Gusion looked at the elderly man before him, with a white beard tied with a purple sash. He was both excited and a little surprised.
Excited, because he was meeting one of the world's top powerhouses. Surprised, because the Captain-Commander seemed… shorter than expected.
Maybe he hadn't noticed when reading the manga, or maybe the author's art style made everyone look tall and slender. He'd always thought the Captain-Commander was huge, but now it seemed he was less than 1.7 meters tall.
So, people do shrink with age.
At this moment, every student in the dojo was electric with excitement. After all, standing before them was a living legend—the Captain-Commander, head of the Gotei 13, principal of the academy.
No one could have imagined that a simple first-year hakuda class would be taught by the Captain-Commander himself.
Not just the dojo—the entrance was crowded, and behind every window were at least ten pairs of eyes, all eager to witness the Soul Society's greatest Shinigami.
As everyone prepared to listen to the Captain-Commander's teachings and do their best in class, the Captain-Commander raised his hand and pointed in a direction.
"Young man, I hear you're good at hakuda. Even the teacher here can't teach you. How about I spar with you?"
Stares.
All around, people stared, each with different thoughts.
Some were surprised, some envious, some sympathetic—but most were gloating.
As the most talked-about student in the Academy these past two months, Gusion's name was on everyone's lips.
He'd beaten the Shihōin heir, and cut down Teacher Fujimoto—his talent seemed bottomless. No wonder even the teachers said they couldn't handle him.
But now, they'd finally get to see Gusion get put in his place.
Everyone near Gusion took a step back—including a delighted Aizen and a gloating Yoruichi.
With everyone watching, Gusion didn't shrink back. He grinned and said, "It's an honor to receive your guidance, Captain-Commander."
He stepped forward, tightening his sash, then slipped off the top of his uniform, letting it fall to his side.
The Academy's uniforms were too loose for his liking, and he wanted to go all out against the strongest Shinigami.
For the first time in ages, Gusion felt his blood boiling, urging him to climb this mountain before him.
"Wow… Gusion-kun's body is amazing…"
"If you look closely, Gusion-kun is manly—so rugged and handsome."
"Ooh~ wow, six pack… I want to touch them…"
Many students stared at the shirtless Gusion—fit and lean in clothes, muscular without.
From the front, his physique was like a Greek statue, as if sculpted by the gods. From behind, his back muscles were so developed and symmetrical, they formed a violent beauty.
Gusion paid no attention to the chatter. He saw only the old man before him.
"Not bad," the Captain-Commander commented. Then, his billowing haori flew off, revealing his muscular torso.
Only then did the students realize—this was no kindly, short old man.
Every inch of his torso was like steel, crisscrossed with scars from countless life-and-death battles, radiating a brutal aura.
As the haori dropped, the Captain-Commander stepped forward. At that moment, Gusion felt his body freeze.
To Gusion's eyes, the Captain-Commander's form seemed to stretch infinitely upwards. Though he released no spiritual pressure, his aura alone was almost crushing.
This wasn't a mountain to climb—this was a world-ending tsunami bearing down on him!
"Young man, get ready…"
The old man's tiger-like eyes locked onto Gusion. "And grit your teeth."
After a moment of stiffness, Gusion felt his heart beating.
Like war drums beating, his fighting spirit soared.
The thrill of facing a powerhouse outweighed the suffocating pressure. Unseen to him, a deep purple glimmer flashed in his pitch-black eyes.
Boom—!
Like a punch splitting the heavens, the floor beneath Gusion shattered from the force, and he was sent flying, crashing into the wall behind.
"Oh? Quick reflexes," said the Captain-Commander, standing where Gusion had been moments before, slowly withdrawing his ancient fist.
Gusion leaned against the cracked wall, lowering his arms that had shielded his face. His right arm was dented, stained with a crimson fist mark.
The pain didn't frighten him. It only stoked his fighting spirit. As he stepped forward, stretching his limbs, his neck cracked, and his eyes burned with excitement.
No need to ask—the Captain-Commander had held back his spiritual pressure. Otherwise, a single punch would have pulverized him.
In other words, the Captain-Commander was only using about Grade 16 spiritual pressure, but even with a successful block, nearly broke his arm.
His right arm wasn't broken but was badly damaged. As he moved forward, his left hand glowed, healing the dent in seconds, leaving only a red fist mark.
"Kaido, huh? That recovery speed is too slow for real combat," the Captain-Commander commented.
He didn't say kaido was useless in combat, for he knew Unohana could use it actively. Gusion, though, was still a novice.
Gusion grinned. "Just giving myself a chance to challenge you at my peak."
He lowered his stance. In the next instant, he vanished from the sight of ordinary students.
Bang—!
The sound of fists and feet clashing rang out. Gusion reappeared midair, his right leg meeting the Captain-Commander's wrist, wind rustling the old man's beard, yet he didn't budge.
In that brief moment, the Captain-Commander didn't even look up at Gusion. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed Gusion's ankle and slammed him into the ground like an axe.
No one watching dared to make a sound. They were shocked that Gusion, the undisputed hakuda champion, was so powerless before the Captain-Commander and that the old man showed no mercy.
Such a heavy blow—wouldn't that kill Gusion?
But in the next moment, from the flying wood chips and dust, an arm snaked out, even surprising the Captain-Commander.