Koby observed Musubi with a contented smile as she eagerly prepared for another sparring session. They were both gearing up for the upcoming tournament, and the unknown strength of their opponents required them to be in top form. Among their group, Musubi was the only one joining the tournament. Ikki had declined when she learned that swords were not allowed, Tsukiumi had no interest in participating, and Nami wasn't a fighter. So, Koby's main training partner was Musubi, and he had no complaints about it. She was a formidable fighter with solid skills and dangerous power.
As Musubi launched her attacks, Koby's training kicked in, and he deftly deflected each strike to the right, then to the left, and sidestepped the next one. With each exchange, he could see Musubi growing more confident and stronger. Her progress was evident in these sparring matches. Koby decided to show her an opening in her defense and lightly struck her side to illustrate his point. Musubi flinched, realizing that had Koby been serious, he could have won the match right then and there.
"Good effort, Musubi. You're improving, but your balance needs work. Nevertheless, you're making great strides every time we spar," Koby praised her, aiming to boost her confidence with his words.
"No, I want another round," Musubi declared, her tone emphasizing her determination.
Koby could sense her seriousness and her refusal to back down from her goals for the evening. "Alright, let's go again. Improvement comes with hard work," Koby agreed, ready to continue their training.
They both assumed their fighting stances, and Koby was momentarily caught off guard as Musubi managed to get the upper hand, briefly forcing him to fight seriously. He received a glancing blow to his shoulder, and in response, he delivered a powerful punch, pulling his punch before it could land too hard. The exchange showcased their dedication to getting better and their commitment to helping Musubi become the fighter she aspired to be.
"That was a close one Musubi, but you're doing good," Koby said as he gave her a warm and sincere smile. One that always made Musubi a bit weak in the knees as she looked at him. "You got in a hit too, right on my shoulder, nice work," he said as he patted her on the back.
The pat along with the use of so much power caused her training gi to literally burst into parts, falling to the ground, as Musubi had no bra on, her breasts were hanging out in the air. Koby saw them directly, as he stood next to her, his face turning all sorts of red. Musubi for her part wasn't that affected as she had no problem having koby see her large firm and perky breasts. She had some of the best of all of the sekirei, and she was kind of proud of that fact.
"Musubi, why don't you go get a new outfit? I'll wait for you, and we can do some more training if you want," Koby suggested. He was confident that Musubi would take him up on the offer. As she left to change, Koby remained amidst the ruins of their training session, his face still flushed and his heart beating rapidly in his chest. It was certainly a memorable moment for him.
It would take Koby a moment to calm himself down from that encounter. When Musubi emerged in a new outfit a short while later, her attire darker in color, she sat down beside him. Koby gave her a smile.
"Ready for round two, Koby?" she asked softly, her determination shining through. Koby couldn't help but be impressed by her drive and unwavering spirit.
"Sure," Koby replied, stepping out into the yard and brushing himself off. He knew that the rest of the morning would be filled with training alongside Musubi, and he welcomed it. As they sparred, Koby observed her progress, offering advice and guidance along the way.
"Good, now move a bit faster, watch your footwork, and make sure to use it to cut off your opponent's movement," Koby instructed during their match. Musubi absorbed his guidance, gradually gaining confidence and improving her footwork as they continued.
By lunchtime, Musubi was exhausted, and Koby could see it. "Now, Musubi, go take a bath and relax. You did well this morning. There's no need to push yourself harder than you already have," Koby said supportively.
Musubi nodded, acknowledging her fatigue, and headed inside for some well-deserved rest. Koby, on the other hand, found himself face to face with Tsukiumi.
"Tsukiumi, you want to spar too, don't you?" Koby asked, already knowing the answer.
"But of course. It's natural for a woman to want to spend time with her husband," she declared proudly, firmly viewing herself as his wife.
"Fine, but no use of water this time. You need to be ready in case someone manages to defeat that skill of yours," Koby replied, recognizing that while few could match Tsukiumi's water-based abilities, it was wise to prepare for all possibilities.
Koby sparred with Tsukiumi, noticing how their movements lacked the fluidity he had with Musubi. Tsukiumi heavily relied on her water-based abilities, and without them, she wasn't as effective in close combat. Nevertheless, she gave her all, determined to prove herself to Koby, whom she saw as her husband.
"Watch that move there, stay focused, pay attention to your steps," Koby provided constant guidance, even stopping the fight to help her with her form whenever she made mistakes. After about two hours of intense training, Tsukiumi was exhausted and ready for a bath. Koby understood that she was striving to keep up with Musubi, driven by her love for him.
As Tsukiumi left, Koby's third challenger for the day, Ikki, stepped forward. She presented a different challenge, being fast, agile, and skilled in defense but lacking in offense. Koby decided to teach her how to combine hand-to-hand combat with her swordsmanship, which would make her a more versatile and formidable fighter.
Koby offered advice to Ikki during their sparring session, focusing on improving her balance between swordplay and close-quarters combat. They engaged in a good fight, with Koby pushing Ikki to improve her skills.
After about three hours, Ikki wore herself out and headed inside. Koby realized that each training session with the girls not only helped them but also allowed him to enhance his own skills, albeit to a lesser degree.
Nami, the fourth member of their group, approached Koby, expressing her desire to learn the basics of self-defense, particularly for surprise attacks. Koby found her request intriguing and agreed to help her. He understood that everyone who sought his guidance deserved his assistance.
Training Nami was different, as Koby focused on teaching her the basics of self-defense. He found himself having to adjust her form and footwork regularly. Nami took advantage of these adjustments to get close to her Ashikabi. Koby realized that while Nami wasn't a natural fighter, she was determined not to lose in matters of the heart. She deliberately made small mistakes during training, causing Koby to position himself close to her.
Koby, ever the diligent teacher, continued their training, although slight hesitations crept in. Nami seized the opportunity created by these moments. When Koby adjusted her arm while standing in front of her, she leaned in and kissed him, ambushing him with a passionate kiss. Their lips pressed firmly together as Koby's arms wrapped around her waist, deepening the affectionate embrace.
Satisfied with her small victory and aware that dinner was ready, Nami and Koby walked back inside. Miya kept a watchful eye on them, ensuring they didn't get carried away. They sat down for the meal, with the girls gathered around Koby. They had a good time discussing their day, preparations for the upcoming tournament, and plans for the next day. Each day seemed to follow a similar pattern, with minor variations, but over time, the group grew closer to each other.
The battle for Koby's affection remained at a stalemate, with none of the girls able to make a significant breakthrough in their relationship with him. Nevertheless, they all had their share of personal and romantic moments with their pink-haired Ashikabi, even though they yearned for more intense and passionate connections.
The month came to an end, and the group was ready for the tournament. Musubi was the only one participating in the fighting portion of the Sekirei tournament, while Koby intended to test his own abilities. The others, however, were tagging along to ensure nothing unusual happened and to cheer Koby on. Miya decided to stay at the Inn to keep a watchful eye on the place and enjoy some quiet time to relax and clean up while the five of them were away.
As Koby entered the tournament, he knew he had to be careful. He was the strongest Ashikabi in terms of combat abilities and unique in his ability to stand up to the Sekirei. However, this made him a prime target for every Sekirei seeking a strong Ashikabi. It would be a challenge not just for Koby but also for his girls, who wanted to ensure they didn't face an overwhelming amount of competition for his attention. This was one of the reasons the other three Sekirei accompanied him – to keep a watchful eye on their Ashikabi, who was known for his kindness and compassion.
The group arrived at the tournament stadium, an impressive venue with multiple rings for combat. Many participants entered the tournament, and as it progressed, they would narrow down to the final eight who would compete in a different location to determine the winner of the prize money. Out of the roughly 128 participants, about 98 were Sekirei – beautiful women. Approximately half of these were individuals who had been brought into the Sekirei world by some mysterious means, and they now had to adjust to their new roles as Sekirei. This number included a few girls that Koby had either heard of before or had met during his time as a marine.
MBI was fully invested in this tournament, eager to uncover more about the mysterious Sekirei and their enigmatic Ashikabi, Koby. The information they had was far too limited, and they needed this data to formulate future plans and understand the origins of these newcomers-turned-Sekirei. As a result, the cameras and information-gathering efforts of the group were operating at peak efficiency.