"Alright, get up."
"You didn't just lose because of skill, but because of your mindset. A disturbed mind only exposes more flaws. Reflect properly!"
Saitō Yūichi picked up the wooden sword that had landed by his feet and tossed it with a pat onto the slanting-haired student.
Having sparred with Suō Tsukasa, he knew that the young man had held back at least seventy percent of his strength throughout the match; otherwise, the slanting-haired student would have lost faster and more miserably.
His words offered no comfort. He had no habit of coddling students, nor any obligation to carefully protect their fragile self-esteem.
On the arduous path to becoming a Shinigami at the Shin'ō Academy, they had to figure out for themselves how to learn and extract lessons from failure.
He was a teacher, not a nanny, nor the students' biological father. If he had a son like that, he would have strangled him long ago.
"It would be closer if a son of mine was like Suō Tsukasa."
Saitō Yūichi looked at Suō Tsukasa, who had retreated to the side of the arena, with an admiring gaze, this thought uncontrollably popping into his mind.
That steady stride, that calm demeanor.
A genius, a genius among geniuses, purely.
Not only was his talent extraordinary, but his mental fortitude also surpassed his peers by a significant margin.
That terrifyingly solid foundation could not have been achieved by talent alone; it must have been accumulated through countless hours of sweat and effort.
"Maybe I should find a wife and have one."
Saitō Yūichi, who had been single for most of his life and always kept company with sake, experienced this utterly preposterous thought for the first time, finding it somewhat inexplicable even to himself.
The slanting-haired student who had been reprimanded moved his lips, but ultimately failed to utter a sound.
He knew he might lose, but he hadn't expected to lose so poorly.
He simply picked up his sword, crawled up from the ground in a state of disarray, found an isolated spot in the corner, and buried his face in his arms out of shame.
"Is that clear to everyone?!"
Reining in his wandering thoughts, Saitō Yūichi turned to the entire body of students and shouted loudly.
The sudden roar instantly silenced the students who had been secretly discussing the previous spar. They all straightened their backs and nodded in acknowledgment.
"When you grip the sword, don't harbor any extra emotions! Focus your entire mind on the blade!"
"Resume sparring!"
He commanded, his stern gaze sweeping over the remaining members of the Advanced Group who hadn't taken the floor yet.
Upon the command, the training hall instantly returned to its previous order, though the air was noticeably heavier than before.
The students taking the floor looked solemn and serious, sparring with all their might, driven by the mindset of cutting down their opponent even if it cost them their lives.
The plight of the slanting-haired student was a fresh memory; no one wanted to be the next person publicly reprimanded and utterly humiliated in front of everyone.
Soon, the sparring among the Advanced Group members concluded, and the last pair of students retreated to the side.
Saitō Yūichi stood to one side of the center with his sword and spoke to Suō Tsukasa nearby.
"Suō, step forward."
"Yes."
Hearing the call, Suō Tsukasa calmly walked to the center and stopped opposite Saitō Yūichi.
"You will spar with me next."
"Don't worry, I will control my strength during the match."
"You only need to exert your full power, let me see your true capacity."
Elite class students had privileges, and the elite among the elite naturally received different treatment, warranting him personally engaging in instruction.
As Saitō Yūichi spoke, he held his sword in his right hand and took a stance, beckoning to Suō Tsukasa with his left hand.
"Forgive my intrusion."
"Hoo—."
Suō Tsukasa's eyes suddenly sharpened. His right foot abruptly stepped forward onto the ground, bringing the sword over his head as he lightly adjusted his breathing.
He once again adopted the Jōdan-no-kamae stance, representing an all-out offense, his gaze and spiritual pressure firmly locked onto Saitō Yūichi in front of him.
"Come—!"
A sharp light flashed in Saitō Yūichi's eyes, and he roared encouragingly.
The moment the words fell, Suō Tsukasa moved!
When charging at an overwhelming enemy, you only need to grip the hilt tightly and coordinate your breathing.
Uniting mind and body, launch a full-force attack at the moment of peak mental concentration.
To the onlookers, Suō Tsukasa's figure vanished, transforming into a blue-black lightning bolt that struck at Saitō Yūichi.
The two wooden swords clashed without flourish, emitting a deep, powerful explosion.
The resulting air blast radiated out from the point of impact, ruffling the hair of nearby students.
Under the heavy impact, the swords in their hands remained intact. They had already implicitly used their spiritual pressure to protect the blades from snapping.
Suō Tsukasa felt a force as steady as a mountain transmit from the blade, brutally halting his forward momentum.
Using the recoil to retreat half a step, he flipped his wrist, instantly transitioning the wooden sword from a cleave to a horizontal slash aimed at Saitō Yūichi's throat.
Saitō Yūichi's posture was solid. He twisted his blade, precisely deflecting the horizontal slash with a simple motion, devoid of any unnecessary movement.
"Excellent! Consecutive offense! Again!"
He instructed, though his eyes grew sharper.
Suō Tsukasa was completely focused, fully immersed in the clash with the powerful opponent.
His footwork moved swiftly and nimbly around Saitō Yūichi.
At the same time, his black eyes rotated rapidly, searching for any possible openings as Saitō Yūichi moved.
Dō-giri (chest cut), Kesagiri (diagonal cut), Left Chiburi (wrist cut), Right Kesa-age (upward diagonal cut)...
A barrage of slashes from various directions flowed seamlessly in his hands, his offense pouring out like mercury across the floor.
Yet, Saitō Yūichi was like a rock in a stormy sea, remaining absolutely unyielding.
His movements were minimal yet accurate, neutralizing Suō Tsukasa's fierce attacks one by one.
"Adjust your breathing and footwork! The connection between your moves can be faster!"
"Left flank! Your left flank defense reveals a momentary gap after your attack!"
"And feints! Don't just attack relentlessly, learn to use deceptive moves to create opportunities!"
Saitō Yūichi's instructional voice resonated through the training hall from time to time, every piece of advice hitting a critical point.
Suō Tsukasa, like a thirsty sponge, frantically absorbed this invaluable experience gained in actual combat.
He continuously adjusted and improved his movements while on the offensive.
The sidelines fell silent instantly. This instructional spar captivated all the surrounding students, making them forget to even breathe.
The slanting-haired student had long since looked up, all his superfluous emotions like unwillingness and shame thoroughly washed away, his gaze firmly fixed on Suō Tsukasa's figure.
"Suō, he's this strong!"
Only Tōshirō Hitsugaya could see the exchange between the two most clearly.
He looked at Suō Tsukasa's figure with a sense of stagnation, finally grasping the immense gulf that existed between himself and a true master.
This realization did not discourage him; instead, it instantly solidified his resolve.
Casting aside all distractions, he concentrated entirely on observing this rare confrontation, trying to extract every ounce of precious experience from it.
"Good, again!"
Saitō Yūichi watched Suō Tsukasa's movements become increasingly precise under his guidance, his appreciation almost overflowing.
He could sense that Suō Tsukasa's potential was far from fully reached.
He gradually increased the strength in his hand and broadened the arc of his swings, utilizing this method to further push out Suō Tsukasa's potential.