Wind smashed through the air in a violent Cacophony , rustling the leave of trees in the far off distance! A following tremor of 11 metric ton of flesh and muscle slamming into the earth. A Triceratops!
Its horns had been sharpened to the point of having a shine on its razors edge! The frilled fin that surrounded its skull were Impaled with a dozen swords, Sabers, Katanas, Greatswords! This Reptile had went about its life on this island, slamming its head into the environment that had been pincushioned with swords from the countless battles that the island had experienced!
"Focus on strikes and Manipulation!" The Apex, Hannibal Wolfheart Commanded Masamune. Third year on the island. Branches of Haki understood and developed, equal to the rank of Yonkyu Dan.
For much of a history within Swordsmanship, the use of the full body had been taken as a equal priority of importance. Pushes, Shoves, Grapples, Kicks, Throws, Punches.
Rather with shield, armored knuckles, or using the sword itself.
Masamune knew his way around a blade. How to use finesse with it. To thrust, slash, parry, cut or not cut his targets. He had immense dexterity with the blades, able to properly use them rather in reverse; A hard feat and an immense fault of the wielder if they be regular people, or upright.
He did however lack one crucial thing.
Complete manipulation of his weapons. Using his body, even his neck and mouth to hold a third sword and deliver slashes, cuts by passing by, piercing thrusts all in one set of movement.
But Swordsman, whatever set of style they relied on, rather 'True' or merely a carrier of a blade, all the same needed to understand all the ways their bodies could use Manuver their weapons.
These Dinoblades were perfect teachers for just that.
Humans often get caught up in technicalities, techniques verbatim learned from instruction. But fail to understand that these are not rules and perfect motions to replicate, as much as they were suggestions to be utilized with the Swordsmans own adaptability and situation in mind. Combining, retracting or adding to them to best fit them.
These Reptiles however, While being smart for animals, and filled with enough faculties to Instinctually use Haki, did not get caught in the spirals of Decision. Simply acting, understanding and adapting.
Masamune dashed to the side! Delivering a deep, devastating gash into the hide of the Tri-Horned prehistoric creature. Eyes Narrowing in a deep realization as he shoulder checked the beast! Staggering it, nearly knocking it from its feet!
Its head slammed into the ground its swords into the ground, carving deep trenches into the dirt and stone! Violently snapping its neck up and forcing the ground to break in a massive screen of debris!
Kale leapt up into the air!
'Its using its size and environment…But more than that!' His eyes flashed, markings on each eye appeared like swift brush strokes of ink, three sharp lines lining the bottom of his eyes, barely reaching his cheeks. Middle of them longer that the two surrounding either of them.
The world slowed for but a moment. Giving the First Mate the ability to watch the events unfolded in stretched out moments. 'They use their bodies and their blades to best suit them. Rather than forcing their bodies to suit the blade!'
'Adaptation. Making your weapon work with you instead of lowering yourself to be and extension of it!'
'Strike!' Kale screamed internally, sixth senses alerting him to a Raptor wielding a sword in each hand, and a third in its mouth, his leg shot out behind him as he was in mid air! The blow shattered bones, allowing him to wrench his neck while torquing his arms to deliver three cuts to the beast!
'And make your weapons' He pulled IV from his mouth 'Adapt to you!'
"Three Sword Style; Falling Spring Blossom!" In a display of immense precision, able to spot the vitals of the Triceratops still dizzy from its wound, Released the Skillful Grade IV from his fingered grip, both swords tracing up. Horizontal to one another!
His hands loosened in fractions of a moment, only thumb and index tight, leaving the Tsuka of Kikumori and Grip of Jager limp! Arms loosened, he swung them through the air! The loosened finesse grip allowing him to produce a burst of wind!
Propelling the IV through the air! Flipping round and round! Shattering the weapons in the Reptiles frill! Impaling to a stop, Tsuka to the sky!
With a thud, he clinked the swords to their sheaths. "Two Swordstyle Resheath–!" Masamune blurred in a straight line and came to a stop! Suddenly holding three blades in his hands!
"Suzakumon…" The words barely a murmur. Dragging the down into their scabbards. The IV getting special treatment, blade dragging flat against the entrance of its container, and slowly sliding in with a satisfying
Klink…
Blood erupted in tandem with it! The Triceratops split in two! Eyes widening, beak like jaw falling open only to crumple into a defeat mass…
Hannibal stood there with his arms crossed. "Good." Were the simple words he spoke. Eyes beneath the long tricorn looking Masamune up and down.
"We done for today?" The Student wondered.
"For now. You've earned your drink and meal." It may have seemed harsh to withdraw Food, Booze made sense as a luxury to withhold. But the logic was sound. If Masamune struggled in his training, but not pushed hard enough, he was withheld the means to repair himself.
It meant that he'd fight and train harder next. He wasn't denied everything. He was given sleep and water with sugars and lemon. So when he did succeed, as Hannibal inevitably knew he would, he would gorge and heal swiftly.
Late that night, Masamune sat in his room, a large ornate room with the doors left open and spacious. Front walls no longer small enough to hold a doorframe.
By the flicker of a candle light, wax melting slowly down its white length to pool in candlestick holder, his hand made slow and deliberate strokes of ink across parchment. The words and characters written on the page were flourished, artful.
"Hey!" Alice called from behind with a knock, in a long lace black nightgown. "Watchya doin?"
The First Mate responded simply "Writing" Brush continuing its movements.
"What about?" She asked, crossing the room to stand next to him. Eyes widening slightly at the immense pages he had sprawled.
"My time here. Not much of a Log Keeper. But I know how to write well enough." Well enough was an understatement. The words were verbose and expressive, describing the days training in detail and all his thoughts that wracked his mind amidst it.
"Woah…" Alice let out slowly in appreciation. "You should do poetry!"
"I do." He thumbed to the other end of the desk where a separate pile sat. She handled the paper with care like an ancient document. Eyes scouring the stanza
'Blackened blade sat atop the mountains peak'
'Shine and glint like a reminder of the bleak'
'Reminder of the struggle yet to come'
'Holding a weight a weight greater than the spire'
'Hoist yourself ever higher'
'Succumb to Humdrum and plummet'
'Or whisk it away and make the Summit'
'The Blackened Blade, sat atop the mountain top'
An idle hand swept a strand of loose hair from her face, tucking it slowly behind her ear as she read the poem again and again. "Sellin yourself short a bit, dontcha think?" She offered a small smile.
He didn't answer.
"Whats this?" She scuffled the paper to splay out, a single paper sprawled with the same characters again and again in different formations. "Gimme that!" The sudden, even though quiet, snap from his lips caused her to jump.
Plucking the paper in turn from her tiny hands. "Awf! Cmon! What is it? I can't exactly read those characters…"
He pierced a side eye to her.
"Sigh…Apex said that by the end of this. These Four Years. I won't be who I was anymore."
Alices eyes narrowed. "What, like youre gonna be a totally different personality?"
"No–" He corrected. "More that I'll have grown beyond who I was. And because of that. I'll need a new name. A Name I choose for myself to best define who I am. All swordsmen do it."
"Some have epithets, titles, reputations. But it all replaces their name, and what it meant before they did so." He gently stroked the brush of its excess ink in the small tray, setting it down as he continued.
"Those things might aswell be new names. So I'll do just that. A New name…A Name thats more than the Bloody Ronin of the past, or the man in the cage."
He reviewed the names on the page. "One that reflects my nature. The Man who seeks to become the Strongest Swordsmen in History. The Right hand that will help carry his captain to becoming King of The Pirates…"
"A Master of the Blade. Not a Blade with a Mastered body." He let it flutter back down onto the surface.
"I see…Then I'm sure what ever you choose. You'll be better than who you were. But still you. Even if the name is different!" She offered a soft blushful smile.
"YEah yeah alright! Whatever!" Hasamune winced his cheeks and rolled his eyes, flicking his hand to shoo her away "Now get outta her Zombie Girl."
The next day. Before training began. Hannibal stood next to Masamune. Alice, still ever the gothic woman from Hard Rock, sat a distance away.
Only for Hannibal to suddenly snatch The Scabbards within the Firstmates Obi. Gripping all three swords in one hand.
"Hey! What the hell!" Masamune Snapped. But the cold, emotionless gaze told him there there was no malice in the action. Which he figured before even looking upon him.
"Masamune. A Question for you." The Apex's tone was steady and firm like steel he wielded. "What makes a swordsman?"
"Tsh…" The student clicked with his tongue "Haven't you already asked that? You said it was anyone that carried a sword." He turned to look up at him. They were almost equal in height now. "If you carry a sword, your a swordsman. True Swordsman only rely on their sword." He crossed his arms.
"Yes. Indeed. But as you've already learned, its not just carrying a blade, having or lacking skill or power. But using it and whatever else you have. A Person who swings a sword wildly is still a swordsman. Just as much as a person who owns a ship is a sailor. Difference is experience."
Masamune furrowed his brow. "Okay…"
"Then. The next question is, What isn't a swordsman? What makes a person not be one?" He titled his head to the side.
Shifting his body, tightening his crossed arms, the other thought for a moment. "Well. Not having a sword."
"Half correct. But the real answer lies in this." Apex lifted a single gloved finger. "If you don't wield a sword. Your not a swordsman. But even if you do, and you loose it or dont have it. If you suddenly have no ability to defend yourself, or to fight. Then you are most definitely not a swordsman. Merely a fool with a chunk of metal you were lucky enough not to kill yourself with."
Masamune blinks, curling his lip. "Okay…I think I get it. If youre nothing without a Sword. You no more a swordsman than someone who only uses their fists. Even if your sword is a backup, or a means of other parts of your style. Loosing the blade doesn't mean you loose your ability to fight. You still have all strength and knowledge of how you used that blade to now use without it."
A phantom of a smile creased the lips of Hannibals mask. "Percisely. So. Are you a swordsmen? If you believe so. Then you won't need these for what comes next." He pointed off to the to the distance.
"Out there, in the barren of the island, there sits the Natural Predators of the Dinosaurs on this Island. The Carnafix, their bodies are their weapons. Teeth, Claws, muscle and pure instinct."
He turned on his foot to face Masamune "You will go there. And prove that you are indeed a swordsman, even without your blades at your hip. Use what ever you can. And fight just like you would anyother time."
A wider grin crossed the fabric "Should also be a good way to see how far your Haki has come."
"Now go. You have till night fall. If you fail. Then it means I have wasted three years of my life." He turned and began walking up the tall steps to the home. "Come." He said to Alice. Who followed along after him.
"Don't you think youre being a bit hard? I mean, doesn't he need his swords?" She asked, looking over her shoulders to Masamune, still standing and looking around in slight confusion, only to break out into a sprint towards the Barrens.
Shifting to her, Apex spoke "No. Not at all. He still has his footwork, his strength, his tactics. If he somehow looses, then I have truly failed."
Masamunes boots slapped against the ground, earth shattering and cracking beneath the sheer pace he held. Dirt shooting into the air. 'Bodies as weapons huh? Not the first time I've gone against that!'
Skidding his feet to a stop. A massive plume of sand erupting out ahead of him!
The surroundings were indeed barren. Sand dunes, cracked earth dry as a bone, rotten trees a brazen bronze. A tall plateau in the distance only a few hundred meters a way.
Eyes swept across the landscape. Narrowing at the lack of anything in his view. "Where…"
Observation coated his eyes in those same brushstrokes. A Bluish hue to his irises, pupils slitting. The environment lit up in colors of aura. A loose haze coming from the living aspects of the island behind him.
"I can't see anything…" He spoke to himself. Blinking through Aura Sense to X-Ray. Only able to see a few feet into the ground. Yet still even when using both of them in tandem, there was nothing—
A Vibration shook his feet, Danger Senses cracking down his neck! He leapt into the air a mere moment before the earth ejected up! A massive beast with reddish pink skin, and true crimson armored segments along the shoulders, chitinous and scaled.
Once again, sliding to a stop, Masamune leaned forward hands to his sides just as if he were holding–
"Damnit." He winced at the realization.
'These things are strong. How in the world did I not sense them?! Wait…' He looked the Creature up and down as it began leaping toward him!
A beast meters tall, legs hoofed and edged with organic blades, bent in shape like a horses. Body covered in a strange exoskeleton of sectioned plating with muscle peaking through small vents. Its chest detailed with ribs of armor. Spine hardened with armor skin, shaped like pipes.
"Largh!" The sharp, razor filled mouth formed like a mammalian skull shrink wrapped with skin roared while its feet of a blade like tongue slabbered out!
'Think quick. Use what you have!' Masamune screamed to himself! Three Fingered hand tipped with curved bladed claws barely avoided his neck!
"Motoryu!" Zero Sword style! His hands flattened, fingers pulled together! Blackened armament pearlescent with a deep violet, jagged lines ridged its cutoff! "Springtime Wind!!"
Wind torrented around his hand, His Ejection Affinity allowing him to explode the air forward by his fluid, limp arm! The Cyclonic air shot forward! Blasting against the Carnafix amidst its attempted leap!
The Next moment, gashes suddenly appeared across its body! A Green blood splattering from immense pressure it coarsed through the body! It reeled back in pain!
"Green?" The Swordsman questioned. His Conduit Kata, Razair, had worked in its first ever deployment. It turned the wind he produced into high pressure blades that cut, just as he could make with his swords from sheer pressure. Multiplying the cutting ability of his Flying Slashes.
But before he could ponder the strange blood, his senses screamed again! A massive mob of Carnafix, all identical to the one before him, clawed against the round! Pouncing on him! There was too many!
In the briefest of windows, he was tackled and swarmed by the Beasts! Their talons sinking into his flesh, their knife filled jaws snapping onto him! Tearing, Slashing, Biting, RIpping!
Blood shot out of him with a scream! "ARGH!" It ripped from his throat with the taste of metal!
He quickly began to grow and envelope his body in Haki! His entire face blackened, shine from the light reflecting back that same purple hue! Yet still! They pierced him again! "HRNGH!"
'Shit…Thats right!' His hand slashed into the skull of the closest, latched onto his shoulder. Armament Kata; Hamon, gave his Hardening a blade like quality! 'Armament Haki is stronger when concentrated! If I spread it out…It'll thin!
Thinking quickly, he Coated his now exposed abdomen in Hardening! A mantis like claw rose and snapped down against it! Blade shattering on impact! "HA!!" He barked!
'Focus…And–!' Masamune tensed his body! Eyes widening! An blast flashed out across his body!
ZZVWOOM!
Black streaks of lightning crackled the air! The golden blue aura rupturing the air with Conquerors Haki! All at once, the Carnafix's ceased movement! Recoiling backwards while their bodies slackened!
With his vision cleared, he saw that there had been dozens more that had joined in those brief moments! Now all against the ground in a pile! The ground rumbled again! His senses didn't warn him!?
He was able to barely bring his hands up as the beasts exploded from the ground in a perfect circle! Nearly a hundred of them all around him in a cloud of violence!
"Hmph!" He lowered himself to the chunked earth, spreading his arms to the side as his back twisted violently! "Motoryu! Futo-MAKI!"
With the words screamed, he unwound himself! Blasting up as his body spun with immense force! Funnel of air, dirt and debris lifted into the air! It was for but a moment until the true power of the tornado ejected in every direction! Slamming against the Carnafix!
It blew them away! Leaving them riddled with gashes, Masamune however continued to move! Kicking off the air! His swiped his hand clean through arm of one! Hand gripping its bicep like a vice!
Blood blew from the back of a surprised Carnafix! The Swordsman having appeared before him and impaling the arm of one of its own straight through its chest! A loud, earsplitting death screeched came from the monsters maw!
"I get it now…!" He spoke to noone but himself, leg kicking violently into the bent knee oof another attacker, finishing it off with a brutal slam of his shoulder! Its innards exploding out of the back formed in a cloud of green mist and viscera!
"Its Fukai!" He dodged a straight thrust, grabbed an arm and threw it over his shoulder! Sending it soaring hundreds of meters! "You have no basis for Haki…But your bodies evolved with it regardless!"
A Slice! Cutting from head to pan! "Your instincts cause you to suppress all of your energy until the moment of attack! Making your aura completely invisible!"
He effortlessly roundhoused one right as it erupted from the ground! Giving it no time to unleash it power! "If I just cut you down before you get a chance! You'll go down easy!"
As he massacred through the flood of Predators, his mind though back to a lesson Apex had taught him.
'When you use Fukai. You are completely invisible to the senses from others Haki. On top of that. If you keep yourself in this state for long enough. Your haki, that which naturally leaks and emanate from your body as a living being, builds and compounds inside of you.'
'This allows for your body, when you finally unleash it, to come back percentages stronger than before! A Surplus of Haki, returned with Compounded Interest from build up and risk to the body!'
'It is often the foundation for many Vows and Techniques. Placing the body in extreme vulnerability or inefficiency to gain immense returns…!!!"
"That gives me…And Idea!"
Later. At the Apexs fortress;
"Its minutes before nightfall…" Alice said with a worry palpable on her face. Leaning forward, elbows against her knees with hands covering her mouth.
Hannibal sat on the the couch with crossed arms. Eyes locked on the ticking grandfather clocks second hand. The sky outside, shifting from vibrant blue and orange to darkening azure violet.
When foot steps caught booth their ears!
Alice snapped to her feet! And before she was even standing straight, Hannibal was already up, as if not having moved. Arms still crossed. Masamune coming around the Corner.
"Ahh!" Alice screetches! "He's undead! I thought only i could make Zombies?!" She bit down on her nails in fear! Body shivering
"Quite your hollerin." Masamune snapped. "I ain't dead yet."
His body was covered in blood. Green and Red. Skin filled with gashes, guts and scrapes where blood no longer leaked. He'd used the Branch of Conduit to stim the bleeding. Cut across the bridge of his nose, gash splitting his lip.
"What took you so long? Did they give you a hard time?" Hannibal inquired. Stepping closer to the Student.
"You told me to clear them out. So I did."
"Taking care of the few dozen on the surface took all day?" Apex cocked his head.
"Try every last one of them…" The words made Wolfheart react with narrowing gaze of surprise. Mouth left open for only a moment before tilting his head back in satisfaction.
Right at that moment. Out in the barrens, spread across a kilometer of its entire surface, green, copper infused blood, spattered against sand and earth. Strewn with limbs and entrails that were more in the shape of an insects than any reptile.
Piled high to meters, sat the destroyed and mangled bodies of every Carnafix that populated the Island, broken and defeated in myriad of states. Destroyed, crumpled, cut apart. Not a single living thing remained in that tiny stretch of island.
"You've earned your drink and meals. Zombie Girl. I'm sure you wish to treat his wounds." Hannibal swiftly turned on his feet, traveling back down the hall.
"Yeesh! He can be so cold some–" Her gaze went from irritated with balled hands at Hannibal's dismissal. Only to then see that Masamune–
Was smiling ear to ear.