Many Soul Reaper squad members were feeling Captain-level Reiatsu from such a close distance for the very first time.
Watching the visible currents of air across from him, Kensei Muguruma's gaze sharpened.
Although he was only the 3rd Seat in name, Naraku Sora's Reiatsu was undeniably at the Captain level.
It was no wonder Head Captain Yamamoto had appointed him as the examiner.
The heavy pressure made the atmosphere in the training grounds increasingly solemn, and even the air seemed to thicken.
"Jūshirō, who do you think will win?"
Shunsui Kyōraku, wearing his signature pink haori, nudged Jūshirō Ukitake with his elbow, his hands tucked into his sleeves.
He had been suspended from all duties recently for trespassing in the assembly hall.
As a result, he couldn't even wear his formal Captain's haori as an inner layer and had to settle for just the pink floral one.
Shunsui, however, didn't seem to care much about that.
In his eyes, as long as the people he cared about were safe, nothing else mattered.
Like Jūshirō Ukitake.
"Probably our little junior disciple,"
Jūshirō Ukitake stroked his chin as he thought: 'I've witnessed Sora's battles in the 13th Division before. Judging his strength solely by his Reiatsu would be a bit too'
'...rash.'
His injuries weren't severe; his condition was mostly due to the recurrence of his chronic illness.
After resting for a few days, he was back to his usual self.
Shunsui smiled. "In that case, I'm really looking forward to it."
"Speaking of which, when I went to Shino Prison to deliver a message, I saw our junior teaching a prisoner a lesson. That look of his... wow..."
"He was the spitting image of Old Man Yama."
While the two were talking, the fight in the arena had already begun.
Kensei Muguruma charged forward with Shunpo, leaving a blurry afterimage as he whipped up a hurricane, instantly appearing behind Naraku Sora.
He raised his Zanpakutō high, his body drawing a sharp arc through the air as he slashed toward Sora's neck.
Clang!
The blade was met with a parry; sparks flew as the steel collided.
Naraku Sora remained exactly where he stood, not moving a single step. At the very moment the attack arrived, he had simply—
Drawn his sword.
'?'
Kensei felt as though he had struck an immovable mountain. No matter how much Reiatsu he unleashed, it was useless.
'Is this development not quite right?'
"You're not even going to use your Shikai?"
Naraku Sora looked back, his lips curling into a kind smile.
Yet for some reason, when Kensei saw that smile, a chill raced from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
The sound of muscles vibrating on Sora's arm rang out sharply, like a bowstring drawn to its limit.
As Naraku Sora's fingers tightened, circuit-like patterns instantly covered his hands and began to spread across his Zanpakutō.
Ghost Sword Technique: Shakkahō.
An exam should look like an exam; it wasn't a life-or-death struggle where one gave their all.
If he accidentally caused Kensei Muguruma to fail, he would have to find another way to get a Captain for Squad 9.
He also wanted to take this opportunity to verify what he had learned in the past.
Blazing flames erupted, instantly engulfing the silver-white blade and letting out a startling wave of air.
Power exploded as their forms crossed and turned, waves of fire surging forward.
The searing heat rushing at him made Kensei's breath hitch, and his gaze instantly became grave.
'No time to dodge. I have to take it head-on.'
He gripped the hilt tightly, his steel-like muscles bulging as he swung his arms, meeting the flashy slash with an upward strike of his own.
Clang!!
The moment the blades collided, a gargantuan force accompanied by a heatwave surged forth, crashing down like a bursting dam and causing Kensei's expression to change drastically.
It felt like a head-on collision with a high-speed train. The uncontrollable impact swept through him, making his internal organs churn.
After a brief stalemate, Kensei was sent flying.
He barely managed to stabilize himself at the edge of the arena. When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with shock.
'Is this guy really just a 3rd Seat?'
'Putting aside the Captain-level Reiatsu for a moment, why was a seemingly ordinary slash so powerful?'
'Between the two of us, who is actually the Captain candidate here?'
Suppressing the urge to complain, Kensei stopped hiding his Reiatsu and flipped his grip on the hilt.
"Blow them away, Tachikaze!"
The moment he chanted the Shikai release, his Reiatsu became even sharper. Spirals of pale green wind rose from the ground, swirling around Kensei.
Under the shroud of the green gale, the once-long blade shrank significantly, transforming into a short combat knife with a pitch-black spine.
It seemed completely at odds with his reckless and boisterous style.
The green wind danced wildly like threads throughout the arena, letting out sharp whistling sounds as it cut through the air.
Merely upon contact, the ground split into hideous cracks, resembling the maw of some giant beast devouring the agitated dust.
"Be careful, Naraku Sora. The gales stirred by Tachikaze can easily crush even solid rock."
Kensei remained as honest as ever, informing his enemy of his Zanpakutō's ability before the fight continued.
With a swing of his arm, the short knife whirled, creating countless pale green gusts that surged through the hall.
Like a ball of yarn breaking free from its restraints, countless visible threads wove and crossed, emitting a sharp aura.
In an instant, they locked down all of Naraku Sora's possible movements.
That previous backhand strike had indeed left a significant shadow on him.
However, that temporary setback had provided him with enough information.
'He's skilled in Zanjutsu and has god-like reflexes.'
A pale green light seemed to flash in Kensei's eyes.
"Try this!"
The blade spun between his fingertips, and countless green winds entangled to form a giant net centered on Naraku Sora.
Then, it exploded downward like a flash of blade light!
Boom!
As the giant net constricted, the countless attacks capable of shattering rock fell upon a single point, their extreme destructive power ravaging the floor.
A vibrating roar erupted in the arena as clouds of dust soared into the sky, like a tree growing upward with its branches spreading out.
Kensei gripped Tachikaze in its knife form, pouring his Reiatsu into the Zanpakutō until the blade began to glow with a brilliant, dazzling light.
He prepared to deliver the final blow to Naraku Sora.
In his eyes, even a veteran former Captain like Takeda Goki wouldn't have fared well after taking the accumulated winds of Tachikaze head-on.
Much less a mere Naraku Sora.
However, as the dust cleared, the figure that should have been standing there had vanished without a trace.
'Where is he?!'
"Are you looking for me?"
In that instant, a quiet murmur came from behind him, and a hand was placed gently on Kensei's shoulder.
Immediately, a heavy pressure crashed down, causing his tall, sturdy frame to suddenly sink.
Without any hesitation, Kensei spun around, swinging the heavily charged Tachikaze backward.
"Bakudan Tsuki!"
The Zanpakutō transformed into a sphere of light, compressing the power of the gale to the limit within his palm before slamming it outward.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū."
A transparent barrier descended from the sky, turning into an unbreakable wall that stood before Naraku Sora.
The collision between the explosion and Dankū instantly unleashed an endless wave of air.
A deafening roar echoed through the arena, and the resulting wind blasted against the outer Kidō barrier.
The Soul Reapers standing near the edge had their faces rippling like water, showing off some extreme facial expressions.
Naraku Sora stood calmly behind the Dankū barrier, letting the fierce winds rush past either side of him without any sign of panic.
He had already achieved perfect mastery of Dankū when he executed Tsunayashiro Taketori.
[SYSTEM: SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED SINNER TSUNAYASHIRO TAKETORI. SIN VALUE 28345, PARTICIPATION 90%!]
[SYSTEM: YOUR REIATSU HAS INCREASED!]
[SYSTEM: YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF BAKUDŌ HAS INCREASED. PERFECT MASTERY OF BAKUDŌ #81: DANKŪ!]
[SYSTEM: YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ZANJUTSU HAS INCREASED. SUCCESSFULLY LEARNED FIRST SECRET SWORD: RHINOCEROS STRIKE!]
Surprisingly...
Although Tsunayashiro Taketori's Sin Value was high, it was still quite a bit lower than Arturo's.
But considering the difference in their ages, living environments, and species, it was understandable.
As for the ninety percent participation rate...
Naraku Sora thought back; when he received the reward, he had already decapitated Tsunayashiro Taketori.
By that logic, Jūshirō Ukitake had contributed almost nothing to the battle in the Ugekandō, winning entirely by being carried.
It had to be said that Dankū's defense was indeed powerful.
After mastering this Bakudō to perfection, the protective barrier formed in an instant had actually blocked all of Kensei's proudest attacks.
Before the explosion had even fully dissipated, a figure shrouded in pale green wind charged straight into the aftershocks, his right hand gripping the combat knife as he swept it forward.
Relying on his control over the wind, Kensei instantly caught Naraku Sora's position.
All the previous attacks were just setups; what he was truly best at was also close-quarters combat.
The light in his eyes flared as Reiatsu wrapped around the blade.
Horizontal slash!
In an instant, a blade crackling with golden electricity met him head-on.
The ringing sound of clashing steel made Kensei even more silent as he poured all his strength into it, the veins on his muscular arms bulging.
As a battle-hardened Lieutenant, he had seen countless opponents.
Whether they were Soul Reapers or Menos Grande.
But he had never seen an outlier like Naraku Sora.
Whether it was strength, speed, Zanjutsu, or Kidō, there wasn't a single flaw to be found.
Fighting him felt like being ruthlessly suppressed in every aspect, with no dawn of victory in sight.
But that was exactly why...
This Captain's proficiency exam was even more interesting, wasn't it?
As a Soul Reaper, one should challenge the impossible!
As Kensei's expression grew determined, the surrounding atmosphere began to vibrate violently.
Naraku Sora pulled his sword back and retreated, giving the other man plenty of space.
As an examiner, one must learn to be considerate of the examinee's feelings.
"Bankai—"
"Tekken Tachikaze!!"
The moment the words left his lips, a brilliant pillar of Reiatsu shot into the sky, instantly covering the entire arena.
A startling hurricane rose from the ground, sweeping out in all directions.
The earth cracked, and countless fragments of stone and dust flew out, leaving ripples on the Kidō barrier.
Amidst this incredible aura, Kensei's appearance also changed.
The combat knife turned into knuckle blades, and black metal wrapped around his hands like silk ribbons, extending up his arms to form ribbon-like armor.
With the appearance of the Bankai, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.
Many Soul Reapers craned their necks, hoping this future Captain could give the examiner a good thrashing to prepare for his upcoming inauguration.
"Naraku, I won't be holding back from now on."
His fists, encased in metal armor, slammed together in front of his chest, letting out a dull thud like a heavy hammer strike.
Kensei stared intently at the figure in front of him, his eyes burning with the fires of battle.
"I'm warning you now: once you're hit by my Tekken Tachikaze, an endless explosive force will instantly pour into your internal organs."
"No matter how strong your Reiatsu defense is, it won't work."
"So, I'll try my best to control it to avoid—"
"—you dying in this fight."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora grinned. This Kensei Muguruma really was quite honest.
Even though it was just an exam, he still explained his Bankai's ability in detail, for fear that his opponent wouldn't know how to counter it.
Granted, an ability that could bypass defense was indeed strong.
But a certain Commander once said that if it doesn't hit, it doesn't mean a thing.
Therefore, the advantage was his.
Shikai, release.
Under Kensei's surprised gaze, the brilliant Reiatsu erupted into a blazing fire, an endless glow shooting toward the sky as if a brilliant sun was rising from the center of the
training grounds.
Lightning Release Mode.
Without adding any Kidō buffs, he simply converted his Reishi into the lightning attribute. Sizzling electric arcs darted through the flames of his Reiatsu, adding
quite a bit of intimidation.
In an instant, countless eyes were fixed on the two of them.
Kensei was wrapped in black metal ribbons, gripping his knuckle blades tightly. Although he was surrounded by gales, he seemed to lack a certain something.
On the other side, the burning flames of Reiatsu surged and billowed. Lightning seemed to flash in Sora's dark eyes, and his brilliant light was like a sun walking the earth, his daunting pressure cutting across the battlefield.
Even just looking at him gave one the illusion that their eyes were being burned.
Although there wasn't much difference in their physical appearance, in terms of sheer aura...
The winner was clear.
Seeing this, the excitement in Kensei's eyes became even more evident as he tightened his grip on the knuckle blades.
"Naraku, here I come!"
The moment he spoke, the stone slabs beneath his feet turned to dust. Using the counter-force, his sturdy frame instantly crossed dozens of meters, his raised knuckle blades wreathed in
hurricanes.
A torrent of wind erupted from the knuckle blades, charging straight forward with an unstoppable momentum, crushing all obstacles in its path.
Facing the attack that was right in front of him, Naraku Sora grinned and met it head-on.
First Secret Sword: Rhinoceros Strike!
All his strength was concentrated at a single point to unleash the strongest possible attack.
Boom!!!
A violent tide of impact surged and billowed in all directions. A roar that could split clouds and shatter stones erupted, the aftershocks spreading wildly as the ground shook violently.
The Kidō barrier over the arena let out a crunching sound as it began to crack under the strain.
Tessai Tsukabishi, the Grand Kidō Chief who had been standing by the side, saw his expression change. He immediately unleashed all of his Reiatsu to maintain and reinforce the barrier's strength.
Everyone's eyes widened as they stared into the swirling storm, their faces filled with excitement.
Being able to witness a battle between such powerhouses—even if they were caught in the crossfire—was well worth the price of admission!
A few seconds later, the raging aftershocks gradually subsided, and the rampaging light of Reiatsu slowly faded.
What came into view was a scarred arena where a burning figure stood tall, his blazing aura leaving everyone captivated.
Not far in front of him, Kensei Muguruma's eyes held a trace of reluctance as his body swayed.
Bankai, deactivated.
The sound of tearing cloth followed as a hideous gash appeared on his chest, instantly erupting in a startling mist of blood. Kensei's vision went dark, and he crashed to the ground.
Naraku Sora looked up at the sun, which had barely moved, and smirked:
"It really didn't take too long."
The next moment, his voice echoed throughout the entire arena.
"Kensei Muguruma, the exam is passed!"