-------
Chapter - 16: Avalon
-------
"I'll be the one to train you while Kisuke fully recovers from your fight," Yoruichi told me with a predatory smile that, honestly, I didn't mind at all.
"I'm sorry for Hat-n-Clogs," I replied, trying not to sound too relieved.
"Sure you are," she shot back with a light laugh. "After you basically used him as a punching bag, I'm sure your remorse runs real deep." I just shrugged in response — couldn't really argue with her there.
Then she got serious. Her eyes locked onto me. "From what I saw during your match, you've got solid fundamentals. You pair them with a strong natural instinct, and that lets you make smart decisions even under pressure. That's why you kept your distance from Kisuke, right? You knew he'd outmatch you in close combat."
I nodded.
"…Yeah, it felt like the smartest move at the time, since I had the sense that if I got too close, he could've taken me down easily." It was true — especially once he released his Zanpakutō and started using Flash Step.
"It wasn't a bad choice," she went on. "In fact, it shows maturity. But…"She paused, folding her arms under her chest, emphasizing her cleavage.
I knew she was doing it on purpose, just to distract me. And it worked.
"Your close-quarters combat is mediocre. Or rather, it is compared to the opponents you'll be facing in the future. And you rely too much on your Reiryoku — like it can cover every technical gap you've got."
"More or less…" I answered, staring at my hand."But I figured it was enough for now, since my wings are so adaptable in a fight."
"It doesn't work like that," Yoruichi snapped back with theatrical flair, raising one finger like she was delivering a universal truth."Your wings are without doubt a complex ability to counter — not only do they absorb your own Reiryoku, but also the Reishi in the environment around you. But against stronger opponents, your options shrink fast. And believe me, there are many ways to neutralize you."
I stayed quiet. I waited. I knew she liked to talk — especially when she knew she was right about something.
"So…" she took a step forward, her gaze fixed on me."If you want to survive, you need to become deadly at close range too. You need to be the kind of fighter that, once someone's in your space, they never want to try getting rid of you. Because by then, it's already too late."
She paused again. For a moment, she stood still, almost contemplative. Then that predatory smile crept back onto her lips. "That's why… today I'm going to teach you how to hit. How to dodge. And most of all, how to win — even when you've got no powers, no tricks. Just your body. Just yourself."
She cracked her neck with a smooth motion and took her stance."Get ready. I'm going to break you. Rebuild you. Until I like what I see~~"
I gave her a faint smile, eyes never leaving hers. "Don't give me a reason to enjoy this." My voice was low, steady. "Because I will surpass your expectations."
...
Yoruichi's movements were fast and precise, each strike executed with a mastery that pushed my ability to keep up. I moved through the katas alongside her, trying to replicate her flow with the same smoothness.
The training area we were in had been sealed off by Kisuke, who had used some Kido to further increase the gravity. A detail that was making me sweat more than I should've.
The air around us felt heavier, and every strike I threw took more effort than normal. Even my Blut, which I had learned to control by now, wasn't enough to completely counteract the effects of the intensified gravity.
As we continued, Yoruichi threw a question at me."You know what Hakuda is?" I shook my head, trying to keep my rhythm without losing focus.
"In short, it's the hand-to-hand combat of the Shinigami. But in truth, there's much more to it." A smile curved her lips as she spoke."Hakuda has a long history — much older than your human ancestors could ever imagine. It was developed before your kind even figured out how to make fire."
I raised an eyebrow, but the skepticism didn't last long. From what I remembered, the Soul Society had existed for tens of thousands of years—perhaps even longer if one considered the Soul King—while the Seireitei was a much more recent creation
If anyone knew what they were talking about, it was her. "Killing Hollows is easy for those with enough power," her voice turned more serious. "But purifying them... that's another story. Zanpakutō allow us to do that, obviously."
"But you didn't always have Zanpakutō," I noted, understanding where she was going.
"No, exactly," Yoruichi murmured. "Soul Society had the Way of the Spirit, but it wasn't enough. Kidō couldn't handle everything. That's how Hakuda was born."
Thrust. Hook. Knife-hand. Side kick.
Her strikes came in a fast sequence, and I did my best to keep up. The sound of my fists cutting through the air mixed with my breath, sharp and steady.
"At first glance, it looks like just another martial art," Yoruichi paused to watch me. "You use your body to inflict damage." I nodded, focused on the motions.
"How?" I asked.
She looked at me in a strange way. "You should already know. You make it look easy — or rather, you use it instinctively in every fight I've seen you in against Hollows."
But I knew exactly what she meant. "Reiatsu," I said, beating her to the explanation.
"Exactly." She laughed softly. "Willpower becomes tangible power — the Reiatsu of a soul. It's not just your energy. It's the deciding factor that determines whether your strength reaches your opponent."
Yeah. I knew that all too well. The battles in Bleach always centered around using Reiatsu to overwhelm enemies — and I'd had to do the same just to keep up.
Yoruichi increased the pace. She pushed me to go past my limits, which honestly, I was more than fine with — all of it only served to enhance my Blut further.
"One of the ancestors of a noble clan called Shiba refined and distilled every movement of Hakuda to make it as effective as possible. These are the basic katas. And apparently, someone's already drilled them into you."
She said it just as the tempo of her attacks picked up even more.
My Reiryoku responded with urgency, forcing me to react in order to stay in sync. And with little surprise, I realized she was right — these movements were already etched into my body, like I had always known them.
Yoruichi chuckled. "Teaching Hakuda to a kid... You know this technique was designed to kill beings who are virtually immortal, right?" She laughed again before stopping abruptly and putting her hands on her hips. "Ah... lucky you didn't get into any serious fights before today. You would've wrecked them."
She clapped her hands twice, and the gravity effect dissipated.
I inhaled deeply, raising my arms and lacing my fingers above my head as I tried to catch my breath. My gaze drifted along my body, noticing how the Blut had activated on its own, wrapping around me almost by instinct, like it was trying to protect me — push me further.
"You weren't kidding," I murmured through short breaths, trying to regain my balance.
"Well… maybe I slightly overdid it." Yoruichi held her hand up, thumb and index finger just barely apart. "But only a little. And considering you're still on your feet, I'd say you can handle whatever I throw at you."
Then, with a more serious tone, she added: "You'll need to be careful once your healing starts becoming noticeable. You don't want your little sisters starting to worry, right?"
I smirked with that lazy sarcasm that came naturally to me. "For someone who was beating me into the ground a few minutes ago, you sound surprisingly concerned."
She scoffed. "Oh, don't be a kid." With a jump, she passed me, her ponytail snapping in front of my face like a soft whip. "Before we clean up, let's do a bit of grappling."
Her gaze was clear, confident. No empty provocation — just raw instinct and challenge. I nodded, calmly tightening my hands.
No words. Just readiness.
"Perfect," she said with a crooked smile. "Come on, try grabbing this ass of mine you've been sneaking glances at since we got here." She turned slightly, amusement playing at her lips. "I promise — touching it's way better than just looking~~"
I lunged forward without thinking, blood already pumping, an arrogant grin plastered across my face. "Careful what you offer… I might just keep it for myself."
...
Of course, she won. The outcome was never really in doubt. Yoruichi is simply too far ahead of me in close combat.
Her body is a machine built for battle. Mine? Well, I still have a lot to learn… but I promised myself that one day, that ass will be mine.
And I know it won't take too long.
As I step out of the training area, I yawn heavily. Every step reminds me of how far I pushed my body. Muscles burn, joints creak, and even breathing feels like an effort.
As soon as we reach the hot spring area, I don't think twice. I pull off my sweat-soaked shirt, then the rest of my clothes follow. I let them fall near the smooth rocks and slowly sink into the warm water.
A deep sigh escapes my lips. The heat wraps around me and seeps into my tired muscles, as if it's melting away every bit of tension, every ounce of exhaustion.
My skin tingles, but it's a pleasant sensation. I let myself relax a bit more, my chin just above the surface as I enjoy the warmth of the water.
According to Yoruichi, this water isn't just relaxing — it's also therapeutic, strengthening, purifying. One of Kisuke's many successful experiments. Crazy bastard… but brilliant.
"A total maniac," I murmur, "But with taste." I close my eyes. Finally, a good moment of peace.
And then… a voice.
"Ahh~ finally a bit of warmth after all that sweat." My eyes snap open. The water ripples, and from behind a rock emerges Yoruichi… naked, of course.
Her long hair is tied back messily, her shoulders relaxed, her perfectly sculpted body glistening with sweat — the kind you'd love to lick, savoring every muscle of that woman.
She walks with nonchalance to the edge of the spring. Her golden eyes shimmer as she stops to look at me, leaning against a rock like a cat.
Steam wraps around her like a living blanket.
"You looked tense, so I thought I'd join. You need company to enjoy the benefits, right?" She smiles, but behind that smile is clear teasing.
I raise an eyebrow, barely glancing at her. "You would've come in even if I told you no."
Yoruichi shrugs with that fake innocence no one believes. "True~"
I sink further into the water, letting the heat embrace me. "If you thought you'd catch me off guard or make me blush, I'm afraid you'll have to try a bit harder. I'm not that easy to shake."
She bursts out laughing — a real, warm, almost contagious laugh.
"Cheeky as always. It's one of the things I like about you… But now I guess I'll have to raise the level. Play dirty, maybe. That's how you win with someone like you, right?"
With a graceful, fluid motion, she slips into the water. She looks more feline than human. When she stops, she's right in front of me — completely naked.
"Let's see if you can keep that tough guy mask on when I teach you hand-to-hand combat from inside the water~"
My smile falters for a second. "…Wait. What?"
...
It's been three weeks since my fight with Urahara. Since then, I've kept training with them. Nothing flashy, but I've made small steps forward, day by day.
It wasn't easy, since I honestly didn't know how to make real progress with my Fullbring, but I had several ideas in mind that might give me a push forward.
The most important thing, though, is that my models have leveled up. They're all level 5 now. And yeah, that feels pretty damn good. I worked hard to get there, and even if there's still a long road ahead, I finally feel like I'm building something solid.
With Whitebeard's powerset, I can now use the Tremor Fruit.
Not at his level obviously — he was a monster — but I can still manipulate vibrations, enough to make the air around me tremble.
I can focus this force on a specific point, and when I do, it feels like everything starts pushing and pulling chaotically, like a miniature earthquake.
Except it happens in the void — invisible, but devastating. I can trigger it from any part of my body… though yeah, the recoil hurts quite a bit.
I raise my arm and point my finger upward. For a moment, nothing happens. Then I hear a strange sound — a deep vibration passing through me — followed by a sharp snap, like something breaking in the air.
A small transparent sphere, with whitish reflections, appears at the tip of my finger. It vibrates slightly, unstable, like it doesn't know whether to exist or not.
The air around it ripples, warps. It feels like it's giving way, like something is bending the invisible rules that hold space together. The pressure builds. It's like the air itself wants to reject this thing, like the world is trying to defend itself from what I'm summoning.
It's a strange sensation. Powerful. Dangerous.
Even my Haki has improved a lot. I can now say I'm at a decent level — a "serious" user, let's say. Maybe I'm not quite at Luffy's level after the time-skip, but I don't think I'm that far off.
And considering he had two years to train… well, I'm not complaining.
As for Artoria's model, I'm learning to use it a bit better. I'm specializing in controlling the wind from Invisible Air around me for both attack and defense.
Nothing spectacular yet, but it's a start. I know that model has huge potential — it just takes time. And patience. Lots and lots of hours of work.
Ah, and then there's that thing…
In my hand appears a luxurious artifact, made of gold and adorned with blue enamel — so refined it looks more like a symbol of royalty than a weapon.
Avalon – Saber's most powerful defensive Noble Phantasm.
As long as Saber possesses Avalon, she is literally invulnerable, while still being able to fight and deal damage.
However, if wielded by anyone else, Avalon loses its divine magnificence. It simply provides basic defense: passive protection and mild regeneration, without any spectacular display.
Basically, it becomes little more than a simple buff.
This duality makes Avalon, technically speaking, extremely difficult to balance: it's either a "win button" or just an ordinary item.
Merlin himself states that Avalon surpasses even Excalibur in terms of power. Its loss marked one of the most tragic moments for Artoria Pendragon, contributing to her downfall and the fall of King Arthur's kingdom.
In Saber's hands, Avalon manifests as an absolute barrier — impenetrable, perfect, without weaknesses. It can nullify even the destructive power of Ea, the Sword of Annihilation, because once activated, it transports the user to the "Realm of the Fairies," an existence outside the physical world, making them completely untouchable by any attack, magical or physical.
Considered a true manifestation of absolute magic, Avalon is an artifact so powerful that not even the Five True Magics can scratch it. That alone speaks volumes of its scale: a fae-crafted relic, incorruptible, eternal, beyond the limits of human comprehension.
I held it tightly in my hands — the sheath that once housed the sword of kings. With an instinctive gesture, I pressed it against my chest.
As soon as it touched me, it was slowly absorbed, painlessly, as if it had always been destined to return there.
A sense of peace and harmony completely enveloped me, as if I had been immersed in a deep silence, right after the roar of a storm. Every thought, every worry, stilled instantly, as if the entire world had paused.
I lowered my gaze and noticed something strange — but at the same time, surprisingly natural: one of my arms had turned completely white.
The muscles stood out unnaturally, more defined than ever, while the fingers stretched out excessively, becoming almost skeletal. The nails, thin and sharp, looked like those of a demonic creature.
The other arm, instead, was laced with the intricate lines of my Blut, which pulsed like incandescent veins. I lost myself in that feeling — a perfect balance that felt so right, as if it was always meant to be this way.
And that was when a female voice broke the moment — arrogant and almost amused: "Oh, look who finally decided to show up in this world. You've taken your time, haven't you… my King?"
----------
Marvel: I'm Spider-Man in this Damn Reincarnation: 1 advanced chapters
Hybrid Man (Ichigo Si/WC Fic) 1 advanced chapters
Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters
patreon.com/Demon_King22
Chapter- 16: Shocker - Chapter- 17 (Incoming)
Chapter- 17: King
Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown
On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.
If you see any mistakes, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me, so that I can correct them when I have some spare time, and make the story as complete as possible for myself and especially for you.
To facilitate a clearer understanding, I've retained pictures of the respective characters. Your feedback is always valued, and if you have any suggestions for the upcoming chapter, please feel free to comment—I'll be sure to respond as usual.
Please leave a review if you like the story.