Contestant: Ebbon_Valentia
Zanpakuto: Arishishi (Ant lion)
Release Command: "Sift!"
Bankai: Kongou Sakyuu-Shio Arishishi Sunafuka (" Adamantine Dune-tide Ant lion Sand shark")
Element: Earth
Type: Kido Offensive
Description: The sealed Zanpakuto is roughly similar to a kodachi, albeit slightly shorter with the hilt being a vivid tan. The guard extends outward from the middle into concaved ovals on either end, with a shinai pattern inside either end as well as on the outside. The blade also appears marginally straighter with an elongated taper that extends as to be near paper-thin.
Shikai: Upon release, Arishishi flickers with a bright orange-red glow, as the blade seems to become more insubstantial. When the glow fades, the blade is left a sifting, sandy version of its former shape, although spread out with wisps of heat and residue dissipating from it. Part of the guard extends itself down to the end of the hilt in a round hand guard. The blade is a very fluid semisolid in essence, parts of it being able to let another blade cut through it like sifting sand or hardening to parry and block strikes. In the latter case, the blade simply acts to redirect and roll blows off of it. However it isn't permeable in any way, but instead the blade collapses and condenses upon itself to allow for objects to "pass through" it. The blade also has a habit of seemingly trailing a residue of its substance behind it when swung.
Shikai Abilities
Hayaisabure ("Quicksand") – When using this ability, touching the tip of the blade to a surface causes no apparent change in the surface's appearance, but essentially leaves a quicksand trap behind for others to step into. Not only that, but it also forms a sort of gravity well that helps to pull victims under the sand faster to suffocate them. This same aspect also applies to vertical surfaces as well, so that those passing by may be pulled into the trap as well.
Nenshou Shinkirou ("Burning Mirage") – The blade will emit an incredibly high amount of heat, which radiates from and off the blade as well as nearby surfaces. The more enclosed the surfaces are together the stronger the mirage, although an open area allows for the ability to focus in one way instead of having the effects echo and resonate with each other.
When successfully used, the air distorts around the wielder, but focuses strongest around the Zanpakuto. This makes tracking the wielder harder as well as anticipating their movements. Not only this, but the heat emanated from using this ability scalds and blisters skin raw.
Bankai: Arishishi glows even brighter and its substance squirms and writhes as it twists and wraps around the wielder, as well as swiftly swarms across the ground centering on the wielder's feet. Then an explosion of mixed blue, gray, brown and orange colors bursts outward from the center and fills a dome with a large circumference. The air becomes very thick from the outside and eventually swarms around enough to appear as though nothing had happened, masking itself from exterior view. The air is also white-hot to the touch so walking into it will burn the unwary, as well as being aggressively permeable - if someone pierces the dome it will pull them into it.
The inside houses a vast desert, the majority of which is taken up by a deep pit resembling an ant lion's nest. The area surrounding this hole is filled with dunes and sand valleys, although no rocks or stones are created within. However the sand has a slightly fluid water to it, as though it were a sea of sand. The wielder would appear at the center of the pit wearing a Shinigami outfit that seems modified for the surrounding; the desert trappings even have a cowl with a mask that is carved with very fluid and sleek lines mingled among more jagged and thicker lines.
The Zanpakuto in the wielder's hand takes on the shape of a falchion, but the blade is not as bulky with a rapier-esque appearance so that the notch at the top of the falchion is part of the blade, with similar notches continuing down the sharp edge to make it appear serrated. However the Bankai hides another creature under the sand, which swims beneath the dunes.
Serpentine in form, the creature is colossal in size with many wings and fins covering its body. Its hide is a grayish-tan color with the sinew of the wings taking on a lighter tan accent. The head of the beast features a mix between a snake and alligator but having a rounded snout with a distinct shape of a bullet. Its jagged maw sports vicious rows of teeth inside, and the creature's head has no indication of eyes, although the arrangement and etching of the scales are similar to the mask worn by the wielder. It does have barbs, spines and frills extending around the base of its head and more appear down the body as well, with rough and sharp scales that add to the crushing and slicing power of grinding against enemies. It acts very much independently of the wielder but still fights alongside them, usually burrowing and swimming around with a turbulent flurry of fins, wings, spines, barbs and scales to eviscerate foes.
Bankai Abilities
Assai Shinkirou ("Crushing Mirage") – This functions similarly to the Nenshou Shinkirou whereas there is a constant obstruction of vision but it's more evenly spread out. However the effect will still resonate between closer and bigger dunes. Sand grit floats on ever-constant breezes. Random strong gusts will batter opponents now and then as well as sand getting in eyes and wounds will burn like salt. The entirety of the dome also functions as a humongous gravity well, pulling others not only down into the sand at a slow pace, but towards the center as well. This ability is strongest and most focused around the serpent, wielder and pit.
Sunaarashi ("Sandstorm") – The desert quakes with increasing intensity before it churns and roils with blistering sandy gust batter those in the air as well as on the ground. The dome essentially becomes a raging sea of sand, although the pit stays somewhat intact, however if an enemy has sunken and fallen into it they will be battered more so than those farther away from the center. This also attempts to draw others more towards the center to further increase damage dealt. Eventually the sand settles again, but the features of the desert will have drastically changed.
Kongou Taiyou ("Adamantine Sun") – The dome normally looks like the sky outside to those within it, but it can be altered to turn to night abruptly, not only concealing the wielder in the shadow of "night" but also severely dropping the temperature to frigid levels. The sun portrayed in the sky becomes a corona as the effect resembles a solar eclipse, which does pass but the aftereffect drastically increases the temperature to generally unbearable amounts.
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