Floor #1 the cats on the prowl

A young man has just finished his registration. He was told of this tower only days earlier and took great interst in it. It would be a great time to meet new races of all sorts. He walked into the arena on the first tower, it wasn’t that fanciful as he first presumed. He had dark blue hair that seemed to go right above his yellow piercing eyes. He didn’t have a zanpakuto on him but he still wore basic shinigami garbs with the captain’s Haori. He only wore them due to the weight it added making this training just as well. The garbs clung to his skin and drooped down. He wasn’t used to fighting without a blade, however hand to hand combat was not a category he was lacking in.

“Hello?” he looked around the arena and decided his combatant was late or something. He sat down and didn’t much understand how this was supposed to pan out.

Spoiler:

The referee came in and turned on the other lights. "You're quite a bit early, Mr. Temida Xios, or do you prefer Captain when being introduced? At least your's is the first match of the day, but it doesn't start for another hour." Thirty minutes later, the arena was starting to fill up with spectators. At the designated time, the referee started to introduce the combatants, starting with Temida, using whichever title he preferred or none at all. One of the more polite and respectful referees. Then it was the next guy.

"His opponent, a kid with a seven win streak, whose size makes him both hard to hit and often underestimated. The speedster with impressive flexibility, if not physically strong, Mr. Jaden Carns!" A boy wearing back jean shorts, black boots, and what he's wearing in the picture above came out as the crowd cheered. He was only four foot seven, but specialized in speed, durability, and grapples, often hitting the opponent in the process of flinging himself around the person's body.

He hopped up and stayed a good four yards away. Jaden bowed. "It's an honer to be fighting with you, sir. Let's have a great match." When the signal came for them to fight, the red eyed squirt ran a short distance and went down for a slide, aiming right between the legs. If the legs closed, he would hit him in the shin and go for an uppercut. If they stayed open, he would grab the shins with his hands and aim for a double kick to his back, right where the kidneys were before getting back up and ready for a counter attack. If Temida just got out of the way completely, he would just slide right back up and be ready to move or block.

Temida smiled as his name was called and nodded at the Referee.”please, I have not come as a captain but a mere equivalent, call me as Temida” he took a seat, he normally wasn't so early, must be his anxiousness. Soon the hour passed by and he was introduced. Temida decided not to take off his weighted clothing yet. The boy by the name of Jaden was called, Temida returned his bow with his own. “And to you the same, may the best man win” with that the battle started. The boy came up to slide, Temida matched the speed running towards as the boy slid. Xios hopped up over him tucking his legs in and front flip landing on the opposite side. “Your gonna have to be faster than that Mr. Carns” he smiled.

He turned around and saw him stand up. Temida's focus was speed, strength, and spiritual pressure. However that last one didn't help so much here. He dashed forwards and ducked down, even though he was expert in Kendo, he still was good with hand to hand combat. When he came up he thrusted his fist upward at the jaw of Jaden, then lowered back and headbutted at the gut. He backed up and set his fists in an odd position. “I wonder if I can make this work” he smiled as he lifted one hand and slanted it forward over his head, it was gonna try to mimic a sword style using his hand. He dashed forward straight line as fast as he could and struck out his hand open palmed however his fingers overlapped and his fingers were aiming, its speed would be fast enough to peirce flesh if his directly. Since the fingers were interlocking, it would make for a stronger blow as well.

Jaden giggled at his response. It was good to find a respectful opponent for once, most have been arrogant pricks. Temida jumped above him. A speed guy just like him. Temida came at him and seemed to have copied him. Jaden was already ready for that. But instead, the man came up with an uppercut to his jaw. Jaden was able to step back and put his hands up. Using the force from the punch into his hands, he was able to be lifted up into the air. The small kid front-flipped with a kick to the back of Temida's head, completely avoiding any headbutt attempt. He darted away and turned, seeing Temida doing the same. Then the man was interlocking and using some sort of style.

Then the man dashed at him. Jaden moved off to the side and would attempt to latch onto one of the arms and twist his entire body around for another kick to the head. Then he would twist around the body to where he had a leg around Temida's head, the other at the armpits, and using the man's arm for support. He would flip him forward, then do a small jab kick to the chest before rolling away.

If that didn't happen, he would switch to throw his entire 90 pounds into an elbow straight into the ribs or kidney, then do a sweep kick.

The kick hit his head during a headbutt, he admitted it wasn't the smartest move, and wracked a bit, but nothing ice couldn't handle later. He was a bit made when his strike failed, he let his arm get latched on, this move was meant to counter counters, he lifted his arm up higher, and would lift this man and his 90lb off the ground, the legs came up around his head but Temida ducked down and swung the arm under him, it was heavy with this added weight, but he attempted to cut off the grapple and slam his opponent into the ground with 376lb of weight and force. This move would probably be hard to dodge since Temida was right on top at this point.

After that he would push off into a forward roll and stand on his feet about 5 feet away. He spun around to face the other direction. “heh, seems this may be a bit harder than I thought” he smiled innocently a bit rubbing the back of his head. “Welp, I guess I better get more serious” he dashed forward and hopped up in a straight kick. Of there was an attempted block, he would hop off, if attempted grapple, he would kick with the other foot and continue the kick off, if dodge he would keep flying. At the same time his clothing became loose. “Speed verse speed..” he said as his shinigami garbs fell off clinging to the ground in a large thump, he shed 256 pounds, as soon as his foot hit the ground he pushed back, now 10% faster and an elbow to the face while moving backwards, he had many more tricks up his sleeve however, none yet to show, with the elbow he spun around and aimed a kick to the side of the gut then a full on double punch at the chest and head simultaneously.

As the guy ducked his head down, Jaden adjusted his position to adjust to it. Or so he thought. Acting fast, Jaden twisted around the arm, twisting his legs as well and hooking them at the man's side, and sat straight up on his knees, which would be on Temida's back. There were so many twists in the manuever that it was mind boggling. The boy did two punches the back and jumped away. They were around twenty feet apart. "Well of course. You'll find that you will earn every victory here. It's not good to hold back a lot." Jaden waited respectfully and in curiosity. But all he did was charge for a flying straight kick. The boy ducked, the kick missing by a hair. Spinning on his heel, he kept his eyes on the shinigami.

Whose clothes hit the ground with a loud thump. And cracks formed beneath them. The kid actually whimpered in worry. And that worry was well worth it as he wasn't expecting the sudden increase in speed. The elbow got him right in the nose. Followed by a swift kick to the gut and then a double punch to the head and chest. Jaden slid on his feet for three feet and then rolled backwards for another five feet. In a way, it was somewhat cute how that happened. The crowd wasn't too happy and boo'd Temida as Jaden got back up. The boy cracked his neck, ignoring the mad crowd. "Wow...weighed clothing...wasn't expecting that..." He rubbed his chest as well. But now it was his turn.

The kid ran forward, charging. At four feet away, he hopped to Temida's right and then hopped again for a spin kick with the heel. If blocked with the forearm, Jaden would clench the arm with his caught leg and stomp on the guy's face before front flipping away for his next combo. If that stomp was also blocked, or if it was dodged, he would back off.

If it was dodged altogether, Jaden would hop again for a knee to the gut, followed by a headbutt, flip over the man, and parted with an elbow to the kidney.

His next combo, if the first happened, would be an elbow to the side with all his weight, followed by a kick to the shin and a double palm thrust to the jaw.

If the second happened, he would back flip for a kick with the front of his leg. block or hit, or attempted dodge, he would latch on to one of Temida's legs, pull himself inbetween Temida's legs and kick him in the kidney, and then kicking him again in whichever side, if possible. Then he would let go and roll away.

Temida wasn't expecting the counter counter, he wouldn't make the same mistake next time as he was punched twice and flung to the ground, he continued his attacks as he got up. As the spin kick came at he smiled and slanted back dodging the heel, when the knee came at he clashed both hands in a double fist together and slammed it down at the knee at the same time pushing himself forward smacking his own skull against Jaden's. His own head would probably stop the flip, but if it didn't Temida would preform a roll forward under his front flip and spin around. He saw the elbow come at him as he lifted his own palm and thrusted it upward knocking the attack of course. He then pulled back both fists for a double punch but was kicked in the shin, god this would hurt in the morning, he pushed aside the ache in his body to keep the punch going, it would collide with the double palm fist and he would let it push himself backwards. “heh, your a squirmy one” he uttered out with a small ache in his voice as the flip kick came at him, he dodged it however a little different and more unorthodox, he would push his creativity at this point, He leaped as high as he could with the added speed making it even higher, keeping himself align with Jaden's fully extended kick, one he landed on the other side he would twist his hands around into a spinning kick with all the torque he could pull off before pushing back into the air a good 12 feet. He spun into the air vertically not flipping and span down head first with added force, 2 feet from Jaden he stopped the spin a front flip ax kick to the head, after which he would leep off to the other side of the room. His breath a bit heavy, his leg ache along with his head.

“sorry to disappoint such a crowd” he chuckled as he was booed more at, newcomers were generally not fond of. He once again preformed a combo by slanting down with his hand over his head, he dashed at full speed adding that speed boost from dropping the weights, however this time he changed it up, at the pinnacle of his attack he stopped the movement of the finger but kept going. His hand stayed in the same spot as he rotated and brought the arm in aiming his shoulder now against Jaden's gut since he was stay low this whole time to add in some aerodynamics even if it wasn't that much faster, he swung his free hand down at Jaden's knee and lifted it into the air like a wrestler, pushing his weight forward into the nearby wall, once contact if he still had Jaden in position he would continue the movement, if it was countered he would do all he can to avoid the wall or floor, after the collision of the wall he would roll away from it, or get Jaden off him and dash back to the center of the stage. “You are a very strong child” he smiled “This is really an honor to combat with you.”

Jaden continued with the flip, but it was more of a roll off of Temida's back than a flip. But the combo completely caught him off guard. He did manage to put up his arms while twisting, but that barely did anything to really block the kick. The kid was tossed on his back. Only to hop right back up and get an axe kick to the collar bone. Jaden stumbled back and rubbed the spot, feeling it, making sure it wasn't broken. Unfortunately, it was. But he still heard the comment. "They just like seeing the underdog win. Which they judge more by looks than anything."

Then he charged. Jaden did too. But when he angled himself down, the boy jumped, avoiding the entire thing. "Thanks. You're quite a bit more respectful than my usual opponents. And you've done the most damage to me than the others have." He landed at this point, and watched Temida as he headed back towards the middle of the arena. He walked towards him. "I don't think this will last too much longer. You broke my collar bone. But we'll see. It's been an honor."

The kid continued to walk, but only walked around the man in a ten foot diameter. He started jogging. And then a flat out run. And it was spiraling closer for a full out tackle to the gut and a backflip thing to kick the side of the head and continue to the other side. Again he launched himself at Temida for punch. If blocked, he would twist around and put the man into a sleeper hold. If hit or dodged, he would continue unless interrupted.

When hit, he would just lay on the ground, panting. The Referee went over to Jaden. "Can you continue?"

"Not if I don't want to walk out of here on my own." The referee nodded and announced Temida the winner. Jaden slowly got up and went to shake the man's hand. "Thanks for the great match and I wish you luck in your future matches. I hope to see you in future floors." He gave the older man a cheeky grin before bowing respectfully and walking out with some difficulty.

As Jaden made his final run at Temida he quickly graspsed the situation, the feet of Jaden pushed strong showing a tackle in form, Temida dashed forward at enough speed that when he stopped his feet would slide on the ground, he lowered himself to the ground and reached his right arm at the gut of the kid and the other at the chest at the same time angling his body to send the boy flying over himself as he refigured himself and got ready to continue, however it seemed that the kid couldn't hold out much longer than expected, he gave up the match and at this point Temida had nothing to do but focus on the pain. His whole body ached. “ I hope for a nice re match as well” a grin grew on his face with a bow as he was declared the winner, the crowd was completely shut up at this point as he exited the stage. So this is what the tower was like, that man was strong, and without the use of a weapon, things were much more difficult. “This sure will be fun” he smiled and chuckled to himself.