"Very clever." Ignorance smiled faintly and casually twirled her sword.
"That hardly counts as a compliment."
"Though I think it'll probably be pointless, let me give it a try." Under Ignorance's puzzled gaze, Yuko took a deep breath and extended a hand toward her, her expression solemn. "Come help me, Ignorance."
Ignorance tilted her head, a smile spreading across her lips as her pleasant voice followed.
"Mm, okay."
Holding her Zanpakuto, she took two quick steps and crossed several meters in the blink of an eye, flashing before Yuko as her pitch-black blade cleaved straight down at her.
Yuko reacted swiftly, drawing her Zanpakuto to block it. She looked at her darkly. "You really are sly. One thing out of your mouth, another in your hands."
"You reacted that quickly. Didn't you plan on trusting me either?" Ignorance's smile widened as she kicked at Yuko.
"So if I really trusted you, you'd be willing to be friends with me?" Yuko raised a leg to block, then spun and kicked, forcing Ignorance back with a single blow.
"Friends? What are you, an elementary school student?" Ignorance retreated two steps, her bare feet lightly tapping the water and sending ripples outward before she pressed forward again.
Their blades collided dozens of times within the span of a breath, every impact stirring waves across the sea.
Yuko kept running her mouth. "Friendship and bonds don't work on you. You're making this difficult."
Ignorance gave a soft laugh. "If the soft approach doesn't work, why not try getting rough?"
Before her words had faded, her figure abruptly blurred. In the next instant, she appeared behind Yuko, her completely black Zanpakuto wrapped in dense spiritual power as it silently stabbed toward Yuko's heart.
Such a fast Flash Step!
Yuko's heart tightened. It was already too