Next up for testing was Isane Kotetsu.
Sōsuke Tanuki looked at Isane as she walked up, noticing she was almost taller than him, and immediately became serious.
For most swordsmanship styles, being tall was a great advantage.
An inch shorter is an inch of danger; an inch longer is an inch of strength.
Taller people usually have longer arms, and longer arms mean a greater reach when swinging a sword.
"Professor Tanuki, I look forward to your guidance!" Isane bowed politely.
"Come on!" Tanuki gripped his sword with both hands, assuming a standard swordsmanship stance.
"Hah!" Isane lunged forward, raised her sword, and quickly executed a Shungeki.
Isane had focused on Kaidō in recent years, and her skill level was already comparable to that of an ordinary 4th Division member, but her swordsmanship could only be considered average.
However, "average" was only in comparison to her peers at the Katori dojo.
Among the students of the Spiritual Arts Academy, she was not to be underestimated!
CLANG—!!!
Tanuki leaned his weight forward slightly and raised his Zanpakutō to block Isane's attack.
"Good, nice force!" Tanuki's eyes lit up as he felt the power transmitted through his blade.
Now this was the kind of performance an "excellent student" should have!
Tanuki's Zanpakutō pulsed with Spiritual Pressure, knocking Isane back.
The test's condition was to make him move. Therefore, he couldn't engage in close-quarters combat for too long, or the student could easily force him to move using means other than the sword.
He needed to maintain a safe distance from the student.
Isane was pushed back several steps by the force.
She wasn't discouraged by the failed attack.
"Hadō #4. Byakurai!" Isane raised her left hand, and a flash of lightning appeared at her fingertips.
A beam of lightning shot swiftly toward Tanuki's abdomen.
At the same time, Isane stepped forward quickly, swinging her Zanpakutō with her right hand in a slash aimed at Tanuki's left shoulder.
"Attacking from two directions at once... Don't underestimate a teacher!" Tanuki grinned.
Tanuki's Zanpakutō moved with extreme speed, carving a vertical "Z" shape in the air.
The slash shattered the incoming Byakurai first, then transitioned into an upward slash, striking Isane's longsword.
CLANG—!!!
Isane's Zanpakutō failed to hit Tanuki's left shoulder and was knocked away.
But the momentum of Tanuki's swing had also been exhausted.
Isane pressed forward, getting right in front of him, and raised her hand again to cast a Kidō: "Hadō #4. Byakurai!"
Tanuki chose to jump away, dodging the attack.
"If I had chosen not to dodge just now and taken your Hadō head-on to continue my swing, you would have definitely been hurt more!" Tanuki hadn't expected this seemingly timid student to opt for a strategy of trading injuries.
"Professor Tanuki had already spent his momentum. A last-minute turn of the blade to attack me wouldn't have caused a fatal wound. Trading some injury for a victory is worth it!" Isane asked, "Did I pass the test?"
She had already formulated her combat strategy before coming to register.
The current 'Shinken Taiketsu' did not restrict the use of one's abilities.
Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Shunpo, Kidō, and even Kaidō were all permitted.
Isane's strategy was to use her proficiency in Kaidō to her advantage by trading blow for blow!
"I moved, so of course you passed..." Tanuki sighed. "You learned that from Vice-Director Katori, didn't you? It's hard to judge. This fighting style can easily backfire if you don't handle it well. If it were me, I'd prioritize not getting injured."
Everyone has a different fighting style, he could understand that.
Tanuki remembered that the form Isane had just filled out stated she knew Kaidō.
He guessed her strategy was to rely on Kaidō to trade injuries for a win.
The next to go was Aizen Sōsuke.
Aizen didn't reveal much during his test.
The impression he gave was one of being solid.
Clang, clang, clang—
The two blades clashed continuously, producing a harsh sound.
For some reason, although Tanuki could block every one of Aizen's strikes, he felt as if the rhythm of the fight was entirely in his opponent's hands.
Tanuki didn't dwell on it, attributing it to Aizen's solid swordsmanship and excellent control over his swing's rhythm.
"Bakudō #4. Hainawa." Aizen waved his left hand, and spiritual energy formed a golden rope of light, wrapping around the hilt of Tanuki's sword.
Tanuki's movement was instantly disrupted, and he couldn't block Aizen's follow-up strike. He had no choice but to retreat and dodge the attack.
"Impressive. Your swordsmanship is very solid. You must practice diligently!" Tanuki exclaimed.
Aizen hadn't used any flashy techniques, only basic sword moves. But to control the rhythm so well with just the basics was very difficult.
The slightest mistake, and Tanuki could have deflected his blade and broken the rhythm.
"Swordsmanship is a matter of perseverance. To achieve anything in the way of the sword, one must practice diligently," Aizen said modestly.
"Well said! Training requires perseverance to grow. Vice-Director Katori's students are truly all talented. It seems you're the hard-working type!" Tanuki laughed heartily. "It doesn't matter if your talent is a bit lacking. With your teacher's guidance, as long as you work hard, becoming a seated officer or a vice-captain in the future won't be difficult!"
However, what Tanuki didn't know...
Was that in recent years, Aizen Sōsuke had been spending less and less time on training.
Ever since Katori Sora established the laboratory, Aizen had become engrossed in research, dedicating less time to his own training.
But even so, the speed of his power growth had not slowed in the slightest.
One percent inspiration plus ninety-nine percent perspiration equals success.
But for someone like Aizen, who was ninety-nine percent inspiration, that one percent of perspiration was more effective than ninety-nine percent from anyone else.
"Hmph, the professor always calls me lazy, but that guy is no better than me!" Isshin Shiba's face darkened when he heard Tanuki call Aizen the hard-working type.
He knew very well.
Among the disciples of the Katori dojo, aside from the seniors who had already graduated and joined the squads, Aizen Sōsuke was the hardest one to find!
If it came to diligence, the one who came later, Sajin Komamura, was the most diligent.
Sajin's disposition was more mature. After recognizing the power gap between himself, Aizen, and Isshin, he became the most diligent of them all.
Isshin Shiba stepped onto the stage.
"I've learned a new special move. This is a good chance to try it out." Isshin saw this as a rare opportunity to embarrass Professor Tanuki, one he couldn't miss.
"Getting so serious might not be a good idea!" Tanuki had a bad feeling.
Even setting aside his status as Katori Sora's disciple, Isshin Shiba was a promising junior being heavily nurtured by the Shiba clan.
If he was given a bit more time to grow, he would be no less formidable than Sōjun Kuchiki was back then.
It was obvious that Isshin's strength was extraordinary.
"Professor Tanuki, here I come!" A wave of fiery energy appeared around Isshin's body. "Sekichō!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You pass!" Tanuki quickly took half a step back.
"What! How can you give up, Professor Tanuki!" Isshin was instantly exasperated.
"You expect me to stand still and take a move like that?" Tanuki sneered. "I'm not an idiot!"
"Sigh... I thought this was a good chance..." Isshin could only give up, and the fiery energy around him dissipated.
Next up was Sōya Azashiro.
Sōya was a little nervous.
His professor had been busy these past few years and was often not at the dojo.
He had let himself go and often ran off to play.
He never thought he'd have to participate in the 'Shinken Taiketsu' in his first year.
But the professor said everyone had to participate, forcing his hand.
He was relieved when he heard the professor would assist them with 'Blade Meditation training.'
If he could learn Shikai early, he could achieve a decent result in the competition.
After all, even among the upperclassmen, not many had achieved Shikai.
However,
After two weeks of intensive training, he still hadn't learned it.
Among their group, only Isshin, Sajin, and Aizen had Shikai.
And not only did he not have Shikai...
His Zanjutsu, Shunpo, Kaidō, and Hakuda were all worse than Isane's and Lisa's!
The only saving grace was that his Hadō and Bakudō were decent.
Before Kakyō graduated, she would occasionally visit her old home in the Rukongai.
Sōya wanted to go play there, so he would always ask Kakyō to take him along.
As a result, he and Kakyō had a good relationship.
Kakyō was skilled in Kidō and knew this younger 'senior' of hers loved to play and had neglected his training, so she would teach him some Kidō in private.
"Maybe I should do what Sōsuke did, use Bakudō to lock Professor Tanuki's sword and then force him back?" Sōya was thinking about how to pass the test.
"What are you standing there for?" Tanuki beckoned. "Hurry up and finish the test, I still have other students to get to!"
"Ah, okay..." Sōya snapped back to reality and quickly stepped onto the stage.
"Bakudō #4. Hainawa!" Sōya started by imitating Aizen.
Spiritual energy formed a golden rope of light, shooting toward the hilt of Tanuki's sword.
"What are you doing???" Tanuki was completely baffled. He casually swung his sword and cut the incoming golden rope.
He didn't understand what Sōya was trying to do by starting with a low-level Bakudō.
Although the teachers at the Academy weren't known for their strength, such a blatant Bakudō was just too disrespectful!
"You little brat from the Azashiro family, don't look down on me!"
Tanuki was a bit angered. He felt he needed to explain that being caught by Aizen's low-level Bakudō wasn't because he was weak.
"Student Sōsuke was able to lock my hilt with 'Hainawa' because I was dealing with his blade! His swordsmanship is solid, his offensive rhythm is excellent, and it wasn't easy for me to block it! In that situation, the slightest distraction would make it hard for me to keep up with his pace! And you want to lock my hilt with 'Hainawa' right from the start? Are you dreaming?!"
"S-sorry! I'll be serious!" Sōya's young face flushed with embarrassment.
"Come on, time is almost up. Don't blame me for not giving you a chance, you little Azashiro brat!" Tanuki said.
"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six—" Sōya decided to use the strongest Bakudō he had mastered. "Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō!"
Spiritual particles formed six golden slats of light, shooting towards Tanuki.
'Rikujōkōrō' was a relatively powerful Bakudō and couldn't be broken by an ordinary slash.
This time, Tanuki couldn't cut through it and was locked in place by the six golden lights.
Now, all Sōya had to do was continue attacking, and Tanuki would surely have to dodge.
"Now that's more like it!" Tanuki took half a step back. "You pass!"
"Are you a bit lacking in combat experience?" Tanuki was puzzled. Sōya's earlier mistake was very basic, and he didn't seem to be deliberately fooling around.
"Are you a new disciple of your professor?" Tanuki scratched his head. He remembered that this Sōya Azashiro had been at the Katori dojo for a long time.
"..." Sōya felt he had brought shame upon his professor and was momentarily filled with guilt.
He had actually been a disciple for a long time, yet this was his performance.
Lisa Yadōmaru and Isane Kotetsu, who were about his age, had performed much better.
And Isshin, Sajin, and Kakyō, who had joined after him, had already achieved Shikai.
The power gap between them was already worlds apart.
"Don't be so down!" Isshin threw an arm around Sōya's neck. "Don't forget to call me when you go out to play next time, but don't slack off during training!"
"If Sōya hangs out with a lazy bum like you, then he's really a lost cause." Lisa Yadōmaru crossed her arms. "He should train with Sajin! I guarantee his strength will increase rapidly!"
Lisa wasn't just saying that.
She had been sparring with Sajin Komamura every day recently, and her combat experience had grown by leaps and bounds.
Sajin had spent a considerable amount of time in the Rukongai and was much in combat experience. Sparring with him was very effective.
"I would be happy to." Sajin nodded lightly.
He was glad to help a fellow dojo member train, and sparring with different people was also good for him.
"Thank you, everyone!" Sōya nodded, deciding to train hard when he got back so he wouldn't embarrass his professor in the 'Shinken Taiketsu'.
"Alright, you've all passed the test." Tanuki stamped their registration forms. "The group assignments will be out in two days."
The Shinken Taiketsu was divided into eight groups. A win earned one point.
The winner with the highest score would advance to the quarter-finals.
However, the top three in the point rankings would also get a chance to challenge the winners of other groups.
After passing the registration test, the group didn't leave right away. Instead, they stayed to observe the skills of the other registering students.
After some observation, they found that the other lower-year students couldn't even pass the test.
The ones who passed were mostly students about to graduate.
But there were several registration spots, so what they saw here didn't represent the entire student body.
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