"You're being too lenient with an opponent you've only hit once. Haven't you ever heard of following through?" — Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
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The mood following the excursion took a swan dive into depression territory as the true brutal nature of what was supposed to be a simple exercise made itself known to them.
Some of them traded nervous looks between Captain Uchiha and his Third Seat, Junpei. The calm-spoken Captain's words were softly delivered but there was something with the casual and aloof air with which he said it that made it make them more nervous.
Maybe it had to do with the few who had been unfortunate to see their life flash before their eyes, only to be saved at the last second in a way they couldn't understand.
"The only advice you'll be given is one you should already know by now." Junpei started while hanging his Zanpakutō off his shoulders. "You are currently in an infested den of Hollows: do with that information what you can."
They gulped.
The intensity doubled.
The scant few who could keep their wit between them instantly took control of their frightened and shaken comrades, to Itachi's silent approval.
The duty of the strong was to be responsible for the weak and seeing them act as such assured him that his teachings were not in vain.
And as it so happens, Tōshirō was one of the few that were strong.
And not only Tōshirō, but Hinamori was also by his side with a face steeled in resolve. Tōshirō's face was one of stubborn grit but hers was a face of affirming confidence, Itachi observed.
'Now, which will be the first to be carved in stone.' He thought to himself. There was something about watching the young grow and having an active presence in facilitating that growth that he was slowly realizing that it was something he had never grown used to.
It was still a fairly novel experience to him.
His first experience of spurning youthful growth, of turning a child from a boy to a man, was Junpei. Soi Fon didn't count because he had met her in the midst of her youthful growth under Yoruichi, and had only acted as a supporting pillar when the latter had been forcefully exiled.
Now watching it play out in front of his eyes – watching the young birds take their first flight, so to speak – was such a fulfilling realization that instantly made him nostalgically hollow.
It created a deep feeling in his heart that gave him a hard time understanding what– how it was. It left him sobered, ached by time past — haunted by the hollow memories. Yet, kept him wanting with the aftertaste of the better days ahead.
Oh, the heart. Who could understand its depth and true wanting? Surely not someone like Itachi.
"I just realized," He suddenly spoke out, softly still that only Junpei, who had always remained faithfully by his side, heard him, "Those years spent teaching you are one of my most fulfilling memories. In both lives."
The group ahead of them were still sorting themselves into a proper response group, but Junpei wasn't focused on them at all. In a rare fashion where Junpei's environmental awareness was thoroughly upended and tunnelled that the only thing he could do was stare gapingly at Itachi.
Somehow, someway, this man who he kept threading his path as a Shinigami after, and remained eternally grateful to, kept finding ways to show him just how...unerringly frail and human he could be.
... And that beautiful thought was what had kept his heart bitter for years, especially after he grew strong and mature enough to know that...the man himself, Itachi Uchiha, remained oblivious and painfully ignorant to how 'human' and 'full' he had become.
Junpei knew that it wasn't only him, but also Soi Fon, and even Captain Kyōraku, that found it a vile irony that Itachi himself remained unaware of the fact that he had already become who he kept striving to be.
Shaking his head slowly, Junpei let out a low chuckle as he looked at Itachi who kept his eyes trained on the formed groups below, yet still had that deep glow in his dark absent eyes.
"I know, Mr. Itachi." He said in a whispering voice, one as soft as the blowing wind, but knew that Itachi heard him.
He looked down at the students who had started moving forward with unsure but slowly growing confident steps.
"We know. Not just me, but Soi Fon too. Even Lady Yoruichi." He paused at the mention of the last name. "Eh, maybe, I don't know much about her. And she scares me a fair bit." He finished with a chuckle.
"I will keep a closer eye on them, Captain." He patted Itachi on the back in solidarity and disappeared in a step of Shunpo.
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In the world of the students below, having settled in what they saw as efficient grouping, the three groups steadily pushed forward through the acclaimed 'Hollow infested' 38th District of the West Rukongai.
Since not all students were talented or opportuned enough to achieve their Shikai in their academy days, those who had achieved theirs, of which there were four – Tōshirō, Hinamori and two others – automatically fell into leadership positions.
Hinamori fell into a supporting role behind Tōshirō, being the most experienced Kidō Arts user of the group, and flanking her were those who excelled in other facets of Zankensoki.
Besides her, following apace in a confident stride was one of such excellent students besides having not yet released his Shikai, and also surprisingly a friend of her grumpy friend, Tōshirō, Kusaka Sōjirō.
"Tōshirō, north-east of here." He called out, surprising Hinamori beside him who hadn't sensed anything.
"Yeah. I can sense it, Kusaka." Tōshirō acknowledged and immediately pushed himself a little faster. "Hurry up, I think there might be a settlement where they are heading."
Giving silent nods, the three groups accelerated, still keeping a steady pace. 'Any situation that calls for full haste and consequent swiftness, requires in tandem a pressured and calm mind', Itachi's words came unbidden to their ears, also a soft reminder that the Captain was watching somewhere.
As soon as they escaped the conflagration of trees, all three groups instantly exploded into action.
"Bakudō #1: Sai."
"Hadō #4: Byakurai"
The Hollows who suddenly found themselves Blindsided, stilled for a few seconds in the face of the unexpected attacks, and those unfortunate few who survived the initial barrage of instant death, responded expectedly in the only way they knew how to – mindless violence.
A cold chill blew over as the air became slightly foggy, gradually growing dense, until it covered the confused and blinded Hollows.
Hidden in the mist, cold steel and mystic arts claimed the baleful lives of Hollows, turning the once impartial mist dark grey and soft red, until everything stilled. Even sound.
Silent Killing.
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Junpei whistled as they watched the aftermath of the student's first interaction with the Hollows.
"That is a fair bit impressive, if I must say." He commented, his voice faintly impressed. "What do you think, sir?"
A low sound, Junpei heard, one he could interpret as a disapproving grunt.
"Inefficient killing is what it is." Itachi replied candidly. "You don't need to overpower an enemy with strength and technique when you can do it with a simple swing."
Junpei chuckled awkwardly at the expense of the students. He had learnt this particular lesson a hundred times, in a hundred different ways.
"Hitsugaya, Kusaka, Hinamori – the three of them have taken a step or two in efficient killing, but subconsciously they still seek to overpower their opponents in their newly gained strength."
Junpei couldn't say anything to that apt observation and just shrugged. "It's a phase. It'll pass with the more fights they get into."
"I know." Itachi simply said and disappeared, causing Junpei to helplessly shake his head.
"Well, they have their work cut out for them. Now as for you," He looked down at the decaying Hollow at the stump of the tree he was perched on, "mind holding off a bit? We don't want to break them down this early into their confident stride."
Dead eyes stared into the horror-stricken faces of the two Adjuchas a few meters away from their dead comrade, as they too started fading away due to the cleanly sliced mask that had slipped off their faces.
"Now then, silly juniors. Don't make this too boring for Mr. Itachi. It'll make me look bad." He monologued to the silent wind and swaying trees as his body glitched away.
The last thing the dying Hollows saw was the smile that danced on his lips, but not in his eyes.
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Tōshirō breathed evenly as another fight soon came to its end. He had released his Shikai thrice in the seven clashes they've had with Hollows.
As they drew themselves into more battles with Hollows, Tōshirō, and more than a few of them, were plagued with their first problem. How to conserve their stamina to not only survive the future clashes, but how to fight it through in a way that left them less spent and moderately prepared for the next one.
By the fifth battle, Tōshirō had started counting his steps and was forced, out of necessity, to draw out a single breath for more than a short second.
His Zanpakutō was already feeling a tad bit heavier in his hands.
He croaked out a hollow chuckle. "Captain Uchiha is going to kill me." There was no hiding from the Captain how hard he was trying to breathe slowly, despite the numerous times he and a handful of others were cautioned to be mindful of their breaths.
To his left, heaving just as hardly, Sōjirō scoffed. "You think?" A few of them laughed drearily. "He's going to kill us regardless of if the Hollows do it first."
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