6 Chapter 6: Battle Maniac

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

*Sound Effects*

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Chapter 6: Battle Maniac

Okita started walking towards his impromptu courtyard as Koda obediently followed. Okita's presence had only grown more domineering than before, to him it was merely the adrenaline rush the very concept of battle gave him, but to Koda it seemed far more sinister.

"That blade's called an Asauchi by the way, it's a special type of weapon used by Soul Reapers" Koda's pupils dilated in shock, to think his sword belonged to those the bartender had so adamantly warned him about.

"If they spotted you with one you'd most definitely be hunted down, however…" Okita slowly shifted his neck, glaring at Koda with one eye. "If you join us, I could teach you how to master it, how to make its power your own" Koda looked baffled, not only did there seem to be some hidden power locked within his sword, but the man stood right before seemed to comprehend it.

"Could you elaborate?" In the back of his mind he felt as if the man was trying to manipulate him somehow, but he couldn't help his curiosity.

"I'll be frank, I have no intention of teaching you anything unless you join us, however I wouldn't be against demonstrating it, what do you think?" Okita knew that once Koda witnessed the latent potential hidden within an Asauchi, he'd have no choice but to accept.

"If you would" Okita grinned in satisfaction, he stepped onto the miniature grass courtyard and proceeded to unsheathe his Zanpakuto, eager to see how Koda would react to witnessing its power.

"Then pay attention, I'll only show you once" Koda glued his eyes to Okita's sword, he could almost feel the intent that laid dormant within Okita's blade, like it was ready to burst out and annihilate anything that stood in its path.

'Father always claimed to be able to "read" people's swords, if he saw that one, what would he say?' Finally Okita spoke, he merely let out four words, but they were more than enough to make Koda fear-ridden.

"Eviscerate, Hyaku No Toge"

Instantaneously Okita's blade turned stone gray as cracks began to appear all the way from the blade's hilt to its tip, followed by a blinding white light spewing out of its joints.

But that wasn't the center of Koda's attention. Rather it was the pressure, pressure like he had never felt before, pressure that made him feel like an ant staring up at the heavens.

The fact that Okita was purposefully focusing all his spiritual pressure on Koda in order to entice the latters greed didn't help at all. Okita continued to allow Koda to bask in the sensation of powerlessness until he felt that it would do him any lasting physical harm.

Okita's blade returned to its normal state as he sheathed it once again. He smirked upon seeing the countless beads of sweat dripping down Koda's forehead, his plan had worked.

"What was…that power?" Koda asked weakly, just standing upright felt like the hardest thing he had ever done.

"That depends on your answer, do you wish to join us?" Okita already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from Koda's lips nonetheless.

"Obviously" Koda would be an idiot to reject an opportunity to obtain such power. 'It seems like this group can offer me a lot more than just passage…interesting' Okita smirked as he gestured for Koda to stand opposite to him, there was still something he needed to do before allowing Koda in.

"In that case, you'll have to impress me, fret not - I don't intend on using that power against you" Koda nervously made his way to the other side of the courtyard, gulping nervously at the mere sight of that monster of a man.

'At least he won't be using whatever the hell…that is - wait a minute' Koda had been too caught up in Okita's display of power that he failed to realize that something rather alarming.

"Where are the practice swords?" Surely Okita didn't intend to spar with real swords…right?

"Practice swords? Who needs em!" Okita laughed maniacally as he let his Zanpakuto hang loosely on the back of his shoulders.

[Koda's POV]

Without so much as a warning he came darting towards me, the air cackling as his blade was aimed directly at my scalp. In a foolhardy attempt to block the attack I was sent tumbling backwards, ultimately falling to my feet.

"Is that all you've got? Pathetic…" He was clearly mocking me, but with a pitiful display like that I can't blame him.

I forced myself upright as I took my stance once more, for a second I could've sworn a faint smile crept up his lips. However the moment was cut short when he decided to rush me yet again.

This time I bet on my footwork to evade the swing, once again the tip of his blade was aimed at my scalp to which I swiftly moved to the left, however I was too slow.

His blade had cleanly taken a large chunk out of my shoulder, blood gushing out of it like a faulty valve. He really intended to kill me there, and he has the gall to call this a spar?

"What? A little scrape is enough to give you cold feet? No wonder you haven't awakened your Asauchi already" More taunting, regardless I won't allow it to get to me - I'll survive as long as I maintain my composure.

"You're holding back…" I rose an eyebrow in response to his bold claim, holding back? Nonsense.

"What are you talking about?" I retorted, does he see something I don't?

"Do you take me for an idiot? You're pretending to fight like those calculated posers, don't hide it, you're the same as me!" His eyes gleamed madly as he hastily attempted to pierce my chest, I narrowly blocked it with the midsection of my sword, but my feet were dragged through the dirt as a result of the sheer force.

I'm the same as him? Impossible.

He attacks like a ravaging beast, we're nothing alike.

"I don't know who taught you, but they failed you immensely!" I was left without a window to react as his blade cleanly slipped through my abdomen, I looked down in horror as my own blood helplessly stained the ground below me.

"Don't worry, I'll fix their errors right this instant, either you'll get back up - or you'll fade away here, the choice is yours" I could barely make out his voice but I still managed to grasp the meaning.

And then it happened.

I could feel something swell deep in my chest, something pure, something maddening, like a raging current that torrented through each and every one of my vessels.

Should I let it in?

It doesn't feel stable...nor secure.

I don't seem to have much of a choice though do I?

Alright, whatever you are, I'll let you take the wheel. Don't let me down now.

[Narrator POV]

Okita stared blankly at Koda's motionless body with an expectant gaze. 'Did I go too far? Eh, it's his fault for holding back like that in the first place, unless he was doing it unknowingly, in that case haven't I made a rather sizable blunder?' Okita continued to wait, hoping that he hadn't just wasted a potential talent.

Suddenly, sparks of amber began to emit off Koda's body. Okita grinned at the sight, and before he knew it a pillar of Reiryoku erupted from where he laid.

The pressure it let off was violent and uncontained, it only had one purpose, one intention, one objective.

To fight.

'What's this? So he can do it if he tries after all!' Okita's smile widened, reaching the upper corners of his cheekbones as he readied his Zanpakuto.

The pillar dispersed, leaving only a menacing figure in its wake - Koda's eyes now resembled a similar amber hue whilst he donned a grin akin to Okita's. His eyes lusting for battle as he stared the recruiter down.

His shoulder blade and abdominal region were now completely healed, leaving only a scarred surface behind.

"This feeling, it's almost like I've been reborn, I suppose I have you to thank for this?" Okita scoffed as he looked directly into Koda's manic pupils.

"Don't mention it, it's my responsibility to instruct my juniors after all" Okita slowly began pacing towards Koda, and the latter reciprocated him.

The time for words had passed, both their blades met as Koda's stance was now devoid of form, he swung his blade not because it was the proper way to do so, but simply because it was fun.

Worrying about defense was a bore, something for cowards.

Hacking away until your opponent fell was fun! It was the single most entertaining thing this world could offer.

'Those bandits could never give me a rush like this! Old man, it looks like you were wrong after all, I never needed discipline - in fact it was holding me back, if you saw me fighting now you'd probably be disappointed eh?' The two continued to ravage the other mercilessly, wounds accumulating on their bodies at the speed of light.

'I could use my Shikai and end this now…but where's the fun in that!' Okita was intent on seeing the spar, which was realistically a life or death battle to the end, he was simply having too much fun to let it end now.

Okita's blade went straight for Koda's eyes, which was met with the insane response of being grabbed by one's bare hands. Koda truly had abandoned the notion of technique, despite it only having been moments he had become a completely different person.

Okita attempted to yank the blade out of its grip, which did allow it to sink deep into the flesh of Koda's palm, but it still remained within the letter's grasp.

This time Koda's blade pierced straight through Okita's shoulder, returning the favor.

"Excellent! This is how a fight should be!" Okita was more than impressed with Koda's performance, this was a fight truly becoming of a Roamer.

He had passed.

Despite Okita holding back significantly, Koda had still managed to curry his favor.