Spiritual pressure — Reiryoku — is the standard used to measure spiritual strength.
It is classified starting from the twentieth level, in ascending order, and each grade has a marked difference from the others.
Ordinary soldiers generally remain between the twentieth and eighteenth levels.
Those who reach the rank of seated officers usually situate above the tenth level.
Following this logic, vice-captains concentrate between the fifth and fourth levels, while captains reside at the third level or higher.
This direct — almost blunt — form of classification may seem coarse, but overall, it allows one to clearly divide and understand the known forces.
The strong will always become stronger.
Over time, they accumulate experience and power, until they finally break through their limits and reach a new stage.
But the weak also do not remain weak forever — when the right moment comes, they fight, advance, and eventually see landscapes that were once beyond their reach.
As a vice-captain, Ōmaeda Nizōshin possessed spiritual pressure classified as level five, and that alone already said a lot.
— My power… among the vice-captains, it's nothing special. — he murmured.
At first glance, his words sounded humble — but upon careful thought, they carried a suffocating weight.
For if he, at this level of power, was already so oppressive…
How many even more terrifying existed above him?
Defeat one… only to face an even stronger one.
The top of the path of the sword — does such an end truly exist?
Arima Shinya already knew the answer.
And instead of feeling discouraged, he smiled — a wide, genuine smile.
— In that case… isn't it even more exciting?!
His fists clenched tightly, and he took a deep breath.
Everyone knew that the amount of spiritual pressure reflected the density of the soul.
A powerful spirit naturally possessed terrifying strength.
But for Arima Shinya, this strength had a completely different interpretation.
The four fundamental arts — Zan (Sword), Ken (Fist), Soku (Movement), Kido (Magic) — were the foundation that composed his own soul.
[Zan: 40][Ken: 25][Soku: 12][Kido: 15]
Since the last half-month training, his sword skills had advanced once again.
Additionally, he had expanded his mastery in hand-to-hand combat, and thanks to supplementary lessons with Ise Nanao and Kotetsu Isane, his Kido proficiency had also grown, reaching level 15.
Now, fusing all of this in perfect harmony, he followed the method taught by Aizen —
Use the survival instinct as a fuse, and ignite the spark until the entire soul exploded with power.
Come. This is a battle for survival.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A visible whirlwind filled the air.
It was a bluish current of spiritual energy, coiling around Arima Shinya and radiating a deep, vibrant glow.
The light distorted the air, making his own silhouette appear blurred.
Whoosh—!
The wild wind tore through the tie holding his hair — the ponytail unraveled, and the black strands spread out in a chaotic dance.
His spiritual pressure rose explosively.
It was different from traditional control techniques; this force, born from pure instinct and the will to live, had an almost inhuman, magnetic presence.
The level of his spiritual pressure climbed, step by step —
20… 15… 9… 7!
Finally, it stabilized at a height that left everyone speechless.
Even so, for someone who was still only a rookie student, it was incredible.
Tōsen Kaname stood, moved.
Ise Nanao was dumbfounded, speechless.
And Kotetsu Isane — beside Aizen — stared at the boy in the ring, astonished.
That fearless, radiant figure…
Could it really be the same man she knew?
— Oh! — exclaimed Yoruichi, grinning from ear to ear.
— I knew it! I knew this boy was hiding something… Hey, Aizen! You trained him, didn't you? What a prodigy, huh?
She poked Aizen's shoulder with her elbow, but he didn't react.
On the contrary — his gaze was fixed on the youth, his face marked by a rare expression of surprise.
There was no denying it: Arima Shinya was his student.
But the pace of his growth… even exceeded Aizen's expectations.
Behind his glasses, no one knew what he was truly thinking.
Meanwhile, up on the duel field — Ōmaeda stared, stunned.
— Arima Shinya, you…
So many words wanted to come out, but there was no time.
Before he could even finish the sentence,
Arima Shinya surged forward — his body vanished in the blink of an eye and, in an instant, he was already inside the vice-captain's guard.
So fast?!
Even Yoruichi Shihōin furrowed her brow.
An error like that, even minimal, was not something she expected to see from a vice-captain.
She thought of warning him — but gave up.
After all, we were talking about the vice-captain of the 2nd Division.
Even relying solely on his physical strength and the name of his clan, Ōmaeda Nizōshin was definitely not a weak man.
Losing to a rookie student, without even wielding his Zanpakutō, would be far too humiliating.
But Arima Shinya showed no trace of arrogance for having gotten so close.
Deep down, he knew — his 12 points in Soku (Movement) placed him, at the very least, at the level of a lower-ranking officer.
— So that's it… — he murmured calmly. — Focused so much on my spiritual pressure that you let your guard down against the rest?
Understandable… but unforgivable for someone of his rank.
Inhale.
Exhale.
A cycle.
His heart thumped like a pressure bomb, circulating energy throughout his body.
He lifted his leg — and stomped with force.
BOOOM!
The floor caved in.
Arima Shinya clenched his right fist and, with narrowed eyes, delivered a direct strike — his fist roared through the air and hit Ōmaeda squarely in the chest!
The Hundred Martial Arts — That is the First Bone.
BANG!!!
The sound was deafening.
Ōmaeda was thrown back, his entire body trembling from the impact, his eyes nearly popping from their sockets.
— Guh…! — he gasped.
Even injured, he hadn't fallen yet.
Dragged three meters, he skidded to a halt, his feet scraping the ground — his shoes completely destroyed.
Blue smoke rose from his chest, and his breathing was heavy…
But amidst the pain, an almost satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
— Heh… managed to block… — he murmured.
"In front of so many people, this kid thought he could embarrass me? Let's see now…"
— ŌMAEDA!!! — Yoruichi's furious shout echoed.
Ōmaeda froze.
His face changed rapidly — surprise, fear, terror.
"No… something's wrong. I made a terrible mistake—"
Before he could react, Arima Shinya was already in front of him again — his body in constant motion, surrounded by a whirlwind of energy.
Spiritual pressure floated around his fists, and the smile on his face was wild, defiant.
— Thought you blocked it, didn't you?
Ōmaeda gritted his teeth.
— Of course… after all…
— I haven't used my full strength yet. — said Arima, his tone low and firm.
The previous strike was only a feint.
Now… this was the real strike.
That is the Second Bone.
Inhale.
Advance.
His two fists clenched, moving at a speed that human eyes could not follow.
And both struck Ōmaeda's chest at the same time.