Post by songstress on Nov 10, 2006 2:00:59 GMT -5
- This combination style starts on two paths, Ten’on and Tenmou, and ends at one, Yuuen Okami. The two beginning substyles and the combined style each count as a separate list. In other words, a shinobi who has completely mastered Tentou no Sashizu uses up three list slots.
- It is completely acceptable to master only Ten’on or only Tenmou. The shinobi is not obligated to try and learn the combined style as both of the substyles can easily stand as their own solid style. The shinobi is also not required to learn the two beginning substyles in tandem, but a certain level of proficiency at one style does not equal the same level of proficiency with the other.
- This should go without saying, but a 2-sword style requires two blades to learn and properly execute. The shinobi must wield two swords in both hands, and a sword can be no smaller than a wakizashi, ninja-to, or other short sword. Kunai and knives in general are a no-no.
- A user of this style must be a Cloud shinobi unless otherwise given permission by the Cloud GM.
Style History: Let it be said that true ego transcends all common logic. This is the story of Sora Jouten, the Cloud's self-proclaimed 'Grand Emperor'.
One hundred seventy-five years ago, there lived a shinobi in Hidden Cloud Village by the name of Saitoru Gobungo. He was, without a doubt, one of the worst swordsmen that ever walked the planet. A wielder of a two-sword style (2 katana, in his case), Gobungo had absolutely no talent with his blades and yet *insisted* on using them as his primary form of combat. Throughout his early years, Gobungo was thrashed by virtually every shinobi throughout the village, and every shinobi he encountered outside the village. Constantly would Gobungo miss his target, or fling a sword out of his hand while performing a technique, or take out a bystander because his opponent ducked out of the way of his reckless swing. Gobungo paid more in property damage and health insurance bills (those he hurt) on average than he made on his monthly Jounin salary, and only found ways to plunge himself deeper into debt with the passage of time.
What Gobungo lacked in skill or money, however, he made up in pure arrogance. We're not talking run-of-the-mill, 'I come from a superior family' or 'My skill is-superior-to-all' type arrogance, we're talking megalomaniacal type ego. While Gobungo was aloof to begin with, through each passing month and fight, his ego and absolute confidence in his superiority became something much closer to a 'god complex.'
After his sixth year of being a Jounin, Saitoru Gobungo completely lost it. He became convinced his sword-style was so gifted that he was 'chosen by the Gods' to become Emperor of the World and usher in a new age of blade technique. He thought it was quite fitting that he was from Hidden *Cloud* Village, as where but the clouds was a better for the gods to find their new chosen leader for the people, where he could build his palace within the skies and the heavens? It soon occurred to Gobungo that he himself was must have been a god in mortal form, brought down from the skies to give these humans a great figure to follow and emulate. Thus, Saitoru Gobungo therefore deemed himself, claiming it was a divine title given him in a dream, forevermore to be known as Sora Jouten, or 'Sky God', the 'Grand Emperor' who would unite the lands and usher in a new age of prosperity; his 2-sword technique being the symbolic representation of his divine right to rule, his Tentou no Sashizu (Mandate of Heaven).
The problem was, despite his massive ego, Sora Jouten still had the same type of horrible ability he had when he was just simply Saitoru Gobungo, and absolutely no talent. However, at this point in time, Sora Jouten's determination and belief in his divine presence and skill transcended his actual ability, and he spent months studying and memorizing sword technique and sword style from various scrolls....
...It was discovered in this process that while Sora Jouten had almost no ability with his 2-sword style physically, his ability to mentally understand and comprehend the logistics and theory of sword technique exceeded genius level. In his mind, Jouten was not only able to piece together a workable 2-sword technique, he was able to extrapolate his own theories about how the technique could be made better and more stylistic and how one simple style just wouldn't do, so he extrapolated, finessed, and theorized it into two styles that could be combined at the top levels of near-mastery... all in his mind! *SO* great was Sora Jouten's arrogance about the fact a 'Grand Emperor's divine sword style' was too great for style alone, he started back at square one and *reinvented* the techniques using ninjutsu abilities along with it to create a 'divine sword dance', adapting the dance moves to rely on the power the ninjutsu provided!
While Sora Jouten could not perform the techniques *well*, he could perform them well enough that he caught the attention of several young Cloud shinobi with some talent who upon using the style, and perplexed at the sheer beauty and power of the technique, started buying into Sora Jouten's rants when they themselves believed that only a god could have gifted a man with such a technique (or a god in human form), so great was the dance itself. The four young shinobi immediately took to using two katana and his style and proclaimed Sora Jouten to truly be the 'chosen Grand Emperor' of this world.
...The rest of this story, sadly, ends the way all stories of would-be megalomaniacs seem to come to. The ego of Sora Jouten eventually became too great, and he and his small band of followers became convinced that if the Raikage and the other Cloud shinobi were not going to step down from their positions of power and let Sora Jouten begin a world-wide expansion of conquest under his rule, then they would have to take the leadership by force. Sadly, they all were electrocuted by a few well-placed lightning bolts by the Raikage on the steps of the Raikage's house before they were even able to truly initiate their sword dance attacks on anyone (Sora Jouten was a bad swordsmen, and most of the other shinobi were not trained enough to know most of the dance). Thus ended the story of the self-proclaimed 'Sky God', the 'Grand Emperor' who would unite the world, without anyone being able to witness the power of his sword-styles.
However, just by the dumbest luck, one of Sora Jouten's four pupils, who had stayed behind because he forgot to bring one of his katana, survived the encounter simply by not being there. He was spared the indignity of death simply because no one had any clue he was going to be a part of the coup. By staying smart and laying low after the death of his comrades and master, the shinobi, who actually had a gifted ability with two swords, grew older and actually managed to learn one of the full dances. It was discovered by the shinobi that had this dance actually been used by a master of some skill with two swords, the casualties against the Raikage might not have been so one-sided. Yet while he still believed to his death that Sora Jouten was the chosen 'Grand Emperor' of the world, he decided to gracefully keep his beliefs to himself (for the sake of his life), and instead gifted the world (mostly Cloud Village) with Sora Jouten's genius 2-sword dance technique, which the shinobi named after what he and his master truly believed it to be, the 'Grand Emperor's' Tentou no Sashizu (Mandate of Heaven).
No sword dance with two swords to date has *ever* matched the sheer grace or power of Tentou no Sashizu.
Not even the inability to use swords well, it seems,
Can stop a determined megalomaniac from achieving his dreams.
--Account from Cloud's historical records
Ten’on (Heaven’s Blessings) – Way of the Divine Vassals of Peace
Style Description: The movements of Ten’on disciples are fluid and dance-like as the term ‘2-sword dance style’ suggests. The main focus is learning how to reflect light at the target to lower the possibility of recognizing an attack- the light may be real light, taken from a light source, or a flash generated with chakra on the swords’ blades. Aim does not have to be perfect; the chakra also makes the light ‘hone in’ on the target’s eyes. At higher levels of Ten’on, the shinobi begins to refract light rather than reflect it. A hazy cloud-like mist gathers on and around the blades, allowing them to twist and bend light into an opponent’s eyes from even more angles and at a speed too fast for the target to close his eyes.
Ten’on dancers, and indeed all users of Tentou no Sashizu, value speed more than anything in their strikes, as they are relying on the blinding flashes to break their opponents’ defenses and see less point in developing immense strength. After all, as long as they can hit the target every time, why bother building up enough muscle to crumble a mountain? In order to properly attack with two swords in their hands, users of this style commonly spin and lunge, constantly shifting weight from one foot to the other. The spinning especially helps build momentum for their strikes.
This style is mainly offensive, but with two swords, it may be easier for a shinobi to defend against physical strikes. On the other hand, the wielding of two swords greatly subtracts from one’s flexibility when fighting, and can leave holes in their defense that an insightful enemy may pierce through. Furthermore, as a two sword style, the loss of one sword reduces the effectiveness of Ten’on. For this reason, all followers of Tentou no Sashizu almost zealously guard their double blades and develop fantastic grips due to repeated lessons of maintaining powerful holds on their sword handles.
Style Basis: Ninjutsu/Weapon
Training Methods: A partner when training is welcome, but Ten’on dancers are more than capable of practicing on their own. They train almost exclusively while wielding both swords, going through various dance steps of spinning and lunging, and build up their accuracy at flashing light into someone’s eyes by attacking wooden dummies with eyespots painted on them (in real combat, chakra will force the light to automatically seek out the opponent’s eyes, but more practice never hurts). They also train to improve speed and as much dexterity as possible when wielding two swords by practicing an offshoot of sword ‘juggling’- whipping the blades around one’s body by turning them over one’s arms, using the wrists as a pivot point. It is not uncommon to see Ten’on dancers training with leg weights.
Stage One
Stat Requirements: Speed 5, Stamina 3
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +3 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Daiippo Satoru no Mukau (First Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Description: Uses ninjutsu to shine reflected *blinding* light (sunlight) out of one of the swords directly into the opponent's eyes momentarily. It doesn't matter if there is an actual light source around; the sword acts as if it is reflecting a blinding light regardless. Due to the nature of the chakra involved, the reflected light more or less *hones* in on the user's eyes. At the moment the opponent is blinded, the user strikes the opponent on one side of his body or the other, usually the lower sides or shoulder regions. The guarantee of a strike due to the unpredictability of the jutsu is quite high.
Stage Two
Stat Requirements: Speed 8, Stamina 6, Tactics 6
Stage Bonus: +2 Speed, +2 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Tsugi Satoru no Mukau (Next Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Daiippo Satoru no Mukau
Description: The chakra creating the blinding reflected light is strong enough to be focused into one sword and appear to get started in the other. The user can now, using this technique, begin to control where the light is about to come from, and feint the opponent's eyes into staring into the other sword, which will blind them. During this feint strike, while the opponent’s eyes are occupied with one sword, the user strikes with the other, usually in a downward slash.
Mannaka Satoru no Mukau (Middle Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Tsugi Satoru no Mukau
Description: The reflected light from one sword is now able to slowly fluctuate and flow through the user's body to the other sword. By using a blinding flash with the first sword, attacking with a double-uppercut slash, the opponent's eyes open just in time for the light to have transferred to the other sword, blinding them again and leaving them open to a more basic slashing technique.
Stage Three
Stat Requirements: Speed 12, Stamina 8, Tactics 8
Stage Bonus: +2 Speed, +2 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Moyori Satoru no Mukau (Nearest Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Mannaka Satoru no Mukau
Description: The blinding light can be switched between swords at will in a constant motion, back and forth and feint at will, as well. The light is manipulated so fast between swords that the opponent's eyes will naturally shift from one sword to the other to try to escape the blinding flash. They become so mesmerized in the random fluctuating patterns of reflected light, they fail to see either of the swords coming at them. The user attacks with a double outward slash, starting at the chest/stomach region and moving outward, hopping back while doing so.
Anshinritsumei (Enlightenment)
Requirements: Moyori Satoru no Mukau
Description: By putting both swords together and pulling off one big, combined flash of light, the shinobi can actually *blind* the opponent for a full post. The accompanying strike is both swords thrust at the stomach region, designed to take full advantage of the target's current sight incapacity.
Stage Four
Stat Requirements: Speed 17, Stamina 13, Strength 13, Tactics 14
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Gyoushi Dzuki Tentou (Gaze to Heaven)
Requirements: Anshinritsumei
Description: The sword's styles relation to Hidden Cloud Village really starts to show, as with the use of chakra the *swords* themselves now begin to take on the properties of a 'cloud' in relation to the 'reflected sunlight' that comes through them. In essence, the artificially created 'refracted sunlight' as it bends and twists out of a cloud (which is essentially small gaseous rain particles) makes the sword simulate more and more a cloud combined with much more complicated sword-dance techniques. The shinobi’s swords can now bend the light six inches in ANY direction further from the normal angle the sword can reflect light, allowing the now-refracting-light blade to be angled in places it couldn’t before. The sword begins to form a small haze around itself. For now, the sword can only be angled near the target (as long as it is in range of six inches) After sending the blinding light at the opponent, the user strikes with a single spinning uppercut slash.
Kouro Dzuki Tentou (Run to Heaven)
Requirements: Gyoushi Dzuki Tentou
Description: The user can now use ONE sword to blind an opponent with the power normally reserved for two, thus a single sword now has the power to blind an opponent for a full melee round! The swords can now be turned a half-turn away and still refract light. With the one-combat-post blinding effect, the attack here begins with the two swords, the flat of the blades halfway angled away from the opponent, crossed and held downward. Then, using a dicing motion, the swords are slowly lifted upward and do massive amounts of cutting damage on an opponent. The blades appear to have a half-clouded haze over both of them.
Stage Five
Stat Requirements: Speed 20, Stamina 18, Strength 18, Tactics 16
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Hitoashi Naka Tentou (A Step Inside Heaven)
Requirements: Kouro Dzuki Tentou
Description: With this technique, the shinobi has the power to blind his target with light from one sword for one combat post, or alternatively blind his target with light from *both* swords for two combat posts. The swords can now be turned a full three-quarters away and still refract light to someone's eyes. Using the light to extremely blind the opponent, this technique calls for lifting of the arms, and then a forward and downward motion, crossing the blades as they stick into the target and then a skywards fling to create tremendous gashes in the body. Here, the swords are hardly visible through a dense fog around them.
Kyuui no Tenrai Atae (Divine Gift of Peace)
Requirements: Hitoashi Naka Tentou
Description: The ultimate technique of a Divine Vassal of Peace and a frightening power. The refracting ability of the two swords is now so amazing the swords can be completely obscured from view and *still* bend the light enough to focus the light into someone's eyes. Not only this, he can switch the light between swords like a pulse or focus them together. The swords are now so cloudlike both blades appear covered in a dense fog with this level of ability, with wisps of mist trailing after their movements. The light is so powerful that it can be forced through one's eyelids, so closing one's eyes even when one expects the technique or for some other reason, it will still blind the person!
The attack sequence involved begins with the two swords completely behind the user's back, swords upward, focusing the light into the target's eyes either from a double fluctuating pattern, or a combined light for one post of blinding, then using the weight on the right foot to twist to the left and forward-roll, continuing to blind the opponent with the swords as the shinobi rolls past and behind his target, ending with a double stab at his enemy’s back.
Stage Six
Stat Requirements: Speed 26, Stamina 25, Strength 24, Tactics 19, Intelligence 17
Stage Bonus: +5 Speed, +2 Strength, +2 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
N/A
Stage Seven
Stat Requirements: Speed 35, Stamina 33, Strength 31, Tactics 23, Intelligence 21
Stage Bonus: +5 Speed, +2 Strength, +2 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
N/A
- It is completely acceptable to master only Ten’on or only Tenmou. The shinobi is not obligated to try and learn the combined style as both of the substyles can easily stand as their own solid style. The shinobi is also not required to learn the two beginning substyles in tandem, but a certain level of proficiency at one style does not equal the same level of proficiency with the other.
- This should go without saying, but a 2-sword style requires two blades to learn and properly execute. The shinobi must wield two swords in both hands, and a sword can be no smaller than a wakizashi, ninja-to, or other short sword. Kunai and knives in general are a no-no.
- A user of this style must be a Cloud shinobi unless otherwise given permission by the Cloud GM.
Style History: Let it be said that true ego transcends all common logic. This is the story of Sora Jouten, the Cloud's self-proclaimed 'Grand Emperor'.
One hundred seventy-five years ago, there lived a shinobi in Hidden Cloud Village by the name of Saitoru Gobungo. He was, without a doubt, one of the worst swordsmen that ever walked the planet. A wielder of a two-sword style (2 katana, in his case), Gobungo had absolutely no talent with his blades and yet *insisted* on using them as his primary form of combat. Throughout his early years, Gobungo was thrashed by virtually every shinobi throughout the village, and every shinobi he encountered outside the village. Constantly would Gobungo miss his target, or fling a sword out of his hand while performing a technique, or take out a bystander because his opponent ducked out of the way of his reckless swing. Gobungo paid more in property damage and health insurance bills (those he hurt) on average than he made on his monthly Jounin salary, and only found ways to plunge himself deeper into debt with the passage of time.
What Gobungo lacked in skill or money, however, he made up in pure arrogance. We're not talking run-of-the-mill, 'I come from a superior family' or 'My skill is-superior-to-all' type arrogance, we're talking megalomaniacal type ego. While Gobungo was aloof to begin with, through each passing month and fight, his ego and absolute confidence in his superiority became something much closer to a 'god complex.'
After his sixth year of being a Jounin, Saitoru Gobungo completely lost it. He became convinced his sword-style was so gifted that he was 'chosen by the Gods' to become Emperor of the World and usher in a new age of blade technique. He thought it was quite fitting that he was from Hidden *Cloud* Village, as where but the clouds was a better for the gods to find their new chosen leader for the people, where he could build his palace within the skies and the heavens? It soon occurred to Gobungo that he himself was must have been a god in mortal form, brought down from the skies to give these humans a great figure to follow and emulate. Thus, Saitoru Gobungo therefore deemed himself, claiming it was a divine title given him in a dream, forevermore to be known as Sora Jouten, or 'Sky God', the 'Grand Emperor' who would unite the lands and usher in a new age of prosperity; his 2-sword technique being the symbolic representation of his divine right to rule, his Tentou no Sashizu (Mandate of Heaven).
The problem was, despite his massive ego, Sora Jouten still had the same type of horrible ability he had when he was just simply Saitoru Gobungo, and absolutely no talent. However, at this point in time, Sora Jouten's determination and belief in his divine presence and skill transcended his actual ability, and he spent months studying and memorizing sword technique and sword style from various scrolls....
...It was discovered in this process that while Sora Jouten had almost no ability with his 2-sword style physically, his ability to mentally understand and comprehend the logistics and theory of sword technique exceeded genius level. In his mind, Jouten was not only able to piece together a workable 2-sword technique, he was able to extrapolate his own theories about how the technique could be made better and more stylistic and how one simple style just wouldn't do, so he extrapolated, finessed, and theorized it into two styles that could be combined at the top levels of near-mastery... all in his mind! *SO* great was Sora Jouten's arrogance about the fact a 'Grand Emperor's divine sword style' was too great for style alone, he started back at square one and *reinvented* the techniques using ninjutsu abilities along with it to create a 'divine sword dance', adapting the dance moves to rely on the power the ninjutsu provided!
While Sora Jouten could not perform the techniques *well*, he could perform them well enough that he caught the attention of several young Cloud shinobi with some talent who upon using the style, and perplexed at the sheer beauty and power of the technique, started buying into Sora Jouten's rants when they themselves believed that only a god could have gifted a man with such a technique (or a god in human form), so great was the dance itself. The four young shinobi immediately took to using two katana and his style and proclaimed Sora Jouten to truly be the 'chosen Grand Emperor' of this world.
...The rest of this story, sadly, ends the way all stories of would-be megalomaniacs seem to come to. The ego of Sora Jouten eventually became too great, and he and his small band of followers became convinced that if the Raikage and the other Cloud shinobi were not going to step down from their positions of power and let Sora Jouten begin a world-wide expansion of conquest under his rule, then they would have to take the leadership by force. Sadly, they all were electrocuted by a few well-placed lightning bolts by the Raikage on the steps of the Raikage's house before they were even able to truly initiate their sword dance attacks on anyone (Sora Jouten was a bad swordsmen, and most of the other shinobi were not trained enough to know most of the dance). Thus ended the story of the self-proclaimed 'Sky God', the 'Grand Emperor' who would unite the world, without anyone being able to witness the power of his sword-styles.
However, just by the dumbest luck, one of Sora Jouten's four pupils, who had stayed behind because he forgot to bring one of his katana, survived the encounter simply by not being there. He was spared the indignity of death simply because no one had any clue he was going to be a part of the coup. By staying smart and laying low after the death of his comrades and master, the shinobi, who actually had a gifted ability with two swords, grew older and actually managed to learn one of the full dances. It was discovered by the shinobi that had this dance actually been used by a master of some skill with two swords, the casualties against the Raikage might not have been so one-sided. Yet while he still believed to his death that Sora Jouten was the chosen 'Grand Emperor' of the world, he decided to gracefully keep his beliefs to himself (for the sake of his life), and instead gifted the world (mostly Cloud Village) with Sora Jouten's genius 2-sword dance technique, which the shinobi named after what he and his master truly believed it to be, the 'Grand Emperor's' Tentou no Sashizu (Mandate of Heaven).
No sword dance with two swords to date has *ever* matched the sheer grace or power of Tentou no Sashizu.
Not even the inability to use swords well, it seems,
Can stop a determined megalomaniac from achieving his dreams.
--Account from Cloud's historical records
Ten’on (Heaven’s Blessings) – Way of the Divine Vassals of Peace
Style Description: The movements of Ten’on disciples are fluid and dance-like as the term ‘2-sword dance style’ suggests. The main focus is learning how to reflect light at the target to lower the possibility of recognizing an attack- the light may be real light, taken from a light source, or a flash generated with chakra on the swords’ blades. Aim does not have to be perfect; the chakra also makes the light ‘hone in’ on the target’s eyes. At higher levels of Ten’on, the shinobi begins to refract light rather than reflect it. A hazy cloud-like mist gathers on and around the blades, allowing them to twist and bend light into an opponent’s eyes from even more angles and at a speed too fast for the target to close his eyes.
Ten’on dancers, and indeed all users of Tentou no Sashizu, value speed more than anything in their strikes, as they are relying on the blinding flashes to break their opponents’ defenses and see less point in developing immense strength. After all, as long as they can hit the target every time, why bother building up enough muscle to crumble a mountain? In order to properly attack with two swords in their hands, users of this style commonly spin and lunge, constantly shifting weight from one foot to the other. The spinning especially helps build momentum for their strikes.
This style is mainly offensive, but with two swords, it may be easier for a shinobi to defend against physical strikes. On the other hand, the wielding of two swords greatly subtracts from one’s flexibility when fighting, and can leave holes in their defense that an insightful enemy may pierce through. Furthermore, as a two sword style, the loss of one sword reduces the effectiveness of Ten’on. For this reason, all followers of Tentou no Sashizu almost zealously guard their double blades and develop fantastic grips due to repeated lessons of maintaining powerful holds on their sword handles.
Style Basis: Ninjutsu/Weapon
Training Methods: A partner when training is welcome, but Ten’on dancers are more than capable of practicing on their own. They train almost exclusively while wielding both swords, going through various dance steps of spinning and lunging, and build up their accuracy at flashing light into someone’s eyes by attacking wooden dummies with eyespots painted on them (in real combat, chakra will force the light to automatically seek out the opponent’s eyes, but more practice never hurts). They also train to improve speed and as much dexterity as possible when wielding two swords by practicing an offshoot of sword ‘juggling’- whipping the blades around one’s body by turning them over one’s arms, using the wrists as a pivot point. It is not uncommon to see Ten’on dancers training with leg weights.
Stage One
Stat Requirements: Speed 5, Stamina 3
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +3 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Daiippo Satoru no Mukau (First Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Description: Uses ninjutsu to shine reflected *blinding* light (sunlight) out of one of the swords directly into the opponent's eyes momentarily. It doesn't matter if there is an actual light source around; the sword acts as if it is reflecting a blinding light regardless. Due to the nature of the chakra involved, the reflected light more or less *hones* in on the user's eyes. At the moment the opponent is blinded, the user strikes the opponent on one side of his body or the other, usually the lower sides or shoulder regions. The guarantee of a strike due to the unpredictability of the jutsu is quite high.
Stage Two
Stat Requirements: Speed 8, Stamina 6, Tactics 6
Stage Bonus: +2 Speed, +2 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Tsugi Satoru no Mukau (Next Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Daiippo Satoru no Mukau
Description: The chakra creating the blinding reflected light is strong enough to be focused into one sword and appear to get started in the other. The user can now, using this technique, begin to control where the light is about to come from, and feint the opponent's eyes into staring into the other sword, which will blind them. During this feint strike, while the opponent’s eyes are occupied with one sword, the user strikes with the other, usually in a downward slash.
Mannaka Satoru no Mukau (Middle Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Tsugi Satoru no Mukau
Description: The reflected light from one sword is now able to slowly fluctuate and flow through the user's body to the other sword. By using a blinding flash with the first sword, attacking with a double-uppercut slash, the opponent's eyes open just in time for the light to have transferred to the other sword, blinding them again and leaving them open to a more basic slashing technique.
Stage Three
Stat Requirements: Speed 12, Stamina 8, Tactics 8
Stage Bonus: +2 Speed, +2 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Moyori Satoru no Mukau (Nearest Step Towards the Road of Enlightenment)
Requirements: Mannaka Satoru no Mukau
Description: The blinding light can be switched between swords at will in a constant motion, back and forth and feint at will, as well. The light is manipulated so fast between swords that the opponent's eyes will naturally shift from one sword to the other to try to escape the blinding flash. They become so mesmerized in the random fluctuating patterns of reflected light, they fail to see either of the swords coming at them. The user attacks with a double outward slash, starting at the chest/stomach region and moving outward, hopping back while doing so.
Anshinritsumei (Enlightenment)
Requirements: Moyori Satoru no Mukau
Description: By putting both swords together and pulling off one big, combined flash of light, the shinobi can actually *blind* the opponent for a full post. The accompanying strike is both swords thrust at the stomach region, designed to take full advantage of the target's current sight incapacity.
Stage Four
Stat Requirements: Speed 17, Stamina 13, Strength 13, Tactics 14
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Gyoushi Dzuki Tentou (Gaze to Heaven)
Requirements: Anshinritsumei
Description: The sword's styles relation to Hidden Cloud Village really starts to show, as with the use of chakra the *swords* themselves now begin to take on the properties of a 'cloud' in relation to the 'reflected sunlight' that comes through them. In essence, the artificially created 'refracted sunlight' as it bends and twists out of a cloud (which is essentially small gaseous rain particles) makes the sword simulate more and more a cloud combined with much more complicated sword-dance techniques. The shinobi’s swords can now bend the light six inches in ANY direction further from the normal angle the sword can reflect light, allowing the now-refracting-light blade to be angled in places it couldn’t before. The sword begins to form a small haze around itself. For now, the sword can only be angled near the target (as long as it is in range of six inches) After sending the blinding light at the opponent, the user strikes with a single spinning uppercut slash.
Kouro Dzuki Tentou (Run to Heaven)
Requirements: Gyoushi Dzuki Tentou
Description: The user can now use ONE sword to blind an opponent with the power normally reserved for two, thus a single sword now has the power to blind an opponent for a full melee round! The swords can now be turned a half-turn away and still refract light. With the one-combat-post blinding effect, the attack here begins with the two swords, the flat of the blades halfway angled away from the opponent, crossed and held downward. Then, using a dicing motion, the swords are slowly lifted upward and do massive amounts of cutting damage on an opponent. The blades appear to have a half-clouded haze over both of them.
Stage Five
Stat Requirements: Speed 20, Stamina 18, Strength 18, Tactics 16
Stage Bonus: +3 Speed, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
Hitoashi Naka Tentou (A Step Inside Heaven)
Requirements: Kouro Dzuki Tentou
Description: With this technique, the shinobi has the power to blind his target with light from one sword for one combat post, or alternatively blind his target with light from *both* swords for two combat posts. The swords can now be turned a full three-quarters away and still refract light to someone's eyes. Using the light to extremely blind the opponent, this technique calls for lifting of the arms, and then a forward and downward motion, crossing the blades as they stick into the target and then a skywards fling to create tremendous gashes in the body. Here, the swords are hardly visible through a dense fog around them.
Kyuui no Tenrai Atae (Divine Gift of Peace)
Requirements: Hitoashi Naka Tentou
Description: The ultimate technique of a Divine Vassal of Peace and a frightening power. The refracting ability of the two swords is now so amazing the swords can be completely obscured from view and *still* bend the light enough to focus the light into someone's eyes. Not only this, he can switch the light between swords like a pulse or focus them together. The swords are now so cloudlike both blades appear covered in a dense fog with this level of ability, with wisps of mist trailing after their movements. The light is so powerful that it can be forced through one's eyelids, so closing one's eyes even when one expects the technique or for some other reason, it will still blind the person!
The attack sequence involved begins with the two swords completely behind the user's back, swords upward, focusing the light into the target's eyes either from a double fluctuating pattern, or a combined light for one post of blinding, then using the weight on the right foot to twist to the left and forward-roll, continuing to blind the opponent with the swords as the shinobi rolls past and behind his target, ending with a double stab at his enemy’s back.
Stage Six
Stat Requirements: Speed 26, Stamina 25, Strength 24, Tactics 19, Intelligence 17
Stage Bonus: +5 Speed, +2 Strength, +2 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
N/A
Stage Seven
Stat Requirements: Speed 35, Stamina 33, Strength 31, Tactics 23, Intelligence 21
Stage Bonus: +5 Speed, +2 Strength, +2 Stamina
Stances
N/A
Regular Techniques
N/A
Special Techniques
N/A