Mastering Every Style Is Yachiru

The clear chirping of insects echoed, reverberating against Su Feng's eardrums like a drill boring ruthlessly deeper.

The sound waves took on physical form, rippling outward with Kaname Tosen at their center.

In an instant, they completely enveloped Su Feng.

Spiritual pressure erupted, stirring up gale-force winds that swept across the dojo.

The shift from silence to frenzied noise took no more than a moment.

The sudden Shikai surprised the watching captains, though their surprise was tempered by expressions that said it was only natural.

Though Kaname Tosen held no more than the rank of Fifth Seat, he had once displayed astonishing talent.

Even before joining the Gotei 13, he had already mastered his Zanpakuto's True Name and used Shikai repeatedly in battle.

Otherwise, he would not have been listed as one of the captain candidates.

Sound waves trembled, covering Su Feng from head to toe.

Spiritual pressure surged in reverse, howling all around him.

Yet Su Feng paid no heed to this pressure-filled Suzumushi: First Form.

If Kaname Tosen had fully matured, he might have taken him somewhat seriously.

But the current Tosen was merely a stepping stone on his path toward greater heights.

"Hado #63: Raikoho."

Su Feng raised his left hand level with his shoulder. As his lips parted slightly, spiritual pressure gathered in his palm.

Brilliant golden light blossomed in an instant, like a dazzling blazing sun.

The distant Shinigami Soldiers watching instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes.

Rumble!

The violent thunder suppressed the droning insect cries. Under Su Feng's control, a crackling bolt of lightning tore through the air and shot straight toward Kaname Tosen.

The dojo was filled with blinding light.

Caught off guard, Kaname Tosen only had time to hold his Zanpakuto horizontally before him.

Golden lightning exploded against the blade, driving him back several steps.

The captains' expressions grew even more astonished at the sight.

"Incantation Abandonment can actually possess such power. That is truly unexpected."

The surprise on Aizen's face did not seem feigned. "Perhaps Su Feng, Third Seat, is better suited to the Kido Corps than the Gotei 13."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Captain Aizen."

At some point, Shunsui Kyoraku had shifted his straw hat upward, his carefree eyes fixed upon the dojo.

"Perhaps he has even more astonishing accomplishments in other fields."

"Cough, cough." Jushiro Ukitake chimed in between coughs. "After all, this is Su Feng, Third Seat, known as a genius Shinigami."

Neither the battle in the dojo nor the discussion among his subordinates caused the slightest change in Yamamoto Genryusai's expression as Captain-Commander.

He watched silently ahead, and not the slightest hint of his thoughts could be seen in the depths of his placid eyes.

Perhaps, to him,

a battle of this level was nothing more than children playing house.

After all, he was the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society, someone who had lived through countless wars.

The light gradually faded.

Su Feng stared ahead, but his raised left hand did not lower.

"Bakudo #39: Enkōsen."

"Hado #33: Sōkatsui!"

The two voices rang out almost simultaneously. Pale explosive flames howled through the fading light, rushing straight toward Su Feng.

As though he had anticipated it, spiritual pressure gathered before Su Feng and formed a circular shield, blocking the Sōkatsui at just the right moment.

The evenly matched clash dissipated in an instant.

Taking advantage of that moment, Kaname Tosen used Shunpo to close in again, bringing his Zanpakuto down from a bizarre angle.

Clang!

Steel collided with steel, scattering sparks.

The two once again engaged in fierce close-quarters combat.

However,

while Su Feng appeared relaxed, a fine layer of sweat had already seeped across Kaname Tosen's forehead, nearly blending into his bone mask.

The gap.

A gap that could not be ignored!

No one could understand Kaname Tosen's shock and confusion at that moment.

Every swing of his blade felt as if it were striking a mountain.

Not only was it useless,

the recoil alone had already numbed his arms, making it difficult to keep hold of his weapon.

Before this day, Kaname Tosen had imagined their battle countless times and mentally rehearsed its details more times than he could count.

But only when he truly faced Su Feng

did he understand just how absurdly wrong he had been.

Clang, clang, clang!

Su Feng's sword swings became increasingly astonishingly fast, and all manner of Kendo styles unfolded beneath his hands.

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, Mikazuki no Mai, Hyakuhachi Kannon...

The dazzling sword styles placed enormous pressure on Kaname Tosen while leaving the onlookers utterly dumbfounded.

For an ordinary Shinigami, mastering two or three Kendo styles was already remarkable.

Yet Su Feng, from the start of the battle until now, had never repeated a single style he displayed!

Such astounding mastery of Kendo even surpassed that of the captains.

And because of that,

a certain gentle Captain of the Fourth Division had a captivating gleam rippling through her beautiful eyes.

"What a thrilling battle..."

Her quiet voice was drowned out by the aftershocks of clashing steel and did not even draw anyone's attention.

Only Yamamoto Genryusai, the Captain-Commander whose expression had remained placid throughout, subconsciously glanced toward the gentle woman not far from his side.

No one present understood the Captain of the Fourth Division better than he did.

As the First Kenpachi, Retsu Unohana had once claimed to have mastered every style in the world.

Now that she had encountered another whose mastery of Kendo was no weaker than her own, how could she not be eager to test herself?

On the dojo grounds,

interwoven flashes of blade light erupted and tangled together, painting exquisite scenes one after another.

Pressed by Su Feng, Kaname Tosen retreated again and again, completely reduced to a sparring partner for Su Feng to temper his own Kendo.

Only when Su Feng's swordsmanship grew ever more refined did he realize it.

At that thought, a trace of anger appeared on Kaname Tosen's face.

"Underestimating others comes at a price." His low, hoarse voice emerged from beneath his bone mask.

As his words fell,

Kaname Tosen erupted once more.

A pillar of spiritual pressure shot into the sky, filling the air above the dojo.

Immense force surged through his blade, briefly forcing Su Feng back and disrupting the rhythm of his swordsmanship.

"Suzumushi: Second Form, Benihikou!"

Kaname Tosen abruptly raised his arm and swept his Zanpakuto horizontally downward.

In an instant,

sharp blades surged forth like a torrential downpour, sealing off every avenue Su Feng could use to evade.

Rumble!!

Stone slabs shattered, the ground collapsed, and a vast cloud of dust suddenly rose dozens of meters into the air.

With this one attack, the entire dojo was completely reduced to ruins.

If not for the Kido Barrier containing it, even the watching Shinigami Soldiers would have been caught in the destruction.

Dust filled the sky, blocking the spectators' view.

Just as they believed Su Feng was likely doomed, even more terrifying spiritual pressure erupted from within the dust.

A roaring pillar of light swallowed every obstruction, revealing the figure within.

A calm voice emerged from the tangible spiritual pressure. Holding his Zanpakuto in one hand, Su Feng gazed quietly ahead.

"This ends here, Fifth Seat Tosen..."