Taming the tiger (solo)

It had been nearly a month since he started climbing the mountain. The stairs did make the trip faster, but no less easier. As he climbed he had to take breaks winded from the ascent. It felt like his breaks got shorter at least. His training at the peak didn't change much; release his reiatsu and perform a series of simple motions. Over the days the routines became smoother for him. Sung claimed it was only basic martial arts, but it didn't look like anything he had seen while alive. He could only wonder what art Sung may have learned so long ago. Perhaps an ancient art lost over time on earth? Arawn was happy to learn something. For the first days he would question when he would learn Baek-Ho, but Sung was unresponsive. After a fashion he stopped even asking. The martial art was more than enough for him, he felt more in shape than when he left the academy. But he still couldn't maintain his reiatsu for long, his physical condition was the only thing that seemed to improve greatly. One day Sung approached him before the practice began. Arawn lay in the middle of the floor from the climb up the mountain. He only stared at the man gasping on the ground, then finally spoke.
"Much better. You've done well so far, much better than when you started. It's time I teach you learn to use your power."
Arawn sat up and stared at the old man "Done well? I haven't learned anything other than that martial art."
"You've learned more than that, but it will have to wait." He exited the room. Arawn got up and ran after him he rounded the corner to see that he was already gone. He found the old man at the rock quarry.
"First release your reiatsu." the man stated when his student joinded him in the area. Arawn was quick to comply. "The next step in Baek-Ho is to use 100% of your power."
"100%?" the young shinigami asked, there confusion was obvious. "Isn't using my reiatsu at 100% already?"

There was a snicker from behind him. He turned to see Yuki behind him watching from atop a rock. She was always present. Most time unseen, but always at Sung's call for anything he may desire. He had yet to speak to her, and she rarely acknowledged his existence; except when laughing at him. Most times he ignored her, but not when it was to what he felt was a valid question.
"Yuki." Sung looked over to her, the young woman bowed and shunpo'd away. "Yes you are using 100%, but that power is evenly distributed throughout your body. Baek-Ho takes all that power and focuses it. Move your energy into your fist and hold it there."
This was different, he had release his power before, but never done much else with it. "How do I do that exactly?"
"It's the same as your kido; you have to pool it. Gather it to you hand."
Saying it was like kido did help, but didn't simplify the task. His pressure poured around him as he mentally tried to shift it's focus to his right hand. It was then his pressure felt different, it started to ripple. A sharp pain shot through his right arm. He made his reiatsu stop when he cried out from the shock. Arawn looked to Sung, but the old man had his usual smug look.
"The claws of Baek-Ho are sharp." he chuckled "Keep at it." He turned and returned to the house.

What Sung had called Baek-Ho claws was in fact the feedback from overloading his body's energy into his hand. Pain is the body's way giving a warning. The warning was simple; "STOP DOING THAT!". The follow weeks of his training was focused on just the shifting of his power. Climb the mountain, a light workout, and then practicing funneling his energy. Day after day this went on. It became apparent that the old man wasn't going to tell him much else. So he kept trying different ways, but nothing seemed to work. At times he could feel his reiatsu shift as he tried to direct it. The pattern in which it flowed would alter. After much time sitting alone he could "hear" his reiatsu. It was like the wind howling outside a window. As he shifted it, the sound became like a drum. A rhythm pumping in his ears. Just when he thought he could hear it properly it would fade and the pain would begin. Sometimes Yuki would watch him practice, sometimes in silence other time laughing at he struggled. But like the old man offered no help. The only good thing from the whole experience was that was slowly getting used to the pain. It wasn't that he enjoyed the pain, he had now come to expect it with each attempt. But at the end of each day his muscles were sore, the climb down the mountain didn't help any.

The next day was spent working, but the task didn't require much attention. The computer was running formulas and he was just to file the paperwork afterward. In his spare time he read over books on principles of energy manipulation. Again he didn't wish for anyone to know what he was doing, but the book's subject matter wouldn't get him in trouble. If anyone asked he could say he was reading up for kido training. But the book didn't have what he sought. It was merely facts and theory; things he had already tried. It was discouraging to think that science had failed him, but it seemed that there was an element in the technique he was overlooking. He sat in deep thought while the computers hummed around him. Sitting atop the mountain the next day he was still in deep thought. The most recent attempt had failed, and the attempt before that he tried to focus on his left instead of his right. Arawn had figured there might be a subtle difference, but there was none. Primary or secondary arm, he couldn't seem to get the energy fully shift. He was tired, he stopped his reiatsu and sat on a rock trying to rest.
As he lay there gazing at the sky he let his mind wonder. All in all it was peaceful up on the mountain. Nothing but rock and sky, it was all so relaxing. Without thinking he closed his eyes and listened to the air move about him. But there was another sound, beneath the wind he could hear that strange rhythm again. But there was no energy coming from his body, so where was the sound coming from? He strained his ears, listening more intently than before. The rhythm increased it's pace, and it was then he noticed he had been holding his breath. The sound was that of his own heart.
"Was that heck?" Arawn didn't really think about it, but he never really listened to his heart. Sure it was apart of him, but it wasn't something he had to regulate. It was an automatic function of his body. He could alter it's beats, but the way it beat wasn't under his control. He stopped mid thought. "Beyond my control....." For all his smarts, he was prone to overlook the obvious.

Arawn jumped off the rock and stood in the empty area. He now had a theory, and it was time to test it. The young shinigami took afew breaths to steady himself then after a deep breath released his reiatsu. It felt different, this time it wasn't a burst of energy, but a flow. Already he could hear the rhythm. Not just in his chest, but within his energy. He had been doing it wrong the whole time. He was trying to force something that wasn't meant to be forced. Reiryoku wasn't just energy it was a part of him. Arawn smiled, the first part was complete. He locked his eyes on his right arm and rather that push, nudged his energy forth. There was still pain, but nothing as severe as before. The energy condensed into his arm, he could feel the rest of his body lighten, and the arm felt so heavy. The right arm wavered but he lifted it above his head. With yell he slammed the fist into the ground. Arawn felt no pain from the impact, but there was a sudden rush of force around him. It almost sounded like a roar. The energy in his arm had vanished and it felt strangely numb. There was clapping from behind him and he spun around, there sat Sung atop a boulder.
"Well done." again that smug grin.
"Why couldn't you have just told me how to do it? Why did I have to go through all of that by myself?" Arawn spat very annoyed
The old man's face showed nothing, no regret or hostility. "Power granted easily, is nothing before power that is earned. I could have told you, but does that mean you would have understood?" Arawn looked blankly at the man, he hated to admit it, but he was quite right. Knowing the secret might have been just as helpful as not knowing the secret. "Do not be content with that level of skill, you must hone and perfect it." Arawn merely nodded.



Sa-Shin-Mu

Baek-Ho - Mountain Thunder - This technique takes spiritual energy from the whole body and focuses it into a point of the body. This empowers the limb greatly both in strength and defense, but only at great cost. The skill takes much of the bodily energy, thus lowering the body's defenses. At the same time it puts stress on the desired part. In doing so the limb is quite weak afterwords. The empowered limb is also extremely heavy weighting more half a ton. (1000lb)