Chapter 9: Practice Makes Perfect (2)

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

*Sound Effects*

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Chapter 9: Practice Makes Perfect (2)

Koda placidly sat down on a nearby rock as he awaited the passing hour, though through his eyes it felt like an eternity.

His eyelids remained shut as flashbacks of his duel with Okita rummaged through his consciousness, he knew that the recruiter had held back considerably but that didn't take away any significance from the fight.

He foraged his thoughts for any remnants of the duel that could serve useful to him, but after just ten minutes of doing so — his boredom had peaked.

Fervently, he got up and started to hone his Shunpo even further despite it technically being his down time. However, being as agitated as he was he couldn't care less if his stamina hadn't replenished prior to the fight, as a matter of fact that would only make it more challenging, hence making it more fun.

As long as the spar was entertaining, any damages incurred were worth it.

'Is he looking down on me?' Yusai continued to observe Koda, scrutinizing him from a nearby branch. For better or for worse, she had mistaken Koda's boredom for arrogance, which poked at her ego ever so slightly.

'With sloppy technique like that, I could just attrition him until he passes out, wasting stamina like this isn't doing him any favors…' She clenched her Zanpakuto restlessly as Koda didn't seem to have any intention of slowing down.

'But seriously, he just finished doing that for hours on end — does he ever get bored?' Even she felt the need to switch up her training every now and then, constant repetition eventually made progression stale, which wasn't healthy for one's motivation.

Twenty minutes flew by, and Koda had switched from training his Shunpo to cutting down trees with his sword, for no apparent reason.

'He could at least make an effort to sit still…' Yasui was starting to realize that the ability to keep Koda occupied would be a must-have throughout his study. He was simply too energetic for his own good.

Ultimately, Koda's deforestation spree was put to rest by the sound of purposefully audible footsteps coming his way. He grinned from ear to ear as he watched Yusai get closer.

"You certainly kept me waiting" His respectful tone had been replaced by a more feverish one, he could hardly contain his excitement as he started to pace towards her.

"Forgive me if my memory betrays me, but didn't I order you to rest?" Koda had listened to Yasui diligently until now, but once the prospect of combat was introduced his personality did a full 180.

Instead of offering a response, or even a snarky remark - Koda just continued to inch closer, grinning ear to ear as he readied his Asauchi. That in of itself made the hairs on the back of Yasui's neck stand up, something was clearly off with Koda.

A concerning glint of madness shone through his iris, despite him being undoubtedly weaker than Yasui, he was looking at her as if she was prey.

For a split second Yasui almost ruminated taking a step back. 'What's wrong with him? Is this a different personality or something?'

It was in fact the exact same Koda stood before her, but his old demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

*Crraaash!*

Without warning, he swung.

Her extensive Shunpo mastery allowed her to evade the swing with ease, although one thing had been made clear with that attack. Koda had swung with the intent to kill.

The cold alloy of his blade fractured the sediment beneath him, he clicked his tongue in chagrin - he preferred a more head-on confrontation like the one he had with Okita.

Yasui's gaze was fixated on the damage he had done in utter disbelief, 'With such a small frame, he can do damage like that? What will happen when he's fully recovered?' As of now, Koda was a measly 5'9 and barely weighed 50 kilograms, a hefty amount of his destructive potential was being inhibited by his malnutrition.

But thanks to the food supplied by Okita, recovering was merely a matter of time.

"I thought we were sparring not playing a game of tag, aren't you supposed to be the senior here?" Somehow, Koda's provocations helped Yasui snap out of her daze. She had no reason to hesitate, she had better technique and speed than Koda, and her raw power wasn't even far off - she had no reason to hesitate.

"There you go, those eyes are much better, now come at me!" Koda had effectively dropped his guard, beckoning her to attack him with all she had.

'You asked for it' Without pause, she swiftly flickered in front of Koda, and thanks to her speed she had no qualms delivering a thunderous right foot to his shoulder.

*Crrrunchh*

Koda's arm went limp as a result of his shoulder being dislocated, even if his offense was exceptional, his defense left much to be desired.

Without hesitation she distanced herself from Koda, though the sight of him blankly staring at his floppy arm filled her with a hint of regret.

'Did I go too far?' Regardless of the nature of her job she still felt bad for taking advantage of Koda's primary weakness like that.

But apparently, her worries were for naught.

A boorish cracking sound could be heard as Koda simply grabbed his shoulder with his hand and forced it back into place, not even flinching in response to the pain.

With his smile left unmoved, he brandished his sword again before attempting something nothing short of puerile.

He used a flash step of his own.

Thanks to her expertise, Yasui had no problem predicting the pathing of such sloppy technique.

But she wasn't fully prepared for what followed.

Koda's blade came crashing down like an executioner's axe, belatedly forcing her to unsheathe her own Zanpakuto.

The sound of metal clanging rang throughout the atmosphere, scarring off the assemblage of wildlife in the area.

"Do you also know its name?" Koda couldn't help but wonder if Yasui also had access to that monstrous power Okita had shown him.

"Obviously, but you'll have to try much harder than that if you want to hear it!" Inadvertently, Koda's Reiryoku surged forth, fully intent on accepting Yasui's challenge.

Yasui could feel her bones trembling from the sheer pressure that Koda's blade radiated, miniature cracks appeared in the ground beneath her as he attempted to plant her into the earth below.

'I guess I have no choice…' Reluctantly, she unfastened one of her fingers from the hilt of her blade and aimed it at Koda.

"Hadō #1: Shō"

Koda winced as a mighty gust of wind sent him flying backwards, his spine slamming against the bark of a nearby trunk. The attack had left him disorientated as all of the air had practically been dragged out of his lungs.

'That should do it' Before Yasui could heave a sigh of relief, she felt a cold sensation dripping down the top of her forehead.

She ran the base of her palm across the surface of her skin, revealing the presence of a red liquid slowly trickling down her face.

Somehow, Koda had managed to nick the base of her scalp with his Asauchi right between the casting and impact of the spell.

Monstrous, was an understatement.

'Shit, can I really handle someone of this caliber?' Okita's warning regarding Koda eventually becoming too much for her, had naturally become more apparent.

"What…the hell…was that?" Koda's thin, weakened voice reverberated throughout his surroundings as he slowly picked himself up.

His knees wobbled frantically as he dusted himself off, coughing a mouthful of blood as he struggled to find the strength to pick up his blade.

'You've got to be kidding me…' Yasui remained motionless, in utter disbelief at what she was witnessing. There was no logical reason why he should still be able to move, let alone conscious.

Yet reality begged to differ.

"That's enough Koda, you can't fight anymore, we can continue your training when you're rested" Sadly, Yasui's well-rounded reasoning was met with an eerie low cackle, it was clear Koda didn't sympathize with her logic.

"Can't…fight?" His laughter continued, finally grasping his blade once more as he approached Yasui - step by step.

His muscles cried out, searing from the stress they were experiencing.

Still, Koda imprudently soldiered on.

"Who are you to deci-" No longer interested in his ramblings, Yasui flash stepped behind him, using a well-aimed chop to the neck to finally put him out.

Koda's body would have been in serious peril had he pushed it any further.

Considering that he only had a month to prepare permanent injuries were unacceptable.

"Seriously, how am I supposed to control you?" Yasui lamented the fact that this was merely day one, it was only downhill from here after all.