𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯

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𝖯𝖾𝗋𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝖨𝗆𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌
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Ichiro was awfully clumsy.

That was what Nao had immediately realized as it side-stepped, ducked and backed away whenever Ichiro swung.

His attacks would be devastating, even to a machine like Nao. That is, if they would hit and he wasn't so uncoordinated.

"Put less anger into it." Nao stated, "Focus and make form your priority. Once you master that, then you can start to put more and more strength into it."

"Shut up!" Ichiro snapped, raising the wooden blade and slashing downwards, Nao sidestepping out of the way with ease and without blinking once.

"Form, Ichiro, form." Nao reminded him and the boy let out a frustrated shout, swinging the sword once again.

The machine palmed the side of the sword, the wood cracking from the force along as it was thrown off course.

Ichiro's brown eyes widened when Nao advanced towards him and next thing he knew, he was flat on his back in the dirt.

He stared up into the sky with round eyes and sat up in alarm when he heard clapping along with a, "My, that's the longest anyone has lasted with Nao!"

Ichiro scrambled to his feet and gave Uyehara a pointed glare as he strolled over with that shit-eating smirk of his.

"I was going easy on the boy." Nao stated, e/c eyes focused on Orihime who trailed after Uyehara, soft lavender eyes bright and fixated on the war machine.

"Oi! I'm not a kid!" Ichiro snapped.

"You're seventeen, Uchiyama-san. As far as I'm concerned, you are a child." Nao replied simply, turning its head away.

Orihime chuckled, smiling, "You did a very good job though. Watching you weild the sword is so enchanting!"

Ichiro's cheeks went red, "Really?"

"Ah... I was talking about Nao." Orihime said sheepishly and Ichiro could've sworn that the machine looked flustered, "But you'll be a great samurai someday, Uchiyama-kun! I just know it."

"Please! Call me Ichiro!" Ichiro sputtered, a complete flustered mess.

Uyehara narrowed his eyes at Ichiro but Nao spoke up before he could.

"Uyehara-sama, Orihime-san... we're still training. If you want to watch, please do so without interrupting." Nao said while walking away and retrieving its blade from where it sat near a tree.

"Oh! Sorry!" Orihime hurried a safe distance away, watching Nao with amazement and cheeks the color of cherry blossoms, "Please, do continue!"

Uyehara gave Ichiro one last odd look before joining Orihime where she stood.

"Ah... Nao." Ichiro looked worried as y/n unsheathed its blade, the metal glinting in the sunlight, "Isn't that a..?"

"A real blade?" Nao finished and its e/c gaze landed on Ichiro, "Yes. Yes it is."

"Hold on, I'm not ready...!"