The next weekend where all the students were free, Kai, Shido and Shinten all began their journey to the new dojo to train. What Kai hadn't expected was how far away the place actually was.
After walking for 2 or so hours, Kai shouted at Shinten in frustration,
"I thought you said that the dojo was nearby?? What the hell!"
"But it really isn't? My house is only 3 hours away from the school."
He remembered all those times where Shinten would randomly go back home because of an 'emergency', and imagined walking a painful total of 6 hours everyday.
"And I bet your just enjoying this aren't you??", Kai said to Kurenai who was resting on top of his head.
As they continued, eventually they came across a city district which was awfully close to Squad 11's barracks.
At its edge was a single floored East Asian building. With red large wooden-framed sliding doors and glass panes. In front, there are steps leading up to the entrance and two small palm-like plants in white planters.
There was a sign above the door which read: "Ikkaku's Imperial Superiority martial sword arts fighting god dojo".
They all cringed at the unnecessarily lengthy name, and hesitated to go in for a brief moment. But before they could even make up their minds, the doors slid open revealing a noticeably bald man with a head hairless that even light reflected off it. He carried a Zanpakutō as well as wore, the Shinigami Shihakushō.
"Why the hell are you brats hesitating to come inside? If you stand out here, then your only showing your cowardice!"
Kai sensing danger stepped back a little, and then Ikkaku flash stepped in front of him before grabbing by the shoulder. He promptly dragged Kai into the dojo before slamming the slider doors shut.
"So are we going to save him? or?", Shido asked but Shinten was already running inside.
Once the two entered they were surprised to see only 3 people inside. 2 of which being Kai and Ikkaku himself, but the third was Yuki??
She appeared to be doing very intense weight training that revolved around doing a wall sit, without a wall, while carrying several heavy weights. Kai on the other hand was doing a plank while multiple weights were being constantly being added on his back by Ikkaku.
Sweat was constantly dripping down his face, as he turned not red from embarrassment but from the pain.
"200 KILOGRAMS ON YOUR BACK! NOW DO A PUSH UP!"
He instantly fell, while the weights toppled off his body making him fall unconscious. Shido and Shinten tried to quickly leave, but Ikkaku instantly noticed them.
"LOOK AT THAT GIRL! SHE'S BEEN HOLDING THAT POSITION WHILE CARRYING 500 KILO'S IN EACH HAND, AND ON HER LAP! YOUR NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU CAN DO EVEN A FRACTION OF THAT!"
Realizing how much of a mistake it was coming there, the two tried to run away but Ikkaku quickly caught up to them.
3 hours later, Kai weakly woke up only to find Yuki still in that same position as when she started only now with slightly less weights, and Shido with Shinten both doing the same weight training he did a couple hours prior to falling unconscious.
Ikkaku returned from a trip outside with stacks and stacks of bento boxes.
"A strong body needs lots of food to power it. Eat your fill and take a rest."
He put the boxes down before quickly leaving to do other things. The second he left, the three jumped at the boxes and promptly began to feast on them.
Yuki on the other hand, calmly put down the weights before sprinting towards the three, and then swatting them away with relative ease. She ended up hogging all the remaining bento's to herself while munching on the with beast like hunger.
The other three tried to fight Yuki for them, but they were easily defeated. Shinten grabbed a hold of a wooden training sword and prepared to attack her, but Yuki threw two chopsticks into each of his eyes before throwing an empty bento box at his forehead.
Shido started to plead with her, "WAIT- WAIT! CALM DOWN!"
But instead of speaking or ignoring him like her usual self, she just hissed at him instead. For some reason, Shido felt as if he could relate to the hunger in her eyes.
Taking this opportunity, Kai jumped on top of her, while strangling her from behind.
"NICE DISTRACTION SHIDO! I'LL SUFFOCATE HER!"
Yuki grabbed onto Kai's arms before promptly throwing him outside the dojo, destroying the entrances doors in the process.
--2 hours later
Ikkaku returned back to his dojo only too see an unconscious Kai sleeping on the floor next to broken slider doors. He entered his dojo only to see empty bento boxes scatted everywhere while Yuki just kept swinging a wooden training sword.
"What the hell happened while I was gone?"
Yuki put her sword down and bowed,
"Good evening master Ikkaku."
"Eh- it doesn't matter, let's see how much you've improved."
She immediately picked her sword back up, and lunged at Ikkaku, who dodged the first strike with relative ease.
A she released a barrage of sword strikes, all missing Ikkaku with a hairs breath which made him panic a little. Just before one of the strikes could hit him, he accidently stepped onto an open bento box on the floor and fell down, allowing him to dodge the incoming strike by sheer chance.
Taking this opportunity, he opened the palm of his hand before slamming it into Yuki's stomach, sending her flying across the dojo.
She gently landed on her two feet, as she blocked it with her sword just in time.
Ikkaku was sweating as he thought, "Too close. Way too close."
Yuki was panting hard but she still had enough stamina to fight. Ikkaku analyzed her form, and saw that it was slightly weaker than before, but way better compared to when she join the dojo.
"You came to this place after you lost to that 3rd year correct? You've improved since then, but laziness will make you weak."
"Then I'll just keep fighting again and again."
"I like your style!"
He immediately picked up a nearby wooden sword, before taking on his student once more. The power of their clash was enough to wake up Shido and Shinten who were unconscious on the ground earlier.
"Lets get out of here while we have the chance.", Shido whispered to Shinten.
But instead he looked at the two intently.
"Its beautiful. The speed at which they are clashing, and the skills behind each movement, its so stunning. I really want to fight too."
Something sparked within Shinten that day. His admiration for their sword play would lead him to develop a new passion for Zanjutsu. A passion and hunger which would one day rival Kenpachi Zaraki.