Graduation

Kuro was out in the Rukongai again. It was a place far from the duties and people he had to deal with in the Seireitei. The best place for training. And today's training was important. He held his zanpakuto out in front of him and concentrated on the blade. His energy flowed for a moment, and the sword gave off a strange gold glow. Another moment later, the masked ninja spirit of Kuro's blade was standing in front of him with its hidden eyes gleaming excitedly.

"My son, you have called me out into your own world this time, just as I knew you would eventually. You have grown strong and mastered all the techniques I had to teach you. So why is it that you call me today?"

Kuro smiled, Seishou-sejin had spoke with a tone that was guiding. It already knew what Kuro wanted. He chose to speak his intentions anyway with confidence and challenge.

"I have taken on many foes, gained victories, been given losses. I have been in all kinds of battles against opponents weaker and stronger than myself. I have fought alongside of friends and enemies alike. My experience has helped me grow to the point that I feel I am ready for more responsibility. I wish to obtain and master all of your power...all of my power.

"I/You quest for the bankai!" They both spoke in unison at the conclusion of Kuro's statement. Seishou-sejin nodded and began to pace back and forth in front of Kuro.

"So you wish to end your apprenticeship and become the master of your teacher?" It asked.

Kuro shook his head. "I wish to rise from the status of your student and take my place beside you as a partner."

"WEAK!"

Kuro was startled by the sudden shout his zanpakuto spirit rang over the desert plain they were standing in. The shout sent a shiver down his spine, but he regained his composure and inquired as to what the spirit meant.

"Why do you say that partnership is weak?"

The spirit snorted with an annoyed sound, its eyes shining with the same tempered appearence it had shown during Kuro's lessons in the past. "A team must have a leader. Someone who is strong. Do you think that you're being merciful or fair by trying to offer a partnership to me? That is foolishness! All you are doing is running away from responsibility. A leader respects his servents for their abilities and loyalty, but rules over the whole with a firm resolve and a responsible heart. It shames you to want to run away from that."

Kuro lowered his head and stared at the ground. He understood his spirit's accusation. He looked back up and stared at his spirit with a darkened look of battle. "If that is truly what you wish, then I shall obey my master. I will defeat you and prove that I have what it takes to rule over you and your abilities."

"Very good my student..." His spirit replied. As Kuro watched, he felt a slight prescence of reiatsu building in the area around his weapon's spirit. All of a sudden, circles of light began to grow in a verticle line along the ninja warrior's body. It watched Kuro's amazed and puzzled expression with glee.

"What you see here are the true displayers of power, the chakras. My lessons prior to today have taught you to awaken and use their power. However, you were unaware of this. The only skill you have practiced is using the power available to you and transferring it through this:" The spirit held up its hand and showed Kuro that its hand had a glowing circle on it as well, "The hand chakra. This chakra is not a gateway that power originates from. It is the gateway out of your body that the gathered power flows from in order to influence the world outside your own. This lesson may take many days, but I will force you to use your central chakras. For that is the only way you will beat me!"

The Seishou-sejin clenched its fist and slammed it into the ground. Kuro saw the chakra over its heart glow as its fist did as well and the ground was shattered with an intense burst that sent debris flying in all directions. Kuro felt fear flow through him again. The strength he had obtained with his shikai did not hold a candle to the force that his spirit had just used. But this was no time to be afraid. Kuro released his shikai and charged at his master.

Kuro shunpoed quickly at the spirit's front. He struck out with his right, following with a left palm thrust that he packed spirit energy into. Seishou-sejin dodged both seemingly without any trouble. Then it disappeared.

"You can't catch me with such weak power and speed." Kuro heard whispered into his ear. He turned in surprise and took a punch right in his stomach that sent him flying across the barren ground. He hit the ground and rolled, gasping with pain and struggled to pull himself up. Simple mind tricks and a bit of strength weren't going to be enough to win this fight. He had to tap into his chakras fast, or he might die.

OOC: Obviously, this is not all I'm posting. Like others, I'm going to take a small break and post more of the challenge later

Kuro surged his power, and tried to feel what his spirit was talking about. His energy was abundant as it flowed from his body, but he didn't feel any specific source like Seishou-sejin had mentioned. Concentrating the power he felt, he dashed at his master and threw a feint attack with his right fist. The spirit moved with its incredible speed again and flew into the space inside Kuro's arm, right in front of his face. From that position it launched a counter attack with its left hand aimed straight at Kuro's chest. Kuro saw the attack and shunpoed out of the way.

His shunpo took Kuro behind his master where he struck with his left palm at its back. He was shocked as its body turned around and met his palm with its bare right fist. The release of energy in his palm forced the spirit's feet a few inches into the ground with its force, but did not cause the ninja-clad warrior to flinch in the least. Its hand had held a stronger strength behind it that was as immovable as a mountain. Kuro's face paled as the Seishou-sejin struck again, faster this time, landing a crushing blow into his side.

Kuro was in pain and shock. He had never been so outdone by any opponent when it came to his speed before. Even trying to launch a surprise counter attack from behind had failed miserably. He cursed this difficult trial under his breath and focused all the power he felt throughout his body into his gauntlet. Thrusting it down into the ground, he tore the earth in the same way Seishou-sejin had earlier. The flying debris scattered in all directions and Seishou-sejin leapt back away from its advance. Kuro stood straight again, breathing hard and feeling drained.

"I'm not going to give up. I need to beat you so that I may grasp true power. By mastering myself and my limits, I'll be able to better protect myself and others that I care for!"

As Kuro spoke, a soft glow appeared at the bottom of his torso. The spirit roared with laughter at his feat.

"By using up the energy in your body and forcing yourself to continue, as well as strongly sticking to your resolve, you have discovered your first chakra. What an excellent way to further your strength. What more can you do?"

Kuro concentrated on this new energy and felt a strong energy flowing. It was strong, but felt familiar. He realized that it was his normal energy tapped and concentrated on a different level than he was used to. He struggled to work with this new force and bring it up to his arm where he could use it to strike. Surprisingly, his spirit did not attack him during this time and let him concentrate. Kuro closed his eyes and tried to enter a sort of mild meditation. He cleared his mind of everything besides his immediate task of using this new energy. Next he drew an image of himself in his mind's eye, imagining the glowing circle on his body. He mentally struggled to bring the energy higher.

As Kuro continued to concentrate, he lowered himself into a sitting position on the ground to better relax himself and ease his body. He focused on the new feeling of power and tried to bring the feeling out to the rest of his body.

Seishou-sejin, who was still standing a few yards from him called out, "Is this all the resolve you have?"

"Shut up!" Kuro roared in frustration, annoyed by the taunting during his struggle. To his surprise, two more glowing centers of power appeared on his body in the same sort of upward path that the chakras on Seishou-sejin's body had formed. The spirit explained.

"My aim was to force your power out. The chakras are a network of energy. Any of them can give your body power, but each additional one opened further completes the whole and brings you closer to your greatest self. My taunt stimulated your third chakra and brought the energy from the first all the way up to it. You should be grateful."

This was a confusing thing. But one thing that Kuro had understood from the spirit's explanation was that he was going about this the wrong way, but the right way as well. The whole time he'd sat there concentrating, he'd been working on opening more chakras. The ones that were already opened could easily be used. He had just not known that. Kuro stood up and breathed deeply, feeling the massive energy from his body. He snapped his eyes open and spoke back to the spirit.

"I am thankful for your assisstance. Now I shall show you the results of that help."

Kuro pulled power from the three glowing energy chambers on his torso into the rest of his body. Though this energy felt a bit different, it was rather easy to work with now that he could differentiate the feeling of awakening it and using it. He let the power spread through his body, then focused on bringing it into his gauntlet on his left hand. The red palm jewel shone with a light that was brighter and purer than any light it had shown before. Kuro felt that his next attack would work.

"Let's try this again!" he roared as he charged Seishou-sejin. The spirit's eyes glowed with anticipation as it stood at the ready. Not trying and tricks or deception this time, Kuro threw his palm straight at the ninja in a direct confrontation. Seishou-sejin accepted the challenge and held out its fist to test the level of Kuro's power once again.

Kuro's palm flew into the outstretched fist with a fury of energy behind it. The spirit did not move or flinch again, but the clash of their powers caused the ground around them to crack violently. Seishou-sejin chuckled and brought its fists up.

"You're first successful use of your full chakra strength has arrived. But you'll have to use this energy in new ways. Your power can not beat me as long as you cannot evade or catch me."

Seishou-sejin began to shift side to side before dashing to Kuro's right. It seemed to glide along the ground effortlessly, the slightest push from its feet sending it speeding in any direction. Kuro imagined that it must have a powerful strength in its legs to move so fast. He couldn't think much further than that as the spirit changed its direction and came up to him. It began a continuous flurry of punches that struck at random spots all over Kuro's upper body. He tried to avoid them, but his master's arms were a blur. Kuro tried to counter attack, packing more chakra energy into his gauntlet and striking out at his tormentor. His fist met nothing but air as he saw the glowing circles of energy on Seishou-sejin's body twinkle and it zoomed out of his reach. He gazed at its flawless movement, dumbfounded as to how he could beat it.

"Can you not-" It began to speak.

"Stop!" Kuro interrupted the spirit's words. "This fight is the end of my training. I am grateful for all the teaching you have given me, but I must now beat you on my own with no further help. That is for myself for my pride, for you to please you about my accomplishment, and for those I wish to use my strength for."

Kuro's chest began to glow with a fourth circle of power shining right over his heart. The power from this one felt warm and friendly. Kuro could feel the energy flowing into it from the three first ones. He pulled the power out of it and let it circulate through his body. Then he got an idea.

Kuro remembered his last attempt at attacking Seishou-sejin. During the spirit's rapid assault, his counter attack had missed due to the spirit's speed. He remembered that its chakras had glown brighter just as its speed increased and it had moved back away from his attack. Just maybe, he could use this new compressed power to do other things besides strengthen his arm. As he thought this, another chakra appeared on his throat. His face had a look of shock pasted on it, but Seishou-sejin spoke to him again.

"You are maturing with your power as well as your thought process. This is beginning to open your already stimulated chakras." It held up a hand to silence Kuro as he tried to stop its advice. "You are still my student until you beat me, and you must accept one important truth before your sixth chakra will open. After it does, and you manage to beat me, you will have graduated from your position as my student."

Kuro gave a slight bow to thank Seishou-sejin for his advice. He was trying to do this by himself, but it was nice of his master to guide him like always. But now was the time to show his power. Pulling power from all five of the chakras along his body, he awkwardly guided the power to different parts of his body. It felt weird, for guiding power into his left arm and his gauntlet had become a reflex for him. Using the compressed power in other areas felt new and a little scary. He focused energy in both of his legs and sprang forward.

His movement made his vision blur as he was unprepared for this speed. It was almost as fast as shunpo, but he had not performed one. Testing again, he gathered more energy into his legs this time and attempted a shunpo boosted by his new energy. The result was astounding. He zipped past Seishou-sejin in a flash and was behind him instantaneously. Pulling power into his whole arm this time, he struck at the spirit's back with a quick and powerful strike. This time, his blow was successful and sent his zanpakuto spirit flying onto the ground. It got back up and faced him with its eyes glinting fiercely.

"Let us finish this now. The next clash will be the last. You must open the last chakra if you wish for enough power to beat me and end my troublesome teachings."

Kuro smiled weakly as he prepared for the announced duel. "No my master, I am still a fool. I have only come this far thanks to you and your help. And even after I beat you, I now know that my learning from you will not be over. I am one man, one small inexperienced man. If I would ignore the wisdom of you and others that have come before me, I would remain forever ignorant. I appologize for my stubborness earlier. The fact is that nobody ever stops learning, even leaders."

Kuro's power filled his body and he could see the chakras on Seishou-sejin shining brightly as well. He filled every part of his body with energy and concentrated it as hard as he could. His limbs began to hurt as he focused, but he did not care, and continued to build power. When he was full, he leapt at Seishou-sejin and the spirit did the same. They pulled back their arms and their hands began to glow with immense power as they closed the last of the distance between them. With a cry of determination errupting from them both, their attacks met in the center of them and exploded.
"It's my loss....master..." Seishou-sejin spoke to Kuro with a humbled voice. It had been thrown back violently from their clash. It got back up and bowed in deep respect. "You cannot see it, but your sixth chakra is glowing brilliantly on your brow. Your realization to the constant quest of knowledge and experience awoke the sixth chakra and allowed you to defeat me."

Kuro smiled and fell back into a sitting position feeling sore, but filled with a strong sense of accomplishment.

"So my chakras are all open now?" he asked with an eager excitement.

"Alas, no. There is still one more that you will open. But that will have to wait until you are more experienced. I believe you felt stress and pain in your body while concentrating all your power?"

Kuro nodded in agreement. That had felt weird, like the power he was flowing into him was a doubled edged blade that made him stronger, but was hurting him too.

"That pain was the stress of your power weighing down on your body. If you had continued to try and keep it exposed for much longer, it would have destroyed your bones and muscles. You must learn to use the energy better so that it does not overwhelm you. That will be your first ordeal while using bankai."

Seishou-sejin's eyes flashed blindingly bright for a few seconds. At the same time, Kuro was engulfed by a powerful light. When the light cleared, his outfit had changed. He was wearing a ninja outfit similar to the one Seishou-sejin wore. His head was not shrouded however. He looked over the outfit, pleased with its design. It was a black outfit decorated with gold patches on the chest to give it a better flair. He had a gauntlet identical to his shikai on his right arm now, as well as ninja boots with red jewels set in their tongues. His forearms and lower legs also had light plating on the sides for better defensive capability. But the part of the suit that stood out the most was a handsome black sash, bordered with gold trim, that ran straight down Kuro's chest. On the sash were seven hollow gold rings.

"That outfit is your bankai, Kakusha Seishou-sejin." his spirit announced from its positin. The rings on your sash represent the chakras you learned about during this trial. When you first release bankai, it will only be about as powerful as your shikai. The only difference will be your new ability to use your shikai techniques with all your limbs. As you concentrate your power further, the rings on your sash will begin to turn gold like the chakras filling up. With each one filled, your power will increase. Use that power wisely and learn to control its strength."

The spirit began to fade. Kuro smiled at it and bowed deeply in thanks for its continued allegiance and its strength. He had finally achieved a long time goal of his. He had mastered bankai.

Bankai Template

+4 to Spirit Power, Speed and Fighting Skill

Call out phrase for Bankai: Bankai! Kakusha Seishou Sejin! (Enlightened Spirit Sage)

Description of the Bankai: Kuro's bankai takes the form of a complete ninja outfit minus any head gear. It is mostly black, with gold patches in a symmetrical design on the chest and gold bands on the wrists and ankles. He has two ninja gauntlets just like his shikai gauntlet, and his shoes have similar red jewels like his gauntlets set into them on the toes. Attached to the center of his shirt's torso is a golden trimmed black sash that runs from his neck to his waist. All along the sash are seven hollow gold circles representing the seven chakras.

Abilities:

Ability 1: Seishou Sasshu (Spirit Sash)
Description of ability: When Kuro first releases his bankai, his only change is being able to use the abilities of his shikai with all four of his limbs. By concentrating his power, he can begin to fill in the gold hollow rings on his sash. With each ring filled, the level of concentration of his power increases in severity, adding more power to his blows, and more speed to his sprints. At first, higher levels of concentration like the 5th and 6th rings will begin to wear down his body and can only be used for a short time before risking injury to himself. That side effect will fade with experience using the bankai. He is currently unable to fill in the 7th ring. The weakness of this ability is the need for Kuro to concentrate to light up the rings, where as the stronger the rings, the slower they light up.

This looks good to me- now i really can't wait for our fight! it'll be so much fun!

APPROVED

Some one beat me to it!