Nobuaki
"Do whatever you want, but get this trash out of here. Their presence disgusts me."
Those were the orders the squad leader had whispered to me before leaving, and I fully intended to satisfy him.
After the leader left, I watched the two monkeys start running around the training ground.
Most of us had already understood that those two were nothing but incompetents. They emitted no cursed energy at all. One might think they were simply hiding it very well, but that was impossible.
Even non-sorcerers release cursed energy, and a sorcerer suppressing theirs can lower it only to the level of an ordinary human.
That meant they were truly devoid of cursed energy.
Because of that, none of us feared making enemies of them, even if it was the clan head who had sent them here.
After all, what would the clan head care if two worthless monkeys accidentally had a bone or two broken?
So everyone lost their restraints.
At first, I even thought I wouldn't need to intervene—that the others would deal with them on their own without orders.
In the end, I was only disappointed. These idiots weren't even capable of pulling off a proper trip.
The brats dodged every attempt to humiliate them with careless ease.
They were so elusive that it eventually became a game among us recruits.
Whoever managed to make them fall first would win. Some had even started placing bets, yet after thirty minutes, no one had succeeded in knocking them down.
Just as someone was about to seriously attack them out of frustration, they stopped running and calmly began walking toward the arena.
That was enough for me. I had waited long enough. It was time to put these insects back in their place.
I called another recruit beside me.
"You. Come with me. We'll deal with them."
It was public knowledge that I was the future leader of the Kukuru unit, so no one dared challenge me—especially since they had no real reason to do so.
The twins stood calmly before us, not even out of breath after thirty minutes of relentless running.
There was something in one of their gazes that I couldn't understand. The one called Zoro, if I remembered correctly.
The way he looked at me—as if I were nothing more than a pebble in his path—infuriated me. Still, I calmed myself and devised a plan to crush them while elevating my own status.
First, I would provoke them into revealing their secret in front of everyone.
Then, I would make everyone believe eliminating them was the clan head's order.
Finally, I would execute them and my standing within both the Kukuru and the clan would rise, since I would be acting as the clan head's executioner.
My plan was perfect.
My future was perfect.
I was perfect.
So I put my plan into motion.
Making the brats confess was easier than expected, but I didn't care as long as it benefited me.
The next steps went smoothly, but everything fell apart during the third phase.
I was the strongest among the current Kukuru recruits.
I had everything—strength, speed, technique, intelligence, cursed energy.
The only thing I lacked was an innate technique.
Just one innate technique, and I was certain I could have joined the Hei. But life wasn't so kind.
Still, one thing was certain: I was strong. Not the strongest—but definitely stronger than two children without cursed energy.
Yet nothing went as planned.
I, Zen'in Nobuaki, future leader of the Kukuru, best swordsman of this unit… was lying on the ground with a broken nose, writhing in pain.
"ARRGH!"
It wasn't just pain keeping me down—it was shock. And when I saw the monkey's extended fist, shock turned into rage and hatred.
I shot back to my feet, cursed energy flaring around me.
"You filthy piece of trash… you've just signed your death warrant."
---
Zoro
Seeing him stand up didn't surprise me. That light punch wasn't enough to seriously injure a proper sorcerer.
The one who had attacked Toji was already on the ground—because unlike me, Toji hadn't held back.
Why did I hold back, you ask?
Well, I had a very good reason.
"Come on. I'll use you as an example of what happens when people pick a fight with us."
Even angrier, he shouted to the others:
"BRING ME A SWORD!"
One of the recruits rushed toward the weapon rack, but I wasn't about to sit still.
"Toji, get me a sword."
"Okay, big brother."
Since Nobuaki's lackey hadn't reinforced himself with cursed energy, Toji quickly caught up. Despite the head start, they arrived at the weapons at the same time.
Each grabbed katanas—but while Nobuaki's man took one, Toji picked up three.
They tossed them toward us, and both Nobuaki and I caught ours without issue.
It was time for my first fight to the death—and I had absolutely no intention of losing.
When Nobuaki saw me holding a sword in each hand, he openly mocked me.
"Two swords won't change the fact that you're worthless. I'll prove it."
He flooded his katana with cursed energy and charged.
His blade rose above his head before crashing down with terrifying speed and power.
But nothing my Observation Haki—and my blade coated in invisible Haki—couldn't handle.
CLANG!
I raised my right sword and slightly redirected his strike sideways.
He quickly regained control and followed with an upward slash, which I easily avoided.
FWOOSH!
FWOOSH!
Dozens of strikes followed, cutting nothing but air.
No matter the speed or timing, my Observation Haki allowed me to evade everything.
To be clear, I wasn't dodging just to show off. When the fight began, I remembered something I had overlooked.
I could only apply invisible Haki to one part of my body—or one katana—at a time.
Although I could switch Haki between my fist and weapon quickly, there was always a slight delay.
A delay an experienced opponent would surely exploit. And regardless of what I thought of Nobuaki, he was that kind of fighter.
Or rather, I simply lacked the experience to hide that delay.
So I kept dodging. Yet something about it bothered me.
If I keep fighting like this, how will I ever grow stronger?
Dodging was far too easy—and that was exactly the problem.
If I stay in my comfort zone, I'll never truly become strong.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I stopped dodging.
Nobuaki immediately noticed.
He paused, wary.
"What's wrong, monkey? Tired?"
His mocking tone was clearly meant to provoke me, but I wouldn't fall for something so obvious.
"I'm done defending. Now it's my turn to attack."
The instant the words left my mouth, I used Soru and appeared before him.
One of my blades descended in a devastating slash.
Though surprised, Nobuaki managed to block it.
CLANG!
Even so, he was pushed back several meters, carving a trench into the arena floor.
"That level of strength is impossible for a six-year-old. Especially one without cursed energy. Tell me—what are you?"
I didn't bother answering. After several seconds of silence, he understood I wouldn't speak.
"Fine. Stay quiet. I'll understand everything once we dissect you and your brother."
Hearing him mention Toji snapped something inside me. My expression hardened, a flame igniting in my eyes.
My legs still ached from my incomplete Soru, forcing me to charge normally—but even then my speed caught him slightly off guard.
Trusting his instincts, he deflected my strike aimed at his head.
He counterattacked immediately. I saw it coming, but being off balance, I couldn't dodge.
So I concentrated my invisible Haki at the targeted spot—my shoulder.
The strike was mostly blocked, though the blade slightly pierced through, leaving a shallow cut.
We exchanged blows repeatedly afterward.
I had to transfer my Haki from one weapon to another with every block and counter.
Superficial wounds accumulated across my body, but I could feel the delay shortening more and more.
I gradually cornered Nobuaki—but just as I was about to land the finishing blow, my legs gave out.
Seeing me stumble, he didn't hesitate. He poured massive cursed energy into his katana and aimed to cut me in half at the waist.
CLANG!
I blocked at the last moment but was blown backward by the force.
I crouched nearby, trying to catch my breath.
Of course, Nobuaki wouldn't allow that.
"It's over. You lived like a monkey, and you'll die like one."
While he prepared his attack, I prepared mine.
I mimicked sheathing my swords into imaginary scabbards without fully lowering them.
I switched my grip—holding the right katana with my left hand and the left katana with my right—then began whispering an incantation.
"The self in the forsaken world."
Nobuaki charged.
"I will cut."
As soon as he entered range, he unleashed a horizontal slash meant to split my skull.
But if I was within his reach… he was within mine.
"Nitōryū Iai."
I drew both blades at blinding speed from their imaginary sheaths and struck.
My attack landed. Nobuaki's missed completely.
I was still crouching when a wave of blood gushed from Nobuaki's abdomen, and he fell flat on his back.
"Rashomon."
(…)
The electric atmosphere of the arena due to the fight has finally calmed down.
I stood up—but the moment I did, something that I had anticipated happened…
The katanas shattered into small pieces of steel.
They couldn't withstand an attack of that magnitude without Haki protecting them.
Indifferent to that, I turned my gaze towards the motionless mass lying next to me.
I looked at Nobuaki's outstretched body;but I knew he wasn't dead, however without swift intervention, he surely would be.
I had won that fight, that's an indisputable fact.
Yet there was one thing that irritated me to the point of making me want to clicked my tongue...
"Tch… Iaido really loses too much power without proper scabbards. Normally, I would've cut him in half."
Author's thoughts
Officially the longest chapter so far. Almost 1,5 time the length of chapters preceding "TRAINING".
This is also the first fight where Zoro truly risks his life.
I don't know about you, but I think this chapter is pretty good, and I'd even say excellent (according to the criteria I've set from the beginning, anyway).
I'm extremely proud of this chapter so see ya tomorrow.
And don't forget to spam power stones.