Squad 6 Underground Ruins of Strength

Kamon pushed his sword off of Michael's in a downward direction. His hands hit the ground and Kamon kicked both of his feet toward his opponent's chin. Since he's using the ground to further intensify the kick, if it hits, it would knock his opponent into the air and leave a wide opening.

Michael got hit by the powerful kick, he was impressed by this Michael let go of his grip on his zanpaktou as they both droped to the ground and pierced the ground wit hthe hilt upward. Michael went flying through the air as he was now unarmed and had various openings. He began to laugh and said.

"This is brilliant! Come on what else have you got!"

As the captain unsheathed his sword to block his swing, Kaoru was overwhelmed by his arm strength. The clash between the swords generated a feeble aura between them, however, the difference between the strength behind their tools were like day and night. Thinking it'd be absolutely useless for him to go toe-to-toe with his captain in a contest of raw strength, Kaoru pulled back his sword away from the captain. Instead of making a plain old slash, Kaoru made a stab-like motion and dived in to the side, where the captain's stomach laid vulnerable to attacks. In an attempt to finish it with this blow, Kaoru concentrated and poured in more reiatsu than he'd ever channeled into the blade of his soul cutter. That's when Kamon took action to render the captain weaponless. The situation was more advantageous than ever before for the trio to attack their captain directly. Kaoru released himself of any sort of hesitation, as he decided to take that chance to succeed in hitting his captain. So, instead of going for the stomach, Kaoru jumped towards the Captain.

"This is it, captain. We've surpassed you!" Kaoru said, as he moved his arm to swing his blade in a desperate attempt to hit his captain.

Ashe landed kneeled behind the Captain before he was sent flying with a kick. Then seeing Kaoru move in for a strike she leapt for the chance to join in as well. She tried to concentrate her spiritual power and pressure into her blade as she let it swing down with as much force as she could onto Michael's legs.

"Hahaha okay... time to get serious, you wanna learn your bankai forms and shikai forms this is not the way to go!"

Just before Ashe could slice his leg Michael shunpoed to the ground wit ha smirk on his face he charged at karou and then shunpoed at the last minute and slashed his back and then sent a punch to Kamon's back and then shunpoed once again mid air, grabbed hold of Ashe's arm span her around and threw her at Karou and then finnaly jumping down.

"Okay. This exercise is good, you managed to slash me and cut me. Now where going to do something different and harder."

Michael shunpoes to the lava and then stands on a large floating rock.

"Okay then, this task will test you speed, you must run onto the lava and try not to fall in, I will tell you this is a dangerous task but you can do it. Try and fight me on the lava, your going to have to continusly shunpoe and charge at me from all angles, try not to stand in one place or the stones will sink."

Michael then begins to shunpoe rapidly around the place.

As Kaoru lunged his sword against his captain, he was a little worried. Though he did not hesitate in putting force behind his swing, he believed that his captain could possibly slice his soul cutter in half. Since the beginning, Kaoru realized that swinging his sword in an unfamiliar pattern will only get himself in a disadvantageous position. Despite that recognition, Kaoru decided to follow his instinct. The attempt failed, however, as his captain exceeded his own capabilities as a shinigami. He saw his captain having disappeared from his sight and appeared behind his back for a moment to cut him. Though it was a good opportunity for the captain to take Kaoru down, as this was only a training, the wound was shallow.

"Ugh....Guess it's not enough, huh?" Kaoru said, as he turned his head around to see his captain standing on a large rock, which was floating around the pool of lava. There, the captain was giving them instructions for the next step in their training.

Though this step took a lot more effort from the trio, Kaoru decided to follow the captain's words. He then quickly jumped over and used one of the rocks to support himself and then the next to catch up to his captain's movements.

Since Kamon did not know how to shunpo yet, he simply moved as fast as he could toward his captain. He knew he couldn't catch up at the speed that they were going but Kamon figured his captain would eventually have to stop to fight. Kamon kept his sword drawn and continued to step from rock to rock toward his opponent.

As Kaoru leaped from one rock to another, he saw the captain moving rapidly between each rocks. So, instead of trying to reach him, Kaoru decided it would be best for him to use his strength to throw a projectile towards the captain's direction. He then plunged his soul cutter in the middle of the rock's structure and let a small piece of it to be thrown towards captain's head. Kaoru then moved onto another rock and did the same thing.

Michael shunpoed out the way of the rock being flung, he re-appeared quickly and sent a kick to kaoru's head and then shunpoed once again he shouted out to kamon.

"To shunpoe think of yourself as a fast being, focus your riatsu and then lean and try sprinting eventualy take a deep breath focus and you'll shunpoe"

Michael jumped up high slamming his zanpaktou's into the lava, he had to move rapidly as the lava would splash about and burn part of his robes. Michael shunpoed to another rock wall and kicked off it and was diving towards kaoru, if he missed it would seem that he would fall to the lava... or would he?

As Kaoru took his sweet time in throwing rocks at the captain, Michael appeared before him again and kicked him in the head. For a moment, Kaoru went blank, due to the shock the kick gave him. He then saw a rock, which had been kicked towards him by the captain, diving towards his direction. Since the rock would obviously be high in temperature, Kaoru sticked down his sword onto the flying rock and used it as a support for jumping. As the strength and speed behind Kaoru's arm strength and balance between it and the durance his sword gave, he directly flew in the direction of the captain. As Kaoru unintentionally traveled through the air, Kaoru pointed his sword in the direction, where his captain was.

"How's this for a change?" Kaoru said, as he held his soul cutter.

"Close but not good enough!"

Michael continued to dive towards his third seat, he extended his arms and then grabbed hold of the stone, he managed to pull it off and kaoru stabbed his left shoulder bade, Michael allowed the blade to sink into his shoulder and then managed to grab Kaoru he span him in mid air and launched him towards the molten hot lava.

Just as when Kaoru believed that he had gotten close to hitting his captain, he was instead, thrown to the side, where the molten hot lava would be. With his body having been thrown, Kaoru could not manage to balance himself to be able to land on a safe spot. In that very second, Kaoru found a rock floating by, where he could safely land himself. Since he needed more than his physical capabilities, he sheathed his sword back to its scabbard.

"Hado number 1, Sho!" Kaoru casted a kido spell, as an invisible, orb like pressure come sprang out of his right index finger.

The spell pushed the floating boulder to a spot and allowed Kaoru to land safely over that rock. Because the rock still was sinking, Kaoru moved the weight of his scabbard to his right side and jumped over to the next rock, in an attempt to catch up to his captain once more.

Kamon heard what his captain told him and he couldn't help but smile at how ridiculous it sounded. He stood on a fairly large rock so that it wouldn't sink as fast. Kamon closed his eyes and focused his reiatsu into his feet and legs. He looked up, bent down, and moved faster than he had before toward Michael. Kamon stepped on rocks until he came from behind him; he then slashed at his back.

As Kaoru saw his fellow squad mate attempting to attack his captain from the back, he took this opportunity to catch up to his captain again. He then quickly pushed away the boulder behind him to rapidly move the rock, which he was standing on as a support. He then jumped up and tried to hit captain's right arm with a regular swing of his blade.

Michael's back was slashed and a lite red line was left. Michael was still falling, while falling Michael turned his body and dived towards the lava, inches away from the lava Michael threw Kamon to Kaoru so that he doesent fall in and both are hit. Michael then at the last minute shunpoed but it still seemed as if he actually fell in. Michael was gone from site and it was as if he fell into the deep molten hot lava.

Everywhere you would look Michael was gone from site, his spiritual pressure was nowhere to be felt, all that could be seen of his was his blades which were pierced heavily into the ground which would usualy take a minimum of three people to lift up and take out. Even if you looked about you couldent see anything of Michael. All you could feel was abit of a light breeze but nothing much. Hmmm could it be that Michael actually fell into the Molten Lava?

Just as Kaoru was about to take his golden opportunity of his, he was flung backwards with his squad mate, who was thrown towards his direction. With Kamon thrown at him, Kaoru lost a bit of his balance. Given no option, Kaoru landed over one of the boulders near by and threw Kamon towards the main body of the arena. When the boulder, which he was using to support himself, was about to sink into the steaming lava, he jumped to the main body of the arena as well. When he did, he lost the sight of his captain. All that was left of his captain was his pair of soul cutter, which were stuck on the ground.

"Do you see our captain anywhere, Kamon?" Kaoru asked, as he turned his head towards the molten lava.

Kamon landed and stumbled onto the main body of the arena. He turned around toward where the captain was but he was nowhere in sight. "No," Kamon said in response to Kaoru's question. He readied his zanpakutou because Michael could be anywhere.

All of a sudden laughter could be heard in the air as Michael reppeared infront of the two from just a gust of wind and sent a double punch to both of the 3rd seats in to there guts and then shunpoeing once again to be infront of them by just a few seats, he turned to the two and then said to them.

"Try and deflect my kido attacks with your own kido attacks... Okay... Go!"

Michael aims his hand towards the two and then says. "Hado 31. Shakkahō"

A red orb the size of a bowling ball charges up and then begins to fire rapidly and repeatedly at the two while his recruit was resting.

Ashe landed roughly on the ground {OOC: since Kaoru didn't post about catching her or nothin >.> *cough*no luv for the recruit*cough*} and scraped her head on the rough floor after being thrown by the Captain. She blacked out for a minute or so but then sat up holding the side of her head which had a bit of blood running down it. Wincing she wiped some of the blood away, feeling exhausted from the training and her reiatsu being pushed upon by her Captain's. Speaking of her Taichou...

The blond stood and gathered her zanpakuto before looking around. She felt her Squad's spiritual pressure and heard their voice over in a certain area and went over there. It seemed they were leaping about on stones floating on the lava and still attacking the Captain. She guessed they still had more to do. Watching them leap about carefully she smiled. This reminded her a great deal of a game that she and her friends used to play in her early days of the Academy. In the river there were many stones that they would use to step on and they would have to make the person who was 'it' fall into the water. Whoever got wet lost. It was the same principle really. And she was very good at getting 'it'.

Grinning she masked her spiritual pressure and gathered light around her to deflect and make herself invisible before shunpo-ing around on the rocks agilely and into the air behind the Captain as fast as she could manage, wanting to get that surprise attack. "Bakudo number 9 Geki!" And if successful, a red light would engulf the Captain and paralyze him.

(((OOC: Sowee. T.T Berry shall repent.)))

Kaoru was caught off by his captain's unexpected reappearance. He was almost certain his captain should have been swimming in the pool of molten lava. Instead, what actually happened was that his captain manipulated and used a gust of wind as a support to float in the air. That was when he was punched in the guts and was pushed aback. He then saw a bunch of red energy orbs flying over to his side.

It was certain that that captain of his going out of his ways to shoot a barrage of kido spells toward the direction where he and Kamon was. Just as he was wondering how'd he stop captain for a short moment, he saw Ashe sneaking behind their superior to bind him with her kido.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hado number 63 Raikoho!" Kaoru casted a kido spell, as a sparking, yellow stream of energy was sent to counter a handful of hado spells that his captain shot to test both his and Kamon's skills in casting kido.

Michael couldent predict the attack that came fourth to him, he was binded by his recruit and then blasted by his two third seats. The blast pushes him back a few meters making him stumble slightly and fall to his knees and then tences his muscles and breaks out of the bind, he gets up from the ground and clicks his muscles and bones.

"Argh... good hit kids... alright then."

Michael shunpoes behind ashe where his blades where and then takes them out of the ground and sheaths them again. Michael shunpoes back to his spot and says.

"Now then.. You are all going to learn your Bankai, apart from you ashe your still too young and need more training. Kaoru and Kamon will learn bankai so you two sit down and enter your spirit world, your spirit will test you so you will have to follow its orders in the test."

Michael turns around to Ashe. "You do the same but ask to learn your 2nd and third shikai forms. You sink into your spirit world and then you shall be tested aswell, I will view it all from a monitor from here."

As his captain instructed, Kaoru put down his soul cutter over his lap and began to go through the process of Jinzen. This was probably the hardest thing for Kaoru to ever accomplish, as the process required a full concentration and cooperation from the shinigami. When he focused his mind with a resolve to get stronger, his inner world opened up before his eyes. He then noticed he had been sent to the core of his soul. His inner world was full of greek-style pillars and a large body of water was surrounding the place. The moon shone brightly to drive away the endless darkness of his mind. Then she came.

"Ah, there you are. You must be my-" Kaoru said, as he turned his head to face the woman in royal kimono. It was none other than his own soul cutter. She, however, cut him off from saying anything further.

???: "I see that you are still holding that weak form of resolve of yours. Now that you've come to face me.....Is that what you wish to acquire?"

"Hm? I don't-" Kaoru could not finish what he was trying to tell his own soul cutter, as she swung her weapon against him. His soul cutter then threw the weapon towards the direction where he was standing at. The weapon got stuck over the structure of the pillar, which he was standing on, as the blade of the weapon was sharper than usual.

???: "Since you've proven yourself to be worthy...I shall let you know my name.....Tsukihime....That is my name, the name of your soul cutter."

"Alright...." Kaoru said, as he picked up the weapon.

Tsukihime: "Do not halt from going astray from your own problems. Take it head on. For it is what you would need for acquiring greater strength. I shall help you in getting what you seek to achieve. However, be warned that I am a double-edged sword."

After a short introductory explanation, which made Kaoru confused, Tsukihime lunged an invisible attack, which was seemingly formed from her own reiatsu towards his direction.

Tsukihime: "You must now defeat me in a battle....This is where the light and darkness meets, the twilight....Now, hold your sword and face me. If you manage to beat me, then I shall acknowledge you as my true master..."

Kaoru then swung the weapon, which he acquired from his soul cutter, to deflect the blow. The technique, which his soul cutter shot towards him was indeed a form of reiatsu slash, as it slightly cut him in his neck and left arm, as the dissipating pressure was still condensed enough to damage him.

When Kaoru got up to see where Tsukihime was, she was already preparing for the next attack. She shot a pair of reiatsu blasts, which were already condensed. When they contacted the tip of his sword, they formed a quasi-big bang which sucked pretty much everything around him. Kaoru managed to get away in time, as his sword repelled the gravitational force with its own reiatsu.

Just as Kaoru was about to sigh in relief, Tsukihime shot another pair of her gravity-based reiatsu blasts towards his direction. This time, Kaoru managed to dodge her attacks by casting kido and made use of its repelling force to get himself out of that situation. Unfortunately for him, those two blasts landed in the same spot and caused a quasi big bang to form and destroyed a large section of his own inner world. Kaoru managed to survive, but his left arm had been severely burnt.

As the time went by, Kaoru eventually recognized that it was Tsukihime's way of teaching him how to make use of his soul cutter abilities. When he did, Kaoru himself became able to perform techniques, which Tsukihime had previously shown to him. That was when Tsukihime stopped her attacks.

Tsukihime: "Very well. Now that you've progressed to a point where you are able to make use of your own soul cutter abilities, I shall teach you something that's beyond your current level!"

After having claimed that she could grant him with powers, which will exceed his current level, Tsukihime's body began to glow in the moonlight. Soon, mirage began to exert out of her body and she was soon engulfed in tremendous aura of light. Her hair then changed in color from black to white. She then proceeded into creating mirages of herself, consecutive blasts of her shikai techniques, concentration of heat from gravitational lense, and finally a blast that's been directed from the opposite direction. Once she performed all of her techniques in an admirable way, she changed in her appearance once more.

This time, Tsukihime's shape changed entirely from that of earthly body to that of heaven's. Her body now was full of light and had no actual shape, but only energy. A torrent of pressure followed her path, as she crashed her body towards Kaoru. It was unbelievable as to how much power she had now. Kaoru's own sword began to crack, as it had been battered and worn out from taking Tsukihime's previous attacks.

Once Kaoru managed to survive all those hardships of having to attain those techniques, Tsukihime revealed her third and final form. This time, she had turned into a ball of pure spirit energy. Apparently, she did not attack at all. This time, Kaoru lunged at her with his own attacks. The attacks were distorted by the gravity, which surrounded her body and were completely nullified. As the time went on, Kaoru's stamina was almost hitting the bottom. That's when Tsukihime bursted herself, which caused a massive explosion to occur in his inner world. When Kaoru opened his eyes, he knew he managed to survive the blast somehow.

Tsukihime: "Congratulations....Now, set forth on your journey again...Master."

Kaoru then was automatically exited out from his own inner world and found himself in the training ground with his own sealed sword on his lap.

Ashe smiled tightly as her kido worked on the Captain and allowed her comrades to strike at him. But he easily broke out of her bonds after that. Noticing a difference in his stature she relaxed a little and listened as he issued new orders. She blinked in surprise and intense nervousness and worry when he said that they were going to learn their Bankai…until he said everyone but her. That kind of made her sad and relieved at the same time knowing that she was so far behind everyone else but also that he didn’t expect great feats from her as she was still fairly inexperienced.

Nodding at her Taichou’s orders she then shunpoed to solid ground away from the lava and took off her black kosode to just reveal her inner white shitagi, allowing for more breathing room as she knew she would get even sweatier. Taking her meditation stance she lay her zanpakuto across her legs. She had practiced this before at the Academy but hadn’t really felt like she made much progress personally. It felt rather like her zanpakuto’s spirit simply took pity on her and gave her power… She was determined to make more headway this time. Closing her eyes she tried to calm down…but was still too worked up from their training from before. She sneaked a peek at the others only to see that they were in meditation already and grunted as she controlled her breathing more. Slowly her senses of what was around her began to fade as new senses were brought to life.

Ashe felt a warmth around her and light through her closed eyelids and opened her eyes not to see the glow of lava but the warmth of sunlight and that she was sitting in a field of medium height grass, yellow green in color. Her head still poked out while sitting down and she saw mountains in front of her, grasslands to her left and right as far as she could see, with a few odd scattered trees, and as she turned her head she saw that behind her in the far distance were buildings of some sort. She was surprised with the clarity of it all. Before she could only see bits and pieces as if she was wearing blinders. But this…she was really here. Then she noticed something in the shade of a nearby tree. It was a huge winged lion lying down pensively with it’s expansive wings folded on its back. He had kind golden eyes and turned his ears and head towards Ashe as he seemed to smile as she stared.

”So you’ve finally really come. I was starting to wonder when you would.”

Standing cautiously with hand on her katana, Ashe made her way over to the creature that was her zanpakuto’s spirit and eyed him with interest. This was her power, her sword. She felt a kind of…warmth emanating from him but was still wary. She had heard tales of other’s experiences in their spiritual worlds and how their zanpakuto’s attacked them. Reading her mind, the golden man smiled crookedly and stated, ”You do not have to be afraid of me attacking you my dear. At least not yet.”

Staring at this information Ashe tentatively dropped her hand from her katana before sitting adjacent to the lion and simply staring at him. He raised an eyebrow at the intense gaze as if questioning what she was looking at or for rather. Then the girl stated out of the blue, ”You don’t seem like a zanpakuto’s spirit.” Then blushing at the hidden insult she spluttered and was about to apologize when the creature let out deep rumbling chuckle and smiled with old kind eyes that spoke of experience not just of the wrinkles around them but in the eyes themselves it seemed. Then speaking he replied, ”Oh? How so, explain.”

Taking a breath Ashe then said, ”Well I just mean…You seem very calm…and old. Not that you’re old! It’s just..um.. More experienced! There we go. You…remind me of a retired Soul Reaper I once saw. In the Rukongai. He wasn’t like other old people in the city. But not just because he was a former Soul Reaper either. He seemed…more calm. And understanding. Like he knew things that nobody else did but was at peace with it… And didn’t want to do anything. Just…exist. But still strong and wise. …I’m not sure if that explains it…” She finished tentatively.

Smiling kindly though the man nodded. ”Yes that does a little. You see, just as not all people or Soul Reapers are not fighters or warriors, neither are Zanpakuto. They can be if needed just as anyone can. But at the heart…” He then pressed his nose to Ashe’s own heart for emphasis. Blinking she then made a leap. ”So… Zanpakuto spirits are like that just as people… But you are a reflection of me…right? So… If I am not a warrior at heart…neither are you. But.. Does that mean I’ll never be a proper Soul Reaper?” She then asked worriedly at her conclusion.

The lion shook his head, his mane flowing. “Like I said, there are many different people. Different Soul Reapers. Not all are warriors. But they can be. If they choose to, if even only for a small period of time. To protect, defend. There are different kinds of strengths. “

”I want to be strong!” The girl stated firmly with a determined expression. The creature simply tilted his head and looked at her sympathetically and slightly patronizingly as he stated, ”But you see my dear, you already are in your own way.”

Ashe pursed her lips and shook her head. ”I’m not strong in the way that I need to be. To defend who I need to… To fight back. To do that I need to get stronger…” She looked up into the spirit’s eyes with shoulder’s squared and a solid gaze, no hesitation in her eyes. Simply clear honest green. Staring blankly back at her with his own golden eyes the lion then smiled softly and placed a paw on her head as he stood. ”Then I shall help you do both.” Then he whispered his name into her ear and her eyes widened. The name of her Zanpakuto, she finally knew it.

[color:4535= #2E8B57]”Raito Raion.” She repeated back with reverence.

Raito Raion stepped back and smiled, giving her a nod in affirmation of his name. ”But you have to earn them. You know one Shikai form already. You must prove to me you deserve to know another.” He then spread his wings which were as expansive as his own body was long and shining gold in the color of their feathers. Ashe’s mouth opened slightly in wonder as stared in rapture before collecting herself and standing up.

”I will show you the power you so seek and see if you still want to go on so badly.” His previously warm gentle voice seemed to get an edge to it and grow colder which made Ashe shiver and place her hand back on her hilt. As soon as she did Raito Raion let out a fierce and ear numbing roar that made the blond twitch slightly but her hand did not move away from her sword or have a firmer grasp on it, simply waiting for movement. The lion narrowed its golden eyes but seemed slightly pleased. Then circling around it suddenly lunged at her and she did not even have time to draw her blade from its sheath before she received a scratch on her left forearm. As soon as the claws pierced her skin though she gasped with burning pain. It suddenly felt as if her entire body became hotter but she did not sweat, instead her mouth felt dry. Drawing her blade as she backed off she simply circled with Raito Raion as he followed her before he gave a mighty flap of his wings to throw a wave of hot air at her that made her flinch which he took advantage of by lunging again, this time getting her thigh. Hissing in pain she gasped as she felt as if she had a fever. What was this? What was wrong with her? She felt as if she was walking in a desert and hadn’t had a drink for a whole day.

”You can feel it now can’t you?” The spirit asked blankly, eyes regarding her coldly.

Gritting her teeth Ashe simply gripped her katana and sprinted towards her opponent, making to stab his side but then he knocked it away with her claws and she dropped her sword. Not because of surprise of him stopping her attack, but because it suddenly became unbearably hot and she couldn’t keep hold of it. Staring with horror at her weapon before looking to the spirit she backed away, not knowing what to do. Seeing him begin to pounce she turned and began to run but that did no good either as he slashed her back and she fell. The winged lion stood over her, baring his fangs as she panted, her body feverish and so hot she could swear she was giving off steam. Her mouth was parched and her vision blurred as she felt like her very blood was boiling.

”You understand now. The true power of this Shikai. Are you sure you want it?” He asked with a disdaining voice.

Ashe tried to collect her thoughts but couldn’t. She shook her head violently and shouted her answer, ”No! I don’t want to… Even enemies… It’s too horrible… I’m sorry…I can’t do that…” She panted and was losing all coherent thought as she felt blackness come closer. …Before all of her symptoms and feelings vanished. She didn’t feel unbearably hot anymore nor thirsting for drink. Blinking in confusion she looked up at the lion standing over her as he looked down on her kindly before backing away and sitting in front of her.

”I am sorry that I had to do that to you my dear. But I had to test you. It is a terrible power to have and to choose to inflict upon others. And I would not relinquish it to anyone lightly. But you even have compassion for your enemies. I know I can trust you with it now. Ashe Ventus.” He bowed his head in submission.

Ashe stood and stared in amazement at the creature before her and what he said before smiling softly in understanding and placing a hand on his mane before she disappeared back to her body, opening her eyes as she placed a hand on the sheath of her Zanpakuto lovingly.

Michaels face went serious he said to ashe "good work now shield yiyrself with kido me and karou are gonna figyt... karou go straight into bankai now its time to test your jew abilities we go from first hankai form all the way to thurd bankai form this is to test iut yiyr new strebgth see if you can face me as an equal now"

Ashe looked at her Captain as he spoke to her as soon as she returned and felt nervous now. A spar between equals? That couldn't be good... "Bakudo number 39! Enkosen Arc Shield!" She spoke the incantation and did the hand movements to envelope herself in a shield. She watched Kaoru and her taichou carefully.