Chapter 23
Kagami no Jotei was the epitome of power as she trained Yuichi in the inner world. She was so overwhelmingly powerful that it was as if every move she made was a testament to her mastery over her abilities. She was a master of both offense and defense, her strikes leaving no room for error and her defenses almost impenetrable.
Yuichi trained day and night whenever he was free, pushing himself to his limits in order to keep up with Kagami no Jotei's incredible abilities. He learned how to control the reflection of energy, and how to deflect and absorb attacks from his opponents.
But even with all of his training, Yuichi still struggled to keep up with Kagami no Jotei's sheer power. Her movements were lightning fast and her strikes were relentless, leaving him no room for error. But through determination and hard work, Yuichi gradually improved and soon, he was able to survive five minutes of training.
"Remember, Yuichi," Kagami no Jotei said, "You must use your instincts, focus on your breathing, and trust in your reflexes. Don't overthink too much and rather than focusing on what I'm doing in that moment try to see what I'll do next."
The training began with a series of simple sword movements. Kagami no Jotei explained each move, pointing out the key areas to focus on and demonstrating the correct form.
As the training progresses, the movements become more complex and the intensity increases. But Kagami no Jotei never wavers, her movements graceful and precise as she executes each technique flawlessly.
Despite the difficulty of the training, Yuichi began to pick up the techniques quickly. He was amazed by the sheer power and control Kagami no Jotei possessed.
Kagami no Jotei noticed the improvement in Yuichi's technique and nodded in approval. "Well done, Yuichi. You are making progress much quicker than I expected. Your potential for growth is immense."
Despite her overwhelming power, Kagami no Jotei was a kind and patient teacher. She would spend what seemed like hours explaining the intricacies of each technique and helping Yuichi to practice them. She was determined to help him reach his full potential, and with her guidance, Yuichi would soon become a master of her power.
As Yuichi watched Kagami no Jotei's demonstration of her abilities, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. He has never seen someone graceful yet so powerful.
Kagami no Jotei noticed the look on Yuichi's face and chuckled, "Your expression is quite amusing, Yuichi. I assure you, my abilities are far beyond what you could ever imagine. What you see is the tip of the iceberg."
She then turned serious and added, "But do not let that discourage you. With hard work and determination, you too can reach such levels of mastery. The key is to never stop learning, to never stop pushing yourself to be better. Show me you worthy and I shall bestow you with power that will crush your enemies."
And so, Yuichi continued his training under Kagami no Jotei, constantly improving and pushing himself to reach new heights. He would never forget the lessons she taught him and the impact of her words.
With that day's training complete, Yuichi left the inner world and went over to Mei's dorm room and asked if she would be interested in having a sparring session. Although he felt somewhat tired he wanted to incorporate these lessons as soon as possible.
"Sure." Mei answered, "It's been a while since our last sparring session. I've been looking forward to test your skills."
The two of them went to the nearby training ground and began their training. At first, they started with basic sword movements, testing each other's reflexes and techniques.
As the training progressed, they started to get more serious and their movements became more intense. Mei was a formidable opponent, her strikes fast and precise, but Yuichi was determined to win.
He remembered the techniques that Kagami no Jotei had taught him and began to use them to his advantage. He focused on his breathing, let his instincts guide him, and soon he found himself matching Mei's strikes blow for blow.
The sparring session lasted for nearly 2 hours and both of them were exhausted by the end of it. Despite their fatigue, they both had big smiles on their faces.
"You're getting better, Yuichi," Mei said, panting slightly, "I can see that your training is really paying off."
"Thanks, Mei," Yuichi replied, also panting but heavily, "You're a great opponent, every time I spar with you I feel that I get stronger."
The two of them sat down on a nearby bench, catching their breath and chatting about their training. They both felt a sense of pride in their progress and were eager to continue improving.
"I think we should do this more often than a few times a week," Mei said, "It's always a great experience to have someone to push you to your limits."
"Yeah I've been mean to talk to you about that would it be possible to fight you with your true abilities? I want to test myself so please release your zanpakuto and let's have a quick spar." said Yuichi
Mei agreed to Yuichi's request and released her Zanpakuto. Her katana glowed with a bright light turning into a dagger with the blade edge becoming a blue color, and her spiritual energy increased dramatically. Yuichi was amazed by the power that Mei possessed, but he was determined to test himself against her.
The two of them started their quick spar, and it quickly became intense. Mei's strikes were faster and more powerful than ever before, and Yuichi found himself struggling to keep up. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to land a single hit on Mei and was constantly on the defensive.
Mei was relentless, and her strikes continued to come faster and faster. Yuichi was pushed to the brink of his limits and was starting to feel defeated. Despite the urge to unleash his own zanpakuto, he held back. He didn't want to reveal his true strength and instead focused on finding a way to endure Mei's relentless assault.
The spar lasted for several minutes, with Mei continuing to dominate the fight. In the end, Yuichi was left battered and bruised, but he still managed to get back up on his feet. Though Mei had refrained from using the power of her zanpakuto it still radiated a cold freezing aura so each strike would send a chilling energy into Yuichi's body so he was shivering.
"That was an amazing fight, Mei," Yuichi said, panting heavily while shivering, "You get stronger every time I spar with you. I couldn't even see half your moves. I don't think I'll ever beat you."
Mei smiled at Yuichi's words, "You're getting there, Yuichi. You're improving with every sparring session, and I'm proud of your progress. Just keep pushing yourself and you'll get there. Beating me shouldn't be your goal just focus on surpassing yourself and before you know it you'll be stronger than you can imagine."
Yuichi nodded, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. Although he had lost the spar, he knew that he had grown stronger and learned a lot from the experience. He was eager to continue training and sparring with Mei, knowing that each session would bring him closer to his goal.
"Now Yuichi I'm heading back to the mansion today. Will you join me? I'm sure Lady Yourichi and Young Master Yūshirō will be excited to see you after a few months. They'll definitely be shocked by how much you've grown." Mei said with a smile
'Well, I should probably head back. Maybe I can get them to give me a quick lesson on Hohō and Hakuda. If I want to learn Shunkō then I definitely need to master Flash Steps and Hand-to-Hand Combat.'
"Definitely," Yuichi replied, "I'm looking forward to seeing Lady Yourichi and Young Master Yūshirō again. It's been too long, and I can't wait to catch up with them and hear about what's been happening at the mansion."
The two of them made their way back to the mansion, discussing their future training plans and catching up on each other's lives. As they walked, Yuichi couldn't help but truly feel grateful for Mei's guidance and support. She had been a great mentor and he was looking forward to continuing their training and sparring sessions in the future.