There are always weakspots you can exploit.

The gauntlet hit me square across the face. You can probably imagine that the crash of metal against my nose was a very unpleasant feeling. One of the many things of Shinigami physiology I am thankful for is the fact that, although Merc’s punch was enough to send me flying into the brickwall he had set up again, my nose was completely fine. Not saying I didn’t bleed or something but as someone who witnessed first-hand what even a rolling cannonball can do to a man’s face a bit of blood trickling down your nose is really a minor inconvenience.

“Can’t say you have improved, partner.” Merc’s metallic voice shouted towards me across our little arena. “We have been at this for a few minutes and I already hit you three times.” I spat to the side, a bit of blood mixed in with the saliva. “Yep.” Was all I responded as I cracked my neck and took stance again.

Urahara had told me I had three tries to do this, well okay I had potentially infinite amount of tries but the idea of gambling my soul every time was not to my liking. Therefore I decided that I could experiment a bit today without worrying too much. Of course time is of the essence in all things but arriving at the battlefield completely exhausted is a bad strategy. Although this doesn’t mean that I wasn’t trying to win.

I charged at Merc and we locked in melee combat again. Blow for blow we exchanged hits, parries and faints. Problem being the same as always: If you exchange blows with a literal walking hunk of metal, you are going to take more damage by default.

By the time our little fistfight ended my arms and legs were hurting like crazy and he was only sporting a few dents in the less stable parts of his construction. Clearly a change of strategy was in order. ‘Think Nize…he still is a humanoid and humanoids all have inherent weaknesses…’ I thought as we slowly circled around each other. My eyes fell on the slight blueish glow from the joint areas, where small amounts of the spiritual energy that comprised his being escaped from the armour. I smirked, ‘That could work.’

I slowly walked towards him. Merc, slightly perplexed by my sudden change of approach, got into an aggressive stance. I had seen the stance many times before, One fist raised towards me, the other ready in the background, feets firm on the ground. The image of Soifon as she taught me this stance layered itself over the scene. Fighting somebody who draws his powers from the same experiences as you is a weird experience sometimes.

I took one more step and suddenly his fist flew towards me. I had been hit by this move so many times I knew exactly what was coming. I ducked down, the fist cutting through the air where my head had been and then narrowly dodged the second hit of his other arm.

I had to be quick, my hand flew under his shoulder and around his back, the other arm grappling at his still extended fist. I found a small nock in his armour and clawed into it as I threw him over my head, careful not to let go of his arm in the process.

The sound of rattling metal violently hitting stone, Merc hit the floor face down as I locked his arm behind his back and simply held him to the ground. “Got you.” I triumphantly said. “Did you?” Merc asked and struggled against my grip with inhuman strength. Bad news for him though, he only was as strong as I could hope to be and with my superior position all he managed to do is flop around helplessly under me.

Merc growled, a metallic noise that sounded like it could be used in some of these modern forms of music I so despise, and doubled his efforts. “Merc, give it up. I win.” I said, keeping him down successfully.

Until his arm came off and he turned to give me a backhanded slap that swiped me off him. The advantages of not having a spine, I suppose. I needed to shake my head a few times to recover from that hit. Merc himself needed to readjust his whole upper body, which now seemed to not correctly fit unto the legs. He found the readjustment to be impossible, he was missing a little something.

“Searching for this?” I asked as I got up and waved with his dislocated hand. “Give that back that is my drinking hand!” Merc said and grasped for it. The movement seemed sluggish and out of balance, no wonder with his upper body was tilted and a missing limb. Instead of grabbing me he grabbed empty air as I took a step back, I then committed the ultimate offence and hit him with his own arm.

The attack send his head flying and with the helmet missing the whole armour collapsed into a pile of metal. “Do you give up?” I asked and threw away the gauntlet. The blue light within the eye slit flamed up, “Never, that is just a….” “If you say flesh wound I will use you as a football.” I drily said.

Yes, even I watched that movie. It was by accident, don’t ask how you watch a movie by accident, but I did. It was decent; I dislike the scene where the peasant makes fun of Arthur. That’s not how you treat a monarch.

Back to the matter at hand though. Merc was quiet for a moment. “That is the only joke I ever wanted to tell.” He muttered. “Oh well, I give, you win, Nize.” The second he said that everything around me suddenly disappeared. Where the helmet had been the white mannequin lied, my sword still sticking inside it. I walked over and grabbed it.

Clapping behind me. “Bravo, Nize.” Urahara said, “And not a day too soon, I need to throw you out.” I turned around, “What why?” I saw a dark skinned, tall guy standing behind him. ‘Isn’t that one of Ichigo’s classmates?’ I asked myself. “I have some other people that need help so I will give you over to an associate of mine now.” Urahara waved at himself with his fan with usual overly cheerful attitude.

Well, that was a relief, I was fearful for a moment that he was angry at me for smashing his….Wait what sort of relation did Yoruichi and Urahara have? Oh, well. It would have also meant that the earring didn’t work any longer. I was currently wearing both of them, as Merc was immune to their effects anyway.

Urahara used his free hand to rummage through the many pockets of his outfit. “Here? No. Is this? Or there? Where did I…? AHA!” He brought a small piece of paper to light and handed it to me. “Go to this place, you will found a bunch of weirdos there.” That was a great thing to hear from mister hat and sandals, “Greet Hiyori from me.” He said and then walked of, the newcomer in toe.

I unfolded the piece of paper, Inside was an address and a foto of what looked to be an abandoned warehouse. “I miss my apartment.” I mumbled and sheathed Merc. ‘This is all for the best, Nize.’ Merc reminded me, ‘I know.’ I responded and got on my way.