"Challenge me?"
Komamura Sajin looked astonished. Paired with his furry head, he actually looked somewhat endearingly naive.
As an unorthodox Soul Reaper who joined the ranks later in life, he had never undergone systematic training at the Spiritual Arts Academy, yet his strength was not to be underestimated.
He was, after all, a genius of the Wolfman Clan.
Not long after joining the squad, he became a seated officer. Having trained for several years in the hyper-competitive atmosphere of the Shino Prison, he was countless times stronger than before.
In fact, Komamura felt he was not far from mastering Bankai.
When he first joined the Shino Prison, he had worried about being ostracized because of his appearance.
After all, he was of the Wolfman Clan.
But upon meeting the others, he realized his appearance was actually one of the more normal ones.
The former members of the Maggot's Nest, once deemed dangerous elements, were each more ferocious than the last. Just standing there, they looked terrifying enough to stop a child from crying at night.
The other squad members of the Shino Prison had long grown accustomed to their presence.
So much so that when he first joined, someone even challenged him.
Simply because his appearance was highly deceptive, giving off the impression of immense strength.
As for the result...
Naturally, they beat each other black and blue, acknowledged one another, and became close brothers who talked about everything.
Perhaps this was just their inherent style, or perhaps it was the influence of that esteemed lord.
Regardless, the Shino Prison was the one institution in the Seireitei that cared the least about background or appearance. Staying here, Komamura felt an unprecedented sense of peace.
It was far better than being at the Wolfman Clan's settlement.
He owed everything he had today to Lord Naraku.
Komamura pushed himself to train for ten or more hours a day, all so that he could one day repay Lord Naraku.
Bolstered by his hard work and natural talent, he felt terrifyingly strong right now.
Yet now, a young girl who had just graduated from the Academy had the audacity to challenge him.
Was this the foolish fearlessness of youth?
Thinking of this, Komamura curled his lips, revealing a rather ferocious expression as he glared fiercely at Matsumoto Rangiku.
"The Shino Prison's motto: Competition first, friendship second."
"So, I won't be holding back!"
Hearing this, the corners of Matsumoto Rangiku's mouth rose, her face brimming with confidence.
"Cut the crap and let's fight!"
Komamura's eyes lit up. As expected of a genius discovered by Lord Naraku; just her attitude toward battle perfectly matched the Shino Prison's style.
Because the Department of Research and Development had replicated the Hell Hot Springs, as long as an injury wasn't instantly fatal, even missing limbs could be regenerated within a certain period.
Therefore, internal squad spars were incredibly brutal, even surpassing the reckless brawlers of Squad Eleven.
Watching the two lock eyes, Naraku Sora raised an eyebrow.
With his discerning eyes, he actually couldn't immediately tell who was stronger.
Komamura had a solid foundation, and coupled with his diligent training, he had mastered Shikai years ago. His Spiritual Pressure was also considered top-tier within the Shino Prison.
As for Matsumoto Rangiku, her natural talent was even greater.
Because she hadn't fallen victim to a certain adopted son's cruel hands, she possessed far more potential now than in the original timeline. Judging by the intensity of her Spiritual Pressure, she had likely mastered Shikai as well.
It could only be said that they were evenly matched opponents.
Thinking of this, he nodded at the two of them.
"In that case, fight to your hearts' content. I will act as the referee. The winner takes the seat, and the loser eats dust."
Hearing this, both Komamura and Rangiku's expressions instantly turned serious.
A single defeat was nothing, but if they disappointed Naraku Sora as a result, that would be terrible.
Therefore, they had to bring out their true strength and fight with everything they had!
Soon, the training grounds were cleared. The two stood in the center of the arena, their eyes burning with soaring fighting spirit as they looked at each other.
With a loud sonic boom, the two disproportionate figures suddenly vanished from their spots.
Crossing ten meters in a single step, closing the distance in an instant.
The moment Komamura drew his blade, his arm abruptly tightened. His vibrating muscles snapped like a bowstring, emitting a sharp screech—
He slashed down!
Sweeping air currents surged up along the heavy blade as violent power poured down, whipping up a mournful howl.
Due to his massive physique, his Zanpakutō, even in its unreleased state, was slightly broader and larger than an ordinary Soul Reaper's.
This was the result of Spiritual Pressure control.
If not deliberately restrained, any Captain's Zanpakutō could reach tens of meters in length, comparable to a small hill or a building.
Facing this overwhelming slash, Matsumoto Rangiku didn't retreat; instead, she met it head-on.
Perhaps because she frequently visited the Shino Prison during her Academy days, she had more or less picked up their straightforward, head-on fighting style.
Clang!
The crisp sound of clashing metal rang out, making eardrums ache.
A massive force surged forward like a mighty river, seemingly without limit, continuously pressing down. The disparity in their size and race caused her to instantly fall at a disadvantage.
Her right arm bent, and her blade was pushed back.
Seeing this, Komamura showed no mercy, recklessly erupting with all his Spiritual Pressure.
The originally endearing large dog instantly underwent a drastic change in aura the moment he entered a combat state.
Ferocity and rage washed over her. An almost tangible killing intent invaded Rangiku's consciousness in an incredibly exaggerated manner.
This caused her to freeze for a split second.
Taking advantage of this opening, materialized Spiritual Pressure wrapped around Komamura's towering, burly frame. A fierce gale rose from the ground, howling and swirling.
"Roar, Tenken!"
A gigantic, black-armored samurai arm materialized out of thin air, swinging down at Rangiku like a falling meteor.
The air let out a deafening boom as powerful gales parted on both sides of the massive blade.
Rangiku's pupils shrank, and she dodged to the side.
The giant blade crashed into the ground, instantly creating a dense web of fissures. With continuous cracking sounds, countless stones flew into the air, erupting into a shockwave that swept outward, churning up endless dust and forming a visible ring of debris.
In terms of sheer destructive power in Shikai, very few Soul Reapers could compare to Komamura.
Just the intimidating, colossal Zanpakutō alone unleashed enough power to crush ninety-nine percent of Soul Reapers.
Rangiku used Flash Step to evade, avoiding the brunt of the attack while holding her Zanpakutō horizontally in front of her.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she ran her hand along the blade.
"Growl, Haineko!"
The moment the words fell, her Spiritual Pressure surged. The silver blade instantly shattered into countless fine golden particles, sweeping out like a storm.
Watching from the sidelines, Naraku Sora blinked.
*'This isn't right, is it?'*
*'In my memory, didn't Rangiku's Haineko turn into gray ash that covered a specific area?'*
*'What's with this sandstorm-like phenomenon?'*
*'Could this also be the miraculous effect of the Spirit King's fragment?'*
Seeing the golden storm enveloping the entire arena, Komamura immediately grew vigilant.
While his Zanpakutō's ability wasn't known to everyone, Rangiku, at the very least, was well aware of it.
However, very few people knew the specific details regarding this genius girl who had just graduated from the Academy.
Even the fact that she had mastered Shikai was revealed for the first time today.
With such an asymmetry of information, it was best to be cautious.
If he were to fail unexpectedly, getting injured would be a minor issue, but disappointing Lord Naraku would be disastrous.
Following Komamura's will, a deep crimson Spiritual Pressure gathered, covering his body like a suit of armor.
Without knowing the opponent's abilities, adopting a conservative fighting style was definitely the safest bet.
This was precious experience gained through countless battles.
Yet, even with flawless defenses prepared, he still felt a sense of trepidation when looking at the fine golden particles surging like a hurricane.
It felt as though he were facing countless blades head-on.
"Senior Big Dog, watch out."
Standing in the center of the countless golden grains of sand, Rangiku's eyes were bright, seemingly sparkling with light. As she raised her slender hand, the storm suddenly flared up.
"Feline Rondo!"
Countless grains of sand, laced with Spiritual Pressure, swept outward, forming a terrifying storm that shot straight into the sky. It surged forward with an unstoppable, overwhelming momentum.
The ground let out an overwhelmed groan, crumbling apart under the storm's trampling.
Komamura furrowed his brows and backhanded his Zanpakutō horizontally in front of him. The giant black-armored samurai arm mirrored his movement, dropping down in an attempt to block the incoming attack.
However, the moment the two forces collided, countless slicing sounds echoed from within the storm, accompanied by a shower of brilliant sparks.
"I underestimated you, Miss Matsumoto."
Komamura struggled to defend. Tearing sounds came from his Shihakushō, and his Shikai, Tenken, wavered precariously.
He quickly realized that if he continued to endure this head-on, his Spiritual Pressure defenses would eventually be completely whittled away by her attack.
Right now, his only option was to go all out.
A scarlet light flared in his pupils. A dazzling pillar of light shot into the sky, instantly dispersing the golden sand covering the surroundings.
The storm churned.
In front of the burning Komamura.
Spiritual Pressure leaped from his body like dancing flames. As his aura continuously skyrocketed, the strongest warrior of the Wolfman Clan finally revealed his ultimate ferocity.
Behind him, visible Spiritual Pressure surged, forming a massive half-body phantom. A black-armored samurai, as large as a mountain, looked down upon the howling storm, and—
Matsumoto Rangiku, who stood in the center of the storm.
He raised his blade and slashed down!
"Feline Rondo: Duet!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Rangiku waved her small hand. The tornado flared up once more, forming a pincer attack of dual storms that enveloped both the black-armored samurai and Komamura.
Amidst the violent collision, the sound of countless fine metallic clashes echoed throughout the arena.
Immediately after, a furious shockwave erupted outward!
The clash between the two caused the entire arena to shake. The ground cracked layer by layer, and shattered stones flew into the air, only to be instantly ground into dust by the aftershocks.
"Feline Rondo: Requiem!"
Rangiku shouted softly, her pale, slender hands suddenly clapping together.
Following her movement, the golden sand linked together, transforming into countless fine threads that wove into a net, completely ensnaring the figure of the half-body black-armored samurai.
The giant blade swept horizontally, clearing everything in its path and revealing the clear blue sky.
Enduring Haineko's attack head-on, Komamura took a step forward. He gripped his hilt tightly, unleashing a deafening boom akin to thunder.
The giant blade slashed down!
The air vibrated, erupting with a deafening roar. Within its unstoppable advance, it brought down devastating destruction.
*Riiiip—*
Just when everyone thought Komamura had secured the victory, the sound of tearing flesh suddenly rang out.
Not just one, but countless tears.
At some unknown point, golden threads, nearly invisible to the naked eye, had wrapped around Komamura's burly frame.
As he executed his slash, the tough threads rubbed violently against him, instantly breaking through his Spiritual Pressure defenses.
At this moment, Komamura looked up at the sky, his movements halted. Countless wounds split open, and blood sprayed out, instantly soaking his Shihakushō.
Watching this scene, Naraku Sora suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
*'It feels like I've seen this somewhere before.'*
Having accomplished the feat of defeating a veteran upon joining the squad, Matsumoto Rangiku placed her hands on her hips. Striking the pose of a bossy big sister, her confidence skyrocketed, and she grew increasingly smug:
"Who dares kill me? Who dares kill me? Who dares kill me!"
And so, a voice called out from the sidelines:
"I will."
Looking at Naraku Sora, who had suddenly appeared, Rangiku tilted her head:
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