Not a Mob: Psycho

After the hell of the first day, Ohta genuinely didn't expect Karin to return for a second. He had pushed her much harder than strictly necessary to try and discourage her, but just as he was beginning to wrap up breakfast, a knock sounded at the door.
Making his way over, Ohta opened the door to find Karin looking up at him with a resolute expression on her face, this time wearing a sleeveless blue tank top, navy-blue spats, and a baseball cap.
"You don't know when to quit, do you?" asked Ohta.
Craning her right brow, Karin countered, "Don't tell me all that was just to scare me away? If it was..."
"Nah, it was legit," replied Ohta. "I just had you doing stuff you ordinarily wouldn't do until your body and mind had acclimated to intense strain and pressure. In other words, I threw you into the deep end."
Exhaling a sigh of relief, Karin regained a serious expression and said, "If that's the case, let's continue. This is to ensure my and my family's safety, so I won't give up or break that easily."
"So it would seem..." muttered Ohta, stepping aside to allow Karin into his apartment. He had spent the previous night wondering if he was wasting his time, but as Yoruichi was training the scrubs and Ichigo was using the underground study chamber to regain his power, Ohta had nothing better to do but focus on finding his center. It was said that teaching others was a good way to get a new perspective on things, so with Karin showing up of her own volition, Ohta figured he might as well teach her the basics. It beat sitting around, moping, and meditating all day...
"So, what'll it be today?" asked Karin, looking around Ohta's apartment as she asked, "Running through a field of blades? Bathing in lava? Skydiving without a parachute...?"
Shaking his head, Ohta replied, "I told you it was important to experience various extremes. Yesterday had a lot of variety, so it wasn't as stressful as it could have been since your brain and body constantly received new stimulation. Today will be the complete opposite."
Demonstrating a horse stance with his knees bent at ninety degrees, back straight, and fists near his hips, Ohta stated, "You will get in and hold this position for as long as possible."
Though it was an incredibly awkward position, especially since she was wearing spats, Karin gave an affirming nod before emulating Ohta's form and posture. Getting into it immediately made her aware that her thighs were about to be incredibly sore, but what made things worse was Ohta moving over to his bed, sitting atop it in a meditative posture, and closing his eyes without further explanation...
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Though he had been hearing the sound of her distressed groans for quite a while, Ohta waited until Karin had fallen onto her ass to open his eyes, finding her splayed out on the floor with closed eyes and a pained look on her face, brows trembling.
Looking over to his alarm clock, Ohta remarked, "Four minutes and some change. Not bad."
Hearing Ohta's words, Karin's brows furrowed deeply. It felt like she had been holding the pose much longer. Hearing that it hadn't even been five minutes made her realize just how hellish the day's training was going to be...
Matching Karin's expectations, Ohta got off his bed, making his way over to her to extend a hand as he said, "Get up..." in a firm, authoritative tone.
Clenching her teeth, Karin accepted Ohta's outstretched hand, allowing him to pull her up and subsequently place his hand atop her head. As he did, the pain in her groin and thighs seemed to melt away. Unfortunately, the moment he was finished, Ohta retracted his hand, saying, "That's one. Unless you can reach the six-minute marker, ninety-nine more to go..."
Though she trembled at the notion, Karin only hesitated for the time it took Ohta to return to his bed before getting back into a horse stance, a look of grim resolution on her face as she was determined to reach six minutes at all costs...
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Roughly three hours after they had begun, Karin was only her forty-first set when she fell to the ground and abruptly started silently sobbing. It wasn't an exaggeration to say the training was tortuous, but, as anyone with a strong will could attest, it was by enduring pain and suffering that one became unbreakable.
Instead of pitying Karin and asking if she were okay, Ohta gave her a few minutes to collect herself before asking, "Can you continue...?" in a calm tone.
Though she sniffled and kept her eyes concealed with her forearm, Karin eventually gave a silent, affirming nod. In response, Ohta got up from the bed. However, instead of extending his hand to pull her up, he knelt next to her, placing his hand atop her head and alleviating her pain as he said, "Then we'll continue after a short break. Want some hot cocoa...?"
While still hiding her eyes, Karin gave another nod, responding, "Yes..." in a meek, sobbing tone. She was experiencing a mild emotional breakdown, so she needed some time before rising to a seated position a few minutes after Ohta set a cup of cocoa next to her.
Taking a sip of the bittersweet beverage, Karin made her opinion of it known, muttering, "Your hot cocoa sucks..." with furrowed brows and a notably sheepish expression. She couldn't believe she had broken down and started crying, causing her to feel a blend of anger, embarrassment, and self-loathing...
"Hey, don't beat yourself up," said Ohta. "Most people would have given up a long ago. You've also improved your time from four minutes and ten seconds to four minutes and fifty-three. That's still quite a ways from six minutes, but, considering your muscles haven't really gotten any stronger, it shows your willpower has increased."
Though the truth was that Karin got stronger each time he healed her torn muscles, Ohta knew from personal experience that belief played a critical role in mental and spiritual development.
Hearing that she was improving, Karin's frustration and anxiety lessened considerably. Before Ohta informed her otherwise, she thought she was performing worse each set. If it was true that she had improved her time by forty-three seconds, that was a lot of progress in a fairly short period.
Sniffling one last time, Karin adopted a hopeful and resolute expression, earning an approving nod from Ohta as she said, "I'm ready to continue." in a firm tone. She failed to surpass the six-minute marker, plateauing around five minutes and thirty seconds, but she didn't give up or break down a second time...
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"I'm back," said Ohta, plopping down outside the twenty-meter no man's land marking his Zanpakuto Spirit's personal space.
Catching Ohta a little off guard, the shadowy jackal asked, "Why do you waste time training that whelp? How does aiding her 'benefit' you in any way?"
"Are you genuinely curious or just fishing for an excuse to insult and tear me down?" asked Ohta.
"Answer me," ordered the shadowy jackal.
Snorting through his nose, Ohta asked, "How can you claim to know me better than I know myself and 'not' know the answer to such a question? There's only one reason I'm helping that brat..."
"..."
With the jackal remaining silent, Ohta adopted a cheeky smile and said, "I'm training her because I fucking feel like it. Watching her push herself beyond her limits sure as shit beats sitting here, attempting to talk sense into your sorry ass..."
Rising to his feet, Ohta dusted himself off, stating, "To that end, there is something else I wanted to tell you..."
Knowing what Ohta would say even before the words left his mouth, the shadowy jackal narrowed its ghostly white eyes.
"I don't fucking need you," declared Ohta, turning around and slipping his hands into his pockets, walking away as he asserted, "I'll crush everyone and everything that stands in my way using my own power..."
"..."
Waiting until Ohta's form had vanished from his sight, the shadowy jackal put its head down on its paws. However, instead of looking upset like it usually did, it appeared fairly relaxed as it closed its eyes and muttered, "That's what you should have been doing from the very beginning..."
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Though it never got easier, Karin felt like she had gotten accustomed to Ohta's tortuous training methods by the end of the first week. She also noticed that her body had started to experience changes, her previously flat abdomen gaining a bit of definition as her thighs, calves, legs, back, and, somewhat worryingly, her butt became notably more toned.
While the changes in her body were objectively good things, a testament to the progress she had made, Karin couldn't help noticing that Ohta had yet to teach her anything remotely supernatural. He just had her training her body and increasing her mental resistance, so after entering his room for the eighth day in a row, she dropped off her backpack, turned to him with furrowed brows, and asked, "When are you going to start teaching me telekinesis and stuff? At this rate, even my brain is going to become a muscle..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "We've been trying to get you to a level that typically takes months in just a few days. Without a strong mind and an even stronger body, you could break both trying to learn even the basics of what I have to teach."
As Ohta's physique was the best she had ever seen, both in-person and while perusing magazines, Karin didn't doubt his words. She did, however, ask, "Then, how much longer do I need to keep this up?"
Adopting a teasing smile, Ohta replied, "That depends on you. Once you learn to tap into your mental and spiritual energies, you can use them to develop your physique indefinitely. If you're looking for a more concrete answer, a good baseline is reaching a point where you're bulletproof. The odds of you getting shot at are slim, but never zero..."
Blinking in surprise, Karin asked, "Are 'you' bulletproof...?"
Exhaling an amused snort, Ohta replied, "At my level, I could stare into the barrel of a tank like I'm posing for a picture."
Though it was difficult to imagine 'anyone' taking a tank round to the face without sustaining damage, Karin's ebony-black eyes glistened with awe as she correlated Ohta with a Hero from a comic book. She knew he could fly, and if the power he had lent her was any indication, he could probably level entire buildings with his attacks. Combine that with imperviousness to bullets, and he wasn't much different from a real-world Superman...
Quashing the idolatry in Karin's eyes, Ohta gave her head a light chop as he stated, "Anyways, if you want to get a jumpstart on your psychic and spiritual training, I have a few methods in mind. Before that, though, it's business as usual. Bust your ass from now until around three o'clock, and I'll teach you how to begin developing your psychic abilities. Fair warning, though...it's incredibly boring at the start..."
"Yeah, but then I'll be able to move things with my mind, right?" asked Karin. "Seems worth it to me."
Exhaling an amused chuckle, Ohta ruffled Karin's hair and mused, "You sweet summer child. If you think the frustration of training to failure is bad, wait until you spend hours failing to get a paperclip to twitch..."
"..."
Though she initially felt a fluttery sensation in her chest when Ohta ruffled her hair, Karin's somewhat embarrassed smile morphed into a deadpan when she heard his words. Fortunately, unlike Ohta, who had to figure things out from scratch, she had an experienced teacher who could boost her psychic powers using his own...
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(A/N: Only another chapter or two of the 'centering' sub-arc. Then we're off to Soul Society~)

On the afternoon of their tenth day of training, Ohta was seeing Karin off, as usual, when she turned to him, hesitating for a moment before saying, "The Fireworks Festival is tomorrow, so I might not be able to come over. What about you? Are you planning to attend...?"
"Unlikely," replied Ohta. "I've more or less cut ties with the world of the living, so it would be awkward if I encountered my former self or one of the people from my class that can see spirits."
"I see..." muttered Karin, lowering her gaze and appearing more than a little dejected. Not because Ohta wouldn't be attending the Fireworks Festival but because his words implied he might just up and vanish one day.
Plopping his hand down on Karin's head, Ohta ruffled her hair and said, "Get home safely, bokukko. I'll see you when I see you."
Without waiting for Karin's response, Ohta retracted his hand and turned to retreat to the interior of his apartment, closing the door behind him. He didn't exactly slam it in her face, but Karin's brows furrowed as she turned to leave, kicking an innocent stone as she muttered, "Idiot..." in reference to both herself and Ohta...
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*boom* *pa* *ba-boom* *crack* *kapaaa*
While he didn't attend the Fireworks Festival, Ohta did observe them from atop the roof of his apartment complex. He wasn't going to originally, but Yoruichi had come by after giving Orihime and Chad the day off from their training.
"They're quite beautiful, aren't they..." remarked Yoruichi, sitting in Ohta's lap in her feline form.
"They're not bad..." replied Ohta. He hadn't been interested in fireworks since he was a kid in his previous life, so while they helped to create a pleasant atmosphere, his expression was a mask of indifference as the light from the fireworks reflected in his eyes.
"One more week..." muttered Yoruichi. "A few days after that, you and your precious little Kuchiki will finally be reunited..."
Though he was tempted to reply it would be sooner, Ohta remained silent. If Yoruichi was anything to go by, the strength of Captain-class Shinigami couldn't be underestimated. He might be able to defeat them one-on-one, but if the Captain-Commander or several Captains teamed up to take him on simultaneously, he was fucked.
Raising her head and tilting it back, Yoruichi stared at Ohta from one of his few unflattering angles, waiting until he looked down at her to ask, "Want me to suck your dick? It'll make you feel better..."
"Probably," admitted Ohta, narrowing his eyes as he added, "But then I'd feel like shit and be more susceptible to your wiles in the future..."
"Is that really such a bad thing?" asked Yoruichi, lowering her gaze and adopting a slight pout as she complained, "You getting with Rukia while I was away on a mission wasn't even remotely fair..."
"You chose to go on that mission or were convinced to do so by Kisuke," contended Ohta. "And therein lies the problem. Until his 'objectives' are completed, you will continue being used and helping that man use others. I wouldn't have cared if you were serious about our relationship, but that ship has sailed. Once we rescue Rukia, I won't allow myself to become a pawn in that man's schemes..."
"Kisuke isn't a bad person..." muttered Yoruichi. However, she knew better than anyone that he wasn't a good person either. He might sport a goofy and playful mask, but buried beneath that very thin veneer, Kisuke was a cold, calculating, borderline emotionless man. There was a time when she thought she could change him, exposing the true feelings she believed he buried deep down. However, even after a 'romance' spanning sixty years, she never felt genuinely close to him...
Instead of responding to Yoruichi's faint assertion, Ohta remained silent for several minutes before saying, "It's getting late...you're free to sleep here if you want to, but don't forget the rules..."
"Right..." muttered Yoruichi, furrowing her brows as she said, "We can take baths together, but I can't sleep with you unless I'm in my cat form. Did I get that right...?"
Though he could see where things were headed, Ohta responded with a curt nod, affirming, "That's right..." in a faint tone.
Leaping from Ohta's lap, Yoruichi transitioned to her human form, staring down at him from the parapet surrounding the building's roof as she said, "Then let's take a bath..." with narrowed, challenging eyes.
"I'm pretty sure Rukia didn't consider the possibility we'd be sharing the bath in our apartment," replied Ohta.
Crossing her arms, Yoruichi asserted, "If we're going with things Rukia 'did' consider, we'd be having sex at least once a week. She literally gave us her blessing to Soul Resonate, but you're being an obtuse asshole..."
"She may have given us her blessing, but I never agreed to it..." replied Ohta. "If anything, I'm starting to believe we shouldn't see each other at all. I put my foot down to avoid the drama of being in a relationship with more than one woman, not incur it..."
Clenching her teeth, Yoruichi growled, "There wouldn't 'be' any drama if you were more sensible. Your girlfriend doesn't care if we fuck, and you 'know' you want me. I want you to, so what's the fucking problem...!?"
Catching Yoruichi off-guard, Ohta calmly replied, "It's because, as bad as your personality is, you're too amazing a woman. Even if it were just once a week, I would start looking forward to that day over spending time with my actual woman. You're free to blame whoever you want for giving you a heavenly body and an ass, pussy, and mouth that defy reason. But don't blame 'me' for sticking to my guns and remaining faithful..."
Recovering from her stupor, Yoruichi stared at Ohta incredulously as she asked, "Are you serious? You won't have fuck me because you're afraid it will ruin your relationship by making you want to continue having sex with me...?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" asked Ohta, eyeing Yoruichi from top to very perky bottom as he added, "You said it yourself...you're the closest thing to a 'Demigoddess' I'll ever meet. The time we spent together more than convinced me of that fact..."
Though she felt somewhat gratified by Ohta's words, Yoruichi's frustration far outweighed any positive emotions she was experiencing...
"Then, instead of once a week, we'll do it once a month..." said Yoruichi, her voice firm but her eyes subtly trembling. She felt like she was making a fool of herself, but after experiencing coupling through Soul Resonance, there was a feeling of 'emptiness' within her body that simply couldn't be filled by other means...
Instead of immediately rejecting Yoruichi's proposal, Ohta appeared to fall into deep thought before eventually nodding in assent, responding, "Fine. But only if you receive permission from Rukia on the day itself. If she dies, I don't want to see you in human form from then onward..."
Suppressing her almost overwhelming urge to punch, kick, and slap Ohta in the face, Yoruichi eventually offered a "Fine..." of her own. At the same time, she resolved herself, thinking, ("I'm going to fuck this asshole until he can't get it up for another woman..."). As for Ohta, his thoughts were, ("Well, there are worse things than having the Head of a million-year-old Clan eating from my palm...)
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*thump* *thump* *thump* *thump* *thump*
Recognizing the familiar knock, Ohta's brows creased as he opened his eyes to see that it was only 6:38. He had visited the underground study chamber to spar with Yoruichi the previous night, allowing them both to vent their frustrations, so he was hoping to sleep in until at least 8.
Exhaling a tired sigh, Ohta rubbed his face as he went to the front door, opening it to reveal Karin holding a helmet and wearing a red and white cyclist outfit. She had a bad habit of wearing very form-fitting clothes, but Ohta felt no obligation to comment on it. Once she realized the boys in her class were starting to view her as an actual girl, she would either start wearing more suitable clothes or go full 'sporty.'
After covering his mouth to stifle a yawn, Ohta looked down at Karin and asked, "Aren't you a bit early, boku? I'm guessing your dad bought you a new bike...?"
Instead of responding to Ohta's words, Karin stood statuesque as she stared wide-eyed at his exposed chest and abdominal muscles, nearly forming an eight-pack even while he was completely relaxed...
Snapping his fingers in front of Karin's face, Ohta stated, "It isn't polite to stare," before turning around, leaving the door open so she could follow at her leisure while he grabbed a spirit-thread t-shirt. Fortunately, thanks to his habit of always sleeping at least partially clothed, he at least had on a pair of sweatpants when he answered the door.
After following close behind Ohta, staring at his equally muscular back, Karin set her backpack and helmet down, waiting for him to finish getting dressed before saying, "Since I've been traveling back and forth so often, my dad bought me a bike..."
Exhaling a faint chuckle, Ohta mused, "If he knew where you were going, he would have bought you an iron ball and strapped it to your ankle."
Shaking her head, Karin surprised Ohta by revealing, "He's the one who let me come over in the first place. My sister blabbed about the scar on the right side of my body, so I told him about the Hollow attack and how you were the one who saved and treated me. After that..."
Unable to repeat her father's words, Karin averted her eyes and blushed slightly. She was pretty sure he was being his usual idiot self, but her dad had said it was okay to follow her heart so long as she didn't rush things or do anything against her will. She punched him hard at the time, but she was gradually starting to understand why he cautioned her after routinely coming to Ohta's apartment and spending time together...
"After that, what...?" asked Ohta. He had a vague idea of what Karin's father might have said to her, but it was difficult to accept any parent could be so 'irresponsible.'
Shaking her head, Karin quickly replied, "Nothing. He basically said I can train with you and that if I need to spend the night, I should call ahead to let him know..."
"Your father is a colossal idiot..." asserted Ohta, not doubting that Karin was telling the truth. Luckily, while he was an opportunist, he definitely wasn't a predator. If he was, the eldest of the Kurosaki twins might have found herself in a dangerous situation due to her father's ineptitude.
"You're telling me?" asked Karin, asserting, "I've known he was an idiot my whole life. But still, there are only seven days remaining of the time you agreed to train me. I want to become as strong as possible before then, so..."
("And here I thought I was the opportunist...") mused Ohta. Lucky for Karin, he did happen to have a free room on the second floor, above his old one. Thus, after a bit of deliberation, he adopted a teasing smile and asked, "Are you sure about this? You know how strenuous my training can be. At least when you commute, you have time to rest and relax."
Holding up her right fist, Karin replied, "I want to become stronger...!" in an enthusiastic tone. She was also excited by the prospect of staying in the same room as the boy she liked, but Ohta quickly shattered that hope when, after she was done calling home, he showed her to the apartment he had been using for storage on the second floor. As for her first training exercise, it involved moving all the boxes and bags from the second to the first floor...
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(A/N: I guess Isshin can't complain since he was at least several hundred years older than his wife, huh? It's too bad for Karin that even someone like Yoruichi has to jump through hoops to phase Ohta even a little xD...)

After finishing his explanation, Ohta waited for Karin to finish writing in her notebook before saying, "I'm not sure how much mental energy you have, but your spirit energy should be decent since you can see those monsters called Hollows. Lucky for you, spirit and mental energy aren't too different in the things they can do. Spirit energy is better at suppressing those who are weaker than yourself, and mental energy is easier to control."
Nodding her head, Karin tried to transcribe Ohta's words, but he stopped her, saying, "That's enough note-taking. Utilizing spirit and mental energy is intuitive. The more you try to understand and define it, the further you get away from its essence."
Recalling what Kisuke had said during their first encounter, Ohta added, "The younger you are, the easier it should be to tap into both forms of energy as your way of thinking hasn't been 'polluted' by modern thought and rationales. Science, mathematics, and logic all have their places, but there's a reason you don't see Nobel Laureates and Physicists moving shit with their minds and blasting lightning from their fingertips."
Raising her brows, Karin asked, "I'll be able to shoot lightning from my fingers?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "That's on you. I'm in the former category. Here, check this out."
Pointing his index finger at the contents of his cup, Ohta flicked upward and made a little swirl with his fingertip. As he did, the cocoa in his cup came out, resembling a snake rising from his mug before swirling around in the shape of a ring.
Staring wide-eyed at the fantastical display, Karin's excitement increased at the notion that she, too, would be able to perform such feats.
"Don't get too excited," said Ohta. "Shit like this might look simple, but it's a lot harder than pushing or crushing objects. I'm a natural psychic, and it still took me a decade to reach this level. In the process, I suffered more headaches and nosebleeds than you have hair...in your eyebrows. Since I only have about ten to twenty days to teach you, our primary focus will be strengthening your body and learning the absolute basics."
Trusting that Ohta knew what he was talking about, Karin gave a curt nod and said, "Just tell me what I need to do."
"Ever heard of failure training...?" asked Ohta.
Shaking her head, Karin replied, "No, what is it?"
"It's repeating an action or exercise until you can't continue," said Ohta, further explaining, "When your body and mind are completely exhausted, it becomes easier to notice even minute changes in your condition. It also helps you understand and overcome your limitations as a human. Without the will to continue where others would break down and quit, you'll never be able to obtain the type of power you're looking for."
"Is that how you got so strong?" asked Karin, staring intently at Ohta as she awaited his response.
Adopting a cheeky smile, Ohta replied, "I was born exceptional, but yeah, even I had to bust my ass. Your old man can attest to that..."
"Then it's a good thing I brought my gym clothes," said Karin. Her current outfit, consisting of spats, a jersey, a white tee, socks, and running shoes, was also suitable for physical exertion, but they were also the clothes she would be walking home in. If they got dirty or stiff with sweat, it would be hell walking several kilometers in the summer heat.
"I'm using your bathroom," said Karin, grabbing her backpack and making her way over without waiting for Ohta's response. Instead of immediately entering, however, she looked back as if she had something to say.
"I'm not going to peek..." said Ohta, adopting a deadpan expression. The reason he and Tatsuki never started dating was because she was far too underdeveloped back in middle school. It could be said that his baseline had shifted after entering a relationship with Rukia, but he had no interest in peeping on an 11-12-year-old brat...
"You better not..." muttered Karin, entering the bathroom without another word while Ohta rolled his eyes. He could tell Karin had a bit of a crush on him, but even if Rukia died and he managed to hold off on entering a new relationship for a couple of years, the plucky tomboy wasn't in the running to become his partner. A 3-4 age gap wasn't too big a deal, especially in a country like Japan, but Ohta would rather shoot his dick off than date one of Ichigo's sisters...
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"Are you for real...?" asked Ohta, staring directly at Karin's face. Her gym uniform consisted of a short-sleeved t-shirt with blue trim and dark-blue shorts known as buruma. Such uniforms were fairly common, especially in elementary schools, but he expected Karin to come out in a tracksuit, not wearing pedo bait...
Feeling a little self-conscious, Karin avoided Ohta's gaze, holding her right arm in a closed posture as she quietly asserted, "It's 37 degrees outside and really humid this time of year..."
Though he shook his head and exhaled a faintly exasperated sigh, Ohta decided not to press the matter, rising to his feet as he said, "There's a park with a paved trail near here. When training your body, your primary focus will be cardio. After that, it's almost all core and leg workouts. I'll teach them to you when we get back."
Regaining a bit of her vigor, Karin responded with a curt "Understood." before following close behind when Ohta departed, leading the way to a park she had passed on her way to his apartment. The journey was super awkward, as Ohta didn't speak a word, but when Karin later learned the reason for his silence, she felt like a complete idiot. After all, if they had a conversation en route, it would have looked like she was speaking to the air...
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Watching Karin run several laps around the track, Ohta muttered, "She has good stamina..." while simultaneously pondering to himself, ("What the fuck am I doing here?")
Though he empathized with Karin's situation, Ohta had no obligation to instruct or train her. Hell, he didn't even need to save her when she was being attacked by a Hollow. That responsibility should have been Ichigo's, but while the orange-haired Hero was off training to rescue his lover, here he was, babysitting the annoying youth's sister...
Thinking back to what the shadowy jackal had said, Ohta felt like he was starting to understand the reason for its frustration. Because of Kisuke's plot to turn Ichigo into a weapon, he had been biding his time and going with the flow, effectively waiting for shit to happen. He could have easily prevented Rukia's capture by fleeing the country with her. Instead, he let her be taken from him, and for what? To advance the agenda of a man he wouldn't entrust a fucking ficus to...
Understanding 'why' he had behaved in such a way, the frown on Ohta's face became a conflicted glower. He hadn't been with Rukia then, so he simply didn't care what fate awaited her. He 'let' himself be used because it permitted him to fuck Yoruichi and secure a place for himself within the upper echelons of Soul Society. The moment he got with Rukia, however, that immediately changed. So why the fuck was he still doing the creepy uncle's bidding?
Interrupting Ohta's self-reflection, Karin abruptly collapsed, tripping and lying still on the pavement. Rather than the 37 degrees she said it was, it was closer to 39(102&deg;F). Thus, even though it had only been about half an hour since she started running, it wasn't too surprising he would collapse from heat exhaustion.
Shunpoing over to the hyperventilating girl's side, Ohta calmly inquired, "Can you continue...?"
Furrowing her brows, Karin did her best to push herself to her feet, but her body refused to listen. The most she could manage was getting to her knees, sweat dripping from the tip of her nose and forehead like raindrops that disappeared when they touched the hot pavement.
"Then this is your limit as a 'human,'" said Ohta, taking a knee and placing his hand on Karin's head as he instructed, "Continue taking deep breaths and focus on the changes in your body. You're going to feel like you want to pass out, but don't allow it. When that moment comes, you 'will' get up and keep going..."
Heeding Ohta's instructions, Karin continued gasping for air even when her blood was oversaturated with oxygen, causing shadows to creep in on the edges of her vision as a tingly, strangely pleasant sensation filled her head. Her body slumped forward, and she nearly crashed face-first into the ground, but an invisible force caught her at the last moment, arresting her fall and allowing her to push off the ground like a sprinter, releasing a loud shout akin to a war cry.
"She's definitely got pluck..." remarked Ohta, watching Karin sprint faster than most Olympians. His psychic powers had awakened during a similar form of training, so he was mildly curious to see if Karin could emulate his results. The odds were slim, but if he kept channeling power into her and healing her at the exact moment she wanted to collapse, she was bound to learn 'something.' If nothing else, he would vest her a will stronger than even the most seasoned veterans...
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After running for hours, the only thing preventing Karin from collapsing in the streets was an invisible force supporting her up like a harness as she dragged her feet. Her voluminous sweat made it look like she had dipped in a pool, but instead of feeling cool and refreshed, she felt like her brain and body were being baked in an oven...
"We're here," said Ohta, causing some focus to return to Karin's as she gazed into his apartment and felt the cool rush of airconditioned air hit her face.
"When we get inside, you should take a lukewarm shower and slowly, 'very' slowly decrease the temperature until it is completely cold," said Ohta. "Also, keep in mind that if you collapse, I'll have no choice but to come in and slap some sense into you..."
Regaining even more of her faculties, Karin glared at Ohta and said, "You wouldn't dare..."
"The entire process should take around an hour," said Ohta, his expression serious as he said, "Don't come out before then."
"..."
Though she was tempted to point out she would get hypothermia if she stayed under cold running water for an hour, Karin dragged her feet into the bathroom. She believed that if she started doubting Ohta's words, it would negatively influence her training. Thus, while she felt his methods were completely ludicrous, she stripped out of her gym uniform and took the lengthiest shower of her life, doing her best to ease into the cold as slowly as possible...
Seeing Karin emerge from the bath with pale skin and blue lips, shaking to her core, Ohta gave an approving nod, saying, "Good job. You did well not to pass out."
"I-I-Is a-a-a-all the t-t-training go-going to b-b-be like this?" stammered Karin, barely able to speak due to the clattering of her jaw.
Nodding his head, Ohta calmly asserted, "Cultivating mental energy and willpower requires enduring various extremes. Your body and mind 'will' want to quit on you. If you want to survive and become strong, you can't yield, even if you want to cry."
Though her teeth continued to clatter loudly, Karin did her best to appear resolute as she nodded in understanding. Fortunately, Ohta rewarded her by patting her head and infusing more of his psychic energy into her body, quashing her shivering nigh-instantaneously. Unfortunately, her relief was short-lived as they immediately transitioned into core exercises, primarily squats, crunches, and planks, but also a few unorthodox training methods like duck walking and something Ohta called 8-count body-builders. The exercises weren't that difficult to perform, but Ohta had her do each until she couldn't continue. Thus, by the time of her second long shower, Karin really wanted to go home...
...
..
.
(A/N: Ohta over here training an 11-12-year-old girl like a Special Forces Operative...)

Chapter 34: Fine, I'll do it Myself...