Yajū-ryū

**Yajū-ryū** (*野獣流; Beast Style*) is a martial art and a school of Ki techniques developed by Koketsu and other Morimin independently, this martial art leverages the **Crescent Curse** and **Suiki-ryū** (水気流; Water Ki Style) to make an accessible martial art that plays to the strengths of Morimin.

## ***Overview***

While Koketsu is credited with the invention of Yajū-ryū this isn't strictly true, many Morimin have independently learned how to use and developed a type of martial art that uses Kara and exploits the Crescent Curse for their benefit, the difference between these and Yajū-ryū is that Yajū-ryū has been codified, written down and standardized as a method of combat that can be easily taught to other Morimin.

Yajū-ryū's philosophical background is that it is a style which does not have any overarching focus but whose teaching emphasizes the importance of life and staying alive, as such certain things in the style are taught and expected to be learned for the sole purpose of surviving on the battlefield. Yajū-ryū is not a self-defense martial art but rather a survival martial art first and foremost.

While Yajū-ryū is a body only martial art primarily it can and is often used alongside weapons, this focus on self reliance stems from the fact that Koketsu was once a slave and wants to give Morimin the tools to survive in any situation, even when all they have is their own body and nothing else.

## ***Core Techniques***

### ***Basic Level***

At the basic level a Morimin is expected to train their body and learn the physical aspects and techniques of Yajū-ryū, as such the only ki techniques taught at this level are the following:

* **Kara** (殻; Shell/Husk) - A racial technique that every Morimin must learn to survive, and the principle and foundation upon which every Yajū-ryū technique sits atop. By exploiting the biological integration of the **Crescent Curse** the Morimin effectively use water style ki to make the curse become controllable and as such they gain the ability to control their biological mutations. Notably because this technique relies almost entirely on the Yin ki of the moon it can only be used at night for older Morimin, and only during the full moon for younger Morimin, but the passive benefits it provides to the Morimin by increasing all of its stats when performed properly make it an integral part of the style.
* **Dappi** (脱皮; Molting/Shedding) - A variation on **Kara** that functions on reverse, whereupon a Morimin will provide a majority of the Ki to the **Crescent Curse** by providing their Yang ki and mixing it with the residual yin ki of the moon by the gravity it exerts on everything on the earth, this results in enabling the Morimin to be able to control their curse at any point in time. Dapi can be considered an active version of **Kara** but it expends more energy.

### ***Intermediate Level***

At an intermediate level a Morimin is expected to focus and narrow down the training and to train mostly the techniques that suit them and their particular mutation maintained with Kara. Because Morimin are so versatile a species the Ki techniques here are general and individual morimin will generate their own unique techniques based on their own mutations:

* **Shūtai** (獣態; Beast State) - The most famous technique of the style, and the one that makes Morimin such dangerous Ki users, Shukai consists in simply using **Suiki-ryū** to enhance the **mutations** sustained by Kara, because the mutations provided by Kara are already stronger than what a normal Suiki-ryū would have provided for the same ammount of ki usage it means that Shūkai will provide an even greater statistical increase than a supermajority of Suiki-ryū techniques, converting a Morimin from a being with above average attributes without ki to a ki user with an unnatural efficiency of ki usage for the level of enhancement acquired.
* **Henkei** (変形; Metamorphosis) - While Dappi can be used to alter the effect of the **Crescent Curse** at any time of the day it is still a slow process that should be done with careful consideration so as to not cause unpredictable negative impacts upon the Morimin, Henkei then is an even more active version of **Dappi** that while it costs even more energy it also enables one to change their enhancements in the middle of combat. This technique requires a lot of experience with **Kara** and **Dappi** so that the on the fly adjustments end up not being more negative than beneficial. Henkei tends to only be used to shift between "preset states", certain forms the Morimin has practiced being in that have slightly different mutations and thus are more useful against certain opponents than others.

***Forms*** - Users of Yajū-ryū are expected to practice the use of these forms to make them : An **Attack Form** that one defaults to; a **Speed Form** for escaping and dealing with evasive opponents; a **Defense Form** for when survival is more important than victory, for use in warfare or when escape is impossible, etc;
### ***Advanced Level***

* **Fuzoku-shi** (付属肢; Appendage) - Fuzoku-shi is an even more precise and advanced form of **Henkei** and it consists in using it on a small area of one's body instead of the entire body and to alter it in the middle of combat to better suit a situation. While considered simply an application of Henkai, this isn't true as it's actually a lot more energy efficient than Henkei being effectively a different process altogether.
	+ **Sō** (爪, Claw) - An application of Fuzoku-shi that causes one's natural weaponry to increase in size, density, sharpness and quality in the middle of combat by using the crescent curse and water ki style simultaneously and synergisticaly.
	+ **Kote** (籠手, armored sleeves) - An application of Fuzoku-shi where one will mutate the skin on their arms to become enhanced and strengthened with extremely dense layers of keratin, generating in this way arm protection by using the crescent curse and water ki style simultaneously and synergisticaly.
		- **Suneate** (臑当, literally shin guards) - The same as Kote but for the legs instead.
	+ **Suntetsu** (寸鉄) - An application of Fuzoku-shi where one will mutate the skin on their hands in specific spots so that they become enhanced with dense and sharp layers of keratin, generating in this way a natural gauntlet by using the crescent curse and water ki style simultaneously and synergisticaly.

### **Master Level**

* **Jinshūtai** (神獣態; God Beast State) - A specific application of **Fuzoku-shi** and **Suiki-ryū** where the user will mutate a number of their cells using the Crescent Curse into becoming Pluripotent and then use Water Ki Style to enhance cell division, differentiation and the body's restorative ability. It is the ultimate technique of Yajū-ryū and while it is active a Morimin will effectively become immortal. Developed by Kotetsu to fight against immortals on equal ground it is a purely instinctive technique to learn since the science to use it is not yet understood.

## ***Styles of Hakuda***

Although users of Yajū-ryū are incentivized to make their own variations of the original style and develop an entire new branch of martial arts there are a few "popular" styles taught by masters consistently to those that do not have the time, means or simply desire to make new one.

### *Byakkodo*

**Byakkodō** (*白虎道*, *Way of The White Tiger*) is one of the primary schools of Yajū-ryū, it is an aggressive yet defensive style which focuses on using **Sō** (爪, Claw) & **Kote** (籠手, armored sleeves) with an offensive tiger like style of fighting. Users of this style are often said to be made of metal despite not using any **Fūki-ryū** (風気流; Wind Ki Style) technique to make them metal like.