Ancient Secrets [Solo, SBC Learning] [Dojo]

Two hours ago, miles off of the Grand Elder Village...

''Master Rhytid!'' A concerned voice rattled from far off, quickly closing the distance on the newly elected Warrior Caste leader. A door creaked on its hinges, before being promptly shut down with a firm swing. Rhytid let out a firm grumble, peering up from thick book about the history of Namek. ''...Bulim, please, I told you not to call me that-'' He sighed, shifting a hand as he shut the book closed, tossing it onto a small wooden table by his side. ''It feels awkward.''

The older Namekian nodded with a hum, coughing uncomfortably. ''O-Ofcourse, M-...Rhytid. My apologies...Simply tradition.'' He let out with a huff. Bulim was breathing quite heavily, as if he'd just been running a mile. Rhytid was quick to pick up the nervous look on Bulim's face, and didn't feel like wasting any time. ''You look like you just saw a ghost, Bulim...Take a seat, let's talk.'' Rhytid smiled a concerned smile, albeit a forced one. Carefully gesturing to two wooden stools, he sat on one of them, pouring the elderly Namekian some tea while he was at it. ''My stamina isn't what it used to be, Rhytid...With age comes exhaustion, you know?'' Bulim laughed in tired pants, sitting down on the stool with a hefty groan.

''What of the stoic, strong Warrior you always told me of?'' Rhytid chuckled lightly, lifting a brow toward the tired Namekian. ''Don't tell me the person I've been looking up to had been lying to my face all the time!''

''Ofcourse not! I merely figured it was about time I gave the new generation a chance to shine!'' Bulim laughed in return, but not before sending Rhytid a challenging glare. Even with all that age, Bulim wasn't a decrepit old man! Decades of experience under his belt, he could most likely still give Rhytid a run for his money! All harmless banter- after all...

    Bulim felt nothing but pride toward Rhytid!

''Now look at you, all strong and grown up...! Seems like my lessons weren't in vain, Leader.'' Bulim closed his eyes with a pompous grin on his face, taking a hefty gulp from the lukewarm tea. ''Ha! Want recognition that badly, don't you? Fine, I'll admit it; I wouldn't have gotten anywhere if it weren't for you-'' Rhytid rolled his eyes, the slightest hint of reluctance in his voice. ''Satisfied now, Bulim?''

''Certainly.'' The elder nodded firmly.

Rhytid set down his tea with a chuckle, ''So-'' He paused, ''Tell me why you came over in such a hurry?''  He finally asked, after realizing they were getting WAY too sidetracked.

''Ah! Right, I almost forgot...!'' Bulim's eyes shot wide, with nervous hands clawing at a cylindrical container attached to the sash around his waist. The elder cleared his throat, presenting it to Rhytid with a serious gaze. ''Here.''

The new leader slowly extended a hand, and cautiously gripped the cylindrical tube- a questioning gaze inspecting it from all sides. ''I...What is this...?'' Rhytid muttered, shaking the thing and hearing something thud against the ends of the tube. A glance was sent toward Bulim, a curious brow raised.

A deadly serious gaze grew upon Bulim's face. Eyes lowered and peered straight into Rhytid's soul. A slow breath came from the Namekian, and Rhytid was left with a look of confusion...Just what was inside of this thing...?!

''Secrets,'' Bulim spoke, fingers intertwining with themselves. ''Our secrets.''

Rhytid's confused gaze grew more stern and concerned. After a long silence, he lowered the container...

''What secrets...?''

He wasn't sure what to think...Should he be afraid? Excited? What were these 'secrets' he spoke of...!?

''I suppose...'' Bulim sighed out, before the smallest of smiles crept up on his elderly face. ''I suppose you're finally ready to learn...Heh, I didn't think it would happen so soon...''

''Bulim...Explain, please- you're killing me here...''

''Right, right- very well...'' The elder coughed loudly, clearing his throat of whatever mucus grated his voice so. Bulim's heart pounded heavily, a weird sense of adrenaline filling his body as he was about to unveil the container's secrets. He needed a moment, more than he had been given, to process it all. To see the pupil he raised become his leader so suddenly...He wasn't quick to emotions, but he got eerily close this time around.

Bulim gestured toward the container. ''Inside of that container are ancient scrolls, kept a secret from our civilization. These secrets are holy amongst our people, and only the most renowned may know of them...And only the chosen few may study them.'' Bulim spoke with a clear voice. Rhytid's eyes went wide with eager surprise- only now realizing the importance of what he held in his hands...! A slow gaze looked up from the closed, cylindrical container over to Bulim, silent with awe...!

''You seem surprised...-'' Bulim chuckled, before nodding to himself. ''Even I do not know what techniques are described in these scrolls...Only the bravest, most inspirational, and strongest of our Caste are allowed to study them.''

''Our leaders.''

Rhytid gulped heavily, lowering his gaze toward the container that rested in the palms of his hands. ''Bulim- I, I...I'm speechless...This...This is...'' The Namekian stuttered, taking the lid off of the container and seeing the outer edges of the aged scroll poke out. ''You're ready, Rhytid. Study these in privacy, and use them only for good.'' Bulim nodded to himself, the loud creak of the wooden stool scooting backwards echoing through the room. ''O-Ofcourse...'' Rhytid gasped, still at a loss for words.

Shaky fingers grasped the edges of the scroll, yet quickly let go again. Rhytid closed the cylindrical container-tube once more, and let out a hefty sigh. ''I know just the place...'' He nodded, standing up as well.

Bulim smiled proudly at his grown pupil, now his own leader, and walked to the door of Rhytid's home. ''I believe in you. We all do.'' He re-assured him, gripping the door's handle tightly.

''You won't regret giving me these, Bulim- on that I swear!'' Rhytid raised his voice in pure excitement and passion, catching a hearty chuckle from the elderly Namekian. ''I didn't think so...'' He sighed out, opening the door and proceeding to walk out. Rhytid glanced at the centuries-old secrets that now lied in his hands, and then finally back at Bulim, one last time. Just before the door closed, he uttered a heartfelt goodbye.

''Thank you, Bulim! For everything!''

---

Currently, directly under the Grand Elder Village...

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''Okay...''

''Control your strength...Feel it flow...'' A deep breath was drawn in, ''Do not let it run rampant...'' And it was breathed out slowly. Cautiously, a faint glow began to expell from within. The same energy that surrounded him when Helix blessed him with newfound strength, his unlocked potential.

It slowly swirled him like a mist. A current of controlled, calm air, yet filled with boundless power- power he always found impossible, yet now laid at his fingertips. ''Focus.'' He breathed in again, feeling the energy hugging closer to his body. Rhytid's muscles ached, and he quickly felt this indescribable weight on his spine.

A surge of ki sparked from his energy cloak, followed by a quick grunt. ''Focus!'' He hissed toward himself, fists clenching over his lap as teeth grit down against one-another. Rhytid opened in mouth, and drew another long, calm breath. His ki ceased sparking, and once again tightened around his body, before it suddenly completely disappearead.

    Rhytid's eyes shot open as he felt something surge through him- gone as quick as it came, leaving him panting in exhaustion!

For a moment- just one small moment, he felt a great power inch closer toward him. Something amazing, yet something that was still out of his reach. The gift Helix gave him was truly incredible, yet ever since he unlocked Rhytid's potential, the Namekian felt something greater hiding in his body, a tier of power yet untapped.

    A new limit to his physical potential, perhaps...?

        Whatever it was, it was clear that Rhytid hadn't fully unlocked the true limits of Helix's gift.

''Not yet-'' He spoke to himself, standing up from his meditative position. Observant eyes scanned his surroundings, walls of rock littered with glowing crystals scattered around him. They hummed softly, their magic radiating off of them warmly. ''Close, but not yet.''

Rhytid sighed, intense meditation like that really put a number on his mental state. Although refreshing and mind-clearing, it took a lot of focus and willpower to try and push out the full power of the Guru's gift. He wanted to be prepared, physically, to practise and master the Warrior Caste's secret techniques. Yet his attempts proved futile, so his current strength was all he had to work with.

With a sigh, he picked up the scroll that laid by his side, and opened it with both hands. Inside were secrets about an ancient technique taught to only the most skilled the Warrior Caste had to offer, kept safe for generations.

A warrior is never alone. Even without allies, a skilled Warrior Clansman can divide his own strength. Even the odds, and be your own army. You, worthy one, master the Multiform technique, and become a master of yourself.

The paper was brown with age, and the letters inked on it began to fade at some small blips, but everything could still be read clearly. Under the text, several ancient pictures were drawn to show how the Multiform technique was used. A step-by-step basis, more or less.

Rhytid inspected the inscriptions closely, tracing the pictures with his finger whilst trying to figure out exactly how it worked. ''Energy is concentrated...Densely-'' He muttered, shifting over to the next drawing. ''Expell the condensed energy, shape it like you would yourself...'' Rhytid let out a thoughtful hum, tracing over to the final drawing. ''Keep a telepathic link to it, retain control...''

''So that's what it means by 'mastering yourself'...'' The new leader smirked, ''Clever.''

With a firm nod to himself, Rhytid closed the scroll and set it down near the walls of the cavern, next to another scroll, one he hadn't read yet. It'd be better to get this 'Multiform' thing under control first, before moving on to the other technique.

He breathed in deeply, and closed his eyes. Energy began flowing freely and concentrating near Rhytid's torso, building up in the center of his chest. The Namekian concentrated on expelling this energy, quickly 'pushing' it out of himself like an invisible, yet dense blob. An image of Rhytid began flickering in and out of reality right before his eyes- as if he was staring into a mirror!

Putting more and more mental focus on the clone, Rhytid's face scrunched up intensely! ''It's not a mere afterimage...It's a copy...Make it tangible! Make it real...!'' He spoke to himself, pouring more and more energy into the ever-flickering clone. As more Ki began solidifying into the image, the flickers soon began to fade, leaving a perfect copy of Rhytid standing right infront of him.

The clone stared at the real Rhytid with an empty, deadpan glance, leaving the real one quite...Uncomfortable. ''Is this what I look like to others...?'' He muttered, looking the clone up and down. It didn't respond. ''Oh- right, a link.''

With a simple, mental switch, Rhytid linked himself to his own clone, feeling a mental 'click!' between the two. ''That should do it-'' He smirked, ''Now, let's see...''

Slowly, Rhytid raised his arm, through sheer willpower commanding the clone to follow his movements. It complied, raising its own arm the exact same way. The new leader couldn't help but smirk- this technique was pretty neat! He now balled his other hand into a fist, wanting the clone to simply protect itself. With a fierce thrust, Rhytid tossed his arm forward, and much to his surprise, his clone caught the punch cleanly!

''Perfect!'' They both chanted in unison, before tossing out a few more 'testing punches'. Needless to say, his clone blocked and avoided all of them! The real one laughed again, crossing his arms with a satisfied smirk. ''This technique really is something!'' Rhytid chuckled proudly. In a sudden surge of energy, Rhytid called back all the Ki inside of the clone, which quickly faded away. The Namekian grinned proudly, already feeling like he was getting the hang of things!

    While not yet perfected, Rhytid had just learned the Multiform technique!

''Well-'' He spoke to himself, ''That wasn't so hard.''

Rhytid took a passing glance at the wall of the caverns, eyes fixated on the second scroll, the yet unopened one. ''Something tells me the next one won't be as easy, though...'' He sighed out, the grin on his face fading away as he stepped over. His boots splashed in tiny puddles of water, pathway lit up by the glowing crystals and the water's reflections.

Fingers curled around the aged paper that contained his ancestor's most renowned techniques. He hesitated, unsure what was holding him back from simply opening it. Like an intense pressure that suddenly thumped down on him; anxiety?

''Come on-'' Rhytid sighed, shaking his head to regain his senses. ''They're counting on you.''

And so he took in a deep breath. In a swift motion, the scroll opened before him, dated text and aged, ancient drawings jumping to life infront of him. They described and explained a great technique, crafted and taught among Rhytid's ancestors for centuries, perfected and passed along generations. Now, it was his time to learn this powerful technique...

    The Makankosappo.

The pride of the Warrior Caste, the Makankosappo, otherwise known as the Special Beam Cannon, is the most powerful technique of our Caste. A drill of boundless energy and power, it tears through all defenses, piercing whatever shield your enemy may protect themselves with. Master this technique, worthy one, and become a true Warrior.

Rhytid remained silent after reading the text, glancing down at the how-to drawings. ''This...'' He muttered, feeling a tad bit overwhelmed. ''This seems promising...'' His voice was low, and quite concerned. This was the stuff of legends! Things only meant for the greatest! Could he...Could he really...?

''Eh,'' Rhytid shrugged, ofcourse he could. He came this far, how difficult could this be? ''You'll be fine.''

Eyes scanned the pictures again, a finger tracing the drawings once more to help figure out how the technique was used.

''Two fingers touch the forehead...'' He muttered, moving to the next drawing. ''Build up energy...And LOTS of it, it seems...''

And finally, the last drawing. ''Then, you extend your fingers, and release the beam.'' Rhytid finished, moving his finger off of the scroll and humming loudly. It certainly didn't sound all the complicated, but drawings were only that, drawings. In practice, the technique was more than likely way more difficult to use than it looked.  Nevertheless, he'd never find out if he never tried.

The scroll closed again, and was cautiously set down near the caverns' walls once again. The Namekian nodded to himself, ''Let's try it out.''

''Perfect time to test this thing out again'' Rhytid chuckled, utilizing the Multiform technique to create a perfect clone of himself infront of him. ''There we are! Man, this is really handy, I can be my own training partner now...!'' He laughed, bumping fists with his own clone. The fake Rhytid hopped backwards a significant distance from the real one. The two stared intensely at eachother, and the real Rhytid began to take heavy breaths.

A switch flipped inside of his mind, expression warping into a deadly serious grimace! Rhytid shifted his legs, crouching down into a low stance, drawing another deep breath. Slowly, he lifted two fingers toward his forehead, index and middle. Ki began shifting and swirling around him, unbridled power of his unlocked potential covering him like a storm!

The veins in his arm bulged and twitched, popping out from the skin underneath, the blood surging through his body rippling with pure power! Teeth clenched against one another, with Rhytid letting out a fierce grunt as his aura appeared fully!

    ''HooOOOOOOoOOAAAA!!!''

The fingers that touched his forehead sparked with a terribly powerful electricity, sparking with intense heat! Rhytid felt his energy amplify to insane lengths, pushing the Namekian to the absolute limit! ''HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!''  He shouted out passionately, feeling the Ki surge and condense into his two fingers!

    ''MEKKASAPPA!!''

With an underlying feeling of 'Wait, wha-', he extended his fingers, unleashing the powerful technique...!

Or so he thought. The twin beams only blasted forth about 10 inches, before flickering unstably. The technique backfired on him, resulting in a loud, painful explosion, with Rhytid right smack-dab in the middle! ''GH-HHRRAA!''

Rhytid's clone rushed to where the real one landed, littered with bruises and cuts. The clone helped him up, with Rhytid groaning in pain and exhaustion. Rhytid hunched over, hands clutching his knees as he panted tiredly. The attempt he made at using the Special Beam Cannon took a LOT of energy out of him, and the unstable explosion didn't help!

''Th-That...Ta- urgh...-'' Rhytid paused, taking in a deep breath. ''Takes a l-lot out of you...''

''I swear-'' Rhytid muttered, calling back his clone and regaining its energy. ''I could've sworn that scroll called it differently...'' He hummed, feeling quite stupid in hindsight. ''Mekkasappa? Really?'' He couldn't help but chuckle at his own stupidity. So what was it really called again? ''Makakkasappapu-...Mekkaso..Makaso...'' Rhytid smacked himself on the head, getting quite frustrated at himself. Sure, it was just a name...But it had meaning to him! This was a technique his ANCESTORS crafted and perfected, he HAD to honor it!

He passionately shuffled over to the scroll, and opened it again. 'Makankosappo'.

Rhytid's eyes narrowed curiously. ''Mak-kan-ko-sapp-o...'' He muttered lowly, emphasizing each syllable of the name loudly. Was this difficult to pronounce for everyone, or was it just him? ''Mak-kan-ko-sapp-o.'' Rhytid repeated, a tad more confident this time. Humming loudly, he closed the scroll and sighed.

    ''Makankosappo.''

''Okay, think I got it...'' Rhytid nodded, setting the scroll down again and walking over to the center of the hollow cave. The new leader called forth his clone once again, splitting his energy between himself and the clone. They bumped fists once more, and the clone hopped backwards, gaining distance between the two.

Rhytid took deep, controlled breaths, lowering his stance into a crouch one more. Rhytid's clone got into a defensive stance, bringing forth its own white aura in preparation. Rhytid himself flexed his arm, muscles bulging intensely as he slowly moved his middle and index finger toward his forehead. Once they touched, Rhytid's white aura, his released potential, unleashed fully, covering the Namekian in a swirling vortex of white Ki!

''HhoooooooooooOOOOOAAA...!!'' A mighty roar came from the Namekian as a mighty spark emerged from his fingertips! Energy amplified and let out a mighty hiss, blood circulating inside of his body at a rapid pace! Veins throbbed heavily, muscles twitching as his body tried to compensate for the intense energy he was putting out!

    ''UUHHHRROOOAAAAAAAAAAA!!!''

This was it! He could feel it! His energy was amplified to the extreme, yet still stable! Rhytid was confident, ready to unleash it!

His fingers extended, and he let out a mighty roar!

''MAKANKOSAPPOOO!!''

Two beams of bright, vivid orange blasted forth from his fingertips, one swirling the other viciously! They hurled themselves at Rhytid's clone as they screeched through the space between them, cutting the very air in its path! Rhytid's clone gasped loudly, and quickly extended a palm with a roar of his own! ''Verdant Aegis!''

A bright, verdant green barrier formed around the clone of Rhytid, a desperate attempt at protection! Yet when the Special Beam Cannon made contact with it, the barrier shattered in an instant! Shards of ki were flung around the caverns as the technique pierced the Verdant Aegis, not losing any of its momentum or power in the process!

''W-WHA!?'' Was all the clone could shout before the inevitable happened. Before the fake Rhytid could even process what happened, his shoulder was pierced and torn through by the Makankosappo, leaving a big, gaping hole inside of the Namekian! The clone let out a gargled scream of pain, before it faded from existence, leaving the real Rhytid alone in the now silent cave.

The leader panted exhaustedly, muscles and bones aching. Rhytid felt completely drained, yet satisfied beyond belief! ''Haaah...haa...haha...!-'' He began chuckling with airy breaths, taking in a big gulp of air. ''Aaahahaha!!'' Rhytid's satisfied laughter filled the cave, nothing but happiness surging through his body!

Rhytid felt powerful, confident! This technique was truly amazing, tearing through his own, most powerful defensive technique without any effort! ''By Porunga...This is amazing!'' He shouted passionately, a proud, big smirk growing on his face. He had done it, finally done it!

    Rhytid had learned the Special Beam Cannon!

With a long, tired sigh, he'd sit down by the cavern's walls and meditate, to regain his strength and reflect on what he had learned today. The Namekian made a big step this day, and adopted a great, amazing power. He couldn't use this newfound strength rashly, though! He was a leader of the people now, a Namekian others would look up to! An old saying Rhytid realized all too well by now, goes as follows;

With great power, comes great responsibility!