"What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to attack?"
Hiyori Sarugaki glared at Kurotsuki Renya, tapping her foot impatiently.
Renya replied calmly, "Captain Sarugaki—please draw your Zanpakutō. Otherwise, this won't be a fair match."
Hiyori's brow twitched. "You little brat… you think I need my Zanpakutō to beat you? Don't make me laugh."
Love Aikawa folded his arms. "He's got guts, that's for sure."
Hirako Shinji chuckled. "Heh. Hope the kid's ready—'cause offending Hiyori never ends well."
Before Hiyori could move, Renya's body flickered and vanished.
Shunpo!
A blur of light crossed the field—Renya appeared behind her, pressing a short blade against her side.
"You lost, Captain Hiyori."
Hiyori froze, feeling cold steel at her ribs. If he hadn't held back, she would've been cut before she could react.
"How—how the hell did you—?!"
Love blinked. "His Shunpo's that fast?"
Shinji nodded. "He did say he used to be in the Stealth Force."
Yoruichi, watching from the edge, smiled faintly. "So that's where he learned it. The Stealth Force still produces monsters, it seems."
Embarrassed, Hiyori gritted her teeth, drew her Zanpakutō, and swung it in a backhand slash.
Renya blocked effortlessly with his short dagger.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Hiyori attacked furiously, her small frame a blur of motion, but Renya's calm parries turned every strike aside.
"His movements… he's not bluffing," Rose Otoribashi murmured.
Snarling, Hiyori finally shouted, "Tear it apart, Orochi!"
Her Zanpakutō expanded into a massive, jagged cleaver, its teeth glinting as it roared through the air toward Renya's neck.
Renya's eyes narrowed. So her Shikai enhances her speed and strength…
He moved, blue light flaring across his limbs—Reiryoku reinforcement. The two clashed, blades screeching.
A single blow from Hiyori's blade ripped a deep trench in the ground, dust exploding outward.
Even her base strength rises with Shikai. Impressive.
Renya appeared behind her again, Zanpakutō gleaming.
Clang! Their blades collided once more, the shockwave pushing both back several steps.
Yoruichi's eyes widened. "He's using incomplete Shunko… How did he learn that?"
Renya's body sparked faintly, spiritual lightning dancing across his arms and legs.
Hiyori charged again, faster now, matching his speed with raw aggression. Her slashes grew heavier, her mask-like fury burning.
"Let's end this already!" she shouted.
Shinji rose from where he sat. "Alright, Hiyori, let's see it—go Visored."
"About damn time!" she yelled.
Her hand slid across her face, summoning the white Hollow mask with twin horns.
Her reiatsu exploded, shaking the ground.
Renya barely had time to lift his sword before her enhanced speed hit him like a cannon.
Boom!
He skidded backward, blocking a downward slash that nearly split the earth.
"Come on, brat! Show me what you've got!" Hiyori taunted, voice distorted through her mask.
Renya's eyes narrowed as her next barrage came—each blow faster than the last. He struggled to keep up, his blade ringing against hers in a storm of sparks.
Then one strike landed squarely, sending him flying back into the dirt.
Love exhaled. "At that level, he can't win unless he either releases or dons a mask himself."
Kensei nodded. "He's holding back. I can tell."
Lisa Yadōmaru adjusted her glasses. "If he goes Shikai or Visored, he'll be above Hiyori's current mask level."
They were right. Renya's base strength already rivaled seated officers; with release or mask, he would reach Captain-class.
But the question lingered—how strong was he truly?
On the battlefield, Hiyori's jagged blade swung again. Renya caught it mid-arc with both hands, the impact vibrating through the ground.
He whispered, "Hadō #12 — Fushibi."
A crackle of lightning surged along his blade, arcing up into Hiyori's.
Urahara's fan snapped open. "Interesting… low-level Hadō, no incantation."
Tessai Tsukabishi, observing beside him, nodded. "And combined with kinetic reiryoku—clever layering."
Lisa frowned. "But that weak Hadō won't even scratch Hiyori in her mask form."
"Not by itself," Hachi murmured.
A heartbeat later, a secondary explosion ignited—fire and lightning bursting together in a sweeping blast.
"Hadō #31 — Shakkahō combined with Fushibi. Combined Kido… well played."
The blast engulfed Hiyori in fire. She burst through the flames moments later, her mask cracked but intact.
"Nice trick," she hissed, "but you'll need more than fireworks to beat me."
Before she could close in again, six glowing rods shot outward—binding her limbs mid-stride.
"Bakudō #61 — Rikujōkōrō."
Six bars of golden light locked her in place. She strained, spiritual power flaring violently—but the seal held just long enough.
Renya flashed forward, his blade aimed straight at her mask.
"Got you."
But before the blade connected, Hiyori's mouth opened wide.
"Cero!"
A crimson beam roared point-blank, swallowing Renya in light and thunder.
The ground shook as dust and reishi smoke filled the field.
As the energy faded, Hiyori stumbled, her mask shattering and spiritual pressure dropping fast. She fell to one knee, panting.
"Did I… overdo it?" she muttered.
"Not quite," Shinji said softly.
From the fading smoke, Renya stepped forward—his face now covered by a white Hollow mask.
"You're strong, Captain Sarugaki," he said evenly. "But I'm not that easy to kill."
Hiyori's eyes widened. "You… you can use it too?"
Renya removed his mask, his reiatsu still flickering. "You forced me to reveal it. Guess I've still got work to do."
Shinji's expression turned serious. "So Aizen really is that far beyond you?"
Renya nodded grimly. "He can use Hadō #90 — Kurohitsugi without a chant. Even in my Shikai, I couldn't block one strike. And that's before factoring in his Kyōka Suigetsu."
The Visoreds' faces darkened. They knew Aizen's hypnosis made him nearly untouchable.
"Unbelievable," Kensei muttered. "That bastard's a walking nightmare."
Renya exhaled. "If I master my Hollow powers properly, I might survive a few minutes. Maybe."
Yoruichi crossed her arms. "Have you ever seen his blade's reflection?"
Renya shook his head. "No. Not once."
"Then you still have a chance," Shinji said, smirking faintly. "And we'll make sure you're ready."
Tessai nodded. "Your Kido control is advanced. I can train you in forbidden spells."
Kensei cracked his knuckles. "I'll help you perfect your Bankai."
Hiyori scowled. "And I'll fight you every damn day 'til you can hit me for real."
Yoruichi added, "I'll complete your Shunko training myself."
Urahara smiled faintly behind his fan. "Looks like you'll have every tool you need to face Aizen. Perhaps even surpass him."
Renya's eyes gleamed with determination. "Maybe… this time, we can really stop him."
Love laughed. "If not, you can always borrow my manga collection. Good stress relief."
Rose added, "And I'll play you something soothing after training."
Renya felt a surge of warmth. They weren't just training him—they were accepting him.
Then Lisa adjusted her glasses. "If that's not enough, I can lend you some of my books."
A few of them exchanged looks.
Kensei coughed. "Let's… not."
Love snorted. "Yeah, those books ain't for kids."
Renya blinked. "Lisa's books?" He shook his head quickly. "Yeah… I'll pass."
The group laughed—just for a moment, the heavy air lightened again.