Games

Nanao Ise stood at the edge of the roof, still holding the thick folder in her arms.

In front of her, Shunsui Kyōraku lowered his straw hat, his right hand already resting on his sword hilt.

"Little Nanao, move a little farther away."

Shunsui Kyōraku looked down at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his tone as languid as ever. "This young fellow looks strong. He must be the captain-level ryoka the Twelfth Division mentioned."

Nanao Ise adjusted her glasses.

"Captain, please don't speak as though you're preparing to run away."

"Why would I do that?"

Shunsui Kyōraku sighed. "I'm just worried that if we damage the barracks, the repair costs will come out of my salary again."

"Then please take this seriously."

"You're so strict, Nanao."

With that, Shunsui Kyōraku leaped from the roof, his loose haori spreading in midair before he landed steadily in front of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni stopped walking.

Ten paces separated them. Neither drew his sword immediately.

"Young fellow, you've broken into the Seireitei, but since you haven't hurt anyone yet, I can let you go back."

Yoriichi did not answer.

"It seems you don't agree. Do you intend to keep going?"

"Yes."

"Such a straightforward answer. You really put me in a difficult position."

Shunsui Kyōraku scratched his head. "If you'd sit down for a drink, perhaps we could talk things over."

"I don't drink."

"Tea, then."

"I'm in a hurry."

"..."

The smile on Shunsui Kyōraku's face stiffened for a moment.

Yoriichi drew Hekyō from his waist and held it in one hand.

The next instant, he vanished.

Clang!

Their blades collided head-on. Reiatsu spread in every direction, and the paving stones beneath their feet cracked instantly.

Shunsui Kyōraku turned his wrist, sliding his blade along Yoriichi's and aiming straight for his shoulder.

Yoriichi retreated half a step, bringing his long sword up from below to block the strike.

Immediately afterward, he stepped forward.

Without any obvious windup, his blade was already descending toward Shunsui Kyōraku's chest.

Shunsui Kyōraku's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately leaned back.

The sword tip grazed his straw hat.

Half the brim fell to the ground.

"That was close. Very close."

Shunsui Kyōraku retreated several meters and glanced down at his straw hat. "I really liked this hat."

Yoriichi did not respond. He appeared before him again.

Sword light flashed in rapid succession.

Shunsui Kyōraku drew his second sword, crossing his blades to block every attack.

Clang, clang, clang!

In just a few breaths, the two had exchanged more than ten blows.

Nanao Ise stood in the distance, her expression gradually growing grave.

She knew her captain's strength very well.

Though this man usually behaved frivolously, the fact that he had become a captain of the Gotei 13 spoke for itself.

Yet now, even wielding both swords, Shunsui Kyōraku had gained no advantage at all.

More precisely, he had been defending the entire time.

"A youngster with so much energy makes an old fellow like me look useless."

Shunsui Kyōraku blocked Yoriichi's horizontal slash, then suddenly thrust with the short sword in his left hand.

Yoriichi turned sideways, the blade sweeping past his Shihakushō.

At the same time, he pressed his wrist down, striking Shunsui Kyōraku's short sword with the back of his blade and forcibly redirecting the attack.

Then he stamped one foot against the ground.

Boom!

Shunsui Kyōraku slid back more than ten meters, his feet leaving two tracks in the ground.

He raised his head, the smile on his face much fainter now.

The boy before him judged distances with frightening precision.

Every strike landed where it was hardest for him to defend.

If this were purely a contest of swordsmanship, he was not confident he could win.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni did not pursue him.

"There's no point in fighting like this."

He lowered his sword to his side and said calmly, "Let me through. I mean the Soul Society no harm. I only want to save Rukia Kuchiki."

Shunsui Kyōraku fell silent for a moment.

"Young fellow, I believe you mean no harm."

"But unfortunately, I can't let you through."

He raised both swords, and the reiatsu around him began to rise. Loose stones on the ground trembled slightly.

"It seems you won't stop unless I show you a little of what I can really do."

Shunsui Kyōraku's expression turned completely serious.

"The flowery winds grow wild, the flower god cries; the heavenly winds run wild, the heavenly demon sneers."

The twin swords changed shape, becoming two broad, black, curved blades.

"Katen Kyōkotsu."

Heavy reiatsu pressed outward, and Nanao Ise retreated farther once again.

Shunsui Kyōraku looked at the gray blade in Yoriichi Tsugikuni's hand.

That sword remained completely unchanged.

"Young fellow, I've already used my Shikai. Are you still not going to release your Zanpakuto?"

"There's no need for now."

"That really hurts."

Shunsui Kyōraku raised his long sword, then suddenly vanished from where he stood.

"Then let's play Takaoni first."

His voice came from above.

Yoriichi looked up. Shunsui Kyōraku had already appeared in midair, his black blade slashing straight down at him.

He held his sword horizontally to block, but sensed something wrong the instant they made contact.

The force of this blow was far greater than before.

Boom!

The ground beneath Yoriichi's feet caved in.

Shunsui Kyōraku used the force to leap up, claiming the higher position again before bringing down a second strike.

Yoriichi did not meet it head-on. He used Flash Step, appearing on a nearby roof.

Shunsui Kyōraku followed right behind him.

But before he could descend, Yoriichi leaped even higher and slashed downward with his long sword.

Shunsui Kyōraku immediately raised both swords to block.

The immense force sent him plummeting from midair, smashing straight into the courtyard wall.

The dust dispersed.

Shunsui Kyōraku stood up amid the rubble and brushed the dust off his haori.

"You understood Takaoni's rules after seeing it just once?"

Yoriichi looked at the two swords in his hands.

"Your Zanpakuto is a rule-based Zanpakuto!"

Though phrased as a question, his tone was certain.

"After you called out Takaoni just now, you put yourself in the more dangerous position in the air every time you attacked. That was because once the rules took effect, being high in the air was no longer a disadvantage, but an advantage."

"Because once the rule is established, whoever stands higher gains increased attack power."

"I see."

Shunsui Kyōraku smiled again. "It seems ordinary games won't give you much trouble."

He stepped into the shadow cast by the wall.

His entire body vanished instantly.

"Then, Kageoni."

A cold blade thrust up from beneath Yoriichi's feet.

Yoriichi sidestepped it and slashed at the shadow on the ground.

Shunsui Kyōraku immediately emerged from another shadow. Before he could steady himself, Yoriichi had already turned and slashed at him.

Clang!

Shunsui Kyōraku blocked the blade, clear surprise appearing in his eyes for the first time.

"Young fellow, you seem to know my Zanpakuto very well."

Yoriichi did not answer.

Shunsui Kyōraku leaped back, changing the direction of his twin blades again.

"In that case, let's switch games."

The rules governing the surrounding reiatsu changed with his words.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni frowned slightly.

He could clearly see Katen Kyōkotsu's reiatsu and quickly determine the rules of its games.

But the one who decided which game to play was always Shunsui Kyōraku.

Takaoni, Kageoni, Irooni.

The rules kept changing, and the methods of attack were completely different as well.

Knowing the rules was one thing. Maintaining the advantage throughout was another.

A black blade swept past Yoriichi's side, leaving a slit in his sleeve.

He pulled back to create some distance and glanced down.

Though he could forcefully maintain the situation through strength, he would be injured sooner or later if the fight continued.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni tightened his grip on his sword hilt.

It seemed that getting through here would take more than an unreleased Hekyō.