Orihime Inoue, who was lying against the window railing, caught sight of Rukia Kuchiki's battle.
She hadn't expected Rukia to win so cleanly and decisively. The overwhelming spiritual pressure she released was far beyond Orihime's imagination.
Although this was Orihime's first time seeing Kuchiki-san in action, she found her both impressive and beautiful.
Arisawa Tatsuki also leaned against the window and let out a sigh.
"I didn't think Kuchiki-san would be that strong."
The rest of the class was equally shaken.
"What's going on outside? Those noises sounded like an explosion!"
"Do you feel that? It just got cold all of a sudden... but it's the middle of summer."
"Something's wrong… is the world ending?"
Their teacher, Ms. Ochi, tried to calm them from the front of the room.
"Everyone, sit back down. It's probably just some kind of accident. Don't panic. The authorities will take care of it."
...
Kurosaki Ichigo watched Rukia's battle and felt a chill run down his spine.
He remembered when she had seemed like just another ordinary unseated officer of a squad. But what he was seeing now was spiritual pressure on a completely different level. It wasn't as overwhelming as a captain's-but surely it was rivaling the strength of a lieutenant.
What Ichigo didn't know was that the spiritual seal placed on Rukia still restricted nearly eighty percent of her true power.
If she merged with the Hōgyoku, her strength would only grow further.
Grimmjow approached Ichigo then, his voice sharp and cold.
"You're Kurosaki Ichigo, right?"
The instant their eyes met, Ichigo felt the crushing weight of Grimmjow's spiritual pressure press down on him.
Under that force, he was like a small boat tossed helplessly in a storm at sea, moments away from sinking.
...
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Madarame Ikkaku had just parried four consecutive strikes.
His opponent, the towering Adorad Lorenzo, hadn't even drawn the Zanpakutō at his waist. The brute used only his fists and forearms to deflect his attacks.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you drawing your blade? Or is that thing at your side just for show?"
"Our Arrancar hierro is our armor," Adorad replied. "My hands are more than enough to deal with the likes of you."
"Is that so?" Ikkaku twisted his waist and drove his blade forward with full force.
Steel clashed and sparks erupted as the two exchanged blows.
Ikkaku smirked through the clash.
"I've already figured it out… how much strength I'll need to cut off your hand."
In an instant, their exchange grew into dozens of rapid attacks. Adorad slowly detected Ikkaku's rhythm-his left hand striking with the sword, his right hand raising the sheathed scabbard defensively.
It looked predictable. There was the opening.
Spotting the chance, Adorad thrust his palm into the ground. Spiritual pressure condensed into raw strength and shattered a massive stone slab that likely weighed tons, forcing Ikkaku upward into mid-air.
He followed immediately with a slash, aiming to bring Ikkaku down in one clean strike.
But in the air, Ikkaku tossed his sword from his left to his right hand and countered.
Steel cut across Adorad's face before he could adjust. A fresh wound marked his cheek, running diagonal through his brow. Blood trickled as the two men separated.
"Tch… I'd aimed to split your head. Didn't think you'd manage to pull back in time," Ikkaku said as he spun his blade.
Shock flickered across Adorad's features. His opponent's style had been a trap from the start. The flawed rhythm had been deliberate, the false weakness designed to lure him in.
It was reckless-tactics that risked his own life for a critical strike. If it missed, it could mean death. Yet it worked.
Ikkaku spat blood to the side and reached up, jarring loose two of his own teeth with his fingers.
"Your blows are tough. Focusing that much reiryoku into your fists really packs a punch. Knocked two of my teeth out… doesn't matter. I'll have Akon make me replacements later."
Despite his bloody state, Ikkaku squatted and rolled his shoulders.
"I'm starting to get a feel for you. Five, maybe six more clean strikes and I'll split through that hierro of yours."
"…I underestimated you," Adorad admitted, wiping the blood from his cheek. He raised his weapon and his tone hardened.
"Against someone like you, I'll draw on my Resurrección from the start."
Ikkaku grinned. "So you're acknowledging me then?"
"No. I'll show you despair, so you won't waste your next life rushing at enemies far beyond your reach."
He raised his Zanpakutō slowly.
"Devour, Volcano Beast!"
Spiritual pressure surged violently. Ikkaku braced himself, eyes wide as the Arrancar's body shifted before him.
His arms transformed into massive armored limbs resembling volcanic rock, thicker than ancient tree trunks and lined with molten energy that pulsed under the surface. His body extended with armor-like plating across his back until he looked less like a man and more like a monster built for destruction.
"This is my true form. I am Arrancar No. 13, Adorad Lorenzo. This is my Resurrección, Volcánica Bestia. My real power begins here."
He swung one colossal arm forward, and reiryoku erupted outward like a volcanic eruption, consuming everything in its path.
The blast tore through the streets, leveling entire sections of the battlefield.
It would have annihilated dozens of homes-until Yuta raised his hand from above.
With the snap of his fingers, an unseen barrier materialized, separating combatants from the ground and suspending them hundreds of meters in the air. The destructive wave struck but dispersed harmlessly against the invisible wall.
"What… what kind of barrier is this?" Adorad muttered in disbelief. His destructive power had left no mark on it.
Ayasegawa Yumichika calmly opened communications to the Seireitei.
"Send word to Squad 11. Prepare Ikkaku's funeral rites."
He didn't interfere. The fight belonged to Ikkaku alone, and stepping in would dishonor him.
Even if this battle ended in death, that was the way Ikkaku wanted it.
Blood dripping down his body but still standing, Ikkaku lifted his chin and sneered.
"This barrier belongs to Yuta-the current captain of Squad 12 and a master of kidō. There's no way you're breaking through it."
He smirked faintly as he added, "You should also know-he's the man who even defeated Zaraki Kenpachi of Squad 11."
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