Floors 6, 7, and 8 passed in a blur.
Not because Yamamoto was rushing—though he was moving faster now—but because word had spread. Every test administrator knew his name. Every Regular who saw him coming got out of his way. The tests themselves had changed too, designed specifically around him.
Floor 6 was a puzzle maze. He walked through walls.
Floor 7 was a team elimination match. He eliminated all the teams in four minutes.
Floor 8 was supposed to be a multi-day endurance challenge. He finished it in three hours.
"You're breaking records faster than they can write them down," Yuri said as they walked through the eighth floor's completion area. She sounded amused. "The administrators are having panic attacks trying to figure out what to throw at you next."
"Not my problem," Yamamoto said.
"No, but it's entertaining." She gestured ahead. "Portal's open. Floor 9."
They stepped through and found themselves in what looked like a city square. Buildings surrounded them, each one different—some ancient stone, others sleek and modern. The architecture didn't match, like someone had grabbed structures from different worlds and dropped them here.
A voice boomed from above.
"ATTENTION REGULARS!"
Yamamoto looked up. A massive screen floated in the air, showing a woman with sharp features and sharper eyes. She wore the formal robes of a Test Administrator.
"Welcome to Floor 9's special test," the woman said. "This floor is different. No combat, no puzzle, no endurance challenge. Instead, you'll be tested on your ability to work with others."
"Oh no," Evan said. He'd appeared next to them, looking worried. "This is bad."
"What is?" Yuri asked.
"Team synthesis test. It forces Regulars to work together, combines their strengths, tests social dynamics." He looked at Yamamoto. "You're not exactly a team player."
"I can work with people," Yamamoto said.
"Can you?" Evan raised an eyebrow. "Because your track record so far is 'crush everyone in your path alone.'"
Fair point.
The screen continued. "You'll be divided into teams of five. Each team must complete a series of challenges that require cooperation, communication, and trust. Teams that fail will be eliminated from the Tower. Permanently."
A murmur went through the crowd of Regulars. Yamamoto counted about thirty people, not including him and Yuri.
"Teams will be assigned randomly," the administrator said. "You don't get to choose your partners. And yes, before anyone asks—this includes Irregulars."
Great.
Numbers appeared above each Regular's head—glowing digits that assigned them to teams. Yamamoto got a 3. Yuri got a 7.
"Different teams," she said. "Well, this should be interesting."
"Will you be alright?" Yamamoto asked.
Yuri laughed. "I'm a Princess. I'll be fine. The question is whether your team will survive being on your team."
Also fair.
Four other people gathered near Yamamoto, drawn by the matching numbers above their heads. He studied them quickly, reading them the way he'd read subordinates for centuries.
First: a young man with green hair and too many earrings. Light Bearer position, based on the device on his back. Nervous energy, kept glancing at Yamamoto like he expected to die.
Second: a woman with short blue hair and heavy armor. Fisherman, obviously. Scarred hands, confident stance. She met Yamamoto's eyes without flinching.
Third: a tall, thin person with wrapped arms and a cloak. Spear Bearer, probably. Quiet, observant, hadn't said a word yet.
Fourth: a kid. Couldn't be more than fifteen. Small, wearing simple clothes, carrying a bag full of what looked like tools. Scout position, maybe?
"So," the blue-haired woman said. "You're the Irregular everyone's talking about."
"Yes."
"The one who beat Evankhell."
"Yes."
"And who demolished every test from Floor 1 to 8."
"Yes."
She grinned. "I'm Khun Ran. And I just got really lucky with team assignments."
"Ran," the green-haired Light Bearer said. "That's Yamamoto. The guy who might accidentally kill us if we annoy him."
"I don't accidentally kill people," Yamamoto said. "If I kill you, it'll be on purpose."
The Light Bearer went pale. Ran laughed.
"I like him already," she said. "What's the plan, team leader?"
"I'm not the leader," Yamamoto said.
"You're the strongest person here by about a thousand miles. Yes you are."
Yamamoto didn't argue. He'd commanded people before. The role was familiar enough.
"Names first," he said, looking at the others.
The Light Bearer spoke up quickly. "I'm Phonsekal Laure. I mean, not from the main branch or anything, but yeah. Light Bearer. Good with information and support."
The cloaked Spear Bearer nodded. "Novick. Long-range specialist."
The kid looked nervous but spoke anyway. "I'm... I'm just called Ship. I'm a Scout. I can find things, unlock things, that kind of stuff."
"Good," Yamamoto said. "Standard position spread. We have Fisherman, Light Bearer, Spear Bearer, Scout, and..." He paused. "What position am I?"
"That's a good question," Ran said. "What do you usually do?"
"Hit things until they stop moving."
"So Fisherman."
"I suppose."
A portal opened in the center of the square, different from the usual floor-to-floor gates. This one led somewhere else—the first challenge, presumably.
"Teams, enter your portals," the administrator's voice boomed. "Your first test begins now. Good luck. You'll need it."
Team 3 looked at each other. Then at Yamamoto.
"Well?" Ran said. "Got any inspiring words, fearless leader?"
"Don't die," Yamamoto said. He walked toward the portal.
Behind him, he heard Laure whisper, "That's the worst pep talk I've ever heard."
"But accurate," Novick said.
They stepped through together.
---
The other side of the portal was a forest. Dense trees, thick undergrowth, artificial sky overhead. Yamamoto could feel the Shinsu flowing differently here—heavier, more restrictive.
"Suppression field," Laure said, his Light Bearer device already scanning. "They've locked down the Shinsu density. No one can use more than basic reinforcement here."
"Why?" Ship asked.
"To force cooperation. No one person can brute force their way through." Laure looked at Yamamoto. "Even you probably can't just burn through this."
Yamamoto tested it. He gathered his spiritual pressure—the force that had obliterated Evankhell's attacks, that had crushed Rankers. Here, it felt muted. Still present, still powerful, but contained.
"Interesting," he said.
"Can you still fight?" Ran asked.
"Yes. Just not at full strength."
"Good enough."
A screen appeared in the air above them—translucent, visible to the whole team.
CHALLENGE ONE: REACH THE TOWER
Objective: Navigate through the forest and reach the tower visible in the distance. Time limit: 2 hours. Obstacles: Hostile creatures, environmental hazards, rival teams.
Warning: This challenge requires teamwork. Individual strength alone will not be sufficient.
"Great," Laure muttered. "They're literally telling us we can't solo this."
"Then we work together," Yamamoto said. He looked at Ship. "Scout. Can you find the safest path?"
Ship nodded quickly, pulling out a small device. "Yeah, I can track Shinsu flows, find weak points in the forest's defense. Give me a minute."
While Ship worked, Yamamoto turned to the others. "Ran, you're point. You're a Fisherman, you'll handle anything that comes at us head-on. Novick, rear guard. Watch for ambushes. Laure, keep us informed. Information is power."
"And you?" Ran asked.
"I'll handle anything the rest of you can't."
Simple plan. Direct. It's what Yamamoto knew best.
Ship found a path. "This way. There's a low-density corridor through the forest. Should keep us away from the worst creatures."
They moved. Ran led, Yamamoto right behind her, the others following. The forest was quiet at first, just the sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves.
Then something roared.
"Contact!" Ran shouted.
A creature crashed through the trees—massive, four-legged, covered in scales and spines. It looked like someone's nightmare version of a bear crossed with a porcupine.
Ran charged to meet it. Her fists glowed with Shinsu reinforcement—not much, given the suppression field, but enough. She hit the creature in the face, and it stumbled.
But didn't go down.
"It's tougher than it looks!" Ran called. "Little help?"
Novick's spear flew past her, striking the creature in the shoulder. It roared again, angrier now.
Yamamoto stepped forward. He couldn't use his full power here, couldn't release Ryujin Jakka or overwhelm it with spiritual pressure. But he still had two thousand years of combat experience.
His staff appeared in his hand.
He moved past Ran, closed the distance, and struck. Not with overwhelming force—with precision. The staff hit the creature's leg joint, exactly where the scales were thinnest. The impact broke something inside, and the creature's leg buckled.
Another strike. This one to the neck, hitting a nerve cluster that existed in most large creatures. The thing dropped, unconscious.
"That was five seconds," Ran said. "You just took down a Scale Bear in five seconds."
"It has vulnerable points," Yamamoto said. "You just have to know where to hit."
"Right. Sure. Easy." Ran shook her head. "No wonder you're famous."
They kept moving. More creatures attacked—the forest was full of them. But the pattern was clear: they were designed to be impossible for one person to handle, but manageable for a coordinated team.
Ran would engage first, drawing attention. Novick would strike from range, creating openings. Yamamoto would finish them with precise strikes. Laure provided warnings about incoming threats. Ship found paths that avoided the worst clusters.
It worked. They were working together.
"Thirty minutes left!" Laure called. "Tower's in sight!"
Yamamoto saw it—a tall structure rising above the trees, maybe half a mile away. They could make it.
Then Ran held up a fist. "Wait. Something's wrong."
"What?" Novick asked.
"Too quiet. No creatures for the last five minutes." Ran's eyes scanned the forest. "We're in an ambush."
She was right. Yamamoto felt it too—the subtle shift in Shinsu density, the presence of people trying to hide.
"How many?" he asked.
"At least ten," Ran said. "Maybe fifteen. Another team, probably. They're going to hit us before we reach the tower."
"Can we go around?" Ship asked.
"No time," Laure said. "We've got twenty-five minutes. Going around would take forty."
Yamamoto considered the situation. They were outnumbered, the suppression field limited his power, and they needed to reach the tower fast.
"We go through," he said.
"Through fifteen people?" Laure looked worried. "That's suicide."
"Not if we're smart about it." Yamamoto looked at his team. "Ran, can you take three or four at once?"
"Maybe. In this suppression field, it's hard to say."
"Novick?"
"Two or three if I have surprise."
"Good. Here's what we do." Yamamoto laid out the plan quickly. It was simple, relied on their individual strengths, and gave them the best chance of breaking through.
"That's insane," Laure said when he finished.
"But it might work," Ran added. She was grinning now. "Alright, old man. Let's see if your tactics are as good as your reputation."
They moved forward. The ambush triggered exactly where Ran predicted—a dozen Regulars dropping from the trees and rushing from the undergrowth.
The plan went into motion.
Novick's spears flew first, forcing the ambushers to scatter. Ran charged the left flank, drawing half of them toward her. Ship vanished into the shadows—scouts were good at disappearing.
That left seven coming straight at Yamamoto.
Even suppressed, even limited, he was still himself.
The staff moved in a pattern he'd practiced for a thousand years. Each strike precise, each impact placed perfectly. He didn't have overwhelming power here, but he didn't need it. The first Regular went down from a strike to the solar plexus. The second from a sweep that took out both legs. The third tried to block and found his weapon knocked aside before the staff hit his temple.
In fifteen seconds, all seven were down.
"Path's clear!" Yamamoto shouted.
His team rallied to him. Ran came back from the left, breathing hard but grinning. Novick appeared from the trees. Ship materialized out of nowhere.
"Ten minutes!" Laure called. "Move!"
They ran. The tower was close now, maybe a hundred yards. Other teams were visible too—converging on the same goal.
They reached the tower with four minutes to spare. A portal opened at its base, glowing with completion.
Team 3 stepped through together.
---
Back in the city square, teams were appearing. Some looked exhausted. Others looked beaten up. Two teams didn't appear at all—eliminated.
"Well," Ran said, looking at Yamamoto. "That was fun."
"Fun," Yamamoto repeated.
"Yeah. I haven't had to actually work with people in years. Usually I just crush tests alone." She stretched. "Turns out teamwork's not bad when your leader isn't an idiot."
"High praise," Laure said dryly.
The administrator's screen appeared again. "Congratulations to the teams that completed Challenge One. You have one hour to rest. Then we begin Challenge Two."
"There's more?" Ship asked weakly.
"There's always more," Novick said.
Yamamoto looked at his team. They'd worked well together. Better than he'd expected. And despite himself, he felt something almost like satisfaction.
Leading people. It was familiar. Comfortable, even.
Maybe the Tower wasn't so different from the Gotei 13 after all.
"One hour," he said to his team. "Rest. Eat if you need to. We'll regroup and tackle the next challenge."
"Yes sir," Ran said, and this time there was real respect in her voice.
Yamamoto nodded and stepped aside to think. Yuri was with her own team across the square. She caught his eye and gave him a brief nod. She'd passed too.
Good.
The Tower loomed above them. One hundred twenty-six floors left to climb.
But for now, for this moment, Yamamoto had a team. People who relied on him. People he was responsible for.
It felt right.