A sonic boom erupted as if a shell had spat out lethal flames; a burning iron fist was already closing in!
Covering dozens of meters in an instant, Yamamoto was now right in front of him.
Behind the flaming fist, it felt as if a sun were rising within his eyes.
A step forward, then a straight punch!
Naraku Sora instinctively raised his arms to block, but the resulting vibration left them nearly numb as he was sent flying.
He skidded across the floor, leaving two charred furrows in his wake.
'This damn strength is just ridiculous!'
After numerous battles against the likes of Takeda Goki, Arturo, Gosuke, and Tsunayashiro Taketori, he had used his overwhelming stats to crush them one
by one.
He thought he had finally become somewhat of an expert.
Even if he couldn't beat the top-tier Captains, he figured he could at least hold his own.
His confidence had ballooned as a result.
But now, focusing 120% of his attention on Yamamoto, he realized with a shock that the old man hadn't been using his real strength at all.
As his own power rose like the tide, Yamamoto's ship rose right along with it, seemingly without a ceiling.
Before Naraku Sora could even steady himself, Yamamoto was closing in again. With his current reaction speed, he couldn't even track the old man's movement.
It was just like the Sonído used by Great Hollows.
Spatial displacement.
The burning fist whistled through the air, bypassing the arms Naraku Sora had raised in defense.
An uppercut!
In an instant, Naraku Sora's pupils shrank. His blocking arms twisted, hooking onto Yamamoto's sweeping forearm. A burst of power erupted, and his backward
flying body came to a sudden halt.
The two clashed like wrestling bulls, unleashing terrifying amounts of power.
The floor beneath them groaned under the unbearable weight.
But Yamamoto clearly didn't want this stalemate to continue; he wanted to see how much power Naraku Sora could draw from this so-called Lightning Style mode.
The palm resting on the forearm flipped, sparks flying from the friction of the fingers as power comparable to a volcanic eruption pushed forward.
A moment later, a deafening boom rang out.
Between them, a shockwave erupted out of nowhere, shooting in all directions and transforming into a sharp gale, as if a bomb had detonated in their faces.
Naraku Sora's vision went black, and his ears began to ring.
Brilliant arcs of electricity surged, revitalizing his body while stimulating his nerves, instantly snapping him out of his dazed state.
Flash Step retreat.
With an explosion of extreme speed, Naraku Sora temporarily broke free from Yamamoto's grip.
With such a massive gap in their stats, a contest of raw strength was far too disadvantageous for him.
"It is useless, boy."
Yamamoto loosened his neck muscles, his joints cracking with the sound of grinding steel. Two visible jets of white steam snorted from his nostrils.
Beneath his Shishakushō, his scarred skin turned slightly red as a scorching heatwave rolled forward.
"I shall teach you one more thing today."
"A Shikai is essentially the manifestation of a Soul Reaper's own power through their Zanpakutō."
"That is to say, when a Soul Reaper understands themselves deeply enough and has unearthed enough potential, even without a Zanpakutō, they can still—"
"—release their Shikai!"
BOOM!
Yamamoto charged forward, kicking up a hurricane. Heavy spiritual pressure swirled around his iron fist as he aimed for the gap in Naraku Sora's guard—
A straight punch!
His terrifying speed surpassed the naked eye's perception. The surrounding flames even distorted the arcs of lightning.
An explosion erupted in the blink of an eye.
However, it failed to hit the mark.
The punch was blocked firmly.
Looking at the calm face mere inches away and feeling the immense power pressing against his forearm, a thoughtful glint appeared in Naraku Sora's eyes.
These were the same words Shutara Senjumaru had told him when he was learning to master his Shikai.
In the eyes of high-level Soul Reapers, Shikai was not about exploring the sword, but about developing the Soul Reaper's own power.
Both soul and body fell into this category.
Soul Reapers were actually similar to humans in the World of the Living; their bodies, made of Reishi, possessed infinite potential waiting to be tapped.
Of course, there was a gap between even Soul Reapers.
To teach Naraku Sora how to activate Shikai without a Zanpakutō, Yamamoto had taken the lead in demonstrating it.
Although it wasn't a full release, the mere fraction of power leaking from between his fingers was enough to see the whole picture and grasp the underlying principle.
In the end, it came down to insufficient self-exploration.
"What was that word again?"
"Ah, yes. Stats."
Yamamoto withdrew his arm and cracked his neck, the popping sound making one's skin crawl.
"You once said that stats are everything. But if I were to simply crush you with raw numbers, the battle between us would end in an instant."
"Yet that would only decide victory or defeat; it would provide no growth."
"Instruction should not be thus."
"Therefore, while in Shikai, I shall control my power and speed to match the upper limits of what you can endure, lashing you until you achieve"
"the accomplishment of growth."
As he finished speaking, Yamamoto's burning form left an afterimage. In a heartbeat, a series of masterfully executed Hakuda techniques were unleashed.
Iron fists fell like rain, making the very air shriek in pain.
Amidst the sound of grinding steel, Naraku Sora attempted to parry while also trying to grasp how to further tap into his Shikai's power.
However, during this process, Yamamoto continuously increased the weight of his blows.
At first, he could barely manage a back-and-forth, but as the heat radiated, the heavy pressure became increasingly terrifying.
It was like walking on the edge of a volcano, liable to be swallowed by splashing lava at any moment.
The suffocating pressure kept Naraku Sora's nerves taut; he didn't dare relax for even a second.
His blood-red spiritual pressure flared more intensely, dancing like flames across his body.
Gradually.
His heart beat with increasing vigor, thumping like a drum. His blood turned into a tidal wave, fueling every inch of his limbs in the crudest manner possible.
His Reiatsu surged violently, and the aura surrounding Naraku Sora became increasingly solid.
Brilliant golden lightning danced wildly, continuously revitalizing every muscle and nerve.
To withstand the crushing weight Yamamoto was applying, Naraku Sora subconsciously squeezed every drop of potential from within his body.
This wasn't a case of forced, harmful growth.
It was a perfectly timed, high-intensity training session.
Naraku Sora gradually became immersed in the rhythm Yamamoto was controlling. The bonuses from his growth potential were manifesting perfectly at this moment.
It wasn't just about the perfect utilization of his own power; his learning efficiency had also seen a significant boost.
His spirit was more excited than ever before, and his focus was absolute.
What exactly is a Soul Reaper's own power?
Mid-battle, Naraku Sora began to ponder.
But he quickly abandoned this meaningless line of thought.
The soul? The body?
BOOM!
A violent, scorching wind blew him away, sending Naraku Sora flying in a near-perfect arc.
Just as he was about to crash into the floor, countless strange inspirations flashed through the depths of his mind.
It was neither.
The instinct that could unify and fuse the two, perfectly manifesting one's full potential—that was the core power of a Soul Reaper.
Peeling away the skin, carving out the flesh, shattering the bone to reach the depths of the nerves—the primal, crystal-clear killing response.
That was instinct.
Intense heat began to spread from Naraku Sora's body. His blood-red Reiatsu acted as fuel, distorting the surrounding air.
"Vajrayati, Ten Quadrillion Kalpas!"
His arms stretched, a scorching wind rose, and the sound of grinding steel erupted from his joints.
Naraku Sora's eyes grew brighter, as if flames were roaring within them.
Shrouded in the flames of spiritual pressure, the countless muscles and tissues in his arm vibrated. Reiatsu and power converged, erupting from his suddenly
clenched fist as a shockwave thrust straight forward.
Watching the fist grow larger, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Yamamoto's face. Then, his lips curled into a ferocious grin as his scorching Reiatsu surged downward.
Ikkotsu vs Ikkotsu!
BOOM!
The ground shook violently. A series of explosions swept outward as endless flames rose savagely from the earth, rushing unchecked toward the sky.
Amidst the earth-shattering chaos, the battle finally drew to a close.
It was proven that even while both were in Shikai, and despite having the Lightning Style mode and the stat boost from Hollow power,
Naraku Sora was still no match for Yamamoto.
There truly was a gap between Captains.
No wonder Tsunayashiro Taketori had prioritized removing Yamamoto before making his big move.
Otherwise, with the commotion he'd caused, that golden-jacketed old man probably would have slashed him the moment the Kido barrier shattered.
Clearly, Tsunayashiro Taketori felt his trump cards weren't enough to contend with an enraged Yamamoto.
Originally, in his plan, he and Gosuke would team up to kill Ukitake Jūshirō, extract Mimihagi, and transform the Soul King's right hand
into his own power.
That way, he wouldn't have to fear Yamamoto even if the old man returned from Hueco Mundo.
But who could have guessed an annoying fly would be in the Gotei 13? In the end, it was all for naught.
Such was the importance of intelligence.
"You've learned well enough."
Yamamoto picked up his haori and shook off the dust. "The deeper your self-understanding, the easier it becomes to practice Bankai."
"Of course, you must not slacken in your communication with your Zanpakutō."
"If you wish to master Bankai and leave your name in the history of the Soul Society, both are indispensable."
Naraku Sora nodded seriously.
A hint of satisfaction flickered in Yamamoto's eyes. "Do you remember what was finalized at the last Captains' Meeting?"
Naraku Sora thought seriously for a moment. "That the Gotei 13 has completely lost face?"
"???"
Yamamoto glared at him. This rebellious disciple was good in every way, except for his mouth.
"It concerns the position of Squad 9 Captain."
"The proficiency test was originally scheduled for a few days ago, but so much has happened recently that it was delayed."
"I originally intended for Shunsui to handle it."
Speaking of which, Yamamoto shook his head. "However, because he forcibly broke into the Underground Assembly Hall and openly threatened Central 46, all his duties have been temporarily suspended."
"Therefore, I have decided that you shall conduct the test."
Naraku Sora froze for a moment, then blurted out instinctively:
"I'm fighting Muguruma Kensei?"