Danger in the Dark [R, NDE]

[Deleted]

Thread Title: Danger in the Dark [R, NDE]
Participants: Kazuko Shiba, Zackary Jensen
World: Human World
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Special Conditions: Kazuko has a Vice-Captains' Limiter.
Circumstances: Kazuko Shiba is out to the Land of the Living, following up a few spiritual pressures that may belong to certain Hollows. Zackary Jensen, under contract, moves to assassinate a Shinigami. Both confront each other, and a battle ensues between the Sword and the Vice-Captain.

[Deleted]

There was a scream. Like smoke, the grotesque creature faded from view, trying to cling to existence by flailing its claws and the remainder of its body. It didn’t work. That makes four. With metal hissing against leather, the boy sheathed his sword, a look of relief on his features. A few boats moored by the peer seemed to pay homage to their souls. During the course of his mission, Kazuko had eliminated four wanted Hollows from the Shinigami Black Book of Threats. There was no satisfaction with their deaths, however, as the boy had not purified them. Instead, they had been sent straight down to Hell; their sins were far too great to purify, so there was no helping it. Their existence would now be one of suffering, and that was truly regrettable. The Vice-Captain of Squad Nine rummaged inside the pockets of his robes, retrieving on his extended finger a bluish-black insect – a Hell Butterfly. He said to it, his voice tired, “Four threats neutralized soon after arrival. They damaged the peer somewhat, but there were no civilian casualties.” As he made his report, the Vice-Captain glanced around the area, making note of several knocked over shipping containers, claw marks on the walls, and patches of blood all over the dock.


Thank goodness there were no peer workers around, or the damage may have been greater. The Hollows he had ambushed had been on route to some of the populated suburbs nearby. If he had come any later, Kazuko may have arrived at the scene of a massacre. It was rare when Hollows such as these traveled together, but devastating when they actually did. Remembering that he was still making his report, the Shiba continued, “I’ll stay around longer, and make sure there are no more threats around or in the city.” With his report given, the Vice-Captain gave his finger a flick, and sent the butterfly on its way. The boy sighed. It was nights like these that left him restless in the mornings. Halfheartedly, he patted down the folds and wrinkles in his uniform, dusting off some of the dirt as he did so. Kazuko wore his standard uniform, like always, with his zanpakuto strapped to his back, two jugs tied to his hip, and, for the first time in a long time, his Reiatsu Gauntlet on his forearm. It’d been a while since the Vice-Captain had had an opportunity to use equipment such as this, but it looked like it was a waste after all. The Hollows had been threats, but nothing the Shinigami could not handle with his zanpakuto alone.


“Darn it. I still can’t believe I have to spend my night out here on another hunting mission. I still haven’t gotten around to buying Yoko that gift either, I wonder if she’s mad about that? Well, I could always take a detour on my patrol, and go see if I can find anything nice for her here in the city. It has been a while since I’ve been somewhere this big.” Kazuko said to himself, clearly bored now that his mission was just about over. The Vice-Captain looked about sixteen now, and still had the underlying attention-span and emotions of a teenager, as much as he’d hate to admit it. It was late in the night, but the lights coming from the city still made him wince when he looked straight at them. The Japanese sure knew had to make a statement. It was one of the reasons why the boy made an occasional trip every so often to the metropolitan area. They always had some of the best games and technology out for sale. Plus, it was all so weird to look at too. All the signs, all the people, all the cars, and buildings; everything seemed to be eye-catching and spectacular to the Vice-Captain.


The Shiba began walking, making sure to scan the area for any immediate threats – you never knew when a Hollow was just waiting for the chance to attack when your guard was down. As he walked, he formed plates of Reiatsu underneath the soles of his sandals, creating Air-Ground. Like a staircase, he took the Air-Ground upward with him until he made it level to the top of one of the stacks of shipping containers, and walked onto its surface. His training taking hold, the Vice-Captain looked around the area, making sure that everything was clear. The docks were not a place where one would be able to find many people, so it was unlikely that anything should be there. Kazuko also made sure that his Spiritual Pressure was hidden, or else he’d tip off any Hollows nearby of his location and scare them away. Or, he may attract an entourage of them, and have them pop up somewhere populated. Better safe than sorry. If I hurry, I may just be able to find something for Yoko, and for myself. Just need to finish these rounds around the city, and I’m good to go. The boy beamed slightly at the thought.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}

Kazuko Shiba: Level 2: Soldier

Strength – [100] (60)
Speed – [300] Limiter: 150
Spiritual Pressure – [300] Limiter: 150
Reiatsu Strength – [400] (700) Limiter: 350
Light Aura – [75]
Dark Aura – [25]
Instinct – [150]
Senses – [100]
Energy Sensory – [50]
Healing Expertise – [0]

Total SP: 1400

Skills

Weapons: Sword {3}
Hakuda {3}
Battle Analysis {3}
Mental Incantation {3}
Calm Mind {2}
Pain Tolerance {1}
Learning {1}

Total SKP: 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

Reiatsu Gauntlet
Ethereal Sake
Endurance Sake
Candy

(OOC: Kazuko has been allowed to use his CIU Stats for the purposes of this thread.)

[Deleted]

The air was cold and smelled of the sea. The black sky had no stars, hidden away behind the light pollution from the city of Tokyo. A full moon hovered in the sky like a giant eye, gazing down upon the world it rotated around. The shipping peers of Tokyo were a busy sight by day but a desolate area by night. It had been the perfect location to enact the plan that was set in motion. The Shinigami that had come was unaware that he was now part of someone else's game. No, game was not the right term to describe this situation. Test would be the better one. The Shinigami who stood alone in the docks no doubt believed that this was simply a random coincidence and not a orchestrated act. You always needed bait before you could catch a fish.

Six hours earlier.....

The walls of the formerly abandoned warehouse were painted with a blue light as the small computer screen light up. He stood in front of the screen, looking at the telephone symbol displayed on the screen. He raised a hand and pressed a key on the odd looking computer, prompting the screen to display a human female. "Anabeth." the male said, though his voice sounded filtered. Probably because of the mask that he wore on his face. A white mask no distinguishable features, just two darkened eye holes that hid his eyes. "It's good to see you again, Mr Jensen." the female responded, prompting Zack to nod his head. "Do you have another job for me?" Zack asked, reaching up and removing the mask from his face. "Yes, in a way. Zack raised an eyebrow. "This ones an order from the higher ups. According to the briefing, one of the big guys needs you to take out a Shinigami." Annabeth informed. "Shinigami? Isnt that a little bit out of my pay grade?" Zack asked, crossing his arms. Zack was never offered a Shinigami contract before as they weren't necessarily a Human World problem. Things like Bount, rogue Mod Souls or other Humans were normally what Zack dealt with.

"It's not exactly a hit, Mr Jensen. Rather, the higher ups want you to defeat a Shinigami in combat." Okay, that got his attention. The assassin furrowed his brow, not exactly understanding what was going on. "They want me to fight a Shinigami? Who?" Zack asked. "No target specified. It just says they need you to be experienced in battling them, understand how they fight and their powers. Reading info reports only gets you so far." Annabeth explained, looking at Zack. The man took a breath, shaking his head. This didn't sit well with him, but a job was a job. "Payment is good." She said with a hint of entertainment. Zack pressed a button on the computer, pulling up the information on the job. She was right, the pay was good. And Zack was even being provided something to draw in the Shinigami. Ending the call the man walked to the picked the computer up and tucked it inside his shirt before lifting the barrel up it had been set on. Inside the barrel was a small briefcase. Bending down the assassin carefully opened it and was a bit surprised at what was inside. A small silver tablet, something Zack recognized from information dossiers. Hollow Bait.


The docks had been chosen as the perfect location to release the bait. There wouldn't be any witnesses or unintended victims, Zack made sure of that. He didn't need any unnecessary death on his conscious. He already had enough weighing on that. After activating the Hollow Bait, Zack had used a newly acquired item of his to remain hidden from sight. Four hollows had entered the area, lured in my whatever the Hollow Bait was made of. The assassin situated himself atop a crane used to move the storage containers, a useful spot to monitor the area. And so he waited. It was not long after the arrival of the Hollows that a Shinigami had appeared. His appearance was that of a child, something that caught the silent Assassin by surprise. He watched as the young Shinigami effortlessly dispatched the Hollows with his blade, studying and analyzing the boys movements. A child was his target? But as he watched the man witnessed something interesting. Upon the death of each Hollow a massive door had appeared adorned with a massive skeleton on each side. The doors would open and a massive arm wielding an equally large blade would penetrate the Hollows and drag them in. Was this the Shinigamis power?

Zack, who wore his Stealth Cloak, was completely invisible and undetectable to the young Shinigami. The mans stealth skills kept him well hidden as he watched the Shinigami talk to himself. The way he talked sounded like he was filling in some sort of report. Something about a young girl as well, one named Yoko. For some reason the man felt a quick pit in his stomach form at that name. The origin he could not pinpoint. He didn't know any girl named Yoko. The Shinigami walked right up the air, drawing in the lingering reishi in the air to form a solid structure beneath his feet. Air ground, a simple trick. His reiatsu was suppressed, making sensing his reiatsu neigh impossible to the assassin who was barely above the average in that skill. But, Zack had other ways to determine his opponents level of skill. From within the invisible cloak Zack touched the ring on his finger. Rotating it counter clockwise three times then once clockwise, Zacks mind filled with numbers. Numerical values for the Shinigamis exact strengths were shown in his head. Judging off the numbers, Zack had the advantage in a number of areas except in the quantity of reiatsu. For some reason Zack was cursed with having too little reiatsu. It made him careful in battle and only use required techniques.

The Shinigami stopped as he made his way to the top of a shipping crate and surveyed the area. This was now the best chance Zack had to move in. From the top of the crane he moved, as silent as the falling snow. His invisibility granting cloak allowing him to move through the air without any sight or sound. Using air ground platforms, Zack descended through the sky, approaching the Shinigamis position. Still using air ground he maneuvered beside the Shinigami, crouched ever slightly before spinning. Using the momentum of his spin came a devastating kick using his left leg to the face of the young Shinigami. Invisibility, no energy to detect, and being silent would give the human all the advantages he needed to strike the young reaper. The kick would send Kazuko reeling over the side of the container and back down onto the ground below. Zack stood up, walking calmly over to the edge of the container and looked down. No doubt the Shinigami would be confused and from his position below he would see a distortion above him.

From nothing suddenly appeared a man wearing a hooded cloak. Upon his face was a featureless white mask, staring down at Kazuko. Zack said no words as he extended his arm and opened his hand, letting drop a small red sphere. When the sphere came close to landing on the Shinigami, it would suddenly flash and detonate. One of Zacks favored exploding spheres. Now, why did Zack reveal himself to Kazuko? Because it wasn't an assassination. Zack wasn't here to kill the Shinigami. He was here to fight him, nothing more and nothing less. Zack needed Kazuko to think he was here to kill him though, and to attack him. This was a training exercise for the human, a battle for the Shinigami. No doubt he could avoid the exploding sphere, or maybe he could even survive it. Regardless, Zack stepped away from the edge and jumped, landing on another shipping container. No doubt the Shinigami would come looking for him, and thats what Zack wanted. A green flash within the cloak following a black knife in Zacks hand, the battle was to begin.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}

Stats

▸Strength - [200] = [100] Points

▸Speed - [300] = [600] Points

▸Spiritual Pressure - [200] = [120] Points

▸Reiatsu Strength - [300] = [390] Points

▸Light Aura - [50] Points

▸Dark Aura - [50] Points

▸Instinct - [100] = [150] Points

▸Senses - [200] = [150] Points

▸Energy sensory - [100] = [75] Points

▸Healing Expertise - [0] Points

Total SP: [1400] Points

Skills

• [Stealth] {2}
  
  
• [Weapons: Knives] {2}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {2}
  
  
• [Movement] {2}
  
  
• [Focused Eye] {2}
  
  
• [Acting] {2}
  
  
• [Martial Arts: Systema] {2}
  
  
• [Calm Mind] {2}
  
  Total SKP: 16
  

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}
Handgun Ammo x30
Exploding Balls x5
Stealth Cloak
Power Ring
Seki Seki Drug

[Deleted]

The Vice-Captain scanned around, but he could not pick up anything of any significance at all in the area. But he couldn’t shake a creeping feeling at the pit of his stomach. Something was off, but he couldn’t quite place it. The area seemed to be clear for all intents and purposes, or so he thought. Suddenly, an unseen blow struck the side of his face, sending the boy down over the shipping container. The Shiba was in shock as he descended, but soon, training took hold, and he formed, with his hands and feet, Air-Ground, which slowed his decent, until he landed on his feet with a slight thud. Rubbing his cheek, the boy mumbled, “Ouch…” The difference in strength between both combatants had meant that the blow was not as severe as is could have been, but it still hurt like hell. Flustered, the boy looked up, his eyes scanning for some kind of bird or animal; his sensory did not pick up anything spiritual, so it had to be some kind of small animal or something. However, this was not the case. On the container that the Vice-Captain had been on until he was knocked over, the air shimmered, and then a man appeared, with a white mask.


That… jerk! Kazuko thought, brows furrowed at the human; what was his problem? But something was off… he could have sworn that there was nothing in the area, and his sensory didn’t register anything either, so then how did he sneak up on him? Was that cloak responsible? After he had taken it off, his figure and presence had been made known, so that might have been it. But that didn’t answer the question as to why the boy had been attacked in the first place. This is going to be another one of those nights, isn’t it? Regardless of what the man’s motives were, he seemed to be eager to pick a fight with the Vice-Captain. Did he know who he was up against? Probably not. Most people didn’t. But that was not the boy’s problem at the moment, but the problem of the mysterious man. Darn… I might not be able to buy Yoko that present as soon as I thought… well, maybe not for a while at least. The boy was not sure what he was more concerned about, his girlfriend being upset with him, or this whole weird situation.


Regardless of how he felt, the other man took the next step in their encounter; the stranger extended his hand, casually, and dropped a small red sphere. It fell down, toward Kazuko. The boy noticed that the man moved after dropping the thing, and he made sure to keep track of him. Was he serious? Zack moved and jumped to another nearby shipping container, and the boy frowned. As the sphere fell, he took a few steps back, giving himself a bit of an angle, and raised his hand toward the sphere. “Get real.” Mentally, the boy discharged Hado #1: Sho, at the sphere, sending it flying back toward the man to explode at his new location. “Something that obvious isn’t going to work.” The boy commented, after the bomb had exploded; at the same time, he was making sure to keep track of the man; if he disappeared again, he would have to be careful after all. The sound of leaves drifted through the air, and the boy disappeared, and reappeared on the container that he had been on before getting knocked over. “Care to explain to me what this whole thing is about? That blow really hurt you know.”


Whatever the man said to Kazuko – or didn’t – the boy would continue speaking, finding the whole thing irritating as he went along with it, “Look, whoever you are, get a hold of yourself. My name is Kazuko Shiba: Vice-Captain of Squad Nine. I’m willing to overlook this whole thing if you just back down.” For all his imposing words, Kazuko sure didn’t look like much to be honest. He was barely – BARELY – over five feet tall, and that was after his growth spurt, had a small body for someone his age, and, plain and simple, looked like a kid. He was not someone who was imposing at all, to anyone of any race. Who was he to tell anyone what to do, quite honestly, especially this stranger? Well, he was a Vice-Captain, but still. Of course, the boy was not stupid. He did not bother letting down his guard, instead, he glanced at his surroundings and at the stranger, wary of any foul play. He did not want to be caught off guard again, after all. Whoever this person, he looked like trouble; and that was not something that the Vice-Captain felt like dealing with after a long night of duty.


Remaining Reiatsu: 1425/1500 (-25 for Sho, -50 for Shunpo)

[Deleted]

Avoiding the returning explosive proved simple enough. When Zack had leapt to another container he had left the previous one behind him, meaning the explosive would have had to go up and over the original container to find its mark. Regardless, even if it had Zack could have dealt with it in a number of other ways. Plus, the timer on the bomb wouldn't have let it fly that far anyways. It exploded before even reaching the top of the container. The assassin made a mental note of how the Shinigami had repelled the explosive. That must have been Kido, the Shinigamis magic in work. It wasn't Soul Command, that was for sure. Intelligence dossiers had given Zack a clue on how the Shinigami fought, but he needed a better understanding if he had to face them in the future.

The young Soul Reaper, after he got back on top of the container, demanded that Zack reveal his intentions to him. The assassin remained silent, watching Kazuko beneath his mask. Useful thing, that mask. Didn't even limit his vision or other senses and worked perfectly to keep his identity safe. Seems, though, the Shinigami wasn't done talking. He revealed both his name and rank. The name Zack didn't much care about, but the rank caught Zack by surprise. He had a basic understanding of the Shinigamis military structure and their ranking system. A vice captain was supposed to be the second strongest member of a Squad. How did Zack rope in one of them? A mental sigh was all he could do, as he had to accept the facts before him. But still, a vice captain that looks so much like a child? "The Shinigami employ children as soldiers? Are they that desperate for manpower?" Zack asked, his voice filtered behind the mask he wore.

The Shinigami didn't seem to making any sort of move towards Zack, meaning he must be waiting for the assassin to make a move. Well, he could always do that. Zack was near the edge of his container, so he had a clear list of maneuvers and techniques he could use in this situation. Plus, Zack also had his handy cloak which had come in handy so many times before. With his free hand, Zack gently shook his arm letting one of the items stored inside to be released. Another small sphere fill onto his hidden hand. With a simple touch, the explosive was primed. The human, who to Kazuko had seemed to make no move, sudden threw the explosive with a flick of his arm. The explosive, already primed, only made it about half way before it exploded. As soon as Zack threw it he reactivated his cloak, vanishing from both sight and spiritual detection. The human leapt to the left, using air ground to create a platform he could silently walk across with no trouble.

With his speed the human crossed the distance between himself and the Shinigami, abruptly turning to his right towards the Shinigami. Positioned behind Kazukos right shoulder, the human decided to test the waters. He wanted to see how Kazuko reacted to an unseen opponent. Lets see if they trained you for this, boy. Fullbring knife in hand, Zack crouched down and sent reiatsu into his legs. He decided to use his high speed to run right by Kazuko. But a simple sprint by was not what he had planned. If Kazuko did not perform some sort of counter or maneuver to evade then the passing human would drag his knife across the young reapers back. Slicing through both cloth and flesh, the wound wouldn't necessarily be life threatening but it would no doubt hurt. A simple attack to weaken his opponent and draw some blood was Zacks goal, if his attack carried through.

Remaining Reiatsu: 1150 / 1200
-50 for Stealth Cloak

Stamina: 1 / 6

[Deleted]

The man reacted well-enough to the redirected grenade; he repositioned his body, and moved to another container just before the detonation. He’s fast too, and his movements are efficient. It’s obvious he has some training. He stayed quiet for most of what the boy had said – well, almost all of it. At the mention of his rank, the man had made a snide comment about his age, causing the boy to glare at him. “I earned my rank, if that’s what you’re making fun of. Being young doesn’t make me any less qualified.” He said, trying to justify his position. The man made no other effort to speak or communicate, however, and soon went on the offensive again. He threw another explosive, which Kazuko raised his hand to return to him, yet again. Likewise, the stranger wasted no movements, put on his cloak, and disappeared from sight and spiritual detection. A distraction, eh? He even knows how to apply tactics in combat. He’s definitely had training, but by who?

Before he could send the bomb back, the explosive detonated prematurely, masking the movements of the man. If he’s invisible, and I can’t sense him, he’s relying on stealth to get the upper hand then. it was an effective tactic, really. The boy had to give the man some recognition for that. Given his speed, he’d likely try and catch the boy off guard, or at least planned to. Catching, or stopping the man before he carried out his attack, however, would be difficult indeed. Instead, the Vice-Captain decided to go for the more immediate approach. His body was slower, but he relied on spells in either case to compensate for his physical lacking. The boy thus activated Surasorutoiera, causing a Sho-like force to escape his body in all directions around him. If I don’t know where he is exactly, without focusing on the sounds he makes as moves through the air, might as well hit everything all at once. The assailant as he tried to make his attack on the boy would find himself suddenly repelled backward at a stat speed of 350. Kazuko was propelled upward, but he slowed himself down with Air-Ground, until he finally stood in the air, watching.

The force would shoot the man back toward the container he had just left, this time, in a course that would cause him to collide with it. Of course, with his training, he’d likely be able to deal with any whiplash and the potential collision some way or another. Regardless, the boy continued, “If you intend to keep hiding, you might as well run already. Expecting the same trick to work twice is a little much, don’t you think?” It was a warning of course; the Vice-Captain did not know how far the skills of his attacker went, so he could do not ease his wariness or his guard. The man could obviously try his stealth attack again, but at the same time, the boy could use the same counter if he did not appear. At the moment, they both seemed to be testing the waters of each other’s skills. Regardless, the Vice-Captain was only defending himself at the moment, and had made no real attempt to attack. The identity of the man was a mystery to him, so there was a chance that he might have been some misled soul trying to make a name for himself. There was no reason for him to lose his life over something small, for now.


Remaining Reiatsu: 1375/1500 (-150 for Surasorutoiera)

[Deleted]

As Zack approached the Shinigamis blind spot there was a sudden appearance of reiatsu emanating from the boy. Halting his charge and the next instant moving backwards, Zack felt something slam into his raised arms. An invisible force of reiatsu, most likely another Kido of some kind, was pushing Zack backwards. The human narrowed his eyes from behind the mask, noting that he was being propelled towards another shipping crate. Using airground to create a platform, the assassin leapt and used the force pushing him to propel him upwards at an angle. He cleared over the container, landing silently on another patch of reiatsu he collected beneath his feet. The Shinigami was rising, Zack noticed, to get above the container and to an area he could better survey the area. The assassin now had a few choices he could implement here.

Choosing to go after the Shinigami under the cover of the cloak could lead to the same technique being used, or another. Who knows what sort of defensive spells the Shinigami had in store for Zack. Though the man could always be more cautious he knew that if he waited too long the Shinigami would just flee the area. He could try a ranged attack but that would give away his position and surprise, thus opening up grounds for ranged warfare. Kido did have offensive long range attacks, Zack was aware of that, but how many did this Shinigami know?

Well, Zack decided to try and implement a different strategy. Using air ground and his speed he rose up quickly behind the Shinigami. Not directly behind, but close enough to remain undetected. Zack maneuvered himself over to a shipping crane similar to the one he had awaited atop of. Once ontop of its tip Zack ended his stealth cloaks ability, becoming fully visible once again behind the Shinigami. Reiatsu still suppressed Zack pulled out a half dollar coin from within his clothing. Tightening his grip over it he mentally commanded the object of affinity to activate. His secondary Fullbring, Contender, replaced the coin in his hand. A much larger than average handgun appeared in his hand.

Pointing the gun at the Shinigamis shoulder Zacks finger tightened on the trigger. He aimed to end the Shinigami in the silence and hidden spiritual pressure, but a part of Zack ruined that slightly. The human suddenly whistled before pulling the trigger. The resulting bang was like an explosion in the silence of the shipping yard. The bullet moved at a static speed of 400, flying through the air directly towards the Shinigamis shoulder. If struck the bullet would enter Kazukos body and detonate, being explosive tipped and all. If allowed to hit, the bullet would inflict the same wound upon Kazuko that a particular young human girl had experienced as well. A single bullet was all Zack needed to use at this time.

Remaining Reiatsu: 1150 / 1200

Stamina: 2/6

[Deleted]

Kazuko narrowed his eyes, waiting for anything to peek his attention or his awareness, his mind taking into account everything that seemed strange to him at the moment. Did he ignore me? Why did he expect anything more from the man? It was a shame. He seemed to be nothing more than a simple, run-of-the-mill killer that he had the displeasure of handling. The boy prepared his Reiatsu yet again, this time, prepared to go a magnitude higher in terms of destruction after he dealt with the silence. Fine then… I tried to reason with him, I guess I should just destroy the area completely. Better send out a Hell Butterfly to signal my handlers about the destruction. The boy intended to destroy the area, but not before making sure he was clear again. There was no point in mincing words with the man. Surasorut- And then came a whistle from behind him. Reacting on instinct, the boy stepped off – the sound of leaves blowing as he did so – toward one of the cranes. There was an explosion where he was, and the air shimmered momentarily. The boy, atop the crane, looked at the newly revealed man, his forehead furrowed slightly.

The Vice-Captain called out, his voice abrupt and harsh, “What is wrong with you? Why did you reveal yourself? If this is another insult at my ability, then I’ll show you otherwise by crushing you. For someone who seems bent on killing me, you sure don’t have the resolve.” Kazuko made sure to stretch out the moment, before his spiritual pressure intensified again; an aura of grayish-brown on his body. “If you don’t want to fight, then just leave. If not, get serious already.” The boy said finally. Kazuko raised his hand in front of himself, an orb of crimson materializing almost instantly. Shakkaho. He flicked his wrist, and sent the orb flying toward the man, growing in size as it traveled. It grew about as large as the man. With his Limiter on his body, the attack was not lethal by any stretch, but it served to keep the man moving and on his toes. Kazuko wanted to see how much resolve this guy actually had in him to get the job done. What he also wanted to know was whether this man had some sort of release greater than the one he may have been using till now, if any. After years of combat, it made him angry to think that an opponent would give themselves away needlessly, though.

Why are you so upset with him, Boy? A few years ago, you would have done the same thing for your opponent. Given mercy and help whenever possible if I remember it correctly. There was a shrill, bone dry laugh inside the head of the boy. You were so against murder… now look at you. Ready to destroy so easily. Came the old, gaunt voice yet again. Kazuko paused a moment. That was then, this is now. I’ve learned from my mistakes, Gagoiru. I'm not the same little boy who joined the Gotei anymore. He said simply, mentally. Kazuko did not like to dwell on his past very much, nor did he enjoy conversing with his zanpakuto spirit, not until recently. The boy rarely spoke to him as it was, so it was strange to have the spirit speaking to him now of all times. Regardless of what his own zanpakuto thought, Kazuko was his own person – and very proud – thus would not relent on the matter. He just wanted to know how the man would respond to his words and his attack. He did not like to see hesitance in his opponents, it made doing his job complicated.


Remaining Reiatsu: 1225/1500 (-50 for Shunpo, -100 for Shakkaho)

[Deleted]

Well, the Shinigami was certainly angered now. Zack slowly lowered his gun, listening as the Shinigami began to rant and rave about Zacks apparent lack of resolve. He was certainly a hot headed child, that was for sure. It wasn't that Zack couldn't kill him, its just that he didn't want to. Only a monster kills a child and enjoys it. So the assassin stood there, silently taking what Kazuko threw at him. He never responded back, he was too well trained for that. Silent like the night. Gray eyes watched Kazuko from behind the mask that hid his identity. But, Zack did notice something. When Kazuko had dodged out of the way of his attack he used a technique Zack was all to familiar with. A step technique. So that was a Shunpo... It definitely seemed to live up to its name as the Flash Step. But how fast was it, exactly? Well thanks to the Power Ring, Zack knew exactly how fast it was.

Given that the Shinigamis current speed was registered as one hundred and fifty Zack had been surprised by the sudden increase in speed that he exerted. For just an instant, for less than a second, the Shinigamis speed had jumped to fifteen hundred. So, Shunpo increases your speed by ten times huh? Zack analyzed, mentally acknowledging it was an impressive technique. As the Shinigami didn't seem winded, Zack came to the conclussion it wasn't very draining of a technique either. Unlike another Step Technique that Zack knew and had possession of. He's slow...even with the Flash Step.

The Shinigamis hand raised, drawing Zacks attention to it. A sudden detection of reiatsu in his hand clued Zack in to what was going on. Yet his posture remained the same. His skills in Stealth and Acting allowed him to hide the fact his body was getting ready for this next plan of action. Another Kido was being prepared, this one different from the last. A red orb released itself from the boys hand like a cannonball, flying directly towards Zack. He noted that it began to grow in size as it travelled. When it got to around half the distance between the two the human moved. Using his incredibly high speed the assassin went to the left away from his original position. Kazuko would see him for just a moment before he sudden vanished. This was not the use of the Stealth Cloak. No, this was the use of a Step Technique slower than the Shunpo. But in Zacks hands it was faster. Movement was what was being used. For just a split second Kazuko would see Zack to his left, closer than before. But in that same instant he was gone and suddenly to the right.

Within the span of a millisecond, Zack had covered the distance between the two. He had first appeared to Kazukos left. The distance crossed between them was half than what it was. Immediately he was gone, reappearing to Kazukos right in the same instant he was to his left. The distance covered now was seventy five percent. Again, in that millisecond instant Kazuko saw Zack he vanished once more. This time though, he had a surprise. Given the method of movement just then, Kazuko most likely expected Zack to appear to his front of left when in fact Zack wasn't going to appear at all. After thats second use of Movement the assassin reactivated his Stealth Cloak, vanishing from detection. So when Zack vanished once again he had this time appeared to Kazukos right. Using the momentum gained from his high speed movement his leg lashed out, aiming straight for the Shinigamis neck this time. If the childs neck was struck there was no doubt he would have trouble breathing for the remainder of this "fight" Being invisible, undetectable, and having most likely confused the Shinigami were all added factors to why this move would definitely land. Still, that move had taken its toll on Zacks stamina and would love him breathing heavier than before.

Remaining Reiatsu: 1050 / 1200
-50 for Movement x2
-50 for Stealth Cloak

Stamina: 3 / 6

[Deleted]

With the Shakkaho away, the man moved around the blast to avoid the fires of the spell with incredible speed. For a moment, the boy thought he was seeing something akin to a step technique, but realized that it was too continuous to be just that; in fact, he recognized the output of Reiatsu from that technique, since he had fought it before. I guess I have enough to go one now to start making assumptions. The boy thought as he bent his legs slightly down; he had expected the man to counter in some manner, but not without his cloak at least. The man reappeared on the side of the boy, his image blurring into existence as he did so. Extreme speed? At his other side, he saw another image blur into view, shimmering for less than a second. Kazuko had to hand it to the man, he was fast, incredibly fast. But that did not worry him too much. The Vice-Captain had fought and won against opponents who were far faster than this man, so if he thought speed alone guaranteed victory, he was overestimating himself. It was skill, not strength, that won battles. Kazuko did not see the man put on his cloak, but that did not mean he did not know an attack was likely on its way. Idiot.

The presence of the man vanished out of both sensory and sight, so the boy had realized that the man had transitioned back to a stealth oriented attack, likely from the use of his cloak. The sheer lack of presence from the man gave his intentions away. Who put sealed their presence if not to attack? However, even if the boy realized an attack was likely coming, his body would not be able to react with his Limiter on. The man was far too fast to contend against with pure speed. Kazuko had planned as much anyway. That was the reason he had moved onto the crane the way he did. Of course, the boy could have used Surasorutoiera again to simply blast everything away and solve the problem like that, but that would be boring, and not at all fun. Instead, the man would find the boy suddenly shoot downward at an angle, through the bars of the crane arm, his kick hitting air; the cramped space of the crane arm meant that only the body of the boy could fit through, so pursuing him immediately would not be likely. Since the man had aimed for the neck, his would miss its mark with its small target now out of reach. He’d have to go around the crane, or destroy it, to make it to Kazuko quickly. Nothing like a quick blast of Sho to get the joices flowing. He thought, as the boy shifted his weight through the fall, catching himself with Air-Ground as he touched down on the concrete.

Since Kazuko could not react swiftly enough with his body, he had simply hit himself with a Sho to make up for his lack of speed in that split moment. He pushed him at an angle, and down. His skills with mentally preparing and firing Reiatsu were leagues above his physical capabilities. He had used the same tactic before in the same manner against Kaen when he had done the same thing, but he always found it a little ironic to use his own spells on himself. Kazuko sighed. “Very well. If you want to fight, then I might as well take this a bit more seriously.” The boy said, a little too casually. Of course, he was wary of the assassin, but by now, he had analyzed the fighting pattern of the man a bit more. He made quick attacks, darting in and out, why using speed and deception as his armor. If Kazuko did not know any better, he fought like an assassin, which was weird really. Who would want to assassinate Kazuko? On the ground, the boy rummaged through his pocket, pulling out what looked like a piece of gum, and took a bite of it. He had packages and packages of the stuff, but it didn’t make the taste any less better. Who the hell makes candy bitter? He complained. Regardless, the boy still realized he was in a battle, so he never lowered his guard or his Reiatsu in case he felt the need to use a spell.

Wherever the man was, he would soon feel the air grow heavier, and an aura of pure grey and brown Reiatsu envelop the body of the Vice-Captain. Kazuko had released his Limiter. Of course, the Vice-Captain did not feel that pressured fighting with it, but he wanted a bit more excitement from the battle. The man, through whatever he had used beforehand to analyze the boy, would realize that his opponent’s power had doubled out of nowhere. “I released my Vice-Captains’ Limiter, Mr. Fullbringer.” The boy said simply. The man would likely get two surprises from this. The first, was that the boy had been fighting with something called a Limiter on his body, and that he had released it. The second, of course, was that he had called him a Fullbringer. Kazuko, during the length of their engagement, had never stopped analyzing the Reiatsu and techniques of the man, and had come to the conclusion that whoever this man was, he was some sort of powerful Fullbringer. That fact was really special in and of itself, considering that the number of Fullbringers in the world numbered less than one percent of the population.

“Keep your guard up. Fight for your life.” the boy said simply. Mentally, the boy was quite excited to finally release his Limiter. He could have gone on fighting with the seal on his power, but things were getting boring very quickly. The man had been doing a lot of hiding and sneak attacks, so there was no head-to-head clash of power that the boy was accustomed to. Still, the man had skill, and that was something that the boy could not take away from him. As an afterthought, Kazuko said, mentally, to his zanpakuto: Gagoiru… do you mind if I use that technique here? There was a moment of silence, before his spirit answered him. Do what you want, boy. Just remember not to get carried away. Kazuko beamed at this. He never had an opportunity to let loose. Especially with the technique he had in mind. Oh, that reminds me. I need to call in and ask my handlers to seal off the area. Wouldn’t want to get anyone else killed tonight. Through all this, Kazuko did not really move to attack, so the man could do what he wanted and as he pleased.


Remaining Reiatsu: 2700/3000 (-25 for Sho, +1500 for Limiter)

Limiter: Released

[Deleted]

The assassins attacked missed by a hairs length. The kick that would have snapped the boys neck sliced through the air, leaving the invisible assassin hanging in the air, not moving from his failed attack. He stood there upon his air ground, body crouched as he calmly brought his leg back and in and stood up. A casual blink as Zack stared out at the ocean, he figured out what the Shinigami had done to avoid his attack. A sigh as he stood up, chastising himself for not using a specific technique to increase his speed and power. Had he increased himself even further then he wouldn't have missed. The Shinigami had used another Kido, most likely cast within his mind, to escape from Zack and descend back to the ground below. Zack could have followed. He could have easily caught up with the boy. He had a number of tricks and techniques that would have allowed him to maneuver around the crane with ease and catch the child even before he hit the ground. But he choose not to.

Zacks head turned towards the direction of the Shinigami as he begun to spoke. Taking it seriously at last? Humorous words coming from the one who had been on the defensive till now. The assassin noted that in the middle of all of this the boy actually paused to take a bit of candy. Thirteen. In that single time frame, that single instance of distraction, Zack could have made thirteen different attacks that had at least sixty to seventy four percentages of successfully landing and disabling him. But again, Zack wasn't here to kill the kid. He just needed practice with fighting Shinigami. If the Vice Captain became serious then that was perfect.

Suddenly the air grew heavy, prompting a furrowed brow from Zack as a response. Suddenly the Vice Captains energy levels jumped up, dwarfing Zacks and causing the air to grow quite heavy. So you where wearing a Limiter then... with the restraint removed the Vice Captains numerical values had jumped up, prompting a slight eye twitch from Zack. Still cloaked the assassin descended, needing time to recover himself both physically and mentally. He needed to come up with a plan to deal with the Vice Captains new power. So using air ground the man descended to a shipping container. Landing on the surface he then disabled his Stealth Cloak, but made sure to keep his reiatsu suppressed.

"Funny, isnt it, how you accused me of not taking you seriously. That you so readily chastised me for giving you a warning of my attack. Yet, here you stand and admit to using a restriction to your powers? Does hypocrisy taste as sweet as that gum?" Zack asked, his voice would no doubt catch Kazukos attention. When the boy would see the assassin he would undoubtly note a few things. He was unarmed. No weapons where present in Zacks hands both of which were in perfect view. Secondly, the mans posture seemed relaxed. Both of those were lies though. Zacks skills in Acting and Stealth allowed him to prepare his body under the cover of any posture. Behind both of his hands were both of his Fullbring objects, just waiting to be activated if need be. But, Zack needed to keep the kid busy while he allowed himself some time to recover.

"Fight for my life?" Zack began to say, deciding on the best course of action to keep the boy talking. The more he talked the more Zack could analyze and figure him out. Figure out a way to break him. "What an interesting choice of words. I wonder if those two Shinigami who murdered seventeen Fullbringers said those words themselves...." that bit of information would no doubt bait Kazuko into talking. An accusation like that would no doubt besmirch the Shinigami name.

Remaing Reiatsu: 1050 / 1200

Stamina: 3 / 6

Rest post: 1 / 3

[Deleted]

The mysterious man removed his cloak again, and dropped from his previous position back toward the ground, still maintaining a hold of his pressure. The Fullbringer also maintained his stoic expression, never letting anything escape from his veil of obscurity. Kazuko liked to see a professional at work in this instance, although he didn’t show as much. Being a professional at something meant that they were not common fodder. Mentally, the boy was smiling; it seemed he would have some fun in all of this before the situation was dealt with. The Fullbringer spoke, causing the boy to frown a bit, almost sheepishly. Oh? It seems he does have a point. Moreover, he seems to find my actions insulting. He must have pride in his abilities or work then. Kazuko paused a few seconds, before responding, “You have a point, Mr. Fullbringer. Except for the part about the candy – it was anything but sweet.” He smiled a bit, enjoying the bit of conversation before the battle. “My apologies then. You see, as a Vice-Captain, I have to maintain certain regulations and laws. Some of which include sealing my power to limit collateral damage. I do it so much in the Land of the Living that I forget I even have it on at times, like this.”

What may have been misconstrued as a carefree or loose attitude was soon ceased, or cut short, as the man continued on. The lightness in the boy’s eyes dimmed, and the smile he had on faded abruptly; in contrast, his expression hardened. Is that why he wants to hurt me? To repay the crimes of others? For now, that rational made sense, but it nonetheless left the boy questioning a few other things. “Murdered?” Kazuko repeated, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. “If these Shinigami you speak of have committed some unjustified crimes, explain the situation in detail to me then, along with their names and appearance.” Kazuko lowered his zanpakuto, the outline of Reiatsu fading from his figure as he did so. He did not lower his guard, however. In reality, the Vice-Captain did not trust the man at all, and he paid attention to the subtleness of his body. There were no signs of foul play yet, but the man had proven that his forte was stealth and deception, so there was no telling what he had in mind. Regardless, Kazuko valued the laws and sanctity of Soul Society above all else, so because of that, he would hear what the Fullbringer had to say.

“As a Vice-Captain, I will not, and cannot, tolerate crimes against what the Soul Society stands for,” He continued. “If what you say is true… then I will deliver… ‘justice’ for your comrades when I return, personally.” Through all of this, Kazuko had no emotion or feeling in his words; years and years of duty and loss had taken that away from him where lives were concerned. It was strange really. One moment, he seemed happy and carefree like a child, and the next, he would change into some sort of machine. When it came to his mission as a Vice-Captain, and the enforcement of the Soul Society, Kazuko did not joke around. For now, there was no hostile intent from the boy; his sword was lowered and so was any malevolent Reiatsu coming from his body. The reaction from the boy might not have been exactly what the Fullbringer was expecting, but it was a reaction nonetheless. Actually, it was more than that. It would be an opportunity for the man to see to any wrongs that he felt had been committed. The Soul Society, Kazuko knew, was not perfect, nor was it impenetrable as the Academy liked to teach its students, but the boy was an instrument for it, regardless. He would carry out his duties, without fail.


Remaining Reiatsu: 2700/3000

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

+240 TP to Zack