Kuro walked slowly past the row and rows of book shelves. The academy library had a ton of books on all subjects just waiting to be opened and release their secrets. The room smelled musky, like an old area of study should he imagined. He had never had access to such a treasure trove of learning before. Figuring that he had to start somewhere, he picked out a few choice books on subjects he did not know so well. Among these were zanpakutos, kidou, and his first interest today: Shinigami and Hollows - the struggle between good and evil.

He made great haste in seating himself at a table in the back corner, away from prying eyes. Opening the hollow book, he began to read the supposed facts. As he read, he reminded himself to not be led by the slanted views of the obviously shinigami author. Nothing could be totally explained from a single viewpoint, especially the sworn enemy of the subject you were studying. The book went into great detail on the creation of hollows, how they were the result of souls gone to the dark side after losing their hearts and devouring their loved ones. They survived by feasting on the souls of those with high levels of spiritual energy. The book finished with saying that it was the main duty of Shinigami to hunt down these monsters and stop them from devouring innocent lives. 'In doing the action of slaying a hollow, you will also be saving the person who that hollow originally was.'

Kuro took a moment to process this information. It makes the hollows out to be little more than wild animals that need to be whipped. While I don't like that idea, I can't deny that there seems to be no falsification in the information about how they live. So after I am an official Shinigami, I will do my best to protect innocent souls from them.

Kuro next moved on to the kidou book. This volume was thick and old, probably used for thousands of years. Its table of contents was filled with page listings to theories on spiritual power and application of casting kidou. There was even a section of the book that listed all currently known kidous. While Kuro was not interested in pursuing mastery of this subject, he found it a necessity to at least learn about it so that he could deal with opponents that used it against him in the future. Bakudous caught his attention more than the Hadous had. Sealing off an opponent's ability to move so that you could move in for the kill sounded much more appealing than layering a ton of your energy into a projectile that could be blocked or dodged. Kidou could also be used for healing, a fact that Kuro had never thought of before. Maybe there was some point in learning this stuff after all. Kuro closed the book and put it off to the side, intending to study it again later.

He finally came to the book on the true strength of a shinigami: their swords. His he didn't carry on him yet. He was content to carry a wooden practice sword through the halls of the academy. His zanpakuto was nothing spectacular either. Just a small blade probably only as usuful as a samurai's side arm. He had grabbed this book in the interest of finding out more.

The book began with the suggestion that a zanpakuto is essentially the manifestation of a shinigami's power into solid form. Therefore, they are all different sizes, shapes, etc. That made Kuro feel at ease. His sword's size was just a representation of his character...his power. The book continued to explain that each zanpakuto was alive. They all had spirits, and they all had names. Only the shinigami who created the sword can communicate with it and discover its name. At this point, they would be able to unseal the power in thier sword into a state that was known as "shikai". Again, all shikais were different, just like the swords' sealed forms. Kuro skimmed the rest of the section, his eyes stopping on the word "meditation". He closed the book and returned it and the others to the shelf. He had learned what he wanted to learn, and it would help him increase his ability....in due time.

+2 to intelligence

Kuro had returned to the library many times since his first visit. His main purpose these days was to study on his kidos, a subject that he was improving in, but only thanks to his determined studying. Today he was continuing his study on bakudos. He grabbed the thick book he had found on his first visit to the library and had been using ever since to assist him.

Kuro sat at the first table he could find. He no longer cared about hiding on the edges of the room. He belonged here just like any other student. Opening the book, he flipped through its pages to the bakudo section. He began to re-read the introduction like he did every time he came.

Bakudo kidos are a wide variety of spiritual defenses that can do many things to assist you in your struggle against an opponent. They are most commonly used for sealing the opponent's movements, but can also be used for a distraction, hiding, or even defense against attacks. Their numbers from weakest to strongest, range from 1 to 99.

Kuro finished reading the intro and turned the pages until he reached the page of the highest bakudo he had managed to cast so far, Geki. This spell bound the opponent by paralyzing them with a shining red light that engulfed them. Kuro's current energy levels could cast it twice without side effect. Anything more than that left him drained spiritually. Turning the pages, he stopped at a spell that would probably help him out in the future.

Bakudo #21: Sekienton - This spell when cast successfully is a useful tool for quick escapes or concealments. It produces an explosion of red smoke upon casting and allows the caster to slip away unnoticed. A good spell for covert fighters to use in hand with Bakudo #26: Kyakko.

Kuro flipped over to Kyakko's page, wondering what its effect was. His mind began to simulate how these two spells would help him in the future as he read.

Bakudo #26: Kyakko - A spell used for concealment that hides the caster. This is done by bending the light around the caster. When cast correctly, all prescence of the caster is hidden, including sight and reiatsu.

Both these spells would definately help those in the covert ops. But Kuro would have to improve himself if he wanted to use them. Their level of difficulty seemed high even for an academy graduate. Keeping that in mind, he copied down everything about them in his notes and returned the book to its shelf. He spent the rest of his time in the library with sheets of paper which he scribbled on. Any passerby would think he was doodling because the scribbles looked like a messed up collection of lines, arrows, and circles. But Kuro's purpose in this was imagining battle simulations making use of his fighting skills now, adding the usefulness of the new kidos he'd studied, and different styles of opponents.

After Kuro had finished, he neatly gathered all of his papers and left the library with a tired yawn. He had studied enough and now it was time for some rest.

+2 Intel ^^

Kuro was back. The library was simply a place that he could not stay away from. His purpose today was different however. One of his instructors had approached him during his studies and asked him to join him in the library. The man looked middle aged, but Kuro knew that he had centuries of experience within him. He had followed the instructor without a fuss.

When they reached a short table in the back of the library, the instructor had pulled out a western chess set and requested that Kuro play him in a game. Kuro knew how to play, but failed to see the relevance to this. However, he had taken a seat across from him and started the game. As they continued, the instructor began to speak.

"You seem to be more committed to your studies these days. Your concentration and growing strength is something to be desired. But I wonder if you are trying to do too much too fast."

Kuro listened intently, while keeping his eyes on the board. The instructor's pieces seemed to move with a flawless flow that left no openings. Feeling slightly frustrated, he moved a bishop across the board and took the instuctor's far side pawn. The instrctor smiled and simply moved up his rook to capture the bishop.

"Your growth is quick." he continued, "And that makes me wonder if your maturity can keep up. If you build the fire too fast, it will only lose control and you will burn yourself and those around you."

Kuro calmed down as he took his eyes off the game and stared at his instructor. He suddenly understood what the instructor and his challenge were aiming at. He thought of Kuro as a young academy student who had forgotten the important things in life all for the sake of gaining more strength. Kuro understood why he would think that. Lately he had grown distant once again from his classmates, spending all his time studying and practicing his skills. Kuro smiled with relief and returned to the game while responding to the instructor's worries.

"I am a man who is easily distracted." he said as he solidified his attack on the board. "Yet at the same time, I am focused. My recent aloofness is the result of a realization of where I want to go in life. I have met new people who I don't think I can truely fight alongside of as a helping member unless I improve myself. In order to gain, some things must sometimes be changed. That is the system of maintaining the balance. I am dark, but I am light. I defend..." Kuro placed a piece in the center of the instructor's formation, locking him in checkmate, "...but I attack. Do not worry about me sir. I am doing my best now so I can best serve you and all of the soul society later."

The instructor smiled and bowed at Kuro, who followed suite. The instructor gathered up the game as he voiced his relief. "At least I can take pride in my part of helping you grow." He saw the confused look on Kuro's face and explained, "When our game began, you were like a rooky sending in random pieces with no strategy. But as you calmed down and remembered who you are, your form changed and you flawlessly moved in attack while keeping your defense solid. Remember those skills in the future. They will probably help you when you one day become a leader on the battle field."

Kuro watched the instrutor leave, stumped in the fact that he had just been given a private lesson in strategy and integrity.

its worth more but i can only give you +1 intel and locked