It's Good to be Back, or Bad... [Snopy, Steiner, Private ask before joining]

"Die challenging the sun? I suppose that would be an extremely lofty goal for a guy like me right?", Steiner said scratching the back of his head in contemplation, but grinning as he did so. Still he was right, at times he was a bit fool hardy, and did run into things, but being cautious sometimes meant people would die. To him that was something he couldn't allow, someone dying because of his indecisiveness was not something he wanted to deal with, and as such he wouldn't because he would just put himself in harms way to make sure that person made it out. "Yeah, I'm not the smartest guy, but I do read a lot and train quite a bit too. Just because I don't have the spiritual power to back myself up doesn't mean I can't hone my skills.", he said as he dusted off his jacket and adjusted the belt holding his sword to his waist.

He began to preach to him about dying twice as fast and that he shouldn't take shortcuts to reach his goals of getting stronger. In truth these were things that Steiner already knew and he had seen what could or would happen if you took on something that you really shouldn't to jump ahead of the line. Getting stronger was a process, it was all about working as hard as you could, and pushing your limits without exceeding them or using outside influences to "boost" your chances. He knew that and he was striving hard to be above the influence of that sort of thing and just go all natural to obtain his natural strength, but still there were limits just like Snopy said, and he felt he was reaching the limit of what a body without powers could do. Still, he had no idea just how much farther he could push himself, and he only really assumed he was pushing his limit.

Steiner was about to ask about the question pertaining to strength when an absurd amount of energy began to course through the air. His body felt heavy as he began to waver immediately, he staggered a bit, but stood tall as he stared at the man in front of him who had moments ago scolded him for being too quick to jump in to conflict. He leaned against a nearby tree trying to brace himself, but he did not fall, and he continued to stare ahead at the man sending out this absurd amount of spiritual energy that seemingly did not have an end to it. Was this the strongest person he had ever met? Probably not. But he was the only one who had ever put his full power out on the table immediately and with as much force as this. His legs felt shaky, his ears were ringing, and his bones felt like they were audibly creaking and he almost felt like they were cracking.

He began to stumble forward, each step an effort in sheer willpower as opposed to brute force, or power of his own. He would not be detered, he would not be crushed under the weight of someone's high power, and he sure as hell wouldn't falter now, he would prove his worth no matter what. He tried to reach for his sword, but his arm barely moved a centimeter at a time, but he growled in frustration, and focused as hard as he could to get his arm to listen. His arm, after some time, would finally begin to accept the fact that it couldn't be a lazy piece of crap, and began to inch faster toward the blade at his hip. His body groaned and he felt like his body was going to give out, the only thing that kept his going was his will to succeed and his never give up attitude. God...my everything hurts, but I can't stop...I have to...I have to just get my sword and strike him! I just...come on body, don't give up I can do this! Steiner thought to himself as his hand finally grasped the hilt of his sword at his waist and began to pull it from its' sheathe.

Steiner had barely got it halfway out when his body felt particularly heavy and he fell to a single knee, he began to breathe heavily, as sweat accumulated at multiple points on his form. Steiner took a long raspy gasp and pulled the sword the rest of the way out, his hand, arm, hell his everything shaking as his body strained. Steiner pushed hard from his kneeling position, trying his best to get up from a kneeling position to stand face to face with the man who was exerting his power like it was nothing, which it probably was to someone as strong as Snopy. This was a test, to prove his worth, and as long as he was on one knee he sure as hell wasn't going to prove shit to anyone. He used that as fuel to fully get back up, shoving the sword into the muddy ground, and using it as a crutch if only for a moment to steady himself. His eyes never left Snopy as he pushed himself fully to a standing base, his body groaning in extreme effort, and the sound of creaking bones filling the cool air around both of them. Steiner drudged the sword from the dirt and began an off balance walk toward Snopy.

"No...sw...sweat.", Steiner said as he tried to lift his arm up to swing his sword and for a moment even looked like he would accomplish his goal of doing so, sadly that moment passed rather rapidly. An audible snap, caused a yowl of pain as Steiner's arm which had only been partially in a slashing motion fell to his side with a heavy thud, and his sword fell to the muddy path beneath them. Steiner growled as he felt the pressure increase and knew that he was only moments away from falling, from failing this test that Snopy was putting him through. "I won't...I won't...no...will not fail!", Steiner shouted as he put every ounce of willpower into his other arm and tried to swing out at Snopy with it. A slow rise of the arm into a punching motion was all he could manage before collapsing into the mud beneath them both. He lay there for a few seconds, growling in frustration at his inadequacies, and his weakness, but once again he tried to get up. However, there was no chance in hell that Steiner was going to get up now.

The weight was much too heavy, much too much now for his body to just will itself to work. It didn't matter just how willful he was, his body had reached its' maximum threshold for punishment, and now wouldn't obey him at all. "Shit...", was all Steiner could say as he kept trying regardless of his body telling him to just lay down and accept his position.