Lying inside the hall, Shiba Yozuru thought of the young man from earlier, his expression complicated.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to move his fingers, struggling to stand.
But before he could shift, an Asauchi silently pressed against his throat.
The mirror-like steel reflected the face of a boy with wild, unkempt hair.
"Don't move."
"Fujimiya -sama ordered me to watch you."
"Fujimiya ?"
Shiba Yozuru froze. "That man… wasn't his name Kariya?"
Kariya Ryōma's lips twisted.
"I'm Kariya Ryōma."
Shiba Yozuru's face contorted strangely, as if realizing something.
But before he could speak, Kariya Ryōma suddenly tensed, grabbing Shiba's collar and Flash Stepping away.
"BOOM—"
Half a second later, a black figure—like a meteor—crashed back into the hall at even greater speed, embedding itself into the wall.
Dust billowed.
Kariya Ryōma and Shiba Yozuru stared blankly.
"Cough… cough…"
Shihōin Senju weakly pushed aside the rubble, crawling out of the wreckage.
His clothes were in tatters, his scarf gone, his white hair caked with dust. Blood soaked his garments, his left gauntlet shattered, only the elbow guard remaining.
"Oi—!"
"Entertain me some more!"
Before he could recover, a petite purple figure descended from above, her blade cutting a cold arc through the night.
Shihōin Senju barely raised his remaining gauntlet to block—only for a massive naginata to slam into his side.
The force sent him crashing into the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.
Yet, even now, Shihōin Senju—the fastest man in Soul Society—managed to evade the deadliest strikes, the naginata only leaving a deep gash in his armor.
"Damn it!"
He roared, "Three against one?! Fight me one-on-one!"
"Exactly!"
Saitō Furafushi kicked Katori Unagashi's butt, leaving a footprint on her white haori. "That was my fight! Don't interfere, rookie!"
Katori Unagashi shot her a cold glare, her usual meekness gone in her Shikai state.
"Hey! I'm talking to you—"
But before Saitō could finish, slow footsteps approached.
A voice spoke first.
"Oh?"
The single word drew all eyes.
Unohana Yachiru stood to the side, cradling Fujimiya , her smile serene.
"My student owes you much."
"As his teacher, I should repay you properly."
She set Fujimiya down and stepped forward.
Shihōin Senju's face stiffened.
Unohana Yachiru.
The most monstrous criminal in Soul Society's history.
His left gauntlet had been shattered by her earlier strike.
If this monster went all out—
Just how…?
Before he could think further, Unohana's killing intent spiked.
Instinctively, Shihōin Senju unleashed his full power.
"Thunder Roar—!!!"
Crimson lightning wreathed his remaining armor, his spiritual pressure skyrocketing.
This was the true power of the Thunder King Gauntlets—tripling his speed, strength, and endurance at the cost of rapid spiritual pressure depletion.
Even stronger than his Bankai.
Like a bolt of lightning, he charged Unohana.
All or nothing.
Unohana calmly drew her Asauchi, her gaze indifferent.
She raised her blade.
And swung.
Simple.
To Fujimiya , the motion seemed to skip frames—only the before and after registered.
A crisp "snap" echoed.
Shihōin Senju's lightning form jerked to a halt mid-air, retreating several meters.
Yet—
His right gauntlet was now covered in cracks.
"Clatter—"
It shattered, pieces scattering.
A thin, precise cut ran down his arm—a hair's breadth from severing it entirely.
Sweat dripped from Shihōin Senju's forehead.
"Not bad."
Unohana nodded slightly before raising her sword again.
"But—"
"THUNDER ROAR—SECOND STAGE!!"
With a deafening roar, Shihōin Senju vanished, reappearing instantly with a lightning-wreathed kick aimed at Unohana's head.
Yet, the moment he moved—
Unohana Flash Stepped, appearing directly before him.
Shihōin Senju's leg, carrying the force of a lightning-charged axe, swept toward her—
Only for Unohana to raise a single hand.
"Pat."
She caught his ankle as effortlessly as picking up a plate.
The lightning snuffed out.
Shihōin Senju's face blanked.
His full-powered kick couldn't advance an inch.
Like a child's strike.
Then—
Unohana's blade traced a single, vertical line.
From chest to abdomen.
Blood sprayed.
"Thud."
Shihōin Senju collapsed.
His torso gushed blood, his eyes glazed.
Two strikes.
Fujimiya stared, stunned.
The man who had seemed unbeatable to him had been brought down in two blows.
At this moment, he truly understood.
His teacher… was simply on another level.