"Sōsuke, you'll never inherit my legacy!"
Akira advanced with his sword, his face filled with indignation. He suddenly realized why Aizen had changed his usually low-key style.
So this is what he was waiting for. A mutual appreciation between geniuses? No, this guy just wanted to trap him!
Feeling the puzzled gazes surrounding him, Aizen sighed helplessly. His previous actions seemed to have backfired. To test this guy's true abilities, he had essentially sacrificed himself.
Yet he couldn't suppress his curiosity. As his only friend at the Shin'ō Academy, Little Priest, let me see your true limits.
Standing opposite Unohana, Akira's face drooped, and he said pitifully in a small voice:
"Captain Unohana, I was just running my mouth earlier. I actually don't know anything about Zanjutsu..."
She responded with a smile: "It's alright, true Zanjutsu doesn't lie in a fight."
As the words fell, Akira saw Unohana change from holding the sword with one hand to gripping it with both.
The previously gentle aura instantly vanished, replaced by a sharpness that cut to the bone. Her gentle smile slowly faded, her eyes widened slightly, her warm face now as cold as an asura. A grand killing intent spilled out from beneath her robes.
As if endless darkness spread from beneath her feet, the dojo transformed into hell — a bone-chilling cold devouring everything, and a terrifying pressure covered the area before her.
The moment their calm gazes met, Akira's Danger Instinct issued an unprecedented warning, a sharp ringing seeming to snap his nerves. In his eyes, the bamboo sword that originally posed no threat was now inexplicably covered in mottled, sticky blood.
Drip, Drip, Drip—
Unohana's lips curled in a smile, but it no longer held her usual gentle approachability. Instead, it was filled with an intense killing intent!
Without hesitation, the moment Akira gripped his bamboo sword, she took the initiative to attack. Her toes lightly touched the ground, and her whole body became like an arrow released from a bow, charging straight ahead!
The bamboo sword whistled through the air. The air let out a groan of unbearable burden, as if it had been split apart, with the airflow separating to both sides.
Without using even a bit of Reiatsu, relying solely on her understanding of Zanjutsu and rich combat experience, Unohana unleashed an astonishing sword technique at this moment.
In an instant, the bamboo sword was at close range!
Akira's pupils constricted sharply, his mind blank. His Danger Instinct erupted like a volcano, causing him to unconsciously unleash his strongest power.
The bamboo swords clashed with a crisp sound!
As they crossed paths, Unohana's footsteps faltered.
Her nimble toes spun on the dojo floor. In the moment of turning, using the momentum, she pressed all her strength onto the bamboo sword, slashing diagonally downward!
She controlled her power to be almost on par with Akira's. Otherwise, she would have overwhelmed him instantly in their first clash.
Even so, his performance surprised her.
It was a power unlike anything expected at this stage. Even without using Reiatsu, the young man's sword technique conveyed great power and weight — as if wielding a stone pillar rather than a bamboo sword!
Akira's pupils remained constricted. Having barely weathered the first strike, the second sword technique followed immediately, leaving no time to breathe. The flat bamboo sword, in his eyes, became a sharp nail thrusting directly at his throat.
He instinctively held his breath, tilting his neck back. The bamboo sword grazed his skin. As he narrowly avoided this technique, Akira realized he couldn't measure himself against the other academy students.
To do so would be disastrous.
After just this brief exchange, the watching academy students were dumbfounded. Their limited experience left them unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before them.
Not long ago, the duel between Aizen and Unohana had already exceeded these elite students' understanding. Now, the clash between Akira and Unohana was even more breathtaking.
Unohana had abandoned her instructional stance. The trajectory of her bamboo sword was now fierce and ruthless. One misstep could prove fatal, even with a practice weapon.
Strong interest gleamed in Aizen's eyes.
'So, this is your true level? Reiatsu, Kidō, Zanjutsu, Hakuda, communication with Zanpakutō, talismans... Akira, how many more secrets are you hiding?'
At this moment, his curiosity peaked.
The sword duel continued.
Unohana gave Akira no time to rest, her toes barely touching the ground as she went for the kill. This time, she changed her method of attack.
As she approached, the nimble bamboo sword suddenly slowed. With the sound of the first collision, the rhythm of Zanjutsu spread out.
Like a heavy, ancient melody, the alternation of low and loud notes created a deep, clear texture that spread throughout the dojo. The heavy tones intertwined with the omnipresent killing intent, spreading like a mist.
Just as Akira had finally become accustomed to Unohana's attack rhythm, the bamboo sword's blade suddenly changed. The melody abruptly became extremely high-pitched and fierce.
The sound of the bamboo sword's strikes transformed into an unending wave of rainstorm, impacting the eardrums of the watching academy students.
At this stage, Akira felt the pressure increase exponentially. Each time he received her sword technique, it made his arms tremble and his palms go numb.
Fortunately, the Heart of a God was constantly at work. Although he couldn't fully learn her sword techniques and style, he could absorb bits of knowledge from it.
He was like a dry sponge, eagerly absorbing the sword knowledge that Unohana was carefully imparting.
〈 Zanjutsu: Level 32 → 43 → 47 → 52 → 56 →…〉
His Zanjutsu level was rising rapidly, and Unohana noticed this too.
From initially barely being able to defend, to later flowing like water, Akira's swordsmanship jumped from above-average to top tier!
〈 Zanjutsu: Level 60 〉
In just a few short minutes, his Zanjutsu Level had crossed several major stages, reaching a level that even Seated Officers and Vice-Captains would find hard to attain!
When their bamboo swords crossed, it presented a scene of equal match.
The corners of Unohana's mouth slightly raised as she realized the young man before her was a true, unparalleled genius in Zanjutsu!
Thinking of this, that heart which had long been dormant suddenly blazed with fire once again!
⤫⤬⤫
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