"Na... Nani!?"
Netero was startled, his old eyes widening in surprise.
The man in front of him now seemed completely different from Li Ke. His mature and composed demeanor stood in stark contrast to the previous, younger version of Li Ke.
The new person exuded a calm and refined aura, yet there was an oppressive air around him.
"Li Ke!?" Netero asked, still uncertain. The person in front of him didn't resemble Li Ke at all.
"Of course, Chairman, I am Li Ke!" The figure spoke, now in the tone of Sosuke Aizen, but with an added touch of formality.
"Your Nen ability!?"
"It's like the 72 transformations; I can change into any form I desire. Not bad, right, Chairman? But the Aizen persona's elegance doesn't quite suit the upcoming battle."
"I think I'll change into something more normal."
With that, the figure rapidly changed again.
Black Shihakusho.
A single eye.
Hair standing up in spikes.
A grim, demon-like expression.
It was Kenpachi Zaraki!
Sssss—
Even Netero, usually so composed, couldn't help but feel a jolt of surprise.
The man before him now looked as though he had been released from the depths of hell itself.
The sheer oppressive aura was terrifying.
This... really is Li Ke?
A teenager with this overwhelming presence?
"Not bad, right? Kenpachi is perfect for being an instructor, especially for this kind of assessment. How about becoming the Hunter Association's Kenpachi instructor?"
Kenpachi Li Ke grinned.
Though, his smile in this form was even more terrifying.
As a replica, Li Ke possessed every detail of Kenpachi Zaraki's appearance.
But, of course, his spiritual pressure didn't carry the sealed power of the single eye.
After all, this was a counterfeit.
But his combat power was no joke.
With his fiery eyes blazing—his battle power now was unparalleled!
"Interesting! Interesting! Hahahahaha! Li Ke, you're truly the greatest surprise I've had in years. No matter what, you'll definitely join the Hunter Association. I'll award you your license right here! Hahahaha!"
Netero laughed heartily.
Li Ke's ability had truly astonished him.
Such a versatile ability, to transform into anyone—Netero had never seen anything like it.
The level of detail required to master such a power had to be extraordinary.
Otherwise, Li Ke would have left flaws when he transformed into Netero earlier.
This meant one thing: Li Ke had mastered his abilities to an exquisite degree!
Netero had done background checks on all the candidates, so he knew that Li Ke came from Whale Island and was still just a teenager.
A true genius!
No, a monster!
"Li Ke, do you have any interest in joining me at the training grounds for a spar? Of course, I'll hold back a little."
Netero showed an unusual level of enthusiasm.
"Of course! Since you've said it, how can I not join you for a bit of practice? But let's make one thing clear—only one hand and one leg, okay? You're the highest human combat power, how can I possibly compete with you?"
"Well then, should I just use my head to fight you?"
Netero grinned in mock irritation.
The two of them immediately left the office and headed to the training grounds.
Li Ke vs. Netero!
No, it was Kenpachi Li Ke vs. Netero!
Because Netero wanted to test the actual battle power of Li Ke after his transformation.
He also wanted to establish the passing criteria for this test.
They stood ready.
"Alright, as we agreed, I'll only use one hand and one leg, but you..."
Before Netero could finish his sentence, Kenpachi Li Ke launched a surprise attack.
Divine Power – Red!
Swift – Gold!
Martial Master – Gold!
Super Copy – Gold!
Iron Tank – Gold!
...
Fiery Eyes – Red!
Activate—
Whirrrrr
In an instant, the aura of Kenpachi Li Ke erupted!
It was as if a small puppy had dashed towards Netero, but upon contact, it transformed into a ferocious lion in a split second.
Even Netero couldn't maintain his composure.
Boom—
The immense power caused the entire training ground to tremble violently.
The sword Netero was holding exploded into shards from the force.
A terrifying slash appeared before Li Ke, the floor shattered, and the ceiling was cleaved in two.
At the end of the slash,
Netero's clothes were torn apart, and his hands were pushed forward in defense.
Hundred Style Guanyin!
In that fleeting moment, he used his technique to block the attack, but the impact was so overwhelming that Netero's hands bore light scratches.
The explosive strength pushed Netero back, embedding him in the wall.
...
Outside,
"What happened?!"
"Chairman!!"
The sudden explosion startled everyone.
Bean-faced Man quickly called for backup.
But by the time they arrived, Netero had changed into a fresh set of clothes and walked out.
"Cough, cough... I just accidentally damaged the training ground. There's no problem. You all can leave now. I still have some matters to discuss with Li Ke."
Netero said, completely serious.
"Uh... okay, Chairman. Please be careful during your training. I'll make arrangements to fix the training grounds right away."
Bean-faced Man and his team left.
The office was now left with just Netero and Li Ke.
"Ugh, you brat really did try to kill me, didn't you? That was close!" Netero lamented. "It's hard to imagine that you have such immense offensive power at your age. Your strength must have increased at least tenfold in that moment…"
Netero understood.
If Li Ke were in that state, while he might not be able to match Netero's full power,
He would still be at least a Twelve Branch-level fighter within the Association!
And a top-tier one, at that.
The problem was… Li Ke was still only a teenager!
A genius!
A monster!
No.
A true hope for humanity.
Netero's hand still stung from the wound, and he marveled at Li Ke's overwhelming power.
As for how Li Ke managed to unleash such power—
Netero didn't ask, and would even help keep it a secret.
Geniuses always had their own secrets, and everyone needed some space to grow.
But there was no smile on Li Ke's face. In fact, he seemed a bit downcast.
[Ding! Your battle stance defeated Netero. 10% chance to copy opponent's ability...]
[Copying...]
[Ding! Copy failed...]
...
It was the system's response.
A 10% chance...
Should he have just let the old man kill him to get the copy?
It didn't work out.
His luck wasn't shining today.
Maybe the previous lucky streak had exhausted his good fortune.
What a pity.
Such a rare opportunity to spar with Netero!
And next time, the old man definitely wouldn't let him win so easily.
It would be nearly impossible to defeat him again.
Headache.
"Hey, hey, hey! Little bro, are you even listening to me? I said, I agreed to your request. For this assessment, you'll be the examiner, but you can't go out in your true form. It's better to change into someone else—like that Kenpachi form from earlier."
"As for your license, I'll go ahead and issue it now. I'll find a good excuse later."
Netero's gaze towards Li Ke was filled with admiration.
It was almost unnerving, like a grandfather looking at his grandson.
"Isn't this a bit against the rules?" Li Ke hesitated.
"In the Association, I am the rule."
Netero puffed out his chest proudly, a smug grin on his face.