Unfortunately, Kazuma had already seen it coming.
There was no chance she could outrun him unless she suddenly turned into an exceptionally agile flea.
"Bakudō #4: Hainawa."
Just as Rukia took her first step, Kazuma flicked his arm.
A glowing rope shot from his hand and wrapped around both her and Ichigo's arms and legs.
In the blink of an eye, their limbs were bound as tightly as if heavy iron chains had locked them in place.
Both of them toppled to the floor.
Tetsuzaemon, Orihime, Uryū, and Chad stared at the sudden scene in stunned silence.
Then, as though by silent agreement, all four calmly looked away.
Their eyes lowered, their faces blank, their whole posture screaming that they wanted absolutely nothing to do with this.
Uryū even started whistling innocently.
The relaxed little tune made a sharp contrast with the heavy atmosphere in the room.
Kazuma glanced first at Rukia, letting his gaze linger on her a moment before turning to Ichigo, who was desperately wriggling across the floor.
A deeply kind — and utterly terrifying — smile appeared on Kazuma's face as he walked toward him.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Ichigo roared in frustration while squirming like a trapped worm.
"It's only Bakudō number four! There's no way something this basic should hold me!"
No matter how fiercely he struggled, though, the seemingly thin rope stayed harder than steel. It kept him firmly pinned without loosening in the slightest.
Rukia, meanwhile, had gone white.
She knew better than anyone that escaping a restraint cast by Kazuma was pure fantasy. There wasn't the slightest chance.
Kazuma strolled over and stopped beside Ichigo.
He wrapped one end of his sash around the boy's wrists and tied a firm knot.
Then he walked to the center of the room and secured the other end around one of the ceiling beams with the practiced precision of an experienced craftsman.
Just like that, poor Ichigo was hauled into the air.
His feet dangled above the floor as his body swayed gently from side to side.
"You bastard! Put me down!"
Ichigo flopped around in midair like a fish on a line.
Once he'd finished hanging him up, Kazuma casually picked up the Zanpakutō lying on the floor.
He examined it, tested its weight in his hand, and frowned, apparently unsatisfied.
His eyes wandered around the room in search of a better tool. He looked over the piles of odds and ends in the corners, then at the various swords hanging along the walls, but nothing seemed quite right.
"Tetsuzaemon!"
Kazuma suddenly called out as inspiration struck.
"I remember there are plenty of thorny bamboo plants in the courtyard. Go cut two good switches for me."
His smile turned ominous.
"Today, I'm treating our guests to a fresh serving of bamboo."
"Captain, perhaps we should—"
Tetsuzaemon tried to step in as peacemaker, but Kazuma cut him off with a low grunt.
"Hmm?"
That single sound hit Tetsuzaemon like thunder.
Kazuma stared straight at him, his gaze seeming to pierce right through him.
"A teacher disciplining his students is perfectly natural. Wouldn't you agree?"
His calm voice carried an authority that allowed no argument.
Tetsuzaemon shivered and swallowed the plea already forming on his lips.
All he could do was silently pray for Ichigo and Rukia, hoping they'd suffer a little less.
"Well? Why are you still standing there?"
Seeing his lieutenant frozen in place, Kazuma told him to hurry up and fetch the bamboo.
Tetsuzaemon no longer dared delay. He turned and rushed into the courtyard.
Once there, he began looking over the many bamboo plants for suitable switches.
He searched left and right, inspecting each stalk carefully.
He was terrified of picking one too thin or too whippy, since a flexible little switch would only make the punishment hurt more.
After a painstaking search, he finally chose two relatively thick pieces of thorny bamboo.
They were still far from gentle, but next to the thinner options, they might at least offer the two unfortunate students a small mercy.
...
"Haha, excellent! Very nice! This will make the switch much easier to use!"
Kazuma excitedly swung the long, slender strip of thorny bamboo through the air, cutting one sharp arc after another.
Even then he didn't seem entirely satisfied. His brows drew together as he studied it critically.
After a moment, he reluctantly picked up one of his precious bottles of wine and carefully poured a little over the bamboo.
The clear liquid soaked slowly into the switch, and a rich smell of alcohol spread through the room.
"You bastard! Stay away from me! I was wrong! I'll never laugh at you again!"
Ichigo thrashed like a terrified rabbit, swinging his body desperately from side to side.
His normally handsome face had twisted with terror, and tears were already gathering in his eyes.
"Awwwwwwwwww!"
"Arghhhhhhh!"
Kazuma showed no mercy.
The bamboo switch came down on Ichigo in a relentless storm, every strike producing a crisp crack followed by another agonized howl.
Poor Ichigo began spinning like a top under the force of the blows, his suspended body turning helplessly in midair.
His miserable screams filled the entire office, making everyone's skin crawl.
After exactly two and a half minutes, the howling finally faded.
Kazuma lowered him, and Ichigo collapsed onto the floor like a deflated balloon.
Rukia had already started trembling.
When she saw Kazuma slowly turning toward her, terror filled her eyes.
Sure enough, he showed no hesitation. He hauled her into the air and repeated everything he'd just done to Ichigo.
Rukia's piercing screams rang through the room for another full two and a half minutes.
By the time Kazuma lowered her, she was lying beside Ichigo, too weak to do anything but whimper.
Their torn shihakushō revealed vivid red welts across their bodies — the handiwork of the thorny bamboo.
Orihime, Uryū, and Chad sat nearby without daring to breathe too loudly.
All three stayed perfectly still, terrified that the slightest movement might draw Kazuma's attention and earn them the same treatment.
"Ah, that felt wonderful!"
Kazuma looked thoroughly refreshed, his body trembling faintly as though he'd just finished an immensely satisfying battle.
"It's been far too long since I gave someone a proper beating. Nothing compares to this feeling!"
Once he'd calmed down a little, Kazuma slowly turned toward Orihime, Chad, and Uryū.
A faint smile rested on his face, but something about it sent a chill through all three of them.
"So, tell me. Was I wrong to do that?"
His voice sounded gentle, yet an invisible pressure settled over the room.
"You were absolutely right, Sensei! There wasn't a single problem with anything you did!"
"Yes, exactly! Your handling of the situation was flawless. No one could possibly criticize it!"
Orihime and the others froze for an instant, then nodded furiously.
They swallowed nervously as they spoke, afraid that answering too slowly — or giving the wrong answer — would get them strung up next.
"Good."
Kazuma nodded in satisfaction.
"Since everyone agrees I did nothing wrong, we can consider the matter settled. However…"
His gaze returned to Rukia and Ichigo.
Both of them immediately felt something sharp pressing between their shoulder blades.
The faint warning in Kazuma's eyes made their hearts tremble.