Training for the Paladins[ended]

Jacob held on of his swords tightly in his left hand as Santo was practicing forms and different angles of slashes. "It's time for a small break from forms. All the practice in the world isn't going to do as much for you as real battle experience. You'll be able to use the counters and see why they do and don't work depending on how you adjust to your opponents. Now come at me!" Jacob said.

Santo ran at Jacob in the time he was away from Jacob he learned to use heavily compressed airwaves to create a slash that pierced the air and he planned to use it now "Dragon's Gale Force!" Santo jumped and slashed his sword which sent a blast of compressed airwaves at Jacob. Santo as he fell to the ground prepared to run at Jacob.

Jacob swirled his blade around blocking and slicing through the airblade, rendering the attacks useless. The swordsman then began strife to the right while preforming a swirling display with his swords to keep Santo's attention on it. With his second blade he sliced the air cutting through it, the force of the slash kept going and sliced through a tree behind Santo causing it to fall. The large hardwood would crush the young boy with ease if he didn't get out of the way.

Dorian waved at Jacob as he walked off dragging the stranger along with him like a rag doll. Dorian picked his nose and flicked the booger onto the floor. He then looked towards the other young man who had just made the scene.

"..I don't have time to train people who aren't on my crew..You're welcome to join or travel with my crew as an alliance..but I'm not making base here to train you and your brother..Its not that I can't or are won't...I just simply do not have the Intel time to take such actions into such a improper time. To many conflicting goals are already in my hands..I must continue my venture and fulfill my crews main goal...If you truly want me to make base here...show me how serious you are about training.."

Danto got onto his knees and said "If you train me I will owe you my life I will take any mission you send me on... I WILL BE YOUR OTHER EYES!" Blake had just woken up and heard Danto's whole speech "Danto calm down we will find our way off this island." Blake grabbed Danto by the shoulder and prepared to pick up his brother but then he remembered the promise he made to Jacob that he would kick Anubis's ass and the paladins." Blake looked at Dorian "Don't train me just supervise my brother here is also a gum gum user you could easily teach him don't you want to pass your teachings to another before you die, sure your one of the most badass pirates in this whole world but what if Admiral Nishiki or Admiral Payne, or one of the 3 current yonkos come for you do you honestly think you can win, and they could be as cold hearted as you are and finish the job, so could you just train my brother!!!!!!! "

Santo took a back step as he fell his sword backwards which splintered the tree just big enough for Santo to fit through when he took the sword out. Santo charged at Jacob and winded his sword back aiming for a point blank air slash move.

This was a great technique for fighting someone without a sword or who was inexperienced like Santo was. However for someone like Jacob it was mere child's play to counter. Pulling his arm back, his blade collided with Santo's causing a small shockwave with enough force to stop the airblade from ever forming. Of course Jacob held back, otherwise the power from the shockwave would crack the ground and most likely send his young pupil flying over the trees.

Pushing down and forward, Jacob used the angle of his sword to force Santo's down towards the ground while the tip of his moved so it would stab the boy in the face or neck area. The blades made a high pitched squeal and sparks flew as the sharpened edges tried desperately to cut into the other.

Santo tipped his head so it slashed his cheek, Santo used his legs to kick off Jacob off him and quickly grabbed his sword and used Santo ran at Jacob and winded back his sword and slashed the front of his feet as leverage for a more powerful slash. He then prepared for a counter from Jacob so he could practice what he had learned.

Jacob seen the boy using his entire body for the slash he was about to use. Sure the attack would be a lot stronger, however there was a flaw to this. Jacob merely side stepped and then did a half turn to avoid the drawn sword while placing his in front of Santo's left breast. With the momentum the boy would have ran right into the blade of the sword if Jacob hadn't pulled it away at the last second. "You have a ways to go yet, however you're showing some degree of promise. Now go work on extending the range of your slice." Jacob said sheathing his sword and walking away.

Santo turned around at the fallen tree in battle he was standing about 50 meters away from the tree when he winded back his sword and slashed the airblast all the it made a small chink in the tree because most of it had desolved from the traveling distance. "DAMN IT!" Santo continued to slash but again and again it only made tiny chinks in the tree. Santo was staying up all night training and the chinks got bigger and bigger. At dawn Santo pulled the sword over his head and shot an air blast that made a chink probably to the center of the tree and Santo continued doing the air blasts winded back like he usually did and began training the airblast 100 meters away and it still made giant chinks in the tree and Santo finally laid down breathing heavily and began to sleep his whole body felt numb because of the training he began at Nightfall.

"..Show me how strong you are and I'll consider training you in how to use the power of the Gomu Gomu No Mi..It's an extremely risky fruit power to have..Not one someone would want to let his enemies know he has..."

Dorian took his basic fighting stance and looked over at the new comer.

"..I'll go easy on you..Don't worry.."

No matter how much he trained, the results showed little gain. Jacob knew he was close if not at the cap of his abilities. He was able to shorten the meditation time he needed to use his life return abilities, but that was the peek of his progress in the time he had spent with Santo. He wondered if his pupil would be able to over come the rut he was in now. Jacob honestly didn't see it happening anytime though. Hell he had years to go before catching up to his level.

Danto got up and said 'Dragon Body!" His whole body speed was increased he had this technique before but it was a major waste of his energy and a last resort but Danto decided if not now when. Danto rushed at Dorian and shot both arms back he curled his fingers and screamed "Gum Gum AK SHOT!" He shot his arms at Dorian as if he was using Gum Gum Bazooka but his fingers were curled so it was his bare palms coming at Dorian.

Santo sat down, he felt like crying he knew he increased by a bit but he knew this was the edge of his abilities "NO I refuse to believe it this is not the edge of my abilities if it is I don't deserve to be a swordsmen, if it is I don't deserve to live, IF IT IS I DON'T DESRVE TO DREAM OF BEING A WARLORD, IF I DON'T I DON'T DESERVE TO DREAM OF PROTECTING MY BROTHERS, IF IT IS I DON'T DESERVE TO BE JACOB'S STUDENT!" Santo was lying down in the grass when he said that and did a chinese get up he was about 150 meters from a giant boulder and used a single concentrated air blast at first it seemed it did nothing and Santo turned around ashamed but then he heard a loud crash and quickly turned around to see that he cut it down the middle, Santo ran around cutting giant boulders with weaker air blasts and he felt himself getting stronger and stronger he began training with sand bangs filled with the pieces of the rocks around his arms and legs and running and swimming around the training area, he also plowed the field and carried the rocks around the training area, he knew that this was the progress that Jacob was looking for.

The pupil had grown a great amount since he had started the train. It'd been a long time, as well. Santo still wasn't at Jacob's level but there was nothing more Jacob was able to teach him the art of swordsmanship at that point. He picked up his sword once again and called for Santo to battle him, like he did months ago. "It's time for one last test." Jacob said waiting for Santo.

Santo bowed to his master and ran towards him "Yes master I am ready for the last test!" Santo gripped his sword ready for the final test with his former master Jacob.

Dorian quickly shifted his body so that he slid in between Danto's attack. Dorian then shuffled his feet while moving towards Danto. Dorian was close enough to hug Danto in mer seconds and quickly did four consecutive jabs in a row. Although it looked like a single punch to a normal fighter. Some one on a master level would be able to see Dorian's attack.

"If your going to use the Gomu Gomu No Mi you can't use such reckless attacks like that. Your arms and Legs are your only source of fighting if a Sword user would have been here instead of me you'd have had those two arms sliced clean off instantly..You need to already know how to be a master fighter before using this fruit.."

"Flash"

The area from which Jacob took off from cracked and an indent was left. In an instant, Jacob was in front of Santo his sword slicing the ground as he slashed upwards. The slash was more than more than powerful enough to kill the pirate and would likely send him skidding backwards if he blocked. Jacob was using his large sword which carried much more weight that a regular katana. This would make the strike all the more solid.

Santo had to react quickly he didn't see the movement that well but the fact that he saw his masters movement was incredible, Santo put his sword in a angle that would block any airblast and took the airblast although it took a piece out of his sword a tiny one though but the force of the airblast sent Santo skidding backwards this was Santo's time to react he used an airblast while skidding backwards and aimed it through his master like he learned to increase the power of the air blast.

Danto didn't know how he could make his attacks careful, he sat down legs crossed and pondered it for a moment he wasn't sure if he could then he got an idea "I know what your talking about Danto dropped Dragon Bodyand said " Dragon Arms!" "Gum Gum Launch!" Danto's body felt like a blur but he knew what Dorian was talking about focus a more concentrated punch on one point that increases the power of it and he stopped in front of Dorian and shot his hand back "Gum Gum Pistol!" Danto's arm shot at Dorian all the energy was focusing on one point of the stomach that Danto was aiming for "Eat This!"

Jacob stabbed his blade into the ground a moment before the air blade struck. With the added stability he was able to block the powerful attack with relative ease. Pulling the large blade from the ground he simply began to strife to the left waiting for the boy to attack. "Is that all you got, kid?" the man mocked his pupil.

Santo smiled "Not even close!, but seriously teach me that flash move you did!" Santo used an airblast right in front of him and a big dust cloud blocked Santo from the regular fighter eyes but Jacob wasn't any regular fighter, Santo busted from the dust cloud and while in the air whipped out as many airblasts as possible, Santo planned to follow up the airblast with a point blank airblast.

Jacob watched the oncoming blades of air fly towards him, they were meant as a secondary distraction after the cloud of dust. This kind of tactic took at special kind of attack to counter, either a block which would be pointless when it came to the secondary attack; Jacob was certain was coming. Then there was countering, could copy the technique and come out with a draw, or he could overpower it. Pulling his arm back Jacob swung his large sword creating a half moon shaped airblade. The arc shape allowed it to slice through the barrage of airblade Santo sent out.

The second part of Jacob's plan to counter takes a bit more skill; something like this would take years to master. Watching Santo's swing, Jacob replicated it perfectly, so the edge of his blade as well as the edge of Santo's blade collided so that the extra force of the slash would be canceled out before it could even start. However this is were the size of the blades come into play. Since Jacob's blade is much larger not all of his airblade would be canceled out. A small blade of air from this part of the blade would instantaneously launch at Santo from a very close range. The small airblades were formed at the tip of Jacob's sword which means it originated above and in front of Santo however still behind his sword.

As the swords parted, Jacob stepped to the left and stabbing at the area just behind where his opponent was currently. This allowed him a greater certainty that he would hit his opponent. In all likely hood Santo, if he was able to react in time would try to leap back and into the oncoming stab. However the same could be said for if Santo took the small blade of air and unluckily stumbled back into the stab. Neither attack would be immediately life threatening if one or more did succeed in hitting it's target.

((OOC: Well since you didn't dodge or acknowledge my punches. I'm gonna assume you took them head on.))

Dorian successfully delivered 4 consecutive jabs to the boys person. Dorian then held up his left hand in front of the path of Dantos fist. Causing it to stop instantly. Dorian then used the momentum of his own attack against him and shifted his left palm and pushed his arm to the right causing Danto to fall forward unwillingly. Dorian then delivered a fast happening knee to Danto's chin. If successful it would send Danto flying back onto his feet. Dorian then stretched his right arm 5 feet into the air. Preparing it to slam onto Danto's unbalanced state if the attack hit. If his knee attack missed, Dorian could easily reverse the 2nd attack and pull it aside.

Danto's face took all four jabs and and spit out some blood he was rubber yet he still felt the punches, and then he felt as Dorian made him fall forward and all he could do was look in terror as the attack from Dorian was coming, Blake growled as he saw how his brother was getting manhandled he screamed "Ka Tenshi Henkan!" As his body was engulfed in flames and he grow wings made of fire, fire jetted out of Blake's hands as he flew to where Danto was and Blake got there just in time to intercept the attack with a Ka Kikku "That is enough I don't think Danto has anything left to prove to you its time for us to go." Danto got up and pushed his brother out of the way "No way I gotta beat this guy or else my honor is gone, now if you don't kindly move out the way I am gonna hit him with all I got!" Danto got up and breathed in "GUM GUM LIGHTNING GATLING!" Danto stretched out his arms and legs and then began kicking and punching at Dorian at top speed once again focusing on one point for the attack.


Santo took the airblast as a tiny amount of blood squirted from his shoulder and chest, he saw Jacob do the side step like he interpreted Jacob would do and he fell to the ground to do a sheep leg kicking planning to sweep Jacob's legs from under him.

Danto's fighting ability and physical ability were no were near close to Dorian's level in any way. But his determination was slightly interesting. Dorian kept his palms open and extended his right arm outward and pulled his left arm close to his chest while balling up his fist. Dorian began pushing away Danto's kicks with his right palm and side stepping to evade his kicks. It was a very devastating attack. If Dorian were just some old fighter, he'd have trouble dodging such an attack.

"..I admit you have trained hard to have such control over your fruit...but.."

Dorian began doing his own attack. He began punching ten times as fast as Dantos feet and arms were going. Completely over shadowing Danto's attack with his own similar attack.

Danto felt as Dorian reversed the momentum once again but this time countered with his own attack and felt the force of the attack which sent him careening backwards into an old abandon building as the whole building fell down on him, Blake quickly rushed to were his brother was to see his arm sticking out the debris, Danto dragged himself out the debris but he had no energy to fight, he panted hard not knowing what to do. "Here is that what you wanted, there he is he proved himself and now look at him he is beaten down, Lets go Danto." Blake lifted his unconscious brother onto his back and sighed.

Jumping to avoid a leg sweep could leave a dangerous opening in any fight, however in a battle of blades it could be especially dangerous. That is if the fighter was purely defensive, however if he was able to attack while in the air he would have a greater chance of getting away without being attacked until he was able to safely distance himself. Another tactic one could use would be to cancel out the technique with a kick placing both fighters on somewhat equal ground. However at this point the crouching foe could use their position to dig in and rush the other person to knock them off balance.

Jacob stabbed his sword into the ground and with one arm spun around in the air flipping around the kick. This allowed him to place himself in a position behind the crouched Santo. With this location he would be able to attack without having to worry about Santo being able to tackle him. With this the battle was for the most part over, Jacob placed his blade next to Santo's neck. "I said I would teach your swordsmanship, and that's what I've done. The other arts I know are not to be passed down to you; at least not at this time. You did good I had to use about ten percent of my full strength in this battle." Jacob said keeping his sword tight against Santo's neck. If he wanted the battle to continue, it would however Jacob wasn't about to hold back killing him a second time.