Insanity of the Sane

Introductions
Near to the twilight of dusk is when this arc begins. Hama Town, a well protected town in the physical world. Protected by various combatants and barriers. It is even said that unless, you know where it is or told you cannot find it. Mushoku Kaigan, the traveling Senjungami Shuhan of the Panteon is looking for this town. He heard about it's location, through the grape vine of his various and numerous contacts. He also used records in the Soul Society and the Panteon to location people that knew of where the town was. After several months he finally locates the town. "On the outskirts of Hama Town by the mountains." Mushoku Kaigan had been looking for sometime for this place. Having little information on it's history, location, and the people that live there.

Mushoku comes up to the invisible barrier. "So this is the powerful and immense barrier that protects, this Hama Town? The casters do possess some rather impressive talent. However, I have spent months locating this town and nothing gets in my way of understanding.... Kotoamatsukami." Mushoku didn't break the barrier.. no that is nearly to impossible even with his power. He simply rewrote small parts of it. What Mushoku did was simply allow those, with no harmful intentions to be unaffected and allow themselves to enter it without permission or an invite. Furthermore, his power will not be drained, if he does happen to engage in battle there. However, these alterations to the barrier will be reversed after Mushoku leaves the town. Now, if any of the town's residents happens to fight him, it will be an even fight.



"... That wasn't the easiest thing I have done. But, now I am study the town." Mushoku starts to wandered the town, all the while his reiatsu is affecting the plant life and weather. Out of season plants are sprouting new buds and the weather is cleaner. And now it's after dark.

Sitting on a park bench under the tree with a woman dressed in a maid's outfit, there was a blonde haired man smoking a pipe. Stopping mid-sentence in his conversation with the woman, the man looked around and noticed the atmosphere starting to change as he felt a great pressure suddenly emulating from the outskirts of town. "Luna. Get ready."

"Yes sir." The maid suddenly stood up as her eyes turned blue and scanned the perimeter for any abnormalities. "That way." Her voice was melancholic as she looked back at the man and bowed politely before standing behind him.

"Looks like we have trouble here and I thought today was going to be a nice calm day. Oh well...no rest for the wicked." Noticing the distinctive changes occuring as the weather continued to ebb and flow, he looked down at his zanpakuto in confusion before shaking it offf. "Let's move Luna." Flash stepping away, the blonde haired man appeared at the intruder's location, stopping in a tree a few clicks away from him as a trail of crystal trickled from his hand. "Oi. You there over yonder! What do you think yo're doing here? Who let you in?"

"No one sir. I simply rewrote the impressive barrier, to allow myself in. I am here for academic purposes only. Allow me to simply research this Hama Town and I'll simply leave."

Arcing an eyebrow, the blonde haired man sighed in disbelief. "So let me get this straight, you broke into town, don't give any identification and now want to research us and simply up and leave? Yea, I'm thinking you have a screw loose or something cause that is just not gonna fly to well. Can't have you making off with any precious information, so I'm gonna have to ask you to leave without your research."

Mushoku simply started to float. "Do you own this place? You might own it now, but what about the people that lived here a thousand years ago? They would say the same thing, to you what you just said to me. My intentions are pruely academic. Only I will have this knowledge, and I don't share most of my research with anyone. So once, I leave I remove all traces of my existence from this place. However, as you aren't of a neutral stance of morals, like myself I suspect we must battle now?"

Attempting to hold back a laugh before letting it just burst free, Van smiled. "Hahaha. You're a funny one. Thousands of years ago? No one was here at all. It was just empty plot of land until my grandfather founded the town himself. Maybe I should let you actually do some research if your knowledge is that far off. As for fighting. Why do we have to fight? Simply because we disagreed on why you're here? If that's the case you're life must be terribly dull since it must be full of constant fighting for no reason at all. The name's Van by the way. I guess neither one of us are good with pleasantries."

"You misunderstand me, I lack any knowledge of this place. I located it through various connections and historical information. As you are right, about your grandfather I didn't know that he founded the land.  But, now I do you just gave me some information on this place. I thank you for that, Mr. Van. As for why, I asked if we must fight. Most people, cannot understand if I am left alone to my research I am basically harmless. I simply wish to understand, anything I find interesting. I find this town as such. But, you asked me to leave and I will. However, if you wish for my research to remain; there are two options kill me or make me stay. But, keep in mind, if I am left alone, I will just go in time."

"Heh. So basically you just bait people into a fight by saying that you're gonna research them or those closest to them. Hmph. Fine then, if its a fight you want, then its a fight you're gonna get." Nodding his head toward a far off mountain, Van smiled. "Ready? If not, oh well..." Just then, a bright beam of light shot from the mountaintop down toward Mushoku's location, aiming to pierce through the man's torso.

"And so another battle..." Mushoku raised his hand and using his telekinesis, redirected the beam to Van when it hit his hand. However, as the beam was rather strong for an opening attack, some of it did burn his left hand. The bean was twisting an turning toward Van.

"Oh? A barrier of some kind?" Van smiled as he simply side-stepped the now slower beam as it had lost momentum from being redirectd. Tapping his foot on the ground, Van was surrounded by a collumn of crystal before it shattered, revealing Van once more. "Hmph. That's more like it. Now let's continue." Thrusting his hand forward, a large crystal hand emerged from the ground like a shark, aiming to grab Mushoku and crush him within its grasp.

Mushoku used his telekinesis to release a telekinetic shockwave; at the ground and shark made of gemstones. The shockwave didn't do anything, so instead Mushoku made a barrier of telekinetic energy surround himself. When, the Shark went to grab him, it seem to hit an invisible sphere, with Mushoku in the center. He then used, Bakuhatsu no Mahō  (爆発の魔法,  Explosion Magic ), to destory enough of the shark to stop it. However, as the particle of the broken crystal remained, in the atomosphere, the crystal particles attached to his person. " You Mr. Van think I don't understand, that your crystal use Reiryoku from it's victims to grow? I do, however it will take more time as they never had to adjust to this type of Reiryoku."

"Use the opponent's energy to grow? Adjust to an opponent's energy? You're either incredibly naive for believing whoever told you that information or just completely ridiculous for jumping to some random conclusion. Heh." Bringing his arms around his body before clasping his hands together as though he were reciting a prayer, Van caused the crystal particles in the air around Mushoku's body to form into several spikes that aimed to pierce through the invading man and due to the close proximity, there was little room for evasion.

Mushoku's tired to use telekinesis, to move all the spikes away and he did move some. However, many did penetrate his body including his left eye. Mushoku, didn't move the crystal spikse... no that is not accurate. It is that he COULDN"T! The use of Kotomatsukami was so profound to alter the town's barriers; that it reduced his power. He started to take out his left eye and all the while was calm. Most of even the strongest and most insane beings would scream at the pain of a foreign object in his eye. But, not Mushoku he stated steadfast in midair, taking his left eye out with his left hand. "Most Impressive Mr Van. You are truly a grandmaster of your crystals. To not all generate and manipulate them, you can manipulate the remains of them as profound as if you just created them."

Mushoku removes his eye, and takes the crystal spike out of it. "... The pain is truly great. Enough, to turn even the most peaceful man, to a mad killer." Mushoku then opened his haori's side pocket and then dropped his eye inside of it. Then pulled a small mirror out of it. As Mushoku's haori's pockets each contain a small dimension in them, for item storeage no one really know, all of what he has. "Shall, we contiune? The sooner, I can leave I can restore my eye." Mushoku then used telekinesis to push out all, the remaining crystal spikes from his body and sent them back at Van.

"''DId he just....pull out his own eye!?" ''Puzzled by Mushoku's actions, Van clasped his fist tightly causing the crystal spikes to shatter and begin spiraling around his being "I appreciate the praise, but you may want to be more careful. Having those things penetrate your body could be completely dangerous. But....I suppose I can simply let you figure that out for yourself.". As the crystal started to spiral high into the air, another beam of light came from the nearby mountain top as Van's aide began to launch a barrage of shots.

Noticing the incoming energy beams, Van smiled. "About time Luna. Started to make me think that you abandoned me." Moving to place himself between the beams and Mushoku, Van quickly threw his hands to the ground creating several prisms between the two men. As the beams fired off by Luna hit the prisms, the lost a portion of their strength, but separated into several more beams that then began to ravage the area.

Mushoku then used his mirror to deflect the numerous beams back at, Van and the new combantant. "  Shinkagami  (神鏡, " Divine Mirror "), to think already you have forced me into, using this powerful object. You truly are a powerful combantant to make quick use of, your partner's attacks with no waste in effort or time. However, Mr. Van I already have plans to prevent from you using any of those crystal particles that might remain in my person. "Mushoku using Kotoamatsukami created three large boulders of Sekkiseki. Than, you using telekinesis he broke them down, into dust. Mushoku, then did something.... odd. He sent a wave of dust into his own body from the holes the spikes made.

He however, remain completely still and after twenty seconds, it come out through the holes. "That wasn't pleasant at all Mr. Van. But now that I used my  Hokorite (ほこりて, dust hand) I have removed all the crystal particle from me. You see, your crystal particles were a foreign substance, and thus even in me weren't protected from the spiritual breakdown wave my Sekkiseki dust has. My spiritual property called Choujouteki Sadame  (超常的定め,  Supernatual Law ), negates the breakdown. So all I felt was dust, in my veins not the spiritual breakdown. But, even more importantly now that my dust, has consume some of the particles your crystal are made of. It will be harder, if you are able to convernt my dust into crystals. As I suspect you can." With the last word, Mushoku sent a large wave of the Sekkiseki dust at Van, and Luna. " Oh, yes there was a reason, I didn't just heal the eye, that was hit by your crystal spike. But, let's leave that for latter."

"Sekkiseki stone in the form of dust? Magical Mirrors? Poisoning one's self to heal? If I didn't know any better, I would swear that I'm in some sort of anime or Role-Playing Game. I suppose I should test to see what this wave of Sekkiseki is capable of." Van smiled as almost tsunami-like dust storm neared his position. He then gestured toward the mountain-top signaling Luna to fall back, which she did with much hesitation.

As the Sekkiseki dust wave approached Van, he stood perfectly still with a smile placed upon his face. The dust wave came crashing down upon his person, seemingly obliterating his very being from existance as the remaining dust tossed about the area, creating an almost desert-like scene. The sheer weight of so much stone would be enough to kill just about anyone, let alone adding on the spiritual energy draining effects, it was almost a perfect attack , almost.

"Oh ho ho. That could have been bad huh?. Looks like that's one down. Hahaha" Van's voice trailed off behind Mushoku as he started to laugh. "Well, then...now since that attack is over, I suppose you have proven that you're realing trying to hurt me. Guess I should get serious huh?" He flashed his devious smile as he cracked his neck. "Ready?"

" This, is unprecendented. I didn't make any hopes, that one attack could defeat you.., but to be completely unaffected." Mushoku then snapped his fingers and then countless explosions cause by his Bakuhatsu no Mahō  (爆発の魔法,  Explosion Magic ) filled area around Van and Mushoku.

The Van in that was standing behind him smiled as the explosions appeared all over and surrounded him causing his own body to shatter. As the explosions began to cease and the smoke began to clear, Van could be seen standing a bit of a distance away as crystal particles started to circle about his body. "Wow. That's another one down huh? This is kinda fun watching you figure this out. Oh well....." Slashing his hands downward in a claw formation, Van sent out three crescent waves of crystal towards Mushoku's last known position.

Mushoku was still... NO he was still, he was motionless. Not even the air seem to make his hair move. Then, a swirling vortex appear from his right hand's palm. All the while drawing him in, it. The cresent waves of crystals simply went through, as if he was intanigble. Moments latter, he appeared in behind Van, from another vortex.

"Mr. Van I wonder if you figured what just happened. By this battle, I already have information and could have left with completely no traces of my reiatsu, none what so ever to use for locating me. My  Jikūtoraberu  (じくうトラベル,  space-time travel ) was that power. Also, it has another function, if I remain completely motionless, any and all attacks or powers don't hit me. But, doing so is difficult in battle. So, if I could already have left, and was a threat I could have."

"But, I didn't did I? I stayed to gather as much information as possible. This information, to me as a precious as your marriage, your friends, family, even your children. I simply, find my studies as precious, maybe even more so. While, I have no standing to just demand, to study this town. You demanding me to stay is of equal wrong doing. I am no threat, I study. It is why I possess so many abilities. However, talking is pointless to you at this moment. But, remember this Van Satonaka, while this information is only for me and no one else. As, it from your town with your permission. I would be willing to give you my findings, if you best me. After, all I rewrote the barrier... with a very special talent of mine. I might surprise you." After Mushoku said you, the tip of his blade was at the back of Van's head ready to thrust into it. "Now, shall we contiune?"

"You babble on for days don't ya?" Van smiled as he turned to look at Mushoku. "Forgetting something?" Van snapped his finger causing several crystal spires to erupt from the ground around his position, cutting Mushoku off from him. "You can use any infomation you want or sell it to whomever. It doesn't matter, the people of this town are more than capable of fending off anything you throw at us. But, I personally grow tired of your asinine speeches." Thrusting his hand toward the top of the spires, three large dragon heads began forming from the crystal and began firing out crystal shards, much like an arbalest would.

Mushoku used his telekinesis to repel the crystal shards, and even control some of them. " Huh, then if you are giving me the permission to do whatever, I want to with my information. I'll take my leave, as you wouldn't have said I could sell it to whomever, I want if I still wasn't premitted to leave. However, these powers of your's are making me even more curious. If you allow, I would like to contiune this battle, however I cannot say with 100% guarantee I can or cannot stop myself from killing you." Mushoku telekinetically throw the shards of crystal. All the while, he started to use another power... or to be more precise a barrier restriction on his powers.

" Open,  Tenmon Ametsuchi Heki  (天門天地劈,  holy gate that separates earth from heaven ). Now, are you going to use something else Van?. You know, I can avoid and even return you crystal attacks back at you."

"Something else huh?" Van chuckled as he began channeling his spiritual energy towards his palms. "You dont seem to be a Shinigami of any sort that I have encountered, so I'll try this and see how far I get." Taking a deep breath, Van's back foot took a position as to brace himself for the next move as his eyes slowly closed and he began chanting. " Water is life's maker and matrix, mother and medium! Free flowing might of the ocean, bind and restrict with your grace."

As the Kido incantation was spoken, the moisture from the air began forming small bubbles as they fused with particles of spiritual energy floating freely from Van's palms. The conjured bubbles started taking on kanji shapes as Van neared the end of the incantation and opened his eyes, "Bakudo #52 Ekitai Kinko!" As he called out the spell's name, the water-molded kanji began flying all over the area, creating what seemed to be a storm of water to surge throughout the area.

"Your right I am not a Shinigami, I am a Senjugami which means I have only one power Mahō  (魔法,  magic ) ." Mushoku touched the some of the water freezing that amount of water, while avoiding the rest. Due, to the ice trapped around his left hand he couldn't avoid all the spell. He did take some damage.

"So you have Kido, and I have my Mahō . Except on average, Senjungami are more useful with using Reiryoku than Shinigami. As you pour your time and reiryoku into, your Zanpakuto and your Kido. While, my race spends all their time, developing  Mahō . So we advance it, in some factors beyond what Shinigami can do with Kido. It all a balance of power really. As we don't have a standard weapon, we make use of what we do have." Mushoku then he cut his left hand off leaving it in the froze water. " Mr. Van spell aren't useful against me, at least at that level. You will need to increase your command over the spells. As well; you will need to use ones that have such high reiryoku construction, that I cannot quickly alter, manipulate, or destroy the spell."

"Well, that was easier than I expected. Rather than having you show me what you can do through an extended battle, you just plain ol' came right out and told me. I don't know if you're either incredibly confident in your abilities or if your mind is simply well....simple." Van chuckled a bit as the air around him started to get pressurized, forming into miniature sparks. Taking note of the ice that Mushoku froze and the locations that the previous spell had struck, a smirk came across Van's face. "Well, it didn't hit all of him, but at least it was enough to place the spell in his system. Looks like I really will have to speed things up."

Taking the forming sparks, Van condensed them into several spheres that began encircling his body shooting out smaller sparks that seemingly stole the energy from nearby sources, such as plants, animals, and even the heat from the sun; causing the spheres to begin growing in size. As these spheres were absorbing more energy, Van formed several embers at the tips of his fingers that bore a blue coloration. Directing his hands forward, a wicked smile formed across the blonde shinigami's face. "Van Original: Kaminagaru X Tentai Hi!" As he said his command, he began altering the spell as well, causing the the spheres of plasma to take on a spear-like shape, with the flames of the Tentai Hi spell hiding behind the brightness of the lightning, in the form of tassles. With a simple hand wave, three of the nine spears were launched toward Mushoku. Maintaining, his smile, Van awaited his new opponent to try and manipulate the spell in some way....

...Mushoku remain completely still, so still the air seemed not to move his hair. He then spoke one word. "  Shijun  (しじゅん,  absolute purity)." Another swirling vortex appear around Mushoku's person. However this time, it didn't come from one of his hands, but in the center of himself. Furthermore, it didn't seem to absorb him in it. Everything else, was being absorbed, the air evem reishi. When, the spears that were launched got into the range, of the vortex, there forms became twist and were distorted, while being absorbed into it. After the spears were absorbed, the vortex vanished.

"Satonaka Van, attacks like that will do little, to me at my current status. You will need to weaken me, before I will allow something like that to work. I have developed Shijun into a Saikoubougyo (さいこう,ぼうぎょ supreme   defense ). While, "I'' didn't coin it that, many opponent's have."

"However, I respect that you possess power. One, of the few bias I have. So, I will tell you how to get around the Space-time barrier. I can only use to protect myself for two minutes, and while using it I cannot use other abilities."