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As Shunketsu thrust the half-sai forward, the 3 rings compressed into one larger one and as the tip touched the boulder, a large sonic-boom like shockwave echoed across the hill...The force behind it had apparently been quite large.

Shunketsu looked up to see what he had done to the rock and was smiling. His half-sai had stabbed deep into the rock. Sure, he didn't split the rock in half, but if that rock was a person, it would've been a fatal hit.

Alright! My idea worked!

"yea...that's great...now...if you don't mind...GET ME THE @#$% OUT OF THIS @#$%^&* ROCK!"

"sheesh...alright alright...hold your horses..."

Shunketsu gave the half-sai a yank, but now he realized that not only did he effectively penetrate the tough rock, he had gotten his half-sai stuck in it...Shunketsu then began pulling on it, and eventually got to a point where he had both his feet on the rock itself and pulled that way...

Eventually, the half-sai popped out and Shunketsu crashed to the ground, more exhausted from pulling his half-sai out than anything else really...Shunketsu stood up and examined the hole...and realized there was light coming from the other side...Apparently, the attack didn't split the rock in two, but it did pierce a hole right through to the other side of the boulder.

"hehe...I'll be satisfied with this for now..."

With that, Shunketsu dragged himself over to Nagi and plopped himself down next to Hikari...leaving some room between them so that he wouldn't make a bad situation worse. It was enough that his nickname was 'Hentai-san', but if he sat too close, he'll give others the wrong idea...

"neh! Nagi-sensei...if you don't mind me asking, what would you say is your specialty?"

Karite looked around to see he was still on top of the water fall. Skim wing was gone and Sensei Fou was holding something. From the sound of his weeping it seemed it was Karites dead body.

"Dont worry kid, we made it look like some animal did it while he was Knocked out so he wouldn't get accused of it back at the Dojo."

"Yes, but it is time for you to go to a better place. We can not allow you to stay here."

Karite understood and nodded in approval. He got onto his feet and brushed of his green Gi. "Let us be on our way." With that he followed the two Shingami to Soul Society.

[42]

Karite looked around as the images of the past faded away. A long hall way stood before him. There was door over door same size and shape. Not a single thing different about them. He couldn't understand what this was it wasnt what he was expecting. After constant battle after battle it was a good surprise. He still couldn't understand why he was here, until they returned.

"You know Runt, you haven't made this easy on us and you are really getting under my skin. If you keep pushing your luck I might have to end you now." Blood said with his usual upfront style.

"Kiddo, you have proven worthy of staying alive but you are not worthy of seeing her true form. You are not even worthy to know her name. This is the test to change you. The test of connection. To find your way to her you must find the door that fits." Emptiness said smiling jiggling his rings.

[43]

Karite reached out and touched the handle. It was cold and caused a slight shiver to go up his spine. It was weird but this wasnt a normal shiver. Its almost as if his reiatsu was reacting with it. He stopped and began turning the handle, careful to listen to every click. As it stopped he swung it open to revel none other then Blood.

"Hey Runt, did you really think it was going to be that easy? Every wrong door equals an attack, so chose wisely runt." Blood said before striking Karite with his blade.

Karite flew back and hit he oppiste door looking up at blood right before the door vanished. "What the hell is going on, I dont understand." Karite yelled into the darkness. As he looked up he noticed this door was a different color. This door was black.

[45]

Karite reached out for the handle and quickly swung it open and jumped back waiting for a hit. When he lowered his guard the room was empty. Did he really get the second time around? Was He getting better at these silly little test they were putting him through. He didn't get the point of the doors but he would figure it out sooner or later.

As Karite walked closer to the door he peered inside and began to look around. When he looked up, Emptiness was waiting with a kick to the face. As Karite once again flew back into the wall, Emptiness stood in the door way looking down upon him. "Kiddo use your head, you got something special just like the rest of those shingami. Use it kiddo to your advantage."

[47]

"Wrong answer runt, you might want to rethink what Empty said. At least he is trying to help you. I rather watch you squirm like the runt you are." Blood looked at Karite and then at the floor. "Did you slice my door open? I don't think that was a smart thing to do." blood took both blades and smiled. He jumped up and finished Karite off as his door vanished.

"Why do these damn test have to be so hard. The academy isn't this difficult. I don't get what they mean what does something spe...ohhhh, I get it now." Karite said as he turned around looking at the door behind him. He remembered the first handle he touched and how it did something to his reiatsu. That must have been the key to finding a way out of here.

[49]

It had become rhythmic now; slash, dissappear, slash, dissappear. Thankfully the hall was narrow enough that they couldn't rush in more than two at a time. But, the rhythm he made was hard to keep up, so he was slowing down. Each slash became tedious, and each new opponent a growing challenge.

Slowly he was being forced back, and there was nothing he could do about it. But, he would hold on as long as possible. He still had half the hallway to lose, and the enemies were growing thinner. The only noise permeating the small area was the screeching of hollows over his own heavy breathing.

Kaosu cut another down, and was about to cut forward again when he noticed they had stopped moving. Kaosu stopped as well. It was a fine time to catch his own breath if they were. Then he heard it. A loud, rumbling roar that shook everything, and footsteps that almost made Kaosu lose his footing.

There, in front of him now, was a humongous, lion-shaped hollow. The thing was about as tall as Ugu, and as long as two buses put together. Kaosu gulped. He wouldn't have much of a chance against it when he was completely full of energy, so how would he fare if he was so tired he could hardly move?

[81]