Chapter 17: What Are You? |
A heavy, strained silence hung over the training grounds.
Aside from Omaeda and Yoruichi, several other Soul Reapers from the Second Division watched intently from the sidelines, their curiosity piqued by the burgeoning confrontation between Yeruashi and Soi Fon.
At that moment, Soi Fon took her first step.
Whoosh!
It initially seemed as though she intended to strike Yeruashi head-on, but in the next heartbeat, her figure blurred and reappeared to his left, her movements a masterclass in speed and fluid agility.
The short blade gripped in her right hand hissed through the air, aimed directly at Yeruashi's lower body.
Normally, Soul Reapers focus their defense on the upper torso, but Soi Fon skillfully utilized her diminutive stature to launch a low, awkward, and entirely unexpected attack.
In this simple opening move, she demonstrated a combat style completely distinct from a standard Soul Reaper. It was a display of incredible dexterity and flexibility, paired with absolute mastery over her own physical form.
However, Yeruashi remained perfectly composed in the face of her rapid maneuver.
He smoothly transitioned his Zanpakuto into a reverse grip, executing a hard block against her cumbersome strike. With a sharp, metallic screech, their blades ground together, sending a shower of sparks flying in every direction.
But this was merely the beginning of her assault. Even as their blades collided, Soi Fon had already lashed out with her right leg, her foot wreathed in a dense surge of Reiatsu, sweeping toward Yeruashi's feet.
Crack!
Simultaneously, Yeruashi's Zanpakuto continued its downward momentum until the tip buried itself in the earth. Using the hilt as a pivot, he braced his right hand against it and vaulted his legs off the ground, narrowly evading her sweep before immediately launching a counter-kick toward her extended leg.
Despite his swift evasion and counter, Soi Fon's movements remained crisp and decisive. She slapped her palm against the ground and propelled herself into the air, spinning with the grace of a blooming flower. She dodged Yeruashi's counter-kick before delivering a slashing strike with her blade, channeling the momentum of her rotation into the blow.
Clang!!
Yeruashi wrenched his Zanpakuto from the dirt and held the blade vertically, catching Soi Fon's horizontal strike dead center.
Swoosh!
Both fighters kicked off the ground and retreated in opposite directions after the brief, high-speed clash of steel.
Barely two seconds had passed since the start of the skirmish, yet the spectating Soul Reapers were left standing with their mouths agape.
In that fleeting window, both sides had managed to execute complex dodges and precise counters. Yeruashi and Soi Fon had mirrored one another—first skillfully evading an attack, then delivering a retaliation at the perfect moment. The observers felt that if any of them had been in either position, they would have struggled just to stay upright, let alone find an opening to counter.
The most shocking part, of course, was the precision of Yeruashi's movements. The onlookers wouldn't have been surprised if he had blocked her strikes by relying on superior Reiatsu, but in this exchange, he had used nothing but pure Hakuda and Kendo techniques!
Yeruashi had become a Soul Reaper only a few months ago, yet in that short span of time, he had not only surpassed them in Hakuda but had managed to go toe-to-toe with Soi Fon herself!
"He's... he's incredibly strong..."
"Unbelievable. Lieutenant Hatake actually held his own against the Commander of the Punitive Force in close quarters... Wasn't it said he only started learning Hakuda a few months back?! So this is what a true genius looks like?"
Someone whispered in awe.
While the gathered Soul Reapers marveled at the skill Yeruashi had displayed, Soi Fon was already initiating a new series of attacks.
Her figure flickered and vanished, reappearing directly behind Yeruashi, leaving only a fading afterimage in her wake.
Flash Step!
As a prodigy recognized by Yoruichi and a future Captain of the Second Division, Soi Fon possessed immense natural talent. While she couldn't yet match the speed of the Goddess of Flash, she was undeniably one of the most proficient masters of the Flash Step in the Gotei 13!
Meanwhile, Yeruashi stood perfectly still, looking as if he were unable to react to her sudden movement.
Silence fell.
Soi Fon's short Zanpakuto pierced through Yeruashi's back, but in the next instant, his form dissolved like a mirage.
An afterimage!
Yeruashi's figure materialized directly behind Soi Fon!
He had countered her Flash Step with one that was even more unpredictable and blindingly fast!
"That's... that's impossible..."
Feeling a sudden chill of danger radiating from behind her, Soi Fon lunged forward without hesitation, successfully evading Yeruashi's strike. But this time, she could no longer maintain her stoic facade. She had already been rattled by his mastery of Hakuda and Kendo, but seeing his Flash Step completely shattered her composure.
It was too early to judge his Hakuda fairly, but Yeruashi definitely surpassed her in the mastery of the Flash Step!
She had trained tirelessly in the Flash Step since childhood, and after joining the Onmitsukido, she had even earned Yoruichi-sama's personal recognition. Under Yoruichi's direct tutelage, her speed had reached the pinnacle of excellence.
But what about Yeruashi?
He had only started practicing the technique a few months ago!
How could this be possible?
Even Yoruichi, who was watching the duel closely from the sidelines, was quite taken aback. 'He mastered the Flash Step in just a few months... I've gone and underestimated this boy again!'
When measuring a Soul Reaper's overall combat prowess, one's connection with their Zanpakuto is vital, but mastery of Kendo, Kido, Hakuda, and the Flash Step are equally critical pillars of strength.
Spiritual power is the fundamental source of a Soul Reaper's might, but most Captains possess roughly comparable levels of Reiatsu once their Bankai is released. Furthermore, they all possess different but equally devastating abilities. Therefore, in a battle at that level, it is almost impossible to dominate solely through Reiatsu or the hax of a Bankai.
More often than not, the determining factors in such high-level clashes are the finesse of one's Flash Step, Kendo, Kido, and Hakuda.
Yoruichi's own power, for example, was built upon having the greatest Flash Step in the Soul Society and her mastery of Shunko, which combined peak Hakuda and Kido. With these skills, Yoruichi was capable of matching or even defeating any Captain-level opponent without ever drawing her Zanpakuto.
"Bakudo 31: Triple-Beak Thrust!"
Soi Fon cried out, her hand sweeping through the air to manifest three golden beaks of energy joined in a triangular formation.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!!
The golden beaks streaked toward Yeruashi, slamming into him to pin his body in place.
Soi Fon had been forced to resort to Kido because she couldn't overwhelm him with speed or hand-to-hand combat, but unfortunately, Kido of this level was clearly insufficient to restrain him.
Thud!
With a simple, powerful flex of his muscles, Yeruashi shattered the yellow energy binding him into fragments.
Seizing the momentary distraction, Soi Fon reappeared at his right flank, her blade already whistling toward him in a diagonal slash.
Ding!
Yeruashi swung his Zanpakuto with nonchalant ease, once again blocking her rapid strike without much effort.
Soi Fon used the impact of his block to vault herself into the air. She arched her back with startling flexibility before snapping a kick wreathed in condensed Kido directly toward Yeruashi's neck.
Unfazed, Yeruashi raised his left hand and caught her slender ankle. However, as he did, a hidden blade shot out from the tip of her boot.
Yeruashi simply smirked and tilted his head, letting the blade graze the air. "You certainly have plenty of little tricks up your sleeve."
He released her ankle and immediately drove a lightning-fast punch toward her chest.
The strike looked remarkably simple and unembellished, but the movement of his arm was incredibly swift, and a massive amount of Reiatsu was concentrated around his fist.
Soi Fon's expression hardened as she frantically swung her Zanpakuto to intercept the blow.
Boom!!!
Her reaction was timely, but Yeruashi's fist struck with such force that it bent the blade of her Zanpakuto before the impact sent her tumbling back dozens of meters.
"That's enough."
Yeruashi lowered his hand and smiled at the recovering Soi Fon. "To keep this going, you'd have to release your Shikai, and that goes beyond a simple exchange of pointers. Let's just call it a draw."
Soi Fon flipped through the air several times before landing softly on her feet. Though she wasn't injured, her mood was visibly dejected; she knew exactly who would lose if the fight continued. And when comparing their Zanpakuto, her situation only worsened, as Yeruashi already possessed a Bankai.
She couldn't win.
The realization was a heavy blow to her pride. Her Hakuda and Kendo had been completely neutralized, her mastery of the Flash Step had been matched and surpassed, and a clash of Zanpakuto was a losing prospect. She slumped her shoulders and sighed, feeling as though her years of agonizing practice were meaningless. But then, a warm hand suddenly patted the top of her head.
Soi Fon looked up to see Yoruichi's reassuring smile. "Soi Fon, your skills have actually improved quite a bit over the last few months. It's just pointless to try and compare yourself to an irrational monster like him."
Yeruashi smiled at Yoruichi as he sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Captain, it's not very polite to go around calling people irrational monsters, don't you think?"
Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "Am I wrong? No normal Soul Reaper could master Hakuda and the Flash Step to such a degree in such a short amount of time..."
She slowly circled Yeruashi, her eyes narrowed with a smirk as if she were trying to see through his very soul. "Just what are you?"
Yeruashi laced his fingers behind his head and gave her a carefree grin. "Well, I remember being a perfectly ordinary human once, but now I'm just a perfectly ordinary Soul Reaper."
Yoruichi slapped her hand to her forehead. "Right. First, go get yourself some breakfast. After that, take Soi Fon to the Fourth Division to collect their Seventh Seat and escort them to the Maggot's Nest."
Yeruashi shook his head. "You're asking us to arrest an officer of the Fourth Division? I think it might be better if you handled that personally..."
"I have more important matters to attend to today. You won't be alone, and I doubt Captain Unohana will interfere once you bring her up to speed. After all, she is one of the most experienced Captains in the Gotei 13."
With those final words, Yoruichi vanished from the training grounds in a blur of speed.
Yeruashi sighed helplessly at the spot where she had just been standing before turning to the still-deflated Soi Fon. "Shall we go, Commander Soi Fon?"
"...Fine."
Soi Fon looked up at him, gradually regaining her usual stoic composure.
But as soon as Yeruashi turned his back, a complex whirlwind of emotions flickered across her face.
He had not only achieved Bankai but had surpassed her in every other discipline in just a few months of training. It was highly probable that Yeruashi was the most talented Soul Reaper since the founding of the Gotei 13, yet there wasn't a hint of arrogance in his demeanor. Even after her crushing defeat, he remained as friendly and respectful as before.
It was impossible to hate someone like that.
It was no wonder that in just a few months, Yeruashi had completely eclipsed the former Lieutenant Omaeda in terms of prestige and authority among the Soul Reapers of the Second Division.