“Even the strongest of opponents always has a weakness.” – Itachi Uchiha.

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Itachi skillfully parried Yoruichi’s blade but the Captain just grinned as he did, twirling the unbalanced blade around her fingers and balancing it back in her palms.

‘Come on,’ she beckoned with her blade and Itachi readily accepted the invite.

Holding his short tanto blade across himself, the both of them closed the distance between them in an instant and sparks flew everywhere which way.

“You’re more aggressive than you usually are, Itachi-boyo. What’s up?” She asked as they held their blade in a clash.

Grunting, Itachi twisted his sword to hook in her sword and she did the same, smiling at him as she did so, though with a few annoyed twitches appearing on her face.

He held her strong arm and she did the same to him, both limiting their opponent’s option to disarm them.

Tired of the pointless struggle, Itachi turned abruptly, hands still locked with hers, and used his legs to trip her from behind to throw her over his shoulders to the ground.

His hand went down to her head in a spear motion, but her lightning fast reflexes had her hands holding his just centimeters from her losing the match.

She wrapped her legs around his arms and threw him over but it was a cheap shot he was already expecting so he used the force from his flip to palm her head with the arm she held.

As if knowing the other's next move, they both sheathed their blades and continued their rounds in a bout of fisticuffs.

Yoruichi’s dexterity was something Itachi didn’t have but that didn’t mean he was totally helpless against her blindingly fast jabs and chops.

The extreme mastery both ninjas displayed was top notch, even among the Shinigami of Seireitei.

Unfortunately, Itachi couldn’t quite match up with Yoruichi in hand-to-hand combat with how fast and deceptively strong she was. It was also the reason why he had to use his Sharingan to comfortably read her movements the first time they fought.

“What’s wrong, Itachi-boyo? You’re slipping.” She teased him, although inwardly impressed at how much he could defend against her movements without his special eyes that could instantly read an opponent’s movements.

“You’re thinking too much right now, Itachi. Don’t think, just push through.” She advised but clicked her tongue when she saw him completely ignoring her.

Itachi was a very methodological fighter and all his habits and character traits showed that, which was a stark opposite to Yoruichi’s free nature.

Itachi trained every single technique with utmost dedication and methodology that it became an instinct, whereas Yoruichi trained hers with such open mind and freeness that it became something of a bestial instinct.

Two different paths, yet they met each other at the top of the martial arts ladder.

Parry. Feint. Swipe. Claw. Parry. Dodge. Kick. Block. Counter.

Their hands moved in blurs so fast that the slightest mistake could take someone’s head off.

The climax of their first salvo of hand clashes ended with Yoruichi panting a bit while Itachi picked himself up from the tree he was kicked into.

“You’re really not an easy opponent, Itachi.” She said, sighing as she did. She fully meant what she said because it was tricky as hell and nerve wracking to fight him. Granted, they weren’t pulling out all the stops, but even if they were, that just meant that he became more trickier to deal with.

With his eyes to copy martial art techniques and also Kidō spells, at least to an extent, limited precognition in reading his opponent’s next move, enhanced reflexes and multiplying his already perfect accuracy, and also being able to see energy patterns – all from a pair of patterned red eyes.

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Just his eyes were enough as it were, but Yoruichi digresses. He also had an illusion-type Shikai that did a little bit of Shinji’s Hirako’s Bankai, and a whole lot of other nasty Illusions that thoroughly fucked with someone’s head.

So yeah, she meant every word about him not being an easy opponent. Aside from his lacking energy reserves and the intensity of sheer power, he could go toe-to-toe with any Captain of the Gotei 13 skill wise.

“You fought differently today, why’s that?” She asked as they took a second to calm their breaths before the next confrontation.

“Understanding.” Itachi simply said, offering no other explanation.

Unfortunately for Itachi, Yoruichi had dealt with souls and all types of soul related issues ever since she was young enough to wield an Asauchi, so it didn’t take her a second to know what he was talking about, especially given his choice of words.

“You’re stumped because you can’t seem to understand your Zanpakutō any further.” She stated plainly, nodding in perfect understanding. “Don’t kill yourself over it. It happens to every Shinigami, especially when you’re about to smash through a power ceiling.”

“What do you do about it?” He asked, neither acknowledging nor refuting her earlier words.

“Same problem, different reasons, so different answers.” She threw away her Captain’s haori and started stretching to exercise her joints. “Sometimes it’s best to stop and let it come back full circle. Sometimes it’s an introspection. Sometimes it’s stubbornly forcing your way etc.”

Itachi said nothing, only nodding while mirroring Yoruichi in taking off his black kosode(the shirt), leaving him with his white undershirt and the baggy hakama(the pants, or skirt).

“If someone sees how serious you currently look, they’ll think I’m forcing you to fight for your life. Try to loosen up. Enjoy this like I am.”

Yoruichi was now sporting a black sleeveless form fitting top that went around her neck and left a good portion of her back and entire arm open if not for the pair of wrist warmers she wore.

The air picked up around her in a contrasting calm yet violent way, thrumming as if the very air around her was charged up. The air around Itachi however was calm, almost dead, as his eyes slowly spun and gone were his pitch black eyes instead in their place were a pair of red eyes with three dotted tomoes on them.

This time, Yoruichi didn’t have a smile on her face. She was about to use a technique she had secretly developed some time ago and one very few people knew about. Not even Soi Fon was aware of this.

“Terase, Tsukuyomi.” The air around Itachi’s blade shimmered like a haze and for the first time, Yoruichi saw the true physical appearance of Itachi’s blade, Tsukuyomi.

It remained a short blade, but the blade itself was crystal clear, almost like the clearest or mirrors.

“Shunkō.” She softly intoned yet the air Reishi molecules exploded into lightning charges that ran over her body and formed two vent like wings behind her back.

“I’ll have you help me fine tune this.” She spoke, staring directly at Itachi. “You’ve asked a few times about my Zanpakutō, and I remember telling you one time that I don’t need one. This is the reason. The only non-Zanpakutō Shinigami technique that can rival a Bankai.”

Itachi couldn’t doubt her words when seeing the outrageous amount of Reiatsu being utilized and combusted in an instant.

“A forbidden Kidō?” He speculated.

“Close, but not entirely. This is the perfect amalgamation of Kidō and Hakuda. Be careful, I can be a bit rough.” That warning was the signal to begin, and like Itachi speculated, keeping up with her was no longer a possibility.

Even if he had the Mangekyō Sharingan, the results would have remained the same. Just because the Sharingan boosted perception to an insane degree did in no way mean that one could suddenly keep up with anything, irrespective of their speed.

… luckily he expected this outcome.

Caw caw.

Yoruichi frowned as Itachi suddenly burst into crows upon her striking him. “Tsked. That annoying Shikai.”

The crows flying around her turned into flaming shurikens that started hurtling towards her.

“This is useless.” A burst of lightning from behind her arrested all the shurikens and disintegrated to dust.

She sensed someone behind her thrusting a blade, which caused her to turn around calmly and catch the blade in her hand with Itachi’s eyes widening as he found his motion completely frozen.

“With achieving the highest level of recorded Hakuda mastery, in utilization with Shunkō allows me to freeze any motion I want.”

“I see.” Itachi struggled saying and disintegrated into crows.

“A clone. You know that such probing won’t work, right?” She closed her eyes and lightning vents crackled more fiercely causing her to smile. “Your illusions work by manipulating your opponents Reiatsu, isn’t that right? It must be hard for you to use your stronger illusions on me with how chaotic my Reiatsu currently is, right?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” The air shimmered and Itachi walked out of an illusion.

“Facing me directly? I’m really starting to like you more, Itachi!” She grinned and moved towards him, so fast that it was almost instantaneous even to Itachi’s enhanced perception.

The Bakudō barrier he hastily constructed was torn through with the most effortless ease, and it was his reactionary response with Tsukuyomi by shifting the perception of his location that made him able to block her lightning infused punch.

“Did you forget? I can arrest your motion.”

He knew, remembered fully well even. But he couldn’t face her with subtle illusions, and something urged him on to confront the height of this new foe head on.

“I remember it clearly.” For the first time in his life, both lives, Itachi smiled genuinely at the prospect of combat… and in that moment, a small wicker turned into a wisp.

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