Phantasmagoria: The Struggle

Synopsis
After the events of the Winter War, Soifon has stepped down from her position as Captain of the 2nd Division and Onmitsukido. Yagami has been chosen as her successor, and must do battle with another Captain to achieve Captaincy. This is because Yagami does not yet possess Bankai and therefore must prove his worth. The Gotei 13 Captains along with their Supreme Commander are the audience, watching as this battle unfolds.

The Soothing Hand vs the Wavering Sword
He had suspected that he would be do battle against one of the Captains, but he was quite surprised, even if he outwardly didn't show it, that he would be fighting against none other than...

4th Division Captain Unohana Retsu.

He recalled the numerous rumors regarding her fearsome swordsmanship, and her mastery of kido. She was also one of the oldest of the captains, having been the first and only Captain of the 4th Division for well over 2,000 years. But no matter, whether he won or lost today, he would test himself against all the gods and demons that were to come thereafter.

She stepped into the fighting area with the grace of a goddess, her hair uncharacteristically braided behind her back, with her nodachi secured to her right, her eyes closed and a soft smile adorned on her face. She was beautiful, radiant like an angel, one wouldn't think that someone so warm, and soft-spoken would be one of the strongest Captains in all of Soul Society. She came to stop, her eyes opening gazing into his own. She slowly nodded, and it was then he knew that their battle was about to begin.

With this in mind Yagami settled into a low stance his right hand overing over the hilt of his sword. She drew her sword and prepared herself. She stepped into a kendo kata.

No words were spoken. Unohana simply disappeared, Yagami flickered, a brief after-image in his wake, clashing swords an instant later.

It's the hardest and most dangerous battle of his entire life.

Unohana Retsu's level of mastery in Kido was beyond the scope of anything he could have anticipated. No incantations, not even the name of the spell are spoken as she unleashed wave after wave of spells. Almost casually destructive spells numbering 80 and higher litter the battlefield as Yagami desperately manages a defense from the onslaught. Several times he nearly finds himself falling into her traps. Her plans were simple, brutal and efficient. Bakudo complimenting Hado creating this labyrinth of Kido that would have obliterated any other.

But Yagami was unlike other Shinigami.

Despite the overwhelming disadvantage he had in Kido, his knowledge and mastery were literally a thousand years too early to match the might of Unohana Retsu. He didnt have the raw skill or experience as she did in swordsmanship, he didnt have the complete utter mastery in kido, and his spiritual power was barely even half of her own. But he was a master when it came to deception and misdirection.

Yagami skillfully weaved his web, nothing more than a flicker across the battlefield, countering her own destructive spells with layered Bakudo, using after-images to confuse her and using his own slew of kido to force her into using the spells he wanted her to use, setting her up for his own trap.

Finally he forces her to abandon her offense as the bakudo he littered across the battlefield begin to systematically activate unleashing a barrage of hado he had hidden in them. Instantly he closes the gap, pressing his advantage as he engages her melee.

But like a true Captain, Unohana proves that she is not a force to be trifled with. Having prepared her a trap of her own, Yagami contends with an onslaught of lightning quick attacks that could shatter mountains whole, along with Hado released one after another when the opportunity presents itself.

Despite this, Yagami still manages to press the the attack, evading her spells with speeds expected of the next Captain of the Onmitsukido and 2nd Division. As they engage in swordsmanship once more, Yagami finally realizes why her sword skills are feared throughout Soul Society.

To him it was as though he were battling an ancient demon god of combat, her attacks nothing more than a faint blur of steel, with frightening precision and unrelenting ferocity. The gap in skill between them is obvious, yet Yagami isnt deferred. He capitalizes on the advantages he does have, switching from stance to stance forcing her to reanalyze his fighting style each time, never giving her enough time to find his rhythm. His skill in battoujutsu is enough to close the gap in speed, and his mastery in feints are enough to allow him to capitalize on her moments of weakness.

Its one of the longest battles for Captaincy in Soul Society, its intensity only increasing as time passed. Yagami has consistently surprised his opponent and the spectators watching with his complex strategies, and deceptive abilities, managing to hold his own for so long against one of Soul Society's strongest Captains.

His body completely covered in wounds, Yagami is once again reminded that Unohana Retsu is also the Captain of the 4th Division, as she once again heals the wounds on her body. His durability and endurance are a testament to his sheer strength of will, as the wounds he's suffered would have killed any other save for the Kenpachi.

But despite his injuries he is still managing to fight at full strength with seemingly no regard for the damage inflicted upon him.

(under construction)

Behind the Scenes

 * This is an attempt to write a battle from the 3rd party perspective. Ive seen battles written in this manner and some have turned out quite good, despite the lack of intricate details. And I'm a big Unohana fan, so forgive me if she comes off as ungodly powerful.