Shinmeiryuu

» Name Of Character: Henrex Astillon
» Link To Character: https://www.platinumhearts.net/t17322-hybrid-henrex-astillon-the-living-tempest-approved-0-5
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t17835-henrex-astillon-the-living-tempest-revamp-wip

» Upgrading:


Dantian Form - Great Ocean Beast: Great Ocean Beast is a Dantian that grants the power of its namesake, the Ocean. Raging seas and crashing waves allow for a might beyond the usual of Qi and also grants a Dantian the scope of the very seas themselves. Vast, and broad, the usage of techniques is not a thing that should be paid any mind to one with a full Dantian, however, like the Ocean it is a long and arduous process to fill once emptied. The cavernous size also hampers compression of Jing and results in a slow process from raw energy to purified energy. The work of many continuous hours, those who possess this Dantian develop a strong sense of patience. Rank: Bronze I

Info on Dantian Cultivation:

Shinmeiryuu: Translating to God’s Cry School, this sword style is considered the brother to Tai Chi Fist. Over three thousand years old, Shinmeiryuu is a very scarce kenjutsu in the modern world of 2417. In the likeness of Tai Chi, this is a style that advances and grows stronger as the user continues to practice the style itself, as well as with cultivation of the user’s Dantian. Control of the blade is key, as this is something that requires a large amount of skill in the way of the sword in order to be able to grasp fully, and use to its maximum potential, another parallel to how Tai Chi Fist requires incredible martial skill to perform and master. However, what is strange about this particular sword style, as well as what makes it different from Tai Chi Fist, is that ranks one, four, and seven are not standalone techniques that require Qi. Instead, tying to the nature of a sword, they are “stances”. These are ways of holding the weapon that grants the user access to the two other techniques that require that prerequisite. Furthermore, this parallels to Tai Chi Fist even more with the fact that Shinmeiryuu itself -- outside the nine techniques that it grants -- is just the starting point for Gods' Cry School. This technique itself is just the simple practicing kata of the entirety. There is little cultivation for this, but there is still so much more to something so simple.

[Author's Note: These techniques are written thematically and a character's overall stats and abilities factor into both the user and the target for the final outcome]

Rank 1 - Ryote (Art of Two Hands): Ryote is one of the three stances that the user achieves whenever they ascend in rank in Shinmeiryuu. The art of two hands is rather simple. Simply by grasping the sword with the two hands of the flesh, and taking the footwork and stance of a typical Kendo practitioner, one has entered Ryote. This opens the pathway to the two other ranks in this branch of Shinmeiryuu, granting two techniques that are focused on the aspects of the blade itself, Blade of Nought, and Blade of One’s Self. Therefore, this is only the starting point of Shinmeiryuu.

Rank 2 - Blade of Nought: One must always be able to have a sword with them. To a user of Shinmeiryuu, everything is a sword. By focusing the user’s Qi into their hands, and allowing that Qi to flow into an object that the user is holding, this weaponizes it, turning the object of the user’s focus into a sword. This allows for a large amount of versatility in the user’s arsenal, as well as allows them to have a weapon on them at all times. However, this would not be a sword style without an effect on blades themselves. By the user performing the same focusing of their Qi into their sword, they can enhance the durability and sharpness of their weapon for five to seven posts. However, some high-level Tai Chi users have shown to be able to extend this to nine to ten posts.

Rank 3 - Blade of One’s Self: Blade of One’s Self is a technique that, instead of enhancing the sword’s properties through Qi, the user empowers their sword with their Dantian. Whether it be through Five Flaming Pillars and coating the blade in a raging fire, through Twelve Lightning Bolts and coating the blade in crackling lightning, or through Great Ocean Beast and inspire the weapon to take on the aspects of the Dantian -- increased power. This doesn’t take much to use, but can only be used five times before initiating the single turn wait time that it needs to recharge. Furthermore, this is a unique technique in Shinmeiryuu, due to the fact that once it has been used for the first time, it is not restricted to a stance -- it is something that is merely activated by sheer force of will, allowing it to be used at any time once performed.

Rank 4 - Hakai (Art of Destruction): This is the second stance that is unlocked when a user progresses through Shinmeiryuu. As a continual progression of the first stance, Ryote -- the art of two hands -- this opens up more techniques when it this stance is held, similarly to Ryote. However, instead of gripping the sword with two hands and taking the form exactly like the aforementioned stance, this has the user hold the sword with three hands. While many would be left scratching their heads after the mention of three hands, this is not something that is entirely impossible. Those with tremendous willpower have been noted, and even Shinigami with high levels of control over their energy has been noted to be able to do this. However, with one’s Dantian and Qi, it can become rather tricky. Functioning in a way similar to the previously mentioned methods, this allows the user to grasp their weapon with both hands of the flesh, along with the hand of the spirit. As this stance is achieved, this allows for a gateway to two more techniques: Demon-Stopping Slash, and Stone-Rending Hew.

Rank 5 - Demon-Stopping Slash: Being a style that was meant to stop Hollows, the rank five technique “Demon-Stopping Slash” is something that does just that, and aims to prevent them from using what Hollows are known for -- their High-Speed Regeneration. While this has mostly been broadened to incorporate regeneration as a whole, the origins of the technique have not been altered. With the strike of the sword being empowered by the user’s Qi, they are able to use that inner energy to make a powerful slash, coated with the energy, which also is remaining in the wound that they make. While this highly depends on the Dantian rank of the user in question, as well as their overall stats, but even at the lowest levels, one can see a large slow in regeneration speed, making the act much harder than it usually would be. If one were to reach the final ranks of Gold, or higher, they would be able to leave such a powerful mark that they would negate Regeneration as a whole for two posts. This can only be applied to someone once per five posts.

Rank 6 - Stone-Rending Hew: As a side to the Demon-Stopping Slash, “Stone-Rending Hew” is another technique of the Rank 4 stance, Hakai, the Art of Destruction. In a way to parallel the Demon-Stopping Slash, this technique draws on the power of Qi to, instead of breaking through the fast healing of what this style was used to hunt, this is meant to break down the defense of those it cuts. Whenever a cut is made, the Qi from the blade will have an immediate effect on most types of defense, most commonly -- and its most well-known usage on -- Hierro, the typical defense of an Arrancar. The defense in question, upon being hit with this attack, will find that their armor/defense will not be able to block this attack very easily. The blade that attacks is one that is highly refined with Qi, able to align itself with the plating of said defense incredibly easy, granting it a bit more leeway when cutting through. Furthermore, this has also been something that causes the Shen within the strike to spread, causing the armor in question to become much more brittle and fragile, allowing for more damaging strikes. In the higher realms of Tai Chi, such as in Gold or Black-Gold, there have been cases where the user can extrude Qi/Shen through the sword after the hit to degrade any armour or armour-powers for a short term of three posts, but this causes the consumption of power to sky-rocket and become comparable to Rank 9 techniques.

Rank 7 - Keihatsu (Art of Enlightenment): This is another stance within Shinmeiryuu. However, this one is quite different from the other two, especially with how the stance is executed. Firstly, this stance, along with the two techniques of this stance requires the Perfected Energy of Tai Chi -- Shen. With this stance, one must let go of their weapon. Instead of holding it with their physical hands, they must hold it with the hand of spirit. Comprised of Shen to ensure a firm grip, the user is granted incredibly swinging speed, as the blade is able to move at the speed of thought, granting immense flexibility and fluidity with their movements, allowing for strikes that would normally be impossible from certain standpoints. However, this is something that requires a large amount of focus, and can sometimes leave a user open for attack if they are caught off with this stance.

Rank 8 - Silent Night Wind: This is one of the final basic techniques that a user of Shinmeiryuu can use. After unlocking the Art of Enlightenment, Keihatsu, one can use these two techniques. Firstly, Silent Night Wind is used to counteract energy-based attacks. By concentrating Shen into the blade of the sword, the user is able to quickly slice through energy itself, using the Shen on the blade to align itself with the attack that it meets. This has a limit of being used three times, before initiating a two post cooldown. Furthermore, this is something that also has been known to have an additional effect on it. Upon an attack on the physical body with this technique, one would be able to notice that their energy will be highly disturbed, causing immense instability within the opponent's energy attacks for two posts. Although, with multiple strikes, Silent Night Wind is also able to cause such an instability within the opponent that they can stop energy-based attacks from flowing and exiting the user properly for two posts. Things such as Ceros, or anything that leaves the user's weapon or body in the form of energy.

Rank 9 - Caress of a Thousand Hells: The most arrogant technique in all of Wulin, as well as one of the most powerful and potent abilities within the basic collection of Shinmeiryuu techniques. By emitting such a thick intent, this ability is purely offensive in nature, requiring a large amount of Shen in order to pull off. Through such thick intent, this causes an opponent to have a vision of what's to come -- not quite an illusion, more of an extremely brief glimpse into the future. Utilizing the stance of Keihatsu, the user is able to use the thought-swinging speed to simultaneously attack three places at once -- the neck, the chest, and the legs. This is a rather simple technique, solely because of its lack of an additional effect and immense striking range, allowing the user to have the potential to take an enemy off guard and inflict major damage at one of the regions that are targeted. However, this has an immense drain on the user's total capacity and is not able to be used freely -- restricted to being used once per post, and four times per thread.

» Why: Mirja taught him the basics of Tai Chi, as well as gave him a book on the stuff. This is what his cultivation will bring.

» Extra: https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18631-ancient-steel-private
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18615-an-apology-and-age-old-sword-style