The surging flames transformed into rosy clouds at the edge of sight, constantly billowing and dyeing the entire sky.
Yamamoto cast a suspicious glance at his fearless, rebellious disciple. He had no idea where this brat's confidence was coming from; normally, by this stage, he would already be plotting his escape.
As a mentor, Yamamoto naturally wouldn't refuse Naraku Sora's invitation to spar.
It had been a while since he last examined his rebellious disciple's training progress anyway. Hopefully, he wouldn't be disappointed.
Soon, a powerful Reiatsu erupted from the mountain behind the barracks.
A scorching aura hovered above the barracks as if the end of the world had descended. Even the elite Soul Reapers of Squad 1 found it unbearable and hurriedly distanced themselves from the epicenter of the intense heat.
Enveloped in the heat, a blade glowing crimson from the fire was suddenly raised, evaporating the moisture in the air.
In an instant, it was right in front of him!
Fierce light and hurricane-force winds swept forward.
A deafening roar erupted.
Wrapped in scorching heat and gale-force winds, Ryūjin Jakka crushed the earth, obstacles, and everything else deemed insignificant, clashing head-on with the blade before it.
Metal clashed against metal, and the ground trembled.
To Yamamoto's surprise, this power-packed strike was caught steadily by Naraku Sora, who didn't even take a single step back.
The old man narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the figure behind the blade. He keenly sensed that his rebellious disciple's Reiatsu had seemingly spiked by a massive margin compared to before.
*Good boy!*
*He's already reached Grade 2 Spirit Class. Can his training speed really be this fast?*
*At this rate, won't it take less than a century for him to replace me and become the strongest Soul Reaper of the new generation?*
Yamamoto was startled by his own thoughts.
But soon, he felt a sense of gratification. As a mentor, he ultimately wanted to see his disciple grow strong, make a name for himself early on, and become a pillar of the Soul Society, contributing to the Gotei 13's cause.
Right now, the Soul Society seemed peaceful, but the internal strife had just been cleared, leaving the Gotei 13 with a generational gap, and external threats were frequent.
It was like a lone boat in a rainstorm, liable to capsize at any moment.
It would be a good thing if this brat could shoulder some of the responsibility sooner rather than later.
"You dare get distracted while fighting me?"
Naraku Sora's eyes lit up. Without the slightest hesitation in his movements, his heat-wrapped blade slashed toward Yamamoto's face.
Steel crossed in the air, grinding against each other. The erupting sparks illuminated the eyes of both the old man and the youth.
Scorching winds howled and swept past, and a majestic, heavy force suddenly struck.
Caught off guard, Yamamoto was actually sent flying by Naraku Sora's slash. The soles of his shoes scraped against the ground, plowing two scorched black trails.
Naraku Sora pressed his advantage. With a lunging strike, he tore straight through the air, crossing the distance between them and appearing in front of Yamamoto as if he had teleported.
Pulling his right arm back, the muscles in his palm flexed nimbly between his spread fingers. With the eruption of his Reiatsu, the muscles all over his body rippled like flowing water.
Power condensed, and heat steamed.
First Secret Sword・Rhinoceros Strike!
Looking at the blade right in front of him, Yamamoto took a deep breath, gaining a new understanding of his rebellious disciple's growth once again.
*However, if this is all he has, he is still far from being able to inherit the responsibilities I bear.*
A golden-red light seemed to ignite within his pupils. In the nick of time, he drew his blade and slashed upward.
The movement was too fast to catch.
"Taimatsu!"
Starting from the tip of the blade, the swing of Ryūjin Jakka unleashed an incredibly violent wave of heat. It transformed into a ferocious tornado of flames, letting out a deafening roar.
The ground instantly shattered with continuous rumbling. Explosive flames shot into the sky, swallowing the figure in front of him.
"Brat, it's over. If you want to fight me..."
Before Yamamoto could finish his sentence, a demon-like figure forcefully tore through Taimatsu. Wielding a blade wrapped in equally scorching heat, he struck solidly against Ryūjin Jakka.
It was like crashing into a mountain.
The earth cracked open, and the shockwaves radiated outward, spreading across the entire barracks.
Naraku Sora exerted force with both arms, executed a parry to push the blade away, and retreated, smiling disdainfully.
"Head Captain, you're nothing special."
Even though he had taken a direct hit from Taimatsu, he had activated Shunkō and Lightning Release mode at the critical moment, maximizing his base defense.
Therefore, his injuries weren't severe. With his High-Speed Regeneration, he recovered in an instant.
Looking at his rebellious disciple—who was left with only half a Shishakushō, completely charred, yet still acting cocky—Yamamoto narrowed his eyes slightly, suddenly feeling his blood pressure rise.
*Did this brat take the wrong medicine? How did he suddenly become so fierce?*
Out of consideration for his strength, he hadn't held back with that last move.
Yet even so, he still failed to defeat his rebellious disciple.
*Could it be that I really have gotten old?*
After a moment of thought, Yamamoto shook his head, tossing the idea to the back of his mind. He then looked up at the smug Naraku Sora.
Then, under Naraku Sora's bewildered gaze, he casually tossed the flaming Ryūjin Jakka aside. The blade plunged straight into solid rock.
"Brat, get ready. Let me see just how invincible you are."
As his words fell, Yamamoto spread his arms. His bones let out a cracking sound like a tightening bowstring. Beneath his lean, muscular physique, heat surged like a walking volcano.
"Originally, I planned to show you the results of my recent training, but since you delivered yourself to my doorstep, you'd better experience it firsthand."
"You were the one who taught me this."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora thought for a moment. Then, his pupils shrank and his expression drastically changed, as if he had just remembered something utterly terrifying.
The next moment.
Black and red intertwined lightning illuminated the barracks. The ground trembled violently, causing countless people to look toward the Squad 1 barracks in astonishment.
Even if Naraku Sora was invincible in the world, he still bowed before the Head Captain's unparalleled iron fists.
The stats of Black Flash were simply too overpowered.
Even though Yamamoto held back somewhat, Naraku Sora was still beaten black and blue.
Inside the tearoom, Yamamoto placed Ryūjin Jakka back under the tea stove to heat the tea. At the same time, he glanced at a certain someone who had become obedient again and coldly snorted.
"Prison Warden? Just average goods."
Naraku Sora kept his eyes forward, playing deaf and dumb, remaining completely silent.
*This old man is petty; I shouldn't stoop to his level.*
"Where did you go?"
Yamamoto shot his rebellious disciple a sidelong glance, pushed the brewed tea over, and asked in an annoyed tone.
"I sent people to search the entire Seireitei, but no one could find a trace of you."
Naraku Sora thought for a few seconds and decided to answer according to the excuse he had prepared beforehand:
"I went to the Rukongai to look for experimental materials."
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes. He knew this brat wasn't telling the truth, but considering his recent hard work and great contributions, he decided not to press the issue for now, merely making a mental note of it.
"The Gotei 13 is currently facing a generational gap. You should be aware that Squad 3 and Squad 10 don't even have Captains right now."
Naraku Sora nodded.
"However, according to Squad 3 Lieutenant Iba Chikane, the 3rd Seat, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, is exceptionally gifted and trains diligently. He has already mastered Bankai."
"He will be recommended as a Captain candidate in a few days, so there's no need to worry about Squad 3."
Yamamoto took a sip of hot tea and said in a deep voice,
"But Squad 10 still lacks a suitable candidate."
"The absence of a Captain is detrimental to the Gotei's operations. Central 46 has also urged me several times, hoping I will arrange for a Captain to take office as soon as possible."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora immediately became alert and put down the teacup that was just about to reach his lips.
"I didn't say I was sending you."
"Recently, the Onmitsukidō discovered a settlement in District 36 of the West Rukongai. The Reiatsu coming from there is extremely strong, and there is no shortage of souls with the potential to become Captains."
"I just want you to make a trip to the Rukongai and recruit a few of them if possible, to bolster the ranks of the Gotei 13."
Naraku Sora breathed a sigh of relief and gladly agreed. After gulping down the hot tea, he stood up and left.
Watching his disciple's departing back, Yamamoto rubbed the rough back of his hand, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes.
*Compared to when I taught him hands-on before, the feel of hitting this brat seems to have changed a bit?*
*Moreover, when his Reiatsu erupted, there was a familiar feeling.*
*It was as if I had seen it somewhere before.*
*He's clearly a disciple I taught myself, so why is he covered in secrets I can't understand?*
After thinking for a long time without finding any clues, Yamamoto shook his head, sat back down in his seat, and simply gave up thinking about it.
*No matter what that brat turns into, he is still my disciple.*
Holding the coordinates Yamamoto gave him, Naraku Sora didn't head to the Rukongai immediately. Instead, he returned to the Shino Prison first, planning to gather a few hands to go with him.
Recently, Urahara Kisuke had no idea where his boss had run off to.
But without a certain someone's demonic voice, he was actually a bit unaccustomed to it at first.
However, after a little time passed, he became completely immersed in this leisurely life, unable to extricate himself.
Every day, he would just do some research, calculate data, or burn incense and sip tea. It was incredibly comfortable.
On this day, just as he was discussing how to optimize the Tenshintai with Kurotsuchi Mayuri, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard.
"Kisuke, Kisuke!"
Hearing this voice, Urahara Kisuke instinctively shivered, then squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.
Under Kurotsuchi Mayuri's puzzled gaze, he pushed open the door of the laboratory and walked out.
Watching the two of them meet up in the courtyard, Kurotsuchi Mayuri shook his head.
"Not a single normal person."
He just needed to focus on his research; outside matters had nothing to do with him.
West Rukongai, District 36.
Because they had specific coordinates, it didn't take much effort for the two of them to find the place.
Coupled with the fact that Urahara Kisuke originally came from Squad 2 and was extremely familiar with search operations, he soon led Naraku Sora to a valley.
Looking at the desolate scenery before him, Urahara Kisuke frowned.
"It seems a bit different from what was mentioned in the intelligence?"
Naraku Sora closed his eyes and directly activated the exclusive skill belonging to Menos Grande—
Pesquisa.
Ring-shaped ripples instantly expanded outward with him at the center.
Soon, dozens to hundreds of tyrannical Reiatsu signatures appeared within the range of his Pesquisa. They were as blazing as starlight, and any random one of them was no less powerful than an elite Soul Reaper of the Gotei 13.
Opening his eyes, Naraku Sora grinned.
"Found them."
Under Urahara Kisuke's astonished gaze, his figure flashed, appearing in front of a mountain wall hundreds of meters away. He knocked on it lightly, producing a dull echo.
"Open up, neighbors! We're here to deliver some community warmth."
"Get lost! Soul Reapers aren't welcome here!"
"?"
It seemed that those inside the mountain wall could see what was happening outside.
Seeing a certain someone get shut down, Urahara Kisuke curled his lips, almost laughing out loud.
Naraku Sora wasn't angry. He just roughly measured the position, then pulled his right arm back. His materialized Kidō Reiatsu instantly exploded, as if fierce light was spewing forth.
Then, a straight punch.
Boom—
The mountain wall trembled violently. The deafening explosion echoed throughout the entire valley!
Under Urahara Kisuke's incredulous gaze, the hundred-meter-tall mountain wall collapsed with a crash. Countless pieces of rubble scattered, revealing the scene inside.
Immediately, furious Reiatsu surged out like a tide.
One burly, towering figure after another appeared in sight. A heavy stench of blood permeated the air, and the sound of wolf howls seemed to echo from deeper within.
Undisguised malice enveloped the two of them, as if wanting to swallow them alive...
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