So we have... Zanjutsu Untrained (30/100), Hakuda Untrained (20/100), and Hoho Untrained (20/100). Then there's Shikai at 1/100, and we only have 200 EXP to throw around.
200 EXP is enough to get Student Rank in two skills, or get Reiryoku Control to Competent. Iaijutsu only requires 75 points, though we need to boost Zanjutsu to make it useful.
@stairmaster: Would getting Student Rank in Shikai do anything at the moment? That's definitely something we should invest in regardless, but I'm just curious. Still...
[X] Plan Speeding to Shikai
-[X] 80 XP in Hoho
-[X] 99 XP in Shikai
@Kkutlord Putting shikai to student would mean part of the next arc(which will take place over a longer time period) is about inner world antics and getting a name from your sword. Maybe I should have locked the shikai skill behind plot progression for a bit but I'm not gonna penalize the readers for that.
I'll close the vote tomorrow. Incidentally I'm just gonna count speed for shikai and shikai +extra as the same plan re: the extra 21 xp. Use the remaining time if you have some objection.
Also how does everyone feel about the pace/schedule of this quest? Would you prefer longer updates every 3-4 days instead?
Surplus 21xp was put into zanjustu as only one person specified what was to be done with it. Zanjustu is now halfway to Student!
"Well done, Aizen-san! You've managed to increase your max distance to one and a half times your body span!" Yamada Seinosuke pats you on the back.
You pant and limp back to the start of the course. For the past hour you've been practicing the delicate art of the flash step at the long jump runway. Your goal is to launch yourself forward, as track and field athletes would, only with minimal use of your actual muscles. Instead you draw from your reserves of spiritual energy and vent it out from your body in as tight a beam as possible to propel yourself forward. Releasing your energy is fairly easy and directing it into a shape is managable, in fact you once knocked Yamada on his ass while he was unaware, but once you get into the issue of maximizing pressure & flow the process quickly becomes exhausting. Timing it with the flow of your leg movements is another challenge. You don't quite feel ready to use the technique in combat outside of as an opening move.
"A senior seated officer can do at least ten times that," You answer as you wipe your brow. Your limbs burn from the deprivation of spirit energy and you feel a great wariness in the core of your being.
It's simultaneously the worst and best you've ever felt. You feel like you're tearing a brick wall to pieces as you gradually improve.
"You know, most students don't even start learning shunpo until their last year. Most can graduate without having learned it if their conditioning is good enough." Seinosuke says. You had expected a rougher treatment from the upper classmen, especially after the first day when he asked you to demonstrate your ability to generate spiritual pressure and toppled him, but the black haired youth seemed curious to see what progress you could make.
The fact that no one else in this class could perform this technique excited you too, as much as you didn't want to admit it.
As you leap forward at the speed of sound you ponder how Isshin is handling his punishment.
---
"So he electrocuted himself?" You ask befuddled.
"Yes," Sei responds cheerfully as she awkwardly sweeps the main hall. The poor highborn girl has never held a broom in her life and it shows. It doesn't help that nobody wants to embarrass her by correcting her form. "He attempted the fourth Hado without an incantation."
Hmm Isshin must be feeling ambitious too. Honestly, you're jealous he got the mandatory kido practice. "What brought this on?" You ask.
"He was trying to impress the upperclassman he got paired with, apparently she's quite the beauty." Oh, well that's a valid reason to strive for greatness. "Aizen-san, do you think you'd ever pull a stunt like that to impress a girl?"
You pause and think of all the women in your life. "I think there is one."
Sei jumps a little. "Ah- can you tell me who that would be?"
"My zanpakuto spirit."
"Gah- That doesn't count! I meant among our class!" She pouts.
"I think it's a bit early for that," You answer matter of factly. Sei facepalms. "What?"
"There's no such thing as early! Especially when you're probably going to graduate before all of us!"
"I doubt that. I have yet to make any progress in Kido and I'm not very stellar at Hakuda either."
"Only because you're burning ridiculous amounts of energy in the morning on something we don't even have to learn! What happens when you're done with that?"
"So you think I should ask someone out?"
"Yes!"
"I'll think about it, I suppose." You don't really know who would accept though. Maybe Yadomaru-san?
---
It's the first day in months where you haven't had shunpo practice in the morning. Yamada-senpai had family matters he had to attend to apparently. The wooden practice blade has never felt so light in your hands before. Today your spar with Tosen Kaname is a far more even contest. He goes for a thrust towards your chest which you parry slapping his blade to the left. You push forward and bring your bokken down and to the right slashing across Tosen's thigh. Tosen pivots to the left to avoid being tackled by you and you slide a several feet forward.
"Stop" Fencing Instructor Nagakiso commands. You feel ecstatic. You've never managed to strike a blow on Tosen before, outside of what would be considered a mutal kill in a real battle. "Aizen, Tosen, you've really improved these past few weeks but I think you've been sparring too much together. Tosen-san please take a break and Tsunyashiro-San come up."
The white haired noble steps up and faces you. You both take your stances. You hope he doesn't try to wail on you without restraint like he does when he spars with his "retainers". It doesn't help that he has not spoken to you since the first day.
"Begin!"
Tsunyashiro Kimiya does not respect your wishes. He darts forward and you only barely step to the side in time as his blade stabs past your face. Your glasses brush up against the blade and are knocked off. Time slows for you as you see them twirl and tumble through the air.
What do you do:
[]Strikes against the head are a violation of the sparring rules. Break a rule of your own by flash stepping behind him and striking him down
[]You've had plenty of practice with Hakuda this past month. Swipe his blade to the side and step in to slam your elbow into his gut.
[]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
[]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
[]Write in.
Can we do both? []You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
They aren't mutually exclusive as you open the distance then paralyse then attack.
Plus style points
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
Dude just went after our glasses, has he no shame!? If he's gonna be like that, then time to disrespect him- plus, going for our glasses seems odd, so there's the deception angle.
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
@stairmaster: Oh, is getting Competent & Adept Ranks in Shikai currently locked? Given how we need Shikai Adept to reach Elite Status with our skills, that's pretty important.
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
OUR GLASSES!😱
Also, is there a way to regain 20/20 vision?
Canon Aizen did.
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
[X]You cannot be seen without your glasses. Flash step away to catch them before they hit the ground and shatter.
-[X]Perhaps you can repeat what you did with Yamada-senpai. Focus your reiatsu on him and strike him while he's temporarily paralyzed.
