Tsukiro went flying back, smashing through several trees before finally skidding through the snow and dirt. One thing was for damn sure. Kotaishi was not fighting fair. Once he had transformed and told Tsukiro that they were basically going to fight to the death (if that was even possible between a zanpakuto and its master), he had moved with such incredible speed that Tsukiro lost sight of him until he was literally right on top of him. Kotaishi had clawed the living hell out of his back before Tsukiro was able to throw him off. However, once he even tried to fight back, Kotaishi had summoned up a rock of ice and kicked it, launching it at meteorite speed at him. The hunk of ice slammed into his torso and sent him smashing through their surroundings.
Unable to breathe, Tsukiro clawed and scratched at the ground, trying to crawl away as he felt Kotaishi’s reiatsu behind him. However it was too late. Kotaishi lifted him up by his haori and threw him into a nearby tree. Once he hit its trunk. Kotaishi slashed his claws through the air and sent waves of ice at him, freezing him to the tree. Tsukiro panicked and struggled as Kotaishi moved closer to him. He tried to convert the ice into water but it wasn’t working fast enough. Kotaishi’s leg snapped up like lightning and kicked him in the chest, sending him breaking through the tree trunk. Tsukiro found the strength in himself to roll out of the way of the falling tree.
“Kotaishi!” Tsukiro gasped for air. “Kotaishi stop now!”
“Sorry. I can’t do that,” Kotaishi shook his head. “It’s this--become stronger--or die out there by the hands of your enemies. Or worse, by the hands of your own personal demons.”
Kotaishi went to kick Tsukiro in the stomach only Tsukiro caught his shin in his hands. He froze Kotaishi’s let in place then formed an ice sword in his free hand. He slashed it up and above him at Kotaishi’s towering figure. Ice flew from the sword and at Kotaishi’s face. The zanpakuto spirit snarled in surprise and Tsukiro shot up and ran off, putting distance between them.
Tsukiro stopped and whipped around. He placed his hand on the blade, shouting, “Bankai! Hyorikka Gyokusho!”
Once transformed himself, Tsukiro pointed the tip of his ice blade at Kotaishi who was still recovering. “Yukihyo no Dokugara!” (“Snow Leopard’s Poison Fangs”)
A swarm of small kunai shot from the blade and flew at Kotaishi. Kotaishi, finally freeing his leg, raised his hand and created a crescent shield around himself. Not one single kunai made it through to him.
“Is that the best you can do against me? I may have taught you everything, but you are much too crafty to not be able to defeat your own zanpakuto in its strongest form!”
Without a word of response, Tsukiro shunpo’ed up into the air and above Kotaishi. He swung his sword at him through the air. “Dengekinami Tsumera!” (“Shockwave Claws”)
Crescent waves of ice descended upon Kotaishi, who merely slashed his claws and sent up waves of his own. They slammed into Tsukiro’s and the two ice attacks canceled each other out. However, Kotaishi swung his claws three more times though the air. Now three waves of ice were rushing up towards Tsukiro and there was no way he could avoid them. They were charging at him too fast. He closed his eyes, preparing to be hit with his own attack, only ten times as strong as what it normally was.
