"Not long ago we watched Captain Katori's test, and now we're watching his disciple's. Two new captains within a month, the Katori style is truly flourishing!" Kenpachi Kuruyashiki exclaimed.
"Maybe I should send Nanao to the Katori dōjō?"
Shunsui Kyōraku thought to himself.
He thought of his little niece. She was a bit younger than the Kotetsu family's eldest daughter, but they were roughly the same age. Yet, the difference in their strength was already worlds apart.
His deceased older brother and sister-in-law had left behind a daughter, Nanao Ise.
But he had yet to acknowledge his niece, who had been adopted by relatives from the Ise family.
"Better not... I'm in no position to send her to the Katori dōjō right now."
Shunsui touched the sword at his waist. The impact of that incident had not yet completely faded. If he were to acknowledge his niece, it might attract the attention of certain people in the Ise family.
"Sigh... perhaps only after the older generation of the Ise family is gone will there be a day for us to reunite."
Shunsui lamented in his heart.
"Little Yoruichi has grown so quickly, thanks to Captain Katori's guidance. This old body can finally lay down its burden," Hōkagesa said with a light laugh.
Her sight and hearing were failing, making it inconvenient to even handle daily tasks. She had been looking forward to this day for a long time.
Hōkagesa's peak was before the Gotei 13 was even established. Even the first captain of the 2nd Division, Chika Shihōin, could only be considered her junior.
She was very old now. After the previous head of the Shihōin clan fell in battle, she shouldn't have been the one to become captain.
But Yoruichi had not yet matured, and the younger generations of the Hō and Ōmaeda families were not promising. There were no new captain-level fighters.
Therefore, she had no choice but to take on the heavy responsibility of leading the 2nd Division.
"Yoruichi can finally take over Captain," Jūshirō Ukitake said with emotion.
"Yoruichi's own hard work was also very important for her growth," Sora was also very pleased. Finally, one of his disciples was about to become a captain.
"Captain Hōkagesa, this is a medicine to restore your energy," Retsu Unohana took a bottle of medicine from the reishi-space pocket in her sleeve.
Given Hōkagesa's physical condition, she could no longer sustain a fierce battle and needed medicine to recover her stamina.
"Well then... let this old body burn its remaining embers and see how far little Yoruichi has grown."
Hōkagesa drank the medicine Unohana handed her and walked in front of Yoruichi.
"Captain Hōkagesa, are you sure your body is alright? Should we perhaps have another captain fight me instead?" Yoruichi greatly respected this old woman who had worked her entire life for the Shihōin clan and the 2nd Division.
"It's fine. More than that, I want to personally see your growth. Little Yoruichi, don't you dare hold back just because I'm old!"
Hōkagesa's smile was gentle, looking like an ordinary, kind old woman.
"I will show you my strength!" Yoruichi nodded seriously.
"Then let's begin, little Yoruichi."
Hōkagesa's expression turned serious. Her squinted eyes opened, revealing a pair of cloudy eyes.
Though her eyes were cloudy, Yoruichi felt a terrifying aura from them, like that of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Yoruichi drew her Zanpakutō, crossing the short blades in front of her.
"Bankai, Rai Ikariyō!"
Lightning instantly flashed from her Zanpakutō, and a violent, turbulent flow of spiritual pressure swirled in the air.
A thunderous roar echoed from within the spiritual turbulence.
Suddenly, a lightning claw tore through the turbulence.
The lightning claw shot towards Hōkagesa at extreme speed.
Yoruichi had undergone a period of intense training with her professor, and her control over her Bankai had deepened.
The thunder beast created by her Bankai was now like an extension of her own arm; she no longer needed to summon the entire beast.
"Good!" Hōkagesa shouted lightly, slamming her cane into the ground.
Boom!
The ground exploded.
Hōkagesa's figure vanished in an instant.
The lightning claw grasped at empty air.
Somehow, Hōkagesa's speed was a fraction faster than the lightning!
"Captain Hōkagesa is so fast! Can she really achieve that speed just by manipulating the air?!"
Shunsui Kyōraku exclaimed in amazement.
Hōkagesa's Zanpakutō could control air and air currents, so she could use that to make her Shunpo faster.
"It's not the ability that's impressive, but that Captain Hōkagesa herself is already very fast."
Retsu Unohana watched intently.
She had also rarely seen Hōkagesa fight.
During the era when Hōkagesa was active, she was a sharp blade in the shadow of the Shihōin clan. She rarely acted, but when she did, it was astounding.
Hōkagesa's figure appeared behind Yoruichi, her cane thrusting forward.
Wood splinters flew as the cane cracked open, revealing a sharp blade within.
"I'm waiting for you!" Lightning flared from the short blade in Yoruichi's hand. A lightning claw erupted from it, striking at Hōkagesa behind her.
Yoruichi had also been taught by Hōkagesa as a child and knew very well how fast her Shunpo was.
Hōkagesa's eyes narrowed, and the airflow at the tip of her blade suddenly exploded.
"BOOM!"
Yoruichi felt a massive force, and she was instantly sent flying by the violent gust of air.
Fortunately, the thunder beast's claw had blocked the blow, so she wasn't seriously injured.
"Good reaction."
Hōkagesa smiled.
She lightly tapped the ground with the tip of her blade.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!"
Dozens of air currents erupted from the ground. Debris flew, and turbulent air cannons mixed with sand and stone shot towards Yoruichi in the air.
The spectating captains couldn't help but think that the 1st Division courtyard might need a complete renovation after their fight was over.
"Here it comes, that move!"
Yoruichi's eyes narrowed.
Hōkagesa had demonstrated this move to her before.
Back then, she could barely even get close.
But things were different now!
Yoruichi's figure flashed rapidly, dodging the assault of air cannons.
At the same time, the short blade in her hand flared with lightning, and a lightning claw gripped the blade.
ZAP!
Before the crackle of lightning could be heard.
A blade of lightning had already been unleashed.
Rai Ikariyō: Ryūkō!
Yoruichi used the lightning claw as a sheath to execute Ryūkō, bringing the claw's lightning with it as she struck.
This was a slash that fused the power of the lightning claw!
The lightning blade cut down from above, and the air cannons in its path instantly dissolved into turbulent spiritual pressure.
The blade tore through the turbulence and arrived in front of Hōkagesa in an instant.
Hōkagesa raised her blade to block and was instantly driven into the ground.
BOOM—
"Captain Hōkagesa's physical condition... is it really okay for her to use a move like that..." Jūshirō Ukitake's face was full of worry.
The move was incredibly powerful, and he was worried Hōkagesa couldn't take it.
"Do not worry. Captain Hōkagesa's strength is immense. Even when compared to the first-generation captains, she is by no means inferior," Yamamoto said slowly.
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