
Sagamiyama - Komori Sweets Shop - Testing Ground!?
Mid-Morning
There was only one way to describe events so far- and it was undeniably as a whirlwind of activity. They went from gathering out front to challenging their trainer in short enough order that Darius barely even had time to hand out the burritos he'd made! He did, of course, hand them out anyway, during the brief stint they spent at the table in the back of the shop. Eggs, chorizo, cheese, peppers and onions all wrapped up in hearty tortillas. The finest Tex-Mex Breakfast Burritos to be found outside of the States, and all the energy and balanced carbs, proteins and vitamins a gaggle of growing kids could ask for in a convenient, walk-and-eat package! It was just a shame they had a whopping three or four minutes to scarf them down, and no more.
Thankfully, Darius had a lifetime of practice eating fast, and by the time they were introduced, shown their new... Tap-and-Reaps? Combat Passes? Whatever they were to be called, by the time they were doled out and the group was hustled down into the clearly-bunker-adjacent basement, the aging soldier at least had managed to chow down, and he went about following the instructions they were given with the contentment and energy that came with a full belly.
In that manner, he found himself once again in his spirit form, facing down an opponent he had the looming feeling they had absolutely no business facing down. He had felt the power of those Hollows last night- felt the pulsing, rippling force that radiated from every clash between Ouga and Regalhorn, and seen how the Soul Reaper dealt with swathes of the lesser Hollows that had been such a struggle on their own for himself and the other substitutes. He knew they were leagues below the man, and the knowledge that he was unlikely to actually kill any of them was slim comfort in the face of a thorough beating. And yet... Here was a chance to do just as he'd said. To get a little stronger, to step up to the rising challenges, and find purpose again. He would be as foolish to turn it down as he would be to take a brazen approach- So a cautious approach it would have to be.
As Bakuto charged in with his trademark recklessness, Darius followed, though not quite so quickly- Intent on lending his support, and lending some cleverness to what would otherwise be an all out assault. He reached again for that feeling of power, drawing on his reiryoku, weaving it into a now familiar hado. Fūsa, the barricade of light that had served so well as a shield the night before. This time, it would be a wall to corner Ouga against, brought into being behind the Soul Reaper with a slash of his hand to keep the man from retreating under Bakuto's attack. Then, a heartbeat after the youth made that followup thrust, Darius lunged between him and Ouga, zanpakuto drawn and braced against his forearm, arms up and tight against his face and chest; Clearly, he intended to take any punishment Ouga meant to lay out on the others, interposing himself between them, bunkered down defensively and trying to crowd the Reaper back against the wall of his creation. Half crouched and braced, he favored the Reaper with a grim grin.
"Don't think I'm fast enough to threaten you much, big guy, but I got a feeling I can take what you can dish while they do the cutting. Don't you hold back, now- Let's see how long it takes you to get tired!"
There was plenty of room, of course, for the others to crowd in around the sides, or to try and strike from above- they'd have a far better shot at wearing Ouga down together, after all.