Chaos' Warm Welcome [ PvP / NDE / R]

[Luke Clyburn]

What a day. That’s all Luke could say about it. Legs kicked up on his office desk with the chair leaned back to a comfortable angle, the man sat there in a relaxed posture with a towel draped across his eyes. The lights to his office were off. His computer screen is dark. A variety of folders and papers strewn about the desk. His phone was on airplane mode so that nothing disturbed him. Deep inhales with slow exhales escaped from between his lips and nose, signifying to anyone watching that the man in the dark was sound asleep. It might have looked unprofessional to snooze on the job, but anyone who knew who this was would recognize the scene and be fine with it. Every so often, in the dark, small flickers of light would dance along the man's neckline, jaw bone, or hands in shapes reminiscent of circuits.

Then the silence was shattered with the vibration and tone coming from the watch on his rest. The lights on his skin would flash violently, before a disgruntled moan would escape from the man. Reaching over his head and pulling the towel from his forehead, he let out a yawn as he hit the button on his watch to turn the alarm off. Adjusting in his seat and taking his feet off the table, Luke would scratch at the back of his neck. Anyone who looked at him would see someone who looked completely refreshed, as though they just woke up from one of the best nights of sleep in their life. In Luke’s case, yeah, that was essentially what happened. Only it took an hour. With two claps of his hands, the lights in the office would come back on as Luke got back to work on the paperwork in front of him.

When he joined Xcution this wasn’t necessarily what he had in mind at first. Though he hadn’t completely been on board with the idea of being an assassin, he at least had the resolve to do it for the sake of his grander goals. But Shizuka, knowing him far too well, knew that wasn’t a good idea. So instead of joining the Guns and becoming an assassin, Luke had been offered the position of Chief Strategist for Xcution. A desk job. Meetings, reports, data entry, information gathering, handling contracts that came in, it was a lot of sitting and computer work. Way more than he imagined. Though Luke had been blessed with an absolutely wonderful team that took a massive majority of the work off of his rather unqualified shoulders, Luke still had to often pull late nights like this to sort through everything that came in and his own personal projects.

He had already told Shizuka he would be coming home late tonight. He still needed to go through the Tabuk, Moscow, and the Spain reports from agents in the field. There was also that little bit to go over regarding the Inside, an effectively abandoned urban region at the southwestern end of the Yamanashi Prefecture. How had Luke never heard about this? At the same time, Luke was still busy going over the list of Who’s-Who that cropped up in Karakura during his three year dirt nap. Trying to find people that would make for good additions to Xcution.

Luke would work for another hour and a half before he finally looked at his watch and noticed the time. Past two in the morning. Looking at what was on his desk, Luke sighed. ”Feels like I’m never gonna catch up sometimes.” with a grumble he’d get to his feet and head for the door. Flicking off the lights to his office, Luke would close the door and leave. His footsteps echoed down the empty halls of Xcution that he had gotten rather used to at this point. There weren’t many people here at this hour save for security and very heavily vetted cleaning crews. Luke would greet anyone he came across, his face becoming familiar to everyone at these hours at this point, as he entered a lockeroom to change out of his work suit. He wanted some fresh air. Take a drive around the city, clear his head, then come back and get back to work. He had a business meeting he needed to be a part of the next day anyhow.

Changing into what was his normal attire, a brown leather jacket with his usual pants and boots, Luke would close his locker with a slam and head for the service elevator. His sword bag strung across his back. Service elevator boarded and up we go, Luke being forced to listen to that obnoxious cabin music as the elevator rose up through the underground service tunnel. A few doors, security checkpoints, and badge swipes later after he departed the elevator, Luke found himself in the public parking garage. His lonely footsteps echoed through the structure as he made his way to his very special VIP parking and his personal motorcycle; a modified Honda CB750. Imported.

Helmet on and ignition started, Luke drove out of the garage and out into the streets of Karakura. Street lights rhythmically danced across his helmet's visor as he drove, enjoying the night air and wind, aimlessly through Karakura. At this time of night there weren’t many people out. A few cars, obviously, but the sidewalks of the business sector of the city were fairly sparse. Luke would see someone walk around every now and then. He saw a trio of friends or coworkers leaving a bar, laughing, one with a tie around his head. But nothing that really stuck out or was a cause for concern. This ride wasn’t just for fresh air, but it was Luke doing Luke things. Just because he joined Xcution didn’t mean he stopped caring to keep an eye on things in the city. His Energy Sensory was stretched out to the max, hoping to pick out any flames in the darkness that would cause him worry. He was patrolling.

But tonight there wasn’t… anything. Not even any ghosts out. Would have been a bad time for him if he needed to feed. Looking up at the moon, Luke found it odd that he could barely see it tonight. The night was strong tonight. He felt it odd that he couldn’t feel anything at all. But, hey, maybe there just wasn’t anything around in this part of town. There weren’t always Hollows in Karakura. Stopping at an intersection with a car in front of him due to a red light, Luke leaned back on his bike and popped his fingers. He was still taking it in that he really had been gone for three years, yet the city itself had hardly changed. Despite all the crazy shit that apparently occured here while he had been gone. He really had expected it to get glassed by the Vandenreich if he hadn’t been around to keep it safe. But no. That just hadn’t happened.

As the light turned green and the car ahead of him began to go, Luke would lean forward in his seat again and start the engine on his bike. As he started getting speed through the intersection, something would suddenly hit him. Something that would make him panic. Luke suddenly swerved to the right, then the left, getting control over his bike and causing the bike to rotate counterclockwise and skin the road as he pulled the brake. The car in the other lane laid on the horn and the driver would shout at him, but Luke didn’t care. He wasn’t focused on that. His attention was focused behind him. But in no general direction. He just stared down the road he had just come down, his eyes darting from rooftop to rooftop, street to street, window to window.

”What’s wrong?

Came a voice carrying a question from deep within Luke’s mind, awakened from his slumber by Luke’s sudden paranoia. The Bount didn’t answer immediately. He wasn’t sure what answer to give. Something just triggered his anxiety. Not that something just pinged on his sixth sense radar. No. Like, something that wasn’t there that was there. Like an instinct thing just triggered. Like if Luke was walking around alone in a dark house and someone just blew on the back of his neck. I don’t know. Luke replied, narrowing his amber eyes behind the visor, as he finally gave some attention to the angry driver with a wave and continued on his way.

A cold sweat was building on his forehead. Luke kept looking in the rearview mirrors, looking behind him, because that feeling wasn’t going away. Being trained by a member of the Gotei Thirteens Onmitsukido had given him some minor skills at detecting things that wanted to stay hidden. Just enough for Luke to know something wasn’t right. It didn’t seem to matter how much distance he made or where he went, this building paranoia wasn’t going away. And no matter how many times he looked back, still nothing was there.

Fine.

A car honked at Luke on this empty night as the biker suddenly cut him off and drove his bike up onto the ramp that led to one of the town Karakura Town Bridges. Luke would hit the bridge and just gun it. Even if a cop spotted him, he didn’t care. The speedometer slowly climbed as Luke gunned his bike down the bridge. There weren’t any cars on the bridge, cept for one, that Luke skillfully avoided as he flew down the road. Until he finally exited Karakura Towns borders and kept driving. He didn’t let up on the gas, he didn’t stop.

I don’t know what it is. Just something feels wrong.

Luke would finally answer to his Doll as his bike sped down the countryside highway. Faster and faster until he was going a suicidal ninety. If Luke crashed at this speed, even he wouldn’t survive. But he wasn’t shaking this feeling. The same anxiety, the same paranoia, that he felt in the concrete jungle hadn’t abated at all. Luke narrowed as his eyes further and clinched his jaws and didn’t let up, going further and further out of the cities boundaries and deeper down the countryside. Curving down a road that was adjacent to a small mountain on one side and a lake on the other, Luke finally noticed something.

He couldn’t see the stars. Japan had a dark countryside. Rarely was there ever any lights. A nation that took pride in having barely touched and beautiful countryside. Seeing the stars in a nation with that little light pollution was always a sight to behold. But he couldn’t see them tonight. Why? he asked himself as he came to realize something Why does the night feel so heavy?

After some time, Luke’s bike finally started to come to a slow. He had driven so far at this point that the only thing around was a rice paddy field to the left and a broken wall of power lines to his right with untouched lands. Luke came to a slow at the one source of light he had seen this entire time, being carried by the headlight of his bike and the reflectors on the road. A bus stop bench, empty of anyone there, but with light shining down on it. Luke came to a stop, his engine still on, as he simply stared in the direction he had come from. Whatever this was, whatever he was feeling, wasn’t gone. Luke came to the conclusion that something had been following him.

”Fine.” he said to himself, turning his bikes engine off, and removing his helmet. Like a responsible person, Luke pushed his bike off the road and unzipped the bag he had on his back. Removing the katana he kept inside and sliding it onto his belt, Luke kept his hand resting on the grip as he waited. Something wanted his attention. Luke’s cold sweat hadn’t stopped nor the tension he’d been feeling abated. But if it was going to be this persistent, he would give it the attention it was wanting.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills and Equipment}

• [Weapon: Swords] {3}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {3}
  
  
• [Strength of Will] {4}
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] {3}
  
  
• [Anti-Stealth] {1}
  
  
• [Charisma/Leadership] {1}
  
  
• [Battle Focus] {3}
  
  

Skill Points: 19


Luke | Leader

Strength - 100 - 50 Points

Speed - 300 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 400 - 800 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 500 - 1250 Points

Light Aura - 70 Points

Dark Aura - 30 Points

Instinct - 300 Points

Senses - 100 - 50 Points

Energy sensory - 100 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: 1800 Points



+1 Class 1 Beat Stick (Katana)

[Camila Adaronde]

Cracking her neck, and shaking out her shoulders, the Vizard girl couldn't help but hum to herself. Looking down toward her phone, the girl couldn't help but keep a chipper tune. It was the first time in a while she'd had the opportunity to stretch her legs like this! Especially since her last real fight. It'd been what, months at this point?

She'd found herself doing a whole lot of nothing in the interim. A lot of times spent in and out of arcades, keeping up with a lot of her game time where she could instead of doing, well, anything else. Thankfully mercenary work and contract kills had helped her make quite a bit of money, but it wasn't the most fulfilling thing out there. Part of her felt like there was more to want. Though, what could fill that void?

Sure, she'd had Shio. A lot of time had been spent alongside her, and every last second of it she'd enjoyed. But, that wasn't quite the whole she was looking to fill; she wanted something occupational. And, when she was approached with a potential employment opportunity from a "mysterious benefactor"? This was a good start, if nothing else. Though, to strike at a potential organizational head? Such was just way too good an opportunity to pass up.

Watching an individual leaving the parking garage with some foreign hunk of metal for a bike, Camila couldn't help but smile. Gently hitting the sides of her face with her palms, Cami did what she could to try to hype herself up. This was going to be fun, if nothing else. As he took off, the girl lowered herself down to the ground, taking a runner's start. As he found himself at a red light, she took a deep breath. It was time to test just how fast she was going to be able to move; just how well she was going to be able to keep up with a motorcycle.

The moment the light turned green, she took off.

To start, she'd found herself running about even with the driver. Some hundred feet back, Cami kept her distance where she could in order to avoid rousing too much suspicion. After all, this was supposed to be a "surprise" attack. Whether or not that was seen through was to leave a bit to be desired. Regardless! She was on a mission, and no matter what, she couldn't afford to stop for that ramen shop she'd seen just a moment before. Perhaps she'd double back after this whole thing was over? It remained to be seen.

For now though, she'd need to follow her target. And, it seemed like he was headed somewhere a little unexpected. Instead of heading toward the residential districts, he'd been headed out toward the city limits. Just what are you up to? She thought to herself, continuing to keep up the chase regardless. As he found himself speeding up, she did the same, as to maintain pace with the biker.

Though, in time? The two eventually found themselves well outside of Karakura town, hitting some of the more suburban areas of southern Japan. It was gorgeous if nothing else; plenty of natural sights to behold, and honestly a place that she felt taking Shio to see would be quite beautiful. Surely there was a place around here that the two of them could've set up for a picnic, or something similar! That would've been so-

Focus, Cami.

She did what she could to try to realign her attention. Especially as he started to come to a slow. She did more of the same, halting her movement for a bit, in order to let him unwind from the ride a bit. Take off his helmet, and whatever else he needed to do. The moment she saw that helmet come off, though? He was fair game. Blasting forth at her Speed, Camila cleared the three to four-hundred foot distance between the two of them like it was nothing. Up until the moment she was just a few feet from Luke.

Holding her left arm out wide as she ran by, the girl aimed to throw her weight in on the Bount's chest area, trying to slam him to the ground in the process with quite the lariat. Regardless of whether or not she was successful, the girl dug her feet in the ground to slow her movement, kicking up dirt and debris as she cleared a small distance between the two of them. Rotating on her ankle shortly thereafter before slamming her back foot into the ground, she took up a fighting stance; with Luke's combative knowledge, he'd likely be able to pick up its similarities to Lethwei.

"'Ello there! Clyburn, right? A certain someone ordered a hit on you; I'm here to collect."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Type: Roughneck

Strength: 400 [900]
Speed: 400 [400]
Reiatsu Strength: 200 [100]
Spiritual Pressure: 400 [700]
Instinct: 300 [300]
Senses: 100 [50]
Energy Sensory: 0 [0]
Healing Expertise: 0 [0]

Light Aura: 100 [0 while Released]
Dark Aura: 0 [100 while Released]

----------
Acrobatics: 3
Martial Arts - Muay Thai: 3
Martial Arts - Judo: 3
Pain Tolerance: 4
Martial Arts - Lethwei: 3

[Luke Clyburn]

Almost no sooner had Luke gotten himself ready, no sooner had he gotten his sword onto his belt, that something came barreling out of the darkness. Like a rampaging bull that had seen red, a distinctly human shape came charging towards Luke with significant speed. Left arm outstretched as though they were trying their best to clothesline the man. Like she was trying to pull a lariat on him. Though the woman was fast, the Bount was more than able to register her attack and react to it. There wasn’t time to draw his sword however. It wasn’t like he was an iaido master or anything. Or had been trained by one. Luke was certain that somewhere, wherever he was, Aevus must have sneezed.

Amber eyes were opened wide as the random woman barreled ahead at him with the intention of clotheslining his chest with her arm. A straightforward and honest attack. Luke would duck, letting his knees go limp, so he could crouch down faster. Though his hands were gripping his sword's sheath and grip with every intention of drawing, Luke wasn’t so inexperienced as to not recognize that he simply didn’t have the time, though he was presenting himself as though he would utilize a drawing attack. So he opted for strategy number two. Move. As the assailant got close, entering Luke’s effective distance, the man would wait until the woman was within six feet of him that he would respond. For the first time in her life, Camila Adaronde would get to experience the first bit of happiness in her life; the experience of going to Sea World.

Luke would suddenly explode. Or, rather, everything within twenty feet of the man would suddenly explode. Not with fire and shrapnel. No, instead Luke would do his best to impersonate Shamu. Water would suddenly and violently explode outwards from the Bount who would also disappear from sight. Cami would be buffered and drenched with a vast quantity of water, soaking the woman head to toe as though she was in the first row of the orca show with no poncho. Utilizing Platzen, his custom made step technique, Luke would blast the random assailant with an explosion of water. Meanwhile, the man himself would utilize the 12x speed boost of the step technique to move himself in the direction that Cami had come from.

By ducking himself below her arm, Luke would be able to zoom past her while also drenching her head to toe and battering her with an explosive force equal to his reiatsu output. While it might hurt, it was also a warning shot. Luke would come screeching to a halt across the street just as a very wet woman would take up her own fighting stance and greet him. What she said made him blink, though his expression remained rather stone faced. ”Nope. My name’s Takezō.” he would lie as he finally drew his sword and took a hanging stance with it.

What she said was concerning though. Someone had put a hit out on him? Luke’s brow would furrow as he immediately began running through names and faces trying to determine who, out of everyone he knew, would do something like that. The Vandenreich? No. While Luke considered himself their adversary, he had to come to accept the reality that he couldn’t have mattered that much to them. What’s more, based on their attitude he figured they would simply come for him themselves. Luke couldn’t imagine that ginger bitch would be content with hiring an assassin. Luke had been keeping on the downlow since his awakening as well. There weren’t many people outside of his immediate circles that knew he was back. At least that’s what he hoped.

There was one person though that Luke would feel suspicious about though. Luke would mentally imagine a magenta haired and violet eyed woman. She couldn’t be that stupid. The risks involved were too high for that. It was entirely possible Eris could do something like this given the risk Luke posed to her control over Aura, but the risks should an assassination fail were just way too high. There was no way Eris would want to risk that. Right? Looking at this woman though, Luke took her in. Black hair, red eyes, homely, and muscular. Why was it always women? All of the jokes Impossible used to make about Luke being the protagonist of a reverse harem story really did stem from reality. The main character of a series where all the women wanted to kill him for no fucking reason.

She must be an enhancer. Wonderful. Gotta fucking love it.

”Stop whining.”

After all of the battles and experience Luke gained during his years in Karakura, he had come to realize that people could typically be broken down into two different categories in regards to their abilities. With reiatsu being the core component with all of this he had decided to put people into one of two camps; reiatsu output types and reiatsu enhancement types. Luke himself was an example of the former; someone who specializes in remarkable power behind their reiatsu based attacks. Spells, techniques, abilities. A wizard type character if you would. Then there was the latter, like this woman, whose reiatsu was used to enhance their physical capabilities. Speed, strength, durability, all reinforced and strengthened with reiatsu enhanced muscles.

Of course there were subcategories and different branches regarding these two groups. Just because someone was an output type didn’t mean they possessed vast volumes of reiatsu. Feeling this girl out with his reiatsu sensory, Luke could tell that this woman was like a water tank with how much reiatsu she possessed. What’s more, there was something… wrong with it. He had felt this before. He recognized it. But he didn’t know what it was or where he knew it from. Her reiatsu just felt strange. Being a Bount gave Luke a little more insight into the intricacies of how reiatsu felt. This girls reiatsu made his mouth dry, as if someone just put a plate of an unappetizing meal in front of him.

I’ll play it safe.

With a small cost of reiatsu, Luke did more than just use Platzen to soak and bombard her. Hopefully the girl didn’t realize that Luke had also marked her left arm with his Gedankenklau. Soaking her head to toe was the primer needed to mark her. We’ll see if that comes into play. Luke would remain stationary with his sword held in a defensive hanging stance, dragging his left foot back a bit. Against an unknown opponent, Luke would play it cautious. Get a better understanding of their fighting style and any tricks they had. If she continued to fight as aggressively as her opening move suggested, then staying on the defense was a good call. Especially against someone who could probably bring him down in one shot if she got a lucky blow in. Thankfully, she took the bait to come out here into the countryside. Just in case things escalated.

"So, what was the cost? Could give you double to fuck off, y'know?"

Remaining Reiatsu: 7750 / 8000
-100 for Platzen
-150 for Gedankenklau

SPOILER: Click to show

{Platzen | Mastered}
Technique Name: Platzen (lit. ‘Burst’)

Technique Class: 6 - 15 TTP.

Technique Type: Bount Reiatsu.

Usable By: Bount.

Technique Element: Varies.

Technique Cost: 100 Reiatsu.

Description: A custom stepping technique for Bounts with elemental dolls, Platzen allows for an explosive burst from the Bount’s feet upon making a step. This technique propels them at 10x their Speed, similar to a Shinigami’s Shunpō. Upon use, however, a ten-foot area around them will immediately be attacked with an element from their Dolls’ powers. Only one element can be utilized at a time, and these apply basic effects; fire burns, ice will frostbite and freeze, darkness/shadow will make a shadow, et cetera. Proficiency allows the user to either suppress the elemental effects, granting them a quiet stepping technique, or suppress the stepping technique, allowing them to explode outward with elemental damage just by paying the reiatsu cost. Mastery increases the Speed of the step to 12x, and the range of the elemental attack to twenty-feet in all directions.

How to Use: Charge reiatsu into the feet, and jet around.

Drawbacks: Expensive for a 10x stepping technique, until Mastered. Regardless of which version is utilized, this technique always counts against the user’s stepping techniques per post.

Incantation: N/A.

Made By: Luke Clyburn & Camila Adaronde.

Reserved?: Yes, for Luke.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Gedankenklau | Mastered}
Technique Name: Gedankenklau (lit. ‘Thought Theft’)

Technique Class: 4 - 40 TTP.

Technique Type: Bount Reiatsu.

Usable By: Bounts.

Technique Element: Body.

Technique Cost: 150 Reiatsu.

Description: A rather insidious technique designed for Bount with an affinity toward indirect combat, Gedankenklau allows a Bount (or their Doll) to take advantage of an ‘indirect attack’. Any type of attack that leaves a victim remotely the same, applies a debilitating condition, and/or simply does little to no damage is applicable here. This includes things like minuscule attacks designed to apply a poison, altering the body of someone else while keeping damage minimal, or the like.

Upon inflicting any number of these attacks, Gedankenklau can be activated. Upon paying the cost as part of that attack, the user’s reiatsu will be embedded into the target. This reiatsu remains while that individual is inflicted with said debilitating condition, and can be called upon by the user at any point, by spending 50 reiatsu. Once primed for this cost, the Bount causes the infected individual’s body to immediately begin to turn against them, striking back against them as though their body had turned on them. While this technique is Mastered, even if this wouldn’t normally be possible, either due to the victim’s condition or the user’s affliction preventing them from being able to damage themselves, self-damage will still occur, making this technique a truly terrifying option.

How to Use: Imbue an already underhanded attack with reiatsu.

Drawbacks: This technique draws from the Bount’s reiatsu pool, rather than the Doll’s if used in conjunction with a Doll. Each limb must be infected separately. While purging the preexisting condition works, this technique can also be purged on its own, requiring 200 Reiatsu from the victim to do so. In doing so, they’ll need to be still for a brief moment, potentially opening them up to attack. Lasts for five posts, or until the initial condition is removed.

Incantation: N/A.

Made By: Luke Clyburn & Camila Adaronde.

Reserved?: Yes, for Luke.

[Camila Adaronde]

As she'd gone to approach the individual, looking to slam him into the ground with what she'd consider to be trivial force, Camila was met with quite the surprise; seemed that he had a trick or two up his sleeve as well. Truthfully she hadn't known what to expect given the target she'd been after, but expecting something was just the right answer here.

Though, a spout of water? She couldn't've been further off.

Thankfully the blast hadn't hurt her (mostly due to her general inability to feel pain), but she was sent into a spiral in midair. "Wheeee~!" She cheered, eventually hitting the ground before almost rolling onto her feet with a nearly inhuman level of finesse. Taking up her stance lightning-quick thereafter, the girl couldn't help but smile. Sure, she was soaked in water, but if she really wanted to? She could fix that immediately. Might be a little early for something like that. Better call to play it safe?

Hearing his "name", Camila couldn't help but laugh. "Funny," she started, "but I know that's not your name, silly! I got a whole bunch of information on you from my client, from photos to personal info, favorite hang-outs, n' more! Kinda strange though, don't think I've seen someone have that much info on someone before... You sure you don't have a stalker or something?" She giggled once more.

The look on her face was one of serenity. She'd been enjoying herself so far, and was planning to do so for the remainder of the fight. At least, if she could help it. Her opponent was super interesting, all things considered! As he took up a stance of his own, and shot her another sly remark, she tapped her index finger against her cheek a couple times. "Mm," she started, "it was a pretty hefty amount, but I'm not really in it for the money! Just glad to fight someone that's as strong as yourself, y'know?" She gave him another soft smile, and lowered her arm once more, fist balled.

She'd contemplated drawing the sword on her hip, but ultimately that was going to prove nothing more than a problematic endeavor. She'd not been the most apt with a blade anymore - not since her return from Hell - so it was more or less wasted effort. If condensing it had been an option, that would've been preferrable, but fate had not worked out in such a way. Though, perhaps it'd still be useful in something else?

She'd have to wait and see. For the time being, she planned on striking just as hard n' fast as she'd been used to doing. Blasting forth at ten times her Speed, Camila rocketed through Shunpō, aimed to close the distance between herself and Luke. Though, she'd sought out a bit of a unique strategy here. Instead of stopping before him, Camila looked to step into Luke, trying to tackle him in the process while maintaining a solid grip on him, bear hug style. The goal was to stop him from using his arms where she could, and she thought such would be largely effective. At least, for the time being.

Assuming she got him, she'd use enough of her Strength to stop him from being able to break away, but not enough to crush every bone in his body. Not yet, anyway. If she hadn't been able to grab him, her get-up was going to be more of the same, inhuman slinking back to a standing-up position. Regardless, the same goofy smile would be plastered across her face, indicative of the strange level of serenity she'd felt over the situation.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu Pool: 6,950/7,000}
-50 for Shunpō.

[Luke Clyburn]

What she had to say gave him some concern. If what this assailant was saying was true, and honestly Luke didn’t see much reason to doubt her, then that meant that whoever hired this person knew a good deal of information on him. His assumptions immediately went back to Eris, and he began to rough draft an explanation of the hows and whys. Could she have been having Bounts from the Citadel following him around? Oddly enough he doubted it. All of the Bounts that were living at the club, save for Aura herself, were remarkably weak. If any one of them had been following him he’d have caught on. That was just how sloppy they were. But who else could it have been then? Luke couldn’t imagine it could have been someone from Uzaki Enterprises. This just wasn’t a part of their play book.

”Just glad to fight someone that's as strong as yourself, y'know?"

”Hate to tell you this but I’m very weak.”

The conspiracy behind this was far more important than the fight itself. His brain was formulating ways to get away from this battle in fact. It wasn’t that Luke was a coward. But if he could avoid a fight then that was the path he’d pursue. He didn’t trust this girl's golden retriever battle fetish routine at all. There was something about her that was putting him off. The strange reiatsu, the attitude, the heavy feeling in the air that gave him that initial anxiety. This was his first real fight since he had woken up. Ever since he broke out of the coffin of ice he’d been regenerating in, he’d been keeping his powers suppressed and stayed on the downlow. It had been his intention to avoid starting any drama by revealing he had returned to the world. But it seems like someone had taken notice.

But the assailant had no plans to leave. Luke suddenly sensed it. The spark of reiatsu. His eyes widened with focus as Cami vanished from his sight, reappearing directly in front of him, with that stupid fucking grin on her face. Fast! It was a step technique. She used one to close the distance between them, practically tackling Luke, and wrapping her arms around the man. Using a step technique to move ten times her own speed, though Luke wouldn’t know the multiplier, the girl had tackled Luke and now had the Bount ensnared in her own arms. Even with Luke’s computer-like processing mental speed, even he would be caught by surprise by a move he hadn’t seen before.

”Boy!”

The impact would cause Luke’s fingers to loosen on his sword. The world's worst swordsman. Always losing his weapon. Grappled into a bearhug with his sword beginning to fall to the ground, and his arms being pressed between his body and Cami’s, the Bount did the only thing his instincts told him to do in this situation. Now, thankfully for him and not so much for Cami, he wasn’t able to move due to the grapple. But this was the exact sort of circumstances he would need. As Camila would tighten her grip around the man, her arms would suddenly and violently be blown backwards in the opposite direction. From bear hug to open chest. A force produced from Luke’s body would blow her arms away from him, freeing Luke from her grip.

As she had committed to her bear hold, Luke activated the Martial Discipline technique; Ken. By expelling pure aura from his body he could repel almost anything and everything away from him. Like a pushing forcefield. There was a downside however. The technique was typically draining on ones stamina reserves. But this was where Luke’s mastery of the technique came into play. He had focused the abilities effects only on the parts of his body where Camila had grabbed him, instead of turning the ability on full blast. What’s more, he had flickered the technique. Like turning a light switch on and off rather than leaving the light on for a minute. Thanks to Ken’s power, even Camila would be left open after having her arms forcefully blown away from Luke, even her balance would be off from the force. An opportunity the Bount would aim to capitalize on.

Grabbing his falling sword, with the blade now pointed downward at a four to five o'clock angle, Luke would step in with his left foot and make an upward diagonal swing at Camila aiming to slash her from hip to beneath her chest. This wasn’t going to turn into another fight where he would never get in a swing of his sword! He was getting sick of that happening all the time. If he was a swordsman he was going to use his sword, or just retire his skills and pick up a handgun. Honestly, he could probably be a more effective fighter if he did that. So Luke swung, aiming to score a bleeding injury on a thrown off balance Camila.

Remaining Reiatsu: 7550 / 8000
-200 for Martial Discipline: Ken

SPOILER: Click to show

{Martial Discipline: Ken | Mastered}
Technique Name: [Martial Discipline: Ken]

Class: [1]

Technique Type: [Human World Dweller Technique]

Usable By: [Bount, Fullbringers, Mod Souls]

Technique Element: [None]

Technique Description and Effects: [Insert Below]

Think about it this way. Most any human with spiritual powers should know the four basic techniques of the human world: Willpower, Output, Movement, Energy Generate. Any who fails to know these is simply a low class combatant. To be a true contender, these techniques are necessary.

Well, likewise, knowing Ken is what puts a human world dweller in the upper echelon of the human world's spiritual abilities scale. Let's explain. Martial Discipline refers to a mental or physical discipline, or both. In this case, it means disciplining one's soul. It is tempering the soul to achieve a certain effect. This is where Ken comes in. That's what this technique is. Confused? What this technique does can be located below.

Ken is the next step from Willpower, Output, Movement, and Energy Generate. Ken focuses the user's soul into an aura around their body. What this technique does is utilize the spiritual aura of its master to create a glowing field of energy around the user. The field extends a quarter inch off the skin for every 100 reiatsu strength the user possesses. What this field does is repel incoming attacks by utilizing the current physical strength of the user combined with the current reiatsu strength of the user. That's the strength of the aura. It repels them, but doesn't destroy them. It simply deflects them or blasts them away. Simultaneously, the user produces an intense feeling of intimidation which would cause even the most tempered of warriors to feel extreme fear. Wild animals will flee instantly from this aura. The aura can, if the range of the user is wide enough, actually be directed at and focused straight onto a certain target or group of targets.

How to use technique: [Insert Below]

Simply activate it at will. The reiatsu cost to activate it is 200 reiatsu per post active. The user must know all four HWD main techniques to learn this one. This is considered an extension of all four.

Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc) (Insert Below)

The aura of intimidation can be resisted completely by the use of an opponent's Ken, regardless of user stats or class. Otherwise, if the opponent does not know Ken, then it can be resisted by those of superior class. This technique can be broken by techniques of superior class, or by opponents of superior class. It is also extremely fatiguing to use, especially in consecutive posts. The user must remain immobile when activating this technique, and cannot use any attacks, other defenses, or other spiritual abilities while Ken is active. Luckily, to those who have mastered the technique, it can be switched on and off in a split second as long as previous conditions are met. The user burns up more stamina in a single post of Ken than if they were going all out with movement the post before. Therefore, knowing and using this technique both require built up stamina.

Made By: [Kento]

Reserved? (Yes/No): [No]

[Camila Adaronde]

As she blasted toward Luke, looking to pull him into a bearhug, Camila found herself immediately surprised as what force she'd put toward the matter was being repelled almost immediately. The girl had been forced back quite a distance, through an extreme force. A force that she hadn't anticipated, nor a force that she had a way to really deal with.

Being sent into another spiral away from Luke, Camila couldn't help but laugh once more, as distance was cleared between the two once again. As she came close to the ground, she placed an open palm onto the ground, before redirecting her own body weight around, adjusting herself in such a way that allowed her to get back onto her feet quite quickly. Thankfully she proved to be quite acrobatic where it counted! A feat that seemed to prove useful with how often he seemed to be utilizing these blast-backs. Though, she was so focused on her own little fun that she hadn't noticed the slash that had appeared across her chest.

"You sure about that, Mr. Clyburn? Seems you've got quite the- Oh!" Glancing down, she ran a hand across the open wound on her chest. Tracing the blood on her finger, before taking a moment to look at it, she couldn't help but chuckle once more. "Seems you really are quite strong! 'Specially if you could land such a clean hit on me~!" Gently wiping the blood from her chest, and tossing it to the ground, she kept a simple smile on her face.

Thankfully it wasn't anything too deep, but it was something that would've been noticeably debilitating against any other foe. Something that would've sent painful stings not only through the wound itself, but likely everywhere else in the general proximity. Enough to debilitate someone for a short while. Though, for Camila? The girl seemed all but unfazed. "Maybe it's time to get a little serious, mm~?" She giggled again, putting a hand to the sheathed blade on her hip. As her own reiryoku began to flare around her, the girl's very energy began to contort, focusing toward her blade.

"Hack off, Bōryoku~!"

In a flash of reddened light, her blade and scabbard had quickly started reforming around her arms, changing shape into weapons that might've been a little more suitable for the girl; a pair of clawed gauntlets, fitted right on her arms. As the gauntlets finished, her reiryoku flared ever further, and taking on a much more sinister feel behind it. What was originally a semi-humane spiritual presence was instead replaced with something much more insidious; something distinctly Hollow. The deep brown color that was once her hair quickly changed, turning white from the roots before completely eclipsing her hair entirely. Her once golden eyes, now maintained a reddened appearance.

Letting out a strong exhale, Camila slowly took up a fighting stance; one distinctly different than the one she'd originally took up before. Her eyes locked on Luke, like a wolf eyeing down a deer. Cracking her neck, from left to right, the girl chuckled. "Ah," she began, her tone distinctly less flowery, "it feels fucking great to be back. Seems we've a bit of a fight to get to, aye?"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu Pool: 6,700/7,000}
-150 for Shikai Activation.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Release Trackers}
Shikai: 1/10.
Posts Released: 1.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shikai: 暴力 - Bōryoku (lit. 'Violence')}

As its name implies, Bōryoku is a Zanpakutō that aims to sow violence into the world around it. Manifesting as a pair of gauntlets on Camila, Bōryoku aids to a much more physical approach to be taken by the Vizard, very much befitting the Zanpakutō's release abilities. Upon activating Shikai, Bōryoku begins sowing the seeds of aggression into all those around Camila, and in turn allows the girl to feed on said emotions. Each post that passes, everyone within a ten-foot radius of Camila, except for the Vizard herself, will have 5 Light Aura converted into Dark Aura. Whispers of violence, the desire to cause bloodshed, and the drive to kill will slowly become prevalent in those that get caught in this aura. The drive to engage in relentless melee combat with the closest individual will take over once someone reaches 100 Dark Aura, though this can be resisted with a 2 in Strength of Will or by spending 10 Reiatsu each post, increasing by 10 with each post that passes. While released, Camila exudes only Hollow Reiatsu.

While mostly cinematic in nature, that isn't to say that Bōryoku doesn't come with mechanical advantage as well. Each post that passes, Camila herself will grow stronger, and much more difficult to put down. Each of the girl's release techniques serve as passive abilities; each of which grow stronger the longer that a fight drags out. At any point, Camila is capable of spending 200 Reiatsu in order to forcibly cause one technique of her choice or her Overall Ability to "tick", treating it as though an additional post had passed. These effects last until Camila's release ends, or she loses consciousness.

SPOILER: Click to show

{殺人拳 - Setsuninken (lit. 'Murdering Fist')}

Technique Name: 殺人拳 - Setsuninken (lit. 'Murdering Fist')

Technique Stages: Shikai / Bankai.

Technique Cost: None: Passive.

Description: Through her normal attacks, Camila is capable of creating shockwaves from the Strength she possesses naturally. While this might be the case, the shockwaves she's capable of creating are rather limited in size. Setsuninken aims to change that, increasing the amount of force she can put behind each strike. Upon releasing, Camila's shockwaves are no larger than her fists, feet, et cetera. Each post that passes, the radius of damage they can cause will expand by six inches. When slamming into the ground, a building, or other terrain, the radial shockwave that's fired from such an attack begins at one-foot in length at the start of her Release, expanding by an additional foot each post. In Bankai, these shockwaves increase by one foot and two feet, respectively, per post. This is retroactive.

Drawbacks: Takes quite a while to ramp, or a lot of Reiatsu to expedite this process.

SPOILER: Click to show

{破壊力 - Hakai-ryoku (lit. 'Destructive Force')}

Technique Name: 破壊力 - Hakai-ryoku (lit. 'Destructive Force')

Technique Stages: Shikai / Bankai.

Technique Cost: None: Passive.

Description: Striking as hard as you can only gets so far. Hakai-ryoku aims to assist Camila in terms of her raw destructive capabilities, allowing her to break through even the toughest of defenses in a matter of time. Upon activating her release, Camila's physical attacks and techniques shave an additional 10 Durability off of techniques and items that possess it, or reduce the OS of defensive abilities by 10. Each post that passes increases these amounts by an additional 10. In Bankai, these values increase to 25 Durability or OS, per post. This is retroactive.

Drawbacks: Takes quite a while to ramp, or a lot of Reiatsu to expedite this process. Multi-attack techniques like Hundred Fangs only apply this technique once.

SPOILER: Click to show

{死の肉 - Shi no Niku (lit. 'Flesh of Death')}

Technique Name: 死の肉 - Shi no Niku (lit. 'Flesh of Death')

Technique Stages: Shikai / Bankai.

Technique Cost: None: Passive.

Description: Being an agent of violence, the ability to perpetually take strikes is key. Without that, Camila would crumble quite quickly. As such, Shi no Niku bolsters the girl's ability to take a punch. Upon activating her release, incoming attacks have their Offensive Stat reduced by 10. This increases by an additional 10 per post, until eventually reducing that stat down to 25% of its base value. When someone's physical attacks possess a lesser Offensive Stat than Camila's Strength, they are incapable of cutting off parts of the girl's body; removing her arms, legs, beheading her will not work, et cetera. In Bankai, this value increases to 25 OS, per post. This is retroactive.

Drawbacks: Takes quite a while to ramp, or a lot of Reiatsu to expedite this process. This only applies to melee strikes; spiritually-backed or bolstered strikes will still be subject to this effect, but techniques like Kidō and Cero won't be.

[Luke Clyburn]

A hit. Luke felt the confirmation of contact through his fingers. The sensation of metal slicing through flesh was unmistakable. His gamble had paid off. Forcing the girl off balance with a slight burst of Ken had managed to give him the opening he needed to draw first blood. Now, certainly, the pain of being cut would cause this assassin to panic and retreat. Well, much like a Rian Johnson movie Luke’s expectations were thoroughly subverted. Instead of freaking out or wailing in pain, the raven haired assailant acted as though being cut was no different than splashing toothpaste on your work shirt. Wait, can she even feel pain? Luke would suddenly wonder as he watched, studied, her reaction. In fact she seemed pleased about it. Maybe Luke should have gone for her head.

This was a problem. Luke knew there were fighters who didn’t respond to pain in the same way people like him did. Whether it was through experience or sheer force of will, Luke was able to shrug off the pain he’d feel from damage and keep powering through so long as his determination held out. There were those who got off to pain, masochists, as though it was aphrodisiacs pumped directly into their system. But this woman was different. Luke didn’t see her red faced, huffing and puffing with euphoria, at being sliced. Instead she just didn’t seem bothered at all. Congenital insensitivity? Luke had to wonder.

”And how the hell do you know that word?”

Greys Anatomy.

Taking a ko gasumi stance, Luke focused his attention completely on Camilla once again as she talked to him. What did she mean by getting serious? Well, the answer came quickly because for the first time this entire engagement she reached for her own sword. She has a sword? Why hadn’t he noticed that at this point? She’d been attacking him with nothing but sloppy martial arts up until now. Bōryoku. Luke heard the name and watched the flash of red light. I knew something wasn’t right. The feeling of her reiatsu, her odor, all pointed to her not being a human. Luke furrowed his brow in concentration and anticipation.

A sealed Fullbring never takes on the form of a weapon. It’s a watch, a necklace, a photograph. Something with a lot of sentimental meaning to the wielder. Quincy releases don’t have names, either, and I would have sensed the intaking of reishi. Bount’s off the table, obviously. What she just said confirmed it though…

”You’re a Shinigami.”

The light died down to reveal that what was once a sword and scabbard had become a pair clawed gauntlets that fit snuggling onto her arm. Tightening his grip on his sword, Luke started contemplating options. ”Boy, you’d better-” Luke heard within his head but immediately cut it off with, I know. But there’s strength in hiding what I am for now. So long as his assailant wasn’t sure what race he was, she wouldn’t be sure what abilities he might have. The problem with this thought, though, was that she was a hired assassin. It would have been really sloppy if she didn’t even know what kind of spiritual human he was.

But what Luke gave pause was the feeling of reiatsu he was getting from her. This wasn’t Shinigami. Luke felt nauseous. The taste of a cotton ball used to soak up throw up was apparent on his tongue. Luke’s mouth grew dry. He recognized this feeling, this taste, immediately and unfortunately. The same taste that drove part of his hair to turn white. ”A Hollow? Why does she feel like a Hollow?” Luke’s Doll would ask. I don’t know.” Luke would respond with a bead of sweat trailing its way down his temple. The desire to press the advantage was gone. Luke had no idea what sort of power this woman possessed. He needed more information before he could act.