Iksin was back to being alone...nothing new really. Except a few words from people that spoke smartly and not as if he knew nothing. Iksin was not a dumb person, he was aware how he handled things and how he may continue to handle things may not be looked at as right. However watching as a man's country turned on him...gave him some thought. Perhaps walking in the gray as he continued to do would turn him into the same man Seizo was.
Rethinking himself, as well as his actions. He knew this wouldn't do. He couldn't be alone and do this...he needed to find people to speak to. It couldn't be any normal person however. He needed to speak to those he believed were on his own level of intelligence and thought. Perhaps if he were to return to Zaishin he could speak to Musunde. The words of remaining in the gray gave him hope that people could understand the way he spoke...however now was not the time to return there.
Perhaps...maybe the Daoists? But it couldn't just be anyone specifically from them either. He needed to make sure they were up to his standard. He was already heading in their direction perhaps...maybe he wasn't...he would however indeed find himself at their doorstep soon enough. A building, both traditional but not at the same time came into his field of view. He gazed upon it..and realized he happened to find exactly what he was looking for....was this fate...or something else?
Title: Locate Daoist location Rank: D Reputation: N/A Impact: N/A Information: Find or stumble upon a location where daoist philosphers roam.
The place wasn't extremely special, if anything it was like a single building in the middle of nowhere with normal people. However Iksin could tell that the people here could probably be held to a higher standard than most. At least to a higher standard in his mind. He would approach someone, who seemed to be standing at the entrance of this place. "Is being here okay for me? Like can I actually talk and interact with people here without getting my head chewed off?" Iksin would ask. The response he would get was unexpected. "If you are here, you are meant to be here. That is the way that we believe in."
Iksin wasn't sure how to feel about such beliefs. He himself wasn't sure what that meant really. Perhaps it meant that they were into some kind of fate thing. That wouldn't mesh well with Iksin's own beliefs. "So...are you not going to try and force your religions upon me?" The man again answered unexpectedly. "We are not religious...You seem to be mistaken about that. We are all different...but we seek betterment through understanding. We are philosophers."
Iksin wasn't completely sure about this however he seemed interested at least. A bit of a glance shared with the man before him before simply bowing. "Betterment is what I seek...maybe not the same exact way as you...but..." Before he could finish his own sentence however he again had a response. "Yes, we are all different as I said. You may actually find some of those who you mentioned not wanting to particularly deal with. I find them difficult to deal with myself and disrespectful towards my beliefs. People that treat Daoism as religion are not...truly Daoists to me. That being said it is within my belief that they are allowed to act as they wish so long as they reach to bettering themselves." Iksin looked the man up and down and smiled.
"You're interesting, I hope to meet many more people like you in my time here." Iksin would then make his way into the city. Observing those around him as he moved along, no one....stood out to him. That is until he watched someone who seemed to be almost meditating. Something was different about him...this person's chakra was crazy for lack of a better word. Iksin would approach. "Not Elemental...not Non-Elemental...It's a lot like my sage techniques but different..." He approached and spoke to the man. Who would look up towards Iksin. "Power, raw, unfiltered, enlightenment and perfection of the body...you mentioned being a sage, not many others here can use chakra."
Iksin looked at the man. "If you can use chakra, and this enlightenment and perfection thing why are you here? Think you can help me?" He asked, looking at the man who would stand up. "Most Daoists...if capable of using chakra come to learn these things. But are you? Can you?" He questioned. Iksin would look at him. "I'm not sure what Daoism is, but the guy in the front mentioned it not being religious. I'm aware of the existence of gods but I reject how they act as of currently. So many things happening wrong and I feel they need to be fixed. I think I should fix them."
"Perhaps you should, perhaps you shouldn't. Maybe you are meant to fix them and you are meant to learn and that is why you are here. I am not quite devout so to speak. Perfection is a word used...but it's not truly obtainable. I think your goals match well with Daoism. You would find many others of same mind as you." Iksin listened to the man's words but frowned. "I walk in the gray, I refuse to allow black and white to be what dictates what I do...do you think that is right?" The man looked at Iksin. "Gray? Morality? Perhaps you are thinking of it wrong? There's always a bit of evil within the good and always a bit of good within the evil. That is what the Yin and the Yang symbolize. We do not see gray, we see white with black and black with white all the same." Iksin's eyes widened a bit, perhaps he was thinking of it wrong.
Iksin would nod. "Teach me your release, I think I understand." Iksin would then begin meditative training alongside the man before him. Taking a breath. Focusing his chakra, allowing imagination to fuel his use of it. Allowing form to be brought to thoughts. Then breathing life into those forms...yin release....yang release. With this new power and a new outlook....Iksin felt closer than he ever had to his goals.
Title: Discuss Various things with Daoists x4 Rank: D Reputation: N/A Impact: N/A Information: Speak to the many people of the city and learn more about how they view Daoism.
Title: Learn Yin and Yang Release from Daoist Rank: C Reputation: N/A Impact: N/A Information: Learn new releases from Daoists to cement your place in their community.
Narrative: Growth After meeting with Daoists and adopting a more Daoist like philosophy Iksin grows as a person from having doubted himself to being a bit more sure of himself. He also has decided to forgo the cockiness and arrogance he once held in favor of sticking to his beliefs. As such will no longer act arrogantly towards people....intentionally...or maybe just not quite as often. 10 Paragraph Narrative, 4000 xp
A week passed since having adopted a more Daoist view and outlook. Having been within the city of them for so long the white haired man determined it was time for him to leave. He couldn't explain it, but he felt that was the case. No one questioned him when he said such things...that was the way of Dao after all. Allowing life to be as it will be.
Iksin's own goals didn't perfectly align with Daoism, however it aligned well enough that he began to think about it. He strove for improvement, but less within himself and more within the world. He followed the thoughts of Dao in allowing what happens around you to happen and to strive for betterment but not perfectly. And that was fine, he learned first hand Daoism is not a perfect art. It wasn't religion but many Daoists looked at it that way.
His new journey would lead him out into the sea, where he would look out at a few ships that had been passing. Probably blissfully unaware of what had just happened a mere week ago inland at Zaishin, as well as it's neighboring countries. However something caught his eye, a snake like form that began to move through the water...and the ship heading straight for it.
Iksin knew what this thing was...an Ikuchi...a Yokai. Perhaps returning to it's place to stay however it would probably be quite important to Iksin without him knowing it. In addition...the ship sailing towards it would likely suffer many casualties if it got to close. Iksin would spring into action for the most part, leaping into the water and beginning to swim quickly towards the large snake like fish yokai.
As he got closer and closer he could see it was beginning to excrete it's oil. Iksin made sure to go faster, faster towards it as fast as he could. However he quickly changed directions, turning towards the ship instead. He would come up from the water his hand extended as a blue circle of chakra formed in his hands first before spreading across the large body of water. A wave formed that would push towards the large ship in order to redirect it away from the fish-like snake. It was an unorthodox way to do it yes...but probably more effective than trying to move the giant fish through the water.
Iksin would plunge back into the sea, and watch the giant fish. However he noticed something....odd. Such a large creature one might think it'd be the apex predator of the sea. Bigger than any normal animal one could think of and probably a lot more deadly. What would dare attack such a beast? Iksin's eyes widened as he noticed wounds along the body of the large beast. What did this mean?
He questioned to himself, remaining in the water with a stroke of his chin. However his thoughts would not have time to reach their peak as he noticed a tinge of red flow by him. Looking again at the large fish....there were fresh wounds...that meant fresh blood. Maybe it was a large amount of sharks, the damages looked similar. But no, he would soon by nigh ambushed by something he wasn't expecting. A shark like form appeared nearby him and would crash into him!
Iksin recognized the attack. He hadn't experienced it before as he moved through the sea. A Hoshigaki...here? Attacking him for what? He wasn't sure, but as he looked around he saw...not a Hoshigaki but something else. Something more monstrous, and quite a lot of them. "Those aren't Hoshigaki...what the hell are they." As they got closer he could feel their nature chakra...each of them had it. This made the man begin to worry. What was up with this...that was far from what he'd have expected to suddenly find. They didn't feel like yokai, they were clearly inhuman...and they were coming after him now. Perhaps because they thought he was trying to go after their prey.
Iksin thought quickly, circles of chakra appearing in his hands as the beasts rushed towards him. His eyes closing as he himself began to access his sage chakra. Perhaps they suddenly became aware of it as Iksin's form slightly changed. He became more yokai-like in appearance and his chakra was different. The large group of beasts almost hesitated before they continued their rush through the ocean at the white haired man.
His hands would come forwards, facing towards the beasts and then, he chakra circles finished forming. Iksin quickly darted upwards and out of the water. "My apologies..." He uttered, seemingly towards the yokai still moving through the water. His hands would glow with a bright yellow, almost golden energy as the clouds above him spread, a ball of lightning chakra descending from above would make its way into the water and then begin delivering shock after shock upon the water. Spreading through the water until it was finally over. The beasts that attacked him floated to the surface unmoving....but so did the large serpent-like fish....as well as various other fish would begin to come up to the surface unmoving.
Iksin looked at this...then sighed. "Well...I guess that's just how it was meant to be." He said, his hand would come to his chin as he would think. "I need to find out what those things were...maybe I do have more avenues other than the Yokai." His body would finally submerge in the water once more, the electricity gone he would swim towards the shore in order to head off to gather more information.
Narrative: Growth Iksin discovers mysterious creatures that attack him. Although he neutralizes them quickly, he keeps note of this. As opposed to focusing on Yokai and everything about Yokai maybe these creatures could lead him to another avenue. Maybe that is why he saw them and they attacked him. Iksin is no longer fixated solely on Yokai. 11 Posts, 4400 XP
Title: The giant fish and the ship! Rank: A Reputation: Positive, Infamy (Weird, good intentions bad results) Impact: Global Information: Protect the ship from the giant fish that is known to sink ships. (Done in a manner that seems almost as if the ship is being attacked.)
Title: Attack on the Ikuchi! Rank: S Reputation: Negative, Infamy Impact: Global Information: A large group of mysterious humanoid monstrous beings seem to be attacking the Ikuchi. Neutralize the group of beasts. (Neutralized, but also kinda messed up the Ikuchi too and a buncha other fish and water wildlife that might have been nearby...)
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