It was like talking to a iron wall and only idiots will try to punch through a iron wall. He expected more out of the so called Date Noble. Yet all he was left with was disappointment. A man with this much innate power and drive and was swallowed by his ego. What a inspirational force he would have been, rallying hundreds, thousands behind his strength. Yet he only leaves a wake of anger, resentment, fear and mistrust in his wake. Though whatever happens next may cost him dearly, he now knows a great deal of Date's character and values. He was a man of action, even though he tried to hide it behind his colorful assortment of words. Yet not of positive action, it was violence, pure violence and might. Sure a punch to the mouth may solve issue in the short term, but at the wrong place and time, it will cause so much more issues in the long term. Ironic that out of the punk and noble, the noble is the first to resolve to violence. And the Punk is the more cool-headed out of the two.
Lets say in some alternative world, he could beat Date, what would that prove, what would it solve? It will have him court-martialed for attacking a captain. It will paint a target on his back and he is sure Date and his clan will hunt him down. At least through this, Date will forget him at least for a moment or two. As he attempted to finish his final words, he would feel the vice that was Date's hand tighten around his. Here we go... let's enjoy the ride as it was expected to happen.
Deceptive loss
Ah pain... it was certainly unpleasant, but nothing he felt before. The words stopped and a slight wince did emerge from Kazuki, but words stopped because to his expectation and disappointment, Date had no honor. Why talk to someone who thought talk was cheap? His fingers and arm were growing numb from the pressure, the grip twitching at they no longer took orders from the body. How many times must Date look down upon Kazuki and not realize that he felt pain and toil for most of his life? His nerves dead from years of combat and life threatening situations. He was a soldier always prepared for a fight to the death, right on the front lines of battle on a daily basis. Though he must admit, this was a new level of pain for him and strangely enough he was enjoying the sensation.
”You should prioritize your safety.”
No more talk, not from Kazuki anyway as it has proven pointless. He felt his feet tear off the ground and it brought back memories as his life shortly flashed in his eyes.
130 years ago
*SLAM*
Kazuki's back collided with the ground as the breath was knocked clean out of him. A broken whimper escaped his lips as he rolled around in the ground. Cackles and laughs broke out among the squad 11 members. Mixed in with a few groans of dismay as cash and coin were thrown in the pot and spread amongst the winners. It was a favorite pasttime of 11 division, pure hakuda sparring. No rules, anything goes from throws to punches and kicks. Cheap shots were allowed and even kicking a opponent when they were down. It was till submission after all. On the ground was a younger Kazuki with short hair, wearing a standard shinigami Shihakushō with both sleeves. Above him stood a mountain of muscle, at least a head taller than himself.
"HEH, not so strong without your zanpakuto are ya? Come on then, I ain't done with you! Get up and fight, Kazu or am I going to have to beat ya till ya sleep again?"
Grinning the larger shinigami brought his leg up and swung down for a massive axe kick. Immediately Kazuki rolled out the way and onto his feet. Grinning wildly as he wiped the blood from his lip. Back in his younger days, he was still somewhat feral, the wolf of rukongai still governing and hijacking his body dispite his objections. Six years of the academy not enough to tame the beast that was constantly in survival mode. And the natural environment of the 11th division barracks didn't aid in self control or temperance of self.
"Oh you know me, just don't when to quit. Though I expected a harder throw, were you holding back or something? I can still feel my bones intact, what a shameful display. Stop being a wuss and actual do some real damage. I had members of the 4th division hurt me more than you."
At Kazuki's words, the crowd cheered and whistled. Laughter erupting out of a few as one even shouted, "Oh boy, the wolf is out. Ha ha!" Others say, "Now he done it, who wants to bet he will be knocked out in one move?" "I bet two moves!" "You're on! Who else?!"
As betting ramped up, a vein budged in the forehead of giant shinigami. He charged Kazuki, fist soaring to hit his jaw. Yet Kazuki used his superior speed to dodge it as he grabbed the arm. The second latching around the elbow as he used the momentum to tear the man off his feet. A perfectly timed Seoi Nage, and the ground shook as the man's back collided hard with the ground. A gasp of shock and pain escaped from his lips as Kazuki then locked the elbow. The crowd went silent, leaning forward as a exhausted breath left Kazuki. Before a fist latched onto the collar of his uniform. A audible gulp escaping Kazuki before he got picked up from the ground and pummeled head first into the ground. Collective ooohs and aaahh with winces came from the group as more winning bets were distributed. At the same time as Kazuki lost consiousness, only awaking during the night, roughly bandaged and lying in the cold dirt.
Groaning he stood up and walked over to a straw doll. Clenching his fist and continuing to punch and train his hakuda. A technique he never sought the full worth of, until now. He was smaller than all his opponents of huking mass and muscle. He will need to think of a way to fight back and win or at minimum... survive and outlast them.
Back to Present Day
A judo throw, out of all masteries and styles that Date could of chosen. He chose the one that Kazuki specialized in. No he wasn't a master in hakuda as he was in zanjutsu and not nearly as close to Date as he wanted to be. Yet he trained a style built on counter-attacks and defense. Using the strength of his opponents against them, targeting weak points. Using techniques such as foot sweeps, elbow strikes and judo throws or sweeps. As he was ripped into the air... it seemed a little slower than expected, revealing to Kazuki that he was faster than Date, if only slightly. Could he escape, no no he could not, but he could cushion the damage, oh absolutely. As the ground loomed closer, he slightly twisted his hips, subtlely tucked his head and lifted his other arm. Coating his reaitsu around the arm and a tiny area of his head as he timed the impact of his arm slightly ahead of his body. Using his mastery of Shunpo to make it as subtle as possible. When he hit the ground it was still hot seering pain, but it was manageble as it dispersed and canceled out the impact. He was still consious and to everyone, including Date it looked as if he made a clean impact with the ground. The crater disguising the intial impact of his arm as it all happened so fact.
Then he felt his body lift once more and Kazuki did attempt to counter-attack but it was difficult will all the twisting Date did to prevent it. He attemped to form the other hand into a fist, the middle knuckle sticking out further than the rest supported by the thumb. Using the natural motion of his arms moving and the grand momentum of Date's throws. The knuckle attempting to roughly brush or harshing nick at his elbow, a joint that was currently under pressure from the immense inertia and force it was exerting. He made contact once, feeling the durability of Date's Reiryoku even at such a weak point. Yet he was not able reach again as he was being thrashed about. So he abondoned the counters all together and prioritized cushioning the fall. The pain was another story, no matter how good he was at minimizing the damage, it will still piled up. A testiment of Date's strength and might and how effortless it seemed to him. At last at this point, he felt nothing in his arm and only saw glimpses of the purple limb. He was starting to waver in consiousness, yet he barely hung on
Than the beatdown momentary stopped as he raised above the head of Date for a familiar technique of Ryōdan. Shit... this is going to hurt real bad, this was no judo throw, this was brute force. Yet this was zanjutsu technique not hakuda, one that he knew very well. So in a half-consious state, he clenched his teeth and readied himself. Before his body collided with the ground, HARD. Even with his falling technique and clever reiatsu placements, it didn't cushion much. The damage minimized, yet unconsiousness still claimed his body as he felt something missing. A empty feeling around his arm, but it matters not as now it was time to sleep. He did earn a nice nap, he has been working way too hard lately.
”Hmm, I was more irritated than I thought, usually the arm remains connected when I use Ryōdan. I must have thrown out my finesse by mistake. With that said, you would make a terrible sword if you break so easily, though, my words will not reach you in that state, Cog.”
At this point, Kazuki was fully out, eyes pure white, yet a grin was still set on his face.
The Barracks, in his unconsious state, Kazuki opened his eyes to be in Kyoki Chizuki's inner world. His head resting on her lap as she sighed and shook her head.
"My my, now that was painful experience. The impacts scuffed my beautiful tsuba and sheath. Should've just tried to cut his arm off, I would have enjoyed that. A arm for a arm, the arrogant bastard."
"Siiigh you're a bad influence Ohime, cutting his arm would've surely sealed my fate. I would be a cadaver right about now rather than being beaten within a inch within my life."
"I'm the bad influence?! Well excuse me, Mr Wolf of Rukongai, how did the whole mightly speech and handshake go? I can get the replays if you want."
"Not apologizing for who I am, not my fault that Date has a fragile ego. Suggestions, threats, opinions all seem the same to that guy. Honesty with all the built up and talk about the great Date, he turned out to be a massive dissapointment. In terms of martial prowess and just immense reiatsu, he was an absolute unit and monster. Yet everything else fell... flat. Leadership skills... subpar, cohesion and cooperation with others... none-existant, Ego and overconfidence... through the roof. I mean the man refered to himself as a god, the blasphemy of such a statement. In my opinion he isn't captain material, he is just a walking blade. Great soldier, horrible leader."
A moment of silence as both process the words spoken, before...
"You know you're not helping the masochist allogations."
"Oh shut up. Let's enjoy the peace as they haul my body to the 4th. Once we wake, can you know... because my arm got ripped off."
Kyoki Chizuki chuckled as she sighed and both rested under the falling of sakura trees and ash. Multiple wolves resting with them by the red lake and their gazebo. While 13th division shinigami in panic picked up the vice-captain. Rushing him to the fourth division with their subpar Hohō as quickly as they could.
UNCONSIOUSLY HAULED TO NORTHEAST SEIREITEI
