What's Pride but a Puppet?

Sat Nov 12, 2016 7:29 pm

1079

It was unlike Seiko to reach out a hand and ask for help even if it meant plummeting to his own death. However, as of more recent events, Seiko had come to realize that if he wished to gain in strength he was going to have to do more than just continuously beat people that were at a strength equal to his own. He needed to make a leap in strength with each step that he took. In other words, he needed to make the best out of what opportunities were given to him. He couldn't' waste a single moment. Yet, he wasn't just going to happen upon such opponents in his day to day life. That was extremely unlikely. As nice as that would be to just walk upon Earth at any given moment and just pass by a skilled swordsman or a worthy foe of sorts. One that was willing to fight to the death or near death as he was in order to further their standing in the world's strongest. The fact of the matter was, that people just didn't have any pride in their strength anymore, or people were just wiser with their lives. Seiko wasn't too entirely sure as to why people chose not to live a life that revolved around strength and being the greatest, but it was his passion. Though, he'd never call it such a thing.

For him it was just fun, it's what he knew and what he did. When he was raised in the Zaraki district everyone had to fight for their right to live till the next day. If you were weak, you were taken advantage of and your things were taken from you. That's where you could say this strive to be strong originated from, and as he grew stronger and his opponents seemed to get weaker things climaxed to being a thrill and then slowly dropped back to boredom as the Zaraki district didn't seem to grow with strong fighters. This would all lead him to where he was now: with the Gotei. While it wasn't something that exactly suited him as far as his personality went, he was able to gain entrance one way or another. It was difficult, but at least there he knew he would be able to grow stronger and have a good time. He'd have a reason to live, though it wouldn't be the same shared reason as everyone else.

As time would pass on, he'd find himself in the same position as he was in at the Zaraki District. He wouldn't be able to find anyone that was worth fighting, or at least not anyone that would break his limits and push him to the edge. So he had to go somewhere. Turned out the first person he thought to turn to was the first person on his list that he wished to better: Ibiki Suika. She held the title of Kenpachi, which was considered to the title that was given to the strongest of the Shinigami. It was something that Seiko wished to take from her one day, it was his goal since he had heard of it. Though, he had no real reason for wanting to hold the title other than it was just badass and it seemed that his pride got the best of him and pressed him into wanting it. However, the sudden halt to his training and battles for his inability to find worthy adversaries had stunted him from doing such a thing. So as much as it hurt his pride to do so, and slightly stunted his ego he sought her out in order to see if she could be the one to press him to his limits.

It was her duty to do such, after all. She was the leader of the Gotei's Combat Units and she was to ensure that the members within her ranks upheld this title of strength. Thus, here they were in the Chaya Nation. A place that Seiko had never even heard of until this very moment when he had entered the gate that had brought him to the dimension. The land seemed tainted and his body felt fatigued just standing in the odd colored fog that kissed the land. He couldn't wrap himself to understand why the horned Shinigami had chosen such a place to train him, but he didn't have much room to argue the matter nor did he really care to entirely much. He just wanted a reason to draw his blade.

As he continued to step forward from the gate he noticed that with each effort he put into doing anything it would make the next thing he did more difficult than the last. It brought him to a state of enigma, trying to comprehend why something as simple as walking or turning his head seemed to fatigue him so. He'd raise his arms up and look at himself up and down before turning his body to the gate and waiting for his captain to come through.

"The hell is the big idea here? Why'd you bring me to this shit hole?" His voice rang out with anger, he was a rather simple-minded person and when he was angry it was easy for people to know. It didn't take too much for such an emotion to grab at him, either. However, it was never a hindrance letting his emotions guide him through life. His fighting style was driven upon reaction and sporadic maneuvers, with an intensifying anger, only came a more unpredictable attack. Thus, it worked out in his favor most of the time.

With clenched fists and pressed teeth he'd continue to scan the area around him and try to gain a base understanding of what exactly was draining him. "Demon World..." He muttered under his breath before he shrugged giving up on it. It wasn't worth wasting time on anyway, as it was clear he had a time limit within this world. He'd reach for the hilt of his Zanpakutō and draw it. Holding the blade in his right hand, propping upon his shoulder he looked down at the horned woman. "Alright, let's do this... Let's see what you got." Seiko stated as he lowered his stance and readied himself for what was to come.

Graphics and Coding by: CPKallday

Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:25 pm

[POSTING MUSIC IS A MUST FOR THIS POST! PLAY THE YOUTUBE BAR]

Artist: N/A - Song: Impossible Battle - Word Count: 1032

The skies were fueled with a black and green fog; while the earth was filled and writhe with intense surges of wind and gust. And as the currents of air began to overflow, the overwhelming stench of death would begin to overwhelm the sense of smell. Corpses were littered all throughout this battlefield as it was a place for demons to pit themselves against one another to push themselves to the depths. Therefore, skeletons and rotting bodies were all seen scattered throughout this vast desert. Indeed, it was a no man's land of demon world and one where many warriors saw their demise at.

However, this is exactly where one must be in order to push themselves to the depth and beyond. The purpose for Ibiki Suika bringing one of her own to this hellish verse is to push him to his limits and to see what his pride will do after being taken there. There was constant talk of the male wanting to be the Kenpachi's rival, so she was here to put that determination and will to the breaking point. As this world was a spiritual one and evolving the spirit was just as crucial as pushing the physical body and intelligence of the mind.

So as The Commander of The Combat Division emerged out of the vortex leading to the Soul Society, she breathed in the toxic fumes of Demon World and let the harshness of its hot atmosphere bask down upon her body. Those plum eyes of The Devil Shinigami pierced the landscape and ensured that not a single soul was nearby for miles. They were knee deep within enemy territory and there was n o telling what might occur if their foes were to discover them. Yet, it was that same danger which fueled the catalyst for progression and development. To be near dangers grasp is to be close the gates of strength and new found power.

Hence, it is why the atmosphere of the Suika girl was not one that was friendly or laidback. They lived in times of war, regression and total disconnection from the sense of unity that the Gotei once possessed. Ergo, there was a more stern expression seen across the face of The Kenpachi as she turned her eyes back towards the sight of Seiko. As a burst of indigo energy erupted across her body, it was clear that she was becoming engaged and ready to do combat.

Thus, that small flare up of spiritual energy would be the only warning he would get before The Devil Shinigami attacked. As, within the blink of an eye, the Suika Child delivered a hard punch straight to the left jaw of the male from her right fist. It was launched at five hundred one meters per second and unleashed 2.6 tons of force upon impact from her 40kg mass. While she had the potential to tap deeper into her power, she figured that lone punch would be enough to send him hurdling into the mountainous nearby and to knock the breath clear out of the male.

Now, normally, Ibiki was not one for such sudden attacks. However, this world did not possess the luxury of remaining chivalrous to your foes. That was a lesson Ibiki was beginning to learn as she saw the Gotei Reformed become outnumbered, outclassed and totally overwhelmed with all of the larger than life events that had occurred within the year 2416. Everything from the black world, to the chaos on the moon and the zombie infection of the world had reinforced this mindset within the commander. No longer could she afford to be careless. Instead, she needed to teach the lesson that this new age for the Gotei reformed was a dark one. They were up against beasts which would not show them the slightest bit of mercy on the hellish war fields which fill the earth, the soul society and beyond.

So, as a result of all this, Ibiki intended for this training exercise to prepare him for the brutality that was going to come if he truly wished to be a pillar in the Gotei Reformed and to be her rival. It was going to take determination, resilience, and the ambition to put his own life on the line. This was not going to be an easy fight, and not even The Kenpachi could believe that the future may see their dawn of victory. But, they must still fight and do so until the bitter end. That is the vision which still beat within her sullen heart and it is the same vision she could carry until her dying breath.

"I brought you here because this is hell, Seiko. This is the new age of the Gotei Reformed. We are weak, divided and in a dark world. It will take only the strongest of souls that shine within the night to guide us towards the potential of a revolutionized soul society. Anything less and you will be torn to pieces by the devils of this world."

And in that moment, the somber speaking Kenpachi would raise her right fist in the air and ignite her spiritual energy to the point of illuminating the entire region for a one hundred meter radius. It was drowned within a sea of purple light and it was to illustrate the flare of her own determined spirit. Even as it was filled with the utmost of sorrows, it still blazed like a star and beat with the heart of someone ready to see this grim future to the bitter end. Never giving up until their bone, body and soul were reduced to zero. It was going to take that amount of dedication to otherwise turn this faction around.

"If you cannot summon a determination that is sufficient enough to fight against disadvantaged odds, then you simply will not make it to my level. I do not like this reality, but I must be harsh. I cannot afford to go easy anymore. Now stand up and fight me, foe."

Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:34 pm

1369

The readied stance that Seiko held was unbreakable to those that would match him in his current power level, this he was sure of. That was even if they held the power to get so close to him, the trust he held in his own capabilities was an uncalculated measure and not being able to be broken by mere words or even actions. While he was completely solid on his opinion of his abilities, he was well aware that he was vulnerable to mistakes. When these mistakes would transpire he knew that a counter was always the next step and being struck didn't mean defeat, but a new opportunity for victory. When he described it in his own terms it wouldn't come to sound as poetic, but rather more so as a neanderthal-like message. Probably one that constructed confusion in the minds of those that received the words. Nonetheless, he believes this to be the fortitude to his strength and the reason that he was able to best his opponents in any battle and never come to find himself in a situation that meant defeat. As for where one door was shut, another was opened.

It took him a moment to realize the smell of the area, and when it did it seemed to be at the most opportune time. As his nostril began to twitch a burst of indigo energy would emerge from the devil shinigami as she released a small amount of power. The small cringe that his body gave off as the smell crept into his esophagus also playing into a bit of misfortune for the lad. As it was in this matter of unwanted reaction to a putrid smell that would result in the commencing of this training session. Within a fraction of seconds the puerile Kenpachi that seemed to have a stigma for Seiko's current being launched her fist at unreadable speeds for Seiko without his released state. As his face turned with the blow his eyes grew as everything seemed to freeze and turn slowly for a matter of seconds. ShitshitshitshitshitSHITTT! His mind exclaimed in pain as his mouth produced a groan of agony that stretched for miles as his body was launched into the air. The moment the fist and his jaw released their contact with one another his vision seemed to grow spotted with an assortment of blues, greens, and purples as he saw the land rush below him.

When his body would come to a halt thanks to the rigid surface of the mountain and the strong rock that lined it he would not only take damage from this hit but the impact. While it seemed that the stagnant aura that claimed this world had a large effect on Seiko's ability to maneuver and handle damage it didn't seem to stunt Ibiki in the least. Such was a testament to her power in comparison to that of his own. Lifting his head from the rock with a small shake as small debris fell loose from his fluffy head of hair he blinked his eyes a few times regaining vision and the goal of which he was here. When it came back to him within fractions of a second a look of determination and fury struck his face. "Fucking cheap shot." He stated, though it would be words for only himself to hear as the distance between the two was far too great. He picked himself up from the rubble within the crater that his body had created and patted himself off, picking his Zanpakutō from the ground. While the hit took a lot out of him, when he raised his hand to his mouth to check for blood he'd find very little. Brushing his hand along his jaw he would find no amount of swelling. It was odd, while he felt pain in the areas they seemed not to leave an extreme amount of damage. However, a small sense of invigoration seemed to glaze his demeanor. He felt as though he had obtained something by being struck by such a powerhouse, the thrill of the battle settling into his body. He smirked as he readied himself to take off to her position.

With a hop and a skip, his body would be sent flying toward the Horned beast with the use of a shunpo to close the gap as fast as he could. As he approached he could already tell the extreme difference in his energy before, this notification of himself would slightly stunt his movements for a frame that would be noticeable to Ibiki, surely. It was a window, a mistake that he had made far too early in the fight. He wished not to give her this upper hand, but it was something that wasn't controllable for him. Whether she'd act upon this window or not he'd instantly try to correct his error by spinning to her right side and sliding a good several feet from her location. Just before he had completely closed in on her and completed the previous maneuver, she had begun speaking and had illuminated the area around them.

As she continued to speak Seiko remained in a lowered stance, one hand pressed against the ground as the other was extended out to his side, ready to make its next move. Her words would cause him to suck his teeth and smirk before he would speak, "Tch, if anyone thinks they're gonna tear me to pieces without being turned to dirt themselves then they're lost in the sauce... As for takin it easy on me. Lady, you've got the wrong idea of me. Give it all you got." A sinister grin stretched upon his face as he spoke before the wooden sandals on his feet began to patter upon the ground as he closed in on the horned woman. Swiftly bringing his sword down aimed at her right shoulder at with all the might that held in him, a speed and strength valiant enough to resonate a whistle as the blade vigorously cut through the air. A small grunt escaping his mouth as he pressed down with the attack, whether the attack was stopped, blocked, or dodged he'd send several more attacks similar to this at the commander before dropping jumping over her position, doing a somersault, and dropping down to the ground as he swiped his leg at her feet.

It was unlikely for any of these attacks to do anything to her, but in order for him to carry on to the next opening that she held he had to press her to make moves of her own. These attacks were simply ploys to begin finding the openings, though they were wild attacks and he left many openings of his own with his attacks he wished to bring her out into him. While it seemed dumb, that was the way he fought. His fighting style was often something of a joke to those that were highly proficient and trained in the martial arts, but he fought dirty. He created openings in his own sporadic fighting style in order for his opponents to act on them and make the same mistake that he did. Though, his mistakes would be intentional and just part of his normal fighting style. It was all just instinct and reaction, really. Though he never did too entirely well in these open plains like this. It was always a weakness of his, not having other objects to put to use. Nonetheless, he'd remained close to her and whether or not she would be tripped up by his sweep he would jump back, vaulting himself onto his palm before letting his feet swing around in a full spin and bringing him back to his feet. That was if he wasn't sent back to another dimension by her by then. A smile resided on his face the entire time, however, as he was greatly pleased with this. It was enjoyable, whether it was something that he should take seriously or not he couldn't help but find joy and pleasure in this, she was strong...

Graphics and Coding by: CPKallday

Sun Nov 13, 2016 2:48 am

[POSTING MUSIC IS A MUST FOR THIS POST! PLAY THE YOUTUBE BAR]

Artist: N/A - Song: Carnage - Word Count: 1061

It was clear that the male was beginning to get the picture of just the kind of underhanded this world had to offer with it's black combat. So it was going to be a question of whether or not he would find the valor to stand up once again after taking such a heavy hit to his body. It is why The Kenpachi did not bother moving from her position. The attack which she unleashed would be enough to leave most in the combat division unable to move for awhile as it was an average hit without holding herself back.

This pause in combat would then allow her to reflect on the sinking feeling in her own gut. While it did not seem as if the miasma of demon world was having an effect, it was only because her aura was so strong that she was able to produce a small barrier around herself. The stench of demon world still made her feel nauseous, disgusted and unease. It was the kind of sensation you'd get after drinking one too many beers and waking up with a hangover.

Nevertheless, it would be a great while before the effects of Demon World would reek havoc on her body. The Resolve Force of her Zanpakutô held her body in prime condition and utilized her willpower as a tangible source of power to reach into. And it is why that first punch was so important to the male: she was leaving traces of this power upon his body. With each strike The Suika Child made, the further her own spiritual energy would bound with the male. And as Ibiki's spiritual energy bounded with Seiko's, it would seek to push his willpower out and passively make him stronger the more he was placed in harm's way.

The only question was: could his willpower handle it? Most others would simply die from trying to hold the vessel of this power because it takes a determined soul to otherwise not be killed by its enhancing effects. So this training could take a dangerous and lethal turn if he was not prepared for that outcome. Ibiki did not want to waste her time on someone with a fickle spirit; not in these trying times. So he was trying going to have to prove himself to her as he came back for the next round of combat.

As, from what Ibiki was seeing, there was still hesitation felt within his heart for the pause he took when sensing her energy. In that brief window of time in which he slowed his movement, The Kenpachi would send a dense wave of pressurized energy towards his direction. However -- it would not hit him. Instead, this eruption of energy traveled for ten meters before totally obliterating everything in a straight line that extended for three hundred meters behind the male. This unleashing of strength crushed rocks, destroyed chunks of mountains and left enough damage to otherwise take out a large number of foes. It was quite clear what a lack of will could do in a fight of this caliber.

"Do you wish to die?"

Ibiki would not even flinch at the sight of her shoulder being slashed at. The reason being is because she still did not feel the adequate amount of willpower behind his slashes. They felt mindless and hollow compared to the tenacity of the Gotei's foes. Their hearts bled with a madness, desire, and power which could fill the whole of seven suns. And while he was resilient, there was still a lack of total heartfelt within his being to make the particles of her power activate within him.

"I can level this entire area with only a moments notice, but you have not so much as released? Are you asking for a death wish?"

Yet again, even as he moved out of the way of her attack, Ibiki would swing her fist in the air in order to demonstrate for a second time just what a foe of her caliber could do. A crimson vortex of energy would rise into the sky like a shooting star. While moving at Mach speeds, it was only a matter of time before it reached an apex and ignited within the heavens with a hellish boom. The earth below quivered in fear, while the whole of the landscape of turned a blood red as this daunting energy tainted the atmosphere. Soon it would begin to rain fire and the battlefield would become drenched within the fire of The Kenpachi's spirit as her eyes turned a rich shade of scarlet.

"I will give no more warnings. Put everything you have and more into this brawl -- or perish."

And with that the spiritual energy of The Kenpachi skyrocketed and roared to life with a hellish demonic screech. As, by the time the male went to swipe at her feet, The Suika Child was already on top of him and ready to dish out a fiendish drop kick with enough force to rip apart this entire landscape for the next fifty meters easily. This could cause him to once again skid across the landscape; putting pressure on organs, breaking bones and making him cough up vast amounts of blood from the impact.

However, she wasn't quite done with him. If he were to avoid or block her attack, she would use her speed in order to emerge from behind and press her right elbow into the male's back in order to take the wind out of him. As the force would be equal to enough destruction to destroy entire mountains. Thus, this circumstance may prove well enough to push him to release his shikai. For as the landscape turned to total fire, he was stuck in this circle of hell with The Devil Shinigami and she was ready to sink her fangs and claws into the male's very heart to force this pride of will out of him.

So he had only two choices from here on out: adapt -- or die.

There was no other future left.

Not for him.

Not for her.

And not for anyone in this world.

It was do or die.

Sun Nov 13, 2016 11:39 pm

1624

The shattering earth behind him urged him to look over his shoulder. With rounded eyes glazed with utter shock and an overall expression that followed suit a slight amount of shame overcame himself. However, in this moment of realization that his power was but a pebble's shadow in comparison to the mountain that the Kenpachi was he could do nothing but grin at the sight of disaster that trailed behind him. The eruption of the land and the perfection that was placed into the attack was something that he wished to one day hold. It was at this very moment that he had realized the goal that he so yearned to achieve was but within an arm's reach. Thus, he couldn't help but be overcome by an overwhelming sense of vigor. With this feeling overtaking his mind as he carried on with his attacks. The words that slipped from the lips of the Kenpachi ringing in his ears as he did such.

Yet, when these attacks would meet the Kenpachi it was obvious that he was going to have to put more effort into his future attempts. The words that she would utter to him would speak volumes and dig deep into the depths of his pride as though her hands were clutching it and ringing it out dry. However, he wouldn't let this hinder his spirits to carry on. The sight of the blast that was brought into the air and trembled the ground only carried him to yet another sinister grin. He could feel it growing inside of him, the idea of becoming stronger. Though he would have to make it into much more than just an idea, though now that he was able to see the Kenpachi's true power he knew that if he didn't follow through and give her more than everything he had he would surely die as she said.

As he came to sweep her legs she would already be up and in the air with a deadly blow with the use of both of her feet. Just as her feet began to close in on his chest he would utilize the momentum of the sweep he planned to use to drop her to the ground to move his body away from her attack. His torso spinning as the garb on his back grazed her legs in passing. In the corner of his eye, he was able to see the power and devastation of the attack, a moment of relief taking place in his mind, but not making itself at home as he knew there would be more to come and this was but a fraction of the power she had to put to use. Falling a bit out of his normal character he tried to analyze what his next choices of action would be instead of just acting out of instinct. This would come to be a testament of how serious he was taking the fight as he had made these decisions without even thinking about them, making the thought of analyzing for his next maneuver almost as if it were instinct. Yet, if this were any other opponent he would have likely grabbed her by the torso and brought her in for a suplex, but he knew such a thing would not be to be executed. Instead, he would utilize this small amount of time to release his Zanpakutō.

"Hinode o shūchaku!"

His voice would call out to the land as his spiritual pressure began to spiral with the transformation of his blade. This was what the Kenpachi had wished for and it would be the only choice that he had if he wished to live through this training, though it seemed to had become so much more than your everyday training ritual. He could tell that she saw a great potential in Seiko and that she wished to draw it out of him. The very fantasy of such a thing coming to fruition just made him want to put in that much more effort in order to prove himself and bring a greater strength to his name.

The very moment his Zanpakutō would come into its Shikai form he would find himself victim to yet another attack. The elbow of the Kenpachi driving into the arch of his back, his body giving him no other choice but to bend to the whims of her power. Saliva and blood protruding from his mouth as he gagged and gasped for air. His head ripped back as his knees quickly found the ground. If it weren't for the placement of the attack on his back he surely would have been launched as he previously was. Instead, he pressed forward a good few feet as his knees flung from beneath him and his body was tossed like a ragdoll to the edge of the ring of fire that trapped the two in the current location. Get up! His mind shouted out to him, though his body wished to do nothing but lay where he was as he tried to regain the air that once lived within his lungs. His chest raised and his back arched as he tried to open the gates of his throat that would allow him to breathe properly once more. As he continued to try he'd find himself on all fours before he would cough up a puddle of blood to the floor.

Anger riddled within his eyes his hand swiped through the puddle he created beneath his head before he used his blade as support to stand up once more. His limbs shuddered and wobbled before he was able to stand tall once more, whipping his blade to his shoulder. With one eye winced shut in pain he exposed his teeth on the opposite side of his face before giving a slight chuckle.

"Alright, I ain't dyin anytime soon. So I guess it's time for business."

He spat another puddle of blood before the smile returned on his face once more, tapping his blade upon his shoulder twice before his body leaned forward and sprinted toward the Kenpachi. His sandals clacked upon the hard surface below his feet before he'd vanish from the Kenpachi's sight and reappear to her rear before he'd drop low and press his hand to the ground and rip his feet toward her direction. His body spun and his feet ripped toward the direction of the Kenpachi's jaw at speeds of a twister marked as a twelve on the Fujita scale, hints of his maroon reiatsu embedding the swirling force that ripped the air around him. He wished for the metal that was clad upon the bottom of his wooden sandals to impress a bit more blunt damage that that of the weak wood his sandals were originally made of.

Whether the attack would hit or not he'd use this momentum and carry on as he lowered his elbow and sprang up into the air, his body instinctively ready to dodge anything that the Kenpachi was willing to throw at him as he exposed himself. It would be nothing but a simple flip or twist as he would vanish once more, his spiritual pressure being to the rear of her no matter her position as his sword came at a diagonal and attempted to cut into her abdomen with forces double that of his previous attack as the speed of his shunpo was added into the equation. Joy savagely displayed upon his face as he could feel himself having to overexert himself in strength and speed as well as technique in order to get anywhere close to the Kenpachi's skill. This was the battle that he was yearning for, this was what he needed in order to grow into the warrior that he sought out to be.

Though, he wouldn't stop there with this series of attacks. No, he'd continue to press into her no matter the outcome of the previous attacks or what she would throw at him next, he wished to keep pressing forward. He'd continue to unleash a series of strikes to her torso, legs, and neck all with power akin to that of his first strike. He put every inkling of strength that he had into each attack and the cries that he let out with each attack were slowly starting to wear at him, with much help of the miasma that the Demon World had given to them. He knew that he would come to find himself at his strengths end eventually, but he was going to have to press his limits until there was nothing left for him to do but die by the hands of the Kenpachi herself.

"Dradradadadadada!" His tongue would roll as his eyes grew with excitement and craze with each swing he put into her direction. The hatred that he held for the fact that she had bested him so far with such little effort plagued his soul and drived him to press on. He wouldn't let her tarnish his pride and break his will with such simple moves, he was going to prove to her that he was more than worthy of an adversary to her. He was going to bring her to her knees, it may not be this day, be wouldn't rest until that day came. "You aren't going to keep me from striking down the weaklings that live upon this world! One day, this blade will be the steel that separates your head from your shoulders! I won't die until that day comes, so don't count on killing me today, bitch!"

Graphics and Coding by: CPKallday

Mon Nov 14, 2016 2:23 am

[POSTING MUSIC IS A MUST FOR THIS POST! PLAY THE YOUTUBE BAR]

Artist: N/A - Song: In My Spirit - Word Count: 1873

The grin was all that Ibiki needed to see in order to confirm the resolve of his spirit. Indeed, what he was staring at was total and utter devastation from the might of The Kenpachi's savage power. Yet, even in the face of death, a pillar of the people must stare in the abyss and be ready to face it with all of their resolve. That is what it means to have the weight of this world resting on your shoulders. To put yourself on the line, to give it everything you got and to exhaust every last fiber of your being until you can no longer physically, mentally or spiritually proceed with the never ending fight that this life throws toward you; that is what it meant to harness the power of her Resolve Force.

In fact, even that sentiment started to ring within the heart of The Devil Shinigami. Even though it felt cold, hard and rigid; that warm sentiment still brought it life as the fire of her ambition still rung true within her being. It never left her, nor could it be exhausted for so long as she drew breath. While the flames of others dimmed and faded into the everlasting night; it did not matter so long as she never let go of that feeling. No matter if it hurt, no matter if it destroyed her soul; this warm feeling of unyielding inner strength would carry her until the end of time.

And while this flame of enormous willpower ignited like a supernova in the vast coldness of this finite existence, it would carry its sparks of blazing resolve towards all those capable of bearing its weight. Which is what ultimately brought these two combatants together in the depths of demon world's most vile pits. It was all a test to see if he was able to wear the brunt of such a colossal responsibility. The Kenpachi does not simply give her power away to those merely seeking glory. She cannot begin to count the number of fools killed by her fist seeking such a thing with such hollow ambitions. This was a world which operated on will, spirituality and sense of self. To lack any of these traits is to cast yourself into the seas of weakness and rendered feeble; even if one possessed the body of the god, it did not matter if that heart belonged to that an infant and the will of an ant.

So as the male's sense of self became more aware, as to do the imprint of her mark on him become. The Resolve Force was working into his body and feasting off the manifestation of his ego, will, and spirit. It was seeking to turn the abstract into the material, the philosophical into the physical and manifest the ability to bring that willpower into reality. All that Ibiki needed to do now was be able to guide him towards that path. As the battlelust which oozed from him was all too real.

"Challenge. That is what makes you become stronger and grow. The challenge of climbing the tower of my strength is forcing your spirit, will and body to transform. Think of what you could do if you were able to become a pillar of the Gotei with that unending strive to fight. Imagine the foes and obstacles you'd be forced to meet by aiming that insight towards our broken home."

Those words were spoken and uttered as clear as crystal in a most stern voice. While the sounds of fire crackling surrounded them in the distance, and the roars of thunder rumbled within the heavens, the projection of The Devil Shinigami's passages rang over everything else. If he was so bloodthirsty as to run down the depths of hell with this Kenpachi, then that will could be adjusted, altered and aimed at being used for something much more than himself. All it took was a re-alignment of his perception of the world around him and what it had to offer.

So as he started to dance and dive to avoid getting caught up in the brunt of her assaults, The Devil Shinigami could tell that the male was finally beginning to take this with the seriousness it deserved. He was using every last fiber of his being in order to propel him across the battlefield in the hopes of lasting as long as he could against this immeasurable threat he was up against with the utmost of glee. If anything, it reminded her of the 11th Kenpachi and it seemed as if she was fighting against a less developed version of that man.

"Do you love this feeling? Are you intoxicated by it? Do you crave it more than the air you breathe? Then follow the allure of my power into the depths of the Gotei's home."

The Kenpachi could outright see the progression of his spirit coming to a pass as he transformed into his shikai release. It was something that was going to guide him for quite some time if channeled currently. The Resolve Force was resonating strongly with the foundation of his mind's ego. The persuasion which could transform his life and so many others could come with but a few more subtle guidances from The Devil Shinigami.

"The enemies that we face are just as brutal and vicious as the fire which radiates from my soul. There are even the rare few who stand even taller than myself with power and would prove a challenge for even myself to overcome. So if you are intent on not dying, stay alive long enough to see your view of the world change so you can face these obstacles to meet me and challenges far beyond myself."

Then, when she was done making her peace to the male, the next round would begin. After picking himself up from the pool of blood she had knocked him in, Seiko was ready and able to begin sprinting towards her with the most earnest of spirits. Therefore, she was obliged to continue to thrash these lessons into his being so that he could wake up to the world around him and begin acting for a cause bigger than himself.

So, by the time he had reached her jaw, The Suika Child hardened the spiritual energy around herself in order to better cope with the blow. In fact, the male may very well feel a strain on his foot by hitting the iron-like body of The Kenpachi as she tapped deeper into her reserves of power. In fact, she felt as if she was on the verge of wanting to release her own shikai so that this could be a proper battle of spirits. However, she was more interested in finding out whether or not he'd react in properly to the words uttered from her mouth.

Hence, as the blood oozed from her lips from the kick, the body of the Devil Shinigami could feel the impact of his willpower and the male could begin to see a more noticeable boost in his power as the Resolve Force of her ability began to attune itself more to his body. Therefore, it was time to continue to pressure him. She would seek to make a quick paced punch aimed towards the ankle of the male. Since he seemed quite fast on his fight, it would be quite a pain to sustain an injury there. Ergo, he may have a spike of stinging anguish surge up his leg from the blow if it were to make contact. Forcing him to work through the pain, build up his durability and march forward as the weight of this world's chains buckled down on him.

Therefore, as he darted behind her, the test of his threshold for pain would be tested. Since, as soon as he went forward with the intent of slashing her stomach in half, the female would have smashed both of her elbows straight into his spine by using a sudden burst of shunpo in order to outpace him and emerge behind Seiko. The Devil Shinigami would then allow him to otherwise begin moving however he could. As the impact from both of those attacks could have inflicted a heavy amount of physical torment to him. Since most of her attacks could take out entire cliff sides, there was no telling what kind of effect it might have on the male fighting at such a close range. Normally, it would be wiser to deal with an opponent of her caliber by combating her from a long range distance, but it was clear that was not in his persona.

So, because of that, The Kenpachi would then allow him to begin darting all over the place as she assumed it would be a damning test of physical and mental capacity to perform. Ergo, the onslaught began and the first strikes weren't damning to her physical health. The male had managed to make the slightest of blood drip from her torso, but it still wasn't enough. Even as he cut her legs, only scratches and small drops of blood oozed from her body. However, the final gash to her neck caught the Suika Child's attention. That one seemed to string with a strong amount of pain and she gripped the sword as she winced her right eye in pain.

Not allowing him a chance to get out of her grasp, the woman would slam him down to the ground and throw him with enough force to otherwise flatten this entire area. This was to her satisfaction, however, as his will was pushing the limits of his body. It was only a matter of time before the Resolve Force flowing through him would become adjusted properly to his body. Therefore, The Devil Kenpachi would attempt to double the effectiveness of her attack and stomp on the male with her right foot as her face became as fierce as a wild inferno's blazing fire.

"I would hope I'd not be able to cease that intent of your heart. As that is what a Kenpachi does: they battle, they lust and they seek to push themselves to the greatest extents of their ability no matter the obstacle placed in front of them. If you truly wish to kill me and take the nature of my blood, then you will hold out until then."

Then, with those brazen words uttered, The Kenpachi Devil would lift her hand up and deliver one thunderous strike to his heart in order to otherwise cement that sentiment into his being. This strike was to hold him to that creed and empower him the deeper he thought of battling, conquering and killing to improve his strength. As that is what the nature of her title stood upon and it was going to be the same kind of drive needed to enforce the laws of the Soul Society going forward.

This was not an era for gentle spirits....

Wed Nov 16, 2016 2:59 am

2959

Every moment that had led to this very fight had come to not be in vain. A pulsating sensation throbbed within Seiko, a strange feeling residing deep inside him as he carried on with this fight. This feeling that swelled within his body and spirit pressed him to move forward. It wasn't certain that this was just sheer will to defeat his upcoming nemesis within the early stages of this fight or if it was something larger growing inside of him that was motivating him to overcome the obstacle. Perhaps it was both, perhaps something had been planted within him that was fueled by his will and was fortified by the pride he held. It was uncertain to him, something he couldn't come to understand and most likely wouldn't. Nor would he need to, all he would have to do was feed the hand that was feeding him this power. Give into it completely and let it take over his body as there was no use in fighting it as it only provided him with the tenacity to achieve his goals of growing stronger.

The only thing that he lacked was a reason beyond that of just fun. He wished not to do it for anything but that, however, it seemed to make him feel small in the bigger picture. As there was no point in being the strongest if it meant that all he held was just that very title. No, he needed a purpose, yet he didn't want it. It was something that he had never bothered with but had been presented to him the day that he had decided to join the Gotei. He had come here on this day out of his own selfish wish to grow stronger and to place his reservation as the successor of the Kenpachi he currently fought against. Yet, what was it all for? What was the point in him obtaining the title of Kenpachi if all it was was just that? A title.

What else did it mean to be the Kenpachi? What did it mean to be a member of the Gotei if it wasn't prided? Was there really even a point in answering any of these questions? It all seemed pointless to do so, as that's not what he came to this forsaken world to do. He came here to fight and grow stronger, but if his body was the only thing that was to gain strength from this was it even worth it?

Sure, Seiko was beginning to grow in power and take the fight as a more serious matter. However, what was the point if he was to be leading a life with no meaning but self-pleasure through combat? It was all so conflicting, but the thing that was the most conflicting of all was the absence of even wanting to answer these questions for himself. He yearned to grow physically but took no steps in the direction of wisdom, it was out of his character to do so. He could see how this would likely insult anyone else that disagreed with his mindset, but he felt no regrets for being the way he was. It was just simpler to strike his problems down than to have some politically correct answer for them or to solve matters through any other means than that of a blade. It was how he had always lived this life, he had no goals to change it. Thus, without the will to grow as a political member of the Gotei, he would resort to just being a sword for them. He'd put his all into obtaining a strength that nobody could match and if it was questioned he would answer with his blade.

He'd prove to them that there was no point in dwelling on politics or what was right or wrong, he'd leave that to the people that were suited for such. Yes, that was it. He didn't want to be some well-rounded member that would be the hope for Gotei's future. No, that wasn't him. He could never grow to be that person as that would just be a strike to his pride and the person that he was. He'd remain a weapon, a source of power. A servant to strength and power, letting those that challenged his pride and his will be the victims and testaments to this persona he wished to hold. There would be no rhyme or reason to actions but the simple fact that it was in his will to cut them down. That was enough for him to push forward, that was enough for him to live. He wouldn't die without seeing himself to be the most elite of fighters that walked these realms and he'd leave no sword unsheathed in doing so.

"I don't know about all that metaphorical shit... Hell, you can call me a pillar or a hound, it makes no difference to me. All I care about are fights like this! As long as I can rip my sword through the guts of people that get in my way, all that other shit will fall into place!"

His voice stretched through the mountains and valleys, the volume and tone that it carried projecting the truth that his words held. While he was a simple-minded fellow that held no real claim to intelligence it wasn't the words that he spoke that would matter. He would let his strength speak for him, putting that strength into actions forced with his blade striking down the foes that were put before him. He'd run through flames and swim through seas of turmoil and struggle in order to put set his simple words in stone and ensure they were an unstoppable force. If it was the Gotei's will to use him for nothing but an arm and a blade, so be it. He'd live that life proudly.

So as his attacks came to completion he'd keep this in mind and let it drive him to put every ounce of power that he held within him into every strike onto the Kenpachi. No matter if he would fail or succeed he wouldn't let that bring him down. There was no amount of failure nor pain that would keep him from falling from the horse that he sat upon at this very moment. He was having the time of his life in this fight, if he died here he'd died proud that he was able to stand toe-to-toe with the Kenpachi herself, and that he died in the pursuit of strength. Though Seiko would not let that happen so easily, not yet. He'd press on with a fiendish smile upon his face and she'd call him out for it. That was alright, he wanted her to know that he was enjoying the fight she gave to him. He felt fortunate that he was able to have a battle like this, despite the difference in their powers.

"Hah. Damn right I love it. There's no other reason to live but moments like these! If there really are others that are stronger than you, then I want to meet them too. I want to crush them all from their shoulders. You can have the glory, that shit doesn't matter to me. I just hope it never ends! I don't care if that sounds selfish or not, but that's how the world works anyway. So fuck it, let em keep coming. That's all the more fun for me!"

The cynical smile seemed to never wear from his face. Instead, it spread upon his brow and eyes as well as his nose and curled them all into a furious gaze that held a resolve that was unbreakable. He'd agree with her wholeheartedly, with the progress that he had already made he couldn't deny the fact that he wanted more of it. He couldn't say no to her when this feeling that overwhelmed him currently drove him to put forth so much effort just to ensure he brought a small amount of pain to the woman. Each hit that was made or missed granted him another chance right after and he felt like the luckiest man in the world to be able to carry on with this fight or any fight after it. It was a feeling unlike any other to fight someone that was greater than him.

While he could feel his strength growing in accordance with his ego and pride through the power of Hinode, his Zanpakutō, the miasma of the world still hindered his ability to a certain degree. This affected his overall ability to execute his attacks with the robust strength that he wished for them to have, yet he didn't wish for this to an excuse for his attacks to not hold an absolute strength. While he pushed the limits of his own powers, his overall goal was to force the Devil Shinigami into revealing the pinnacle of her own strength at some point. This would require him to be resilient in his efforts. Thus, when his attacks would hit he'd gain just a bit more power and add it to his next blow. Yet, it seemed that his strikes grew much more than he anticipated. The source of this power being unknown to him, but he could feel a foreign source adding to the regular gain provided by Hinode.

When his first strike would make its mark on Ibiki a small moment of celebration would live inside him for the moment before he'd carry on his next action. Though, she would retaliate with attacks of her own, as expected. The shot to his ankle would land and would add to the damage that he had inflicted on his ankle himself by hitting the hardened shell the Kenpachi had created around herself. When this strike would land on him a surge of pain would bounce among the nerves up his leg, a crackling of the bones at the joint would resound but would only result in a few hairline fractions. Something that he could deal with for the remainder of the fight if he just bit through the pain. In the end, this would end up hindering the other attacks that were to take place, his overall speed taking a hit, but nothing too tremendous as he would fight ignore the pain and carry on to the best of his ability.

Taken by surprise he'd be victim to yet another attack as she dodged the attack to her abdominal and vanished with a shunpo to his rear. Her elbows driving into his spine, curling his vertebrae and bending to her utter strength. The shattering force pressed into his back and shot throughout his entire body, enough to paralyze him for a fraction of a second as he groaned in agony. Blood shot from his mouth as the internal damage to his organs rose up to fill his mouth and spray the ground before him. It was clear that she was better suited for a close-combat fight such as this, much like himself. When it came down to it, she had the upper hand as his fighting style left many openings for him to strike. Yet, despite the overwhelming pain that was brought onto his body he'd still be able to push forward not letting the attacks prevent him from carrying on with this fight. It had only just begun and he wouldn't be down for the count just yet, he wouldn't allow it.

Yet, his attacks wouldn't prove to be enough against the durability of the Kenpachi's exterior. While he put every ounce of strength in his strikes the wouldn't be able to penetrate her skin as he wished. Though he would take the small victories that were seen in the small amounts of blood that came from the minuet wounds he inflicted to her body. Though it would all halt near immediately when he would land a single on her neck. It seemed to bring something out of her, as she was tenacious enough to grab a hold of his blade with a relentless grasp. However, he was able to witness her feel pain from the look on her face, it caused him to grin and chuckle slightly. He knew there would be a consequence to this. One that he would have not enough time to react to, even in his released state.

While he tried to remove the blade from her grasp with a few powerful tugs, she'd remain resolute to his attempts. In result, he'd be smashed into the ground before being tossed away like a ragdoll once more. Only this time he could tell the strength placed in the attack was apparent to her not holding back. As he bounced like a ball, grunting and groaning in pain that he wished to cast aside he could not do so. Not at this moment, at least. Though as he laid on the ground, he could feel this foreign power continuing to surge in his body, urging him to carry on and not give up. Though his body didn't allow him to raise up and fight back. He clenched his hands, dragging his fingers through the ground and picking up the dirt beneath them as he did so. His face grew tight with anger for being so easily taken down. The Kenpachi would add insult to injury with a swift stomp to his gut, his limbs and head would be thrown up from the ground as he spewed more blood from his lips. He was mesmerized by the power that the small girl held, to think that such a small being could hold so much power was impeccable. He wished to surpass this, and he wanted this very fight to be a building block to such. His eyes winced and his face pressed with the struggle to live, his mouth gargled with blood as he tried to reclaim the air in his lungs. Coughing and gasping for his right to live as the Kenpachi spoke, a smirk making its home upon his visage.

"I ain't... dead yet, bitch."

He looked to her with one attempting to match the fury that she held in her own. While he had said that, he could foresee his death coming at this very moment. It brought him to question the Kenpachi for a split second as she was striking him while he was flat on his back, it was something that seemed shameful to him. He didn't feel like she was the type to kill someone in such a pathetic state as she was capable of killing him before he was brought to this point. So if he was to die now, what was the point of all of this and why'd she wait until this moment?

The force struck him and everything drew blank in his eyes. Nothing. Black. Just darkness was all he could see before a light shined bright before his eyes. However, he didn't seem to be in the same place that he once was. Yet, he'd be ripped from this abyss immediately as his heart started to pound once more. Only now, it pounded much more rapidly than before. He gasped for air and his eyes grew wide as he could feel a surge spread from his heart and begin traveling through his veins. Confusion riddled his mind and brought him to a slight moment of hysteria as he turned to his side, releasing his sword and grasping his chest. He struggled for air, but it seemed as though that was but the only thing that hurt. The light-headedness he once felt from the loss of blood seemed to fade away, and the only thing he could think of was getting back up from all of this and continuing the fight.

Rolling to his stomach and climbing to all fours his body rose and fell with the breaths of desperation to keep fighting. He looked to Hinode that had returned back to it's sealed state, reaching out to grasp the hilt of the sword and bring it to him. When he succeeded in doing so he used it to bring himself up from the ground. He looked himself over, while he still looked tattered and felt pain it didn't overwhelm his being. The only thing that seemed to consume his entire being was the urge to carry on. He didn't understand any of this, or where the power that he felt came from. It didn't matter.

Thus, he immediately pressed back into her, continuing the fight. He began to unleash a serious of strikes to various parts of her body, though they would be more aimed toward her vitals in order to claim some sort of victorious strike from all of this. It seemed that it was completely different this time around. His attacks were stronger, his muscles felt more reinforced than ever, and he felt a strong sense of precision with each attack that he attempted to lay into her. Whether the attacks hit or not, this power that he felt far surpassed that of his released state. Thus he grew curious about what going back to that would be like, a smirk rising on his face.

"Hinode o shūchaku!"

Graphics and Coding by: CPKallday

Wed Nov 16, 2016 2:18 pm

[POSTING MUSIC IS A MUST FOR THIS POST! PLAY THE YOUTUBE BAR]

Artist: MyonMyon - Song: Raw Power - Word Count: 5207

There was a great amount of violence to be felt within the soul of Seiko. It was as if there was a never ending vortex of fury, pride and desire to want to fight the best of the best to hone one's skill. To Ibiki, this was an admirable ambition because of the fact it was totally empowered by his ego. And, to the grander scheme of things, it could provide a very necessary to her combat division and The Gotei Reformed to have someone so savage at their side. It is why some were born to lead, and others were bred simply to fight til their heart's content.

Yet, in the mind of Ibiki, neither was right or wrong. It was all a matter of where one's talents were and The Devil Shinigami was quite aware of where his laid. With enough guidance, nurturing and training; the man could grow up to become a hellish weapon of The Gotei. But, even beyond all of that, if his instinct were to remain so true as to defeat and kill her; then he may very well be the next Kenpachi in training. And that was a sentiment which runs somberly within the heart of The Suika Woman.

Could this be the same sensation which rang through the mind of Unohana as she pitted herself against the beast known as Zaraki? Was this same shadow of death and bones all that the two could gaze upon one another? Perhaps, perhaps not. All Ibiki knew is that he was going to be the one to mold this shinigami into something much more than he was. And, in order to do thathis spirit must be ready to transcend the spirits of his mortal body. It was going to require an otherworldly resolve to reach the heights in which her strength stood and she was interesting to see just how far he could develop his own brand of resolution into the world with his power

Hence, it was time to come back down to reality and hear the words which were uttering out of the mouth of the combat division members lips. He was raging, furious and fuming as his expressed his utter disdain for the philosophical, spiritual and metaphorical aspects of attaining a great power. It was honestly enough to make The Kenpachi give a grim chuckle at the sight she was seeing unfold before her very eyes. The reason being is because of the fact that he seemed like a true and earnest spirit that grew from the depths of Rukongai. It was a brutal, but simple life within that aspect of that Soul Society. And he seemed to represent those values rather well with his straightforward, but hardened resolve.

""There is nothing wrong with that. I won't mold you into something you are not and something you have no desire to be. All I ask is that you give it your mind, body and spirit's absolute to be able to withstand the power growing in you. If you cannot do that, and remain clear as to who you are, it will fail and break you."[

As the booming voice of Seiko's vibrant heart surged across the area, the tone of Ibiki's words remained stern and steady as she retained her cool. There was no need to become enraged any longer since the male was beginning to understand that this wasn't a battle to be fought at a half-ass level. It was going to take every last bit of strength, every morsel of resolve and all of the spiritual power he could muster in order to endure this battle of life or death.

"If you can endure the weight of your ego, the wrath of my fist and the hardships ahead; you will all that you desire and more. Of that much I can assure you, Seiko."

After making that final declaration of assurance to her disciple, The Devil Kenpachi decided that the time had come to cease with mere words. The moment of action and determination had come and she was ready to resume the intense battle of mind, body, and soul that these two were having. Even as the toxins of Demon World started to grind, churn and gnaw at the body of The Suika Woman; her resolve force repelled it effects away and kept the woman in a prime state of being. At some point, the male should be able to do that as well and she was beginning to see his body adapt to this environment as he was pushed harder and harder.

[GO AHEAD AND CHANGE THE YOUTUBE BAR AND PLAY THIS TRACK WHILE READING THE PASSAGES BELOW FOR FULL EFFECT!]

So, Ibiki decided to follow things up and accelerate her attacks. Since the woman had an immense amount of speed at her disposal, it wasn't too far-fetched for her to follow up the connecting strikes to his leg with additional assaults. Therefore, when she got that one hit in, she would capitalize on the pain he would be feeling at that time in order to begin sending hardened punches at his legs in order to further accelerate the damage he was already feeling. This could result in enormous injuries being inflicted upon his legs. They would begin to feel tired, drowned in a fiery pain and most of his tendons and bones would be extremely stressed.

Yet, at the same time, he would notice his durability increasing and enhancing at the same time. As the resolve force which brewed within the male was feeding off his element of pride. One could even call this evolving ability something akin to an "Ego Drive". It was transforming itself into a power which manifested his sense of self-worth into a tangible ability. Therefore, it would allow him to begin enhancing his abilities far above his limits when pushed into these dire circumstances where that type of strength is needed.

Indeed, the brute would begin to feel new life starting to enter into his being. There was a second source of energy forming within his mind and body that was infusing itself into his spiritual energy. This was the well of energy being forged from his ego. Through this ability would he then be able to see most of his attributes become multiplied by five times over a duration of three to five post. It was going to become extremely hard to manage and control, but it was within his scope of possibility. He would feel his skin becoming as durable as brick, body moving as fast as a cheetah and his strikes becoming more and more potent to the point where it would feel as if he was operating a pseudo-bankai.

Which, ultimately, was the purpose of this training: to make sure his body, mind, and spirit could withstand and sustain a bankai. Since as Ibiki watched the male push himself further and further, she knew she was going to have to build up a strong well of energy within him in order to push their training along. Since the bankai method of Hayai Kaihō was going to have to be used for the purpose of accelerating his training at a quick burst. Hence, this spar between them was designed to enhance Seiko to the point of being able to not die from that next phase of training.

""Power like this must be earned. Please understand this."

Although the woman was moving at daunting speeds, she still maintained the stability and control to move with enough grace in order to slow herself down to be made audible to Seiko. This is because she was about to introduce a whole new level of pain into his world. Given the fact that he was still blinded by pain once her strike to his spine had connected, The Devil Kenpachi made sure to follow that up with two dozen punches scattered all over his back. The brutality of these punches would have shock waves spreading for many miles on end; going as far as to even break the earth around them and scatter rocky debris all over as sonic booms leveled the area.

Meanwhile, on the males body, it would be absolutely ruthless and hellish. His entire backside yielded a strong chance of being drenched totally in blood. As every orifice of skin on it had the possibility of being bruised, wounded and leaking his vital fluids all over the place. All the while, his mouth would probably be vomiting all types of fluids from the extreme amount of strain being placed on his body. Not only that, but every movement would be filled with an electric pain as she sought to bring his organs to the brink. It was going to truly re-fortify his durability after this point.

Since, while it may very well bring him on the cusp of death's door, it was this type of training that his Ego Drive could thrive on. As, by this point, the shinigami's body could begin to be emitting a second layer of reddened aura around Seiko. This projection of his Ego Drive's power may even have trails of white energy lining the edges of it. And the reason why it existed was to have a physical manifestation of his pride's power coming into reality.

Based on the fact that Ego Drive was now becoming a tangible part of this material existence, it was able to absorb, consume and convert the weight of strain, pain endurance and will of Seiko into a real power. As the more he became damaged, the harder his muscles would become as a result. His organs would reinforce themselves to greater heights, his bones could begin to regenerate from their cracks and his body was going to be able to bare the brunt of her hellish assaults against him with multiple layers of defense. As he would have three layers of enhanced durability to protect his body: one to represent his mortal self, the second to present his ego and the third to represent his drive to succeed and overcome his limitations.

"This is called "training under critical condition". My power will NOT work UNLESS you push your body well beyond the breaking point. This may very well potentially kill you, but only with this risk will you ever be able to develop and turn into the devil I am."

There would be a brief lull in the battle in between the time it took for Ibiki to cease from her attacks and the time that was required i n order to rise up and recover. The Devil Kenpachi was moving ahead as if this was all normal because of the fact she EXPECTED him to rise up. The woman did not waste her strength, time or energy to simply sully her resources beating down on someone weaker than herself. That was not in the woman's creed; as if she desired to do that, she would have simply released her bankai and be done with it.

No. Instead, there was potential to be had in the boy. So much potential that not even he himself could realize it without a proper life or death circumstance to force it out. Hence, it is why The Kenpachi was bringing out more of her oni-like strength against the male. The woman's expectations of him were great and she had faith that his ego and pride would be enough to bear the weight of this ungodly storm ravaging his body right now. As, at this point, it was do or die. There was no turning back from the course their training had set. He was either going to get back up, or he was going to die a quick, but honorable death in the pursuit of reaching something so much greater than himself.

"Now -- STAND!"

With the way The Devil Kenpachi sounded, it was almost as if she was giving a command in order to break the bonds between life and death for the male. If he his every waking fiber yearned for a challenge, desired to fight foes stronger than the might of Ibiki and to push himself towards being the elite; then it was in the male's best interest to adapt, evolve and push through the curtain of death in order to see the horizon of strength, power, and respect. Anything less and he would be mended into a bloody pulp here and now; as there was enough force in that attack to kill most opponents of his level ten times over by this point.

It is why when she smashed him over and over again, The Devil Kenpachi was more than thrilled in order to see him becoming angry. He was beginning to realize a goal, he was facing an obstacle and there was enough will and emotion invested within his heart in order to force him to overcome it. So, for this reason,is why Ibiki would continue to smother attacks into his body until he found the strength to once again stand up and speak to her. With her mach speed, she could land an additional dozen stomps upon his body as she was keen on breaking him over and over again until she was able to sculpt the figure of a marvelous fighter and Kenpachi. It was almost to an obsession at this point as she seemed to be losing herself within the aura of her own determination and his fiery passion.

"If you have energy to bark off at the mouth, you have energy to stand and face me as equal. Did you really come all the way here just to give me more that hollow crap?"

While Ibiki was happy to see him finding his reprieve, it needed to be more focused and he was going to have to put every ounce of power he could muster into putting a greater deal of damage to herself in order to pass this session. Or, at the very least, be able to properly manage his Ego Drive so that it can be used to allow him the next phase towards Bankai. Therefore, as he was beginning to fade into the cold abyss of death, The Devil Kenpachi saw no reason to let up on her attacks.

And why should she let up on those assaults? Every second of every waking moment of every day led all those who were apart of the Gotei Reformed on death's door. There wasn't a time in the past year where this fact did not ring true. It was going to have to be DRILLED into him that he should become quite comfortable being on the doorstep of death's frigid home. Even more so if he desired to take the title of a Kenpachi and live his entire existence to fight, push himself and experience battle after battle after finally dying by the sword and repeating the cycle for another to bare for a new generation far beyond her and him. This was the cycle of life for brutes and devils such as themselves.

With that being the case, this vision began to burn like the damning light of a supernova exploding in the vast nothingness of space within the confines of Ibiki's mind, body and soul. She could not let up on him now or she'd risk making this training all for nothing. Thus, The Devil Kenpachi started to release blow after blow upon his heart. Each punch capable of ripping apart this entire area with the utmost of ease. Yet, his spirit and will must remain firm and bare the waves of anguish gripping his soul. As this was turning into a battle of spirits and the two of their souls were being pitted against one another.

However, if he were to endure just a bit longer, the male would be able to begin reaping the benefits. The Ego Drive would begin eating this force up and making him stronger with each powerful explosion of might that erupted over his body. It was converting the pain, determination and pride to strive into augmentative boost that would flourish all throughout his body. He would feel a new sense of pain tolerance blossoming within his mind, while the depths of his spiritual energy would begin to rise and reach new limits he never once thought possible.

All the while, the durability of his Zanpukto would begin to resolve and harden just as much as his spirit. With the male being pushed well beyond his limits, it would make sense for his inner world to begin goign through a change as The Devil Kenpachi kept hurdling him past his breaking point time and again. In fact, there may be even a constant surge of near death moments in this whole exchange of blows. The male would continue to fade in and out of consciousness, but his Ego Drive would not allow him to die so long as he held on to his primal sense of essence with all of his might. It would break the laws of reality and feast on his expanding energy in order to heal him, revive him and make him that much stronger after having been thrown in between life and door's door rapidly by the likes of The Menacing Oni Shinigami.

"Tell me: what does the pain feel like? Does it feel like every fiber of your being is being broken, repaired and shattered again? Well, GET USED TO IT! This is the life you've chosen as a Kenpachi, as a Shinigami and as a spirit that thrives on the battle lust of war, combat, and pride! Do you want to stand toe to toe with me? THEN CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS FOR ME TO HAVE ACQUIRED THIS STRENGTH AND TO HAVE ACHIEVED THE NAME OF A KENPACHI! UNDERSTAND THIS PAIN OF THE MIND, BODY, AND SOUL!"

It didn't matter if her speech was cut off. As no matter if the male was dodging, recovering, attacking or going on the defensive; these sentiments of what it meant to be a Kenpachi would be roared throughout the battlefield. As this was her creed, this was her training essence and this was the lesson that she was going to claw into his very soul. Everything with her body at this moment was screaming in pain, hollering in soreness and the atmosphere of the battlefield reflected that.

Everything around them seemed to darken, while the heavens above groaned out and let out thunderous cries that reflected the fire burning within the woman's soul. She wanted to be pushed, she yearned to have something to infuse meaning into and she so lusted after someone to stand toe to toe with her in this new Gotei Reformed. There was nothing she could do about the past as it was dead, buried and burned with the wind. But, so long as she still has this mass strength of will to fight, she would force and embed that sentiment into the new generation so that their future could be as bright as her past once was.

Therefore, based on that sentiment, The Devil Kenpachi realized that it was now time to bare the brunt of her soul against the male. It is why the air around them started to increase and weigh down on them; as if the gravity had increased by ten times. This immense shift in the weight of the world around them could definitely be made noticeable by the male; as it would have been as if he was staring into an infinite ocean of strength, will and heartache brewing within the soul of Ibiki in this moment in time. Yet, at the core of it still remained a heart that had it's iron will beating and forcing itself to work through a sea of blackness to retain that light of ambition thumping deep within its essence.

This -- is what it meant to wield the power of will!

[GO AHEAD AND CHANGE THE YOUTUBE BAR AND PLAY THIS TRACK WHILE READING THE PASSAGES BELOW FOR FULL EFFECT!]

"Smash 'em up, Oni Kyōsei!"

For a few seconds, everything around him had ceased in noise. The cries of Seiko, the burning embers of the inferno around them and the mighty roar of the thunderous clouds above all hushed.

. . .

Then, like the almighty bang of creation, the eruption of Ibiki's spiritual energy brought new life and light into the area. It was if a comet had smashed straight into the earth and tainted everything in an indigo haze. The skies turned to purple, black and white; while the fires that flared around the two opponents surged and reached two hundred meters into the sky; taking a similar shade of colors in the process. All the while, lava would begin to spew out of the earth like raging geysers and extend for a mile into the air. Meanwhile, the earth around them would begin to rock with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake; causing entire clusters of the ground to sink in, crash, expand and tear open as a result of this devil's power awakening and her spiritual strength being properly realized.

In fact, at this point, it may even be difficult to approach the woman without the utmost of effort and will. As surges of sonic booms would rupture out and obliterate everything within the vicinity. These were outburst of power pouring out of the woman's body and representing the calamitous amounts of energy swelling within her as she unleashed and bared her soul to the male. Hence, as her inner self began to change, as to did her outer self. The muscles around the woman's body started to harden, tighten and increase in mass; as she seemed quite muscular at this point. With bulging veins appearing across every fiber of her body; it was hard not to notice just how ripped the woman had become.

More than that, extremely dangerous volts of bioelectricity ripped across the woman's body erratically. These spread and scattered across a ten-meter radius; melting the entire ground whenever they touched the earth and scorched it. All the while, her eyes would be devoured by a purple light, claws would begin to extend from her hands and feet; ultimately transforming her into a beast as razor sharp fangs extended from the woman's mouth as she let out a damning roar that tried to rip apart the fabric of reality itself.

As, if Seiko wasn't careful, he'd be outright flattened by a shock wave of energy moving forth from the Menacing Devil's mouth. Since this burst of raw power was capable of obliterating entire chunks of a city with its hellish fire power. Hence, for miles on end, these earthquakes would rock and shake the depths of Demon World. Ultimately causing many demons to begin steering clear of this area; while others on the outskirts of this battle would begin to watch in amazement at these two began unleashing the wildest essence of their persona's out. For it seemed as if the two's battle instinct and nature had captured the attention of these most ruthless inhabitants. Most of them did not even dare to step foot into this ring and could only imagine what was in store for the male who was battling against this monster of monsters.

Thus, if Seiko had managed to overcome all of that, he would be greeted with the sight of Ibiki's released shikai. It was going to be like a battle he had never encountered before. To feel the whole brunt of her power was an experience in it of itself for him. For, apart of the reason the woman released is to show him just how far the rabbit's hole led if he wished to attain a strength like hers. It wasn't just enough to fight him in her base form, she had to show the earnest part of her spirit and unveil her shikai to him in order to get the message. As, if he did not notice, the male was now fighting at a level comparable to a pseudo-bankai with the enhancements that the resolve force had made within the male with the birth of his Ego Drive power.

Therefore, to clear up anymore unknowns, Ibiki would utter these words out to the field in order for Seiko to better understand her:

"Do you see this strength? Do you feel my pain? This is what it means to bare the brunt of being a Kenpachi and becoming a creature capable of fighting any and everything that comes your way. Remember it, visualize it, taste it and embrace the aroma of this determination for your own so that your ego can form something as raw as this."

With a pat of her chest, the woman would make the ground buckle once more beneath her as The Oni Shinigami's strength was truly marvelous in this form. Hopefully, Seiko would be able to understand the release of her shikai was triggered by his strength. He warranted it her releasing as a reward and he wanted him to feel strong because of that.

"Just remember: your ego caused this to happen. Embrace whole, Kenpachi-In-Training!"

With no further interruptions, if Seiko had managed to fight his way through the storm of her power, the next round could begin. If he overcame and came face to face with Ibiki, the first spot he would strike is her solar plexus. The result of this strike ended up producing a noticeable effect. There were bruising and slight drops of blood beginning to ooze from her released form. This was meant to show to him that he was growing in strength and being pushed five to six times over his limits.

However, with that being said, being this close to Ibiki was also extremely dangerous. As the bioelectricity would have undoubtedly shocked him by this point and induced a powerful cero-like attack to rain down and shock his body. This could potentially result in his strike towards the heart falling short and only managing to scratch it; leaving a red mark across her chest as a result. If he were to regain himself and find his willpower to carry on, then the male could go on to strike her neck. Which, in the end, would be met with a strong punch from her right fist.

The Devil Kenpachi would send the male flying upwards into the fire so that he may drown on the fiery inferno of her soul. These flames would seek to burn every bit of his body, while the damage from the punch would further put his body and mind under the most intense agony imaginable. His inner world would be hurting, his willpower would have felt extremely taxed and his whole body would be drowned in burning, shocking and aching pain that would make most men give up by now. Yet, would he still find the ability to be able to continue pushing himself and the extents of his Ego Drive against his commander?

Well, to answer that question: YES! Again, this extreme version of critical circumstance training was meant to push Seiko's body to the breaking point. So, with each of them released, Ibiki saw no reason not to hold back on him and dish out the pain. There was no way that he was going to grow without it. And, given how short they were on time, it made sense to her to risk life and limb in order to embed this hope within the Gotei. Thus, she would follow him into the flames and begin ripping into his abdomen with a flurry of punches.

Every last strike that she was able to get in on the male was capable of making even some of the mightiest foes of her caliber of fighting crumble to their knees. Sonic boom after sonic boom after sonic boom would erupt within this vortex of fire as the very depths of Ibiki's spirit sought to devour Seiko whole. Yet, it would not allow him to die in the slightest. If by nothing else, the Resolve Force of Ibiki's spirit was going to hold him together so that he may be able to withstand the full brunt of her rage. Then, his body was going to endure and remember the pain so that it may become stronger and be better equipped to deal with the savage blows that may come from the ungodly opponents that the Gotei Reform have for enemies.

"Relish in the pain, SLACKER! Get mad! GET FURIOUS AND LOVE THE BATTLE! Get the grit to embrace every moment of total torment this might of The Kenpachi rains down upon you. THIS IS A BATTLE OF DETERMINATION!"

At long last, there was a grin that was beginning to emerge across the woman's face. Throughout the majority of this training session, there was only a scowl, frown or neutral expression to be had on her face. But now that she was tapping into the essence of her power's namesake against a foe who was worthy of being trained to be her own, there was no reason not to be excited and thrilled. So what if the world was thrown to shit? That could be worried about later. All that mattered now was savoring the battle and having a place to unleash both of their internal spirits in an earth-shattering eruption of Ego and Will; the likes of which would be scarred into the memories of the demeon around them for many years to come.

Then, with one final move, Ibiki would begin to shift the brunt of her force into her right hand. Summoning a great volume of spiritual power into it, The Devil Shinigami planned to conclude this session of blows on the male with an uppercut that could break the heavens themselves. As she was intending on injecting a great deal with her spiritual energy into the male with this attack. Since there was enough inside of it to otherwise fuel an entire city with power if she so chose. And, with that being the case, Seiko was about to get a face-full of it so that he could further advance himself and accelerate to the power of a pro.

Therefore, with no regrets, The Wild Kenpachi would let out a childish laugh and send her strike hurtling towards him at mach speeds in order to send him flying through the fires, into the heavens and like a speeding comet into the horizon. When he descends down from the heavens, The Suika Child fully expected him to rain down from the world above as an angel of total bloodlust. That was the path of a Kenpachi: ALL OUT BRUTALITY AND IMMOVABLE FORCE OF WILL!

Mon Nov 21, 2016 11:20 pm

There was a better part within Seiko that could seem himself becoming some sort of diplomatic figure or high member in the hierarchy of the Gotei Reformed. One that would make important decisions that would hold the fate of the Gotei's future in the palm of his hands with the words that he would speak and the actions he would set unto others. It was something more of a dream than something that could become a reality. Yet, his lack of a proper education thwarted such a dream from coming true. While the thought, or dream, of this coming to be something that he could achieve rested in the back of his mind, he knew it to be something that was out of his reach. The man could hardly read as it was, it was something that he had yearned to learn a long time ago.

He could recall seeing dignitaries of the Kuchiki family walking along with his district's streets, they were in search for one thing or another. Though the dialect that they spoke was something that raised a brow on the young Seiko, just old enough to wipe his own ass. Running out to the streets as people seemed to gather there and displayed the utmost amount of respect for them. It was something that made Seiko somewhat jealous of their upbringing, even at such a young age. He wondered what his life would be like if he had grown up in a different district under a different roof, but it was useless. Those things would never come to fruition and he'd never be the type of man to hold a scroll or to make an announcement among the common people.

He was the type that held a boiling anger inside his veins, one that drove him to fight for himself and himself only. A selfish way of living, really, but it was kill or be killed in the Zaraki district and it had always been that way. The cutthroats and savage men and women that lived in this district took from those that were weak until they were cut down by someone that was stronger. Thus, he developed himself to be stronger than all that walked those streets, as it meant anything that he held was to stay in his grasps. Even when challenged by stronger foes he would make use of anything that was in arms' reach in order to achieve a victory, he knew no rules to combat and didn't respect the fundamental rules of proper swordplay. However, this is what led him to prosper in this dog-eat-dog world that he lived in. It sculpted him into the relentless savage that he was at this day, and he could foresee himself rounding out to be a proper combatant under the wing of the Kenpachi. This lingered in the back of his mind as she spoke to him about dragging him to be something that he didn't desire to be. Though the thing about it was, there was no real way for her, or even himself, to know what he desired to be. All he knew was life with a sword attached. Remove his sword and he'd still have his limbs to carry on fighting, this was who he was: a warrior. He was nothing more, and nothing less. It was all he knew, but he knew not what else he could come to be in this world as he had never given it a moment of chance or thought. Even at the time at which he did think about it, he couldn't bring himself to see him draped in a dignitary's garb wearing white, blue and gold and addressing people as sir, ma'am, your grace, your honor. It wasn't him, nor did he see it to ever be in the future.

"I know who I am, you don't have to worry about that, and I know who I will be. I just need a push to get there, and just so happens you're the person that's gonna give it to me. Don't let me down, Kenpachi. I'll give you what you want, now give me what I want."

He'd speak with confidence that radiated throughout his entire figure. From a solid fighting stance to a crisp tone and an eager expression displayed upon his visage, he seemed to be unshaken by the booming voice. As she spoke her next words he gave a smirk and a nod.

"Good. That's what I like to hear."

With that he felt ready to endure whatever it was she was to send his way and was ready to lash back with his limits pressed to their max if not exceeding his limits. He was ready for this bloodbath to begin, and it seemed she felt the same way as he did. It was a feeling of reassurance that he would grow as a fighter when he saw the Kenpachi grow hungry for the battle.

As Ibiki pressed into him and carried on with more strikes upon his legs he could feel them begin to become deteriorated as they had felt before. Though, the injuries that he once held on his legs were seemingly multiplied by a number of hits that he had bruted through, not having the speed nor the capabilities to dodge attacks with such haste attached to them. While this came into play, he could feel a shattering pain bounce from the nerves within his legs as they sent rapid signals to his brain that he could no longer use them. Yet, for some reason or another, they almost felt as though they were more reinforced than they were before. Each time the nerve signaled the brain that he was under severe pain he could feel an energy surge behind it and numb the pain that it came with. While his legs felt as though they were wrapped in flames he was still able to carry on with his attacks that he wished to lay out just as he was before. Holding this extreme pain in his legs didn't hold him back an ounce from lashing out and continuing this battle, it was as though his legs were armored in some shape or form. This armor wasn't strong enough to keep another attack from entering his body, but it was strong enough for reinforcing his limbs to do what he wished for them to do.

With this strange energy entering within his body he could only feel the gears in his mind beginning to run amuck churning the cogs that powered his ego. He could feel his confidence bursting through the roof and exceeding new limits as he could never see himself taking such attacks from a powerhouse such as the Kenpachi with such ease. It seemed near effortless and all it did was increase his strength and the power in which his attacks would be able to escalate to. The emotion that he felt at this moment was hard to explain, he was excited, he felt enabled to defeat the Devil Shinigami, and he felt an undying urge to press his limits and break free from the chains that held him from becoming the victor of this fight.

"I've earned every breath I've taken in this forsaken life, don't think that I can't earn this too!"

He verbally retaliated as their spar carried on, his voice carried for miles with the daunting volume that he cast out to the area. He wished to catch the ear of the Kenpachi that sprawled about their arena at high speeds that were hard for even Seiko to follow in his released state. However, with the words that he had spoken he slowly became able to break the milliseconds that he lived in into nanoseconds and could catch silhouettes of the woman as she speeds about him. A slight shock came upon Seiko before he could feel himself even more eager, giving his ego more fuel.

This would all come to a sudden halt, though. As the moment he was able to capture her with his eyes she would vanish in her daunting speed. He'd be sent into a moment of confusion, not sure how such a speed could be accomplished so easily. It was but a fraction of a second later, no sooner than he could blink his eyes, that he'd come to find himself in an indescribable pain. He could feel the flesh on his back be torn away by the sheer strength of the Kenpachi's flurry of punches. Every pore that laid upon the skin on his back was intruded with each blow and with each blow his insides were tossed into a mush. Not even able to let out a single cry of pain his body was bent and mutilated as blood rushed up from his organs and out of his eyes, mouth, and nose. An uncontrollable vomit of a multitude of colors that mixed into a dark purple color spewed onto the ground upon him as the red liquid rained from the entrance points on his back. His body flailed in repercussion to each hit the force of the hits monumental enough to keep him in place. Despite his reinforced exterior, his interiors were still as malleable and breakable as before.

His mind spiraled, unsure of what he would even be able to do but it wouldn't take long for the world to draw black around him as he fell into a state of unconsciousness for a moment before being immediately drawn back. While his organs seemed to be a mush it was the only insult to injury that the attacks were followed up with an electrifying surge that rattled his insides. His eyes were large as he tried to deal with the mental state of the excruciating pain that throbbed inside of his body but left him motionless and unable to retaliate.

Get the hell up, you fucking moron! You left yourself open to her! You let her do this to you! You can't fall so easily, not to the one that you wished to defeat so badly that you had to cast your fucking pride aside and ask her for help. Grow with the pain and let it mold you, or you're just going to die and become a part of this fucking purple mist you're laying in. You're stronger than this!

Seiko's mind raced trying to pull together every fiber of strength that he could in order to carry on with this battle. As these thoughts came to an end and the world seemed to draw black again as he laid upon this puddle of filth that was created from his insides being forced out of him, his vision would be blurred with a maroon aura. He knew this aura good and well, it was his own being. The spiritual pressure that had grown with him all this time, giving it a last gung-ho effort to bring him back to a fighting state. His body trembled on the ground, grunts of utter disdain and pain pressed through his clenched teeth as his back arched and his body rolled. While this maroon aura drifted about his body and attempted to mend the internal wounds inflicted onto his organs it was soon overcome by a deep purple that worked in tandem with this maroon color. This energy rapidly dispersed from his body before spiraling around him in a large radius and then surging back into his body before repeating the process several times. He was struggling with containing the sudden power that was placed inside of him by the Kenpachi. It was the Resolve Force trying to make itself a home within the body of Seiko, seeking to break the limits of his spiritual pressures threshold by completely deteriorating them from the inside out. This constant breaking and entering then leaving pressed his spiritual threshold until it was able to fit somewhat comfortably within him when it did so the color would vanish and become one with the maroon color that he knew well. This power would then carry on to grow and send his body into a crater as it flurried out and lifted his body. The power pressed inside of him crushing his insides even more until they no longer existed, sending him to a realm of nonexistence for a split moment before he was reawakened. When his eyes came open once again he felt almost rejuvenated.

Everything was a blur, at first, only able to see a blurred image of the Kenpachi before him. The sight of the silhouette was enough for him to try and fight through the rejuvenation sequence that was placed upon him, but for one reason or another, the power that Hinode was granting him was far too strong. The reiatsu that once resided in the strength of the individual was stripped from him and put him into an entire state of recuperation. As the Kenpachi spoke she explained what this was called and how it worked, it all seemed to make sense now to him. She was intentionally bringing him to death's door in order to refine his body and make it stronger, he was somewhat impressed. Though he wasn't sure if this was the type of help that he had asked for in the beginning. It was no use in arguing it at the moment. As it seemed to consume him and Hinode seemed to take the power that was granted to them and turn into something of his own. Though the hard part was still to come, whether this new and refined body that the Kenpachi had broken down in order for him to repair with this Resolve Force as a catalyst would really set well with one another.

"Now--STAND!"

When those words were spoken from the Kenpachi's mouth it was almost as if it were an incantation to the Resolve Force that she had placed into his body. The reiatsu that held him still released its hold on him and dropped him onto the ground. As it did so it would surge inside of him before blaring out in an uncontrollable manner. He resided on the ground with one foot pressed down and his knee pressed next to it. His arms held his torso from falling as his breaths brought his back to rise and fall. A smile grimly rose from ear to ear on Seiko's face as his eyes grew with a craze. The power that he had felt at this very moment was something that he could only dream of having. Something that he had pushed himself so far for in the past only for it to come to be a reality in just moments with the Kenpachi. It was a true testament to how vital she was to his growth and the growth of the Gotei Reformed's units. She was indeed a pillar of their system, it was something that he wished to strip from her, even after how much she had done for him.

A small chuckled reaped through his being as he lifted his head and looked at the Kenpachi as she closed in on Seiko and began beating him to a pulp once more. Though he took the hits as though he was a similar power to that of her own. They didn't seem to phase him as they once did, and while it seemed that she wished to get something out of him by doing this, she wouldn't. He just wished to test this body that he had newly reinforced with her help. As his body was tossed and pummeled and put back on the ground to be victim to more stomps from the fiery passion of the Kenpachi he couldn't help but smirk as his body grew more and more hardened as the state of his Ego Drive seemed to reach limits that he could have never imagined.

"You're one hell of a chick, aren't ya?"

He stated as she yammered about him barking off at the mouth, he wanted to give her what she wanted now that he knew what he was working with and boy did standing up so easily give him an immense amount of pleasure. While his body was a bit tattered and beat up from the attacks the Kenpachi had just put into him, his body still far surpassed that of his old. With that, he was able to stand with much more pride and vigor than ever before, he felt like a new man in a way. It was all so hard to explain what was going on in his mind, but he was able to draw together a mass amount of strength and durability in such a short amount of time. With that, he would be able to carry on with his training and even possibly bring the Kenpachi down on her ass, though he did know that she was still yet to reach the full strength of her own abilities. Yet, even with this renewed body that he held, he was still going to require much more help from her.

For a moment he was able to retaliate and fight against her and even block several of her attacks. Yet the force at which she hit him seemed to be greater than before and he was sent back to the death spiral that he was in earlier once more. For a fraction of a second he thought of giving up as he wasn't going to be able to raise up and beat her, but he then he began to think about the growth from the last time this had happened. That alone was enough to make him want to carry on and continue fighting. However, she didn't seem to wish to let up on the attacks. As he would rinse and repeat the process of making his body whole again. His mind grew slightly weak and wished to just end this all as the mental pressure that was being placed on him was something unworldly and something that he had never wished to experience. Being placed before the darkness of death, seeing that bright light and then being pulled back into this fight again wasn't the way that someone was supposed to live. He felt as though he was cheating to an extent. It didn't seem right, but then again... When was anything that he had done ever seemed right? He was unsure of where this way of thinking had come from, it was out of nowhere, but he quickly shook it off.

It wasn't until he took a numerous amount of strikes to the heart that he was able to see an enormous change to his aura, just as the first one had given. Though this didn't radiate with him as it did any of the other times. No, instead of this being a physical durability he could feel his mind start to shape with the same sculpting tool. His mind began to grow, he was able to endure this mental pain of being pushed to the brink of death and being ripped back from that dark existence and back into reality once more. It was soothing, it brought an ease about his entirety and it enabled him to reset his mind back to what it was earlier. When it did this, it would greatly enable his Ego Drive as it would begin to work in tandem with the Resolve Force once more, taking these devastating blows and attacks and turning them into raw power and energy that Seiko could bend and control at his own whim. He could feel a strength begin to grow within Hinode as well. The two were coming to accept this resonating force that was placed within them, and it was coming to be at their benefit, despite the pains they had gone through in order to obtain such powers.

As she continued to press into him she would begin to speak on how it was to experience the pain that he was undergoing. She carried on to tell him that this was what it meant to become a Kenpachi as she had undergone such trials and tribulations in battles that have consisted of a friendly spar. While this wasn't so much as to be called friendly at this point, the two were still allies and she had faith that the energy she was pouring into him would work well with that of his own and the Ego Drive that was enabled by that of his Zanpakutō's released state. Which, strangely enough, hadn't fallen from despite the amount of catastrophe himself and the blade had inflicted. It truly came to show that he and his spirit were intertwined and were in this battle together and to the end. Such a thing gave him just that much more confidence in their abilities as a team.

Though, the words that the Kenpachi beckoned out to Seiko didn't seem to phase him all too much. As he had come to an understanding with what she was saying, being that he had been through what he had just been through, he was able to apply this to many of his previous battles that had led up to this very point. Sure he was rarely pushed to the brink of his existence, but it was those battles where he was that made him into the warrior that he was when he stepped into this hellish world. He knew what it meant now more than ever too. He had experienced his life being ripped from him and fed back into his time and time again in this spar. It was clear that this was going to continue to keep happening to him too until he was able to push her in some way shape or form.

However, he felt like he was at the point where he could at least perform well enough that she was entertained by the fight. He owed her that much at least, and if he wasn't then he surely would keep trying until he was able to. Things would grow dark as the skies became clouded with crackling gray clouds that below thunderous claps loud enough to shatter a mortal's eardrums in a little effort. Such brought a slight amount of vigor to Seiko, as he felt as though he had achieved a whole new level to the Kenpachi's ability. Which meant that he was growing and that his power slightly challenged hers enough to release her powers to another level. The earth they stood on began to quiver and break at the whim of her power, it was a true display of sheer strength, will, and spirit. It was what she wished to bestow onto Seiko through these daunting trials and tribulations that she had pressed into him with her very own fists. He felt a slight amount of accomplishment being able to see such a power used before him, as though he was worthy of such an entity shining their light on him. He could feel the challenge weighing him down once more as her spiritual pressure was forced into his direction before everything halted for a moment.

Seiko's eyes shifted around in curiosity what was to come next before it came within the blink of an eye. Everything had shifted and morphed to fit that of the Kenpachi's life force. The earth would split for her and the elements would bend at her will, it was truly a sight of beauty, to see power in its more rawest of form. Though it wouldn't be long before the natural effects of shifting plates from the destruction and pure vibrations of her power would force the earth beneath them to rebel in her power. As such, Seiko would make movements to ensure he was captured by the collapsing of the rocks by hopping and skipping to safe platforms before they caved below. Until he found one that rested idly, despite the chaos around them.

While he waited to see what the Kenpachi had in store for him with this power that lashed out from her being in all different types of shapes and form. Debris was tossed between the two and created a dust that clouded each other. The silhouettes of the two spiritual beings being all that could be seen as one sonic wave pushed away from the debris from one and brought another. In between each sonic boom they would be able to briefly, see one another. Seiko, tattered and worn from the battle hardly had much of his clothing even intact at this point, his shirt was but a lose rag that drifted with the wind around his neck as his shorts were burnt up to cover just what they needed to. Ibiki seemed to be a more than just 100%, however. She seemed to be enjoying herself with the battle and having to push herself to truly display her power. She seemed to be extremely pumped to make Seiko into something he never thought could be, she was aware of the impression that she was to leave on Seiko and the bar she was going to set for him to reach one day. She took pride in it, just as he did. He was glad to see such a thing.

It all may have been impressive and may have struck a small amount of fear into the eyes of Seiko, but none of that would last long. He wasn't afraid of her or her power if anything he wanted to see more. He knew that with all that they had done up to this point that he would put up a good fight against her even at this state that she was in. It was all about how he was going to harness his own power that he had just received and how he would apply it to the battle that the two were in.

The utterance of "Kenpachi In-Training" alone was enough to spring him back into action. With a cry of battle, his maroon reiatsu would shiver the Earth, nothing in comparison to that of the Kenpachi's but it was clear that he had grown a great amount since his last flurry of attacks. As he ventured close to her, he could feel the electrifying aura that was placed around the Devil Shinigami in her released state. It produced attacks that were noticeable to him and afflicted amounts of damage, but he didn't allow them to prevent him from carrying on into her vicinity. To his body, they were rather devastating in the amount of heat and the surge they put through his body, but his mind had been morphed to accept such pains and to remain resilient in such attacks. Thus, they would be more of a nuisance than anything at this point, as though he had disturbed a wasps nest and been a victim of their entire family's offensive force. So while his body showed signs of wear from this, he would ignore the pain and close in on the Kenpachi as he intended to the entire time. Being able to put a mark on the chest of the Kenpachi in her released state was a victory on its own, but it wasn't enough. He was going to have to be able to do more than that.

As he carried on with his next attack it was abruptly interrupted by the Devil Shinigami's right fist blaring toward him. The attack knocked him up into this chaotic inferno that Ibiki's will and spirit had created, it was an embodiment of her soul's fire. The flames put a large strain onto Seiko and he'd cry out in agony as the flames seemed to tear into his flesh as though it were made of blades. However, it was just the extreme heat of the creation that stretched and split his skin as it was desaturated of the moisture it once held. Hairline fractures could be seen as his Zanpakutō's spirit was also under attack, when he'd come to notice this he would quickly throw his Zanpakutō down and out of the flames in order to save him from the reckoning that took place. With that, he drove himself to break his limits once more in an effort to remove himself from the death fire he resided within. Using his reiatsu alone, he let out a burst that allowed him a split second to escape as the reiatsu pushed the inferno away from his position before it began to quickly move back toward him. With the amount of time that he had, he created reishi platforms beneath his feet and spiraled out of the fire in just the nick of time. Crashing down next to his blade before continuing on with his attack to the Kenpachi. While his body had taken a severe amount of damage, he knew that he couldn't be stopped now. He had done so much to get to this point and been through so many things. He wished not to give up just yet, even if giving up meant he would grow stronger right after. He had to push forward.

Though, just as he was able to make it out of the flames he would be brought right back in by the Kenpachi as she wished to bring him back to that brink of death once more. As the two reentered this inferno she immediately began to unleash a series of attacks that were far above the caliber that he had previously received. With the addition of the inferno that the two resided in his body took a catastrophic amount of damage before he was brought to a state that deemed him unworthy to fight once more. However, despite this, he still made an idle attempt to swing at the Kenpachi. While it was weak, he had found an opening in her flurry of attacks, little steps. Yet he couldn't help but grow furious with the situation. He didn't wish for the world to fall from his grasps once more. He was tired of it all, but, all the same, he didn't wish to give up. It was all so conflicting, he had no idea that all of this would lead to him having to go through such tremendous trials in order to be streamlined to a new pendulum of power.

With one last valiant punch from the Kenpachi, Seiko was sent back into the dark abyss of his unconsciousness. Only this time it seemed to be different. He could view his body floating from a third person point of view, the opaque clone of himself floating away in the purple mist that clouded the entire area. It seemed to vortex down into a funnel where the opaque figure was ripped and pulled apart. Reaching out his hand and trying to grab the figure before it vanished from sight, Seiko soon found himself a subject to what was taking place. Thoughts of uncertainty that he would return back to the world he was once fighting for riddled his mind as he wished to carry on with the fight with the Kenpachi as it was just getting good. He didn't understand why he wasn't brought back into reality this time. It made little to no sense at all.

That was until he came to find himself in an infinite plain. His clothing was that of a Shinigami's garb, one that he didn't care for too much, personally. Looking himself up and down he saw a large infinite symbol atop a building that stood alone. He realized he had come to reach the home of his good friend, Hinode, his Zanpakutō's spirit. He walked to the door of the abode and slid the rice door open before sitting down on the pad that was across from where the rooster rested with its eyes shut. The maroon aura that resonated from Seiko during battle captivated the rooster as it seemed to be in deep, though. Something was odd about it all, though. As another presence was sensed, the one that had lifted him from his death time and time again. As he sat and watched as the rooster concentrated hints of the Resolve Force could be seen, and when they were it was obvious that Hinode was struggling to keep the force under control. Seiko's brow curling at the sight of the rooster, he was unsure why his companion in combat was holding the power all to himself.

"Hey, why are you doing that shit alone? Let me try..."

Seiko spoke out to the rooster, closing his eyes as the purple energy was pulled out from the maroon and began to circulate around Seiko. Beads of sweat shot down his face as his clothes grew dark with dampness from the effort of holding the power. Seiko's face expressed an extreme amount of struggle as he held the power that the rooster had passed on to him.

"Can't handle it?"

Hinode questioned, breaking his own meditation as holding their own power was something that was a simple task in comparison to that of the Resolve Force Ibiki had just put onto them.

"If you can't handle it, it will kill you. There's nothing I can do about it now that I've passed it to you. I've merely been holding it here, waiting for you to come and take this power and make it your own. I can't do anything but watch from here on out. Once you can handle that power you will be able to handle the power that I hold. I'll be patient, take all the time you need."

With clenched teeth, Seiko continued to struggle with holding the power as he began to grunt and clutched the garb at his legs.

"This shit is ridiculous! How the hell were you holding this, you damn chicken!"

With fury and anger in his voice he struggled to speak out to Hinode, the rooster crowed in laughter. One thing that Seiko didn't understand was that it wasn't his spirit that was weak, it was himself. His body was unable to handle the power that his Zanpakutō held for him. Though he had inched himself closer and closer in doing so with the training. Though it seemed he still was not ready to hold the power of the Resolve Force all on his own, as it was but a fraction of the total combined power that was required for him to be able to withstand. Thus, Hinode would take a portion of it to ease the burden that Seiko held. Once Seiko had stabilized that amount Hinode would add in just a bit more, he would rinse and repeat until Seiko was able to hold this power to himself. It felt as though days had passed with the two in this world, but it had been fractions of a second back in reality.

Just as Seiko opened his eyes he'd find himself back in the inferno once more. Shifting around as he noticed his body had come back to a fresh state once more. This time he would be draped in the traditional Shinigami's garb that he hated so much, bringing him to sigh. However, this time he felt as though the fire he resided in was nothing but a small open flame. Grasping his blade from the sheath on his back he released his spiritual pressure. It ripped around him at forces that contested that of that Kenpachi had displayed earlier, with a single swipe of his blade he brought the flames to a vortex around his blade before casting them away. The spiritual pressure attached to the swing of his blade consuming the inferno before it made contact with any type of structure.

"Alright, enough shit, lady."

Seiko smirked before thumbing his nose and rolling his neck.

"Let's see this power that you've got, I'll give you the first move."

He may have been overly confident at this point, as his power still wasn't much compared to that of the Kenpachi's but she had put a great amount of effort into him thus far. It was about time that he started pressing in on her once more and stopped being such a useless ragdoll.

What's Pride but a Puppet?

What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?

Re: What's Pride but a Puppet?