Cilian vs. Renji

The morning light had just climbed over the wall of the Second Division training ground, and the air still carried the chill of the night.

When Renji led a squad of Sixth Division soldiers into the training ground, the first thing he saw was two figures entangled together.

A blue blade of light exploded in the morning light, tearing a rift in space, and the air hissed sharply. Renji's steps faltered.

With both hands gripping the sword, the space trembled the moment Jiku'a slashed down.

Cilian did not retreat. His left gauntlet popped out, and a short sword blocked Jiku'a. Sparks flew, and Cilian was knocked back half a step, but he immediately retaliated with a backhand strike, forcing Amber to retreat with Shunpo.

"That backhand was too fast," Hu muttered.

"You're still too slow," Cilian said calmly.

He lunged forward, his blade flashing like flowing water, one strike after another without pause. Hu parried, retreated, parried again, retreated again. His Shunpo was incredibly fast, his Summoned Swords condensing and dissipating around him, but Cilian's blade was always one step ahead of him.

Renji stood at the entrance to the training ground, watching this scene without saying a word.

The Sixth Division soldiers behind him also fell silent.

"Those two are incredibly strong..." a member whispered. "Are they the Lieutenant of the Second Division or high- Seated Officers?"

"No," Renji said in a low voice, "That's just the Sixth Seat of the Second Division and an intern."

The soldiers fell silent.

The Sixth Seat... How could a Sixth Seat and an intern fight like this?

In the arena, Amber's offensive suddenly changed. He condensed Phantom Blade in his left hand and unleashed Jiku'a with his right, the two blades attacking Cilian from different angles. Cilian dodged the Jiku'a by the side, and a long spear popped out from her gauntlet, deflecting the Phantom Blade.

Amber continued to press forward. The Phantom Blade dissipated, and his left fist was already charging up— Beowulf's blue light exploded on the tip of his fist, and he punched Cilian in the chest.

The Cilian does not hide.

His left gauntlet transformed, instantly unfolding into a shield. His fist slammed into the shield, producing a dull thud. Cilian was knocked back two steps.

"You've made progress," said Cilian.

Panting, Hu grinned. "Of course we can't stop here."

Renji stood at the entrance, watching Cilian's retreating figure, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

He recalled his training with Byakuya. Byakuya was strong, but that strength was lofty and untouchable. As for Cilian's strength— Renji could see it was honed in real combat. Every strike was tempered, every step was forged in the crucible of battle.

Is someone like that only fit to be the Sixth Seat in the Second Division?

Renji recalled what Marechiyo Ōmaeda had said, "If it weren't for his injury, he might be the captain now." He remembered what Amber had said, "He single-handedly held off a Vasto Lorde."

He looked at the intricately designed gauntlet on Cilian's left hand, and at his composed stance.

Renji suddenly realized that there were far more strong people in this world than he had imagined.

Amber and Cilian's sparring session ended. Amber squatted on the ground, panting, while Cilian sheathed her sword and turned towards the entrance.

"Everyone in the Sixth Division?" His voice was calm.

Renji snapped out of his daze, stepped forward, and gave a formal bow.

"Sixth Division Lieutenant, Renji Abarai. I have come here for an exchange on the orders of Captain Kuchiki."

Cilian nodded. "I am Cilian, the Sixth Seat of the Second Division. I will be in charge of your training experience today."

He turned around and led Renji and the members of the Sixth Division into the depths of the training ground.

The training ground was much larger than Renji had imagined. It wasn't just a regular flat area, but a complex terrain simulating various landforms, including mountains, ruins, dense forests, and waterways.

"The training for the Second Division is divided into several modules," Cilian said as she walked, "Combat training, analysis training, tracking training, infiltration training, code training, and so on. You can choose the projects you want to experience." Cilian handed over a list showing the training venues for each type of training.

Renji looked at the training facilities, lost in thought.

The Sixth Division's duty is to handle noble affairs. What they need is not infiltration and assassination, but investigation, negotiation, and, if necessary, suppression. Tracking and codes might be useful, and infiltration... maybe, probably, possibly, might also be useful. Renji thought about the recent behavior of those nobles; the world is going downhill, and we have to be on guard.

"Could you show us some training in tracking, ciphers, infiltration, and combat, Sixth Seat of Cilian?" Renji asked.

Cilian nodded and was about to lead them over when Renji's gaze fell on a sign.

It was a large, enclosed training room. A sign at the entrance displayed a picture of Marechiyo Ōmaeda, next to which read "For Lieutenant Only."

"The Sixth Seats of the Cilian, what is that?" Renji asked.

Cilian followed his gaze, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda's exclusive training program."

Renji. "Exclusive?"

"Hmm." Cilian's voice was calm. "The training program we customized based on the analysis of the Lieutenant's various abilities, commissioned by the Department of Research and Development, has just arrived, and he hasn't even experienced it yet."

Renji looked at the closed training room and suddenly felt a little curious.

Can I try?

Cilian glanced at him. "This project is a bit too demanding."

Renji laughed. "High intensity is just right. I also want to see what the other squad Lieutenants train for."

"I want one too!" Hu suddenly appeared, her eyes sparkling.

Cilian looked at him. "Aren't you tired?"

"It's alright," Amber grinned. "But isn't it quite interesting? I'm also quite curious about what Marechiyo Ōmaeda usually practices."

Cilian paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Let's do it together then."

Kou and Renji stood in the center of the training room.

The moment the door closed, the surrounding light dimmed. Rows of red indicator lights lit up on the wall, and the ground began to shake.

"First," Cilian's voice came through the loudspeaker, "Battlefield simulation. You need to answer my questions without being hit."

As soon as he finished speaking, countless small mechanisms suddenly popped out from the four walls—darts, arrows, and nets—shooting from all angles.

Amber instinctively dodged with Shunpo.

"First question," Cilian's voice was calm, "Our side has three Soul Reaper, and the enemy has five noble private soldiers. The enemy has two melee fighters, two ranged fighters, and one commander. Our side has one lightly wounded soldier. How should we deploy them?"

While dodging incoming projectiles, Renji replied, "Wounded retreat, close-quarters combat for containment, ranged suppression, prioritize eliminating the commander!"

"Wrong," said Cilian.

The mechanism flew out even faster. Amber and Renji were scrambling and jumping around in the narrow space, looking quite disheveled.

"Why was it wrong?!" Renji shouted.

"Because your opponents are noble private soldiers. They are usually equipped with armor corresponding to the Soul Reaper, as well as Kidō defensive techniques. Your ranged attacks cannot penetrate their defenses, so you cannot exert any pressure."

As Hu dodged, he shouted, "What do we do?!"

"Utilize the terrain to divide the battlefield. Separate the commander and melee groups, prioritizing the elimination of melee groups before concentrating on dealing with ranged enemies."

The speed at which the mechanism flew out increased. Amber was caught in a net and struggled for a moment before breaking free. Renji was grazed on the shoulder by a dart, and his clothes were torn.

"Second question. You infiltrate a noble mansion and discover that your target has been murdered. There are signs of a struggle at the scene, but no traces of Reiatsu remain. What would you do?"

Hu thought for a moment, "Examine the body!"

"There were no wounds on the body," said Cilian.

"Then... check if it's poisonous?"

"No."

While dodging, Renji said, "Check the surrounding items! The killer may have left fingerprints or Reishi residue!"

"Fingerprints can be forged, and Reishi can be erased."

Koko and Renji exchanged a glance, both completely bewildered.

"What should we do?" Hu asked.

Renji gritted his teeth. "Then... investigate the people at the mansion! Who last saw the target, and who has a motive!"

"Correct," said the Cilian.

Kou and Renji both breathed a sigh of relief.

"The third question--"

"There's more?!" Hu screamed in agony.

Cilian ignored him and continued posing questions.

Koko and Renji jumped around in the training room, dodging traps while answering questions. The two were exhausted and disheveled, their clothes torn in several places and their hair in disarray.

"Renji- senpai, why are you even interested in this training?!" Amber shouted as she dodged.

"How was I supposed to know it was this kind of training!" Renji shouted as well.

Seeing that the two still had the energy to bicker, Cilian pressed the speed-up button expressionlessly.

The speed at which the mechanism flew out suddenly increased.

Koko and Renji screamed simultaneously.

"Instructor Cilian / Sixth Seat! We were wrong!"

But the work continued.

The two scrambled to dodge, but were eventually caught in a large net, tied together, and thrown to the ground.

The training room door opened.

Cilian walked in and looked at the two disheveled figures on the ground.

"The results are acceptable," he said. "In that case, Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda should be satisfied."

Kou and Renji lay on the ground, neither wanting to move.

"Next," Cilian's voice came from above, "Is the most important part of Marechiyo Ōmaeda's specialized training."

Kou and Renji.

Cilian had already drawn her sword. The blade was simple, and the mechanical gauntlet was attached to her left arm. The sharpness in her eyes instantly changed Renji's gaze.

"A live-fire exercise," Cilian said. Given that Amber had just fought, this was practically a challenge to Renji.

Renji moment, then laughed. He got up, dusted himself off, and gripped the Zabimaru tightly.

"Good."

Hu also got up, stepped aside, and sat down against the wall.

"Nice to meet you." Renji bowed respectfully.

Cilian nodded.

Renji made the first move.

Shunpo, sidestep, and forcefully sweep horizontally. The blade cut through the air, accompanied by a whistling sound. Cilian did not take the hit head-on, but dodged to the side and slashed at Renji's waist with a backhand.

Renji sheathed his sword to parry, but was knocked back two steps.

"The intention is too obvious," Cilian said.

Renji gritted his teeth and charged forward again. This time, he reserved some of his strength for a change of attack. Zabimaru slashed from the side, forcing Cilian to dodge to the right.

Cilian dodged to the side and slashed at Renji's shoulder. Renji parried with his sword and retreated while Zabimaru swung again. Cilian easily blocked it and delivered another blow.

Renji's attacks grew increasingly fierce, but Cilian's blade was always one step ahead of him.

"Lieutenant Abarai, your swordsmanship is quite unique," Cilian said while parrying, "But it relies too much on linear attacks."

Renji didn't answer. He suddenly changed his move, switching from a sweeping Zabimaru to an upward slash. The blade traced an arc, forcing Cilian to retreat.

Cilian took a step back, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes.

Renji seized the opportunity to close in, and Zabimaru unleashed three consecutive slashes. Each slash was faster and heavier than the last.

The Cilian parried, retreated, parried again, and retreated again.

Renji, pressing his advantage, unleashed another attack from Zabimaru—

The Cilian suddenly stopped receding.

His left gauntlet popped out, forming a small shield that blocked Zabimaru. At the same time, he slashed out with his right sword, aiming straight for Renji's chest.

Renji was shocked and Shunpo to retreat. But Cilian's blade was already upon him.

"I've seen through your attack pattern." Cilian's voice was calm, a glint of grey-gold light flashing in her eyes. "Shikai."

Renji gritted his teeth, his Reiatsu surging.

"The Roar, Zabimaru!"

The blade transformed into a snake-belly sword, stretching out segment by segment and twisting in the air. Renji the sword, Zabimaru slashed at the Cilian from an unpredictable angle.

Cilian did not retreat. He used his left gauntlet to extend a short sword to parry Zabimaru, while simultaneously slashing at Renji's ribs with his right sword.

Renji dodged to the side, Zabimaru, and then slashed out from another angle.

The Cilian parries, counterattacks, parries again, and counterattacks again.

His swordsmanship wasn't as flashy as Zabimaru's, but every strike was precise and without any unnecessary movements. Renji's Zabimaru was like a snake whose vital point was being squeezed in front of him.

"Your Zabimaru has the problem of having to retract after three attacks," Cilian said while parrying. "After three strikes, there will inevitably be a pause."

Renji's expression changed.

Cilian gave him no time to think. His left gauntlet popped out a chain, wrapping around Zabimaru's blade, while his right sword aimed straight for Renji's chest.

Renji tried to sheathe his sword to parry, but Zabimaru was entangled in chains.

"It's over." Cilian's knife stopped just short of Renji's throat.

Renji, panting, looked at Cilian, and then smiled.

"I lost. Mr. Cilian is really strong. Is he really just a Sixth Seat?"

Cilian sheathed her sword and nodded. "The Second Division's seats are more tied to assigned duties than actual combat skills, which is quite different from the other divisions."

"Lieutenant Abarai, your foundation is good, but you rely too much on instinct. You only utilize less than 30% of Zabimaru's agility. You treat Zabimaru's extension capabilities as a supplement to your own swordsmanship weaknesses."

Renji moment.

"If we change our approach and modify our swordsmanship to suit Zabimaru's characteristics, we can definitely improve our combat capabilities further." After saying this, Cilian turned and walked towards Hu.

Renji stood there, watching Cilian's retreating figure, and suddenly realized that this person was truly strong.

Hu sat leaning against the wall, watching Cilian walk over.

"Did you understand?" Cilian asked.

Hu thought for a moment. "What do I need to understand?"

Cilian nodded. "Still the same as always."

Hu grinned.

After training, Renji led the members of the Sixth Division away. As he reached the door, he glanced back at the training ground.

Cilian was standing in the center of the field, talking to Amber. Amber nodded, then shook his head, then nodded again. Cilian patted him on the head, and Amber covered his head and grinned.

Renji smiled.

"Lieutenant?" a soldier called to him.

"Let's go." Renji turned around, his steps becoming lighter.

In the training field, Amber rubbed his head, looking in the direction Renji had left.

"Instructor Cilian, what do you think of Renji- senpai?"

Cilian paused for a moment.

"He has good talent and is willing to work hard. He's just too impatient, like he's chasing after something."

Hu thought about it and agreed.

"And what about me?" he asked.

Cilian looked at him.

"You?" He scoffed. "You're even more impatient than him."

Amber: "Hehe... you know what I mean."

Cilian turned and walked away.

"I really don't know what's wrong with young people these days. Their minds are filled with these kinds of thoughts..."

Hu stood still, scratched his head, and chased after them.

"Instructor! I need extra practice tonight!"

"Whatever."

"Instructor! Please stay with me!"

"Instructor..."