attached to her fingers almost like nails. The blades embedded into both her forearms were something completely different.

Madelyn couldn’t function just smiling in a twisted manner at the edges of her lips while her eyes danced apart from one another, at the moment she looked like something completely different than the groveling coward from a fence moments ago. The control extended further, taking her lower body for the first time. The front of her legs clad in the armor while the back matched for the most part. Leaving open another section like the torso. This time though it was a spot most wouldn’t think to even attack, her buttocks and upper section of the back thigh were exposed.

Obtaining a full transformation even Madelyn’s feet were altered now propped up by blades seemingly from the bottom of her foot. Although she was clad in armor the fact it gave her a heel made from a blade was something more outlandish than the openings in her armor. Her eyes glowing bright pink with crude jagged lines present across her body, from her face down her forearms to even on the back of her buttocks. She’d been changed into a weapon that someone else created and yet she couldn’t even form the thought to question why.

Like a switch being flipped, Madelyn's reiatsu would surge once more even higher as her hair grows outwards one moment then two tendrils would rush upwards. Long cable like extensions of her white hair rushing upwards at a speed of 650. The front of both tendrils shaped like a sharp barb ready to pierce then lock in whatever they hit. The tendrils wouldn’t target this Hollow though no they were positioned to strike the top of the building side going through the material. The moment afterwards Madelyn would pull with her hair sending herself up off the ground into the air towards the Hollow.

Her normal speed wasn’t anything that had been developed yet using the power of her hair Madelyn surpassed her body's limitations moving up at a speed of 300. Getting up to meet the Hollow face to face as she sees a blade in its hand. Her twisted smile spreads even further, her bright perfect teeth on full display while her eyes scream into the empty holes on the mask that this fight was all she cared about now.

The forearm blade on her right arm grew in size while getting up into the air allowing it to now extend outwards becoming her short sword. Although the distance between them would only be a couple feet at this point Madelyn thrusts her right arm outwards in an amateur attempt to stab this Hollow. Its small body would make landing a thrust much more difficult, but the moment Madelyn’s arm would reach its full reach the blade on her arm would extend further, seemingly growing to accomplish what her body couldn’t. “I will paint with your blood!”

Level 4: 1/5

Remaining Reiatsu: 1400/1650
Bakkoto: -200
Tendrils: -50

Reference:
Forearm Blades: 300/800 Strength/Speed. Can now extend up to 3 meters.
Hair Tendrils: 300/650 Strength/Speed - Costs 25 Reiatsu. (per weapon/per post) Can now reach up to a distance of 20 meters.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Strength: 30
Speed: 120
Spiritual Pressure: 165
Reiatsu Strength: 95
Instinct: 50
Senses: 50
Energy Sensory: 0
Healing Expertise: 0
Light Aura: 100
Dark Aura: 0

Charisma: 1
Battle Focus: 1
Pain Tolerance: 1
Damage Recovery: 1

[Deleted]

Madelyn had thrown herself into battle with reckless abandon, without giving any signs of trying to communicate with them in any way, but if it had just been that, then everything would have been alright, they would've simply taken hold of her and force her to stop. However, what in the world was going on within her body? What was that armor that had suddenly appeared around her, that sudden shift in physiology, the weapons that were sprouting from her? Unbeknownst to Caballero, this was probably what went on all of their enemies' heads, considering how alien and bizarre their own physiology was. Again, had they had proper energy sensory skills, they might have been able to notice the strange item embedded inside her left arm, taking control of her body like a parasite; not unlike the thousand souls that had wrestled control away from them during their time as a mindless Menos Grande.

The armored version of Madelyn, after undergoing that drastic appearance shift, brought forth cable-like extensions from her hair that effortlessly pierced the building, forcing Caballero to step back even if those were not even aimed at them. They immediately took note of how fast they moved, faster than their top speed--but then again, most projectiles and similar abilities were. To pierce through concrete like that, those tendrils had to be strong. Boy oh boy. Caballero had grossly and completely misjudged the situation they found themselves, it seemed. They had thought they could afford to pull their punches, at least until they could figure out what the deal with this Plus or human that had attempted to attack them was. They might not be able to afford that luxury, after all.

The Rogue used those to propel herself up toward the rooftop, so at the very least, that much had worked, and they could have the battle up in the rooftops or using air ground as they pleased. Anything to get the obviously unstable person away from the other souls and humans going about their day. Thankfully, Madelyn didn't seem to want to cause any destruction, other than destroying Caballero, that was. Good. They could manage her alone, as long as they kept her focused solely on them. Which didn't seem to be a problem, considering how eager she looked to skewer them with any of the blades that had grown out of her body.

Again, once she landed, Madelyn wasted no time in committing to an attack. True, her hair had been very fast, and while her body was as well, this was a speed well below Caballero's. Furthermore, the punching motion she was using was nothing short of amateurish, denoting a complete lack of skill. With those parameters in mind, Caballero was quick on the uptake, and used that highly telegraphed attack to slip by the punch with their own 400 speed. It was at that time when Madelyn's blade jutted out of her arm, just barely missing the Hollow and sending a warning chill down Caballero's non-existent spine. That sword, if one could call it such, had managed to barely nick their mask, coming out at a blinding speed.

They hadn't even been able to see it.

It had been a while since that had happened, and perhaps that's why the attack alone triggered an immediate reaction in the Hollow. They swung Filo upwards with their next step, using both hands. The tiny knight sought to either cut through the extended armored arm and get rid of the risk altogether, or at least damage it so that she would not be able to use that attack again. Given how any arm movement would be limited by Madelyn's natural speed, they probably stood a good chance of causing some damage. Their current Filo clocked in at half their Reiatsu Strength, however, and at that moment Caballero wished they hadn't been so foolish when creating it. They had grown far too confident in their own skills, speed and power, but it looked like they were about to be reminded that one should always remain alert, no matter how small the threat might seem at a glance.

The upwards strike would be followed by two zig-zagging backsteps, trying to use their smaller size and higher natural speed to put some distance between them again. Not for a moment did they turn their head, wanting to keep the Rogue in their line of sight. They did not want to hurt her, they really didn't. But if things progressed like this, they might need to start fighting for their life... and that was something that Hollows were very, very adept at. It was how their kind thrived against one another, after all.



OOC:
Summary: Caballero slips by Madelyn's initial punch, since that motion is capped by her own speed. The blade coming out grazes their mask, and causes them to immediately try to cut the arm by taking an upwards diagonal swing. They then try to backstep twice in a zig-zag to better gauge the situation.

Reiatsu: 3850
Caballero's current Filo clocks in at 300 Reiatsu Strength.

Stats and skills

Stat	SP	Type
Strength	75	50
Speed	400	400
Reiatsu Strength	400	600
Spiritual Pressure	400	400
Senses	100	100
Instinct	125	125
Energy Sensory	0	0
Healing Expertise	0	0
Light Aura	100
Dark Aura	0

Saber Filo: 2
Strength of Will: 2
Learning: 1
Lack of fear: 1
Battle Focus: 1

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Thrusting her arm forward in the amateurish motion that Madelyn could manage the young soul watched as the Hollow in front of her slipped by. While she was no longer weak, no longer crying like a pathetic worthless excuse in that damned alleyway she couldn’t accomplish anything! How could something even smaller than herself just dodge her. It’d be in that moment the blade from her forearm would manage to scratch at the white bone mask of the Hollow. The marker of his species was damaged, it’d shown Madelyn what she needed to see, in order for the twisted manic smile to conform gracing her face.

Madelyn’s smile twitched though as the pain of this Hollow’s blade dug into her arm, blood spraying out from the cut immediately. Despite the enhanced durability that her body had achieved, the sharp edge of the blade moved into her with complete disregard as if she were made of paper. One thing this little Hollow likely didn’t plan on though would be her blood spraying out onto his mask likely obscuring his vision. In the moment that followed Madelyn realized she couldn’t move her right arm anymore and the pain that flowed from her wound like her blood was unrelenting.

Reiatsu flowing from her core outwards into her hair Madelyn’s attention shifts as she alters the shape turning her long straight hair into two different shapes. On the right side of her head her hair would twirl around itself forming almost a funnel-like shape or a ribbon with a sharp pointed tip at the bottom. On the left side though her hair took on a completely different form. Extending outwards while hardening the hair on her left took the shape of a diamond granting her a replacement for the blade that had just become useless.

Immediately as the little Hollow hops backwards Madelyn would touch down on the roof her blades heels managing to cut right into the material beneath her. Wasting no time as her chaotic mind revails in the pain that her body was experiencing now. She’d been hurt and while she’d started to learn to deal with pain this was beyond everything else. Enough pain that internally the young girl was crying while the psycho laughed maniacally. The right side of her head with the twirl would rush forward, becoming her Lance to stroke this Hollow directly in the chest.

Moving forward at a speed of 850 the lance would be her first method to attack yet it wouldn’t be her last as the kunai shape on her left side was swung horizontally in an attempt to slash the Hollow on its left arm. Despite the massive power her body currently possessed nothing could help her lack of experience as Madelyn just laughed in the face of the Hollow. “You look so much better with that red splashed on your mask!”

Level 4: 2/5

Remaining Reiatsu: 1300/1650
Hair Kunai: -25
Hair Lance: -75

References:
Hair Kunai: 700/400 Strength/Speed - Costs 25 Reiatsu. (per weapon/per post) Can now reach up to a distance of 10 meters.
Hair Lance: Twirling downwards in the shape of a cone similar to a ribbon dancer’s movements, Madelyn's hair can now become a piercing weapon. Values are 100/850 making this a fast-moving weapon meant to skewer through with the tip. The size of the Lance is about two feet with a width of a foot. Can reach up to a distance of 20 meters. Cosst 75 reiatsu (per weapon/per post)

[Deleted]

Without a conventional set of visual organs, the blood spray on Caballero's mask was little more than an inconvenience. However, what got them was the fact that they were still concerned for Madelyn, as Filo cut through her armor with frightening ease, and Caballero was not one who delighted in hurting others. Even against their kin, their efforts were more akin to an exterminator fighting a plague of vermin, not a personal vendetta that they wanted to carry out. Instead of following up with another strike, they stayed their blade for a second, disheartened by the fact that they had just harmed a Plus.

Said moment of hesitation was enough that the little Hollow was unable to react against the extremely fast spears that this strange young woman had conjured not out of thin air, but using her hair to do so. Had they had a less frail physical constitution, Caballero might have been able to tank the hit, but their body was pretty frail as it was, owing to their physiology. As such, it was no surprise that Madelyn's hair spear pierced through what would've been the Hollow's 'chest', if one could call it such, with a wound that would have been not only debilitating, but potentially lethal for any opponent.

That is, any opponent that was not Caballero.

After being skewered by the tip of the spear and slashed by the kunai, causing them to drop Filo in pain, Caballero's battle-oriented mind finally finished their assessment, aided perhaps by the wave of suffering that coursed through their tiny body. Despite her appearance beneath that strange, morphing armor, this was not a human or a Plus that they could afford to hold back against. No, this was someone that needed to be subdued at best, and put down at worst, for the safety of everyone in Karakura Town. In other words, it was a threat to the safety of the town Caballero called their home. Having someone like this, even more bloodthirsty than many Hollows they had encountered in the past, and without the excuse of a ravenous, endless hunger to boot?

No. This would not stand.

The little knight concentrated their Reiatsu, flexing their Reiatsu Strength at the same time. Blinding, intimidating flashes of black and white emanated from their body. While these flashes were meant to dishearten and freeze the attacker in place, it ultimately was nothing more than a distraction. Instead, the concentration of Reiatsu in Caballero's body reached critical levels, reforming and rebuilding any part that had been injured at the expense of drawing from the little knight's vast reserves of Reiatsu. This not only made them close the new hole in their chest, but also reformed their arm.

Of course, by using Focalizar, Caballero was not just getting healed from battle. It was also the key for them to use their maximum potential. With a quick draw, the tiny bean created yet another Filo from their body... but this would be completely different from the previous one. Not in appearance, of course, but in the Reiatsu Strength behind it; though given Madelyn's complete lack of energy sensory abilities, it was unlikely she would notice. Whereas Caballero had been holding back before, their current Filo was now at full power and then some, reaching about triple the power that the previous one had. As for the previous blade they had, it vanished into nothingness, back into the night.

The only problem was that, right after Focalizar, Caballero needed a second for their Reiatsu to fully stabilize, meaning they could not immediately go on the offensive. Instead, they adopted a defensive stance and split Filo in two, trusting on their honed battle instinct to react against Madelyn's fast attacks. Last time, they had hesitated. They would not make the same mistake twice. The first thing that they needed to do was ensure that she could not move. They had followed that same strategy when fighting many other opponents before.

Thus, the knight would wait for that moment, ready to battle for real and

OOC:
Summary: Caballero gets hit by both the spear and the kunai. They flex their Reiatsu Strength to intimidate and put a momentary stop to Madelyn, and use Focalizar to heal the damage. Since Caballero has used Focalizar, no offensive actions are taken this post. They immediately assume a defensive stance with a newly created Filo, though.

Reiatsu: 3850 -150[Class 5 Focalizar] -150[Class 5 Filo] = 3550.
Class 5 Filo clocks at 900 RS, consuming a focus stack.
Focus stacks remaining: 4/5 (total of 3+2 due to overall)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Overall Ability}
Caballero's physiology is extremely bizarre, even for Hollow standards. Their black body is entirely made out of extremely dense, concentrated Reiatsu. As such, it can be freely manipulated for offensive, defensive or utility purposes: gaining defensive prowess similar to Hierro, changing ones' limbs into writhing tendrils to grab things, or even combining it with step techniques to phase through the rival while damaging them through condensed spiritual pressure.

This means that their body's inner workings are vastly different as well. As mentioned before, Caballero lacks a skeleton, muscles, organs, oxygen or blood, since they're entirely made out of Reiatsu. Thus, custom techniques related to this overall ability are always powered by Reiatsu Strength, they don't breathe, are outright immune to bleeding out, and won't get nearly as slowed down by getting hit on what would normally be a vital spot. Surface area does matter, however: they would take more damage by getting hit on the chest than on a limb since there's more area to hit, for example. Of course, they still experience pain, and their fatigue comes at the expense of their Reiatsu.

Through the technique named Focalizar, always of class equal to Caballero's (up to Class 1), they can forcefully compress the Reiatsu making up their body even further, reforging it. This concentrated Reiatsu also grants Caballero access to either poweful "Focus: [Technique Name]" techniques, which gain a 50% boost, or enhanced variations of their other techniques, in any combination. Only custom techniques can have these enhanced variations, and they must be explicitly stated in the technique description.

Normally, up to three "Focus" techniques can be used before it needs to focus again, but each evolutionary stage as a Menos will increase Focus stack gain by 1 per use of Focalizar. For example, as a Stray, Focalizar will generate 3 Focus stacks upon use. As a Gillian, it's 4; as an Adjuchas, it's 5, and as Vasto Lorde, Caballero will generate 6 Focus stacks. They cannot carry no more than the number of maximum stacks generated by Focalizar at once, so it's best to spend them all before using it again.

However, this ability comes with several drawbacks.

• It is imperative for Caballero to spend SkP in Strength of Will to maintain it body shape, lest the Reiatsu overpower its own will and turn them into a puddle, unable to move or act at all. At least 1 spent point is required before advancing to Gillian, 2 before Adjuchas, and 3 before Vasto Lorde.
• Caballero's physiology renders them far more vulnerable to spiritually based attacks like Kido or Cero, which all hit their body at a boosted OS (+20%, 100 would be 120). Physical type releases would not be included here, but spiritual based ones would. Note that spiritual attacks must actually be spiritual. (A sword that uses RS because it's the highest OS isn't spiritual, but a sword made from fire is). This drawback would include clashes against offensive techniques that involve modification of Caballero's body, like Tendón (but wouldn't affect clashes against Caballero's Filo, or Cero/Bala, for example).
• Caballero's body is outside anyone's Healing Expertise stat. In battle, they can only ever heal via Focalizar, and nobody else could help in that regard, because it doesn't matter how much someone has studied the body; their physiology works completely different than anyone else's. It also means they are locked out of having Healing Expertise of their own.
• Since they lack the organs to do so, Caballero also can't speak, severely limiting communication during battle.
• Due to needing a minimum amount of Reiatsu to maintain themselves, Caballero suffers a 75% cut to RS and Strength when under 5% Reiatsu. They are completely unable to move or defend themselves at 0 Reiatsu.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Filo}Technique Name: Filo [Edge]

Technique Class: 7-1, maximum class is equal to Caballero's, but they can use it at lower classes at will. Paid up to class 4.

Technique Type: Hollow [Custom]

Technique Cost: 50 +50 per class above 7

Description: This technique is affected by Focalizar. A realization of Caballero's intention to become a Shinigami. Caballero uses part of the Reiatsu that forms their body to create a long, sword-like spiritual weapon (85% of their height, so about 2.5ft as a Hollow, massive as a Gillian, 5.1ft as Vasto Lorde...). Since Caballero's 'body' is nothing but their condensed black Reiatsu given form, Filo uses Reiatsu Strength as its offensive stat when cutting something or clashing against other techniques.Caballero's ability using Filo can be upgraded and refined via their Saber Filo skill. Filo can be split into two separate swords and recombined at will, but nothing else besides those two forms. It can't stretch, it can't change shapes, it can't curve, nothing.

Enhanced effect after Focalizar: the created Filo gains the 50% OS property as if they were a "Focus" technique.

Drawbacks: Filo cannot be reassimilated to refresh Caballero's Reiatsu. Cannot be used without at least one skill point in Saber Filo.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Focalizar}Technique Name: Focalizar [Focus]

Technique Class: Equal to Caballero's maximum class (7-1). Paid up to class 5

Technique Type: Hollow [Custom]

Technique Cost: 50 +50 per class above 7

Description: A technique based on the nature of the extremely dense Reiatsu that comprises Caballero's body. Through sheer strength of will, Caballero can compress this dense Reiatsu even more, repairing and rebuilding their body and giving them access to three uses of techniques named "Focus:" (which would be unusable otherwise) or enhanced effects on their normal ones, in any combination. Healing ability is directly proportional to the technique's class. When purging harmful effects, however, Caballero's Reiatsu Strength will be used in the clash to overcome said effect.

Drawbacks: No other offensive action can be taken in the same post Focus is used. Only three enhanced techniques can be used before Focus needs to be reused. Only certain custom Hollow techniques, as as well as the basic versions of Cero and Bala, can be enhanced via Focus; this must be explicitly stated in the technique description. Healing via Focus can only ever affect Caballero.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

18 paragraphs = 180 TP for Madelyn