Yuichi felt the weight of Yoruichi's words, realizing the gravity of the situation. If the Tsunayashiro family was willing to launch a direct attack on both the Shihōin and Kuchiki houses, they were likely prepared for the repercussions, meaning that this was just the beginning. He cast a glance at Byakuya, who sat with the calm dignity of a noble, already adjusting to the news.
Mei, ever practical, gave a small nod. "Understood, Lady Yoruichi. We'll stay close to young lord Byakuya and avoid drawing any unnecessary attention. If the Tsunayashiro family intended to make us falter, we'll show them they were mistaken."
Hui nodded, her usual composure returning as she accepted the directive without question. "I'll ensure my presence remains discreet as I guard them vigilantly from the shadows."
Yoruichi's gaze softened as she looked over them, lingering on each face with a hint of pride. "I don't doubt any of you. Just keep your eyes open, trust your instincts, and don't hesitate to rely on each other."
She straightened, a trace of her usual carefree smile returning. "Alright, enough with the doom and gloom for now. Get yourselves properly rested—seriously this time. And when you're done, you four will be headed over to Kiesuke's mansion. He'll look after you guys for a while since I'll be leaving tomorrow. "
With that, she dismissed them, her commanding presence filling the room with reassurance and focus. As soon as Yoruichi departed, Byakuya rose from his seat, his expression unreadable as he nodded briefly to the remaining group. Without a word, he turned and exited the study, heading back toward his room. Hui bowed slightly to Mei and Yuichi, offering them a polite farewell before following behind Byakuya. "I need to return to my duties," she said quietly before disappearing down the corridor.
With the others gone, Mei and Yuichi walked back together toward their shared guest room, the silence between them companionable yet charged. When they reached the room, Mei entered first. Yuichi stepped in after her, and as he closed the door, Mei moved with unexpected speed.
Before he knew it, she'd closed the distance, slamming both hands against the wall on either side of his head—a classic kabedon. She leaned in so close that Yuichi could feel her breath, their faces mere inches apart. His eyes widened in surprise, feeling his heart skip a beat as Mei's intense gaze locked onto his.
"Uh… Mei?" he asked, trying to mask his nervousness. "What… what's going on?"
Her expression remained serious as she answered, "The usual." Then, with her deadpan tone, she asked, "Do you want to take a bath first?"
Yuichi blinked, a slight flush coloring his cheeks. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Mei, your words can be… incredibly misleading sometimes."
She tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "Misleading? I don't understand."
He managed a small smile, realizing she was entirely oblivious to the impression her actions and words had given. "You mean you want to go over the battle we just had, discuss tactics, and see if there's any way we can improve, right? For the future."
She blinked in confusion. "Yes. We do this every time. Why are you explaining it out loud?"
Yuichi laughed, though it sounded a bit strained as he attempted to shake off his nerves. "For my own sanity, honestly. You're quite the flirt sometimes, Mei, even if you don't realize it."
She raised an eyebrow, her usual calm demeanor intact. "I see… Well, if this is about focus, we should get started. Let's review the weaker points of our coordination, especially in close quarters and against multiple enemies."
Yuichi let out a chuckle, his initial tension finally easing. "Yeah, sounds good. Just… maybe next time, give me a little more warning."
Settling into their routine, Yuichi and Mei took their usual spots across from each other, their posture relaxed yet focused. Despite the quiet of the room, an intensity filled the space as they delved into a meticulous analysis of their performance in the recent battle.
Mei began, her tone calm yet critical. "Shunkō proved useful as always, especially for close combat and multiple enemies," she acknowledged, folding her arms thoughtfully. "But I can't rely on the environment to amplify its effects each time. Using confined corridors and barriers to concentrate my reiki made Fubuki work, but if I'm forced to release Shunkō in an open space, I'll lose the barrier's containment. Without something solid around me to trap the energy, my reiki disperses too quickly. I won't be able to sustain it at its full intensity."
Yuichi nodded, understanding her point immediately. "So we need to find a way for you to compress it on your own," he suggested. "Maybe a controlled aura that only expands to a certain range? Or release your arua in a quick powerful brust flash freezing the enemies?"
She considered this, a faint frown creasing her brow. "Yes, an adjustable aura that responds to intent," she murmured, clearly already calculating the mechanics in her head. "It would take significant reiryoku control, but it's worth developing. I also noticed that the Shunkō drains quickly in open-air situations, so I'll have to increase my endurance. The reiki fluctuations create gaps that enemies could exploit."
He gave a slight smile. "Makes sense. But I'd say your endurance was impressive considering the circumstances. Still, if you need more intensity in a fight, we'll need to think of alternative containment strategies."
Mei nodded, looking over at him. "Your Shunkō, though—Enkai—was strong, but I noticed you didn't use it for long. Your control seemed… hindered, almost." She leaned forward slightly, curious. "What was the issue?"
Yuichi rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "You're right. The main problem is that my control over Enkai is… well, inconsistent. I can manage it for one or two concentrated strikes, but keeping it stable and ready is exhausting. I need to increase the speed and fluidity of my attacks. The big swings I go for just take too long to charge, and that leaves openings. I also need to work more on my hakuda skills as their severely lacking."
He paused, running through his mental checklist of limitations. "The technique Karyū no Yaiba, for instance—it's powerful, but it's also predictable and easy to counter if the opponent knows what to expect. I couldn't adjust the direction of the flame wave once I released it. All the enemy had to do was throw an obstacle in its path to disrupt it."
Mei studied him thoughtfully. "So what you need is a faster activation time and adaptability. Could you practice triggering the Enkai in shorter bursts?"
He nodded, rubbing his chin as he thought. "Yes, exactly. Short bursts would make it more versatile, and I'd have to work on making those flames less rigid, maybe even changing their form mid-attack. I could alternate between defensive moves and quick attacks to keep them guessing."
"That would certainly make it harder to counter," Mei agreed. "And your big attacks need to be more streamlined. The build-up is too long; maybe you could try creating smaller, controlled surges of flame along the blade. Then, if you needed to go for a larger wave, it would just be a matter of releasing what you'd built up."
He nodded, taking mental notes. "I think the key is refining the way I channel reiryoku. If I could regulate the flow better, I wouldn't drain myself as quickly. And speaking of efficiency," he added, "I noticed the same problem for you when you used Fubuki, it almost overwhelmed you. Was it the reiryoku drain, or was there something else?"
"It's both," Mei admitted, not looking away. "Fubuki requires such concentrated control that it drains my reiryoku rapidly. If I maintain it for too long, my physical stamina starts to falter too, especially without a closed space to enhance its effect. The sustained reiki output creates a constant drain, but if I could enhance the technique's precision, I feel I could focus it more on specific targets and use less energy overall."
Mei's eyes lit up with an idea. "What if I adjusted the reiki levels mid-attack? I could weaken it just enough to keep it going until the right moment, then reinforce it for the strike. It'd save my reiryoku for when I really need it."
Yuichi gave a small nod, considering. "That could work. If you concentrate on training to control the exact strength of each attack within Fubuki, You could create a consistent output while conserving your reserves. It'll be difficult, but it's worth trying. I believe I read someone uses such a technique… hmm was it Veget… never mind."