Eight Extremes Strike

## Also See

The **Eight Extremes Strike** (八極争議, "*Hakkyokusōgi*") is a quick and decisive fighting style designed to strike the pressure points, blocking one's access to their muscles in the targeted area and delivering numbness on impact.

Its creator, Ayako Ōkami, claims that it is the antithesis to brute strength, negating one's capacity to use their power, let alone body, entirely.

## **Overview**

Making astute application of anatomical wisdom, this unique form of combat came into existence, requiring great skill, accuracy and intellect to perform. It is a style that is designed to combat physical brute strength. The technique's style is based off of a predatory insect, the mantis. Despite its defences, the bug is not built to endure outright strength, resulting in its whipping, circular movements that deflect and respond, the responsive target being its prey's vital spots. Once observing this creature, Ayako developed the technique at hand, its predictability low as a result of her erratic and short-lived movements.

### **Combat Usage**

When in use, one's body sways in ambiguous directions, their fingers mimic a mantis' claws and their arms flow around them. There are two main functions to the style—**shūshi** (終止, *terminate*) and **dan** (断, *disconnect*.) Shūshi creates a gap in the opponent's attack or defences and is done by way of deflecting their blows or contorting one's body to outright evade. Dan is generally followed up by shūshi but can be initiated simultaneously as it.

   It is the action of brutal, rapid attack—what appears to be singular motions are oftentimes dozens, all done within a blink. The target: the opponent's vital points, their acupuncture points. Each strike results in extended weakness and pain at the point of infliction, regardless of how durable a person might be. Misdirection, diverting, response and body shifting are all key components of this style. Ayako once, in the blink of an eye, incapacitated a squad of ten using these methods, her base speed much quicker in use of it than otherwise.

Should she feel the need to, she can administer medicinal chakra into each strike, causing the pressure point areas to numb on touch. Even if she does not land a direct strike, however, this ejection of chakra may still reach the pressure point, causing numbness that varies in duration. Not only is the vital spot effected, but an undecided radius around the vitals, resulting in regional insensibility. Some strikes, like a strike to the head, stomach or heart, can be fatal.

While in use, Ayako becomes much more flexible, sometimes softening her bones and muscles using medical techniques. Her flexibility allows her to contort and change fluidly. The style of fighting is very dangerous, rending muscles useless in the slightest of touch. Although the chakra points aren't targeted, a lack of movement in an arm, leg, chest or other places can make it difficult to mold chakra there. Ayako relies on rapidly hitting pressure points with quick jabs and even punches, often giving little time for her opponent to react. Toes, fingers, knuckles can all be used as well.

## **Nervous System**

Instead of targeting pressure points, the user of this jutsu can also make their prey a person's nerves and the nervous system. This can be used to stimulate a sudden increase in a person's power and the size of their muscles, rather than paralyzing them.

Adversely, it can be used to hinder the Action Potentials of nerve cells.

## **Trivia**

* The technique is based off of both Chi Blocking from Avatar and the Northern Praying Mantis, an ancient Chinese form of martial arts.
* Superstitious in nature, Ayako chose the number eight to represent the technique because it is considered lucky. She hopes that when evoking its name, her strikes will hit.