As Urahara spoke, he used his Zanpakuto, which he used as a crutch, to lightly scratch the hard rock ground. A standard circle appeared between the two of them, with a diameter of no more than four meters.
He stepped into the circle, leaning on his cane-sword, and looked at Sasuke with a smile.
"Let's start with the most basic Zanjutsu."
He waved the fan in his hand as he announced the rules, "During the following test, I will not draw my sword, and I will absolutely not step out of this circle."
"As long as Sasuke-kun can use the sword in your hand to force me to step out of this circle, or make me actively draw the sword inside this cane…"
He pointed at his feet with his fan, "…then you win. How about that?"
Sasuke's eyes instantly turned cold.
'Not drawing his sword? Not leaving the circle?'
He looked at the leisurely Urahara inside the circle, and a flame of anger at being looked down upon rose from the depths of his heart.
"Are you underestimating me?" Sasuke's voice carried a chill.
"Oh my, how could that be?"
Urahara quickly waved his hands, but the smile on his face didn't diminish in the slightest, "I just want to understand your Zanjutsu level in the most intuitive way, Sasuke-kun."
"After all, for a genius like you, ordinary tests are meaningless, right?"
These words sounded like flattery.
Sasuke stopped wasting words and responded with action.
His figure left an afterimage in its original spot. The next instant, he was already behind Urahara. The Zanpakuto in his hand moved silently, aiming straight for a vital point.
Urahara, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, didn't turn around. His body merely shifted slightly to the side. The folding fan in his hand snapped open and lightly tapped Sasuke's blade.
Ding…
With a slight sound, Sasuke only felt a clever force transmitted along the blade. Then, his sword uncontrollably slid to the side, grazing past Urahara's clothes.
Urahara teased, "Arara, Sasuke-kun, your blade path seems a bit off. Were you trying to attack the air to my left?"
Missing with one strike, Sasuke immediately withdrew and activated Shunpo again. He launched a storm-like assault around the small circle.
But no matter how fierce his attacks were, Urahara never left the circle.
The folding fan in his hand now seemed to transform into the most agile butterfly.
Sometimes it lightly deflected, neutralizing Sasuke's direct thrusts; other times it guided along, diverting his slashes.
Every contact was perfectly timed.
"Hmm, good speed. But with only speed, you can't cut anyone, you know."
These words were like sharp needles, constantly pricking Sasuke's already taut nerves.
His attacks grew increasingly frantic, and his breathing began to become disordered.
'Why?'
'Why can't I kill him?!'
'He's right in front of me. I'm pushing my speed to the limit. Why can't I even touch his clothes?!'
This sense of powerlessness made the irritation and anger in Sasuke's heart burn hotter and hotter.
"Shut up!"
Sasuke let out a suppressed roar. Reiatsu erupted from his body without reservation, and his speed increased yet another notch!
This was his purest strike.
However, the moment he launched his attack, a glint of light flashed in Urahara's eyes, which had been half-closed.
He didn't retreat but advanced instead. The fan in his hand slid up along Sasuke's blade at a bizarre angle.
Then, he flipped his wrist and used the end of the fan's ribs to deliver a measured tap to Sasuke's sword-wielding wrist.
Sasuke only felt a numbness in his wrist. A strange vibrating sensation spread throughout his body along his arm, causing him to instantly lose control of his Zanpakuto.
Ding!
A crisp sound.
Sasuke's Zanpakuto flew out of his hand, drew an arc in the air, and stuck into the rocky ground outside the circle, the blade still trembling.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Sasuke stood dumbfounded before the circle, frozen in his sword-swinging posture, but his hands were now empty.
He looked at his empty right hand, then at the still-smiling man inside the circle.
Urahara slowly closed his fan and lightly tapped his own shoulder with the fan's ribs, a 'troubled' expression on his face.
"It seems I've won this first round, Sasuke-kun."
"It's not over yet!"
Sasuke let out a low roar. The humiliation of being disarmed made him completely lose his composure.
He refused to accept it!
If the sword wouldn't work, then he'd use his fists!
His figure vanished again. Abandoning retrieving his Zanpakuto, he directly used Shunpo to charge at Urahara. A heavy fist imbued with Reiatsu aimed straight for the other party's face.
Facing Sasuke's almost sneak attack, Urahara still had a composed smile on his face.
He merely raised his left hand, seemingly casually meeting it head-on.
Just as Sasuke's fist was about to hit his palm, Urahara's wrist strangely twisted, completely diverting the force from Sasuke's punch.
"Interesting Hakuda."
Urahara's voice sounded by his ear, carrying a tone of research, "It seems overly reliant on brute force, resulting in too many openings."
Sasuke was greatly alarmed. He forcibly twisted his body, his left leg whipping through the air with a sharp sound towards Urahara's lower body.
However, Urahara's movements were faster than his.
With just a light step backward, he easily dodged the sweeping leg.
The hand that had been behind his back all along accurately grabbed Sasuke's sweeping ankle.
"Got you."
He chuckled softly, his arm suddenly exerting force. Using Sasuke's ankle as a pivot, he pulled and twisted it along!
Sasuke's entire body was uncontrollably flung out, landing heavily on the rocky ground outside the circle.
The Hakuda test was over.
This time, Sasuke didn't even have the strength to get up.
From Zanjutsu to Hakuda, his proud speed and strength were defeated before the other.
The immense impact left his mind blank.
The underground training ground fell silent once more.
Urahara slowly walked to Sasuke's side, looking down at the young man lying on the ground, radiating unwillingness.
"Shall we continue?" Urahara's voice was calm.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, not answering, trying to push himself up, but ultimately collapsing powerlessly.
Seeing him like this, Urahara slowly crouched down, meeting his gaze at eye level.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
He called his full name with such seriousness for the first time.
"Your talent is very strong."
Urahara's tone was sincere, "Whether it's your reaction speed or your combat intuition, they far surpass ordinary people."
He changed his tone, his voice becoming serious.
"However, your weaknesses are equally fatal. Your Zanjutsu and Hakuda are like wild, unrefined techniques. They have the form but lack the most solid foundation."
"Your speed is fast, but not fast enough. All of this makes your attacks appear crude and easy to see through."
"And even more deadly than that is your heart."
"You are too easily affected by emotions. The fight just now is the best proof."
"A person who cannot control their own emotions, no matter how much talent they possess, can never become a true powerhouse."
---
Check out My Patreon For 40+ Advanced Chapters:
Pat reon.com/IamPoorGuyToo