The Dark of the Jungle: Part 1 [Easy, NDE]

[Souza Kuchiki]

Cold eyes fell on Iwa in a heartbeat when she stabbed into the remains of the beast. Whether or not it had already been dead didn't matter. It was incapacitated enough to no longer pose a threat, and naturally finishing the job was something anyone sensible would do. Besides, instead of choosing to watch the situation unfold, Iwa had chosen to go for the kill straight away, indicating early to Souza, who ended up observing her, that she was capable of cooperation naturally. As a person in general, she was willing to cooperate. Whether or not she liked it was a different story, but given anyone else appearing here, whether or not they had even been of the same race, Souza figured she still would have cooperated.

But then again, the momentary flash of discomfort on her face told him otherwise. He knew why, too. Now that they were much closer, Souza got a good look at her sword, though he kept his eyes on her, and only stole a glance or two at it. It definitely bore the makings of a Kasumi'Oji forged weapon, and in fact had the family crest on the blade itself. He also didn't recognize her, meaning that she wasn't a member of the Kasumi'Oji family. She bore none of the traditional physical characteristics, and even if she had been adopted, he would have known her just by the publicity that would draw. Besides, Souza knew more or less every member of every major noble family. It was folly in the noble world not to.

He could accurately guess that his original hypothesis was right. The sword was probably a Bakkoto...Ugh, disgusting. Fucking filthy little dolts going Rogue and thinking they could compensate with one of these abominations. He guessed that the discomfort was probably in an attempt to quell the rage of her weapon. Bakkoto naturally hungered for Soul Reaper blood, even if it was Soul Reapers who had created them originally. She was probably trying to silence the blade, which must have sensed not only Souza's Soul Reaper powers, but the more pure reiatsu associated with a Kuchiki's blood. It wanted to kill him, and she knew better than to fight Souza right now, while they were in the middle of something else.

Good. Souza appraised it. She knew at least how to cooperate, and when and where things should happen. She was functionally aware of the idea that there was a time and place for things. He could cooperate with her, until the mission was over. After that, if she chose to attack him, then it would be on her. As if in anticipation in the same way as the Bakkoto, Atsureki No Koe Ga stirred in Souza's soul, and growled. Souza did not show any external signs of what had just happened, though the irritation that flickered through his heart berated the dragon for the recklessness. Silence, lizard, Souza thought. Know your place.

Iwa then motioned over in some random direction, as if asking, Shall we go together? She was asking to cooperate. That was just fine. Souza may be arrogant, and was superior in on on one, but he was actually a very team oriented person, and believed firmly in the idea that a proper unit worked best of all in all situations. However, he did not want to go so much into a random direction. He wanted to see more than that. Since they had trees over behind them, as they were in the clearing, and some of those trees were stupidly tall, Souza thought that well, maybe, it would be worth just hitting the tops of the trees and looking around. The danger was low enough level that it was worth the risk. Besides, maybe they could make the enemy come to them.

So, after Iwa motioned, Souza shook his head slowly, and then instead motioned upward. He was physically communicating that they check out the vantage point up there and get a good view of the whole area, and maybe see if they could use their energy sensory to sense around for some stuff. It was a large jungle, and continuing to investigate bit by bit was going to be both slow and annoying. Since there was no clear and immediate danger present, or if there was, it was too low level, the investigative style that Souza had just suggested might be worth attempting. With or without Iwa, and whether or not she agreed, Souza disappeared in an upwards jump, skyrocketing through the branches of the trees and up to the top.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Souza jumped up to the top of the trees, and whether or not Iwamichi followed him, the view of the forest would be seen by at least one pair of eyes. From up above the canopy, the vast scale of the jungle could be seen. The jungle had very few breaks in it, from what could be seen, as the trees fought over the available light. There were a couple spots in the area that looked similar to the burned out craters that the Shinigami and Rogue had wandered into, with burnt blast away trees.

One of these spots was to Souza's left, approximately a quarter mile away, and the other one was much closer, but to his right, looking approximately a hundred yards away. Then, of course, there was the one Iwa had been standing in right below him and the crater that he came from at his back. Besides the trees and craters, what could easily be seen was a small outcropping of rock that emerged from the trees about three miles away. It wasn't big enough to be a mountain, but it was big enough to be a significant landmark.

The silence was still very much a factor in the way the two could interact with the world, and they could determine nothing from their Energy Sensory. The Hason that they were fighting were denizens of Hell, cursed beings that used to be Shinigami until they were slain and dragged down to the depths of the pit by the black chains. These evil Shinigami were given a bestial form, and as a result, had lost all sort of humanity. These creatures could rarely escape Hell on their own without help, so finding them here hinted that there was something more... sinister about.

?: 5

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa had suggested turning in a random direction, so she wasn't too surprised when the offer was rejected. The Shinigami, of course, had a better idea. She unfortunately didn't know how to tell him that she had already tried this tactic. He bolted off into the trees. Sighing, she decide to follow; hopefully, they would see something she may have missed. She stood on a branch just below his, where she could still see all of the landscape. They searched for a less than a minute before they saw a large rock formation jutting above the trees. She made some excuse for not seeing it earlier...like, she wasn't close enough, or something.

Well, Iwa had an idea of where they were going from the look in the boy's eyes, so she jumped down first. She was actually pretty surprised that he was cooperating at all. Maybe he actually thought she was a Shinigami. She started off running towards the rock, which she was still assuming was the right destination. She wanted to analyze him a bit more, but all she could do for now was use the information she had already gathered in just the brief moments they had previously shared.

Although he was very stoic, Iwa knew that with her skills, she should be able to figure him out. Looking at the blade of his zanpakuto, she could see it was very well crafted, probably of the highest quality. Her Bakkoto was pretty well-done also, since it came from the Kasumi'Oji family, so she guessed his came from a Noble House. She had heard the Kawadas were known for being very emotionless. Still, she couldn't see him as a Kawada. The look in his eyes said that he marked things, with disdain mostly, but he did have some feelings regarding what he was seeing. That left the Shihoin house or the Kuchikis.

If he was a Kuchiki, she would be in trouble. He would probably be able to tell easily that she was a rogue and not a Shinigami just by the database records their family kept charge of. Yeah, she had done her research on the noble houses. Wanted to be part of one at one point, but gave up on that because there were so many rules you had to follow. Ugh. Coming out of her reverie, she watched as she finally neared her destination. Iwa suddenly felt uneasy - and that usually never happened. Maybe it was the weird voice's doing, but she didn't like this place any more. She wondered if the shinigami boy felt the same way.

Doing a circle around the rock and looking at it from all directions, Iwa wanted to know what he would think in this scenario; but, it would be hard to get it out of him. If they wanted to talk, they were probably going to have to write in the dirt or something - something Maresuke would do. Iwa didn't feel like using all that energy and time to do that. If he wanted to try that, by all means. For now, she was stuck waiting for something. Hopefully, that something wasn't more of those Hell-hounds. She didn't like the thought of them being there and she couldn't explain why.

Remaining Reiatsu: 2805/2930
Life Force: 2930/2930

[Souza Kuchiki]

Having silently followed the Rogue, Souza reflected inward on himself. With such absolute silence, it became easier for thoughts to fill his mind. One of these thoughts was wonder at how he had become the prodigious, stoic, cold hearted person that he was now. And he knew how it had happened, too. It might seem rather bratty, actually, if someone dissected it, but short of coexisting in one another's shoes, no one could truly understand each other anyway, and Souza was comfortable and confident in his own skin.

It wasn't exactly easy growing up with such arduous training. From a young age, Souza was made to study and train in the most difficult ways imaginable. Of course. He was going to one day succeed his father as Head of the Kuchiki Family, the most prestigious of all of the noble houses. It was natural for his training to be harsh. He was expected to excel and be beyond perfect in all things he did. To be the very best in all things, from his studies to his swordplay to his hobbies and athletics.

His father was kind, but this didn't help take off the load of the training. This immense load, which even Sozen himself had once grown sick of, so they said, only served to make Souza's father's kindness seem mocking. A mother who was not typically present didn't help. He did love her, but when she arrived, it was scarcely. She had so much work in the Zero Division, an organization someone as low ranked as Souza should not even be aware of. That such things existed were daunting. That his mother was there infuriating.

Worse than the training however, and his mother's absence, was expectation. Souza was always expected, from a very young age, to one day surpass them. The blood of a Zero Division Soul Reaper AND the famed Sozen Kuchiki, called Vizard Killer and Crimson King? He would be truly great. And while Souza was truly great and would become truly greater, the fact that he was expected by others around him to grow and bloom beyond such immense icons was daunting, and served to make him obsessed with surpassing them and living outside of their shadows. It robbed him of an identity. He was not "Souza." He was "the son of the great Sozen and Aoi Kuchiki."

And in spite of that, while it may have always given him a bad attitude when at home, he'd held a second personality. A calm, collected, confident, even charismatic, good personality. It had existed, once. It could again, one day, maybe. It had existed in listening to his uncle Ryuu's music. It had existed in playing with other children. Well, until Ryuu left to the Central 46, and the other children, who found Souza's skillset too far above theirs, no longer invited him to play their athletic games.

When there were no more escapes or fun times for Souza, he found that he must devote himself completely to his studies. And thus, he enlisted in the academy. And there, in the academy, he witnessed something. Prodigies near his level. Some in particular who might surpass him. An impossibility. He was supposed to be the best. None could be better than him. And so...upon seeing these prodigies, he recruited them to work under him...and in turn, he made himself stronger, so that with his ability, he would forever surpass them.

And thus, Souza was never again able to have fun. The youth that he had been disappeared beneath the surface forever, and Souza was left to become who he was now. In this world, victory is everything. Winners are affirmed absolutely, while losers are denied completely. It is the winners who determine the shape of the world, and who ultimately are correct. Therefore, because I am always victorious, I am always correct. The motto which made Souza into who he was would be born in the academy.

Looking around the rock, Souza could surmise nothing of it. As he approached it with Iwa, he tapped it around to see if it might have hidden openings or the like, or secrets to it. He was meticulous, but if met with no results, would motion to Iwa that they may wish to consider using Kido to destroy it. He made motions with his fingers as if casting a spell to achieve this, and mouthed words, as if speaking incantation. This would serve to explain to her that he wanted to try Kido, in the event he found no openings.

[Kazura Uzaki]

The single hill of rock jutted up out of the jungle like a giant zit on the face of the earth, alone and barren against the backdrop of canopy. The hill had more than one opening when the two unlikeliest of associates reached it, various holes and tunnels snaking their way through it. Most of the holes were more like craters, the back of the cave clearly visible, but there were a couple long tunnels that were too twisted and dark to see all the way down.

What was consistent about this rock was a general sense of normalcy. It looked like a big old hunk of rock. Neither of them could feel any sort of energy coming from the rock, which wasn't necessarily a sure bet that there was nothing inside of it. The Hason race was undetectable through energy sensory until it prepared to attack. If Iwamichi and Souza looked around before entering the hill, or decided to do anything else, they would see clear skies and no burnt craters in their immediate vicinity. They appeared pretty safe.

?: 6

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Investigating the rock, Iwa found many odd shaped holes or craters around the entire base. Some were shallow and others went very deep; the existence of all of these holes, however, was a big mystery. She knew that if they were to venture into one of those passages, untold dangers would await them. Not like they could scare her, but she was sure they would find something down there. Which one should they chose? After her own search of the large rock formation, she looked a Souza to see what he might think about it. It didn't seem like he had any revelations about the thing either. Besides those holes, there wasn't much to be said about the rock. She couldn't sense anything from it. Of course, that was not her strong suit though.

Looking above them, she could see the vast, radiant blue sky. There were few clouds to be seen. The forest was also clean and unscathed, so it almost seemed like there was nothing wrong with the forest to begin with. It was a very eerie atmosphere, to say the least. Furrowing her brow, she took another glance over each hole. Iwa wasn't a fan of just picking a random direction either, but at this point, what other choice did they have? Their only lead was this weird jutting rock formation in the middle of the jungle. Where else would they find the culprit of the mysterious silent jungle? This had to be the place.

She bet that whatever she might suggest, the Shinigami boy would refuse it, turn her down. He had already done so once, so she was pretty sure he would have no qualms doing it again. Unless her plan was similar to his, her suggestions probably wouldn't get anywhere. Iwa sure didn't like taking orders, but she wasn't sure how much energy she really wanted to put into trying to get the boy to follow her. Crossing her arms, she looked expectantly over at Souza; she expected him to take the lead on this one. Whatever hole he chose was fine, it didn't really matter to her. Besides, if he went first, she could do some more analysis of him. That was a plus. Pointing toward one of the open holes, she pretty much asked if he wanted to move forward or not. Was it time to explore deeper into this unknown cave?

[Souza Kuchiki]

OOC: Just assume I had Souza agree with Iwa and jump into the hole to explore. Too tired to fluff for that one. XD

Kyo's up!

[Kazura Uzaki]

As Iwamichi and Souza made their way into the rock, they’d notice the air get a bit thinner. Their tunnel had a pretty steep decline, so much so that they could easily have just slid down it if it wasn’t made out of rock. The rough ground gave them plenty of traction, but travelling would still be slower than just a casual stroll through a cave. As they made their way down the spiraling tunnel, at first it got extremely dark as the light from the entrance was no longer visible, but it soon got brighter as they continued their descent.

The tunnel opened up into a larger than average cavern. The light had been coming from various phosphorescent plants that were thriving in this cavern. Small columns of sunlight came from the ceiling, letting other light dependent plants grow in abundance as well. The cavern was not terribly big, only measuring about one hundred yards across and the same distance wide, so the back of it was clearly visible from their tunnel that ended approximately fifty feet from the ground.

On the ground, some rustling in the ferns could be seen. There was a small creature moving through them, appearing to be smaller than a bread box. As it moved towards the pair, small glimpses of red fur could be seen as it passed by areas with less vegetation. It had no spiritual presence whatsoever that the two could sense. It moved fairly quickly through the brush, headed straight for them. True, they were fifty feet off the ground, but could they really trust that it was harmless even at a distance?

?: 7

[Iwamichi Saeke]

The cavern that Iwa and Souza entered through was a lot steeper than she had expected. It wasn't bad enough to make them slide and fall, but it was taxing on the feet. For most of the time, she couldn't see anything, since it was so dark. The light from outside disappeared for a while - until they could see a dim glow before them. She was grateful for it. If anything wanted to try to surprise them, they would be able to notice it better. Iwa felt pretty tired by the time they came upon the end of the tunnel, and she tried not to reveal her exhaustion. Even if Souza could notice it, she believed that he couldn't blame her for it, since the air was so thin down here. It had gotten harder to breathe since they entered the cave.

The cavern that they came upon was interesting. There were a lot of different plants, some that thrived in sunlight and some that could survive on their own in the darkness. The phosphorescent plants were the cause of the glow she had seen earlier. Iwa hadn't expected to find so many plants down here. She wasn't complaining, however, because she could definitely use them if they came upon another Hell creature. She stopped to think about what Souza's abilities could be. Until they had to fight something, she wouldn't be able to figure it out at all. Since talking was not an option, all she could do was watch him closely. Again, she wasn't complaining about that, but it did mean a lot more work.

Iwa looked down towards the floor of the cave. It was a good distance from where they were standing. Even so, she could see movement around the plants. Squinting a little more, she could tell that it was a small creature with red fur. It was nothing like the creatures they had encountered before, and it didn't seem very threatening. But I wa knew better than to assume things based on their appearance. She had to remain cautious; it could be dangerous, after all. She looked towards Souza, to see if he noticed the small creature too. Iwa unsheathed the katana from its scabbard. It was important to her to be prepared.

From this distance, she wasn't going to be able to attack it with her sword - unless she wanted to get really close to the thing. It served more as an indication to Souza that they should prepare themselves, just in case. She was either going to jump or use airground to get to the cavern floor. Iwa decided to walk down with airground, because that was simpler and she could keep her focus on that suspicious animal as she went. Another tunnel was located at the other side of the cave, which they needed to get to. That was her target. Upon reaching the floor of the cave, she stopped, waited, and listened. Souza could think however he wanted - she wasn't sure if he was as cautious as she was. But, she wouldn't be caught by surprise. Not on an important mission like this.

[Souza Kuchiki]

Descending into the cavern, they soon came to the end of the tunnel, on a ledge around fifty feet above a huge cavern filled with plants, ferns, and some sunlight. Below, slight movement and a patch of red fur indicated at least one creature existed in the underbrush below. So, this left Souza with a few options on how to proceed. Caution, lack of caution, or a mix of both. One of those might seem to be reckless and stupid, but to a proper strategist, it could be the ideal solution.

Without any hesitation, Souza made his decision, and descended from his ledge into a graceful plummet down into the cavern below. His use of reishi particles in his feet allowed a slower glide, as if gradually descending the air ground like stairs, until he at last touched down on the ground below. Souza noticed the Rogue join him a few seconds later. Her eyes were fixated on the other side of the cavern, where another tunnel lay. Souza didn't wait around for a move.

Without hesitation again, he started walking forwards. His sword was sheathed, but his hand was so close to his sword as to be able to produce it in a split second. Souza suspected the weapon, a show of hostility, might lure some enemies to them, or the glint of the shiny metal might lure animals. Then again, lack of weapon might invite vulnerability, and lure enemies. Souza was taking a 50-50 chance, but it was a calculated risk. He took a straight path toward the tunnel, ignoring the red fur he had seen earlier.

If it chose to surface and attack, then he would deal with it then. Caution was important, so Souza was light on his toes and ready to move, but simply waiting around wasn't in his nature. He advanced because he would not tolerate his mission being impeded by internal struggle and self doubt. All the while, Souza kept his footsteps quiet, and his breathing minimal so as to silence himself. His breathing was also minimal because of those nearby plants. Souza was cautious. Toxic spores weren't unheard of.

On his way to the cavern, Souza also started to narrow his eyes, as if analyzing combat. It wasn't that he was analyzing, however, though he was. It was the intimidating, cold look in his eyes that he was after. He knew that his gaze was intimidating. There were many among the academy who backed off immediately when he gave them the very look that he currently projected. It wasn't a hostile look, but it was intimidating. It said that Souza was dangerous. That was his goal. To appear too dangerous to attack.

[Kazura Uzaki]

The ferns and other assorted plants were approximately hip high on both Iwamichi and Souza, making moving through the underbrush wet with dew, but otherwise uneventful. The red fur that they had seen before often darted around and past them, and appeared upon closer inspection to be a ferret like creature. It was very long and somewhat short, with a bushy tail and a beady black nose. It frolicked in the plants, playing around like it didn't really have a care in the world.

Nothing eventful happened to the two as they walked through the cavern of plants until they got about half way across towards the other side. It was another simple message, this one appearing a bit louder than the ones before. Whatever it was, it had either gotten stronger, more upset, or just closer. "I send two Messengers to you. If you will not turn back, they will drag you down." Maybe Souza's Zanpakutou Spirit would start to roar and complain again, maybe Iwamichi's parasite would start to clutch at her eye socket tighter. The increased volume of the Voice was definitely annoying, especially when nothing else could be heard.

When the two got to the end of the cavern, in front of the entrance was a wiry boy with glasses. He couldn't be standing more than four feet off the ground, and his clothes looked like he had emerged from the time before Christ. The rough sackcloth, usually used for mourning, loosely covered up his body. His right arm was normal, while his left arm was clearly demonic. The skin was red and blistered, his black fingernails were filed to a sharp point, and a barbed wire chain was wrapped around the flesh.

In his non-demonic hand was clutched the broken head of a scepter, just the orb part. It was as if a Catholic relic had been snapped in half, the rod going somewhere else and the golden orb remaining in the kid's possession. As soon as the kid saw the Kuchiki and the Rogue, he giggled with glee. And his mirth could be heard throughout the cavern. Well isn't it the pretty couple! I am the first messenger, Balthazar. The Voice wants you to go away."

He tossed the orb into the air, and it unfolded in mid air into a Knight. Wild horns emerged from the top of his helm, behind which nothing could be seen but a red glow. Most of the Knight's armor was made of gold, the rest appearing a more coppery material. Down his back was a flowing golden cape. One of the spiked gauntlets was clenched in a fist, the other carried a sword. [color=olive"You may be wondering why you can hear me, but can't talk yourself. That's because I'm worthy of being heard."[/color] The Knight didn't speak, but rather set himself in a defensive position, guarding the boy behind him with his sword pointed out.

The boy stepped back into the mouth of the tunnel, and the open hand of the Knight pointed backwards and cast a shimmering white energy over the entrance, protecting the boy from harm. Words came out from behind the helm, muffled, but audible. "The Master is not to be harmed. Back away, Heathens." With sword in hand, and some sort of shimmering energy glowing around the palm of the other, the Knight prepared to be attacked.

Balthazaar's Reiatsu: 1200/1500 (-300 Knight Activation)

Knight's Reiatsu: 1400/1500 (-100 Celestial Gate)
Knight's Posts: 1/8

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}

Balthazar. Class 5, Rank 1 Fighter Version 1



Strength - [100 (150)] Points

Speed - [200 (300)] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [200 (150)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [100] Points

Light Aura - [25] Points

Dark Aura - [75] Points

Instinct - [150] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [900] Points

That's all for the template. There are a LOT of stats, but don't get choosy and just give some to all. The result could be quite negative.



The Knight has identical stats to Balthazar, however he has 25 Dark Aura and 75 Light Aura


The Knight has power over Celestial Energy. This Holy energy comes in blasts and simple shapes such as walls. For every 1 point that the opponent has in Dark Aura, this Holy energy is 1% stronger, defensively. Meaning, someone with 100 Dark aura would hit the 150 SpPr wall as if it was 300 SpPr. It does not cut better, is just more durable.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Knight Image}

?: 8

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa slowly makes her way towards the mouth of the tunnel with Souza when that horrible annoying voice came back. Well, she was half expecting it to be here. It seemed to be watching them this whole time, and the closer they got to figuring out what was wrong here, the more it would resurface. It was louder this time, however. Maybe they were really close. In any case, it said that it would be sending "messengers". More like guardians. Whatever this voice was, it didn't want any intruders; it even went so far as to get things to attack them. What was interesting was it's last statement. If you will not turn back, they will drag you down."

Drag them down... that could be figuratively or literally. Figuratively, that just meant death- game over, end of the line. But literally, it meant it would take them to the only place she could think of as "down": Hell. That made sense though, because the creatures they had already encountered didn't seem to be of this world or Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. So, this voice and these creatures were from Hell, which begs the question, what were creatures from Hell doing in the land of the living? They were going to have to go farther if they wanted to figure that out. Iwa glanced towards Souza, who had a very serious and threatening glare on his face at the moment. He was trying to look more intimidating than he was. He wasn't that intimidating to Iwa, so his attempt was just kind of comical.

Sure, to other weak-hearted individuals he could look intimidating, but Iwa feared very few things - and this shinigami was not one of them. Iwa felt her parasitic partner squirm more and more violently. The voice had infuriated it to unimaginable levels. Its rage was so intense that Iwa raised her hand to her eye in an effort to silence the beast. She gripped her sword more tightly as the first messenger revealed himself. He laughed maniacally and geared up for an attack. He summoned an interesting-looking aid from the orb he was holding. Well, just great. They didn't have to fight a puny midget now. Iwa cracked her knuckles loudly. She would forget the comment about the "cute couple".

The knight seemed the biggest threat at the moment. He was obviously shielding his master with some kind of holy light. In his other hand, he held a great sword. Well, if he was using one hand to activate the magic shielding his master, it was possible that he wouldn't be able to use it for anything else. That wasn't guaranteed though; it was just a theory so far. Iwa had an idea for an initial attack, but it depended on Souza's ability to react and follow on her lead. If they didn't time it right, it might fail. Iwa was going to be the distraction. She looks toward Souza and nods slightly, her eyes shining with the idea swirling in her head. Drawing her sword, she gathers her reiatsu and releases her power.

The eye emerges faster and more powerful than it ever had before. Since it was so ticked off, it was really ready to knock some head off. It was almost too eager and almost disoriented Iwa. But, she shrugged it off and focused on her mission. She took the plants around them and wrapped their leafy tendrils around the knight's arm - the one holding the sword. She pulled them back tight to restrict his motion and keep that arm from moving. If her theory was correct and her strength was enough to hold him, he wouldn't be able to defend. Of course, it also depended upon Souza to think of a good attack. This was teamwork. She wasn't skilled at it; she never really worked with others all her life. But, now it was important, and she hoped she could learn enough to create good opportunities. For good measure, Iwa wrapped some earth around the knight's arm and legs as well. That should strengthen her hold on him if the plants were too weak. What should she do now?

Remaining Reiatsu: -200 for bakkoto release 2730 / 2930
Bakkoto Level 4: 1/3
Life Force: 2930 / 2930

[Souza Kuchiki]

As soon as he saw that eye open up, Souza knew exactly what it was, and it seized his focus immediately. That murderous, vengeful eye. That baleful moon in a sky of darkness and malevolence. That inconsequential runt in the corner with his pitiful knight guarding him no longer held any relevance. At that moment, Souza's eyes were fixed on Iwa's blade. It was a blade of a Kasumi'Oji build, and more than that had been hardened by the evils of the black market and being sold. It was a Bakkoto, the weapon used by Rogue Soul Reapers who had lost their Zanpakuto to treachery.

Immediately, all was confirmed. This Soul Reaper before him was no true Soul Reaper, but a pitiful traitor. And, how would Souza react to this? He began to sway in his mind in between the desire to defeat both her and that knight simultaneously. Might he need her later in the mission? Judging by her lack of reaction he had earlier noticed in regard to his gaze, it was unlikely. The fact that it did not make her any more cautious indicated arrogance and lack of proper experience.

But, as he settled it over more in his mind, he decided that he did not need to bring her in, either. She posed no threat, and her treachery meant nothing. At the level she was at now, it was unlikely she had taken with her any kind of information worth taking. Souza did not believe that there would be any benefit to taking her in, and justice was the last thing on his mind, given that he had taken this mission only to test his power. Combat with her would only deplete reiatsu and stamina that could be used later. There was no benefit to assault.

It took only a second or two for Souza to reach this conclusion, before he reached his next one. The knight before him was a nuisance and an eyesore. Judging by his opponent's use of a proxy combatant, Souza could surmise that his opponent was a Bount. So then they were fighting an enemy who had command over Hellspawn and Bount both. It was funny that it should tell them to back off when it was an inferior creature itself. Fucking stupid animal...Such ignorance in the face of power.

Souza normally would have spoken just then, but instead he smirked and lowered his head. Focus took him, and for the first time in his life, a real battle focus started to get to him because of these circumstances and new enemies. He was finally understanding what combat high was, because he was amused by this situation. Worthy to be heard? You decide this without even achieving victory? Stupid dolt... The only people who mattered were the winners. So, briefly they would find out who mattered more. Them, or this fool.

Well, if that thing was a doll, the best method of attack would be against the wielder Bount, not the knight itself, but some sort of defense was being used, so they had to take out the knight first. More specifically, they had to sever his arm that was creating the technique. If he was using one arm for that defensive aura to protect his master, he only had one for combat, and Iwa had locked that. This meant Souza was free to do as he pleased with his attack.

Had it been Sozen Kuchiki, that red beaver on the helmet would have spelled doom for the doll. Sometimes, Souza cursed not having his father's powers. Anyway, it was time for his own attack. Souza charged forwards, and then disappeared instantly with incredible speed. He was far faster than the knight. There was no way that it would be able to keep up, nor would the runt. Souza's unusual zig-zag pattern took him into thick underbrushes of grass, and past trees. So, not only could he not be tracked by eyesight, but he had cover too.

With Souza being lost sight of more than once, and blurring to become impossible to predict anyway, neither knight nor master would be capable of anticipating him. He appeared beneath the knight's armpit, in the knight's guard under the sword arm, which was held by Iwa, and his blade pierced upward toward the knight's helmet opening. Armor was armor. It was foolish to think to just cut it like that. The knight's body was probably much more durable than that. Repeated hits? Maybe.

However, Iwa should have been the main attacker, and Souza the back-up. Strategically, it made more sense. Bakkoto were capable of powering themselves up by eating the user's reiatsu and life-force. It might be more draining on Iwa, but it would be more efficient in dealing with the knight. Oh, well. Souza had a strategy. If his blade pierced into the knight's helmet, it would stab directly into the knight's head, which in itself was going to destroy any sort of "brain" or perhaps reiatsu center the knight had, incapacitating it.

Yet, that was not Souza's main attack. As he did this, his free hand, which was not holding the blade, released a Byakurai straight into the knight's extended hand which created the defensive light around the master. The Byakurai would pass along the fingertips, scorching them, and also putting Souza's reiatsu there instead of his enemy's. It was going to cut off the knight's reiatsu going into that light, and cut off the knight from the light, suddenly exposing their enemy, and making him defenseless.

Iwa could now take advantage of it. And, still, this was not the end of Souza's attack. He had planned this several steps in advance before going in at all. He had formed a plan around present circumstances, and by planning his moves in advance, had established a secure strategy for defeating his opponent. What came next would surprise them all. Combat was like Shogi. It was just a series of maneuvers in which one tried to outbox the opponent. It was easy. And checkmate was coming.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 1475/1500 Reiatsu

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

OOC: How does Souza know so much about Bakoto? Is it really such a widely known thing in the Soul Society? We haven't had any RPC Rogues, nor a lot of NPC ones, afaik. It doesn't really impact the thread, it would just be interesting to know if all Shinigami as learned as Souza had that kind of knowledge.

The doll did not waste any time when Iwamichi released her Bakoto. As the vines and earth moved up to grab it, a blast of holy energy out of its feet sent it speeding towards her. The Knight got right in her face, going for a headbutt with his head spines. Meanwhile, Souza didn't have as far to go to attempt his attacks. The sword was sent at the gaps in the helmet, and the byakurai shot at the hand. More worried about the sword than the laser, the Knight turned its head to have the Zanpakutou clang against the golden helm, rather than pierce the glowing red center.

As the Knight was distracted, the electrical bolt struck true, hitting the metal gloved hand with a powerful shock. However... nothing happened. The boy behind the Holy Gate just started to laugh at them. "What, did you think that his hand was powering the Celestial Gate continuously? Think again!" As the boy spoke, the glowing energy around the Knight's hand turned into a large blast, aimed right at Iwamichi's stomach. The gauntlet had been scorched by the Byakurai, but no real lasting damage had been done to it just yet. As the Holy Blast attacked Iwa, the Knight's sword swung out in a simple horizontal arc aimed to either cleave through Souza, or just force him to back off for a moment.

No reiatsu changes

Remaining Reiatsu: 1200/1500 (-100 Celestial Step, -100 Celestial Blast)
Knight Posts: 2/8

OOC: If it matters, Celestial Step is the same speed as Shunpo

?: 9

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa's plan failed - big surprise. Well, at least they got some picture of the knight's strength: he wasn't weak enough to let himself be caught off guard and trapped so easily. Iwa just wished now that she had been a little more patient. Seeing as she was the first to attack, the knight seemed to pour all his attention on her. Just great. This would really test her skills, though, which was something she usually relished. The knight charged at her with his large horns, but she did a quick shunpo to get out of the way. That was one attack successfully dodged.

Souza seemed really useless. Like, what kind of attack was that? Did he really think his sword would penetrate the armor so easily? He was probably looking down on their opponents and deemed them unworthy of seeing his full power. Iwa would have kept her Bakkoto sealed too, but she thought it wise not to underestimate them. And, because that idea did kind of require the use of it... Still, she was pretty upset with Souza not being able to come up with anything better. Even his byakurai to the hand didn't work. The little squirt at the back of the cave made sure to point that out. She had to admit that she thought it would work though. She was also thinking that that hand was only good for defense, so it surprised her to see it more effective.

Just as she was thinking about that, the guardian shot a blast of white light towards her. Ugh, another attack to deal with. Iwa erected a wall in front of her to block the beam's trajectory. Just in case, she jumped to the right so the blast couldn't go through the rock and still pierce her. Hmm, so it seems like he can shoot powerful beams from that hand. Or, more generally, he is able to use techniques that consist of some kind of holy white light. Iwa thought about her next move while trying to analyze her opponent. By the way the knight talked, she could figure out that his power had to revolve around light or holiness (he called them heathens, after all).

But, why would some creature from Hell use something with holy powers? It seemed contradictory to her. The knight had the appearance of a being from Hell, but used very different powers. Putting that aside, she focused on starting a new attack. With the sword and its own spiritual powers, he could successfully perform both short and long-range attacks - simultaneously as well. Iwa didn't relish seeing one of those beams at point blank range too. There had to be some weakness. Unfortunately, the most obvious answer, which was the sneaky runt behind them, was being protected. They had to fight what was in front of them and actually trying to kill them.

Hopefully, this next attack wouldn't fail as miserably as the first. Iwa still believed it would be advantageous to both of them to try and halt his movement a bit. He was fast, but it was speed that they could deal with. Iwa raised the ground underneath the knight like a hand to wrap around his entire body. If that worked, Iwa would do a backwards kick and send a blast of pressurized air towards the opponent. At the very least, it should knock him back if it didn't puncture the armor. She still left Souza to his own devices, even though he hadn't done a whole lot yet. She couldn't babysit him, after all. First, she would see how her attacks worked. Then, she would dodge and counter as needed. Lastly, attack some more with intent to finish this battle. That was pretty much how Iwa always did battle. It worked too, so why do anything different?

Remaining Reiatsu: -50 shunpo 2680 / 2930
Bakkoto Level 4: 2/3
Life Force: 2930 / 2930