CHAPTER 107: A Hakuda Masterclass

Yoruichi's lessons about Shinigami combat were still fresh in Kazuya's mind. Shinigami used four types of basic fighting techniques.

Zanjutsu, the sword fighting techniques.

Hohō, the name for all high-speed fighting movements based on the art of Shunpo.

Kidō, the spells.

And lastly, Hakuda, the unarmed fighting technique.

Soi Fon was going to demonstrate Hakuda techniques by using him as a punching bag. As if he'd let Yoruichi's simp humiliate him.

He crossed his arms. "I didn't consent to participating in this demonstration."

Soi Fon looked at him coldly. "Are you going against your superior's orders?"

"My superior? I'm a student affiliated with the Shin'o Academy. There are no laws suggesting that students are under the direct command of Gotei 13," he said with a light shrug. "To put it simply, the graduates who join your squad will be under your command. Right now, every academy personnel is under Central 46's control."

He tried to achieve the impossible — convincing the hopeless tomboy captain to leave him out of her sinister plot.

Unfortunately for him, his long and logical statement had no effect on Soi Fon. It only made him more and more similar to Kisuke in her mind. She hated that man with the passion of a burning sun.

"Are you backing out of a small demonstration? Who is to guarantee that a coward like you won't desert your friends under a threat? If you continue to insist, I'd have you depart the academy immediately."

Soi Fon countered his logic with her own, striving to maintain her image as Captain in the eyes of the students. If it was up to her, she'd have smacked his face a dozen times by now.

He raised a brow. "That is where you're wrong, Captain Soi Fon. I'm not fighting you because I'm a coward. I'm saving you the embarrassment of getting your ass kicked by a first-year."

He was done being reasonable. She wanted a fight; he'd gladly give it to her.

The air around him seemed to catch fire, a burst of spiritual pressure erupting and enveloping him — the Executive Militia locked him with their Reiatsu. They were Soi Fon's personal force specializing in unarmed and stealth combat.

To Soi Fon's surprise, he didn't even flinch. She had realized that he wasn't normal the moment she sensed his controlled Reiatsu. But for a first-year student to easily ward off the combined Reiatsu of her Punishment Force was simply a miracle.

Was he a noble clan's descendant or a spy infiltrating the Gotei 13 for some nefarious scheme? Soi Fon couldn't discern his identity.

Kazuya cracked his knuckles. "Come on. You're delaying the opening ceremony for no reason."

Soi Fon's hand met her left shoulder, fingers gripping the fabric of her Captain Haori, and in a single fluid motion, she whisked it off. Clad in a black sleeveless uniform, she revealed her muscular frame, each curve and cut honed for maximum combat efficiency.

She caressed the black armbands wrapping the majority of her arms then assumed a fighting stance. "Cherish the experience I'm about to carve into your body."

Then she dashed at him, her leg a blur as it aimed a kick at his face. He deflected it with the calculated ease of his left forearm and retaliated with a vicious strike aimed at her ribs. Stranded midair with no control over her movements, she had no choice but to use Shunpo for an immediate retreat.

"Not a bad reaction time," she admitted with a grudging nod, gray eyes sparkling. "We run it back."

She came at him with a flurry of kicks and punches that forced him on the defensive. Her body seemed to become a blur, her fists and feet striking from all angles. She was vicious like a devil, even trying to kick him between the legs. But she had the same style and ferocity as Yoruichi, whom he had sparred for fifteen days. He also had the experience of fighting some of the strongest Captains in the form of Visored.

Fighting Soi Fon wasn't that hard for the current him.

Soi Fon's eyes widened as she concentrated on her assault. Despite her best efforts, he met her ferocity fist for fist, his blocks and counterattacks flowing with a fluid grace she would expect from a veteran, not a first-year student at Shin'o Academy. His movements were precise and decisive, reminding her of the predecessor she still admired to this day.

'Yoruichi-sama…'

Even as she felt nostalgic, they threw a dizzying number of attacks at each other, each one like a flash. The sound of strikes, blocks, and rapid movements filled the courtyard, reverberating like thunderclaps. The combatants' feet barely touched the ground as they weaved in and out of each other's space, creating a symphony of human movement that was both beautiful and terrifying to behold.

The onlookers got eye candy of a Hakuda masterclass. Their first day couldn't have started better. Even the senior students joined in, admiring and cheering the fight from a distance. Their fight gathered quite the crowd.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi watched the match with almost a smug look in her eyes. She could see Soi Fon's serious improvement in martial arts but Kazuya was the proud prodigy she had trained. He was inferior in raw skills and battle experience but his reaction speed and talent somewhat made up for it. There was no way Kazuya would lose to Soi Fon in a contest of martial arts.

The two suddenly paused, with Kazuya's fist against her jaw and her straight chop hand on his neck. A collective gasp went through the crowd as they realized the outcome of their spar.

"W-Wow, he landed a hit…"

"This is unreal."

"Who is this guy? Does anyone know him?"

"No fuckin' way he is a first year!"

Ignoring the randoms gawking at him, he calmly smiled. "That's a draw I guess."

Soi Fon scoffed. "Who trained you? Was it—"

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Captain Soi Fon, thanks for the beautiful demonstration of your Hakuda techniques," a steady voice cut through the tension as Isshin Shiba flashed on the stadium. In a heartbeat, his arm slung over Kazuya's shoulder, pulling him into a playful headlock that was more an embrace than a hold. "You couldn't resist making trouble on your first day."

He had come to fend off any snobby nobles who dared to mess with Kazuya, only to find the young protégé locking horns with Soi Fon.

'He is just like Kūkaku.'

Kazuya slipped out of the headlock and fixed his hair. "Look, I was just minding my own business in the crowd over there. She started it."

He threw Soi Fon under the bus. She was rightfully blamed for everything.

"Captain Shiba," Soi Fon said, her eyes darting between the two men, suspicion and realization warring in her gaze. "What's your relationship?"

"A family friend. A close one. He is like my own kid."

Soi Fon let out a sigh and turned to Kazuya. "Sorry, it's my mistake. I provoked you into this… but Captain Shiba never revealed that you were hiding a generational talent like him. With his Hakuda techniques, he can even take over as my successor."

She was quick to correct her course in light of Kazuya's connection to another captain.

Isshin laughed off Soi Fon's suggestion to take Kazuya into her squad. "Get off. He'll be my successor."

Kazuya shook his head. "Get on with the opening ceremony. Haven't we delayed it enough already?"

"Yeah, Captain Yama will chew my ears off tomorrow."

Soi Fon hurriedly summoned her men to kick off the extras who had gathered in the courtyard. After what followed was a simple and direct speech about the students being treated as soldiers. That they had to work hard on honing skills if they wanted to be accepted into the Gotei 13.

Of course, Kazuya was more interested in inquiring the reason behind Isshin's appearance.

"I just dropped by to show you some support."

There was more than Isshin let out but he nevertheless appreciated the sentiment. The main members of Shiba Clan became his allies — not the development he had planned but he gladly welcomed them on his side.

Then, Soi Fon sent everyone off to their respective homerooms. Isshin also left after giving him a massive hug.

…

Yoruichi began walking by Kazuya's side as they followed the way to their classroom. "You could've beaten her."

"Let's not make your fangirl cry in front of children."

Soi Fon had lost the drive to fight halfway into the battle, possibly seeing him fight in a similar way to Yoruichi. Beating her like this wasn't appealing to him in any way. Gloating about victories was only satisfying when the other party gave their all and still lost, or when the other party got completely outwitted.

"Valid argument." Yoruichi glanced back at Momo and Toshiro who quietly followed behind. "They are like actual children."

He could guess the reason behind their sad faces. They froze when he was being bullied by a Captain, even though they wanted to help him.

"We are not!" Momo yelled. "It's just… we wanted to help Kazuya-san but we couldn't."

"We are cowards."

He turned around and ruffled their hair. "Jeez. No need to feel down. The opponent was way above your league."

"Yeah," Yoruichi chimed in with a nod. "Let this memory be a reminder of your weakness. Use it well to grow strong beyond your limits."

Momo's eyes shone with resolve. "I won't let it happen again!"

Toshiro simply gave a heavy nod, even though his resolve was no weaker than Momo's.

...

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