Iwagakure Taijustu Style; Sword Berserker Style

- Sword Berserker Style.


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- Style Description:
-- Emotion has always been an essential part of combat. While some styles of fighting stress the putting aside of one’s emotions in order to obtain a more sterile, clear-minded form of combat, other’s look to them as the foundation on which the art is built. However, the Berserker Sword Style extends beyond even this: for practitioners of this way of combat, emotion is not only the foundation, but the structure that shapes the style into an entity unlike any other method of combat.

-- One of the hallmarks of those who call this style their own is the massive swords employed by its users. The techniques and principles of the style are designed with a sword of a weight in excess of 100 pounds in mind. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that those who chose to walk the way of the Berserker would possess tremendous strength and stamina, though the experience of carrying an object of such great weight for an extended period of time has brought about a degree of speed.

-- Users of the Stone Berserker Sword Style typically disregard showy techniques and needless movement. Instead, Berserkers tend to emphasize powerful strikes, pressing the advantage, and the parrying and deflecting of blows rather than the dodging of oncoming attacks. Furthermore, the ability to outlast or overwhelm a foe through sheer stamina and tenacity is greatly stressed by Berserkers. By not allowing a lull to come within the action of the combat, practitioners of the style are able to play to their strengths quite effectively.


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- Style Basis: Weapon


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- Restrictions:
-- Users of the style must wield a cleaver sword or a sword of equal or greater size. Users of this style are restricted to the use of ninjutsu and genjutsu of stage 4 and below.


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- Training Methods:
-- Practitioners of the Style are taught from the beginning to wield swords that are beyond the size normally thought practical. Therefore, much of the training of the Berserker involves shaping the user’s style of fighting to accommodate this weight. Oftentimes, the user of the style are unsure how to battle with a sword that does not place a strain upon them, and therefore increase the size of their blade whenever they have become comfortable with the heft of their current weapon. Other typical exercises deal with the handling of objects of extreme weight, such as logs or kegs, and the use of a sword that has been weighted to increase resistance. Also, the ability to control the swing of their sword is greatly accentuated. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see a training Berserker at the foot of a great hill as he cleaves a multitude of oncoming rolling logs of barrels sent his way by two of more men above him.


- Additional Information:
-- The State of Calm: In the Stone Berserker Style, two very distinct states of mind exist. The first of which is referred to as “The State of Calm.” As experts in focusing their emotions, it seems only natural that the Berserker would be able to set aside his distractions at will. The default state of mind for those who study the Berserker’s Sword, a swordsman in the State of Calm is collected and fully aware of the world around him. His actions are calculated, intentional, and executed with the utmost attention. As a Berserker progresses, his mindset within this state becomes progressively quiet, almost to the point that many have used the word “callous” to describe an expert Berserker in battle. However, this is not to imply that those who call this style their own experience to emotion, they have simply become adapt over time in controlling these feelings while in combat.


- The State of Berserk:
-- The aspect of that defines the Stone Berserker Swordsman, the ability to Berserk is well-known for both its unspeakable ferocity and its potential for destruction. While the Berserker Swordsman is a capable fighter in his own right, his true power comes from his ability to draw into his own emotions to achieve a state of mental savagery that allows him to go beyond his normal physical bounds. The common misconception of the Stone Berserker is that this state is achieved through extreme anger or rage. However, the truth could not be further from this train of thought. Instead of one predominant emotion serving as the catalyst for this transformation, the pooling of a multitude of emotions brings about this state of change. By focusing intense emotions into the core of one’s being, the trained mind is able to achieve this state. While in this state, the Swordsman’s typically serene fighting demeanor is replaced by a posture of absolute animalistic ferocity. While in this state, the Swordsman is greatly enhanced physically, and gains access to a multitude of techniques unique to this state of mind, but is subsequently rendered unable to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, and is prone to cutting down both friend and foe in his blind savagery. Furthermore, while the Stone Berserker is well trained in his ability to control his emotions to prevent the use of this devastating state of mind inadvertently, extreme cases have been known to trigger this transformation unwillingly… often with dire consequences.


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[ STAGE: ONE. ]

- Focus:
-- At this stage, the user is just beginning to learn to set aside the distractions of battle in order to focus himself entirely on the task at hand. Due to this inexperience, his focus is only slightly better than the standard Shinobi.

- Swordsmanship:
-- The user has not yet become accustomed to the sheer size of the sword that they wield. As a result, simple swings and parrying that takes advantage of the width of the blade are the main techniques of the practitioner of this level.





[ STAGE: TWO. ]

- Focus:
-- Here, the focus of the user becomes slightly more apparent. The ears and mind of the berserker are able to almost completely filter out minute sounds such as the chirping of birds and the running of water. While the battle at hand is still a broad picture rather than the narrow focal point that it is to become in later stages, advancement has nevertheless been made from the awkward beginnings of the style.

- Swordsmanship:
-- At this stage, the user has become more comfortable with the wielding of a sword of immense size. Blows have become more fluid and can be executed in a slightly faster succession, though offense is still generally limited to individual, simple swings of the blade, and parrying is still reliant on the use of the size of the blade to catch the oncoming strikes of foes.


- Techniques:
- Shovel:
-- Of the principles taught to the Berserk Swordsman, perhaps the most important is the concept of gaining and maintaining the advantage in combat by any means necessary. Due to this emphasis, it is not uncommon to see a practitioner of the style executing techniques that would be seen as “less than honorable” in order to achieve this end. This technique is a tactic of this kind. By planting the tip of his blade into the earth and subsequently rising with a shoveling motion, the Berserk Swordsman is able to send forth a cloud of dust, sand, and rock to the face of his foe in the intention of distracting or blinding him or her long enough to continue their assault.

- Berserk:
-- This technique is the hallmark of the style, and the aspect that allows the practitioner of this form of combat to become truly frightening. Through the intense focus that is taught as a building block to those who practice this style, the user is able to boil the deepest, most potent emotions of the human soul into the core of one’s being, and subsequently allow these emotions to take control in an explosion of feral savagery. The state of berserk lasts for 1 post plus the number of stages the user has achieved in the style. The action of entering into the mindset counts as the action for the post, though the count in regards to number of posts in the mindset does not begin until the next post by the user. While under the control of this technique, the Swordsman gains access to the super points of the style. However, it should be noted that any genjutsu that would render the Swordsman emotionally abnormal (fear, inflict emotion, ect.) would prevent the Swordsman from entering into the state of Berserk until the genjutsu has been removed. Furthermore, all subsequent special techniques are only accessible while the Shinobi is Berserk. However, the power gained from this change in mindset does not come without a price: while under the influence of the technique, the shinobi is rendered unable to perform either ninjutsu or genjutsu, though ninjutsu benefits that were bestowed upon the user before the state of berserk was entered will still be in affect until their duration has ended, and the benefits of the heightened focus inherent in the State of Calm can now no longer be reaped. Furthermore, while berserk, a shinobi is unable to discern friend from foe, and will apply his blade equally to all who stand in his path. Finally, the act of berserking brings about great mental and physical strain.





[ STAGE: THREE. ]

- Focus:
-- The ability to harness one’s emotions into a cyclone of destruction has In turn also brought about a new level of focus in the mind of the Berserk Swordsman. At this stage, he is capable of blocking out more complex things, such as nearby conversations, or the sound of a nearby rushing stream.

- Swordsmanship:
-- The user has now begun to grasp a small bit of how to take advantage of the size of the sword that is inherent to his style. His attacks are now no longer limited to the simple, straightforward slashes of the past, evident in the inclusion of thrusts and powerful overhead strikes into the arsenal of the swordsman. Furthermore, the art of rising to meet a foe’s attack while parrying in order to drive his quarry back is now gradually beginning to take shape. However, while the user has realized the size of his sword can be used as a great asset, his body has not yet fully grown accustomed to hefting the blade, and thus cannot strike and recover from blows as quickly as needed in order to fully press the advantage on his foe.


- Techniques:
- Shield:
-- While the Stone Berserker is well trained in blocking the attacks of those who dare face them head on, the foe who fights from afar have always been a thorn in the side of the Berserking Swordsman. Striking from a distance with a multitude of projectiles, these pests are capable of dealing damage while staying far away from the relentless sword of the Berserker. To counter this, a simple yet effective method of defense was devised. Taking advantage of the immense size and width of the weapon they employ, the Swordsman uses his blade itself as a shield against an oncoming onslaught of projectiles. While this does not offer perfect protection against a vast multitude of projectiles, it is fully capable of deflecting a reasonable number of weapons.

- Overwhelmed Mind:
-- Overtaken by unbridled, raging emotion, the mind of the Stone Berserker cannot be reasoned with, nor can he be halted by any means other than the halting of his physical body. Due to this overwhelming inferno of emotion that now burns hot in the brain of the Swordsman, users of genjutsu will find that they are no longer able to affect the emotional state of the Berserker. Though genjutsu that affect the senses of the Swordsman will still perform their task, any illusionary art built to instill fear, sorrow, agony, indifference, or any false sense of emotion will be met with utter failure.





[ STAGE: FOUR. ]

- Focus:
-- Here, the Swordsman’s ability to focus oneself on the battle at hand truly begins to take shape and grant a true advantage in battle. Applying the ability to block out the sounds of the world around him that has been so important in the past stages, the Shinobi is now capable of focusing his ears entirely on a particular opponent. Through this, he will find that sounds that would normally muffle the footsteps and movements of a foe, such as a small explosion, now provide no cover for the movements of an opponent. As a result, the Swordsman is now able to keep track of his quarry more effectively, and therefore continue his assault even if his foe should try to escape.

- Swordsmanship:
-- At this stage, experience has brought about a new level of skill in the Stone Berserker. Now quite used to wielding a blade that would not be considered rational by a normal man, the Stone Berserker is now able to wield his sword with a fluidity that betrays the mass of the weapon. Despite the immense size of the weapon, the Swordsman is now capable of wielding his instrument of destruction with two hands with little to no show of strain, and even begins to go so far as showing some (albeit limited) skill in wielding the heft in one hand. Swiftly, the blade of the Swordsman rises to meet the blows of the opponent, and multiple swings in rapid succession are now possible. Due to this, the ability to press forward with a constant onslaught of attacks begins to come into play; an ability of which the Swordsman should take full advantage.


- Techniques:
- Disarm:
-- An armed foe is generally more dangerous in combat; this is a widely accepted rule of battle. Through the use of a weapon, an opponent is better able to parry blows, and gains a more lethal touch to all of his attacks. With this principle in mind, the Berserk Swordsman has devised a tactic to counter this very problem. By using the sheer weight of his sword to his advantage, the swordsman swings hard at the weapon itself, and upon impact, exerts an extra amount of force against his opponent’s weapon. Obviously, the force exerted against the weapon is tremendous, and all but the strongest foe’s wielding the most durable of weapons would find it extremely difficult to keep their weapon from flying from their hands and to the floor across the battlefield.

[ STAGE: FIVE. ]

- Focus:
-- At this stage, the ears of the Swordsman have learned to focus almost entirely on a single target. Individual movements can be heard quite clearly even in the face of a near deafening explosion, and a small idea of what attack a user of a familiar taijutsu style is preparing can be devised through the sense of hearing alone; a useful talent if the swordsman has lost sight of his foe, or is temporarily blinded. However, while the ears of the shinobi have been trained to bring their focal point entirely to one target, the eyes have not yet achieved this same level. Flashy movements on the part of the foe can still cause the swordsman to become distracted, swift, discreet actions are still capable of escaping unnoticed, and a shinobi in hiding may still conceal himself from the eyes of the Berserk Swordsman.

- Swordsmanship:
-- Rising upwards to a new plateau in skill, the Berserk Swordsman at this stage is capable of demonstrating feats of amazing ability. Now extremely comfortable with the concept of maintaining a constant onslaught of attacks on his foe, the swordsman strikes swiftly without mercy, lashing out blow after blow with an almost unceasing fluidity. Furthermore, the Berserk shinobi has now learned to wield his blade with one hand quite effectively, allowing him to continue on with his assault with decent, though still hampered, intensity should one arm become disabled. Furthermore, the act of parrying has now reached a new level of fluidity; by rising to meet his foes attack with a blow of his own, he is able turn the momentum of his opponent’s own strike against him, and open up opportunities to again press forward with his own attack.


- Techniques:
- Cleave:
-- Opponents who employ long handled weapons, such as spears, staffs, and pole arms, have long been a menace to the Berserk Swordsman. By taking advantage of the reach of their own weapons, they are able to strike from a distance and keep the Swordsman at bay. Knowing this, users of the Stone Berserk Sword Style have devised a method of countering those who take this method of attack. By striking hard towards the long handle of the foe’s weapon, they are subsequently able to cleave strait through the shaft of the object, and therefore shorten it. Through this, they are able to force the opponent to come closer to battle; a fact of which the Stone Berserker should then take full advantage.

- Nerve Dead:
-- Completely overtaken by a flurry of emotions that drive him relentlessly onward, the mind of those who enter into the State of Berserk knows no distraction. Battling ever onward with frightening intensity, no sensation is capable of finding its way into the mass of emotion that now dominates the mind of the user: not even pain. While fists may strike the swordsman time and time again, and blades may slice his skin, the mind of the user simply does not register these things as important. However, while the sensation of pain may not register in the mind of the Swordsman, it should be noted that the damage that comes along with the pain is still very real, and will affect the user accordingly.





[ STAGE: SIX. ]

- Focus:
-- The focus of the Swordsman at this level has nearly reach its peak of the focal arts. Now completely comfortable focusing his ears on a target, and is able to fight quite competently even when blinded. The focus of his vision has also grown to a new level of skill, and the Stone Swordsman is now able to completely focus his sight on a target, enabling him to notice subtle motions made by the target. Though, it should be noted that this increased level of focus does leave the possibility of a surprise attack from a second opponent as a very real danger.

- Swordsmanship:
-- Now nearing the zenith of ability in the style, the Swordsman is now capable of wielding his sword nearly flawlessly. The act of parrying has now become nearly instinctive, and wielding his sword with one hand now serves as almost no problem, though the weight of the sword limits the duration of this method of battling. The ferocity that serves as the hallmark of the style has also nearly reached perfection; evident in the fact that users at this level are capable of unleashing blow after blow with their sword with virtually no time needed for recovery between strikes.





[ STAGE: SEVEN. ]

- Focus:
-- Now at the peak of their ability, the Stone Berserker now has access to a nearly inhuman level of focus. Now able to block out all sounds but the movements, breathe and surroundings of the opponent, the Swordsman is able to keep track of position of a foe unaided by sound muffling genjutsu at all times. The visual focus of the Swordsman has grown to enable him to focus his complete attention on multiple targets, yet still maintain a level of awareness that prevents his focus from blinding him from incoming surprise attacks all the while.

- Swordsmanship:
-- Having reached the apex of their ability with a sword, the Stone Berserker is now able to wield his massive blade with an ease that completely betrays its size. Whether wielding a sword with one hand or two, oncoming blows are deflected and countered with fluid grace, and the flurry of blows that can be unleashed when on the offensive are swift, startlingly powerful, and can come in a near endless stream without visible sign of fatigue; a perfect synthesis of flowing, relentless and powerful strikes.

- Preservation:
-- The pinnacle of the strength granted by the State of Berserk, the ability of preservation is frightening indeed. Already unable to feel the pain brought about by the wounds inflicted by the blades, ninjutsu and genjutsu of their foes, the Berserker is now bestowed with the ability to fight on through wounds to which those in a normal state of mind would succumb. Though their organs may be punctured and their body nearly bled dry, the mind of the Swordsman forces them to fight on with an untiring ferocity, though a blow that would bring about instant death, such as decapitation or the ripping out of the heart, would still bring about the demise of the swordsman. However, despite the fact the user is granted the ability to fight on through lethal injuries while his mind is overtaken, such is not the case with the state of calm. When the duration of the State of Berserk expires, the Swordsman will once again be subject to his own wounds, and will suffer their full affect, including instant death if the wounds suffered during his or her time spent in emotional frenzy are great enough