Title: Lessons, Part 1
Italicized red comments: Zatoichi's thoughts
bold comments: Letters and messages
Sanshibo is a npc of mine (a 20th seat officer of squad seven)
Asanki (NPC) a former x captain turned Instructor from generations before whom returns to teach Zatoichi from time to time.
(the hado spells were merely used as a way of showcasing a learning faze for this particular lesson as they will not be used outside of anything really)
Inside the office of the Captain, seventh Division, a man could be seen bent over a wooden desk… Martinez was working late into the night reading reports that the members of seventh had been accumulating. He had been away on a mission when he received word that he was now Captain of the seventh—finally the title to go with the position… there would be no time to relax though, as he pieced together the injuries dealt Soul Society by the former Vice captain officer Raven before he escaped to Hueco Mundo…
“The sword of honor is swinging towards you,” Martinez mused to himself, unaware of the time.“When I find out where you are and your new rank—assure that the sword of honor will sever your head from your body.”
As he continued filing over reports, his sketches were taking on a profound shape—that of the desert landscape, Hueco Mundo… and in its heart the palace Las Noches. Three had gone over, Asanki had returned… while the other two were traitors in the eyes of the law of Soul Society.
At quarter past three, a hell butterfly appeared in front of him.
Captain Zatoichi Martinez, I request your immediate appearance at the Soukyouku as soon as possible… Asanki.
“Of course,” Martinez answered. “I’ll be right there.” He stood and made his way to the roof top of the seventh’s Headquarters and then flash-stepped to the execution grounds.
As Martinez arrived, he saw Asanki standing before the pillars. The two bowed their head in silent greeting, while the night hung still and quiet.
“I commend you on the job you performed in Egypt,” Asanki said quietly. “And as well as in obtaining the orb of rupture… we are going to finish your training as there are three remaining Hadou to be learned… we go from here to the forbidden forest.”
With that, the seventh captain Zatoichi Martinez and former x captain now highly personal instructor to various high spirited shinigami officers; Asanki Rai were off in a flash—insects all the noise that was left in their wake.
Deep in the heart of the forest, they came to a stop. Taking two items from his kimono, Asanki handed the band to Martinez…
“Tie this on, close your eyes and listen… Let your reiatsu control go,” Asanki said. “I made sure that the Shadow Demons won’t show up for this exercise…”
Martinez let a smile pass over his lips as he tied the blindfold on. He was silently moving through the nine-fingers weaving, listening to the tone of Asanki’s voice as much as the actual words…
“Begin by concentrating your reiatsu in the palm of your right hand,” Asanki said. “And visualize a light growing there—a single color…” he broke off as what appeared to be a red flame was shimmering in Zatoichi’s palm. Snapping the other piece—a specially measured piece of hollow bait—Asanki said… “Now there are no incantations or kotodamas for this… when you feel the presence of a hollow within range, say the words ‘Hadou #75: Sanjigen Reikon Haretsu: Teishoku—this is the 3 Dimension Soul Rupture: one color’, and then hit the hollow with it…”
Zatoichi nodded quietly as he waited, the words cycling around in his head… the red flame started growing in intensity as the two waited in silence…
“Awoooooo,” came the blood-curdling howl of a medium level hollow. The two waited silently as the hollow came towards them, unsuspecting of the trap that lay in wait for it… Zatoichi felt its reiatsu stop about twenty meters away, its hunger quelled by the light of the red flame dancing in the night. It advanced another three meters curiosity raging with fear as it felt the enormous reiatsu in the air.
“Strike,” Asanki said simply…
“Hadou number Seventy-five,” Zatoichi said, his palm facing the hollow. “Sanjigen Reikon Haretsu: Teishoku.” The flame danced up and then encircled the hollow in a blaze of light… and then it vanished… the hollow vanished without a trace… as screams rent the air around them as though every soul that hollow had ever eaten was being tortured alive…
And then the hollow reappeared, bleeding from the attacks of the fireballs in the other dimension… it screamed, maddened and frightened with pain… Zatoichi flash-stepped; drawing, cutting, cleaning, and sheathing his zanpakuto in the same movement as the hollow began to disappear from view—having been cleansed.
“Not bad for a first time effort,” Asanki said quietly. “When you have learned it fully, you won’t ever hear them screaming…” The two continued moving on as Zatoichi thought over the spell he just learned.
“So what does it do,” he asked.
“It takes them to another dimension,” Asanki said grimly. “One void of light where they are assaulted by fireballs. Afterwards, the opponent will be returned to this world—severely weakened and on the verge of death… remember though that you cannot cast any more Kidou for the remainder of the battle.”
Zatoichi chuckled at that, as the two continued on their journey into the woods. As they moved further, Zatoichi continued with his nine-fingers weaving meditation; and then a snap…
“This time,” Asanki said quietly. “It will be the second spell… Hadou #76: Sanjigen Reikon Haretsu : Nishoku—this is Dimension Soul Rupture: 2 colors. It follows the same principle as the first—save that there are two colors instead of one…” He watched as Zatoichi fell deeper into the meditative state—the red flame from earlier growing from the palm, but now being joined by a green flame…
As the two waited, another mid-level hollow approached; but being more wary than the first—stopped further away, Zatoichi shunpo’d in its direction as he said, “Hadou #76… Sanjigen Reikon Haretsu Nishoku!” As he went past, the red and green flames rose around the hollow in a spherical cube, before disappearing…
The hollow surrounded by this field, found itself inside a dimension without sight or sound… screaming as it tried to escape, it felt icicles piercing its flesh and spirit… the screams got louder—as it felt as though it were being torn apart…
And then the hollow reappeared in this world—only to meet its end by Martinez’s Shikomizue.
“Weaker yet,” Asanki said again, as he measured Zatoichi’s reiatsu. “But for a first effort, not bad… that you’re still standing despite the low level of reiatsu I find to be impressive… but let us call it a night for now, we shall resume on the morrow…”
The two took their leave, and made their way back to the seventh Division. As Zatoichi entered the headquarters through the roof, he saw the dawn beginning to light the sky of Seireitei… Moving forward, he stopped at his room and then climbed into bed—rerunning the sequences of what he had learned through his dreams…
Zatoichi was standing in the forest as a Old man with purple hair with a white streak going through the center, and his right eye is covered by a skeletal patch laughed at him… “What are you waiting for Shinigami? A Captain should have their haori! Or maybe you want Asanki to teach you how to get your own haori?”
“I need no man to teach me how to get a haori,” Zatoichi said quietly. “What I learn was part of the deal struck—I obtain the orb of rupture, and I learn these three Hadou from Asanki. I haven’t forgotten the Haori… I will come and get it…”
The old man laughed as it faded away…
“Zatoichi-kun,” a familiar voice greeted Zatoichi as he opened his eyes to see his friend Sanshibo looking at him worriedly. “No one’s seen you all day—where were you? “Training,” Zatoichi said quietly.”
“For two seventy level Hadou spells back to back, I did pretty well… they take a lot out of you…”
“You look hung over,” Sanshibo laughed as she sat on the corner of Zatoichi’s bed. “What were you training with?”
“Asanki and a couple of new seventies level Hadou,” he replied, stretching… “I have one more night of training I think… but then I’m going to be requesting leave…”
“Where are you going now,” Sanshibo asked, trying to keep her voice calm and worry free.
“Siberia,” Zatoichi answered in return.
Part 1 ends
» Return of the Fallen -WIP-
» Hello Friends
» Fumetsu no kōfuku, 12th Division Captain
» Asgier Blackbane (WIP) (continued)