Mitsuori-dō

Mitsuori-dō (三つ折り道, literally translated to *"Tri-Fold Path"*) is a martial art created within, and currently limited to, the nation of Svarga.

It is a style that focuses on the power of one's aura, and maintains three main principles, hence the name, being those of:

* **Ska (Sagacity)**
* **Ka (Puissance)**
* **Ra (Billow)**

However, prior to introducing oneself to the principles of the aforementioned three, they must first undergo training, both martial and of lifestyle, to achieve "readiness" to pursue the disciplines. This training phase is referred to as **Oss** (Preparation).

The **Oss** phase consists of daily routine. This routine consists of waking and sleeping at a different time daily, rejecting consistency within one's waking energy, as well as a rigorous workout routine.

**Oss** is to be practiced prior to one even attempting to seek out attendance of the **Oskaraka Temple**, which is the exclusive site within which students can educate themselves further within the art in an organized structure. When one believes they are ready, they can seek out the temple, where they will receive a physical and written (psychological) test to gauge their readiness to learn.

The majority of potential students are rejected for their first few attempts, and it is actually unlikely for one to be accepted without being first sent away to reflect upon and retrain themselves.

Once one is accepted, they will be directed to begin training within the discipline of **Ska**. Ska teaches Sagacity within the student, and it sees less martial training than it does philosophical and perceptive training. True masters of Ska will see themselves with extraordinary capabilities regarding rationality, judgement, and leadership.

The three mentioned are the principles that must be taught, or rather learned, before one is to seek the next discipline of **Ka**, however if one wishes to learn further within the discipline of **Ska**, they will see themselves learning a wide variety of methodologies and techniques revolving around that of perception and presence, finding themselves able to easily discern the intentions and location of others, while making it incredibly difficult for the same to be done upon them.

When one transitions to the path of **Ka,** they will experience a dramatic shift from philosophical training to martial training, with intense routines, workouts, and spars being riddles throughout a student's day, occasionally the day being without end, as part of the training of **Ka** is to go for prolonged periods of time without rest, and subsequently sleep. **Ka** is designed to teach puissance within students, granting them the raw strength, speed, and power necessary to effectively utilize themselves as an asset on the battlefield.

It is designed to come after **Ska** as students can now apply their judgement to their actions, rather than trying to accommodate their actions with judgement. Essentially, it is meant to force students to first learn to use themselves well prior to being made to use themselves at all, and to great success.

Before one can transition to the final discipline of **Ka**, they must pass a stringent physical test, as well as managing to win nine spars in a row, which are conducted in a bracket-tournament fashion on graduation days. (Graduation days refer to set days when one can transition to a higher discipline, there being 1 every month. They only apply for **Ska** and **Ka**, though **Ska's** test is considerably less difficult than **Ka's**.)

Upon completion of this feat, a student is allowed to pass into the final discipline of Mitsuori-dō, **Ra**.

**Ra** teaches students the availability and practical use of billow, which sees practitioners able to exponentially increase the effectiveness and power of their techniques for a short period of time. In addition to making standard techniques vastly more effective, students are also taught in a single one of the Spell Arts, which is Svarga's terminology of the natural elements (such as fire, water, lightning, thunder).

Each student must specialize in one of the Spell Arts, developing it to a level or practical use, and displaying it it combat alongside their standard physical capabilities in a spar with a certified master practitioner of Mitsuori-dō. Spell Arts are essentially the manipulation of natural elements, though often only to a supplementary effect, it taking a true master to wield Spell Arts with themselves as a conduit.

Combination techniques are better received, such as combining air and metal to create the effect of corrosion,

The Common Spell Arts are:

* **Fire Manipulation**
* **Water Manipulation**
* **Air Manipulation**
* **Earth Manipulation**

Within these main four being a multitude of more niche abilities, such as sand within earth, etc.

Requesting and holding these spars is simple, and can usually be arranged with the same day, or following days of initial proposition. That said, there are not many masters of Mitsuori-dō currently alive, with the martial art having been less and less sought out with the expansion and integration of numerous types of technology into the martial field. This is most seen with Spellblades replacing the need for Spell Arts, as they are easier to use, and don't require the vast amount of training required to effectively master moderate control over a natural element.

To master one of the Spell Arts, one must partake upon a **Pilgrimage**, where they travel to a site on the island of **Karos** that is naturally blessed with the element they wish to attune to, making them grow accustomed to it's presence, how it feels, and how it affects the world around it. These are known as **Ra Installations**, though the only Installations that see active usage are Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Ice, and Sand.

**Path of Ska**

* **Ska-En**: The user conceals their presence, making them harder to detect via the 5 standard senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch
* **Ska-On:** The user exerts their 5 standard senses, as an attempt to see that which cannot be by normal means (counters **Ska-En**)
* **Ska-An:** The user smooths their aura, making themselves near-frictionless
* **Ska-In:** The user exerts their aura, making them immediately noticeable to any within a certain area
* **Ska-Sen:** The user conceals their presence, making them nearly imperceptible whatsoever
* **Ska-Son:** The user exerts all of their senses, focusing them, and revealing all physical details of what (where) they choose to perceive
* **Ska-San:** The user stretches their aura, making themselves "bouncy"
* **Ska-Sin:** The user exerts their aura, applying force to the area around them, and inducing a subtle provocation towards belligerence to those nearby

**Path of Ka**

* **Ka-En:** The user charges their muscles, making their next movement twice as fast and powerful as normal
* **Ka-On:** The user bolsters their muscles, making their skin 4x as durable as normal (this does not negate pain)
* **Ka-An:** The user glides along the ground, as if skating, with high maneuverability
* **Ka-In:** The user actuates the space around them, making their next attack additionally activate a blast of force
* **Ka-Ken:** The user charges their muscles, making their next movement 4x as fast and powerful as normal
* **Ka-Kon:** The user bolsters their muscles, making their skin 8x as durable as normal (this kinda negates pain)
* **Ka-Kan:** The user rebounds themselves off of nearby terrain, making their movements unpredictable (excels in cluttered scenarios)
* **Ka-Kin:** The user tremors the space around them, making all incoming objects subject to the tremors (can be stacked with **Ka-In)**

**Path of Ra**

* **Ra-En:** The user surges their power, striking with an incredible burst of speed
* **Ra-On:** The user surges their defense, repelling all physical impact back into the source (repels)
* **Ra-An:** The user surges their point-connection, becoming able to freely change the nature of their physical impacts (can stick, bounce, slide, etc.)
* **Ra-In:** The user surges the space around them, causing a temporary collapse, and an implosion that end when it connects with them (draws objects closer)
* **Ra-Un:** The user surges their Spell Art, increasing it's power, effect, and fluidity. (Effect varies based on Art)

## Trivia

Traditional Spell Arts are the inspiration of, and essentially harder to manage forms of those techniques used by the Blade Buzz and Brave Buzz, though most practitioners can only manipulate their Spell Arts to the level of a Blade Buzz, integrating it into their melee attacks, but being unable to project it, though some have been able to, it takes much dedication and training, and a fair bit of talent.