Yon and Iruka were now on their 3rd exchange but no one was able to hit the other yet. Normally in a spar, there would be a hit in every exchange making the spar end in 3-5 exchanges only.
Iruka initiated the attack this time. Yon blocked it immediately and retaliated with an attack of his own only to be met with resistance from Iruka who attacked again even though he was blocked.
And so unlike the first two simple exchange, the third one was even more intense as it involve not one or two strikes but more. Sometimes a thrust would show up only to be parried.
Some other time Yon would rush in a form of jump to cut down Iruka ony to be sent back but he would still go on and repeat that as a smile was obviously leaking from his mouth. Even with the protector on, Iruka could see it through the tiny gaps of the head protector.
'this kid.... is a damn monster!' Iruka complained as it's taking his everything to match Yon. He could even see the kid improve throughout their exchange that it's leaving him shocked. But not once did he let his guard down. His adrenaline also exploded in the middle of the match as the fight was getting intense.
As the two were exchanging blows using only their shinai, chouji who was watching the spar was getting hyped up that he wants to join too. It took a lot of him to suppress himself and just enjoy what was currently happening.
'daughter, son in law. Can you both see this? your son has grown up strong!' Chouji clenched his fist as his spirit was pretty much ignited. actually not only him but everyone around him both instructors and student alike.
Even Yon's classmates who commented something bad at him was seeing him on a new light. However, no matter how close a fight is. The balance won't last forever. Yon was a cultivator while Iruka was just a human.
Although Yon wasn't using his powers, he was already superior to a normal human the moment he started his cultivation. The only reason why Iruka was a match to him was because of the experience that he accumulated.
Take away his experience and he would be just a normal human and would have been easy to deal with.
But no matter how much a mortal pursues strength in the end they still get tired, reach their limit and die. And it was 20 minutes later that Iruka felt his body reach its limit as he thrusts his shinai towards Yon weakly. This opening was only possible because of Yon's strength that kept pressuring Iruka making him spend his stamina more than normal. The anime fanatic inside the body of a 7 years old kid saw through this and propelled himself sideways to dodge while executing the 2nd Kata.
'Nihon-me!' Yon slashed downward targeting Iruka's wrist.
'I will not be defeated by a kid!' Iruka squeuzed whatever was left from his strength but his adrenaline has long since left him. Trying to squeeze his strength dry would be akin to a cultivator usinng up all of his qi. As Iruka's shinai left his hand by Yon's strike, Iruka himself passed out due to exhaustion.
"whoa!!!!" the crown exploded in exclamation.
"The match ends! Tokisawa Yon has won this match"
Everyone clapped and congratulated him in an uproar as some students asked their instructors questions that they could never imagine could be asked by the students.
"Sensei can I also become strong like him?" asked one of the students to an instructor.
"yeah? can we?"
"yeah sensei, he's a kid just like us. Surely we can be as strong as him?"
"Please teach us to become like him sensei.!"
"I don't know about you guys but I want to train now!"
The instructors doesn't know if they should be happy about the students' enthusiasm and sudden eagerness to become strong or sad because it would probably take a miracle for them to arrive at Yon's level quickly. well at least they can achieve that once they become older that is.
The match ended with Yon scoring 1-0 hit against Iruka within 20 minutes or more. Although the rules stated that they should land 3 hits in, a score is still a score.
And so the training session still proceeded after the spar, however this time it was a bit different than usual. The students were now training with a goal to become as strong as Yon unlike when they were just sent here by their parents with not even a hint of wanting to be there.
Yon still visited the dojo after every class from that day onward and would be trained by his grandfather every weekend alone. Each night his grandfather was asleep he would sneak out to train in the hill that he started treating it as his personal 'training ground'.
After a few months Yon started joining Tatsuki and Ichigo's Karate dojo and stopped going to the kendo dojo. Because of this he would go home together with Ichigo and his mother in every session.
'I don't know when it's going to happen, but I need to stay with them until it does.' Yon was thinking about the incident where Masaki dies. Yon was conflicted on what to do about this incident so he thought about it and made a decision.
As an anime fan, he is one of those who cried in every moment that a protagonists experiences despair and sadness. So his answer was either save Masaki's life altogether or let Masaki die but stop grand fisher from eating her soul. But since he doesn't know when that will happen, he simply followed them each time they were on their way home after every practice in the karate dojo.
But throughout all that Yon never ceased to train himself the only way he knows how. He made his very own improvements and continued to conduct experiments on other known techniques in other anime that he knows uses spirit energy. Some failed while some made progress, in conclusion he was still able to learn a few.
2 years later
Elementary Classroom, 4th Grade Class
"Hey Yon, you're gonna go with Ichigo and his mom again today aren't you?" asked Tatsuki as she, Ichigo and Yon were walking towards the dojo.
"It should be obvious by now since that's what I've been doing for the past 2 years but to answer your question. Yes, I'll go with them. Besides, we all live in the same area that our houses are literally in front of each other."
"Yeah just a little bit more and I'll probably start having doubts if you're a boy or not." to which Yon almost tripped over upon hearing her.
"huh?!!!!!" Yon exclaimed completely annoyed at her.
"That's the worst joke I have ever heard from you Tatsuki! ofcourse I'm a man! The one you should be doubting is the crybaby Ichigo."
"But I'm also a man!" Ichigo complained
"Yeah right." replied his two friends.
"Hey! Why does it sound like your both not convince?" complained Ichigo.
The trio continued on bickering as they made their way to the dojo where their parents would be after the training. Although Yon has joined them for 2 years, he didn't repeat the same show off he did in the Kendo dojo where he defeated an instructor.
In here he remained a very low profile just barely enough to pass. But he still learned the basic elements and moves and tried to further develop them to suit him using his reiryoku.
After 2 years of training in his training area Yon was able to slay more hollows and even saw a shinigami investigate his training area. Ofcourse he didn't show himself and hide each time a shinigami arrives using his martial skill Space Concealment.
As they were in the middle of their training session rain suddenly started pouring. Any other person in this world would find this completely normal but one. Yon stopped training as soon as this happened and waited for Ichigo beside Masaki.
"I see that you stopped earlier than the rest once again Yon kun." Masaki who was waiting for him and Ichigo pointed out.
"Ah yes. It's raining and -"
"You don't want to get sick because of the rain due to being sweaty after training is that right?" Masaki completed his sentence.
"R- right. Hehe" answered Yon who probably realised how scripted his words were each and every time it rains when going home.
"I don't know if it's just me but I have never seen you sweat once in every training you have attended." Masaki pointed out once again.
"Well, Grandpa trains me well so I have a lot of energy. I will only sweat when I am actually facing him myself." Yon explained.
"If you say so." Masaki leaves him alone and focuses on her son Ichigo. Giving Yon time to ponder to himself.
'Its been two years since I started joining them when they go home. I'm now 9 years old which is surprisingly the same age as Ichigo.'
'I don't remember when was it that Masaki dies, all I know is that it was definitely raining. I have a strong feeling that it's today.' Yon thought to himself as he prepares his thoughts.