Toughening up (inv)

Yorishou glared at those behind the fourth. How dare they think little of any man, especially a brave 4th division "This man has decided to fight and you mock him for it?" he stamped on the floor, a burst of reiatsu making his sword jump, catching it smoothly behind him with his left hand and bringing it pointing at the challanger. "You would sneer at bravery? Become men-" he searched the crowd, extinguishing the looks and whispers. "-then come back and try again The glare turned into a grin as his gaze fell upon the man.

It was uncommon for a fourth division to spar, even to be this brave. He always saw them as more of a 'wait until the gunfire has stopped then crawl to the wounded' kinda people. But then again, he did not know many fourth divisions, at least not personally. There was a great rift between thier divisions, the use of healing and kido was the main one but he recalled hearing something about someones mother which had started a grudge match. Either way, it would certainly be different.

"So sir who would challange me when all the others lay defeated, what is your name?" He probably should have stated his own but as the challangers first test, Yorishou would see what his manners were like. They were an important aspect of battle to him, also, and he would never admit this to other 11th members. But it was just a spar. No reason to be rude.

Yorishou feined shock, his left hand going to his chest to emphesise it. He had to admire Tatsu's gall, it was textbook challanging, point your sword, try scare the opponant. But still, he had passed the manners test, and that made him worthy of taking seriously "You don't know who I am?" he smirked, bowing low. His sword tip went into the floor next to him "Well then allow me to introduce myself-" he looked up into his opponants eyes.

He 'stepped'. Turning last second and appearing behind the man while still moving sideways. From Tatsu's perspective he would be moving from his right to left behind him. Getting close and whispering "-Yorishou Kiyoshi, The Mettle Prince of the 11th division. Pleased to make your acquintance Mr. Chirako of the 4th." his blade tapping Tatsu's left shoulder (1) in a respectfull aknowledging gesture.

His feet scraping along the floor so he was a meter from Tatsu's left, facing the way Tatsu's back was. His blade went up and rested on the back of his kneck, tilting his head towards him. "Ready to dance?"

Techniques used:

(1)
name: Wait for it...
class: Weapon skill
type: Offensive
range: 100m
tier: III
description: Striking the opponent, but dealing no damage or impact, this ability allows Yorishou to delay an attack for up to 3 posts. Weak attacks get upgraded to tier III, stated in posts if this is used. If any remain after this time then they are automatically activated all at once. Maximum of 5 hits can be saved at one time, no limit to activations per post, body, sword part or visibility. 

First strike eh. Maybe this 4th would be more fun than others realised. The man moved in a strange way, his body almost knowing what to do before he did it, must have been something to do with being a 4th. As they would need to know tactics for avaison and know how and what to do when they reached the wounded. Hm. That could make him dangerous indeed. But there was such a thing as over thinking.

He waited until the strike was near, keeping it in view until the last moment. Yorishou's blade dropped, letting it go behind his back and catching it with his left hand in time to block the hit. It was a very unnecesary show off thing to do but eh. Until the fight heated up, he was going to treat this like any of the others.

He turned on his left hand, while his left hand was blocking the mans, his right foot would lash out, aiming for the mans lower leg. Just because you are fancy with a sword does not mean you know about hand to hand. Or foot to leg. Or something. He was adamant to test this man for weaknesses, he had no idea what he had up his sleeve, least of all a shikai. And that could make this fight go very slowly if neither of them was taking damage.

Yorishou barely had a second to register his own suprise. The crowd around them letting out hisses and gasps. He would not have thought an 11th could move or think that quickly. Let alone such a bold move from a 4th. Predudice aside, dayum, this guy has moves. His low kick dodged, and his other hand still blocking, he was forced to play his first card. Or risk a fractured jaw, or worse. He would have to train this guy. Yorishou had only said that because he knew none of those guys could touch him, but if this 4th won. He was almost tempted to do it anyway.

His skin turned black at a remarkable rate, spreading over him with the appearance of contagious marble. He had not meant to use such a new technique so soon but half of him joked his hand had been forced, and the other half just wanted to see how the 4th would react.

He headbutted the mans knee as it flew to his face, crunching into it forehead first but Yorishou taking no damage from it. His right hand coming up to grab the mans kimono by the chest. He leaned forwards, pushing the man over backwards in mid air and slamming him to the ground in a-superhero-landing-after-a-tall-drop pose.

Techniques used:

Name: Abyss armour
Class: Hand-To-Hand
Tier: III
Type: Defensive
Range: Self
Description: The user body is covered in a flawless pitch black marble look, that spreads over him from the hands at half-bala speed. When the user strikes or is striked by an object of equal or lower tier, it turns to black marble, and shatters into a natural form of it, not harming the user. The objects include but are not limited to walls, techs, and rolling boulders. Effect does not work against race items(zans, sealed dolls, quincy crosses etc), NPCs or OCs without OOC permission. Tech can be used as a base defensive(just blocks damage up to the tier) against melee, long ranged and h2h attacks. Lasts three posts. 

Yorishou looked down, suprised at the quick thinking of the 4th. With his zan there he was unable to force him down anymore. But it did not do any damage against his marble skin either, in fact, if the opponants sword stayed there. The hilt would either be forced into the ground or into the 4th himself.

'wait for it' activated, unable to hold the delayed hit any longer. This would cause a tier III strike to occur to the mans left shoulder where he had tapped him before. Yorishou stabbed his zan into the ground as it was no longer used for a block. This was becoming a brawl on the floor and that is not how a fight is meant to go. At least not a dignified one. His right hand went out to the side to maintain balance and prepare for the following.

He ran his hand down the other mans zan, right along the sharp edge down as far as he coukd reach without feeling any pain. Grabbing the blade tightly and looking the 4th dead in the eyes he smiled, probably looking more creepy than friendly in his current marble state. "You are going to have to try harder than that. I am not some hollow you can trick with fancy moves. You have no push. No force. This is what the 4th teaches you? You cannot spend the whole fight trying to turn my attacks against me, that will never work. You need to attack me, not just defend yourself with caution. Put yourself into the fight, pour yourself into it. Feel the battle fury and use it to strengthen your resolve. Only then can you match me." gonna be honest. He had no idea what he was talking about. But it seemed general 11th practice to make a fighting speech and hope it riles the other guy.

He snatched his hand away, 'stepping' backwards and grabbing his zan on the way. He stopped 10m from the 4th and waited silenty for him to stand, his sword tip in the ground and both hands resting on the base. The crowd were watching with anticipation. A few mutterings and sniggerings started aimed at the 4th. But were quickly silenced by the 11th members that had started coming in. A Yorishou fight was normally fun, but when the word got out he was fighting a decent 4th. Well you can imagine every dropped what they were doing and ran.

Techniques used:

(1)
name: Wait for it...
class: Weapon skill
type: Offensive
range: 100m
tier: III
description: Striking the opponent, but dealing no damage or impact, this ability allows Yorishou to delay an attack for up to 3 posts. Weak attacks get upgraded to tier III, stated in posts if this is used. If any remain after this time then they are automatically activated all at once. Maximum of 5 hits can be saved at one time, no limit to activations per post, body, sword part or visibility.

"Losing an arm and not caring..." Yorishou muttered to himself buf loud enough that others could overhear. "That sounds like a reckless way to fight." He watched as the man rushed him. Wondering why he was not 'stepping' towards him. This was not guerilla warfare, this was gorilla warfare. He obviously got the gist but this was...Not what he meant. Talk about in for a penny in for a pound.

As the man got close Yorishou started speaking like a teacher. Patient and slightly scolding "You will never-" the mans sword raised in an obvious attack, no element of suprise, a plain jab at his eyes. Now this was a bit of a realisation for Yorishou as he noticed himself that his eyes were the flaw in this form. Making a mental note to practice stances that protect the face. Leaving his zan in the ground in front of him.

He knocked the mans sword to the side with his left hand. "-hit me-" Pulling it towards him, followed by the man. "-like-" he released the mans sword and punched him in the face, his right foot curling behind the 4ths to make him trip and his right hand pushing the 4ths chest. "-that." slowly standing up straight, he had not moved at all. Hands going back onto the base of his sword.

"What was that? I said pour yourself into the fight" his skin melted back to normal, no more black marble on him. "Do not try to fight like an 11th. That requires a bloodlust and battle fury that you simply cannot replicate. Charging me headfirst, no protecting your own body, that can only be done if you have my defensive ability." He crouched to the man if he was still on the floor. Or tapped the bottom on his sword if the man was standing. "Figure out what you can do, and work with that. You can heal yourself, but that means nothing if you cannot win the fight and be alive to heal yourself."

"Now. Show me what you can do. No more tricks, keep your guard up. Use your shunpo." And for a final 11th signature war cry to rile the 4th he screamed "MAKE ME BLEED!" Grabbing his zan and holding it in front of him wide spread legs, his reiatsu bursting out and charging at the 4th.

Yorishou watched with amusement as the 4th tried a new fighting style. He wondered if this guy had ever been in a fight before, he did not have any style, any pose or signature. Nothing that showed previous experiance or even reflexes. Curious. Perhaps this was meant to start that road.

As the blade whistled towards him, yorishou stepped backwards slightly. The is what he meant, this tip of the sword stuff. There is no impact, no conviction and all too easy to dodge. He had not even needed shunpo, he literally just stepped backwards slightly.

His blade coming up lazily behind the mans to knock it further in the direction it was already going. "What was that? In what universe was that going to hit me?" His blade sparked along the mans, coming off just before the gaurd. He stepped into the mans stance, hitting him on the head with the hilt of his sword the 'stepping' a further 10m backwards. "Now! Attack me! Make me feel threatened!"

The first hit was obvious. It was dodged by just leaning backwards quickly, the second caught him off guard. He had become lazy and sloppy with the previous attacks. The blade cutting through his kimono as he jumped. It sailed under his legs, narrowly missing his feet, his sword came down when he was secure but the man had already gone. Now this was certainly different, it could almost have been called a tactic if it were not so sloppy.

The 4th appeared behind him, he could sense every foot of the man and especially his sword. His own blade swung behind him in a sharp, confident movement. It would bat the mans strike aside (your blade would be hit to your right) before he spun around and slashes at the mans chest from (Yorishou's perspective) right to left. "Now thats more like it!" a gleam could be seen in his eye for a second.

Anyone who has fought or seen an 11th fight, will be familiar with this gleam. It was the gleam, of battle lust. And he had almost got it from that second the 4th showed possible promise. But he would need to fight a lot harder to bring it out fully.

Yorishou countered the sword twist by rotating his own upwards, taking the 4ths sword up as well. He smirked, it was a slight attack. Almost backhanded. He really did hate these sword twisting fights, the wrong move could actually get him hit. He was skilled at them. But he still hates them.

The mans mistake was taking his foot up right after a delicate attack. His own left foot shot out, snapping the man in the knee then in his chest. Pushing the mans sword backwards during his unbalancwd state on one leg. He would then continuously hack at his sword, jumping up and delivering a series of kicks to his chest before landing in a roll.

If the 4th wanted to fight with feet, he had a lot more suprises in store. It had been a close call a second ago, staying close like that was bound to end badly for someone. But it showed the 4th was improving, it showed he was learning. He wondered just how long they would fight before the 4th figured out Yorishous weakness.