Training pt 5

*One Month Later 

Over the month and a half of intense training, Azure's skills with his sword began to sharpen under Maki's relentless guidance. Each day, they sparred, their wooden weapons clashing in a dance of precision and power.

Maki's movements were fluid, each strike calculated, her wooden spear an extension of her body. Azure, with his wooden sword, matched her strikes, though with great effort.

*HWOOO

In one of their more intense sessions, Maki's spear flickered like a blur, her attacks fast and unyielding. She pressed Azure, forcing him to react quickly, parrying and blocking with all his might.

*TAKK

*TAK

Despite his improvements, Maki's superior experience and skill kept her one step ahead. She moved with a grace and confidence that made her almost untouchable. Azure focused on every movement, trying to predict her next attack, but Maki's strikes were unpredictable.

A sharp thrust from her spear narrowly missed Azure's side as he twisted out of the way, countering with a swift downward slash aimed at her exposed shoulder. Maki deflected it with ease, the force of her parry sending vibrations through Azure's arms. She followed up with a rapid series of jabs, pushing Azure back on the defensive. Each blow came faster than the last, forcing him to retreat.

*WOOSHH

Azure knew he had to change tactics. He feigned a step back, then suddenly lunged forward, aiming to catch Maki off guard. But she anticipated his move, sidestepping gracefully and sweeping her spear low to catch Azure's legs.

He barely avoided the sweep by jumping, but Maki was already on the move, spinning her spear and bringing it down toward his head. Azure blocked it just in time, but the force of the impact sent him stumbling backward.

The spar continued like this, a back-and-forth battle of wits and reflexes. Azure was improving, no doubt, and he could feel the difference in his movements, his attacks more fluid and precise. Yet, Maki still managed to trouble him, her mastery of the spear evident in every exchange. As the session drew to a close, a final clash of weapons ended with Maki disarming Azure, her spear poised at his throat.

She smirked, lowering her weapon as Azure caught his breath, acknowledging his growth with a nod. Though he had lost the match, it was clear that he was no longer the same swordsman who had started training with her weeks ago.

"You're a hundred years too early to beat him," Maki said.

*********

*Night time

The night was thick with silence as Azure stepped outside, his sword strapped to his side. The cool air brushed against his skin.

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the school grounds.

Tonight, like many other nights, he would train with Kuro, pushing himself to master his abilities.

"Kuro," Azure called out.

Kuro materialized beside him.

"I can feel my control getting better, but it's like trying to hold water in my hands. It slips through my grasp if im not careful," Azure told his dragon.

"Kuro chuckled, a sound that was both amused and slightly ominous.

"Control comes with practice, and you've been diligent." Kuro said.

Azure took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to center himself. When he opened them again, they were sharp, focused.

He extended his hand, and tendrils of darkness began to weave around it, coiling and twisting like living shadows. 

With a flick of his wrist, he shaped the darkness into a solid form–– a barrier. The shadows hardened, becoming as strong as steel, a black wall that stood tall be fore him

*VNNN

He moved his hand again, and the barrier shifted, morphing into long, slender tendrils that lashed out like whips, cutting through the air with a sharp sound.

*SHRROO

*SHRROO

Azure focused on each tendril, commanding them to change shape at his will, watching as they expanded, contracted, and dissipated into the night.

"Good..." Kuro observed with approval.

Azure nodded. He wasn't done yet.

Focusing, he activated his intangibility, allowing his arm to become part of the shadows.

*FSSHH

 It was a strange sensation—feeling solid one moment and incorporeal the next. He reformed his arm, letting out a breath of relief. The timing had to be perfect for this to work in a fight.

Next, Azure unsheathed his sword. The blade gleamed under the moonlight, a perfect contrast to the darkness he commanded.

He combined his cursed abilities with his swordsmanship, creating constructs with his shadows while executing precise strikes. Barriers would form and dissipate at his will, tendrils would lash out alongside his blade.

Each movement was deliberate, and calculated. He practiced turning his body into darkness just as he parried an invisible blow, making the sword pass through him harmlessly before counterattacking. It was a demanding practice, one that required intense focus, but he could feel himself improving with each strike, each maneuver.

After hours of relentless training, Azure finally sheathed his sword, his chest heaving with exertion. The night was deepening, but he felt a sense of accomplishment. He had pushed his limits, and it was paying off.

"You've gotten a lot better, Azure," Kuro said drifting closer, his form hovering in the air beside Azure.

"The Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event is in two weeks. What are you going to do?" Kuro asked.

Azure wiped the sweat from his brow, considering their strategy. "We've kept my abilities hidden on purpose. No one knows what I can do with the darkness, except for Gojo I think that's our greatest advantage."

Kuro nodded, his eyes glinting with approval.

"That's a good idea. You can call and command me whenever you want or need," Kuro said.

Azure smiled nodding his head.

"Good."