One Plus Four Equals Five. [Erika, Rio]

Somewhere within the courtyard of the combat division barracks, Rio was overlooking the training of her fellow division members. She wore a distant expression as she regarded each of them with nods of approval. Her mind was drawn elsewhere, no doubt curious about what had occurred with the second division. The extent of her knowledge went only as far as the public did. What happened? Had they been attacked? If so, then who?

All of these things were certainly cause for concern and curiosity, but golden eyes quietly caught glimpse of the vice-captain of the 1st - Erika Masamune. The presence of woman who was equivalent to a captain in her own right, drew Rio's immediate attention. It was a rare, but welcomed sight, and so Rio approached the woman with common courtesy, offering a polite bow as she greeted the woman, curious about her presence here of all places.

Did she have business with the captain, or perhaps, perhaps... she held the inclination for combat? There were multiple reasons for her presence here, but unearthing them all started with a single question.

"Hello, Vice-Captain Masamune. I didn't expect to see you here today. Do you have business with our captain you wanted to discuss, or me perhaps?"

"Oh...?"

The moment Erika made her intentions known, a great deal of interest pained the Shihoin's expression. She hadn't even paid any attention to the condescending tone, either. There was a slight semblance of surprise, but that quickly vanished without a trace. It wasn't a common occurrence for the vice-captain of the topmost division in the Gotei to challenge another member of equal rank to a battle, but precisely because of that, Rio found her spirits burning with competitive excitement.

Turning to face her division members, she motioned them to end their training for now, directing them to spectate from afar as the combat division created an ideal pathway in the center. She was more than free to fight her here and now, but perhaps she had another location in mind to host their bout. Either way, she was happy to oblige this woman's test.

"I wish to test myself against you as well, Vice-Captain. Any opportunity to improve myself in battle is very much welcomed in my eyes. Do you wish to face me here or is there another location you had in mind?"

"Understood."

Rio settled into an offensive stance as the remainder of her division members cleared a path. She would have certainly offered the first move to gauge the woman's skill, but Erika needed no such encouragement as she set the first salvo to her offensive - a whirling blade careening through the air. Her natural reaction to defend kicked in, forcing her into action as she swung her right fist to knock the blade off course.

Or so that had been her intent before her fellow-vice captain vanished, reappeared, and swung her sword downward. The sheer force of that thing releasing a shockwave that threw threatened to throw her off her feet. Rooting herself firmly against the ground like a heavy rock, Rio batted away the blade guided by the tailwind, using her own shunpo to close the distance to strike at the woman from above with an axe kick to the head.

Not good. The battle was just beginning, but already, Rio found herself in less than an ideal position. The counter offensive she employed casually overwhelmed by a superior technique in the form of an overwhelming whirlwind of spiritual pressure, expanding exponentially like a sudden tempest. Much to Erika's expectation, it was difficult to maintain a proper foothold in the air as a result of this blossoming wind. softly gritting her teeth as wind blades lashed and cut against different areas of her body.

It was already becoming visibly apparent that she would have to release her shikai before long in the face of Erika's impressive, yet highly unorthodox fighting style. For now, to take back some degree of momentum, her body radiated with golden reiryoku as she manifested footholds of golden energy under her feet to maintain some semblance of balance.

Once properly equipped, Rio employed Shunpo once again to vanish and reappear before her, this time executing a greater offensive in the form of numerous strikes amplified by flash step to prevent her from swinging that sword as seamlessly as she desired. Part of her envied that she didn't have anything nearly as cool and engaging to offer in return, but this was a spar, and she certainly wanted to prove Erika's equal far more than showing off for a crowd.

An impressive display offense and defense. That was the most apt descriptor for Erika's counterattack. The wicked winds that halted her advances prior were now used as a boon to bolster the swordswoman's attacks. Rio's offensive had barely begun before she found herself dancing on the backfoot by no volition of her own. A repelling force proved to be the least of her troubles as her fellow vice-captain unveiled another trick within her inventory - a conjured blade colored in a golden hue accompanied by a blitzing movement that rendered Rio dumbfounded.

What was truly the most impressive thing about all of this is that Rio wondered if this was the result of her zanpakuto or her otherworldly swordplay at hand. There was no release phrase, only the announcement of technique names. Either way, the only option at this moment was to remain on the defensive and counter her with an offensive, if such a feat was even possible at the moment.

Displaying her impressive hakuda, her arms glided through the air in hurried patterns as she forced her body forward to fight through the repelling force, continuously shrouding her body in golden layers of reiryoku. If she could earn enough distance, there was no longer any doubt. She would have to enter Shikai next. Zanpakuto or not, her swordplay was not so simple to contend against without a force equal in its nature.