Chapter 251: A Lamb and Wolf
<span style="font-weight:400">Unohana stood at ease, her stance riddled with openings. Kazuya knew better than to trust his eyes when facing an opponent of her caliber. This was undoubtedly a bait to lure him into a killing strike, only to counter and lecture him on the virtue of patience.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did you not hear me?” She questioned, her voice cold and emotionless. “Plunge your de through my heart like you’d do with Aizen.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Narrowing his eyes, Kazuya lunged forward, his sword aimed at her chest. There was no hesitation in his movements, as if he truly sought to end her life.
<span style="font-weight:400">Unohana’s lips curved up in a subtle smile as her hand twitched.
<b><i>ng!</i></b>
<span style="font-weight:400">Her sword intercepted his with blinding speed, and despite keeping his eyes trained on her hand, he could only perceive a blur of motion. Instinctively, he blocked, relying on reflex rather than sight. The attacks that struck his sword were lightning-fast, he managed to keep pace — the moment the thought crossed his mind, a sharp pain hit his right palm.
<span style="font-weight:400">He looked down to see blood pouring from the back of his hand. Meanwhile, his sword arced through the air and plunged into the hill behind him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wow…” He muttered, feeling speechless from witnessing a short sword in her left hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">She walked towards his katana and tossed it at him. “Don’t get too fixated on your opponent’s de that you lose sight of everything else.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I just didn’t expect you to resort to cheap tricks, given the massive disparity in our skills.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Always expect the unexpected on the battlefield. The price of unpreparedness is your life…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know. I know. Let’s start again.” He shook his hand, scattering droplets of blood on the white flowers. The wound began to knit itself back together. “You won’t catch me off guard this easily again. I’ll even let you take the first strike.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Unohana gleefully took the chance and lunged at him like a predator rushing at its harmless prey.
<span style="font-weight:400">As their swords locked, she drew back andunched a follow-up sh at his torso, intending to carve her first mark on his body.
<span style="font-weight:400">He emted her defensive technique to parry her diagonal sh. Just a heartbeatter, her sword shed once more. Against his expectations, she had retraced her attack tounch yet another sh with scarcely a pause between them.
<span style="font-weight:400">He instinctively repeated the block, which was the right move.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">ng!</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">A massive impact sent him skidding backward, his feet gouging a devastating trail in the flowery field.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re disappointing me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Look, I’m not the best with a sword. I fight better with my fists.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Wearing a mildly disappointed expression, Unohana rushed forward and immediatelyunched more attacks. Her gaze was distant, almost bored, yet her sword movements flowed like a river, each sh carrying mind-blowing power behind it.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sparkles erupted as their swords shed, the ringing of steel echoing across the serene hills. Be it the rhythm of their swords, the way they moved around each other — it was as if they were two dancers engaged in a beautiful, deadly dance.
<span style="font-weight:400">Despite holding his own against Unohana, Kazuya couldn’t help but feel awe for the 4th Squad’s Captain. The way she parried him with ease made it seem like every tiny motion of her body was predetermined — she had dueled so many katana wielders that her body unconsciously countered attacks based on where her opponent’s sword touched hers.
<span style="font-weight:400">Her mastery of the sword was both sublime and graceful.
<span style="font-weight:400">What''s more, she seemed barely focused on the fight, while he pushed every muscle to its limit just to keep pace.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Put more intent in your strikes. Make every strike count, but never be too predictable with your attacks. That is, if you’re fighting an equal. Against lesser opponents, you simply cut them down.”
<span style="font-weight:400">And still, she had the leisure to lecture him in between the battle.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will stop going easy on you.”
<i><span style="font-weight:400">ng!</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">A shockwave rippled through him as he blocked her strike, the force of the impact reverberating in his bones. He was granted no reprieve, no opportunity to counter as a barrage of shes assailed him. Left, right, up, down – her de shed him from all sides with no respite. Her attacks were faster than Yoruichi, and her slender hands exerted nearly the same power as Aizen. Whenbined with her unparalleled swordsmanship, she was a monstrous opponent that he simply couldn’t beat without his abilities.
<span style="font-weight:400">Under the onught of her attacks, he found himself overwhelmed, unable to find a moment to breathe, let alone mount an offense. It was then that Unohana’s sword found a crack in his defense, leaving a deep gash across his waist. Blood sprayed forth, painting her de a vivid crimson.
<span style="font-weight:400">The instant her sword tasted his flesh and drew blood, Unohana’s eyes widened, a crazed smile twisting her lips. Her Reiatsu fluctuated wildly, sending ripples through the sea of flowers surrounding them.
<span style="font-weight:400">A spine-chilling bloodlust radiated from her smile. “Ahh, more! Let me cut you more! Let me ughter you more!!!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya winced at the burning sensation but he remained calm enough to dodge her vicious attacks. At least most of them. A couple made it past his defense and covered him in his own blood.
<span style="font-weight:400">As predicted, the training had devolved from learning experience to an act of survival in a mere minute.
<span style="font-weight:400">He suddenly jumped back with Hirenkyaku. “Retsu,e back to me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Theplete brunt of his charm ability put Unohana in a dazed state. Her vicious killing intent immediately disappeared, leaving behind a Unohana who just stared at his closing wounds.
<span style="font-weight:400">She gave him a disinterested look. “I told you to attack me like you mean to kill me. Or else I <i><span style="font-weight:400">will</i><span style="font-weight:400"> kill you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya shook his head. “I can keep using my voice to bring <i><span style="font-weight:400">my </i><span style="font-weight:400">Retsu back.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now is not the time to develop a heart,” she replied with an amused smile. “I have found major ws in your style. You have a LOT to work on.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh pray tell.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“First of all, you have to deepen your arsenal ofbat. As it stands, your offense and defense are exceptionally shallowpared to other Captains. You rely too much on your observation for openings. You need a backup strategy to fall on when your eyes can’t keep up. Since you are with me, I’ll show you techniques to brute force an opening in a fight.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Unohana had astutely gauged his fighting style as well as his weaknesses through the exchange.
<span style="font-weight:400">{She is saying, ‘You are not using enough violence. I will teach you more VIOLENCE!}
<span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya chuckled at Nami’s unseriousment. “It’s never bad to have multiple win conditions in a fight.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She lowered her sword and beckoned him with her left hand. “Come. I’ll traumatize your body to an extent that you’ll be confident in letting your skills dictate the battle, not your keen observation. Once we’re done, you’ll be outskilling your opponents.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, that wasn’t what you said earlier!”