Hizoruki Metsuki vs. Ethan Douglas

Ethan walked into the grassy arena, nodding to the Eighth Division Bakudo specialists assigned to the perimeter. Preparations for this tournament had left the Tenth hopping, coordinating experts from the Fifth, Eighth, and Thirteenth divisions to construct arenas where even the Captain Commander could safely unleash his Bankai. Offers of help from the Twelfth were politely refused without explanation. No matter how interesting that might have made it.

Now at a point near the center, he unstrapped Nasshingu from his back, placing the large falcata point-first on the ground near his feet. Her voice filled his head as they waited. It's been too long. Yes, he'd heard of Metsuki before. The raw strength of the Twelfth's diminutive Captain was quite well-known. It made him quite different from many of the researchers Ethan had spoken with previously. Well, it takes all kinds. Idly, the significantly more frail Captain of the Eighth wondered if his opponent would bring any recently developed tools into the battle. You might get a taste of the Twelfth's contributions after all.

The entire tournament was a most interesting event. Some of the names posted for the initial brackets were completely unfamiliar-- and he'd thought he knew, or at least knew about, every high-level shinigami in Seireitei (and many of the others). Perhaps he'd get to see a mystery fighter in a later round. You're confident. It would be better to concentrate on the fight at hand. Thoughts about the future shouldn't sabotage the present.

As his opponent arrived, "Be, Nasshingu." It felt like a long stretch, as if he were a bear coming out of hibernation. Nasshingu was all around him. The falcata exploded, fragments flying into an arc behind him and leaving the rapier-thin 'true form' in his hands. One of his twins stepped forward to stand beside him as a voice chanted a children's rhyme in his ear. I hide myself, behind myself, and then I try to find myself. Ethan sincerely hoped the upward twitch his mouth gave wouldn't be taken as an insult. "Alright, glad to see you! Let's have some fun." Yes, let's.

Hizoruki walked with a slow and steady pace towards the grassy arena. The sky above was a baby blue, the clouds floating motionless in the airspace of it. Though, everything stood still to the eye of a being, Hizoruki could feel the energy and power moving that flowed with nature. He knew how much more powerful nature, the Earth was then any being in existence. As he approached the arena, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He felt the energy in him flow and then sort of connect with that of the power that he felt being exerted around him. He then opened his eyes and looked towards the arena. He saw all of the divisions gathered around and saw their captains and each divisions squads. He nodded to them with a small smile and then continued to focus on his opponent.

As Hizoruki walked into the arena he pulled Toshimaru from his case and then held the blade pointing down on his side. "Captain Ethan eh......lets see what he has against my new technique......the technique I have created that...should equal the power of cero." he mumbled to himself. No shinigami knew about the new kidou technique that he would finally release to the public in this tournament, which would possibly cause some excitement when he demonstrates it. Hizoruki then stopped in place and there he stood, facing Ethan Douglas, Captain of Division 8. "Why hello Captain....I am glad that you are to be my test subject for this evening." he said with a devilish smile.

The Captain of the Twelfth Division entered the arena with a drawn sword and fairly confident expression. Can I make any Elementary-school jokes? Please? It’s rare to see an Elder Captain who doesn’t need to shave. Ethan wondered if the blade in the newcomer’s hand was half as irreverent as his own. Its owner certainly was. "Why hello Captain....I am glad that you are to be my test subject for this evening." So we get to see something new!
“The feeling is mutual, I’m sure.” The Captain of the Eighth inclined his head slightly with a perfectly straight face. Then he glanced around at the spectators, official and not. “Now that everyone important is here… Hadou, number 3—Waft!”

Immediately, three of the Ethans on the field surged forwards, blades swinging in a simple high-center-low order towards their opponent. He’s already drawn his sword, right? I wouldn’t want to be unsporting. Just prompt. Two others flew back to the edges of the arena, lips moving and swords held in a guard position. The remaining three stood together where the blade was first unleashed, swords resting point-first on the ground. Ethan’s voice rang out just as the attacking trio arrived on-target. “Bakudo number 13—Drawing Rings!”

Oh, THAT one. I’ve always liked it. It’s low-rank and easy to use, but it’s really hard to break because any amount of strength just pulls the rings away from each other without damaging them. Do you remember the person who shot himself with a level 50 Hadou just to get rid of them? One of the three observers grinned for a second. Despite any successful evasions of the three melee attackers, the Captain of the Twelfth would now find himself with solid metal rings around each wrist and ankle. Aforementioned rings were not connected, but the gravitational pull between them produced a base acceleration of roughly 900 meters per second. It would be an interesting way to see just how strong the opponent really was.

Hizoruki stood still as the Captain of the 8th Division looked at him and then said a small phrase and then yelled out a Bakudo. I have no need to fear Bakudo......its pathetic he said raising his blade in front of him, pointing it at the Ethan in the middle. "I want you to try and restrain me before I attack." he said as the Captain still arranged things. Suddenly, three of the eight Ethans charged towards him with their blades slashing in all directions. Two others went to the edges of the arena and stood their mumbling. Hizoruki studied them and Ethan's zanpaktou. Interesting...his Bankai must be unique he said and then one of the three Ethans in the middle of the arena yelled a Bakudo.

Suddenly, rings appeared on his wrists and ankels. "Smart Captain.." he said and then as the trio of Ethan's arrived with slashing swords, and then Hizoruki smirked and whispered, "Bankai.." he said and then light erupted which would blind the three Ethans and then armor appeared all over Hizoruki's body. His body glowed with armor that was made of solid light energy. He then looked at the shackels on his wrists and ankels and the broke each one quickly by smashing his fist on each on, breaking the shackels but not hurting his arms. "Captain..tell me...do you think that child's play will help you win." he said raising his palm. "Speak Against Them...Hadou Number 30, Necito!" he yelled. A large and very powerful blast of what looked like black spiritual energy erupted from his hand and shot towards Ethan. "I call this...."Shinigami's Cero he said a bit pissed.

The Captain of the Twelfth stood there, asking to be restrained. Nasshingu's tone was playful. I’m going to discount any freaky interpretations of that and assume he’s heard you’re a Bakudo specialist. We’re getting famous! Ethan obliged, releasing his Bakudo from one of the arena corners. His opponent reacted to the combined kido and perceived assault by activating his Bankai with a blinding flash. When his eyes cleared, Ethan saw the Captain standing uninjured, unhindered, and wearing some kind of glowing armor. He didn’t use any kido, I’m sure of it. He smashed the rings with pure brute force! There was a slight note of awe in the blade’s voice now. “Oh sure, rub it in. There are other things than strength, you know.”

Just then, his opponent interrupted. "Captain..tell me...do you think that child's play will help you win?" He launched a blast of power from one hand, evidently a number 30 hadou. It struck the group of Ethans standing in front of him, and passed right through. The same occurred when it reach the group of three standing in the middle. It struck the far edge of the arena with a crash. "I call this....Shinigami's Cero.” Not bad. It does kind’ve look like a Cero, too. So you’re not the only one who thinks shinigami can learn from Hollows.[i/]
“So remind me to meet up with him afterwards. Right now, there’s an angry Captain facing us in the ring!” Ethan ran through his mental options quickly. Heavy armor and massive strength… That probably eliminated any of the lower-level kido unless he was using his bankai—bakudo could be broken. [i]The armor might not be defensive, Nasshingu interjected. Couldn’t waste energy finding out, though. Okay, let’s try… His voice rang out clearly. “Hadou, number 3—Waft!” As the six Ethans that the Cero had hit began shifting, the two on the arena’s edges started chanting again. His voice was clear—“Make all evil eat itself and crush the heartless with their own transgressions. Collapse, Nikanoru! Hadou number 38—Draw!”

This new attack pattern was simplicity itself. All six of the “central Ethans” were moving to surround the Captain of the Twelfth, still attacking with their rapier-like blades. Meanwhile, Hizruki’s armor met an interesting test. The Hadou Ethan had used created a force that acted to fold the Captain in on himself—essentially drawing everything on his outer body (clothes, armor, etc) towards his center. Would the armor give away, or would the Captain, or did the research leader have some anti-Hadou technique that could block the force of a Hadou with full incantation?

As the kidou Hizoruki just used passed the Ethans in front of him, Hizoruki smiled. "As expected. You are a skillful Captain, you will be a fine one near the future as an Elder." he said and then snickered, "But.....what you don't know is that there are four other versions of that kidou, and they are much, much more powerful then what I have just demonstrated to you Captain Douglas." he said with some seriousness in his voice.

Suddenly the Captain that stood in front of him he sent two Ethans to the edge of the arena who chanted and six of them surrounded the Captain. The real Ethan then used another and powerful Bakudo. Hizoruki started to feel a small bit of pressure on him but not much and then he spoke. "Do I have to repeat myself. Stop using restraining and compressive with weak bakudo. It won't work out for you to well, thats if you want to waste spiritual energy." he said and raised his blade and then Ethan should have noticed that the blade was turned into pure energy. "My kidou passed through your other clones, I am assuming they are not real." he said and then pointed his blade directly at Ethan and said. " Toshimaru!" there was a sudden silent then a powerful white blast erupted from the blade and shot at a very quick speed with rage towards the captain. "Try Harder! Captain Douglas!" he yelled with fury and encouragement.

Ethan’s opponent smiled even when his attack proved completely ineffective. "As expected. You are a skillful Captain, you will be a fine one near the future as an Elder." A snicker. He’s as cocky as you are. "But.....what you don't know is that there are four other versions of that kido, and they are much, much more powerful then what I have just demonstrated to you Captain Douglas." Nasshingu actually sounded a little worried. I know you weren’t there for that attack, but believe me, it’s nothing to laugh at. If he has three stronger versions…

Ethan (all eight of him) grinned at the Captain’s comment. It arrived at about the same time Ethan’s own Hadou struck, also evidently without effect. That armor is a Banaki. You should expect it to be strong. “And you were the one who wasn’t even sure if it provided defense…” He didn’t have time to argue with the blade, though, since Hizoruki was already speaking again.
"Do I have to repeat myself? Stop using restraining and compressive with weak bakudo. It won't work out for you to well, that’s if you want to waste spiritual energy." He raised a his Zanpakuto, one now formed of energy as pure as his armor. "My kidou passed through your other clones, I am assuming they are not real." Well, he’s learning. But we can probably get him to burn out before he tumbles to what you’re really doing. The white blade aimed directly for the Ethan that had just used Hadou. He’s smart. A blast appeared. You know, Koujetsu could’ve dodged that. “Koujetsu would’ve needed to. He doesn’t have you.” Flatterer.

"Try Harder! Captain Douglas!" One of the Ethans now surrounding Hizoruki took a step back at that, moving his blade to a guard position. The others continued swinging their swords, to no effect.
“Try harder? Fine. Let’s make a deal. I want to see those new Hadou of yours, especially the fourth. I’ll show you my bankai, you show me what you’re really capable of?” Oh, I can’t wait to see this. You’re just afraid to burn too much energy before I shatter, aren’t you? All of the Ethans brought one hand up from their guard to hit the side of the Nasshingu they were holding. Everyone exploded.

Now there were dozens of Ethans where each was standing previously. “My Bankai is much less defensive than Nasshingu’s shikai technique. You want me to try harder? Try this!” Immediately, seventeen of the shinigami surrounding Hizoruki moved into position to have a clear line of fire. The others moved back, scattering to the arena’s edges. Those near the soon-to be epicenter spoke in unison. “Let a droplet of the eternal power fall upon this earth from the ancestral pagaoda's silent peak. Strike! Hadou number 65—Pierce!” Each released a needle-thin projectile from an outstretched fingertip towards Hizoruki’s current location (wherever that might’ve been). The projectiles moved at almost half the speed of light to their target. When they struck, each released a blast of energy. Their total effect was significantly greater than that of a nuclear explosion in the human world. Let’s see just what that Bankai can do. I hope you didn’t overdo it.

Hizoruki saw that the Captain avoided his large blast. "Your fast..." he said and then smirked. "I see that I will be wasting my time using the other two versions...I guess its time." he said. The Ethans around him started to surround him a few still slashing at him and the others in a defensive stance. Then Ethan yelled, “Try harder? Fine. Let’s make a deal. I want to see those new Hadou of yours, especially the fourth. I’ll show you my bankai, you show me what you’re really capable of?” Hizoruki looked at him and then laughed and then cut his palm with his zanpaktou. "Eh, fine." he said and then smiled devilishly. Suddenly all the Ethans exploded. There now stood around seventeen of them. "Damn..." Hizoruki said under his breath smiling at the bankai. "I think I have some respect for you." he said and then smiled.

All of the sudden the Ethans' all shot projectiles towards him. Hizoruki looked at them in shock and then with no time to move, he took the hit. There was a very large explosion, with a cloud of smoke. Something shot up from the cloud of smoke and into the sky and there Hizoruki, blood on his head and his armor broke on the left side, where he took the most damage. "You broke my armor...your a very powerful Captain indeed but I am afraid." he said and then he aligned his zanpaktou with his bloody palm. "That this..is in fact your judgment." he said and then yelled. " "I stand by Heaven and fight for eternity, destroy this world! Eternal Necito!"
There was a very disturbing eruption of spiritual energy around the whole arena. The ground shook and then a very large, and powerful blast of black spiritual energy erupted from his palm and struck the arena and engulfed it entirely, it was like a small mountain or comet just slammed into the Earth from the heavens above. (Just the part where me and you fight,not where the people are)

The opposing Captain took the full force of seventeen full strength level 65 Hadous. You know, there’s something to be said for a concentrated Bankai. That kind of defense. He even cut himself. Now why on earth? Then Hizoruki shot up towards the upper limits of the arena. He was visibly the worse for wear. Not smiling as much, either, but he still seemed pretty happy. This guy… "You broke my armor...you’re a very powerful Captain indeed but I am afraid." he said and then he aligned his zanpaktou with his bloody palm. "That this..is in fact your judgment."
He’s going to use another level of that technique. And in bankai, you can’t just shift out of his way. We need to block. The Captain above began chanting. So did the four of the Captains below, one of those in the “strike force” and three around the inner edges of the arena.
"I stand by Heaven and fight for eternity, destroy this world! Eternal Necito!"
There was no way to know how short the incantation would be. We need something fast. “Halt the stream of existence with your all-encompassing hands and turn the line upon itself. Namtar, seal!” Bakudo number 92 was released.
Reiatsu erupted around the arena. A massive blast of black energy poured out of the palm of the Captain of the Twelfth, engulfing the arena. Nasshingu was in awe; most of the Ethans around the arena stood frozen. The blast shook the surrounding barrier, causing several of those maintaining it to collapse despite their precautions. The ground inside the arena…dissolved, leaving a crater where a moment before a multitude of Captains had stood. Good thing he didn’t try to doge that. I don’t think there was anywhere to run to.

One of the Captains, though, was not obliterated. The high-level Bakudo activated by clones before the blast hit were all worked into an intricate structure around one of their number. When the area of frozen time faded, he emerged unscathed, dropping by stages as the outer areas wore out as well. Ethan looked up, panting. “Shinigami Cero. You weren’t lying. A Hadou like that… I’m impressed.” Slowly, the disrupted clones reformed as the Reiatsu from Ethan and Nasshingu returned. “In a situation like this…” Attack. He had to use his own life for that; that must be what the blood was for.
“My blade wants to hit you again.” He held up his empty hands, reflections across the arena mirroring the gesture. “Let a droplet of the eternal power fall upon this earth from the ancestral pagaoda's silent peak. Strike! Hadou number 65!” Another wave of the needle-thin projectiles were released by the bankai. We’ve got to push it. This time, fully thirty of the clones participated, releasing a blast almost twice as powerful as the last one when the needles struck.

Looking down, even Hizoruki was in awe. "So Necito is as powerful as a cero...or is it even more dangerous?" he said to himself and then saw that there lay a crater below him from the Eternal Cero he just used. "Amazing.." He then saw that Ethan and his clones were reorganizing and they started to chant a technique. Hizoruki ran thoughts through his head trying to decide what to do. "I have to try... he thought to himself. There the reiatsu was forming again around Ethan and he spoke for a second and then said. [color]"My blade wants to hit you again[/color] Hizoruki watched as more Ethans' appeared. Hizoruki quickly held up Toshimaru and then yelled, "Come on!" at the moment he said this, the same needle thin projectiles shot from below from all directions. Hizoruki had pointed the blade behind him and then he smiled and faced the right side of his body towards the flying projectiles. "This will cost me." he said as he finally said, "Toshimaru!" he then catapulted through the air to the crater below. Hizoruki flew threw the air at a great speed towards the real Ethan. In just a moment he was out of the rain of projectiles, but there was still some armor left. He then quickly was near the real Ethan in a second. He swung Toshimaru out at Ethan and a wave of powerful energy was sent at him at close range. "Let out swords meet!" he said landing with a crash but on his feet.

Even Hizoruki looked impressed by the results of his technique. Not surprised enough to prevent him from moving outside the worst of Pierce’s 150,000,000 meter per second explosion, certainly, but impressed nonetheless. Still in Bankai, the Captain raised his white sword and yelled out, "Come on!" He’s getting aggressive. The odds are against getting any more kido off. As the still-smiling Captain launched himself at the most genuine of the Ethans, the aforementioned Ethan clasped his hands together. The clones around him and across the arena folded in on each other, their appearances becoming more distinct. Nasshingu formed in his hands almost instantly, and her presence was reflected across the other seven duplicates.

He didn’t even have to think as the notoriously physically powerful Captain of the Research Division barreled downwards, releasing a wave of energy even before he came in range. I’ll hold you. The blast of energy washed over the Ethan in front of Hizoruki without evident effect. "Let out swords meet!" Oooh, sounds exciting. Totally the wrong setting, though.
On the other side of the arena, one of the Ethans grinned for a moment. That was possibly one of his favorite things about Nasshingu. He yelled, “Hadou number 3—Waft!” While the Ethan targeted by the wave of energy reeled and raised his sword to guard, his seven identical twins shifted position rapidly, moving to disparate points on the arena. So, what’ll it be? The Ethan in front of the Twelfth’s Captain grinned. “Nasshingu says your timing is off, but hey!” He leaned backwards, resting his weight on his back foot and raising his sword to a defensive position diagonally across from his chest, then standing silently, staring at the Captain intently.

There really was no other option. Ethan was exhausted, and he’d just had to leave Bankai to save his own skin. All of the images, including the one set to parry Hizoruki, began moving their lips in unison to try to disguise the source of the extended chant. “The seven bridges to paradise tremble as the master of reality casts ruin from his demesne. Let the seventeen virtues of a flawless dream defend the holy from the wrath to be, and let the nine pagodas encircle the unliving to guide its demise. Destroy, Mikazukanoyaiba! Hadou number 89—Black Pit!”
The pulse released was small, almost as if he’d suppressed the incantation. It would’ve been invisible, but in Seireitei the reiatsu flooding into it from every angle made the glowing orb fairly visible. Assuming Hizoruki saw it, since it was coming from straight behind him. To redirect that, the Ethan in front of him began speaking the moment the pulse was released. With one hand held in front of him and the other clutching his sword (the tip of which now regularly faltered), he began what was unmistakably an incantation. “Let all be unified by the subtle touch of heaven. Draw into yourself the brilliant shadow!”


[OOC: I’ve pasted the description for Black Pit below if you want to see it.]

Spoiler:

Ethan had turned off his Bankai. Is he exhausted......? thought Hizoruki. Still, their were about eight Ethans left. One of them in front of him had taken a defensive position. "Typical..........." he thought yet again. Then something happened. All the Ethans' started to chant in sync. Though he could really only hear one of them, it being the real Ethan, Hizoruki turned around, ready to take on anything thrown at him in these few last minutes in the tournament. Suddenly, the Captain shouted an incantation. "Destroy, Mikazukanoyaiba! Hadou number 89—Black Pit!” Hizoruki saw the projectile as the powerful kidou pulsed. "Amazing......he is powerful." Hizoruki said and then he heard him start to talk again. “Let all be unified by the subtle touch of heaven. Draw into yourself the brilliant shadow!” Hizoruki then yelled across the field. "Its over for the both of us. " he said and then, as the projectile still came towards him and it sounded like Ethan was starting another incantation. "Most of my spiritual energy........will be gone after this.....if it does not work, no doubt, if he is still able to stand....I will lose the fight if he can attack me after this kidou...for I will be weak." he thought and then said out loud. "Let the mountains of fire rain from the Heavens and let their wrath, their fire, their power be felt by your very soul! Hadou Number 99, Heaven's Airsenal of Fire!" There was a large, powerful felt of extreme exertions of spiritual pressure. A large, comet like ball of fire along with a few other ones close to it size pounded into the arena with great force. Hizoruki just stood there and watched it come down. They would both get hit by this kidou. Hizoruki started to move to the sides of the arena so that the damage on him would not be to bad, but it would not be good still.

The Captain of the Twelfth turned when the voice came from behind instead of in front of him. Not surprising. The projectile blasted towards him. Ethan stared at the shinigami’s back in shock as he performed a level 99 Hadou. Fighting a Captain was quite something. No time for that now, though. As fire came raining down from the heavens, Hizoruki dodged to the side, leaving the Ethan behind him in a direct line with the Black Pit that the Ethan on the other side had just released. As planned.

He finished his kido just as the sphere arrived. “Bakudo 18—Assembly!” The orb, still ripping a torrent of raw energy from the Soul Society field inside the arena, crashed into his chest. It felt like fire pumping into his lungs. It felt… good.

This still left the small matter of the full-incantation level 99 Hadou performed by a Captain that was falling out of the sky. That was a significant problem. Even using his bankai, the last time something had fallen out of the sky Ethan’s survival had been in question. Without the bankai to perform Temporal Seal defensively… He almost laughed. Then he stretched a hand upwards. “Hadou 89—Black Pit!” The smallish pulse shot diagonally upwards, drawing masses of fire into itself and creating an open space in the comet plunging towards him. Almost as soon as it was released, Ethan jumped after it. He could feel the pulse ripping at his own reiatsu, but it was probably nothing compared to what it would be like to be on the ground when those meteors hit.

And they did. Nasshingu told him in excruciating detail about the forces lancing through the seven duplicate Ethans on the arena floor. Hopefully some of that was also happening to Hizoruki, though no doubt the head of the research division would know enough about his own technique to find a safe place… if there was one. He looked around once the flames cleared, slowly drifting towards the ground. Their battle had produced dramatic effects on the arena, to say the least. He spotted his opponent near the edge of the arena.

An Ethan on the arena floor began charging towards Hizoruki, blade held straight forwards. One of the Ethans on the arena edge chanted a kido. “Bakudo 32—Held Ring!” Again, quickly. “Bakudo 32—Held Ring!” A completely immobile metal ring formed around each of the opposing Captain’s wrists. The Ethan who was attacking launched a third kido at the Captain’s blade, hoping to rip it from his fingers: “Hadou 13—Lance!” Without waiting to see if the concentrated blast of force succeeded, he closed for the finishing attack, bringing his zanpakuto around in a strike that would just barely graze the target’s unarmored shoulder—but said more clearly than words, “That could’ve taken your arm.”

((OOC: Hizo, do you conced defeat?))

((It might look a bit more hopeless for him than it is since my post doesn't describe Hizo's actions while Ethan is launching multiple Kido-- he might attack the first ring while I'm casting the first, etc.

Of course, he really could be in a hopeless situation considering how tired Hizoruki is at the moment, but that's Hizo's decision.

You know, I'd never realized just how confusing it could be to have user names that are the same as character names. Or maybe it's just me?))

((OOC: its just you. if everyones character and usernames were the same, you could just say "I, He" instead of ethan and hizo))