Chapter 25: Training For Bankai
Itachi sighed as he returned to meditate upon reaching the tenth squad in order to work on obtaining his Bankai. This process could potentially take days or even weeks as Kaze Megami had previously mentioned, 'Your bankai is like your Ace in the hole, and it will take much out of you until you are accustomed to it,' as she had told him.
The Raven-haired man observed his surroundings, finding them similar to his previous visit – a vast meadow embellished with a few trees and numerous flowers swaying in the breeze. However, there was something peculiar. Itachi's eyes narrowed as he ventured through the meadow, searching for Kaze Megami who was nowhere in sight.
The young Uchiha called out for his Zanpakuto, 'Kaze, where are you?' in hopes that the silver-haired woman would respond. As Itachi strolled through the meadow, he witnessed random swords randomly materializing in various shapes and sizes. 'Itachi!' He turned around to see Kaze Megami standing on a rock with a sword in her hand and another woman beside her.
Upon finding Kaze Megami, Itachi emitted a sigh and proceeded to walk closer towards her, expressing his readiness to commence. As he drew nearer, he observed the features of the other woman more closely. She possessed lengthy black hair, blue eyes, and donned a warrior-like armor embellished with golden plates on her arms. 'Itachi, it is a pleasure to see you,' greeted Kaze Megami with a smile.
'It is good to see you as well,' Itachi acknowledged with a nod, glancing between the two women. 'Is she part of my training?' he inquired, observing the woman with an intense expression. 'Yes, she is. This is Dark Kaze Megami, and she will assist us in attaining your bankai,' Kaze Megami explained.
Itachi directed his attention towards Dark Kaze Megami and questioned, 'So, what is my task? Am I supposed to engage in combat with you?' This query was posed as he observed the dark-haired woman approaching him. 'Not at this precise moment,' responded Dark Kaze Megami, her voice resonating deeper than that of Kaze Megami, while her blue eyes exuded a colder aura.
"First, you must locate the correct sword and determine if it belongs to you. You have a two-day time frame to identify the right sword, otherwise, the trial will be unsuccessful," Dark Megami responded.
"Once you successfully pass the initial test, we shall proceed accordingly." Itachi nodded, comprehending the vast array of swords around him. "only one of these swords is your true Zanpakuto. For every incorrect guess, I will launch an attack that you must evade," Dark Megami explained.
"I am prepared to commence," Itachi declared, as he braced himself for the challenge ahead after Dark Megami and Kaze Megami disappeared, leaving him surrounded by the Zanpakutos, tasked with determining which one belonged to him.
Itachi inspected the swords, noting the absence of his own Zanpakuto at his side. "I have a limited amount of time to discern my Zanpakuto," he stated as he approached one of the swords in front of him.
Stooping to pick up the weapon, he brought it closer to inspect its spiked edges and observed the sharp edge slightly curling. Itachi then swung the weapon, watching it slice through the air. Suddenly, he sensed Dark Kaze Megami's attack from behind and managed to block it just before her blade could penetrate his back.
'Your reflexes are impressive, but how long can you sustain them?' Dark Kaze Megami inquired as she moved back and launched a fiercer strike, prompting Itachi to defend himself using the imitation Zenpakuto, which ultimately shattered after enduring five blows.
Itachi expressed frustration as he witnessed Dark Kaze Megami vanish once more, leaving him alone. He closed his eyes momentarily, employing flash-step to reach another sword adorned with two sharp edges at its tip, and picked it up.
As soon as the Uchiha grasped the second sword, Dark Kaze Megami attacked again, this time with even greater speed. 'You'll need to up your game,' she taunted, striking him only for him to block with the sword, resulting in its shattering akin to the first one. 'Damn it,' he cursed.
Upon tossing the broken Zenpakuto aside, Itachi swiftly approached the third one. However, similar to the previous two encounters, Dark Megami attacked again, instantly shattering the sword and causing Itachi to sustain a cut on his arm.
Itachi let out a sigh as he landed on a cliffside and felt the weight of what seemed like the tenth Zenpakuto he had picked up. This particular sword endured longer than its predecessors as Itachi successfully blocked each forceful strike from Dark Kaze Megami.
After wiping the blood from his mouth, Itachi discarded the broken Zenpakuto and swiftly moved to another sword, which happened to be larger than the ones he had previously wielded. This sword had a blackish-red color on the blade and featured teeth-like embellishments.
'You're the one,' Itachi responded as he struggled a bit with the weight of the sword upon picking it up. To familiarize himself with its weight, he swung it in the air, cutting a leaf in the process. Just in time, he blocked an incoming strike from Dark Kaze Megami aimed at his back.
Itachi winched when he blocked the attack but barley since the woman had come out of nowhere he must have been getting tired if he was failing to keep alret" You shouldn't let your guard down, Itachi." Dark Kaze Megami scolded.
"Yes, you are correct, and I assure you that such an occurrence will not be repeated," declared Itachi as he made a swing towards Dark Kaze Megami in an attempt to strike her, only managing to graze her arm before she retaliated by shattering his sword into small pieces with her own.
Itachi snarled as he swiftly moved away from the woman, who made another attempt to attack him despite him not having a weapon in hand. 'Come on, Itachi, think,' he pondered as he surveyed the meadow to determine the true Zenpakuto amidst the scattered ones.
The task was made more challenging by the presence of numerous Zenpakuto fragments. "Which one is the correct one?" he contemplated, recalling Brooke's teachings from the previous day on deciphering the Zenpakutos.
After hours of searching, Itachi continued his quest to find the appropriate Zenpakuto, with each step towards it proving to be more difficult. Exhausted, he leaned against a rock, breathing heavily, blood trickling down his face and sides from Dark Kaze Megami's earlier assault."
'I am curious about the current time,' pondered Itachi as he opened his eyes to see Kaze Megami and Dark Kaze Megami approaching. 'I believe we should conclude our activities for today, Itachi, and resume first thing in the morning,' responded Kaze Megami calmly.
Itachi disagreed, expressing his determination to continue as he only had two days left to locate the true Zenpakuto. 'I cannot afford to rest; I must persist,' he asserted, gazing intently at both women.
Dark Kaze Megami commended Itachi's perseverance, remarking, 'Your determination is commendable, Itachi.' However, she urged him to rest, highlighting that unlike many Zenpakuto, she preferred her master not to be too fatigued to engage in combat, noting his current weakened state.
Itachi appeared displeased by Dark Kaze Megami's advice. 'Moreover, failing to rest will hinder your progress through the training, making it significantly more challenging,' she added.
Kaze Megami calmly responded, 'It's advisable for you to rest, Itachi. You can return tomorrow, and we will be here waiting for you.' Itachi replied, 'Alright, I will be back tomorrow, but I won't rest until I pass the first step.'
As Itachi walked away, leaving Kaze Megami alone in the clearing, he let out a sigh and encountered Toshiro standing before him. Toshiro inquired, 'How did it go?' Itachi, with blood on him, responded, 'It was tough, but I'll progress. My Zanpakuto advised me to rest until tomorrow.'
Toshiro suggested, 'Let's take you to the fourth squad to heal your wounds before you resume training tomorrow.' Itachi agreed, acknowledging the need for rest to become stronger and better at protecting Soifon upon her return.