Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Slipping Away
[Neutral POV]
The late autumn chill brushes past like a spell. Within the hallowed walls of Seireitei, a low hum casts over the many wandering Shinigami like a net. It captured them, silencing them as they turned to face the monolith of Soul Society, a lone hill of inexplicable magnitude. Everyone could feel the buzz resonating from the landmark. Their hair stood on end, announcing the arrival of a rare occurrence, a battle between young powerhouses.
In the center of Seireitei, this towering mesa is swarming with hundreds of Shinigami. The barren plateau of Sōkyoku Hill is shaded in black uniforms. Yet these black uniforms stray far from the center of the hill, circling the edge of the hill's ridge.
The dim sun provided sufficient light, but it wasn't enough to secede from the brilliant view within the Shinigami encirclement. Two bright auras dazed the crowd, illuminating their surroundings in a vivid display of beautiful, phantasmal energy.
Unable to swallow the suspense, hundreds peeled their eyes open, intending to watch with fervor.
A woman clad in a pastel pink aura stood opposite a man emitting his own mossy green glow.
It was the silence before the catastrophic storm. No one spoke. No one breathed. Everyone witnessing this impasse understood Seireitei was entering its evolution. It had been nearly a century of stagnation. A century of false incitements and countless retreats. Politics, Business, Alliances, all of it was set aside.
Set aside for a blood-boiling beginning...
Here, in the weathered afterlife, stood two of the younger generation. Their sole purpose is the struggle for strength. A bottomless desire to overcome who they were one minute before.
Now was the moment.
Furuoki slid his feet apart, dust piling on his sandals. His eyes trained on his opponent, flashing between her Zanpakutou and violet eye. The legs that had spread braced in preparation. A transient calm washed over his body as he savored the clean air.
Furoufushi's hand rested on her Zanpakutou. Unlike the Shinigami opposite, she had to loosen her kimono, exposing her bandage-bound upper body. Feeling the range of movement, she tried to settle her sparkling, shooting nerves.
She tried. But her delight became clear as her lips tore into a wide, joyful grin. Twitching fingers seized her Zanpakutou.
She split her trembling lips open.
"Let's go then."
*Whish* *Whish*
""I thank you for this honor.""
*Wish* *Shu*
They bolted from their spots, crying during the blitz. Opting to slash at one another before the other could connect. Furoufushi took to the air, leaping to Furuoki's left. With his sword in his right hand, Furuoki found it difficult to wound her. His initial right-to-left slashing arc failed to strike her. Missing the mark, he spun and let loose a quick slash back across his body.
*Clang*
The newest threat spurred Furoufushi to jump and soar. Mid-air, she tightly tucked and deflected his returning slash. Now inverted, head toward the ground, she pressed her free hand against the ground and sprung further away using the momentum.
"Fuuu~."
"Haah~"
They took a breath, recollecting themselves as a distance of 5 meters separated them. But the pause was short-lived.
Furuoki's eyes narrowed as he cautiously observed her odd actions. Furoufushi walked forward, her sauntering form in a low guard stance. In turn, Furuoki hung his own sword low. Waiting for her to burst forth, he strengthened his stance.
But no dance came. Instead, she lightly skipped ahead.
*Wish*
"Tsss~!" *shi*
His eyes widened as she appeared closer than before. Like a hazy illusion, she casually cut at his right elbow as she walked past his guarded right side. Furuoki hissed as he spun out of the strange attack, narrowly avoiding the shocking wound he could've received.
"Scary…"
Furuoki's thoughts unknowingly escaped as he raised his guard higher. Memories of their last encounter flashed in his mind. He had kept the tempo in his favor before, but now he immediately understood she was beyond matching his own. She could willfully set her own pace and cause his collapse.
His eyebrows furrowed as he considered his options. Probing her defense was a decent option. But he felt her basics had improved by leaps and bounds. Not to mention the unique acrobatic movement she incorporated; it was nothing to scoff at.
His own swordplay was deeply rooted in the basics. There wasn't much unpredictability in his art. He preferred quick, precise counterattacks and altering his tempo. But now one of those aspects was being constantly contested. Counterattacks seemed troublesome, their last encounter ended with him earning a wound to the back of his knee.
He reached his conclusion. Although they only shared three exchanges, he needed an edge. Something unpredictable.
*BWOO-SHIII~*
Furuoki's Reiatsu flared up, sending roaring currents of force in blood-boiling ripples. Both arms outstretched from his body, directing two objects in Furoufushi's direction.
Her violet eye narrowed, taking stock of the objects in his hands. In his right hand was his Zanpakutou and in his left was his scabbard.
Soukyoku Hill's atmosphere weighed down, pounding down on the hundreds of foot soldiers. Lieutenants and Captains closely observed the incoming release. The spectators held their breath as he chanted.
"Close in, cut off!"
*Shiiiu~*
The mossy green Reiatsu was gradually consumed by Furuoki's teal Zanpakutou and black Scabbard. Steel and wood were transformed and reshaped, molding into handles with crescent guards. Dazzling jade green steel spilled out of the two handles in a liquid form only to instantly harden into curving blades.
"Shihouken." [四方羂]
In his two hands was a set of jade engraved Shuang Gou [Hook Swords]. Swirling gold and teal wooden handles allowed his grip to steady. Razor-sharp pommels intensified the peculiar design.
Furoufushi's mind shuffled through the possibilities. Questions ran a mile a minute.
Half a second passed when she found an answer. Gratitude warmed her heart. She could continue this fight with little worry.
Furuoki's thin lips curled down as he watched Furoufushi's face present a brilliant smile. He believed she would unleash her Shikai to match him, but she refused to chant her incantation. Instead, her expression spoke of mad delight and appreciation.
He shook his head and sneered. Scathing words poured from his mouth as he criticized her.
"You lost control again. What else should I expect? You continue to live as a pile of refuse."
With both hook swords, he leaned forward and exploded toward her.
*Boom*
He cut through the air, cocking his arms back for overlapping slashes. He aimed to maim, removing her arms from her shoulders was his goal. When he neared her, he let loose two blurring paths of green steel.
*Shish*
Hacking at her arms, he finished his converging strokes. But he didn't connect.
*tsp*
A strange weight descended upon both of his swords.
"Garbage? You think I'm still the same? Tsk, tsk. Heh. So simple…"
His eyes drew up where a comfortable figure stood, balancing on his suspended swords. She obscured the sunlight. The same radiant violet eye peered through the shadowy veil on her face. Once more, he could sense her sneer hidden behind the dark cloak.
Memories of their first encounter overlapped. Humiliation spiked his bloodstream, sending his mind into a furious state.
He roared as he flung the insolent woman off his swords.
*Whoosh* *tsp*
"Animal!"
Calmly hopping off his outstretched swords, she landed in front of him. A flurry of slashes sprung from Furuoki's side. Overhead cleaves, rising slashes, and sweeping hacks flew from his lethal hooks. Sweating under the sun, he concentrated on removing her every limb. He went as far as utilizing a Kidou spell.
*Shish* *shoosh* *tsp* *tsp*
*Whoosh* *shu* *tsp*
*Fwuu-shh* *tsp*
"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!" *FWAA-SUU* *tsp* *tsp* *tsp*
She twirled and spun away from the landslide cleave. When a rising slash approached, she flipped back in an aerial cartwheel. As the sweeping hacks closed in from both sides, she propelled herself into the sky with a split leap. And when he released a devastating, blue fiery Kidō spell, she created distance, dodging with half a dozen handsprings.
Frustration rose in Furuoki. Her flowing acrobatics stunned all as she flipped around unharmed. However, many noticed she'd yet to go on the counterattack. Why she didn't slip in an attack puzzled nearly everyone.
Only a few registered her goal.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[Some Minutes Before.]
"Directional Reiatsu? You've raised a dangerous child."
"Heh. The brat's not even in her second century. Learned that by herself."
"What a terrifying rascal. You spoke of her natural talent; I must admit I was skeptical given her single eye."
"Stuff like that won't weigh her down, too gifted with the sword."
"Mmm. The Tengoku Trinity Sword Path?"
"First path for her."
"Mmm~. Has your naming sense improved?"
"Wow, Scarface, picking up sarcasm now, I'm impressed. Speaking of which, who names their academy Shinōreijutsuin? [Spiritual Arts Academy]. Sounds like a daycare. Heh~."
"Hrrr~."
"Exactly. Mine's got some flair."
"Of course, of course. These sisters, would they be willing to join?"
"Depends if you can convince them. Souls know I've struggled to correct their course."
"Do they have the… necessary conviction?"
"If someone threatens one, the others will flay the enemy alive."
"Goodness…- others?"
"Mmm~. The two'll want someone to bully soon."
"Is that who's…"
"Back there, yes."
"She must be special."
"Heh. You have no idea."
"Mm? Enlighten me."
"Titánicos Almas."
"…"
"…"
"Surely you jest."
"Who am I?"
"…"
"It's fine. Her soul is pure beyond anything I've ever seen. She's not just special, her very Reishi is petrified by her potential. If she doesn't find an equal, she'll unconsciously suppress her growth to find a worthy opponent."
'Souls above.'
"Don't write off the other two."
"I don't plan on it."
"I'll hold you to it."
"I'm already indebted with the dramatic incidents your students have instigated. Though, I still haven't heard of your reason for attending this charade."
"There's been mass disappearances all over Rukongai. Take a guess where the traces lead."
"Here? Who's involved?"
"Calm down. We're looking at the Okajima's, they oversaw the district Batsu'unsai was living in."
"Hopeless scum. You intend to correct their course or…"
"I won't be doing much. How can the girls grow if I interfere every time? No. I'll watch over them, guide them. Hope you'll do the same… souls know you'll call upon some vile men with inexcusable tendencies to deal with this."
"Mmm, I'll look into it and lend what I can spare. Hmm? Seems the noble brat is releasing his Shikai. Your eldest, how long can she use her first path?"
"10 seconds, give or take some."
"…"
"…"
"Hoh? Standing on his Zanpakutou? Aiming to tire her opponent. She's quite the scoundrel."
"Haah~. Don't remind me."
"And yet you smile…"
[A/N: Two Chapters today, busy tomorrow.]
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