(Ryoto's pov)

I can't believe how much Rin has grown. She fought fantastically against Kisuke. Using Kido in the 50s without any incantation is impressive, but she also developed her Zanpakuto in a great way.

While there was still a lot to improve, I couldn't believe that the weak girl I promised to protect got so strong. While it doesn't mean I'll stop trying to keep her as safe as possible, it makes me happy to see her stand independently.

I couldn't help but run up to her, hug her, give her headpats, and praise her.

"You are making me jealous, you know~."

"You're ruing the moment Yoruichi..."

"Am I now? Then how about... this!"

Yoruichi jumped on both Rin and me and hugged us both.

"You can't just leave me out of this!"

---

Well, it was nice, but now it was my turn to fight against Yoruichi. We needed to move to another area as Kisuke and Rin's battle was pretty destructive.

Yoruichi, maybe my girlfriend whom I love, but that doesn't mean I'll let her win.

"Ready for your ass to be kicked?" She asked with a confident smile.

"Funny you say that since I'm the one clapping cheeks in this relationship." I shot back.

(E/D: For some reason, I heard these two lines in Jotaro and Dio's voices. Am I reading too much Jojo or is this a Jojo reference? It is up to your imagination on who was voiced as whom. The winner gets to know my three sizes.)

We ignored each other comments and turned serious. It may be a spar, but I don't plan on losing, and neither is she.

We decided not to use our Zanpakutos and planned to fight using Hakuda. It's one of the few chances when I can practice hand-to-hand combat, and I'm not going to waste it.

Yoruichi vanished from her place and appeared behind me, already in the middle of making a kick to my head. I countered her with my own kick spinning at incredible speed.

As soon as I blocked her attack, I used Shunpo to get behind Yoruichi and attempted to punch her, but she immediately jumped and landed on my arm using her own arms to support her body, she again aimed at my head with her legs. I couldn't use Shunpo to escape this time, as she was holding my arm.

She grinned, thinking that she got me, but I blocked her kick with my other arm and tilted my head to avoid the hidden blades that she threw during a kick. It was a double attack, but I saw it coming. It's one of the basic assassination techniques, and she is part of the Stealth corps, so of course, she learned it.

I drew back my arm, but Yoruichi jumped off it, so I couldn't follow up with any attack. She knew that I was stronger than her, but she was faster. That's why she was probably trying to wear me out, which is strange since she should assume that I have more stamina than her, according to her experience. Hehe.

My thoughts distracted me for a moment, and Yoruichi took advantage of my carelessness. Of course, I wasn't entirely out of focus as my body reacted automatically. It's not spider sense, as this ability is blocked until I complete this mission, but a battle experience and the results of my training with Zangetsu.

I grabbed her by the arm and held it tight. I got her.

I dragged her over my head and planned to slam her on the ground, but with her reflexes and flexibility, she went into a flying armbar position. At the same time, as she was nearing the ground, she touched it with her free hand and similarly threw me as I threw her moments ago.

(E/D: For those confused just imagine it like Musashi throwing Baki to the ground after he grabbed Baki by the ankle.)

I didn't hit the ground but managed to support myself with my legs in what would be a pretty uncomfortable position if I was not flexible. Bless Spider-man's physique.

I launched myself up again while still holding Yoruichi's arm, so it looked like she was lifting me up. Then I used a lot of strength to pull myself down with my legs rushing towards her from above. She dodged it and freed herself from my grasp by kicking my hand. I probably could bare with pain and still hold her, but I wasn't sure if she had more hidden knives (She definitely has), so better safe than sorry.

"You really are fast," I complimented her.

"That's what she said."

"..."

Did she really make that joke?

"We both know that it's not true."

"Doesn't make it any less funny, but it looks like you are proficient in hakuda as well."

"I'm a man with many talents, after all."

"And you have a girlfriend with many talents. A girlfriend that got a new technique to test out and a wonderful target right in front of her eyes~."

"And what would that technique be?"

At that, Yoruichi stretched out her arm to the side, and after a short concentration, energy burst out of her. She was wearing the keisen uniform, so no clothes were ripped.

The ground around her also started cracking, and the energy was behaving similarly to lighting.

Wow, just wow. I didn't expect Yoruichi to develop this technique so early on. Looking at her, I could tell that she was feeling very proud because she had the advantage now since we were not using Zanpakutos. Or that's what she thought.

"Nice technique you have there. Would be a shame if..."

I copied her moments, and my energy, just like hers, burst out, but unlike her lighting-like energy, mine was swirling like flames, but it still was affecting my surroundings. Also, unlike her, my upper body was left naked, revealing most of my scars and a tattoo on my right arm.

Now with a grin plastered on my face, I finished the previous sentence, "someone was to copy it."

Yoruichi, for the first time during our fight, was surprised, and her eyes went wide open.

"How...?"

"Combing two things and making something new is something that I, as a cook, do pretty often, and so I did exactly that. I combined Hakuda and Kido to create this technique. Ready for a round 2?"

---

END

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