The wood glimmered. Salt drops flickered across the ground, soaking into the wood planks.
The tight, dark corridor glimmered. Fragments of light pierced through the wood slats and shone into the darkness.
"What did you do with Mui, before we continue?" Kōju questioned lightly. She pirouetted on one foot, drawing back her leg.
Mizuki's face remained stone cold. He raised his sword. The silver-gold hilt glimmered. Dark light surrounded the blade as he raced forward.
Hmph. It seems he's more of a shinobi than I thought him. He's not a fool, certainly. Kōju stepped forward.
Mizuki stepped forward.
The pair raced together rapidly. The wood planks creaked as the pair raced toward each other.
The swords drove together. Sparks flew from the edge of the larger sword as the strange green steel scored along the edge.
Kōju's eyes widened. Her hand tightened on the massive sword. She shoved her foot forward.
Mizuki's eyes narrowed. He tightened his wrist, pushing the sword downward. "Where's this strength you're talking about?" he questioned in a distant soft voice. "As it is, I'll simply drive you around like a leaf in the wind."
"Ah." Kōju exhaled tightly. "Between your strength and mine, we're about even, it seems. The difference is that you weigh considerably more than I do. You're quite right. That is quite a problem." Her fingers clenched, turning white-knuckled as she adjusted her posture. The arms extended. Kōju smiled. "Let me fix that for you." She closed her eyes. Waves of white energy rose through the body.
Mizuki's eyes widened.
Kōju lunged forward, her arm slashing downward. Her free hand formed seals rapidly.
This strength is very much like Tsunade's, but something's. Yes, that's it. The earth chakra is being channeled through her arm. Mizuki blocked the blade. His jaw hung loosely to one side. As it is I'm going to continue to be pushed back if matters continue in this way. Let's correct for that weakness. He smirked. His arm raised the sword.
Kōju's eyes widened. "Eh?"
"Suck out the marrow, Shukun[i]!" Mizuki shouted. A swirling wave of green light swirled upward around Mizuki's feet.
Splinters shot upward through the air.
Kōju blinked. The massive white sword glowed in the darkness. She drew in a sharp breath.
Mizuki panted heavily. He stepped forward, his fingers tightened on the sword. "You will die." His foot spun in a circle.
Kōju shifted her feet. Her eyes narrowed. "Hmh. That's not chakra." She leapt backward. Her hands shifted rapidly into a series of seals.
Mizuki's lips curled upward. He raised his arm.
Kōju's eyes narrowed. It's not chakra, but. Is it my imagination? For a second, it seemed that the air distorted around him. Her hands hurriedly wrapped together. "Flame Style: Bursting Fire!" She exhaled.
Balls of flame shot rapidly through the air.
Mizuki's eyes widened. Blazing green light raced up around his body.
The balls of flame exploded. Waves of pressure radiated out from the body.
Kōju exhaled. That being said, it seems that whatever he's done has come to an end. Getting directly hit by a technique should put an end to most people's lives. She leapt upward, landing on the slat of wood.
Mizuki reached upward. His hand scratched across the edge of his hanging jaw. "How many times will you force me to say it?" he asked bluntly.
Kōju's eyes widened. She took a step backward.
"I am a Shi-ni-ga-mi." Mizuki spelled out the word delicately. "There is no way in hell a human like you will cut through my defenses."
Kōju gritted her teeth. Her feet balanced on the wood slats. "Damn." Her eyes narrowed. "Summoning Technique!"
The air glowed.
A large pure white mole formed in the puff of smoke. Its nose wrinkled as it looked upward. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Get to digging. I'll speak with you later!" Kōju shouted. Her hands clapped together again.
"Yes, ma'am." The mole disappeared into the wooden planks. Pieces of splinters exploded, striking the edge of the ground.
Mizuki's eyes narrowed. Planning an attack from below? He glanced around the corridor. Foolish. This environment is quite clearly not suited to attacks from beneath. Disregarding that previous detail, there's no way that she's going to win under this basis. If she tunnels beneath the floorboards, she'll only find empty air. Blood Prison was built keeping that in mind. Thus, she's no better than average trash. He stepped forward. His blade glowed.
Kōju's fingers laced together rapidly. "Wind Style: Lotus Gust!" A rapid blast of wind shot outward from Kōju's body.
Mizuki slid several paces backward. His eyes narrowed. Irritating.
Kōju's eyes narrowed. Strange. Why didn't he use a Flame Style technique? If he'd used that he'd have a direct line of attack to me. Yet instead of that, he's simply pushed back. "Can it be that you can't use shinobi techniques anymore?" she questioned, her eyebrows furrowing.
Mizuki didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, seemingly irritated. He tilted his head to one side. "That technique of yours is quite difficult to use effectively. Am I wrong?" he questioned.
Kōju frowned. She shook her head briefly from side to side. "It's immensely temporary." I need to think through a solution. If he really can't use shinobi techniques, that's a glaring hole in his armor. If I can use that, I can definitely beat him. I can win, if I have that advantage. Without a doubt. The question is, can he use those techniques and is just bluffing? Or is this a genuine incapability.
Mizuki reached upward. The sword slid out of the sheath rapidly.
Kōju rushed forward. Her white blade cut toward Mizuki's waist.
Mizuki smirked. His hand cut downward. He rapidly sidestepped the blow.
The enormous sword smashed into the ground, chunks of concrete flying upward from the blade.
Kōju gasped in shock.
"Don't you already know?" Mizuki stated in a clear voice. "Your sword massively telegraphs your attack. Unless you can move faster than I react, you lose."
"Heh." Kōju's lips curled upward. "I guess I'll just have to do that, then. Flash Technique!"
White light flashed up around Mizuki's body. Mizuki's eyes widened. The blade slashed through Mizuki's shoulder.
"You shouldn't have told me that you can't use shinobi techniques. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have known that was possible!" Kōju shouted with a grin.
"Ants." Mizuki briefly touched the bleeding wound. His green eyes narrowed.
Kōju blinked. "Beg pardon?"
"You know something that I truly despise?" Mizuki leaned closer. His eyes narrowed, pinpricks of green light in a dark face. "Ants. Constantly struggling to win when it is quite apparent to everyone around them that they cannot hope to win. Regardless of what I'd told you you'd keep fighting. You'd attempt that win. That is simply what ants do."
Kōju frowned.
"To me, you are that ant. A creature to be crushed under my mighty heel." Mizuki raised his sword in the air.
Kōju's eyes widened.
Waves of green energy rushed inward, swelling up around Mizuki's body. Mizuki inhaled tightly. Vapor rushed into his nostrils as he exhaled loudly. "Hah."
Kōju took a step backward. Her hands clapped together rapidly.
"What on earth are you after, I wonder?" Mizuki questioned, standing behind Kōju.
Kōju's eyes widened.
Mizuki's blade cut through Kōju's side. Blood poured from the wound freely.
Kōju grinned. Her hand grasped the sword slashing her. "Got you."
Mizuki blinked. "You have me. Very impressive. What comes after this?"
Kōju's free hand laced together rapidly.
Mizuki's eyes widened.
A sudden gout of water blasted out of the floorboards, exploding the corridor. Kōju leapt backward and landed on solid black wood, a smirk crossing her face. "Got you," she remarked cheerfully. "See, I know I'm not as fast or as strong as you. But that doesn't matter if I can catch you in place."
Pieces of flesh descended from the impact of the water.
"I guess you can't react to a quick hit like that, huh?" Kōju remarked. She glanced upward. "I do hope I can get that sword back for Sasuke."
A flash of green light penetrated the water beneath the hole.
Kōju's eyes widened.
The blade emerged from the water. Panting, Mizuki rose through the air. His jaw slowly reknitted as green light surrounded it. He stared blankly at Kōju for a long second.
"You have got to be kidding me. What kind of monster are you?" Kōju whispered, her face filled with shock.
"Shi-ni-ga-mi," Mizuki intoned sepulchrally. He raised the sword, his hand tightening. "I never thought to turn my sword on myself before. Impressive, what fear can do." He lunged forward, his sword spinning in a rapid circle.
Kōju gasped. Crimson blood stained the ground. She grasped her shoulder briefly. Green light surrounded the injury.
"Your life is coming to an end, young woman." Mizuki turned, his expression calm. "If nothing else I can outlast you." His face grew stern.
Kōju closed her eyes. Her hands landed on her sword. Hmph. I hadn't expected this. It's definitely not ready for general combat. Her senses sharpened, each coming to a point at the tip of the bright white sword. But I don't have a choice.
Mizuki took a step forward onto the wooden planks. Energy rushed upward around his body. His eyebrows furrowed. "Hm?" He stared at Kōju's stance briefly. This stance is. Yes, I've seen it before. Last used by that heretic priest. The stance is very similar, though she's using a sword instead. His heart accelerated. What is this feeling? A sense as though I am going to die at the point of a sword. At this moment, or the next. A fear. He tensed.
The pair stood motionless, staring at each other.
Kōju's brow dripped with sweat. She stared at Mizuki with cold, rational eyes, the eyes of a sword saint.
Mizuki remained still. His eyes glimmered, looking for all the world like a still being.
Just leave already or attack me. I can't keep this up forever! Kōju gritted her teeth. If I approach him, it might work, but that'll also give away the fact that I can't attack normally from here. If I use a release, he'll knock it away with this power of his, and the same thing will happen except my stance will be disrupted, too! It's absurd to say that I have any reason to use that. But if I wait too long, he'll realize, too, that my powers have become useless. What options do I have left? A faint grin crossed her face. Oh, that's right. I wonder if he's finished it yet.
The wood planks exploded upward, bursting up around the body.
"How?" Mizuki demanded. The mole's claws seized onto his arms.
"Well, it all came down to the first technique I used. True, I was channeling chakra through my blade, but I wasn't targeting you with it. I was setting up the conditions for my win. When Aragimo-san burrowed down, he was going through my rock. After that he just had to wait for the right moment."
A silence fell between the pair.
"So I've won now. You won't be able to come back from that," Kōju stated helpfully.
Mizuki glanced over one shoulder. A smirk crossed his face.
Kōju's eyes widened.
"You really think you're the only one with allies? NUHI!" Mizuki roared.
Hordes of dead bodies clawed open the planks of wood.
Kōju swallowed tightly. Her hand tightened on the sword.
A silence fell over the battlefield.
[i] Lord and Master
A/N: Well, that chapter of Bleach happened. I usually don't comment much on progression in the Big Three, but this week something actually happened in Bleach, which is rather remarkable. Of course, it also means we're probably never going to see Hell outside of the movie, or any other spiritual realms, but as plot progress goes it's incredible (for Kubo).
Putting that aside for the moment, this week's chapter is a fight, as last week forecasted. For a while a lot is going to be happening in a very short period of time in-story, so again, my apologies. Things will slow down shortly after the end of this arc.