The One Behind You

Cherry blossoms scattered.

Byakuya Kuchiki's Soul-Cutter Sword suddenly dissolved from his hand.

The hilt remained in his grasp, but the blade had split into tiny fragments utterly invisible to the naked eye!

The blades fluttered through the air, refracting brilliant colors like cherry blossoms.

After entering Shin'ō Academy and receiving his Asauchi, Byakuya had learned Shikai three months ago.

The true name of his Soul-Cutter Sword was Senbonzakura.

Countless tiny blades, thin as hairs and shaped like drifting fluff, moved at tremendous speed. Worse still, they were difficult to see with the naked eye, making effective defense nearly impossible.

—But Yato could see them.

His dark eyes turned scarlet, two tomoe slowly rotating in each eye, bewitching and beautiful.

Under the gaze of those eyes, the countless tiny blades seemed to have been outlined in ink, every detail clearly visible.

"Go! Senbonzakura!"

Byakuya shouted softly and sent countless blades flying.

In an instant, cherry blossoms filled the air. Pink engulfed the center of the training ground, carrying sharp killing intent as it poured toward Yato.

Yato remained utterly calm. Holding his sword in one hand, he saw every detail of the attack with the Sharingan's aid. His Zanjutsu flowed smoothly, knocking aside each cherry blossom blade.

Within seconds, not even half an inch of the ground where Yato stood remained intact.

Yet the tiny blades that had been knocked away came again from Yato's blind spot behind him under Byakuya's control, joining the frontal assault to surround him from all directions!

Amid the cries of alarm from the students and teachers, Yato's Reiatsu rose to another level.

The two tomoe became three in an instant.

His eerie Sharingan looked through the gaps between the cherry blossoms and into Byakuya's eyes.

"Hmph..."

Byakuya's mind went blank, and his body stiffened.

Looking down, he found several iron stakes as thick as small trees driven through his body. They pierced bone and muscle, and the searing pain robbed him of control over his body, leaving him unable to move.

"An illusion!"

After half a year of spending time and sparring together, Byakuya knew Yato's Shikai well. He immediately realized he had fallen for his opponent's trick.

He instantly controlled Senbonzakura, gathering the tiny blades and driving them toward his own chest.

This was the lock of the soul's "Greedy Wind." It served little purpose, save for one thing: any stimulation there produced excruciating pain.

Byakuya intended to use that pain to quickly free himself from the illusion.

The cherry blossoms stabbed down, and agony struck.

The iron stakes impaling his body vanished with them.

However, when Byakuya looked up again, Yato was nowhere to be seen.

"Friend, look behind you."

Yato's smiling voice sounded from behind Byakuya.

Using the Three-Tomoe Sharingan's Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique to immobilize Byakuya, Yato had dodged the encircling cherry blossom blades at the critical moment before launching a Flash Step assault, aiming directly for his opponent's back!

Even the simplest use of the Sharingan remained a highly effective killing move.

Swish—

Scarlet Eye's chilling blade swept through the air. Like a tiger pouncing on a sheep, Yato slammed the flat of his sword toward Byakuya's back.

The air exploded beneath the immense force with a thunderous boom.

Scarlet Eye's flat struck the ground beneath Byakuya's feet with savage force.

—The blow had missed.

"Then you should... look behind you again."

Byakuya's words suddenly reached Yato's ears.

Even without turning around, Yato could feel the dangerous aura prickling against his back.

"Flash Flower."

Byakuya softly spoke the words as though declaring victory's arrival.

Flash Flower was the Kuchiki Clan's proud secret swordsmanship. Using a spin and special footwork to circle behind an opponent, it struck with a thrust to damage the "Soul Sleep," severely wounding the enemy.

In the original story, Byakuya Kuchiki had used this seemingly casual move to strip Ichigo Kurosaki of the Soul Reaper power he had received from Rukia Kuchiki.

Of course, killing or seriously injuring others was forbidden in Shin'ō Academy sparring matches. Byakuya brought his index and middle fingers together and jabbed at Yato's "Soul Sleep."

If that strike landed, the mildest outcome would be immediate unconsciousness!

Byakuya had practiced Flash Flower countless times. From the spinning advance to the two-finger jab, it was as swift as lightning. Many veteran teachers outside the field could not even see his movements clearly.

With a soft pop, like a dragonfly touching water, Flash Flower landed on Yato's completely unguarded "Soul Sleep."

In that instant, Byakuya's handsome face abruptly changed color, as if he had seen a ghost.

—The sensation at his fingertips was wrong!

This Yato was an illusion too!

"Senbonzakura!"

He shouted abruptly and poured on the Reiatsu, intending to recall the cherry blossom blades scattered outside and protect himself.

Unfortunately, though his reaction was fast enough, it was still not faster than Scarlet Eye's blade.

Yato's Soul-Cutter Sword rested across Byakuya's throat.

The three tomoe slowly rotated as the false body formed from illusion suddenly shattered.

"A splendid duel, my friend, but..."

"Your eyes cannot see the distant future."

The victor had been decided.

After a brief silence, wave after wave of cheers erupted across the training ground.

This duel was truly an excellent example of Shin'ō Academy's teaching results. The two had used the fundamental abilities of swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, movement, and spellcraft in conjunction with their Shikai, engaging in psychological feints and reversals upon reversals while squeezing out every last bit of Reiatsu.

It could be said that a duel of this level might not occur even once in a decade or two. It required not only Seated Officer-level combat ability from the students, but also that the gap between them not be too great.

Whenever Yato and Byakuya fought, Shin'ō Academy's teachers would come to watch, verifying their teaching theories and refining their methods.

"You let me win." Amid the cheers, Yato sheathed his sword first.

"Byakuya, you shouldn't have looked into my eyes."

"I know, but I just couldn't help it." Byakuya Kuchiki released his Shikai and sighed.

"Whether it was the Kuchiki Clan's instruction or the lessons taught by the Academy's teachers, they all emphasized that in battle, you must observe your opponent's eyes and use their emotions to predict their next move."

"So you fell right into my trap."

Byakuya scratched his head, too frustrated to reply.

He pulled the Kenseikan from his hair and toyed with it in his hand, considering how he could deal with Yato's eyes.

Over the past six months, Uchiha Yato had often displayed the illusion-based abilities of his Shikai. As long as someone met the Sharingan's gaze, he could unexpectedly drag them into a world of illusion and seal their body.

Controlling another person's five senses truly offered many advantages in battle. Yato was beginning to understand Aizen Sosuke now.

—Why did he keep using Kyoka Suigetsu? Because it was just too useful!

As Yato and Byakuya's duel came to an end, all of that night's lessons ended as well.

Yato stretched, intending to return to the dormitory and practice Sword Zen before sleeping, but a staff member stopped him on the way.

"Yato."

Though he was a teacher, he remained deeply respectful toward the young genius whose fame was rapidly rising.

"Someone from the Shiba Clan has come and specifically asked to see you."

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