Rumbling.
The sound roared in all directions, shaking the entire Spiritual Arts Academy.
In an instant, a terrifying beam of Reiatsu vaporized the Menos Grande, Kilian, along with the Cero it had finally condensed. Both disintegrated into spirit particles. The beam shot straight into the sky, piercing the clouds and creating a giant, yawning hole — like a heavenly pillar connecting the earth to the heavens — before finally vanishing.
"Splitting Void, number eighty-one."
"Hadō eighty-eight, Flying Dragon Striking the Thief, Shaking Thunder Cannon."
"Oh my God…"
"He... he was able to abandon the chant and still use Bakudō and Hadō above level 80 — and the power is terrifying."
"Is this really a student who has only been in the Spiritual Arts Academy for a month?"
"Even guard captains can't always do this!"
Gasps rippled through the assembled Shinigami.
"Jūshirō, did you see that?" asked Kyoraku Shunsui, shocked.
Jūshirō Ukitake nodded gravely. "Not only did he abandon the chant — he modified the Kidō's form."
Shunsui adjusted the brim of his hat to hide his astonished eyes. "Flying Dragon Striking the Thief and Shaking Thunder Cannon — it's already rare for a captain-level Shinigami to abandon the chant and retain most of the power. But this young man named Ran Yan went a step further. He personified the form of Hadō eighty-eight and adapted it for actual combat."
"From conventional hand casting to releasing it at the enemy's feet — turning it into a volcanic eruption... It was genius," Ukitake added.
"That's not something power alone can do," Shunsui muttered. "It requires unmatched mastery of Kidō."
Then, Kyoraku Shunsui gave a wry smile.
"Ran Yan Sōsuke… I'm not as good as you."
The man who had once been hailed as one of the greatest prodigies of his generation, now admitted defeat — in Kidō, at least — to a student barely one month into the Academy.
Even Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's usually stern gaze softened in surprise.
In his thousand-year lifetime, the number of so-called geniuses he had seen were as numerous as the stars. And yet, none of them… none had the same presence, poise, and explosive potential as Ran Yan.
He couldn't help but recall the night he had first met this young man.
Do I regret it?
He asked himself silently.
Yes.
Though Chōjirō Sasakibe had explained the misunderstanding later, Yamamoto couldn't deny it: each time Ran Yan shocked him anew, a trace of regret lingered in his heart.
No wonder he doesn't take the title of 'Kenpachi' seriously, he thought. He doesn't need it. His Kidō skills alone are on par with his swordsmanship.
Unohana Yachiryu nodded to herself.
Now she understood why Ran Yan had regarded the title of "Kenpachi" with complete indifference. His ability wasn't limited to a single field — everything he did was outstanding. Be it Zanpakutō, kendo, Shunpo, or Kidō, he was mastering all at an unimaginable pace.
"Teacher Isshin," Ran Yan approached the stunned Shiba Isshin. "Does this mean I passed?"
Isshin blinked, then gave him a helpless look.
"Do you even need to ask?"
He had originally only expected Ran Yan to use Kidō under level 80 — not Hadō eighty-eight or Bakudō eighty-one, and certainly not with no chant.
And now? He wasn't even sure he could match that performance.
All his years of diligent training suddenly felt hollow compared to what this one-month prodigy had just displayed.
"Good thing…" Isshin muttered. "Good thing the opponent was Menos Grande. If it had been a Kidō stake… I'd be paying to replace the Academy again."
"Next round. Kendo assessment."
"Same as the Kidō test: defeat the Menos Grande using only your sword."
As another Kilian was wheeled out by Kidō specialists and the Bakudō restraints removed, Isshin turned to speak — only to find Ran Yan still standing beside him.
"Why aren't you going up?" he asked, puzzled.
"No need," Ran Yan replied simply.
He slowly raised his hand, palm facing upward.
Clang—
A piercing sword cry rang out.
The oppressive force of sword pressure rippled through the field like a tide, cutting through the air and making even high-ranking officers feel a chill on their skin.
Across the field, the newly freed Kilian roared—only to freeze.
Eight shimmering swords of pure Reiatsu descended like judgment from the heavens, pinning the hollow to the ground — through its limbs, its body, and its skull.
"…That's the same technique he used to pin Hirako Shinji to the wall," Isshin murmured, his pupils contracting.
He hadn't witnessed the full fight back then, but after hearing the report from Shiba Kaien, he had been stunned by the ease with which Ran Yan had crushed a seasoned Shinigami.
Now, that same technique had evolved even further.
"Compared to half a month ago… his control has improved," Unohana noted. "Remarkable growth. No bottleneck at all."
Yamamoto looked over to Ukitake. "You were right."
"Even if I personally trained him now, there's nothing more I could teach."
He paused.
"Ran Yan is beyond captain level. We are no longer instructors to him. We're witnesses."