Chapter 56 - A Friendly Spar

Shizu left the trio with each other, and an awkward silence ensued for over a minute. Both Kazuya and Kenpachi said nothing to each other and were annoyed by the current situation. Orihime, however, thanks to her sadistic nature for times like this, was quite enjoying it.

Another minute of silence and ignorance passed by, and Orihime was starting to lose her patience. "Will you both just cut it out already?" "We don't have all the time in the world, you know?" she said to them.

Kenpachi sighed before looking at the both of them and saying, "Meet me at the building's backyard in an hour; there we will start the basics." Then he focused his eyes on Kazuya and instructed, "Don't be late."

Kazuya arched a brow. "What on earth do you take me for?" he asked, not liking the way all the negative focus was put on him.

"Nothing too derogatory, I assure you," Kenpachi replied. "Now that I think of it, I might be giving you too much credit even at that."

Kazuya clenched his fist but remembered Kenpachi was his sensei now, and he had to obey his every instruction from now on without question.

"Alright, fine," Kenpachi replied, taking a deep breath, "I'll come for training." But it's just to show you that you are not qualified to teach me anything in sword-fighting and that I don't need you for anything related to it."

Kenpachi smiled as if taking delight in Kazuya's naiveté. "I look forward to it, then," he replied.

Kazuya did not say another word, but they both glared at each other with so much intensity that Orihime could swear that invisible sparks were lighting up between their eyes as they glared.

At first, she was enjoying the friction between the two, but now she feared it would get out of hand. So she stepped in between the two of them, facing Kenpachi. 

Coming in between the two got rid of the pointless glaring, as she had managed to get their attention away from each other, and now their minds were focused on what was more important. 

"Alright Kenny, we will be waiting for you," she said to him, then he nodded in response and left, trying to forget the fact that she had just called him "Kenny." 

Orihime sighed, "Come on, big man," she said to Kazuya. "At first thought, watching the both of you take it out on each other would have been fun to watch, but honestly, it's such a drag." "Can't you both just get along?"

"Tell that to him," Kazuya replied. "In the meantime, let's get to the backyard."

Orihime nodded in agreement before going with him to the place as instructed. "That reminds me, if it is a sword-fighting lesson we are going to learn, what weapons would we be using?" she asked.

"I don't know," Kazuya replied, "but I'm sure he would provide us with what we could use."

"You sound excited about it," Orihime remarked.

"Why wouldn't I be excited for the chance of putting that wimp in his place?" asked Kazuya.

"I don't know, big man," Orihime replied sceptically. "Now that I think of it, I believe Shizu handed us over to Kenny because she knows he's better than us in that regard."

"What are you talking about?" He doesn't know anything!" he said to her. "He was acting like a whiny child at the mere rumor of Genta leaving the guild, and even now that it has been proven wrong, he still acts like a jerk towards me."

"Look, big man," Orihime replied, "I get it; I mean, he also acts like a jerk towards me too." But as much as I wouldn't mind you getting a practical lesson on pride and arrogance, the last thing I want is for you to learn it the hard way, especially from a guy like him."

Then they got to the back of the building, and in an instant, they knew why they were called to go there. Everywhere around them was filled with tools used as training equipment. There were wooden rods, swords, dummies, and helmets lying around.

Excitedly, Orihime went forward and grabbed two wooden swords.

"You wouldn't mind venting out some steam while we wait for Kenny, would you?" she asked as she threw one of the swords at him.

"You read me like a book," Kazuya replied with a requited smile as he caught it. 

Then they both clashed, slamming swords against each other. Kazuya was impressed by the way Orihime dodged his attacks and slowly stopped holding back with every passing minute.

"Gee, big man!" "Are you even trying at all?" she asked, and it was at that point that Kazuya realized that Orihime was the one holding back the most.

She began to strike more often than before, swiftly putting Kazuya in defense mode. He was quite impressed by her skill with the sword and knew that he would have to become serious about the spar if he intended to best her. His current perception of her skills as a fighter was now a far cry from what he had witnessed in the jungle less than a week ago, and he wondered why.

"But she hadn't received much training since then, had she?" Unless Genta or Shizu may have granted her some magical potion to increase her agility or something, Could that be it?"...Or could it just be the natural programmed progression of an NPC (non-playable character) in this universe?"

However, judging from her breathing patterns, he could tell she was becoming exhausted. She was giving her very best into this fight, but Kazuya wasn't taking it as seriously as he would have if Orihime wasn't his ally.

So to put an end to this, he stopped holding back as much as he did before and focused more on his attacks. Orihime was overwhelmed by his sudden increase in speed, and in less than a minute, the wooden sword was knocked off her hand. Without thinking twice, she raised both hands in the air, breathing heavily.

Believing she was surrendering, Kazuya put the sword in his recessive hand so he could easily help her up with his dominant one. But he didn't know that it was a trick, and she took advantage of that by tackling him to the ground, and before he could react appropriately, she brought forth a small dagger, placing the sharp blade close to his throat.

"I got you real hard, didn't I?" she said with a smile as Kazuya looked at her with widened eyes.

They both looked at each other, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. Orihime was glad she had bested him, but Kazuya was entranced. From his view, he was seeing something else entirely. It was as if he had just realized something he had never noticed since he had met her. 

"You beautiful bitch," he remarked with a slight smile as he looked at her.

"What?" asked Orihime with an arched brow.

"You've made your point. Now, please get off of me. Why are you still holding a dagger? "Didn't you disarm yourself completely at the blacksmith's cave?" he asked. 

Then she gave him a hand to help him up, and he frowned at her, knowing she was giving him the same chance to play the same trick she played on him.

"Trust me, big man," she said with a smile, "it won't work, but you are welcome to try if you want."

Kazuya smiled back as he took her hand, and she helped him to his feet.

"Say it," she said to him.

"Say what?" asked Kazuya.

"Admit it, I'm better than you," she said.

Kazuya sighed, "Really, woman?" he said, wondering where the sudden childish attitude came from. "You tricked me into trying to help you and then used my naiveté to get the better of me." How does that make you "better than me"?

"But I beat you, didn't I?" she said nonchalantly, as if what he just said bore no significance.

"Shut up, woman!" he said to her.

"Gee, doesn't that line ever get old to you?" she asked him before picking up a different wooden sword and dropping the old one.

"But if you still feel bad about me beating you, then you wouldn't mind going another round, would you?" she asked as she pointed the sword at him.

Kazuya sighed, "You better prepare yourself, woman." "I will not be hiding back this time," he warned.

"Why does that make me feel more excited?" she asked.

"Because you are a lunatic?" Kazuya replied.

"Oh, I'll make sure you take back those words, big man," she responded.

"Make me," Kazuya replied as he pointed his wooden sword back at her.

They were about to go another round, but that was the moment when they heard Kenpachi's voice coming from behind.

"I'm sorry to spoil the fun for you both. "But I would like to begin your lesson now if you don't mind," he said as he went to pick up two wooden swords.

"Before I teach you the fundamentals, I would love to test out your skills and techniques with the sword," he said to them. "So for now, the both of you can come at me with everything you've got."

"Are you serious, Kenny?" So we shouldn't hold back or anything?" Orihime asked. "I mean, things could end badly for you, you know?"

"I meant what I said, Orihime," said Kenpachi. "Now both of you, come at me with everything you've got!"

Kazuya swung his sword in all directions, hyped up for what was about to follow. "Don't say we didn't warn you, little wimp!" he said as the both of them lunged at Kenpachi with everything they had, with neither of them holding back on anything.