This rp looks great all around, unfortunately I’m just now seeing this a week after applications closed.
Most likely the idea of a waitlist is something you’ve probably haven’t given much thought, but if this were open back up in the future I’d love to join.
I’ve grown quite fond of the world building, characters, and overall vibe of this rp. I’m definitely going to be keeping up with this in my free time. I’m looking forward to how interactions between characters as well as how the story will play out.
After about a 10-minute detour, Valery was back on the main road and heading into town. By now the sun had turned in for the night and the moon had revealed itself. This provided Valery with a sense of relief, watching the sunset and the moon rise has always provided Val with a sense of security. Even amongst the hurricane of emotions, it seem to provide him with a moment of clarity to reflect as he used the moonlight to guide him to town.
Old Man Shigetsu made his thoughts pretty clear, even though he could see where he was coming from it was difficult to fully comprehend. The geezer had much more to lose as he had to take into consideration the dojo members well being. In the end, his hands were tied. Valery sucked his teeth before shaking his head trying not to become annoyed again.
“Now is not the time to get pissed, stay focused on the plan”
The first order of business was learning about the bastard in question, Val not only didn’t have a location but a name nor face to boot.
“Ughh” he groaned as he rubbed his temples vigorously. He should probably start there before picking a random place to sail to. He thought who might even have any info at all and before not it clicked in his mind.
“Shun!” He exclaimed, pounding his fist into his hand. That guy pretty much grew up in the dojo. He would have some information worth his while for sure! With haste, Valery picked up his pace as he began jogging toward town with excitement. He for sure would have some sort of description of the person of interest.
"Ahhhhh" Shun exclaimed in relief patting his visibility protrudingbelly as he exited the establishment. An ear-to-ear grin was plastered on his face. "A shame that Val missed out, nothing beats some barbecue after a strenuous day of training." Oceansong village looked illustrious as always after sun fall, a rather cozy port town with a warm and inviting vibe to it. Lanterns and large flora decorated the streets coupled with vendors and restaurants galore. People of all ages populated the streets with smiles all around which provided a comforting feeling.
Shun made his way down the main street towards the docks, in search of his favorite dessert spot. A small ice cream cart near a beautiful ocean view of the North Blue. It was relatively close to Hatchy's BBQ restaurant which made it the perfect dessert for this occasion.
"I Knew I would find you here!" A familiar voice sounded off in which Shun turned only to see none other than Val. "I see that Sensei let you off the hook" Shun replied as he waited for Valery to catch up to him. "Yeah Yeah Yeah" Valery shook off his comment, "Got a moment?"
Shun noticed the sense of urgency within Val's voice, not to mention that he also had his actual sword with him. Either something serious happened or Valery was about to do something stupid. Shun let out a sigh, "Sure, we can talk over some ice cream."
The two perched over a ledge, watching the vessels aligned along the docks of the harbor. Shun had taken a bite out of his salted caramel cone as he turned to Valery who had been eating a simple vanilla cone. "So whatcha need to talk about?"
Valery had been staring deeply into his dessert before taking a deep breath. "Old man Suigetsu gave me a bit of insight into the person I'm looking for. He made sure to leave out a description or name though deliberately, I guess upcoming marine hotshot. I was hoping you might have some useful information on this guy." Valery took a bite out of ice cream as he awaited his friend's reply.
"Are you sure you want to pick a fight with the Marines? I mean there is no coming back from it, you'll be viewed as a criminal. No different from a pirate." Shun questioned his friend. "I understand that you are eager for vengeance but is that really what is best right now?"
Valery held the cone firmly and sighed, "It's not smart I get that but I'd rather actively do something instead of waiting idly by. Old man Suigetsu said they are communicating with the Marines in order to retrieve the clan's sword but by the time that happens we'll be the old man's age." Valery took a bite out of the side of the cone. "They're not going to give back the sword so easily, it wasn't like my father was an angel after all in the eyes of the world government. Neither am I completely clean either Shun." Valery said taking another large bite out of his cone. "He offered me an out by telling me to come here and lay low, which is probably why old man Suigetsu is trying to scare me off from taking matters into my own hands." Valery gazed off into the ocean with deep intent, "I'm planning on setting sail tonight whether you give me what I'm looking for or not, so do you know anything at all?" Valery took another bite out of the cone, only leaving one last bite of the cone.
Shun sighed, "It sounds like your mind is already made up, there's no point in convincing you otherwise." the boy shook his head. "I heard some of the senior students speaking amongst each other about a Marine named Maxwell Rackham. He's risen up the ranks quickly, when it comes to skill with a sword he is in a completely whole other league. He also seems to be pretty popular with the ladies, developing something of a small cult following. He's got long black hair and sharp facial features as well. Shun said with burning envy, "The last thing I heard was that he was somewhere within the north blue so you might be able to see him if you're lucky..or not should I rather say" Shun said dusting his hands off.
Valery closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Maxwell Rackham, I won't forget that name. Thanks, Shun I really appreciate it." he said relieved, as he finished the last bite of his ice cream cone before facing Shun and sticking his hand out. "It seems like this is where our paths will split though Shun, thanks for everything while I was here. I guess I can say I learned since I first came." Valery smiled, Shun grasped his friend's hand and returned the smile. "Oh really? Doesn't seem much like it, in fact, you're leaving with even more reckless abandon."
Valery chuckled, "Take care of everybody in my stead alright? Also, give Suigtesu some trouble here and there every once in a while."
"Not a chance in hell"
With that last exchange, Valery was off to the docks. From perched up top near the ice cream cart he noticed a ship preparing to set sail. It was time to catch a ride to wherever they were heading, exchanging some muscle for travel seemed like a fair trade.
“So who is this guy and what does he look like?” Valery questioned eagerly, his body seemed somewhat restless as he waited in anticipation.
Reitsu turned his back to the young man and walked silently to the center of the room before sitting on the floor. He then raised his hand, gesturing for Valery to follow and sit in front of him. Skeptically, Valery raised an eyebrow at the old man's gesture but followed shortly.
"The individual in question seems to be a part of the Marines and not just anyone but someone of status actually. Apparently, he's gone up the ranks at a rapid pace. Picking a fight with him would be foolish." Reitsu said with a stern glare, warning him not to do something stupid.
Valery folded his arms and scoffed, "Is that supposed to scare me? I couldn't care less if he is some mindless foot soldier, so what if he has a fancy coat and wears a fancy schmancy suit? He's not getting off the hook unscathed."
Reitsu sighed, "I'm not telling you this to scare you, I am warning you not to go out a pick a fight that gets you killed. Everything is already being handled as we speak, we've sent a representative to request the blade back. Even if you somehow manage to pull it off you will forever be an enemy of the World Government, they'll hunt you down like an animal for the rest of your life!" Valery simply rolled his eyes as he stood up on his feet "like the World Government would give a shit. People like us don't mean much to them. Thanks for the warning gramps but I can handle myself just fine." Valery knew this already, his old man wasn’t exactly someone in good standing with the world government. Nonetheless, it didn’t make him feel any better hearing about those yesmen.
"Where do you think you're going? We're still talking here!" Reitsu questioned Valery, "I think I've heard enough, I'm going to bed early" he replied before closing the Shoji doors. He placed his hands over his head in a fit of annoyance as he made his way to his room.
Valery's temporary living space was rather small, with a desk and simple floor bed with a pinstripe sheet being all there is for furniture. Even then that was about all the room could fit inside. The walls were a dark walnut color, visibly worn from wear and tear displaying the age of the establishment. Light from the moon illuminated the living space from a single window. Valery let out a sigh as he laid down on his back with limbs spread apart akin to that of a starfish.
"That old man must have a screw loose or something. Like I get that he is responsible for many people but still, does he not feel any form of anger at all?" Valery tossed onto his side at the thought. "Why the hell did I even come here in the first place? Old man Reitsu is a pain in the ass" Valery groaned some more as he sat up. Despite feeling annoyed with the thought of Reitsu, he knew deep down that since he’s arrived in Oceansong village his skills have improved drastically. So much so that he’s become one of the top students despite being an outsider of sorts. He can’t deny the fact that Reitsu took him in when his home was destroyed.
A stressful sigh permeated the room as Valery stood on his feet. Perhaps taking on the Marines would cause more problems, even if he were to retrieve his father's sword. There would still be a bigger situation at hand, everyone at the Dojo would be in trouble.
“Still…I can’t just stand by. There’s got to be something I can do” Valery clenched and unclenched his fist, looking aimlessly at the callus that lined his palms. He then strolled over to the corner of his room, to find a blade sheathed within a black scabbard. Slowly Valery reached for the sword and stuck it out the small window of his room.
“Sorry old man, but I’m not really in the mood for politics, there’s something that has to be done,” Valery muttered under his breath as he squeezed the rest of his body through the window and tumbled onto the roof. He let out a sigh of relief, thankful that it wasn’t just a drop to the ground. Slowly but surely he scaled down the side of the building, utilizing the most out of the little bit of sunlight left in order to make his way down.
Now all that was left was to make his way to town from here, the dojo was a bit of way away. Valery fastened his sword to his hip as he made his way down the rugged path leading into the village.
Valery at his core is a strong-willed and curious individual, always asking questions and snooping around in matters that oftentimes do not involve him in the slightest. This has caused quite an amount of altercations in his life that he was too stubborn to back down from. Nonetheless, he never regretted any of it as what he was truly chasing was the adventure in it all. He has his father to thank for instilling this in his head as he too was a rather eccentric dreamer. When it comes to new people he takes interest in, Valery enjoys taking the liberty of creating a lifelong impression for them to remember him by. As for people whom he sees as bothersome, nothing brings him more joy than being a pain in their side.
Character Goals:
Within any form of entertainment, I enjoy the growth caused by experience. I am a young individual and thus have much to learn so I enjoy writing characters whom I also grow alongside. This being an advanced roleplay based upon one piece, there is much potential for this to last quite some time.
With Valery, I intend to write a character who also displays great growth from start to finish as he goes through his own trials and tribulations. Like myself, Valery still has much to learn about the world yet he believes he knows all that there is, in turn, this can often put him into some rather unfortunate/sticky situations that he must learn from. Another goal of mine is also to develop the impact that other players have upon Valery through their interactions with him whether positive or negative.
Character Notes
Organization: None Occupation/Position: None Starting Sea: North Blue
Relations:
Valery's late father, a very eccentric individual who was never seen as sullen or sad, was regarded by some as a savior the day he passed.
Reitsu's older brother and current Master of Shimamoto Dojo, a stern and rigid individual who values discipline.
Sample Post:
WACK WACK WACK
Within quick succession, 3 strikes assaulted the young man’s body. Two being to his head and a 3rd aimed at his legs which swept the boy off balance and tumbling toward the ground.
“OW! What the hell is wrong with you gramps? Why the added aggression today?!” The silver-haired boy whined as he massaged the lump swelling upon his head.
“Your swordsmanship has been rather sloppy today so I decided to knock a bit of sense into you.” A rather intimidating old man stood at the center of the room, a renowned swordsman and master of the Shimamoto Dojo, Suigetsu Shimamoto.
“Also, refer to me as Sensei!” He said while releasing a precision strike upon Valery’s head hitting the same spot once more. The young man was left on the ground clutching his head once more.
“We’ll break here for today. You are all dismissed!” The old man boomed as he turned his back and took his seat at the head of the dojo room.
From there the group of students surrounding the practice arena bowed their heads.
“THANK YOU SHIMAMOTO SENSEI!” The room roared in unison before dispersing.
Valery rubbed his head some more as it was still a bit bruised before getting up to put his Shinai on an adjacent wooden rack.
“Sensei got you good today huh?” A voice came from behind the silver-haired boy. As Valery turned he was met with his own reflection, peering into the crystal ball that was the head of his bald friend Shun. He was significantly shorter than Valery as he stood at about 5ft 6in but held onto a muscular and toned build that was visible even with his yukata being worn. His eyebrows were also rather noticeably bushy giving him a rather interesting appearance. A wide grin was planted on his face as he turned to his friend. Valery blatantly ignored his friend's existence and began to make his way to the front door.
“Hey hey, you come on don’t be so rude! The least you can do is entertain me, Val.” Shun said chasing after him, to which Valery grunted and responded with a glare that conveyed his annoyance.
“Wow I see you’re a bit grumpy, usually you would have made a joke about my head by now or something. Sensei really got you good today” Shun said rubbing his smooth head. “I know what’ll cheer you up. How about we go to Hatchy’s BBQ and grab you grub?”
Valery simply exhaled, accepting nor denying the request initially. Some food from one of the local restaurants didn’t sound all that bad. Perhaps the combination of head hurting and hunger has put him in a less than desirable.
Not to mention today is also…
Valery shook his head at the thought before heading outside. “Just so you know the food is on you.” As he slid open the Shoji doors. Valery was greeted by an array of night lights that illuminated the settlement in the distance known as Ocean Song village. A wave of relief could be seen on his face just at the sight, shortly Shun joined him.
“It’s definitely one of the perks of living on this island. Let’s hurry before all the tables are taken, I’m starving.” Shun spoke, nearly drooling at the thought of marinated beef hitting the grill.
As Valery was preparing to descend down the hill from which the dojo had been located upon. He felt a bit of resistance from the color of his Yukata.
“I’m afraid that Valery here is busy and will have to join you another time Shun.” A familiar tone sounded from behind. In a flash, Valery whipped his head to the side to see none other than the master swordsman, Suigetsu Shimamoto
Shun was a bit shocked to see Master Shimamoto there but he quickly bowed and nodded his head. “Yes, sensei.” The boy then turned to his silver-haired friend and gave him a grin that said ‘Sorry not sorry.’
“Maybe next time Val, see ya later!" the boy waved before beginning the trek to Ocean Song village, in which the silver-haired boy just stuck his tongue out jealously. Valery felt defeated at the sight of his friend leaving him behind. "So what is it you wand old man Sui-"
BONK
Before he could even finish his name a fist firmly made contact with the top of Valery's head, adding another knot to the stack from earlier.
"OUCH!"
"It's Sensei you little brat!... Ahem!" Suigetsu cleared his throat, "We must discuss the important matter of my late brother Reitsu, I recently received a new update." At the sound of these words, Valery stopped rubbing his head and turned to face Suigetsu as he now had his full undivided attention. "What did you hear!" Valery replied without hesitation, his facial expression a mix of sorrow and rage.
“There are rumors spreading of a swordsman within the North Blue wielding a distinct sword has popped up, perhaps we can achieve some answers at last and make peace with Reitsu's death.”
Valery at his core is a strong-willed and curious individual, always asking questions and snooping around in matters that oftentimes do not involve him in the slightest. This has caused quite an amount of altercations in his life that he was too stubborn to back down from. Nonetheless, he never regretted any of it as what he was truly chasing was the adventure in it all. He has his father to thank for instilling this in his head as he too was a rather eccentric dreamer. When it comes to new people he takes interest in, Valery enjoys taking the liberty of creating a lifelong impression for them to remember him by. As for people whom he sees as bothersome, nothing brings him more joy than being a pain in their side.
Character Goals:
Within any form of entertainment, I enjoy the growth caused by experience. I am a young individual and thus have much to learn so I enjoy writing characters whom I also grow alongside. This being an advanced roleplay based upon one piece, there is much potential for this to last quite some time.
With Valery, I intend to write a character who also displays great growth from start to finish as he goes through his own trials and tribulations. Like myself, Valery still has much to learn about the world yet he believes he knows all that there is, in turn, this can often put him into some rather unfortunate/sticky situations that he must learn from. Another goal of mine is also to develop the impact that other players have upon Valery through their interactions with him whether positive or negative.
Character Notes
Organization: None Occupation/Position: None Starting Sea: North Blue
Relations:
Valery's late father, a very eccentric individual who was never seen as sullen or sad, was regarded by some as a savior the day he passed.
Reitsu's older brother and current Master of Shimamoto Dojo, a stern and rigid individual who values discipline.
Sample Post:
WACK WACK WACK
Within quick succession, 3 strikes assaulted the young man’s body. Two being to his head and a 3rd aimed at his legs which swept the boy off balance and tumbling toward the ground.
“OW! What the hell is wrong with you gramps? Why the added aggression today?!” The silver-haired boy whined as he massaged the lump swelling upon his head.
“Your swordsmanship has been rather sloppy today so I decided to knock a bit of sense into you.” A rather intimidating old man stood at the center of the room, a renowned swordsman and master of the Shimamoto Dojo, Suigetsu Shimamoto.
“Also, refer to me as Sensei!” He said while releasing a precision strike upon Valery’s head hitting the same spot once more. The young man was left on the ground clutching his head once more.
“We’ll break here for today. You are all dismissed!” The old man boomed as he turned his back and took his seat at the head of the dojo room.
From there the group of students surrounding the practice arena bowed their heads.
“THANK YOU SHIMAMOTO SENSEI!” The room roared in unison before dispersing.
Valery rubbed his head some more as it was still a bit bruised before getting up to put his Shinai on an adjacent wooden rack.
“Sensei got you good today huh?” A voice came from behind the silver-haired boy. As Valery turned he was met with his own reflection, peering into the crystal ball that was the head of his bald friend Shun. He was significantly shorter than Valery as he stood at about 5ft 6in but held onto a muscular and toned build that was visible even with his yukata being worn. His eyebrows were also rather noticeably bushy giving him a rather interesting appearance. A wide grin was planted on his face as he turned to his friend. Valery blatantly ignored his friend's existence and began to make his way to the front door.
“Hey hey, you come on don’t be so rude! The least you can do is entertain me, Val.” Shun said chasing after him, to which Valery grunted and responded with a glare that conveyed his annoyance.
“Wow I see you’re a bit grumpy, usually you would have made a joke about my head by now or something. Sensei really got you good today” Shun said rubbing his smooth head. “I know what’ll cheer you up. How about we go to Hatchy’s BBQ and grab you grub?”
Valery simply exhaled, accepting nor denying the request initially. Some food from one of the local restaurants didn’t sound all that bad. Perhaps the combination of head hurting and hunger has put him in a less than desirable.
Not to mention today is also…
Valery shook his head at the thought before heading outside. “Just so you know the food is on you.” As he slid open the Shoji doors. Valery was greeted by an array of night lights that illuminated the settlement in the distance known as Ocean Song village. A wave of relief could be seen on his face just at the sight, shortly Shun joined him.
“It’s definitely one of the perks of living on this island. Let’s hurry before all the tables are taken, I’m starving.” Shun spoke, nearly drooling at the thought of marinated beef hitting the grill.
As Valery was preparing to descend down the hill from which the dojo had been located upon. He felt a bit of resistance from the color of his Yukata.
“I’m afraid that Valery here is busy and will have to join you another time Shun.” A familiar tone sounded from behind. In a flash, Valery whipped his head to the side to see none other than the master swordsman, Suigetsu Shimamoto
Shun was a bit shocked to see Master Shimamoto there but he quickly bowed and nodded his head. “Yes, sensei.” The boy then turned to his silver-haired friend and gave him a grin that said ‘Sorry not sorry.’
“Maybe next time Val, see ya later!" the boy waved before beginning the trek to Ocean Song village, in which the silver-haired boy just stuck his tongue out jealously. Valery felt defeated at the sight of his friend leaving him behind. "So what is it you wand old man Sui-"
BONK
Before he could even finish his name a fist firmly made contact with the top of Valery's head, adding another knot to the stack from earlier.
"OUCH!"
"It's Sensei you little brat!... Ahem!" Suigetsu cleared his throat, "We must discuss the important matter of my late brother Reitsu, I recently received a new update." At the sound of these words, Valery stopped rubbing his head and turned to face Suigetsu as he now had his full undivided attention. "What did you hear!" Valery replied without hesitation, his facial expression a mix of sorrow and rage.
“There are rumors spreading of a swordsman within the North Blue wielding a distinct sword has popped up, perhaps we can achieve some answers at last and make peace with Reitsu's death.”
Zenshin was left without time to soak in his win as the next round of matches were set to begin, Zenshin himself being apart of it. A mix of feelings had begun to stir within him as he heard his name as well as who his opponent would be, Donothan. An image of how that boy wielded and examined the practice weapon seemed like second nature to him flashed in his head. Zen could feel a dryness spreading within his mouth as he gulped down some air.
He had barely made it out of that last fight with a win. His incantation was extremely rushed resulting in a rather poor display. It was an okay start but he felt as though it wasn’t enough to get into the knights. Even with his subpar win there had seemed to be a group of people whom were swayed by the Valeforians performance. Even some nobles seemed to be on notice of Zenshin not because of any particular talent but because of the rare Snow incantations he could use.
Zenshin took his place on the stage once more but it was different. There was an eagerness in the air as people waited in anticipation waiting to see if the boy would cast other snow incantations in his next bout. There was excitement not just for him but also for his opponent, Donathan. This particular young swordsman was stood out based on their demeanor. Group that with their weapon of choice which almost seemed to match its user in size and how he wielded it like nothing. There was a myriad of thoughts popping into peoples head. They were unable to the extent of his skill in the match previous this one and the people were rather eager to learn.
Zenshin watched as Donathan made their way on to the stage, exchanging looks once settled in. Zenshin was a bit caught off guard by his opponents look as he wasn’t expecting it. It was thought this person looked at him with relief. A relief that was different from the looks of relief others had today when they looked at him. It was as though Donothan was relieved that Zenshin made it past the first fight and was able to prove some doubters wrong.
Zenshin couldn’t help but let out a nervous smile, as he raised his weapon for battle. His stance still incredibly shaky yet possessing comparatively more confidence than before. He couldn’t help but let a bit of the excitement in the arena seep into himself.
”Nice to meet you” he greeted him followed up with a nod of acknowledgment.
The other matches that were set to take place at the same time ended in quick succession. A victor being decided rather quickly within a couple moves. Looks like it was true when they said sword fights do not last long. This lead to the attention falling upon Zenshin and Kero's match, well for those who bothered to pay attention. The Arena was clad with a mix of chatter, as people talking amongst themselves about the results of the fights. Thought this didn't last long.
"RAHHHHHH!!!!!"
Keros let off a powerful cry as he charged at Zenshin with his blade held to his side and his body turned, ready to let off a power attack once in range.
His cry startled Zenshin, snapping him out of his own trance as he turned to face his opponent.Keros's from was incredibly crude, akin to that of someone who chopped trees down. He was much faster then he looked and managed to close the gap while his foe was off guard. In response the boys adrenaline began to pump, Zenshin instinctually tensed up his muscles and back peddled in order to soften the impending blow. This resulted in his guard being broken completely in the face of his opponents overwhelming strength. Zen's arms were thrown back from the recoil of the clash, nearly dropping his weapon in the process. The gap in strength was too large and the advantage was clear, this was something that both competitors realized within that first move.
Keros wasted no time following up with an overhead strike, aiming to literally crushed Zenshin with a head on attack and end the duel. In terms of physicality, Keros had the upper hand. There was no were to go, Zenshin woudld have to stand his ground and stop his foes advance or else it would all be over. He clenched his teeth as he planted his feet firmly with determination in his eyes. He had came to far just to turn back right at the gate! The Valeforian quickly extended out his free palm and begin to flex his fingers, taking aim at the arena flooring.
"Icicle field!" Zenshin cried as a ray of snow shot out from his palm and coated the surrounding area.
Keros, whom had been charging the Valeforian with a full head of steam took notice of the change in terrain but could do nothing to change course. As he took his next step he would feel his feet fly out from under him before tumbling uncontrollably past Zen. Caked in snow and ice, Keros quickly attempted to rise to his feet only to come face to face with a water ball larger than the boys head. Zenshin held his hand steady and looked down at his opponent trying his best to look intimidating.
"Please surrender" Zenshin issued in a rather polite turn which had confused his opponent. Even though, Keros had no reason to not take up his offer as he had been bested. The boy shrugged and dropped his sword in defeat, shortly after the officiator called the match between the two.
"The winner is Zenshin Ferros!"
The arena roared to life in shock, not only were they shocked with Zenshins victory but also the boy possessing rare magic to boot. Although it was snow magic, the crowd was in awe that it was in the hands of a commoner.
Once the match was over Zenshin dispelled his attack and extended his hand to help Keros up off the ground. "Guess it isn't my time yet." Keros sighed before facing Zenshin with friendly eyes. Nice move nonetheless, you really got me good. Who would've known you had snow magic up your sleeve?"The boy said before giving Zenshin a hard smack on the back. The Valeforian winced in pain before nodding his head. "I just barely managed to be honest." Zen responded humbly, his adrenaline from the fight beginning to subsiding. He began to freeze up a bit as the gaze of the arena fell upon him but the energy was a bit different, it seemed as though he managed to sway the opinion of some people in attendance today.
"I'm going to be rooting for ya, don't go losing or else you'll make me look bad, alright?" Keros said as he exited the stage.
A grin creeped up on the boys face as he followed behind shortly, he had managed to get a victory in the first round. It was sloppy but Zenshin was proud of his achievement.
Sifting through the crowd proved a bit difficult for the thin framed boy, it also didn't help that as time passed the grounds filled with more participants. The stands even began to roar with life with every second as citizens from different backgrounds filled the stands. It was hard to stay trapped his mind as the excitement within the grounds grew. Zenshin clenched his chest as he made his way to a good viewing spot, trying to temper his own excitement, a smile even began to creep up on his face.
Zenshin made sure to get as close to the stage as possible, using his length and thinness to his advantage to fit in tight places. Once the young Valeforian was settled in with a great view of the stage, he heard trumpets sounding up showing that they would be starting soon. The announcer would then take center stage and give a speech about the noble tradition of Grayle's knighthood, a speech that many people seemed not too much interested in. Zenshin on the other hand was indulging in the experience as a whole. A wide grin, ear to ear, plastered on the boys face. This would surely be a day he would never forget.
The second part of the speech explained the rules for the duels that would take place. One-on-one fights with weapons and relatively low level offensive spells, okay...I can do that. The boy was a bit nervous that he would be center stage for everyone to see but still excited at the same time. He would be able to take the stage and put his skills on display for Grayle to see! Zenshin clenched his chest once more as he was apart of the first batch of young men to be called up.
So much for watching, guess we are diving into the deep end first.
Before stepping onto the arena, He took a moment to observe the crowd and just how many eyes were on him. He could see what he made out to be the four knight captains in attendance was well. Even the sparkling coming from nobility within the stands made his heart race. Time to make an impression he said as he prepared to take the stage.
"Select your weapon of choice before heading up"
"O-O-Oh, sorry about that!" he said with panic before taking a detour to the quartermaster's table. How could I forget that this was part swordplay. I don't even know what exact weapon to pick. Zenshin stood stood flustered as he watched as a boy with light grey hair selected the longsword way bigger than themselves, throwing it across the shoulder with ease and comfortability. Hmm, looks simple enough he thought to himself before grabbing the wooden longsword. Despite being a training sword it was his first time holding a sword in general. He was quite fascinated in how it was built as it was not what he had expected. Zen shrugged before slinging the blunt weapon over his shoulder, caught off guard by its density, Zen felt his begin to shift sideways. Soon he would feel his body crash into the weapon rack, sending all sort of wooden equipment falling to the ground. His face flushed with blood, as he quickly rose from the rack, his arm a bit tender. The arena roared with laughter and gossip at his blunder. Zen turned to the quartermaster whom had his face was in palm at the time.
"Perhaps a regular sword?"
"Yeah, I think that'll be good."
Zenshin would shortly take his place on the arena with a comparatively smaller and lighter weapon in his hands. His opponent had been waiting for him with a smug look. Keros was his name, a young lad with a shock of brunette hair atop his head stood tall with his weapon in hand, he was comparatively shorter than Zenshin standing at 5'5. He possessed a standard build, his hands a bit warn from rigorous physical labor it seemed. Keros sported patchy clothing with scuffed boots, it was easy enough to see that he wasn't of nobility.
"Lets make this quick and easy."
Zenshin didn't reply to Keros which seemed to anger him, Zenshins attention was instead fixated on the crowd of participants at the edge of the arena watching him with a shit-eating look on their faces. In their eyes, the Valeforian boy was nothing but an easy ticket into the knights. Some even heckled at the young Valeforian, pleading with Keros to switch opponents. Zenshin's confidence had quicky plummeted and his nerves took the better. The attention of the arena truly fell upon his match with comedic anticipations. Zenshin gripped his sword weakly, even a novice could see he lacked overall physical strength and training with a martial weapon. Expectations were looking pretty low for this match.
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