Yamabuki Haruto's expression was a mix of disbelief and shock. "Old Man, are you serious?"
Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryūsai sat upright, his face betraying no hint of a joke. Saitō Furofushi watched Haruto with an amused grin.
"Can this little bean sprout actually do it?" she taunted.
"Hmph, how do you know I'm a bean sprout if you haven't tried?" Haruto snapped, his pride wounded. What man would allow himself to be called a "bean sprout"?
Saitō simply looked confused, while Yamamoto and Shihōin Chihiro exchanged knowing looks. The boy had an interesting, if not entirely appropriate, way of speaking.
Yamamoto cleared his throat lightly and pulled an incense stick from his robes. "Since you believe you are far superior to this young man, let us make a wager. If you cannot defeat him before this incense stick burns out, you will join the Gotei 13."
Saitō's eyes gleamed with excitement. "And if I defeat him before it burns out?"
"Then I will give this boy to you as a slave!"
Haruto's jaw dropped. "Huh?!?" He stared at Yamamoto with a look of utter betrayal. Did I give you my permission?
"Deal!" Saitō Furofushi shouted, leaping onto the dining table. She drew the Zanpakutō at her waist. "I don't need an entire incense stick to deal with this brat! I can finish him in three seconds!"
As soon as her words were out, Saitō vanished in a blur. The dining table and the main door were instantly torn to shreds by a flash of her blade. Haruto, who had been anticipating her attack, drew his own sword just in time. Their blades clashed, and he immediately felt his strength was inferior. The force of her strike sent him flying out of the hall, where he landed lightly after several mid-air spins.
Shihōin Chihiro waved a hand to clear the dust and grinned as he and Yamamoto stepped out into the hall.
"Hurry up, Saitō! The incense stick has already started burning!" Chihiro laughed.
Haruto's face was grim as he slowly backed away. The chasm between a Vice-Captain and a Captain was simply immense. When Kurosaki Ichigo had gone to rescue Kuchiki Rukia, he had effortlessly defeated three Vice-Captains at the execution stand. Even after Abarai Renji achieved Bankai, he was no match for Kuchiki Byakuya. This difference in power was an insurmountable barrier.
How am I supposed to hold her off for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn? The Old Man is trying to kill me!
Haruto's thoughts raced. I regret everything. I don't want to aim for retirement anymore. Is it too late to quit the Gotei 13?
Saitō, however, gave him no such chance, charging forward with a ferocious sword strike. Her speed and strength were far beyond what the current Haruto could handle. He used Shunpo to retreat, and Saitō's blade struck the ground with the force of a high-explosive bomb. The earth erupted, and a massive shockwave of debris burst in all directions.
"Is she even human?" Haruto muttered, his face contorting. Aside from his Vice-Captain-level spiritual pressure, his only skills were sword mastery and Shunpo. But as every Shinigami knows, all four of the Great Noble Skills rely on spiritual pressure. If Zaraki Kenpachi didn't have such powerful spiritual pressure, how could he have become Captain of the Eleventh Division with just an Asauchi?
And what about that useless system of mine? It gave me one newbie gift pack and then vanished. How am I supposed to fight this insane woman?
Saitō let out a wild laugh as she charged again. Haruto quickly used Shunpo to jump onto a wall, then shouted at Yamamoto and Chihiro: "Does anyone here know Kido? Can you teach me on the spot?"
Chihiro almost burst out laughing. They say it's better late than never, but isn't it a bit too late to learn now?
Yamamoto, however, asked calmly, "What do you want to learn? I am quite proficient in Kido!"
Haruto quickly ran through all the Kido he knew in his mind. But before he could answer, Saitō was upon him again with Shunpo. This time, he couldn't dodge. Haruto was forced to meet her with his blade. Their swords clashed, and he was blasted away by her monstrous strength, but once again, he was not injured, landing steadily after several spins.
Before he could regain his footing, Saitō charged again.
"You're scampering up and down like a monkey! Why won't you fight me head-on like a man?" Saitō roared in frustration.
Haruto could only quickly retreat, avoiding her deadly blade.
"Does anyone know Bakudō #21, Sekienton (Red Smoke Escape)?" Haruto ignored Saitō's taunts and shouted at Yamamoto.
Saitō walked over with her sword, a look of disdain on her face. "Do you think learning a low-level Kido will help you defeat me?"
"What? Are you going to wait until I've learned it?" Haruto shot back.
"I won't fall for that! Die!"
Yamamoto stretched his muscles slightly. "I'll only use it once, so watch carefully!"
Hey! How am I supposed to watch carefully right now? If I'm even slightly distracted, this crazy woman will cut me in half! Can you teach me seriously?!
"Bakudō #21, Sekienton!" Yamamoto's voice boomed.
A wisp of red smoke instantly rose from his feet. This was a low-level Bakudō used to obscure an enemy's vision, with no offensive power. Haruto, however, had no time to study it properly and could only glance at it from the corner of his eye while fending off Saitō's attacks.
But in that instant, he found that he had already understood the principle of the technique just from that single glance.
At first, he didn't understand why this was happening, but then he remembered the title the system had given him: Child of Destiny.
What is a Child of Destiny? Infinite talent, infinite growth, infinite potential! It turns out my biggest advantage was given to me from the very beginning.
"Bakudō #21, Sekienton!"
Haruto placed one hand on the ground, and a large amount of crimson smoke billowed up, instantly obscuring Saitō's vision.
Yamamoto and Chihiro, watching from a distance, were both stunned.
"Has this kid had any contact with Kido before?" Chihiro asked.
"Probably not, or he would have used it already!" Yamamoto replied.
Someone who had never used Kido was able to replicate a spell just by seeing it once? Even if it was a low-level spell, this level of talent was terrifying.
"Sekienton! Sekienton! Sekienton!"
With his Vice-Captain-level spiritual pressure, continuously casting this low-level Kido was effortless. Soon, the entire area was filled with crimson smoke, and everyone lost their sight.
Saitō hated these dishonorable tactics. "Are you just going to keep hiding like this? How long can you hide, you coward!"
"Hide? You seem to have misunderstood something. I'm just looking for an opportunity!"
Haruto's voice appeared behind Saitō like a ghost. She turned her head in shock, and a flash of sword light pierced towards her face at an incredible speed.