One Strike

Captain Unohana Retsu quickly learned about the sparring match Shin had instigated with the Eleventh Division.

It caught her off guard.

But after a moment's thought, she easily deduced Shin's motive.

She rose from her desk and left the office.

When she arrived at the open-air training grounds, she saw a crowd of Fourth Division members surrounding the dueling Shin and Madarame Ikkaku.

As soon as the Captain appeared, the gathered squad members instinctively parted to make way for her.

"Captain," Kotetsu Isane said, visibly anxious.

"Quite lively, isn't it?" Unohana said softly, a smile on her face.

"Captain… do you think this thing Shin did… is really okay?" Isane asked.

"Why wouldn't it be? I think it's quite good," Unohana replied calmly.

Isane exhaled in relief, though worry still tugged at her.

She knew just how strong Madarame Ikkaku truly was. Though only Third Seat in Eleventh Division, his strength rivaled that of a Vice-Captain.

And it wasn't just him. Every seated officer in the Eleventh was a force to be reckoned with.

Take Iba Tetsuzaemon, current Vice-Captain of Seventh—he used to be Eleventh's Fourth Seat.

If this had been a normal match, she wouldn't care who won or lost.

But here, in the middle of Fourth Division's own grounds, a loss would be... humiliating.

"They're going at it hard," Unohana noted.

She looked toward the arena. Ikkaku was pressing Shin with rapid, relentless attacks. Shin, for now, was only evading and defending.

"What's wrong? That's not like you!" Ikkaku roared.

He was going full throttle—his zanpakutō leaving trails of afterimages in the air, his face alight with a ferocity bordering on frenzy.

Shin parried and dodged calmly, steel clashing against steel, sparks flying in all directions.

"Just gauging how much you've improved since last time," Shin said mildly.

Ikkaku snorted, then suddenly leapt into the air.

"Growl, Hōzukimaru!"

From overhead, the released spear came crashing down. Shin sidestepped, and the ground where he'd stood exploded into a crater.

Ikkaku grinned wickedly as he spun his extended spear.

"Not retaliating yet? Can't find an opening?"

Shin paced to the side, twirling his sword with lazy elegance.

"You didn't talk this much last time."

Over two minutes had passed since their clash began. Still, neither had landed a hit.

Ikkaku braced himself.

"Then let's see it."

"See what?"

"That move you used to kill the Menos."

Shin chuckled.

"That one's not for just anyone. I need a real opponent."

Ikkaku didn't buy it.

After their last duel, he had investigated Shin thoroughly—including watching footage of the Menos fight. Shin hadn't even gone all out.

"Cut the crap! Just show me already!"

He charged again, spear sweeping in wide arcs with brutal force, forcing Shin to retreat step by step.

"If you don't use it now, you won't get another chance!"

Ikkaku lunged forward again—but just as his spear swept in, Shin parried it with a light touch that sent a jolt of force up Ikkaku's arms. The recoil nearly tore Hōzukimaru from his hands.

Eyes wide, Ikkaku barely managed to keep his grip as Shin's blade came thrusting straight at his chest.

He kicked backward instinctively, dodging narrowly, breath ragged.

Shin didn't pursue.

Ikkaku steadied himself, sweat beading on his polished head. His heart pounded.

You can't afford to let your guard down with this guy.

Where the hell did that power come from? He looked at Shin's lean build—nothing about it made sense.

If he could do this all along, why let himself get pushed around?

Is he toying with me?

Shin suddenly slid his sword back into its sheath.

"Didn't you want to see it?" he said.

Ikkaku's pupils shrank. A wide, crazed grin stretched across his face.

"Let's go!"

He spun Hōzukimaru and charged.

His reiatsu surged wildly, his spear wrapped in a shimmering edge of reishi. Each step sent up clouds of dust, swirling with the force of his spiritual pressure.

His heartbeat synchronized with his blade; the air trembled as he advanced, each floating mote of dust catching the light in fevered sparks.

Shin didn't move.

In Ikkaku's blurred vision, he thought he saw Shin's hand resting on the hilt, stance low.

Ikkaku used shunpō to flash behind him, raised his spear high like a falling bolt of blue lightning.

CLANG!

Shin drew his blade and parried with the back edge, steel screeching.

Ikkaku's full-powered strike had been stopped cold. His heart dropped.

SHRIIK—!

A slash followed immediately, battering Hōzukimaru to the side with another massive shockwave.

Then, Shin's foot crashed into Ikkaku's exposed chest.

BANG!

Ikkaku went flying.

He twisted mid-air, managing to land on his feet. But then—

He saw it.

Shin was once again sheathing his sword.

Left hand vertical, right hand gripping the hilt.

That stance…

His instincts screamed.

Shin's blade flashed from its sheath like thunder, the cutting pressure manifesting as a silver arc, carving a line through the dust-strewn air.

All the hovering debris froze mid-fall, the air ringing with frozen tension.

Ikkaku staggered back.

He crossed his spear before him, trying to brace—

But it was already too late.

He saw it bearing down.

A gleaming, ghostly crescent of power.

His heart skipped a beat.

Goosebumps shot down his limbs.

Can't block it. I'll die.

But his feet wouldn't move.

It was too fast.

WHOOOSH—!

The force hit like a gale, blasting across the training ground.

Ikkaku's eyes squeezed shut.

His shihakushō whipped violently in the wind, dirt and stone scattering.

When it stopped…

Warmth dripped from his scalp—just a graze from a flying pebble.

He was alive.

Shin stood where he was, smiling gently.

Ikkaku stood dumbstruck.

That… That had been real.

The most visceral taste of death he'd felt in his life.

He held back… again.

"You…"

Ikkaku began to speak, but Shin suddenly glanced around, a flicker of realization in his eyes.

[Unohana Retsu]

[Affection: 10]