Seiichi was present during a test he had when he was still an academy student, having been pulled aside as his tutors had noticed a knack of the blade for somebody so young. The young boy would sit quietly with his oversized scarf gently nestled around his neck as the professor would come into the room. He had been worried that he had done something wrong which caused him some anxiety of seeing the teacher like this. The long haired man would kneel down to be at eye level with the boy, his wooden blade rattling gentle at his side. "Thank you for staying after class, Seiichi. I promise this won't take long. I've already notified your Aunt of our meeting."
Seiichi would keep his head down, that some expression of concern on his face as his mentor would place his hand on his head. "You're not in trouble. In fact, quite the opposite." At the news, he'd lift his head upwards to finally stare at the teacher with his azure eyes full of interest. "You display a certain finesse that only a few students have, and I'd like to see if you can perform an advanced level one. But it requires concentration and practice. Do you think you can do it?"
The young Seiichi gave a quiet nod as he stood ready. His tutor would smile and sit on the ground in the traditional style. "Now then, close your eyes and empty your mind." The child before him would show some hesitation before doing just that. His eyes closed while practicing the controlled breathing techniques that would calm him down. The older man would continue while watching one of his pupils progress.
"I know it may be hard for you, but I want you to imagine death. But do not be afraid of it. All samurai must not fear what remains inevitable in our world." Seiichi chewed the inside of his cheek and would follow instructions despite his many fears. He imagined standing in a graveyard, the very one where he visited every other weekend where his parents were buried. Imagining how scared it used to make him feel, but as time progressed, he'd slowly start trembling less and less. "That's it." he heard his teacher speak. "We cannot afford to let fear guide our hand. Once we master that fear, to take it for ourselves, only then can we call ourselves samurai of the village."
He let Seiichi continue to meditate for a while then would look at the clock. "Now open your eyes, Seiichi." He did as he was told, the student looking at his master with a faint flickering in his eyes. The older male would smile brightly once he saw the resolve in the young samurai's eyes. "Very good, Seiichi. I think we'll have to come back here every so often to observe your progress. You are dismissed." Seiichi gave a meek smile and would quickly head out.
A couple of months had gone by since their last session, with Seiichi now gaining a bit more experience in his weekly sessions with his teacher. He was slowly growing in stature to the typical build for a boy his age. Yet Seiichi would always find time to practice his meditation for this state of bukijutsu that few seemed to possess the knack for. He'd be resting in his weekly sit-in while opening an eye towards the master while he'd stand up from his position. They had only started but he was excited at what new development had come. "Alright, Seiichi. Let's move on to the next stage in Reiken."
The older man would slowly kneel down in front of the boy, with his eye opening briefly until his hand would force it back closed. "Today, we'll be focusing on ego. I'm sure you've felt very good about yourself with your progress so far." With his eyes still closed in empty thought, the boy would begin to nod. "Which is fine. It's human to do so. But we must not let it fully control us. I don't think I have to tell you about becoming overconfident in yourself but it remains to be said." He'd gently raise the boy's arms to the wooden blade that would fall into them.
"The Second Virtue of Reiken pays homage to not ourself, but the world we reside in. " The man instructed. "We must not overstep our boundaries in regards to the universe as a whole. We are but a single brush stroke on the painting that is this world. It's through this understanding that we acknowledge the futility in letting our emotions control our hand to the future. You must find the sources of your turmoil and eliminate them form your mind. Only then will you unlock the next step."
Another pang of silence came from the boy, with Seiichi trying to do just that. He'd focus intently on his sources of distress, namely the doubt and uncertainty which seemed to plague him everywhere he so went. With them found, he'd be left at a standstill. How could he eliminate them if such a task called for it. As he'd begin to show panic, his tutor would notice this either by an expression wavering or sense his genuine confusion.
"I do not mean to remove these things entirely, but to manage them. Unlike most of your classmates, you're far more emotional. Visualize what you wish to contain." At the comment, Seiichi would feel a wave of embarrassment wash over him but nod as he'd do as he was told. All he had to do was to contain this doubt within him. To not let it consume him entirely. The boy was quiet for a moment or so, with the faint aura from earlier soon increasing in power. He'd open his eyes which would shine more noticeably than the first virtue as his teacher would look impressed.
"Very good, young Seiryu. You're making quite the exceptional progress. For now, we'll reconvene like every week but you'll keep a journal of whatever upsets you most in the day. It will be important in the coming days. For now, enjoy your afternoon." He'd bow towards Seiichi before heading off, leaving the student to his own devices.
Modifiers: ▱▰▱ Book of Water | The user's complex sword strikes from styles as well as basic combat complex sword strikes can expel a thin five foot blade of water per rank of the technique that follows the path of the physical blade. In addition, the user gains access to 4 ninjutsu slots to be used for the Water Element only.
▱▰▱ Gift of Perception | The clan's naturally keen sense of smell is not always the gift granted to the clansmen. Occasionally, the clan members are gifted a different sense to be heightened, multiplying the natural abilities of that sense by ten. This allows hearing to pick up on even muscle contractions and friction inside the body. Smell now gives away gender, body rank, class and killing intent as well as it's previous tells. Sight grants visibility to micro-movements of muscle groups, sight spanning the entire topic within a straight line. Genjutsu effecting the heightened sense are able to be detected upon being casted, causing one tier less in mental stress.
▱▰▱ Second Current | The user is able to pick up the Tetsunami Ryu Bukijutsu for no cost to their slots. Techniques of both Tetsunami Ryu and the clan techniques have the range of their water's reach increased by 5 feet per rank bud does not effect the strength of the technique when interacting with other techniques
▱▰▱ [Academy Graduation] Bloodline jutsu has Overwhelming status
▱▰▱ Parkour Mastery | Rank A | Training The user becomes one with their momentum, learning how to harness their body as an almost perfect machine. After completing this training, the user’s agility gain any and all bonuses afforded to their speed.
▱▰▱ Acrobatic Mastery | Rank D | Training Having practiced their art with great concentration, the user has learned to change direction of their whorl technique. After this training is complete, the user may use up to one technique per post that would lower the stats affecting their speed without suffering that reduction. The user gains the ability to use Somersault to evade once every three post without it consuming an activation, but only against opponents whose body rank is at or lower than the user’s.
▱▰▱ Perfecting Balance | Rank C | Training Due to their various training requiring parkour style actions, the user is more stable. This training allows the user to withstand off balancing effects or knock back effects as though they were one rank lower in strength.
▱▰▱ Total Concentration: Water Breathing [ Sō Nōdo: Mizu Kokyū ] | Rank E | Training The Seiryu clan's ability to master water is only one side of their coin, in addition, each clansman has learned to control their breathing perfectly with this training. This controlled breathing allows the user to fortify their mental capacity and delay the effects of physical pain for a a single post. This does not have any effect on status or poisons.
▱▰▱ Expert → The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, the katana. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:35 pm
*BACK DURING CHILDHOOD*
Once again, it was a bright and warm sunny day when Seiichi had been brought to his trainer once more. Now a bit older, a couple of months or so, the boy had gotten a little bit wiser in swordplay, and even retained some of his Reiken lessons from before. "Ah, welcome back, yung Seiryu." the man began. "Today will be something easier. Something I'm certain that will resonate better in your heart than most others. The boy would tilt his head curiously, but slowly walk towards the man quietly.
The two made their way to the meditation chamber once more, with Seiichi sitting down on the pillow while following his teacher's lead. The two of them lowered themselves onto the cushion. Once comfortable, the boy closed his eyes as darkness overcame his vision. "Much like last time, breath in and let your worries and fear flow out. A samurai must not let fear dictate their strikes. They must remain composed and calm under pressure." Seiichi exhaled, doing exactly as he was being told.
"The third stage of Reiken involves ridding onesself of their fear to achieve odds thought to be impossible. When we allow ourselves to remain brave against uncertain odds, we allow ourselves to surpass our own limits. Thus is the third Reiken stage: Courage." the old man said, "I want you to imagine a time when you had thought something so daunting that you couldn't do it, yet overcomed the odds in the end."
Seiichi closed his eyes and thought back to one of the many sparring duels against his cousin, the slender eyed and mysterious Ichitou. They had been quite the formidable opponent, and their fights usually ended in Seiichi covered in bruises while resting in his aunt's lap at the end of the day. One day, he had somehow been filled with the usual dread of their fight, yet Seiichi suddenly felt a surge of resilence against his fate. Tired of being the punching bag for his cousin. In a swift strike, he had disarmed his cousin and won the duel, alongside getting a few choice words of his own.
His revelation was almost instant. Seiichi's eyes would shine of a great fire of rebellion. The piercing blue gaze would look at his tutor as the old man had been thoroughly impressed by his student's progress. "Good, very good young Seiryu. Release this power and we shall take a break before continuing.
Modifiers: ▱▰▱ Book of Water | The user's complex sword strikes from styles as well as basic combat complex sword strikes can expel a thin five foot blade of water per rank of the technique that follows the path of the physical blade. In addition, the user gains access to 4 ninjutsu slots to be used for the Water Element only.
▱▰▱ Gift of Perception | The clan's naturally keen sense of smell is not always the gift granted to the clansmen. Occasionally, the clan members are gifted a different sense to be heightened, multiplying the natural abilities of that sense by ten. This allows hearing to pick up on even muscle contractions and friction inside the body. Smell now gives away gender, body rank, class and killing intent as well as it's previous tells. Sight grants visibility to micro-movements of muscle groups, sight spanning the entire topic within a straight line. Genjutsu effecting the heightened sense are able to be detected upon being casted, causing one tier less in mental stress.
▱▰▱ Second Current | The user is able to pick up the Tetsunami Ryu Bukijutsu for no cost to their slots. Techniques of both Tetsunami Ryu and the clan techniques have the range of their water's reach increased by 5 feet per rank bud does not effect the strength of the technique when interacting with other techniques
▱▰▱ [Academy Graduation] Bloodline jutsu has Overwhelming status
▱▰▱ Parkour Mastery | Rank A | Training The user becomes one with their momentum, learning how to harness their body as an almost perfect machine. After completing this training, the user’s agility gain any and all bonuses afforded to their speed.
▱▰▱ Acrobatic Mastery | Rank D | Training Having practiced their art with great concentration, the user has learned to change direction of their whorl technique. After this training is complete, the user may use up to one technique per post that would lower the stats affecting their speed without suffering that reduction. The user gains the ability to use Somersault to evade once every three post without it consuming an activation, but only against opponents whose body rank is at or lower than the user’s.
▱▰▱ Perfecting Balance | Rank C | Training Due to their various training requiring parkour style actions, the user is more stable. This training allows the user to withstand off balancing effects or knock back effects as though they were one rank lower in strength.
▱▰▱ Total Concentration: Water Breathing [ Sō Nōdo: Mizu Kokyū ] | Rank E | Training The Seiryu clan's ability to master water is only one side of their coin, in addition, each clansman has learned to control their breathing perfectly with this training. This controlled breathing allows the user to fortify their mental capacity and delay the effects of physical pain for a a single post. This does not have any effect on status or poisons.
▱▰▱ Expert → The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, the katana. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
