Burning wind (solo)

Sung held out his hand to help the younger man up from the ground. Reluctantly Arawn took the offered hand and got to his feet
"That look on your face must mean you have figured the technique out." The older man smiled. That smile was getting to be annoying no matter how many times he saw it. He rubbed his chest where he had taken the phantom hit. There was no denying that he had felt something connected even if the hand never touched him.
"I figured what you did, but there's no way for me to know how you did that." The old man wanted him to think it out. He enjoyed watching Arawn squirm. "I didn't see it, but I felt something hit me. And when I tried to attack you, you did the same thing. You touched me, but you didn't touch me." The older man nodded while listening. "But it wasn't heavy like Baek-Ho."
"That's very good." Sung finally said after several moments. "Unlike the first technique I taught you, this one has no destructive power." That was a reassuring. Arawn had nothing to fear from being on the receiving end of that last strike. "Try to hit me again." With the knowledge he had that technique at his disposal there was little hesitation in Arawn's swing. Before the punch could reach his master's face, he raised his open hand and stopped it. This time he didn't retract his fist. Without looking he could tell he wasn't touching Sung's hand at all. He could feel something against his hand, but it wasn't flesh. "Enough." Arawn pulled his arm back. "Now strike me again." Once more he hand shot forward, but rather block with only one hand Sung held his open palms less than a foot apart. While Arawn's fist easily fit between the outstretched hands, and yet stopped there.
It was impossible to hide his surprise. There was nothing there, but his felt as if it had hit a wall, a warm wall of air.

Suddenly he knew why Yuki hadn't joined in the demonstration. He wondered how much she wouldn't like him taking a swing at the old man. Pulling back his fist he observed the space between the other's man's open palms. Just faintly he could see the rippling in the air. It looked like he was holding something between them. An instant later the rippling stopped and Master Sung lowered his hands. "So now have you figured it out?"
He asked as rubbed his empty palms.
"Maybe not completely." It was true he didn't know what had done, but he figured what it could do. "But I have some understanding of it."
"That will have to be enough." His smile fades, now was the time to be serious it seemed. "We shall begin by using the fundamentals of Baek-Ho; release you reiatsu." Arawn was quick to comply. It was easy enough first step, but what followed was a series of kata much like before. But unlike the last time this one focused on open hand motions. He could only guess these motions were to prepare him to use the technique properly. They went for what seemed like hours, but the strain on Arawn's body made it seem as much. In reality it was only a matter of minutes that had expired. All the arm motions had his arms feeling equally tired. After a short rest they began again. Watching the master it almost looked like they were practicing miming. Their hands traced the air much like they were surrounded by an invisible bubble.
"That will be all for now." He master said after much more time had passes. "We will resume training another day. As I said, do not neglect your practice." The old man exited the room while Arawn lay on the floor gasping for air.

Three and a half weeks later

The miming practiced continued. The tracing of the air, as he exerted his reiryoku. As the time wore on his arms were more tired than his body. He didn't like questioning Master Sung's methods, but this time he had to ask.
"Master, the meaning of this exercise?" He spoke during one of their breaks "All I've gotten so far is sore shoulders." Yuki wasn't in the room, so he could get away with such frank talk. And it seemed enjoyed when he spoke thus, the old man laughed.
"Ju-Jak needs but flap his wings to move the air beneath him." He explained. "But you need much more before you can fly. The motions is more important than the form. Your body will remember even without your wanting it to. Remember that, my pupil." Arawn sighed, the man had said alot, but said nothing. He raised his palm and Arawn could see the air distort from his open hand.
"There is a reason I had you learn Baek-Ho first."The distortion vanished from his hand. "It taught you to channel and focus your reiatsu. Now you must do the same but outside your body. It easier to focus, but harder to maintain when not within."
As always a deceptively simple explanation. He mentioned the motions, when Arawn thought about it the arm waving was meant for the odd technique. More defensive than offensive.

His master's words echoed in his mind. Since he had learned Baek-Ho was it possible for him to do the new technique as well? Sung left had left the room for tea. Arawn sat cross legged on the floor his palms upward. He couldn't possibly focus his full power into both hands, channeling it into one arm was more than taxing. He sat and tried to remember Sung's use of the technique. It had been soft and yet firm. That might be a clue. The technique didn't need overwhelming reiatsu. That would make sense. Using a fraction of his power in each hand made things somewhat easier. He had to try. As you reiatsu flooded out, he tried to focus the power much like he did for Baek-Ho. This time rather than confine to one arm he tried to push it into his hands. It seemed to work at first, but then it all went to his right. He had unconsciously reverted to the previous technique. "The body remembers...." Once again the old man was right. It was troubling how his cryptic answers held such knowledge in them.

Baek-Ho required him to feel the rhythm of his body and guide the energy rather than force it. But the problem now was the familiarity of the first technique. The second problem was the duality, he wasn't ambidextrous. Try as he might his right arm would always be his primary hand. Sung had used only one hand at first, but then he used both hands later. From the exercises they had been doing the used of both hands seemed more effective. Learning the technique one arm at a time might be more practical, but prove difficult to used the other arm later. It might take longer, but it would be worth the added effort.

The following week was like the previous one. Now after the initial exercises Master Sung left Arawn alone. He wouldn't say anything. It became obvious that the man knew of his efforts to recreate the technique. The focus to his hands took longer than expected until on the fourth day he finally managed to push out his reiatsu both arms only. Before he could congratulate himself, he noted something. Try as he might the focus of reiatsu in front of his hands didn't feel solid. He placed his hands palm to palm and they touched without resistance. Now he knew something was definitely wrong.
"Master Sung's fist didn't touch at all." he muttered. He tried to force more energy out of his palms. Now the air quivered around his fist. "No that's not quite it." The way the air moved was wrong. It wasn't as directed as the instructor's fist had been. There was something he was missing, but he was very close.

He walked over to the wall and punched without his reiatsu. His fist hit the wall with all the force he could muster. It hurt his hand, but there was no mark on the wall. Arawn remembered how even though the walls looked like wood there were hard as steel. In this instance he had to see if his technique worked. Funneling his power again he tried punching the wall. Once again his fist connected. When he pulled his fist away there was a slight blemish on the wall now. Arawn sat down and thought it over. His fist had been harmed with held by Sung's technique. The more he thought about it, the feeling was warm, yet soft, and at the same time solid. He could feel the heat coming his own fist. Softer? Less power was needed, and yet to stabilize what little power was used. Instead of using more power he needed to use less. The shinigami felt the power flow into his hands and at full. Slowly he reduced it bit by bit. It was hard to suppress. The first try he shut off his power completely. Next he used half, and finally half of half. The heat from his hands had diminished greatly and it didn't seem to stretch as far.


"Okay now what?" the answer was much like Baek-Ho; release, but contain enforce his palm. Sitting in silence eyes closed as he fiddled with his reiatsu. He let it dance through every part of his body and yet hold at his hands. Then he wrapped the trickle of energy around his palms. As Arawn slowly opened his eyes he stared at his open hands. Ever so faintly he saw the shimmering of air coming from the naked skin. It didn't flow from every direction, just the palm. Slowly he stood almost if moving quickly would make the technique fail. At the wall he pulled his open hand back and slapped at the wall. There was impact, but his hand wasn't touching the wood. Another open hand slap with his other hand resulted in the same. Arawn could only grin. There was no blemish on the wall from his strike. With a smile on his face he began the exercises Sung had shown him before. With his hands so reinforced the motions made more sense. The added reach of the move made the blocks more like interceptions of attacks.

Sa Shin Mu

Ju-Jak - Eagle palm - By focusing the body's energies into the hands the user is able to create a small 2 inch cushion. This technique adds no offensive power to the hands, but the cushion a firm as stone. The cushion is barely visible on the palms. While this technique can effect physical objects, it can not defend well against elemental, light, or energy attacks. (Example Fire will hit it and still burn the body. Lightning will strike it and electrocute, etc)