A fierce shock wave burst outward, transforming into a howling gale that exploded like a bomb.
Kisaragi Akira's vision went black, and a ringing filled his ears.
Even without using Reiatsu, the sheer force of Shihoin Yoruichi's blows, combined with her technique, was enough to utterly overwhelm anyone at their current level.
Kisaragi Akira's heart sank. He instinctively twisted aside, trying to dodge the deadly attack.
No one knew Shihoin Yoruichi's heavy punch better than he did.
A direct hit would leave him gravely injured at best—and dead at worst.
This woman was crazy!
Her seemingly slender fist skimmed past Kisaragi Akira's cheek. The impact it carried erupted into a violent gale!
At that moment,
Kisaragi Akira felt as if he were caught in a deep-sea current, his body being pulled and twisted like putty.
A sensation unlike any he had ever felt!
The deadly danger seemed to come from everywhere!
The gale slammed into the solid ground and exploded. Jagged cracks spread in every direction, like gaping maws, displaying their savage menace.
Cold sweat slid down the bridge of Kisaragi Akira's nose. His nerves were stretched taut.
"Mm, not bad!"
Yoruichi praised him. "You're the first new student to dodge one of my punches."
"Since you've got so much talent, let's raise the difficulty a little. It'll make a good lesson for the other new students, too."
"Hakuda is a Shinigami's last line of defense. Every student needs to graduate with top marks."
"So consider this a special lesson for all of you."
As the staggering students turned their attention to the two in the training yard, Shihoin Yoruichi moved again.
This time, everyone was surprised to find that they could actually follow the girl's movements.
They could barely make sense of what they were seeing, but if they committed it to memory, it would still make for an excellent Hakuda technique!
Kisaragi Akira, meanwhile, stood motionless, his gaze somewhat vacant, like a wooden dummy.
Seeing this, Yoruichi shook her head in disappointment.
Geniuses were rare, after all.
Otherwise, every year's graduating class would have more than just a handful of Captain-level powerhouses.
This guy might have been rude, but a little lesson would be enough.
With that in mind, Yoruichi eased up on her punch and slowed it down a little.
But in Kisaragi Akira's world,
the instant Yoruichi launched her attack, her movements broke down into dozens of separate parts.
Her arms, legs, waist, torso—even the slightest motion in her chest—were all distinctly laid bare before him.
At that moment,
Kisaragi Akira was like a dry sponge, ravenously absorbing the principles behind the Hakuda technique.
In that fleeting instant, he grasped and assimilated every strength and weakness, making the technique his own.
Heart of the Divine!
The moment he fully grasped the rhythm of Yoruichi's technique, he finally understood how terrifying his Exclusive Entry, Heart of the Divine, truly was.
The entry couldn't grant him powerful combat strength, but it gave him endless potential.
With this entry alone, he could reach the pinnacle of technique!
Brilliant light flashed in Kisaragi Akira's eyes, and his entire aura underwent a monumental transformation!
Aizen, who had been helped to the side, watched his friend with keen interest. The slight curve of his lips suggested his feelings were far from calm.
Yoruichi also noticed the change in Kisaragi Akira. But with her attack already in motion, she could no longer pull back. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and charge at the seemingly defenseless boy, driving forward with her knuckles.
Rock, paper, scissors.
Smack!
With a crisp sound, Kisaragi Akira's palm landed on Yoruichi's fist, his movement light and gentle, like a playful touch between lovers.
But the instant their hands met, a thunderous boom erupted, making everyone's heart quake.
A surging wave of air rolled in every direction.
It didn't cause much damage, but the students who had been battered by Shihoin Yoruichi were left gaping in disbelief, hardly daring to trust their eyes.
He blocked it?!
No, how could he possibly?!
Countless thoughts like these surged through the crowd.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing, nor could they accept losing to an unknown Chief Priest from a small Shrine.
Over the time they had spent together, the students in Kisaragi Akira's class had gradually learned who he was.
Compared with the Seireitei's many wealthy and powerful residents, Kisaragi Akira, who hailed from Rukongai, was still an outsider, even with his position as a Shrine's Chief Priest.
And yet this commoner had briefly gained the upper hand in a Hakuda test against a prominent member of the Shihoin Clan!
"Hey, you blocked it."
Yoruichi looked up at the tall boy standing so close to her. Surprise showed on her delicate, pretty face.
"Unexpected."
"To think that's how you countered it. Are you a genius at Hakuda?"
Yoruichi's voice reached his ears. Kisaragi Akira looked calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was on the verge of breaking.
There was no other reason: the difference in their strength was simply too great to ignore.
Even catching her punch with his palm had nearly shattered the bones in his hand.
If he weren't holding on through sheer force of will, he probably would have screamed by now.
Hold it in. I have to hold it in!
I can't let my hard-won reputation be ruined here!
Yoruichi seemed to notice Kisaragi Akira's current state.
She chuckled, her slender left wrist turning as she launched another Hakuda technique.
This time, she went for a close-range hold.
The overwhelmingly powerful force on Kisaragi Akira's arms severely restricted his ability to fight back.
Fortunately, Kisaragi Akira released Yoruichi's right hand in time, giving himself a narrow chance to turn things around.
Yoruichi pressed her advantage, displaying one more refined Hakuda technique after another. Her movements grew increasingly swift and fierce, like a terrifying gale swelling without end, threatening to swallow Kisaragi Akira whole.
Yet against such an overwhelming assault, Kisaragi Akira was like a lone boat on an endless ocean. He seemed ready to capsize, but whenever he was on the verge of death, he managed to find a clever way to survive.
At the same time, under Yoruichi's powerful pressure, he kept drawing on the qualities of the Heart of the Divine, learning the true essence of her slowed-down Hakuda techniques.
As the two continued to fight, Omaeda Kaneshiro began to sense something was wrong.
Wait!
How had the two of them ended up tangled together?
Yoruichi had Kisaragi Akira's right arm pinned against her chest.
Yoruichi's legs were locked around Kisaragi Akira's neck in a scissor hold. If he hadn't blocked with his left arm and thigh, his head might have been crushed.
Kisaragi Akira's legs were wrapped around Yoruichi's waist as well.
They were both pinning each other down, and, in terms of their positions, Kisaragi Akira even seemed to have a slight advantage!
Kisaragi Akira knew very well that Yoruichi's competitive nature had stopped her from using Reiatsu. She was fighting with nothing but pure technique—and that gave him the perfect opportunity.
If this had been a fight to the death, she would have pulverized him in an instant.
"Lady Yoruichi has Kisaragi Akira pinned!"
"No! If you ask me, Kisaragi Akira has Lady Yoruichi pinned!"
The heated argument among the students watching from the sidelines jolted Omaeda Kaneshiro back to his senses.
By the time he finally came around, the two's positions had become extremely suggestive.
A flicker of fervor had also entered Aizen's gaze.
Interesting...
A genius hiding his talents, just like me?
I looked up some information about Aizen. It's not clear when his ambition first became apparent, but what is clear is that he was the sort of person who felt deeply isolated because he was too much of a genius.
This was mentioned during Aizen's battle with Mugetsu Ichigo.
Before you continue