Byakuya Kuchiki's face darkened.
Ran En's calm jab referring to the Kuchiki clan as if it were nothing special had landed deeper than he expected.
Raised from childhood as the heir to one of the Four Great Noble Houses, Byakuya had always heard the same words about himself:
"Genius. Prodigy. Noble bloodline."
But now?
Faced with Ran En's unshakable calm and undeniable strength, those praises felt... dull. Weak.
Especially when the results spoke for themselves.
Yesterday's Reiatsu evaluation, today's Zanpakutō manifestation in both, Ran En had left him completely in the dust.
"What's happening over there?"
"Did Little Byakuya just start beef with Ran En?"
"Bro's kind of glass-hearted for a noble…"
"But this is gonna be fun."
Yoruichi, Urahara, and the other students weren't rushing in to stop the tension they were enjoying it like front-row seats to the best drama of the semester.
"Talent, huh?" Byakuya finally said coldly.
"Then I want to see for myself… what kind of 'talent' gives you the confidence to talk down to the Kuchiki clan."
At that moment:
[Your Kidō says Sōsuke must never lose face. It has now completed full mastery of Hadō and Bakudō 1–60 all in abandonment chant form.]
Ran En blinked.
He couldn't help but mentally thumbs-up his Kidō.
Not only powerful but protective.
Refusing to let him be outshone even in a casual spar.
How sweet.
Byakuya pointed a hand skyward.
"We'll settle this the Shinigami way with a contest of Kidō."
Ran En didn't even rise to his feet.
"As you wish."
He gave a small smile and turned to Ukitake. "Sensei, please act as our referee."
"Unless, of course… you're okay with losing a student today."
Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "So arrogant."
Ukitake sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"These two…"
"Alright. If I feel like someone's going too far, I'll intervene."
Still, part of him was curious. Was Ran En truly as untouchable as he claimed? Or was this the arrogance of a rising star yet to be humbled?
Byakuya didn't wait.
His face cold, he raised his hand and began chanting:
"O land of kings! Mask of flesh and bone Vientiane, soaring high with the name of man!
Truth and restraint, wall of innocence stand firm!"
"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!"
Blue fire flared from his palm, wild and unrelenting, branching like lightning and tearing through the air.
The watching Rukongai students Tōsen, Komamura, and others visibly paled.
They couldn't even cast this level of Kidō with full chant.
And here Byakuya was launching it in seconds.
"This is the difference between us and the noble houses," Tōsen thought, eyes narrowing.
"Even their kids start where we end…"
The explosion hit.
Blue fire engulfed Ran En, swallowing his seated form beneath a cascade of magical flame and pressure.
Byakuya exhaled calmly, turning away.
"Jushiro-sensei, you may want to call the Fourth Division for healing. With his Reiatsu, he might survive."
His tone was cold, victorious. Already assuming the match was over.
But then
"Sōkatsui?"
"You should've saved that for lighting candles, Kuchiki-classmate."
A voice drifted out from the smoke.
Byakuya froze.
He turned sharply eyes widening.
The flames had parted.
Ran En was still sitting under the tree, one leg crossed over the other, completely unscathed. Not a single burn. Not even a wrinkle on his uniform.
A faint, mocking smile played on his lips.
"The battle between Shinigami," Ran En said casually, "is ultimately a battle of Reiatsu."
"Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, Kidō they're all just methods of expressing that Reiatsu."
"You cast a spell with your Reiatsu… I crushed it with mine."
He lifted a single hand.
Golden light flared.
BOOM !
A tsunami of spiritual pressure exploded outward.
A golden torrent swept across the training ground like a divine flood.
Every student staggered back.
Even Urahara flinched.
Yoruichi widened her eyes.
Byakuya's face went pale.
Only Aizen stood tall, arms crossed, smiling faintly like he was expecting it all along.
"His Reiatsu…" Urahara whispered. "It's even stronger than it was yesterday."
Bones creaked.
Knees bent.
Even some of the nobles struggled to stay standing.
The Rukongai-born were forced to the ground completely.
Even Byakuya, noble blood and all, could barely hold his footing sweat beading on his forehead, jaw tight as he fought the weight pressing down on his entire body.
"Is this still a student?"
"He's like a walking captain-level Reiatsu cannon…"
Someone whispered in awe.
Another just stared, dumbstruck.
Ran En didn't move.
He let the silence settle.
Let the weight of his presence sink deep into their bones.
Then, as the golden light faded ever so slightly, he looked at Byakuya again.
Still seated.
Still calm.
And said lightly
"Any more candles you'd like me to light?"