One Move Determines The Outcome

The backyard of the Shihōin mansion.

The venue for the upcoming competition was expansive and empty, bordered by numerous wooden racks bearing an assortment of sharp weapons.

The setting fully embodied the essence of "Heaven-Given Arsenal"—a title befitting the Shihōin family's extensive collection of magical artifacts. As one of the four great noble families of the Soul Society, the Shihōin possessed numerous mystical weapons, and what was displayed here was merely the tip of the iceberg.

"Alright, everyone, this will be the site of our contest," said Yoruichi as she led everyone to the field, her gaze filled with nostalgia. "This is where I used to train. Now, I leave this field to the two of you. Don't disappoint me."

After speaking, Yoruichi shot a sly wink at Saikyō.

"Ganju, did you hear that? Make sure to show some spirit!" Shiba Kūkaku's tone was particularly stern when she addressed her younger brother.

"Ahem... Big Sister, I will do my best!"

Shiba Ganju felt a slight headache coming on. He was, after all, just a former Rukongai thug with no formal training—merely a collection of rudimentary techniques at his disposal. Now that this contest was being held openly, he wasn't exactly brimming with confidence.

Still, as a man, Ganju was not about to admit cowardice.

Taking his place in the center of the field, Ganju raised his voice, feigning calmness as he looked at Saikyō. "Brother Saikyō, don't say I'm bullying you. I'll even let you have the first move."

It was clear that, in his mind, no matter how talented Saikyō might be, he still had limitations. Ganju thought it should be easy enough to handle whatever Saikyō threw at him.

"Are you certain, Brother Ganju?" Saikyō asked, his eyes carrying a trace of irony.

Letting me strike first? Is that what he meant to say?

The last person who said something like that to me ended up regretting it—Urahara Kisuke, no less.

And Ganju is just a thug from Rukongai. There's no way he's stronger than a captain-level Shinigami, right?

As Saikyō thought this, Ganju completely misunderstood the expression on his face, believing it to be one of excitement.

And thus, Ganju's confidence swelled even further.

"Come on, Brother Saikyō. Use whatever low-level Kidō you know, hit me with your full strength," Ganju taunted, even removing his hood in a show of bravado. He stood there, adopting the demeanor of someone who couldn't care less.

"Brother… you're seriously overestimating yourself," Saikyō thought, baffled.

Originally, Saikyō had intended to hold back a bit to avoid embarrassing Ganju too much. But with this provocation, there was no need for mercy anymore.

Against an opponent so arrogant, the best approach was to make him realize his place—forcefully!

"In that case, I won't hold back!"

Saikyō began to gather all the Reiatsu in his body, letting it surge outward without restraint. He planned to use one of his strongest techniques—Gale Wind Break.

"Hadō #20: Kaze Retsu (Gale Wind Break)!"

Under Ganju's observant eyes, Saikyō discarded the incantation and directly cast the Kidō. Streams of Reiatsu condensed into fine, linear wind blades, spreading outward and violently kicking up the dust on the ground.

"Whoa! What in the world is happening?"

Not only was Shiba Ganju shocked, but even Yoruichi and Shiba Kūkaku, who were observing from the sidelines, were taken aback. The three of them now wore similar expressions as they watched the aura emanate from Saikyō's body.

Their initial casual and carefree attitudes were gone in an instant.

"If I remember correctly, Gale Wind Break is supposed to be a wind-based Kidō, right? But what were those other waves just now?" Yoruichi was the first to react. She focused intently, noticing that the wind blade threads radiated heat, and she could even faintly see small arcs of electricity.

"Wait a minute... Are there actually three different types of Reiatsu fused into this one Hadō?"

Yoruichi's shock deepened as she carefully analyzed what she was sensing.

Multi-attribute Reiatsu… This was something that only existed in legends, but here it was, manifesting before her eyes.

More astonishing was that the person doing this was her own junior.

"Yoruichi, I never imagined little Saikyō could hide such talent. Combining multiple attributes of Reiatsu… this is a unique and rare ability!" Shiba Kūkaku's eyes were wide with surprise.

She, too, was astounded by how much this handsome young man had concealed.

"Tsk, tsk, do you believe me now?" Yoruichi said, smiling proudly, clearly savoring the moment. "I told you, Saikyō's been doing amazing things with Kidō lately."

She was genuinely thrilled for Saikyō. In her eyes, he looked every bit like a rising star of the future.

Meanwhile, Saikyō's Reiatsu had peaked.

"Brother Ganju, brace yourself."

With a thought, Saikyō unleashed all the wind blades.

The surrounding air roared as the wind blades surged forward, creating powerful gusts that swept across the entire field.

"Damn it! Is this even the Gale Wind Break I thought I knew? This level of power feels comparable to a high-level Kidō!" Ganju's face was frozen with shock and fear. He could sense the lethal danger from the approaching wind blades.

The sheer power of the Gale Wind Break far surpassed what he had anticipated.

But Ganju was no stranger to peril; his time in Rukongai had taught him how to fight back even when the odds were dire. Refusing to surrender, he gritted his teeth and immediately launched a counterattack.

"Shiba Style Stone Wave Technique: Serial Stone Wave Shield!"

He moved swiftly, drawing a circle on the ground with sand and setting up a special sand formation.

Clap!

With a crisp sound, Ganju placed both hands on the ground within the circle. The area began to glow, and a tremendous surge of sand formed into a massive wave, roaring toward Saikyō like a tsunami.

On the other side, all of Saikyō's wind blades advanced.

One side wielded a colossal wave of sand, while the other launched a powerful barrage of wind blades.

Before the onlookers' eyes, two forces of completely opposite nature clashed fiercely in mid-air!

The wind howled, the sand flew, and in an instant, the entire venue was engulfed in a swirling sandstorm.

---

After a moment.

The storm that covered the field gradually dissipated.

On the sidelines, Yoruichi and Shiba Kūkaku emerged from the dust. They approached the center of the field in silence, eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

"Has a winner been decided?" Kūkaku asked quietly.

"I didn't expect it to end so quickly, all decided in just one move," Yoruichi mused, a hint of admiration in her tone.

This battle had ended almost as soon as it had begun, and its unexpected conclusion had left everyone stunned.

"Yoruichi, who do you think won?" Kūkaku's brow furrowed as she asked, her gaze still searching.

"Is there even a question? Of course it's Saikyō. You saw how powerful that Hadō was, didn't you?" Yoruichi said, her lips curling into a knowing smile.

"But—"

Kūkaku was about to object, but then she saw a figure, faintly visible in the center of the field. Instantly, her words caught in her throat.

The reason?

The one still standing was Saikyō.

He had won the contest.