Steel rang as black shadows flashed past.
Uchiha Shisui displayed superb swordsmanship and speed, and for a time, Sajin Komamura could not gain any advantage over him.
Still, Komamura was somewhat surprised by his opponent's strength. He no longer underestimated him because of his youth. Such a powerful opponent deserved his respect.
Nearly ten minutes had passed since their battle began. Neither had used any of the dazzling, large-scale techniques seen in the previous matches. They had displayed only swordsmanship, move for move, and this suited Komamura's tastes perfectly. His Zanpakuto was, after all, a direct-attack type.
"Captain Komamura, do you not intend to release your Zanpakuto?"
Taking advantage of a pause in their exchange, Shisui spoke to Komamura.
Komamura had thoroughly enjoyed himself. Hearing this, he smiled. "Then you must show enough strength first, sir."
Shisui stood with his blade in one hand and his other hand behind his back. A meaningful smile appeared on his warm, sunlit face.
"Then Captain Komamura should be careful."
Three tomoe slowly emerged in his black eyes. He abruptly vanished from where he stood with the Body Flicker Technique. When he reappeared, he was already high in the air, and his free hand flung out a rapidly spinning shuriken.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Shisui formed a one-handed seal. In an instant, the shuriken transformed into a sky full of black shadows, pouring down like a torrential rain toward the ground.
Komamura was startled. He wanted to use Shunpo to evade, but the shuriken rain covered far too wide an area. In an instant, he judged that there was nowhere to dodge.
He raised his Zanpakuto high and slashed out a wave of sword pressure, instantly cutting an opening through the rain of shuriken. Yet when he searched for Shisui again, his opponent had