The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 6: I'll show you real power!

The ringing in my ears drove out all thoughts of being sensible.

Weak? I'm weak? I'll show the bastard whose weak! "You want to see real power?" I screeched angrily, drawing my arms wide.

All I could hear drumming in my ears was the laughter from the rest of the squad. I snarled, raising my spiritual pressure, before bringing my hands together in front of me, sword pointed at Kenpachi.

The ground shook and black spiritual pressure flared from under my feet, tendrils wrapping themselves around me legs.

"Akuma no Kurayami!" I cried and the black spiritual pressure wrapped around my body quickly, like a tornado.

When it disappeared, I stood in a crater of crushed concrete and dirt, dressed in my shikai. I still wore my usual soul reaper uniform, but I now had black gauntlets and black boots to top it off. My zanpakuto had changed; now it looked like a rapier, minus the fancy guard around the hilt. Bells jangled as I tightened my grip on it and I was grateful that the mask hadn't appeared. Yet.

"You're resorting to Shikai," he questioned, an eyebrow raised, while in the crowd, Ikkaku was shouting.

"Hey! What's with the shikai? It looks like it could shatter at any moment!" He laughed at the end.

"Contrary to what you see, this zanpakuto increases my speed and strength and has an immense amount of durability within it," I said, not removing my eyes from Kenpachi. "It cannot be broken."

Unless I'm killed, I said in my head but pushed that from my mind. I needed to focus. "Besides, Captain, this is a battle," I stated, lunging forward. "I can fight however the hell I want!" I shouted.

Our swords met in the middle in another clash of sparks, only this time I wasn't the first to draw back. Kenpachi grunted, defending my blows as I advanced, pushing him slowly backwards. When he was a few metres from a wall, I flash- stepped away, appearing with my feet against the very same wall, a hand on the gutter, before dropping silently to the ground.

Kenpachi hadn't noticed yet, until I let the small chuckle escape my lips. He turned but not fast enough.

Slashing from shoulder to hip, I immobilized his left arm and now he was forced to fight me with his sword in his right hand. He retreated backwards and I used this to my advantage. Using the wall, I pushed off of it, leaving a large crater in my wake, heading straight for him.

He was ready this time, his sword already drawn into a defence position, as I planted my feet on the ground a little to the right of him. Inertia pushed me past him as I landed a fleeting blow on my skid, a ploy, as now I was behind him. Grinding my right foot into the ground, I spun round and delivered a blow to his back quickly.

The look of surprised on his face was priceless, his sword blocking my devastating attack to his rib cage just in time. It glanced off though, still managing to pierce his abdomen.

"What's wrong, Zaraki? Is this too much for you? Am I too weak?" I roared, using my shadow jump in the lengthening shadows. His sword came down to where my foot was when I appeared and I was forced to jump again. He's memorized my move! His sword flashed before me and so began the deadly dance again.

The sun had completely set by now and we were still fighting, both of us too stubborn to give up. A large crowd, composed of not just Squad 11 but some other soul reapers from other squads, watched us with bated breath.

I was now covered in lacerations all up my arms and the sides of my neck, while a wound dealt by Kenpachi just a few minutes before kept me bent over while I wheezed for air. Kenpachi didn't look much better; his left arm was limp at his side and blood soaked the ground around him.