Where Did Gain This Strength
"On the first day of school, and I've already unlocked an advanced Hakuda technique."
Saikyō couldn't help but smile in satisfaction as he examined his updated skill set. In the column under special skills, the words Double Bone Fist appeared prominently.
For a long time, under the tutelage of Urahara Kisuke, Saikyō had made significant progress in mastering Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. However, because Urahara wasn't particularly proficient in Hakuda, Saikyō had never learned advanced techniques in this area.
But now, the acquisition of Double Bone Fist filled that gap perfectly, making Saikyō's combat abilities much more well-rounded.
The next step was clear: maximize the Double Bone Fist to its highest level!
"Saikyō!!!"
At that moment, Hiyori finally snapped out of her shock. She touched her forehead, where the sting from Saikyō's flick still throbbed, and the veins on her face showed her rising frustration.
She had been embarrassed by Saikyō in front of the entire class!
The sting of public humiliation was unbearable for someone as proud as Hiyori. She had to recover her dignity!
"It's over... Hiyori-sensei looks really angry now."
"Saikyō's going to be in trouble for sure."
"Wait, what's happening? Why isn't Saikyō moving?"
...
Many of the students, anticipating a fierce retaliation from Hiyori, focused their attention on Saikyō, who, strangely, remained motionless.
Had he... surrendered?
Hiyori, too, noticed Saikyō's stillness and was momentarily puzzled. "Is he really zoning out at a time like this? He's not even paying attention to me!"
"Unbelievable!"
"You disrespectful kid! You'll pay for this!" Hiyori had finally reached her limit. Without a second thought, she leaped into the air, aiming a flying kick right at Saikyō's forehead.
The students could already imagine the outcome—Saikyō would end up injured for sure.
But...
Saikyō didn't move because he was busy upgrading his skills!
---
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. The Double Bone Fist skill has been upgraded to LV2!"
"Congratulations, Host. The Double Bone Fist skill has been upgraded to LV3!"
"Congratulations, Host. The Double Bone Fist skill has been upgraded to LV4!"
"Congratulations, Host. The Double Bone Fist skill has been upgraded to LV99!"
...
The system notifications came rapidly, one after another, ringing in Saikyō's ears.
Thanks to the system's skill upgrade feature, Saikyō quickly maxed out the Double Bone Fist technique.
Just like before, the "+" sign next to the skill had disappeared, replaced by a bold "MAX."
But that wasn't all—new talents were unlocked alongside the skill.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. You have unlocked a new talent: Mighty Strike!"
The system's voice chimed again.
"Mighty Strike, huh? Sounds powerful." Saikyō's curiosity was piqued as he examined the new talent's description.
---
[Mighty Strike]
Talent Effect: When using the Double Bone Fist technique, the power of the strike is automatically enhanced based on the opponent's Reiatsu, with a maximum enhancement multiplier of 10x.
---
Whoa!
"It amplifies my strikes based on the opponent's spiritual energy? The stronger the opponent, the more powerful I become?"
Saikyō couldn't help but feel excited.
With the Mighty Strike talent, his hand-to-hand combat abilities had reached an entirely new level of power.
"System, if I were to fight a Vice-Captain-level Shinigami, how much would the power of my punch increase?" Saikyō asked eagerly.
"With the given Reiatsu levels, you could expect about a five to eightfold increase in power," the system responded quickly.
"Even at five times the strength, no Vice-Captain could withstand that punch!" Saikyō grinned widely.
With the Captain's strongest Hakuda technique and the massive bonus from Mighty Strike, Saikyō realized he was reaching new heights of strength.
---
Meanwhile, Hiyori's kick was now less than five meters from Saikyō's head.
Many students had already covered their eyes, bracing for what they thought would be a brutal outcome.
In a minor case, Saikyō could be knocked unconscious; in the worst case, he could suffer serious injuries.
In everyone's minds, Saikyō's fate seemed sealed.
But then something completely unexpected happened.
Saikyō, who had seemed unaware of the attack moments earlier, suddenly snapped out of his focused state. In a swift motion, he thrust his fist forward.
"Hakuda, Double Bone Fist!"
Saikyō unleashed his punch with full force, and at the same time, the passive effect of Mighty Strike activated.
With Saikyō's current skill level, his Hakuda was already powerful enough to pose a challenge. Normally, it would have been difficult to push back someone as skilled as Hiyori.
But with the Mighty Strike enhancement...
The power of his punch instantly multiplied by eightfold. Combined with the original strength of the Double Bone Fist, his strike now had overwhelming force!
"No way! Am I seeing things?"
Hiyori's eyes widened as she sensed the immense power radiating from Saikyō's punch. Every instinct in her body screamed that she needed to dodge.
If this punch connected, she was sure her leg would be in serious trouble!
"Saikyō… You've been hiding your power this whole time, haven't you?" Hiyori's voice quivered as disbelief washed over her.
"Sensei Hiyori, do you think my Reiatsu control is lacking now? This punch is fueled by everything I've got." Saikyō's lips curled into a playful grin.
Hiyori's stunned expression revealed her confusion and shock.
This punch from Saikyō...
It made Hiyori question everything she thought she knew.
"Damn it! Just how much power have you been hiding?" Hiyori growled.
Once might have been an accident, but this repeated display of strength was something she couldn't ignore.
Yet, Hiyori wasn't one to run from a challenge. She refused to dodge!
---
BANG!
The deafening sound of impact reverberated across the training ground.
Saikyō's fist had collided head-on with Hiyori's kick.
What happened next stunned everyone.
Saikyō stood completely still, his feet planted firmly on the ground, maintaining the same punching stance.
On the other side, Hiyori...
Her iconic flip-flops were ripped, and she spun through the air before landing on the ground in a less-than-graceful heap.
Gone was the confident and proud instructor from moments earlier.
Hiyori's head was spinning with confusion—how had this even happened?
She had just been overpowered by a student!
"Sensei Hiyori, just so you know, this wasn't intentional," Saikyō said, retracting his fist. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I didn't expect to become so strong so quickly!"