[Plotboard Part 3] A Steel Dichotomy

[ShinobiTruth]

Hiji awoke early, the pain in his arm somehow worse than yesterday. He did not cry out, as such would unbefitting of him, but he quickly beckoned the nurses to his side. They asked him if he’d considered taking herbs to dull the pain, but he refused. Aside from possibly being viewed as a performance enhancement, which could tarnish the integrity of this final match, the samurai need these nurses for a different purpose. Having tended to his cracked ribs from the monstrous blow to his arm yesterday, Hiji knew their bandaging skills were superb. His broken arm would not be useless. It would serve a very important purpose. He explained his strategy to the nurses, and they turned white with a mixture of shock and dread.

”Hijikata-sama, you mustn’t! Should your opponent land a blow, it will take even longer for your arm to heal!”

”Please, if you must use a title, call me Sensei. I am a teacher, not a lord,” he insisted. ”And in order for me to secure victory, my left arm still has work to do. Please, I must ask this of you.”

With much cajoling, Hiji convinced the nurses to bind the arm to his side with his forearm and hand firmly wrapped across his abdominals. Hiji knew that his abdomen in particular served as the core of movement. Even if his limbs functioned, if he took even a modest hit to his abdomen, even basic movements would be come painful and even dangerous. His arm, as small a shield it was, would serve to offer some protection against such a blow.

He would take a small breakfast before heading over toward the spring, where the two elders were slated to meet with each finalist. Hiji was the first to arrive with Sozen quickly in tow. Not seeing Sato admittedly worried him. He had both his arms, but he’d suffered more damage to his ribs that Hiji had. Would he be able to fight?

[Zao]

It had been a rough night for the young man, even with the superb bandaging skills of the normal medics, they could only do so much even with some herbal medication to help lessen the pain of the broken ribs on the swordsman in training's left ribs. Even breathing was somewhat painful let alone when he moved about in his sleep. After what one might have called a long night of broken sleep the set of dim grey eyes fluttered open to the sound of birds chirping just outside of the tent. Carefully rising from the sleeping mat and tidying up his sleeping arrangements the swordsman sat down in the lotus position, attempting to meditate to help clear his mind a bit with everything that had occurred.

"Sato-san, are you ready?" The young man wasn't sure how much time had passed since he'd closed his eyes but the sound of his friend brought him back into reality and the aching pain in his side, sighing to himself he spoke out in his normal voice towards the direction the other voice had came from. "Almost." Taking in and exhaling a few deep breaths to help relax the muscles in his body the man carefully rose and affixed his blades before glancing at his side were blood stained the bandaging placed on his ribs from the night before. 'He really didn't hold anything back when he struck me...' A hint of agitation and anger passed briefly through the pale eyes as he shook his head from side to side before pushing aside the door flap of the tent before becoming bathed in the morning sun and its gentle caressing warmth that he openly welcomed today.

First he was attended to by the same nurses from the previous day and with new bandages tightly placed he was then brought over to each with the family as the clan leader spoke to him seriously about the implications of the fight, yet as the old man was speaking to him Sato couldn't help but wonder just how he was going to be able to even put up a decent fight against his comrade in arms. The injury itself was one that would visibly hinder his movement and fighting prowess and he'd have to sacrifice a good portion of his attention directly into protecting the area from a second strike. After the food and medical attention at least a bit of the pain had been relieved but he was also moving his body carefully in order to not put any unneeded stress on the wound for the time being.

Soon after the three men, which included Sato and the Clan Leader and the clan leader's son set off the meet up with the other portion of the extended family which this rivalry had been between, the last minute touch ups to Sato's bandages causing for them to be a little bit later than they had wanted to be. But about five minutes after the other party had arrived the group would be seen coming into view, Sato's hand's moved slowly and carefully into a martial salute to his friend and the others present with him, despite the current situation the young man was as respectful as ever. "Hello, Hijikata-san."

[ShinobiTruth]

Hiji was both relieved and vexed to see Sato emerge with his family’s leaders. He was grateful that the man’s injuries had not been life threatening, but the unfortunate nature of this entire scenario was not lost on the teacher. This had not been what he had intended when he’d taken this request. He’d not intended to be used as a warrior for hire in this tournament, his honor to his word the only reason he’d participated up to this point. And now, he was fighting an injured opponent, entirely due to the unrelenting stubbornness of these two elders who cling to generations-old feuds. It didn’t even matter that he was injured as well. This entire tradition seemed needlessly barbaric, and he found his reasoning of respecting foreign culture and customs less and less compelling a reason to acquiesce to these conditions.

Hiji nodded toward Sato. “Sato-kun,” he replied wryly, his conflict apparent in his eyes. This match was not one he took any sort of joy or pride in, and it made him bitter in spirit. Sato, for whatever flaws he might have, had fought honorably... but he suspected that the injuries to his ribs were more severe than he let on. He would not last long in a fight in his present state, and that wasn’t how Hiji wanted to face him in combat.

It wasn’t enough to disrupt his focus. The battlefield was no place for sentimentality. But this was not a battlefield. This was a formal match, much like a duel. The fact they were being forced to fight with injuries was an insult to both of them as warriors in his eyes. After their overly formal ramblings, Hiji and Sato were directed to opposing sides of the now worn and disheveled fighting ring.

Rising up the steps with a controlled pace, he stood across from Sato, hand resting on the hilt of his weapon. He saw no fear in the young man’s eyes. His courage was admirable. He doubted the young man would accept this, but before they began, he had to speak his mind. ”Sato-kun... Should we not try to convince these elders to find a different solution to this quarrel? We stain our blades with honorable blood for a dubious cause. Must we fight?” he implored, hoping the young man might be compelled to see his reasoning.

There was no arrogance in his speech. He was fairly certain that if the pair came to blows, Sato would not fare well. He wanted to avoid hurting him any more than he was.

[Zao]

Sato couldn't help but to let a heavy sigh escape his thin, straight lips as it was time, he rose as the judge in the center of the ring made the formal announcement for the final match and his comrade of the blade stood and walked in a steady manner up the steps while himself did the same with his left arm remaining somewhat taught against his left side and the broken ribs. His nurses had done as best as they could given the timing of the fight and the severity of the injury dealt to him by his last opponent in the arena that he once more stood within. The man's dull grey eyes seemed only three quarters of the way open as he arrived across from his friend, Hiji, leave a could meter gap between the two as his worn looking wooden sandals made quick 'tch' sounds as he came to a halt atop the battered arena.

"If only that was possible, my friend. You've seen how each of the family leaders are." Hearing the words of his new friend he couldn't help but glance down a bit to the portion of arena still between the two swordsman. He knew that old men were hard to change and something as meaningful to them as the results of this most likely unavoidable battle would decide the fate of one of the two families going forward. "If you believe their is a some feint possibility that you can bring this to a closure without the need for either of us to draw forth our weapons..." He paused allowing for his dull gaze to lift from the floor back into those eyes that were looking back at him, "...then please try. But if we must fight, then by my honor I must do so."

His left arm pulled away from his side for the first time, both his hands coming together as they had previously in their meeting just a short while ago outside the ring into a first and palm rending a typical martial style salute to his comrade. Their was most likely only a single path for the two men to take on this day and due to the experiences leading up to this point he honestly was not able to see another path unlike the man across from him. He knew that it wasn't out of any type of fear for their exchange but instead what might truly be best for the two families in the end. But only Hiji would be able to determine what happened next...

[ShinobiTruth]

Hiji clenched his jaw, clearly frustrated and indignant at the situation. Greed and stubbornness had led to this situation, this divided family unable to set themselves free of the chains of the past. He would walk away now if not for who his opponent was. Though it made his heart bitter to know what came next, he would not dishonor Sato by so shamefully abandoning their duel solely for his own ideals. This young man had risked just as much as Hiji did stepping into this ring, and even with all that they knew, he still fought. He respected his conviction, and he would meet it in kind.

Hiji's left arm was incapacitated, so it was with a simple bow that he resigned himself to this match and reciprocated Sato's sign of respect. In order to avoid causing Sato undue pain and injury, he knew what he had to do. Sato's speed matched his own, and considering the use of his unique physiology and how accurate he was with those large cleavers, Sato's control of his body and finer movements were more accurate than his own. They also seemed equal in Strength and roughly equal in their ability to endure. If this fight dragged on, there was no telling who the victor would be. There was only one aspect in which Hiji was confident he was Sato's superior: reflexes. Sato did well to read his opponent's movements, but his body moved faster than his eyes. That would naturally create latency between his attacks and shifting perspectives.

Placing his hand on the hilt of his katana, Hiji took a deep breath as he assumed a slightly crouched stance, shrinking his body's overall size and balancing his center of gravity just a touch forward. When his eyes opened, Sato would see for the first time the change in Hiji's countenance up close when he was prepared to fight. The normally calm, warm eyes sharpened and froze like ice, a gaze so intense that it almost looked as if the rurouni sought to rend the boy's soul from his body. Sato had likely fought many warriors before, but there had probably been few that could harness their violent intent in such a focused manner.

'Forgive me, Sato-kun,' he thought to himself. 'In order to spare you a greater grief, I must inflict a lesser one upon. Please endure it.'

Hiji's patient ears waited for the signal, and the corners of his eyes kept track of the wave of the referee's hand. Almost the literal instant the call came and the wave hit it's lowest point, Hiji closed the minuscule 10-meter gap between them and immediately launched a slash at Sato's waist, quickly twisting the blade the moment it left the sheath as it aimed for his hip to dislocate his leg, followed by a flurry of strikes alternating randomly between Sato's center, left side, and right side. Whenever he intended to score a hit as opposed to draw his guard away from where he sought to strike next, he would bear the flat or the back of the blade against the point of impact.

DisciplinesShow

*[Yoshin • Prey's Anatomy]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Detailed knowledge of the human body's vulnerabilities and weaknesses are fundamental to learning Yoshin. This Discipline represents the practitioner's knowledge of the precise location of all major organs, tendons, blood vessels, and nerve clusters on both their body and the opponent's body. This allows the practitioner to accurately target those areas even in the heat of combat.

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*[Iaido • Ancestral Focus]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
The hallmark of Iaido is its practitioner's ability to launch an attack even when their swords are sheathed. This Discipline represents the practitioner's capacity to consistently execute a sword draw and slash all in one movement by gripping the edge of the scabbard and pulling the scabbard slightly forward before drawing the sword. This Discipline enables the practitioner to immediately draw their sword and attack at the start of combat.

*[Iaido • Ambidexterity]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite(s): 5 Instinct
After practicing for a long amount of time with the concept of using both of their hands with equal skill, the user has developed a level of ambidexterity that allows them to utilize their preferred weaponry without any sort of issue. This extends to other methods of combat or simply to everyday life as well.

*[Iaido • Weapon Mastery]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Since Iaido is a style that prioritizes speed over brute strength, wise usage of the blade is paramount to the practitioner's success in the style. This Discipline represents the practitioner's knowledge of their weapon's strengths and weaknesses in combat, allowing them to use the weapon more efficiently both inside and outside of its use in Iaido techniques and avoid unnecessarily presenting their weapon's blind spots to the opponent.

**[Iaido • One with the Sheath]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite(s): 8 Speed, 8 Instinct.
The practitioner has learned how to more quickly and efficiently sheath his blades. The practitioner can now seamlessly transition from drawing their blade to slash to sheathing their blade, allowing the practitioner to sheath their sword in half the time for the more rapid execution of Iaido techniques.

*[Iaido • Shinigami Draw]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Losing the use of one's hand or arm in a fight can be a death sentence, but Iaido has found a simple, elegant response to this desperate situation. Using their free hand, the practitioner momentarily braces the edge of their sword against the inside of the scabbard before drawing. While it does not confer the instant acceleration benefit of its parent technique, this Discipline does allow the practitioner to use Iaido techniques at their normal speed even with only one hand.

*[Iaido • One with the Sword]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite(s): *[Iaido • One with the Sheath].
The practitioner has learned how to more quickly and efficiently sheath his blades even without the use of both hands. The practitioner can now sheath the blade just as quickly with one hand as could be done with two hands, and so long as the scabbard remains on their person, the practitioner will always have an exact knowledge of the position of their scabbard.

*[Iaido • Ancestral Visage]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite(s): 15 Instinct.
Using Iaido to its fullest requires a keen eye and quick reactions, enabling its users to target weaknesses and openings that their opponents present almost instantaneously. This Discipline represents the practitioner's ability to attack openings that present themselves, the practitioner now able to reflexively attack an opening in almost the same moment that it is observed. This Discipline reduces the gap of time between a practitioner recognizing a potential opening for attack and launching the attack to exploit said opening to almost nil.

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[Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu • Heavenly Dragon's Flight]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: 15 Instinct, [Acrobatics] Concentration.
As Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu requires Hijikata to be flexible in his movements, he has learned how to avoid the common issues of disrupting his equilibrium. This Discipline represents Hijikata's understanding of his body's relative position in the space around him at all times, and it represents his capacity to keep his sense of equilibrium and balance stable at all times, even during complex acrobatic movements.

ManeuverShow

*[Iaido • Last Breath]
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite(s): 8 Speed, 8 Instinct.
The most iconic (and most basic) strike of Iaido, the practitioner quickly draws and cuts with their blade in a wide arc in one fluid motion. This simultaneous draw and attack straight from the scabbard make Iaido well-suited for an initial surprise attack and for taking advantage of openings presented by the opponent.

[Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu • Dragon Nest Flash]
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite(s): 8 Speed, 10 Instinct, *[Iaido • Last Breath]
This technique can be used with the sword drawn or with the sword sheathed. Instead of immediately sheathing the sword in its scabbard after the initial attack, Hijikata follows forward and drives into the opponent with multiple looping slashes, one slash looping and leading into the next, using the momentum from the initial sword slash to pressure and overwhelm the opponent. At the end of the sequence, Hijikata can quickly sheath the sword into its scabbard if he wishes.