Training (Tekato)

[j]

~Learned.

[Tekato Shimura]

(Thank you )

Kibatsu Genron (Principles For Striking)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens offense with a sword.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles only apply to Gyakusatsu techniques.
Description: Kibatsu Genron is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to break through an opponent's guard or otherwise defensive measures. This type of offense not only learns how to penetrate an enemy's defense, but also incorporate a knock-back effect upon striking.
o E Rank: At this level of skill the user only understands the mechanics of breaking enemy defenses.
o D Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are E-Rank and lower.
o C Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are D-Rank and lower.
o B Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are C-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to two meters.
o A Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are B-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to five meters.
o S Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are A-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to seven meters.


D rank 0/10

“So you can penetrate the defenses of someone who has no idea what they are doing.” Tekato’s father said, laughing at Tekato’s overconfidence from earlier. “I’ll take a real stance this time, and lets see if you can break through it this time.” Tekato’s father had his wooden sword with its tip pressed up against the ground as it held up his father’s hand. He grasped it in both hands and pointed it at a forty degree angle in front of him. His left leg/foot was a quarter meter in front of his center of gravity and bent. His right foot was 9 inches behind him and also bent to the same degree as his front foot. His shoulders were relaxed and he stood completely still, showing no anxiety or nervousness for the oncoming attack which gave Tekato the idea that he may have been underestimating him. His father looked into Tekato’s eyes, waiting for him to make a move.

Tekato was a little angry because he felt like he was being underestimated. He wanted more than anything to be accepted and respected by his father, who was like a god to him. He was his only true role model of his childhood. He lifted his sword into an offensive stance. He had his knees bent and feet parallel. His left foot lead the way, and his right supported him, keeping him balanced. He pressed forward with his right foot but gained the largest boost from his left as it followed up behind him. He held his sword above his head as he charged forward at his father. His father was five meters in front of him. He crashed the wooden sword downward in a vertical slash at his father, letting out a ‘Ha!’ as he swung.

His father lifted his sword horizontally across his chest and held it out so his arms formed forty-five degree angles. His sword caught the blow from Tekato’s sword in a loud clack. He moved his front leg back and increased the distance between the two of them to a distance where Tekato would have to take another step to come within striking distance.

Tekato didn’t hesitate into his next move. Instead of letting his sword slide off of his father’s he kept his wrist very stiff which caused his wooden sword to bounce off of his fathers. Using the extra distance created from the bounce Tekato was able to put more force into his next attack without having to take the time to move his arm back, then move slice it forward to get the proper momentum. He was smart for his age, but then his whole family was as bright as him so it was expected. He moved his arm six inches to the right and angled his sword thirty degrees toward the same side. He came crashing down across his father’s chest. Normally he would have been aiming for the neck of someone his own size, but alas his father was feet taller than young Tekato. The force he put on this strike was as vigorous as the last.

His father adjusted his sword to compensate for the thirty degree difference in Tekao’s strike. It was an exceptionally easy strike to block. His father knew this and saw the Tekato was likely using it as lead up strikes to a strike he had already planned ahead. He deemed that it was what Tekato should have done, and it was a decent strategy from the position he was in. He always was impressed with Tekato’s split second decision making. His father did not move his feet this time as he easily blocked Tekato’s block.
Tekato took a step forward toward his father’s left side. He let his sword bounce off of his father’s once again and used the extra time to adjust the angle at which he brought his sword down on his father to a ful ninety degrees from the original position he had his sword on the first strike. He brought it across horizontally this time. The force he used however was extremely miniscule, he barely tapped his fathered sword and instead reared it around for his next attack.

His father adjusted for the angle in the same direction once more. Except he noticed that by doing so he was putting his arms in an awkward position he was at his max rotation and would not be able to defend further, however he was still guarding his entire left side, but he a weakness was still going to be exploited.

Tekato quickly rotated his wrists around and brought his sword back behind his right side and continued to rotate it until it was going at an vertical slashing angle soaring upward at his father’s chest. The reason he had taken the extra step earlier was so he could be that much closer to his father’s exposed side, now he was able to reach it quicker, giving his father no time to defend against it. His plan worked out as he saw he was about to hit his father he paused and stopped himself from actually making contact. He looked up at his father and smiled smugly. He was happy that he was able to beat his father this time, especially when his father made a remark joking about his skill.

“Very good Tekato, except remember you will not get a lot of power with the way you attacked as most of it will come from your wrist and arm. I’m not saying it won’t be effective, just keep that in mind. The most power you will get from a strike is when you can put your entire body and will into a strike, with every bit of energy from your lungs and muscles concentrated into each and every strike, but of course still maintaining the calm finesse that is required to be a skilled swordsman.”

[← KIRA →]

lrnd

[Tekato Shimura]

(thank you sir)

Kibatsu Genron (Principles For Striking)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens offense with a sword.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles only apply to Gyakusatsu techniques.
Description: Kibatsu Genron is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to break through an opponent's guard or otherwise defensive measures. This type of offense not only learns how to penetrate an enemy's defense, but also incorporate a knock-back effect upon striking.
o E Rank: At this level of skill the user only understands the mechanics of breaking enemy defenses.
o D Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are E-Rank and lower.
o C Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are D-Rank and lower.
o B Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are C-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to two meters.
o A Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are B-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to five meters.
o S Rank: At this level of skill the user is capable of penetrating defenses that are A-Rank and lower, as well as knocking the target back up to seven meters.

0/20

Young Tekato stood across from his father. He was wearing a tan shirt with long sleeves and brown shorts. He had his sword on his hip and was standing uprightly with good posture. His father was wearing a blue robe, with a wooden sword at his side as well, standing at the same posture as his son, who was mimicking his own stance. The two of them bowed low respectful bows and drew their weapons from their belts. Tekato was training his ability to better his ability to break through defenses again. He was to try to break through his father defense at a higher level than he had ever previously fought against. They had begun meditating before and after every training session now. Tekato felt completely calm and at ease with himself and his surroundings. There was a wooden floor beneath him, with paper doors and walls all around him. They were in his father’s own personal Dojo.

His father took a defensive position. He held his sword below his waste level and had it pointed at Tekato’s chest. Tekato would recognize it as the lower level posture stance, the most effective stance at defense. His father’s legs matched the positon of his hands. His dominate hand was at the top of the handle and his off hand was toward the back. Since his feet replicated the same manner his right was in front and his left was behind him. Both were bent at agile angles, allowing for movement to be executed swiftly and gracefully with no down time. His father looked into Tekato’s eyes, as he always did before they began their training sessions.

The two bowed to eachother. Tekato took a stance; it was the middle level posture. It tended to be his favorite stance at the beginning of his training because it was most comfortable and balanced, he did not feel as though he had to compensate too much on his offense or defense. The training was purely offensive however, so it would have been completely justifiable to use a more aggressive stance. Tekato liked to practice in this stance even if it was more called for to use another stance. He held his dominate hand, his left hand, at the top of his handle right under the guard and his right hand just below that. He had his left foot bent slightly in front of his body, and his right was behind him, also ever so slightly bent at the knee. He was sure to put his weight on his toes/calf muscles so he be agile. He brought his sword up to his waist and held it at a forty-five degree angle toward his father. He pushed off his right foot and charged at his father who stood still and calm. He kept his sword at the same angle to hide any attack he was going to make until the last second. Just before he reached his father he reared back his blade and body to the left side then swung with all his might and will horizontally at his father’s waste. His eyes were keen on what his father did. As he swung he began tucking inward, increasing his angular speed, but wouldn’t commit to it until he saw and heard the familiar clacking sound of two wooden swords colliding.

His father moved his sword to right side to block the attack. He moved his sword to a vertical up-right position and blocked Tekato’s sword from that position. He stepped back to increase distance between the two, but maintained his balance. He looked at Tekato’s eyes amidst the attack and saw deceptive intent. He knew another attack was coming but wasn’t going to use this knowledge against him since it was an unfair advantage. He knew his son better than a normal opponent would. Though he did want to challenge Tekato a bit so he figured he would block the next attack as well.

Tekato smirked as he heard the wooden blades collide. He tucked inward so that he could use the momentum from his attack to do a full spin. He let his wrist be loose so that his sword simply slid of his father’s. He spun around and readied his sword during the turn around. The next attack wasn’t going to be the same slash since his father was already in the position to defend against it. He held his blade point toward where his father was going to be instead of perpendicular to it like he would if he were to try to slash at his father because it was going to be a stabbing motion. As he got to about two-hundred and seventy degrees he began thrusting his sword forward to stab at his father. He made it so it was not simply a straight stab but one with a slight angle, so that it was a mix between a stab and a slash, though it was definitely mostly a stab. The thrust veered only a few degreed to his right when he executed the motion.

Tekato’s father saw what he was doing and took another step back so he could have the time to block the attack. He kept his sword facing straight up and caught the outside of Tekato’s blade with his and forced it to his own inside. If he had done this maneuver against a quicker opponent the sword would stab into him, but he was fast and able to get Tekato’s blade all the way across his own body without letting it touch him. This left Tekato in an awkward, and likely unpredicted position to strike. To force Tekato to think quicker his father reared his sword over his head and began slashing downward at Tekato who would have to do something quickly to make up for his failed attack.

[Tekato Shimura]

Tekato’s eyes widened as his attack that he thought would work was deflected out to the side. He almost stumbled as his weight was farther out in front of him because his stabbing motion was redirected outside. He had put too much of his own weight into the stab. He had the reward of a stronger attack but the risk of it missing and him being off balance. He caught himself with his left foot and kept his eye on his father who was coming down on him with a downward slash. ‘this is going to hurt if I don’t dodge it…’ Tekato thought. Just as he was catching himself with his left foot he let it collapse beneath him. He was suddenly on a knee and used his right leg to rotate his body one hundred and eighty degrees back toward his father. He smirked because his fathers blade went crashing down next to him. He boosted off his left foot and jumped into the air. He came slashing down at his father at a diagonal angle at his neck.

His father smirked at his son’s natural ability adapt and quickly adjusted himself to the situation. He took a step back and brought his blade back up. He pushed his hands forward at Tekato’s blade, letting his hang horizontal and perpendicular to Tekato’s blade. He made it just in time to block Tekato. Tekato would soon be landing behind him, giving Tekato an opportune moment to attack. He pivoted himself on one foot to face where he figured Tekato would come from.

Tekato’s slash was a failure, but one that would supplement his next attack. His downward slash was blocked, but he stiffened his wrist so that he would have some blow back from his father’s block. He landed to his father’s south west. He gained his footing and didn’t hesitate to go in for another attack. His father had already turned around toward him, but was not properly ready to defend himself against Tekato who had the advantage at this point. His father rotated around his left side and would be most susceptible to be hit by a diagonal slash from the north east. Tekato ran at his father and held his sword high in the air, ready to be brought down at a north east to south west diagonal angle. He put only moderate power into the strike because he needed to make it quick, he was going for speed instead of power. He was going to land his attack down on his fathers torso area if it was not blocked.

His father turned toward his son and saw the attack but was too late to bring his sword up to block the attack. He saw Tekato coming in for an attack that was at the exact position he should have. It was the right move, but he wasn’t going to let Tekato win yet, he had to impress him one more time, then he would pass this test. He saw the trajectory of the blade and leaned back putting all of his weight on his right forearm, narrowly avoiding Tekato’s strike. He pushed off of his feet and flipped over his right arm and stood up waiting for what would come next. Tekato was in an aggressive mood it seemed, it was likely that he was not going to hesitate on the attack to come either. He expected him to, not that he would be disappointed if he didn’t, it just seemed to be what Tekato would do at this time.

Tekato was surpised at his father’s maneuver, he was far more agile than he thought he was. This impressed him more than it intimidated. His father was really awesome, in his eyes, the greatest ninja, heck the greatest man, in the world. He smiled as he ran toward his father with his sword trailing on his right side cocked back 70 degrees so it was actually pointing behind him. His father was ready as ever but he was going to break his defense no matter what it took. He reached him and swung horizontally at his father.

His father easily turned towards the attack and blocked it.
Tekato let go of his sword just as it hit his father’s. Tekato smirked and spun completely three hundred and sixty degrees around in an instant, catching his sword by the handle in the process. As he finished he was nearly behind his father and continued to use the momentum to drive the slash toward his father’s back until he finally reached it. Breathing heavily he watched as he stopped himself from hitting his father’s back and let the blade be still to show he had won the spar. He was breathing heavily, but smiling. He was almost crying.
His father turned around and smiled at his son, “I’ve never seen anyone do that before.” He was deeply impressed with Tekato.

Tekato didn’t say anything and just smiled. He jumped at his father in a hug. Silently he was telling his father that the reason he did that was to rise up to his father’s skill, he did it for him, not for himself. He buried his face in his father’s shoulder. He was a skilled fighter, but still just a kid.

His father let a tear run down his face as he embraced Tekato in a hug. “I’m proud of you son.” He said still smiling.

[srg3924]

+17

[Tekato Shimura]

17/20

Early the next morning Tekato felt like he needed to better internalize the technique he and his father were training the previous day. After a good night's rest it felt more of a part of him but he didnt feel like he was drilled enough. He got out of bed and went down the stairs and into the dojo. He grabbed the training dummy he used to work on his gyakusatsu form. He brought it outside and grabbed his sword. He was still in his pajamas which consisted of loose black pants and a light black buttoned down long sleeve shirt. He looked at his sheethed sword and held it with his right hand out in front of him. He palm and fingers curled over the scabbard and the handle faced to his right. He took his left hand and grabbed the handle and unsheathed the blade. He dropped the sheath so he could take the two handed stance before he would begin striking the dummy he planted in the ground. His knees bent and his left hand was over his right. He held the sword at a forty five degree angle and stared at the dummy on both sides of the blade.

In an instant Tekato thrusted down his blade at the dummy. He knew as he struck he was dulling his blade, but justified that he was going to sharpen it that day anyway. As he landed the blade on the dummy's left shoulder he twisted his hips to the right and let the rest of his body follow in the motion. He swung his sword in a full spin horizontally landing it on the dummy's left waist area. Tekato threw his right leg into the air and kicked the dummy to the ground. He spent no time hesitating as he took one big step over the dummy and thrusted his sword down, stabbing the ground inches away from the dummy's head, signifying victory over a human opponent. He felt like his training was coming along. By going out there to train he was able to gauge himself compared to how he trained on the dummy previously. He was really beginning to get it.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

+3

[Tekato Shimura]

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank:"E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu 

0/5

“I will teach you something today that could very well save your life someday Tekato.”

“What’s that Dad?” young eight year old Tekato asked.

“How to defend yourself.” He saw Tekato was simply listening at this point because he nodded, he was in learning mode. “The key to defense is action with regards to outcome. Anyone can block an attack, but it takes genius to block an attack and turn it into a true failure that will ultimately be their downfall. Come at me with an attack Tekato.”

Tekato nodded and slash at his father, who blocked it. He kept slashing and he kept blocking until finally he said “Okay. As you can see, I blocked all of your attacks but you were given the opportunity to come at me again and again without stop, If you were a master swordsman given that opportunity, you would have bested me long before the fifth attempt. Attack me once more.”

Tekato ran at him and attacked him with a downward slash at his father’s chest. This time instead of just blocking it his father angled his sword forward causing Tekato’s blade to slip off to the right an for Tekato to stumble in his attack. His father quickly brought his sword the back of Tekato’s neck, just barely touching him. It was a wooden sword of course. “Do you see the difference?”

“Yeah, the second time you tried harder.” Tekato said being a little resentful that he got bested.

“I wasn’t that I tried any harder, I just reacted more efficiently, now wouldn’t you say the second time I defended myself I did so more efficiently, not giving my opponent another chance to attack?”

Tekato nodded, but was still a little sore that he lost.

“You’ll have to learn that your not always going to win your battles Tekato.” His father chuckled at his son’s frustrated look and patted him on the head. “Okay so I am going to attack you, and want you to not only block my attack, but turn it against me, we’ll start off basic for now.” Tekato’s father faced him and they bowed to each to show that they were ready. His father took a step forward and attacked Tekato with a downward slash.

Tekato reacted and brought his sword upward to defend against the attack. As the swords clashed Tekato let his blade shift to the weight of his father’s, letting the other blade slip off of his own. As soon as the weight was gone he brought it forward at his father’s stomach and held it there. He looked up at his father to see if he had done it right. He was a fairly quick learner, but didn’t really realize it himself. “Was that okay?” He asked.

“That’s exactly what I mean, good job.” His father said to Tekato smiling.

[Flower]

Learned~

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Tekato Shimura]

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank:"E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

0/10

Tekato and his father bowed to eachother and drew their swords. Tekato was training his defensive abilities. Tekato took a stance. It was the middle level posture stance. He held his sword out in front of him with his left hand at the hilt of the wooden sword and the other toward the bottom. His feet reflected this stance as his left leg was forward and slightly bent and his right leg was back and also bent slightly. He found himself staring at his father as a whole, his eyes were looking at his torso area, but he focused on his entire body, looking at his arms and sword and his legs and his potential movements. He was on the defensive so he awaited his father to make a move at him. He knew that this time his father would go harder on him and he would have to break his offense with even greater skill than he had done so before.

His father took a different stance than Tekato probably expected. He held his sword behind his back on his left hip as if it were sheathed. He had his right leg forward and his left leg back, both of his knees were bent greatly as he was low to the ground.

Tekato would probably recognize the stance to be the rear hidden posture. It was used as a deceptive stance to hide the blade. While the blade was hidden the defender or attacker would not be able to as easily interpret of guess where the blade might strike first. His father suddenly let out a burst of speed and ran at Tekato. They began roughly ten meters from each other. His father closed the distance and struck at Tekato with a horizontal slash at Tekato’s upper torso.

Tekato, using quick steps and maneuvers rolled his body and wooden sword toward the strike blocking it with a vertically positioned sword. He rotated his body around while moving toward his father’s right side. As his rotation came to a full spin he let his sword fly outward naturally from the forces his spinning put on the sword. His attack was now aimed at his fathered waste in a horizontal slash. As he slashed forward he used his left leg to stop the rotation and give himself the balance needed if his father were to counter. He let his right foot be back and bent in case he needed to make any quick movements. He had a lot of centrifugal force in the strike at his father, his dad would need to be quick if he wanted to block his attack. Tekato’s specialty was quick and agile movements, letting his force be born from the movements he already made, keeping his strikes natural and smooth with no forced strength into any particular strike.

His father’s strike was blocked as he expected, the first strike rarely struck the flesh, it was the second strike that was important. His father saw his son blocked the attack while spinning and making his way to his flank where he would be open. He quickly boosted off of his left back foot and kept his right front foot completely stationary so he would pivot on it in the quickest way possible to face Tekato and his strike. Because of this quick movement he was able to face his son and block the attack. After the swords clashed his father reared back his blade and pointed it directly at Tekato’s abdomen, then thrusted it at him in a quick stabbing motion. He was sure not to put his entire weight into the stab and put his right foot forward in the attack so he could use that to catch his weight and balance, allowing him to recover in the event Tekato blocked and countered the attack.

Tekato became more determined when he saw his father blocked his attack. He slammed his left foot down and gained his balance. His father was already going in for a counter attack. Tekato slashed away at his father’s blade hitting it to Tekato’s left side. He pushed off of his back foot and leapt forward doing a from left to right horizontal slash at his father. He was sure to use his momentum in the strike against his father’s torso. He would land to his father’s left side where he would likely be open for yet another attack if his father did somehow block his last one. He land on his left foot and pivoted on it, rotating himself around toward his father, then catching himself with his right foot back. He went back into his stance, with his left leg forward and his right leg back, and his sword was at a forty five degree angle with his left hand on top and his right on bottom. This stance was natural based on how he landed and made no movement to specifically correct it as he was already in it. He pushed forward off of his right foot and made a stabbing motion toward his father, this would no doubt be the finishing move unless his father tried to continue on the fight.

His father’s stab was hit to the right and Tekato was already leaping at him with a horizontal slash. Tekato’s blade already at the inside of his own, no matter how fast he moved his wooden sword to try to block it he wouldn’t make it in time. He did the limbo and bent both his knees down to keep his balance. He just barely dodged the blade by leaning back as far and catching himself with his off hand. As he got up to face Tekato for his next strike he saw that his sword was already stopped and at his back. He smirked at his son’s quickness, there was no hesitation in Tekato, he was proud of this. He wondered how Tekato would do in real battle with real sharpened weapons against an enemy that aimed to take his life. If Tekato were to be put in a situation where he needed to take the life of an enemy to save his own, do or die, would he be able to maintain and keep the consistent lack of hesitation, and almost meditative concentration on the battle if it meant he had to kill? These thoughts passed through his mind, but the only thing he showed was an approving smile toward his son. “You defended and countered against my moves correctly, good job son.” He said with a warm smile.

[|Ayame Unbound|]

Learned

[Tekato Shimura]

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank:"E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

0/20

Young 8 year old Tekato stood across from his father and sensei. The two bowed to each other as the did before every training spar. The most frequent training activity was sparring, they did it more than any other kind of training. His father always seemed to pull new tricks every time they fought, making for an interesting spar every time. It was almost like he could change the very style and nature of his sword style at will when he fought. They took stances in preparation to fight.

Tekato took his usual middle level posture stance. He placed his left hand in front of his right and had his feet in the same manner, left out front, right in back. He held his sword at a forty five degree angle to the ground beneath him. It was his job to defend as that was what they were training. He was sure to bend his knees slightly so he wasn’t stiff since being stiff was one of the worst things you could be while in battle. They used wooden swords of course as they never used real ones for these types of training spars.

His father took an offensive stance that he didn’t normally see his father use. He recognized it as the upper level stance. He held his right hand above his left on the sword handle. He held the sword above his head, in a position where he could easily bring it down for an offensive strike without having to move to any prior position beforehand. His right leg was out in front of the other one and his knees were ever so slightly bent. His eyes were full of focus as he stared into Tekato’s eyes. He seemed to be a bit more serious for this training. This observation would probably only inspire Tekato further to take the training more seriously. This was Fadaro’s (Tekato’s father) intention. They stood 10 meters apart. Fadaro ran at Tekato with his sword in the air. As he reached Tekato and came within striking distance he did the second thing that Tekato would likely not expect. He wanted to teach a concept through example, Tekato needed to learn that the most deadly attack can be the simple ones used when you aren’t prepared to defend against them. Fadaro reared back his sword as if to put extra strength into a downward slash at his head, but instead of bringing it down he pushed his left leg off the ground and into the air. He dragged it through the air horizontally and swung it at Tekato above his center of gravity, which was somewhere between his stomach and chest. The force of the kick would likely knock Tekato off balance and if not knocked over to his hands and knees, he would have to take a 3 or 4 steps to regain his balance fully. Fadaro then brought his sword at downward stab at the area Tekato would be in after his foot connected with Tekato’s body.

Tekato watched his father run at him. He focused his attention at his father’s body for signs of pre prepared movement. An arm favoring a specific direction for a fake attack or his feet making movements without commitment which would indicate a potential juke or quick movement intended for before an attack or after. His sword was the least of Tekato’s worries. It was high in the air, there were 3 or 4 possible attacks he could direct at Tekato. First, there was the most obvious attack. The downward slash from its prepared position. Second and third were almost identical attacks, only switch on an axis. The diagonal slash at Tekato’s left or right side. The practical difference was to attack the weaker side. Tekato was in an ambidextrous position, and even though he preferred his left hand and would tell you he was left handed, he was ambidextrous with his hands as well.

[Tekato Shimura]

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His middle level posture position had no particular weakness, that was the beauty of the stance. In its simplicity it held a near perfect symmetry. The fourth attack was an unlikely attack because of its awkwardness and indiscreetness. He could twirl the blade around his hands just before attacking, and hold it in a reverse blade position. From this position he would stab downward at Tekato. It was probably the least effect of the attacks purely because it could be seen coming. It could perhaps be used effectively if done quickly enough while still maintaining accuracy, if one were to surprise an assuming defender, and if you are up against someone with a weapon good for blocking slash attacks but not stabs. Such as chakrams for example. Tekato decided his father would most likely come at him with a downward slash. He did not account for his feet, as he had little experience with his father using them in battle.

As his father came at him he got to a lower position by bending his knees more and took a step back, putting most of his weight on his left foot which as now in back. He saw his father rear back his already raised sword to attack Tekato. Tekato immediately recognized this as unnecessary as raising it any higher than it already was, was only redundant. Tekato immediately felt something was wrong. That’s it! His father wanted him to see that and have time to prepare for the presumed attack coming at him from above. Something was wrong, the real attack was from else where. Where else could it come from? His feet! –too late. He caught a glance at his father’s foot ramming his side causing him to stumble to his left. He stumbled and caught himself with his left hand and knee, still holding the sword with his right hand. He expected another attack would come, and where else but from up? He didn’t have time to look to see what was coming next so he had to analyze the situation instinctively. He raised his sword to block a vertical slash from his father. He expected to hear a loud crack from the swords meeting, but instead he looked up in confusion as to why he heard no sound. Immediately he saw the tip of his father’s wooden sword at his neck. His father had used he fourth attack that he saw most unlikely. He was surprised in two ways. He lowered his head in embarrassment. “I misread your moves pretty bad this time.” He said half chuckling at his mistakes.

“Do you see what you did wrong there and what I did right?” Fadaro was not going to make sure he got the message across because it was an important lesson. He wanted Tekato to explain himself thoroughly and show him that he understands, at least conceptually that attacks can come from anywhere, and even though some attacks are more likely than others, one should no rule them out. He needed to be prepared for the unexpected.

[Riku Tadami (Sage)]

mmmm

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