Reflex Training with Maruze

In order to prepare for the upcoming tournament, Koudo wanted to train at least a little bit. During his ranking exam, Koudo's proctor, Maruze, displayed great acts of reflexes and speed. Koudo liked that and wanted to train with him so that he could improve his reflexes as well as learn more about the art of the sword, since he planned to use it a little bit during the tournament. With all this in mind, he waited to see if the person he wanted to train with would show.

In a gust of wind and with an eerie tune in the air, Maruze appeared before Koudo out of what seemed to be nowhere. The Dividing Enigma hath come.

"... Koudo Tamura. I did not expect to see you again so soon."

Meo stood next to him smiling happily.

Meo: We're glad to see you again! What's up?

It was nice having someone remember your name, and didn't see you as just a number. This is not to say that everyone saw Koudo as a number, or that every higher up only saw the lower ranks as numbers and not actual people. But still, it was nice to have him remember Koudo's name. Koudo smiled, removing his hands from his pockets and offering one to Maruze, and his daughter, respectively.

" Well, under different circumstances, you wouldn't have until I came back for another ranking exam or after I had already taken one and was ready to improve myself even more. But, there's a tournament between my friends and some other team and I need to be the best I can be, so that's why I've called you out. I want you to train me in the art of the sword, and help me to improve my reflexes. "

Koudo explained, pushing his glasses up.

Getting a glimpse of the smile on Koudo's face only led to a warm smile returned to him, despite the stern eyes that Maruze almost always had. They softened just slightly to show a sign of warmness to a well-liked shinobi of respectful ability and power. When the hand was extended, Maruze still a little hesitantly grabbed it, yet shook it nonetheless. Meo did the same.

"Ah, training... It is rare that I train anyone at all, nevertheless it be with the sword. Though I may be able to teach you the way to hone your natural reflexes and reactions, learning the Way of the Sword is a lifetime commitment..."

Maruze closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, exhaling in a controlled manner as if he were remembering the times in his past where he was taught the Way of the Sword.

"... I am but a mere Samurai in a land of Ninja... The Shinobi way contradicts the Way of the Sword, leaving the eternal struggle for what is right and what it takes to survive... The Way of the Samurai and Shinobi Way respectively..."

He seemed to be babbling on, but was actually rather serious about this situation. Mmm.. At least Meo seemed lighthearted about it all.

" That's actually why I find you so... cool. "

Koudo stated right after Maruze's second pause. In this world there was only shinobi, sure some used swords and liked to pretend to be samurai and all that, but everyone was a shinobi. Even the people that had zanpakuto from the alliance, they all used jutsu of some kind and that made them shinobi, not soul reapers which were like spiritual samurai police. Maruze on the other hand didn't strike Koudo as a shinobi. The way he talked, acted calmly in all situations that Koudo had seen him in, and of course the way he used a sword. It all struck Koudo as a samurai, and Koudo though that was cool as hell. Koudo tossed a bit of his hair from his face, before adjusting his glasses accordingly.

" I'm not sucking up or anything, but you are, honestly, one of the coolest people I've met. If you can't teach me in the way of the sword, fine I can find a way to learn to use one on my own and train with it since the way of the sword would contradict with my fighting style. But, getting taught how to hone my natural reflexes and reactions would be much appreciated. Anything that would help me be the best I can be. I'm responsible for my team, without me I'm sure they would fall apart. I'm not the leader, but I have to be just as strong as her, if not stronger. "

After his long winded speech, Koudo relaxed and let out a nice even breath, closing his eyes and thinking about the members of the other team that his team was going to face. Koudo aimed to completely decimate them if they didn't decimate themselves before the tournament. Which reminded him.

" Are you going to come and watch? It's guaranteed to be entertaining. I wonder what the prize is going to be... Khrona is an odd one, it could be anything. "

This was the first time Maruze had heard this from anyone, in actuality. No one really associated with Maruze... Or rather, Maruze didn't associate with them. He was the Dividing Enigma, a loner from start to finish in this world of ninja, with only his family to stick by. He looked over to Meo and nodded before looking back to Koudo with a seemingly heartwarmed expression on his face.

"Ah, yes... I would find it enjoyable to teach you, Koudo... And though you cannot learn swordsmanship from me, you may come to me any time for an honorable spar..."

Maruze was definitely not against that at all. Gave him a chance to observe a new style and such.

"But, I guess now is the time for seriousness and strictness..."

Maruze's eyes became stern and sharp once again, looking deep into Koudo as if he were piercing through him. Meo took a step back, being a little quieter than usual. Perhaps because she knew that this was serious.

"Are you prepared?"

Koudo smirked, his starting to become signature smirk, and nodded.

" I'm always prepared. "