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Chapter 28: Pandora’s Box II
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His legs may have wavered ever so slightly, and his vision swam, but he still raised his bde again, "Til I can no longer stand."
The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices a chaotic symphony of admiration and disbelief.
Akashi never really enjoyed fighting. Even now, what he was enjoying wasn't the battle but the feeling of progress.
Word of Akashi’s exploits began to spread. His relentless drive, and his willingness to face anyone regardless of rank or skill; it was impossible to ignore.
He had turned the Eleventh Division into an arena, a proving ground where battles were fought not for glory but for the sheer joy of combat.
When he was not tending to paperwork, he was fighting, every waking moment of his new life.
Aizen seemingly didn't disapprove as he gave him a tad bit more free time. In fact, from the brief talks Akashi had with Aizen, the tter seemed very pleased with his progress.
But not everyone was pleased.
Ikkaku Madarame, the third seat of the Eleventh Division, watched from the sidelines with a growing sense of annoyance.
The man was a whirlwind of combat prowess, his bald head gleaming in the sunlight as he spun his Zanpakutō with practiced ease.
"Who the hell does this kid think he is?" Ikkaku muttered to Yumichika Ayasegawa, his ever-present companion.
Yumichika, reclining against a nearby wall, smirked. "He’s certainly... unique. But you have to admit, he’s got spirit and he doesn't look bad. Certainly not as handsome as me but not bad."
"Spirit doesn’t mean squat if it gets in the way of our duties, and what the hell does his looks have to do with anything?" Ikkaku snapped.
"Moreover, this kid’s turning the division into his personal pyground. It’s time someone put him in his pce." He continued.
"Huh?" Yumichika zily raised a brow and questioned, "Duties? Are you sure you don't just wanna fight him?"
"Shut up! I want to teach him a lesson!" Ikkaku scoffed, a bit too worked up.
"Sure... I believe ya," Yumichika shrugged, a sly smile emerging on his face as he eyed Akashi and then Ikkaku's bald head, 'Is it because he has a lot of hair?'
When Ikkaku stepped into the sparring grounds, the atmosphere shifted. The usual rowdy crowd fell silent, their attention snapping to the bald warrior as he strode toward Akashi.
"You’ve been busy, and a pain in the ass," Ikkaku said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge.
"But this ain’t your pyground. You’re interfering with the division’s work, and that’s a problem." Ikkaku stressed.
Akashi met his gaze, his expression rexed but his eyes bzing, "Have I caused any inconvenience? I'm not done here though, still have much to learn and as far as I saw, no one here cares for division work."
Ikkaku's mouth twitched, his grip tightening on his Zanpakutō, "Oh, you’re done, all right. Let’s see if that fire of yours can handle a real fight."
Ikkaku completely ignored Akashi's point, and the tter didn't seem to care as the word real fight easily attracted his attention, "Really? Thank you then for humoring me."
The crowd erupted into cheers and jeers, the tension palpable as the two fighters squared off.
Ikkaku didn’t waste time with formalities. He charged forward, his bde a blur as it sliced through the air.
Akashi barely had time to react, his own Zanpakutō rising to meet the attack.
The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, nearly knocking him off bance.
Ikkaku pressed the advantage, his strikes relentless, a wide grin surfacing on the man's face.
Akashi was forced into a defensive stance, his mind racing to keep up. He quickly realized the difference between Ikkaku and his previous opponents.
He not only had the power and the pressure far surpassing his previous opponents, but he also was far more skilled.
Akashi’s usual tactics; observation and adaptation; were being pushed to their limits.
As the fight wore on, Akashi began to find his rhythm. He studied Ikkaku’s movements, noting the subtle shifts in his stance, and the patterns in his attacks.
Slowly but surely, he began to anticipate the strikes, parrying with greater confidence... Only to be put down yet again as Ikkaku's attacks became stronger and faster.
It seemed that Ikkaku was going easy on him, showing more of his prowess as time went on and Akashi simply couldn't keep up.
The battle raged on, the crowd growing more frenzied with each passing moment.
Blood spttered the ground, the metallic scent thick in the air.
Akashi held on, but his muscles were aching and his vision blurring from a cut above his eye.
"C'mon!! More! Is that it?!" Ikkaku shouted, his breath even as he blocked another strike before delivering another slice.
If Akashi heard him, he showed no signs of it, his arms starting to give out, and his senses failing.
The only thing he could hear was the sound of something akin to waterdrops falling upon the ground.
Ikkaku cared not for Akashi's state as he continued, "Weak! So weak! Put some blood in your strike and stop fighting like a bitch!"
Ikkaku eyed Akashi's next ssh, feeling its weight as he chose to parry it with his sheath while lunging with his sword to the left.
His fighting style is special, rough, but powerful, using complex movements which allow him to lunge with his sword from the left and defend with his sheath at the right.
Moreover, he is ambidextrous and can seemingly switch between the two techniques.
Ikkaku showed the fighting style through the battle; with his sword held in a normal grip and the sheath held in reverse grip, showing extraordinary mastery of the two variations of sword-fighting.
He used misdirection in his attacks, and even though doing so allowed for holes in his defense, he showed that he could make up for it with surprise attacks.
It's such a fighting style that left Akashi in tatters, not knowing what to do against the skilled bald swordsman, the tter pying around with him with ease.
That's why an expression of shock couldn't help but emerge on Ikkaku's face as Akashi deflected his thrust with the side of his hilt, the force of which spun his bde.
The spun seemed to have been controlled just enough by Akashi til he showcased an ox guard stance, upon which he lunged directly toward Ikkaku's chest.
He lunged forward, his bde cutting through the air in a frantic bid to nd a fatal blow, having forgotten that this was merely a spar.
Must've been the pain and exhaustion that made him lose his mind, but not before achieving something that stunned even Ikkaku.
Akashi using the hilt of his bde to deflect seemed eerily simir to his fighting style.
Whereas Ikkaku uses his sheath for that purpose, Akashi seemingly mimicked his fighting style and reimagined it to his taste, fitting well with Kurayami which nears 200 cm in length.
Ikkaku was certain he wasn't mistaken, Akashi had learned the fighting style amidst the battle, although it was still very rough.
Therefore, despite his surprise, Ikkaku was still able to deflect the attack at the very st second, although the force of it drove him back a step.
The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices a deafening roar and so did Ikkaku, erupting into a burst of ughter, "Hahahaha! Good good. That's it! That's what I wanted!! Le..."
If Ikkaku wanted to say something more, he couldn't as his excitement came crashing down to a sudden halt, frowning in displeasure, "Tch, take him to the fourth division!"
Oh, how Ikkaku so desperately wanted the fight to continue, but against who? The man indistinguishable from a murder victim before him?
Akashi could stand no longer, the test attack was his st, bearing all the little strength he had yet in him.
It's there that he finally truly felt it, unimaginable pain. He's no typical person. He had experienced pain before, but never this, way more than he could handle.
Thus, Akashi y on the ground, bloodied and battered but adorning a smile of satisfaction on his face as he lost consciousness, even such pain unable to take that sense of attainment from him.
