Riveria didn't know what to do. She tried explaining it multiple times, but panic set in and she wasn't able to do it very well. On top of that, it's as if everyone already closed off their ears to her 'useless' excuses and judged Kisuke as a bad influence on her if he could make her act like this. Although Riveria originally wanted to provoke them, she didn't mean this much!
Tiona stepped out while cracking the joints of her knuckles, "Kisuke Urahara, was it? I heard from Riveria last night that you're a very reliable guy. However, I have a very different opinion. Aren't you just taking advantage of her?"
"Tiona!" Riveria became angry, but before she could say anything else, Kisuke grabbed her shoulder, "My~ Is that so? Is there any way I could prove it otherwise?"
Riveria turned back and saw Kisuke smiling but she knew he wasn't happy in the slightest.
Tiona ignored Riveria and said with a big smile that also wasn't happy in the slightest, "Easy. The world is dangerous so all you have to do is prove that you can protect her on your own."
"You had me there for a moment. I thought you were going to ask me for a fetch quest, but it looks like I'm wrong~ This is a lot simpler and easier."
"Kisuke... I don't know why you're pissed, but please let me resolve this. This is a problem I created in the first place."
Kisuke's hand moved to her head and caressed her hair. For a moment, the anger in his eyes disappeared, "Step aside for now and take it easy. Let me show these kids how much their head is up in their ass."
A vein popped on Tiona's head as her fury reached a new level and so are the others, "...Kids, huh? I can't really take that seriously from someone who looks younger than me."
Riveria, meanwhile, was stunned and couldn't stop staring at Kisuke while her hair is being ruffled, "Why are you so angry?" It was something on her mind but she didn't want to ask it. There were really only very few instances that she saw Kisuke genuinely furious. She didn't really want to hope, but there are always just one or two denominators for all those instances.
"I already told you that. Their heads are too stuck up in their own asses."
Riveria still wanted to stop him since this might devolve into something else but a hand suddenly pulled her arm and as she turned around, she saw Loki trying to pull her to the side while waving her free hand to Kisuke and others, "I won't involve myself in this aside from keeping Riveria on the side. You guys do what you want."
Of course, everyone else thought that Loki was on their side when she said that they could do whatever they want, except for one person who could slightly understand the situation, Finn, 'I wanted to stop it since that dangerous feeling he gave me earlier surely wasn't a fluke, but it seems that Loki wanted something to happen... Let's watch first.'
The fury returned within Kisuke's eyes the moment Riveria left and said, "Now then, let's set a rule or tw-"
However, Kisuke couldn't finish his words as Tiona directly pounced at him while baring her fist, "You talk too much."
Tione, who was watching from the side, sighed as it ended too quickly, "She doesn't really know how to hold back." In spite of that, the clash that she was waiting to hear didn't happen, instead, she heard Lefiya muttering, "N-no way..."
Tione hurriedly looked back and saw Tiona who'd stopped midswing of her fist. She wondered why she'd stopped but her confusion was soon answered when her gaze moved a few inches below. It's not that she stopped because Tiona felt pity at the last moment, but because Kisuke's own fist was already under her chin before Tiona's fist could approach him.
"I would like to say that everyone dissatisfied can have a go but each of you will only have one chance... You already blew it." Kisuke then removed his hand from her chin and Tiona used that chance to back away and create distance between them, "But that'd be too boring. I'll give you another chance, so come at me."
Tiona gritted her teeth and glared at Kisuke, but contrary to her expression, her heated head had already cooled off and a cold sweat was even drenching her back. She tried to recall what happened earlier but no matter how many times she repeated it, it was still the same, 'I couldn't see his fist until it was about to land... If he has strength anywhere near me, that could have caused a fatal blow to my head.'
She tried to catch him off guard, but she was humiliated instead and she couldn't do anything about it. If she said anything remotely like an excuse, the awkward silence surrounding them right now would become even more embarrassing for her.
"What? Not going to take it?" Kisuke added with a mocking smile.
Tiona could only begrudgingly reply, "...I'll take it." Before launching herself at Kisuke once more, this time, with full awareness and with her Touki.
This time, Tiona didn't over-extend herself and just threw jabs and low kicks in an attempt to force Kisuke to reveal his cards. But this time, instead of retaliating, Kisuke just kept dodging her and jumped around in circles.
Tiona stopped holding back her speed that's at the top of the line among Level 8s. Despite that, Kisuke was still able to dodge her blows without increasing his own speed and soon enough, she found out why, 'How!? How is he dodging before I can even throw an attack!?'
Kisuke was able to guess what she was thinking because of the expression she was making and said, "Because you're too honest and your feints are useless without your own Ki following your movements."
It was also the problem that Gareth had pointed out in their training as the technique is just too delicate for someone with her personality, '...But Gareth said it shouldn't be too much of a problem because there isn't much of a delay that anyone could exploit.'
"It isn't just him predicting her moves." At some point in time, Gareth and Finn had already arrived behind Ais, Tione, Lefiya, and Filvis.
Tione turned to Gareth who just spoke and asked, "Not just predicting her moves? Then how else?"
"Look carefully. Predicting her next moves are just a small part of it, but most of it was just him leading Tiona to throw the attacks he wants."
Tione hurriedly looked back while Ais, Lefiya, and Filvis had their eyes wide open in shock, "Though that's just my guess since it's a really ridiculous thing... But how else could he keep dodging when he's obviously moving slower than her?", added Gareth.
"I'm of the same opinion as Gareth." Finn nodded, "That man, Kisuke Urahara, is in complete control of what's happening. From the start, it was already Tiona's loss.
On the other side, however, Loki was having a field day teasing Riveria, "Well aren't you a lucky girl~! I don't think I've ever seen him that protective~ Unless, it involved one of his girls."
"Loki, we're good friends. He also does that to his close friends." Riveria denied it, but her ears are bright red, giving away her thoughts.