"Shunko!"
A massive thrust came from behind, as if a rocket booster had been attached to his body.
Caught off guard, Makiya was sent flying, sword and all. Under the influence of Kido power, he hurtled toward the earth. Fortunately, he reacted in time, condensing spirit particles beneath his feet to act as pedals, leaving a braking trail in the air.
Wisps of smoke rose from the ground. Makiya caught a faint scent of charred meat. Looking down, he saw a small settlement directly below.
In this godforsaken place like District 80, the impoverished souls naturally couldn't afford roasted meat, but they were skilled at sourcing ingredients locally—the ingredients being others who had lost in the struggle.
He had to marvel once again at how mysterious the setting of Soul Reapers was. Despite being souls after death, they were no different from normal people. The pungent smell of blood drifted toward Makiya.
"Shunko is indeed difficult to master. I'll just use you all for practice."
Makiya hung his Zanpakuto at his waist, Kido power slowly covering his arms.
Boom!
With a single punch, the turbulence blew the crowd away. Instead of fleeing in panic, the cannibalistic settlement grabbed weapons and charged at Makiya with strange cries.
Screams echoed one after another. Makiya swung his fists and kicked, becoming more proficient at releasing Kido power. However, low-intensity combat ultimately couldn't bring him any improvement, so Makiya stopped holding back. Like a tank, he crashed into the crowd as blood and severed limbs flew into the air.
A moment later, Makiya returned to his original spot, put on his Shihakusho, and left the Zaraki District.
The scorched wasteland returned to silence. It wasn't until near evening that anyone dared to peek out and approach.
A few half-grown children looked around warily before quickly approaching the blood-stained land, rummaging through the corpses for anything usable or edible.
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The changes brought about by the talent upgrade were comprehensive.
Makiya took nearly two weeks to fully digest his gains. Yoruichi, who had long since grown impatient, rushed into the Fifth Division barracks, grabbed Makiya, and knocked on the gates of the Department of Research and Development.
Kisuke Urahara had a massive headache over Yoruichi's arrival, but he was very happy to see Makiya.
The previous Hollowfication experiment had given him many ideas, and he was eager to try again.
Hiyosu and Akane were also eager. They had tasted the benefits of the Hollowfication test; their spiritual power and pressure had broken through their physical limits, taking them a step further—something all Soul Reapers dreamed of.
In the underground space, the testing grounds had been reinforced in every way.
Kisuke Urahara had laid alloy flooring over the original yellow earth Gobi desert, set up numerous Kido barriers around the perimeter, and added many impressive-looking large instruments.
The steps of the experiment were still largely the same. After Makiya cleared out the Hollow power, he was pulled deep into the space by Yoruichi, who had been waiting on the side.
"I'm definitely winning this time." Wearing a black tight-fitting suit, Yoruichi spoke with absolute confidence after taking off her coat.
Makiya and Yoruichi stood on two separate hilltops. Makiya chuckled at Yoruichi's harmless threats, casually took off his Shihakusho and threw it aside, revealing the specialized black tank top he had worn underneath.
His well-defined muscles were impressive, with a vast chest that already exceeded Soi Fon's scale. After Chisato's reshaping, Makiya's physique was moving closer to a standard build.
"Hey, hey, the 'honey trap' won't work on me. Draw your sword." Yoruichi openly scanned Makiya from head to toe, admiring him while curling her lips into a smile.
"I've learned a new move recently. Please give me some pointers, Captain Yoruichi." Makiya moved his arms and took a familiar starting stance.
"Hm? Could it be..." Yoruichi's pupils shrank. Makiya's movements made her feel as if she were seeing her own shadow.
'Did he learn Shunko? How is that possible?!'
Yoruichi immediately denied it in her heart. How could her ultimate technique be so easily copied? Makiya must be bluffing.
"Shunko!"
Reality shattered Yoruichi's skepticism as the familiar Kido power erupted from someone other than herself.
Makiya's figure vanished, leaving a deep blue afterimage in the air. Kido power gathered in his arms as his fist grew larger in Yoruichi's pupils.
Boom!
Fist collided with fist. Yoruichi instantly entered her Shunko state. The shockwave shattered the ground, and with their fists as the dividing line, cracks rapidly spread into the distance.
"How did you learn it?" Yoruichi asked subconsciously, having not yet recovered from the shock.
"Take a guess." Makiya blinked and unleashed a flurry of punches.
"This guy..." Yoruichi gritted her teeth, her golden pupils staring intently at Makiya as her fighting spirit blazed. "Fine, don't tell me. I still have two more moves. Learn them if you can."
The two figures rapidly closed in, separated briefly after a series of explosions, then collided again like two blue meteors streaking across the sky with ten thousand tons of force. They fought from the sky to the ground, and from the ground up to the clouds.
Chaotic high-pressure air currents spread outward, kicking up large clouds of smoke and dust. It was as if a sandstorm that blotted out the sun had swept across the barren Gobi desert.
At the entrance of the space, Kisuke Urahara had just finished organizing the data and cleaned up the equipment with the help of Hiyosu and Akane.
Pressing a button, the newly built testing ground slowly sank and was retracted into the floor.
"Hm? Over there is..." Kisuke Urahara suddenly looked up in confusion, seeing the horizon gradually tinged with yellow-gray.
"Are those two going at it that intensely? Should I go take a look?" Kisuke rubbed his chin, somewhat undecided. "It's just sparring. They're both sensible people; it should be fine... right?"
He remembered that last time he had also rushed over, but ended up not being of much help. The two had stopped in time, and their injuries weren't severe.
"Forget it, I'll go back and look at the data. There are many points worth noting in this experiment."
Ultimately, Kisuke suppressed the bad premonition in his heart and hurriedly left the underground space with the two guards.
On the other side.
"...Blaze, Chisato."
Makiya abandoned Shunko and initiated Shikai on his Zanpakuto. Bright red flames enveloped his body, and a terrifying spiritual pressure roared out like a tsunami.
The space let out a faint sound like breaking glass.
"Are you kidding me..." Yoruichi's mouth twitched. What was wrong with this man? Although his spiritual pressure was terrifying last time, it hadn't reached this level.
The yellow sandstorm instantly dissipated, the dust in the sky forced down to the earth by an invisible hand. The spiritual pressure, which felt almost physical, enveloped Yoruichi, making it somewhat difficult for her to breathe.
"Truly... the perfect opponent." Yoruichi's eyes sparkled with excitement. Strong Kido power surrounded her body, her deep purple hair fluttered in the wind, and two tufts of hair on her forehead curled up inexplicably, resembling cat ears.
"Shunko: Raijin Senkei!"
The Kido power transformed into golden lightning. Six taiko-drum-shaped golden lightning rings appeared behind her. The cat ears on her head twitched amidst the lightning, and her spiritual pressure rose further.
"Oh? Did you grow cat ears, Captain Yoruichi?" Makiya unleashed his flames, looking at the ears on her head thoughtfully.
'Does Yoruichi's Zanpakuto ability really just let her turn into a cat?'
The original work never mentioned what Yoruichi's Zanpakuto ability was. It was only known to be a short sword, and she always fought using hand-to-hand combat and Kido.
"It's more than just cat ears." Yoruichi swung her arms, and a massive amount of golden lightning fell from the sky, wrapping Makiya in a cocoon of electricity. The immense lightning pierced the air, emitting a distinct ozone smell.
A hand reached out from the sphere of lightning and waved lightly. With a venting of spiritual pressure, the lightning ball instantly collapsed.
"Weak lightning." Makiya caught the golden lightning in his palm and crushed it. "It's just right for a massage."
"As expected, it's not enough." Although she had anticipated this result, Yoruichi couldn't help but sigh when she saw Makiya crush her lightning so easily. "This guy... he's simply too strong to be a Soul Reaper."
Seemingly having reached a decision, Yoruichi shouted at Makiya, "Hey, Makiya! I've only just developed the next move and haven't mastered it yet. Be careful!"
Makiya's expression turned solemn. "Bring it on."
Yoruichi stopped talking. Golden lightning enveloped her whole body, and her clothes completely disintegrated. She dropped to all fours with her hips raised high, a lightning cat tail wagging flexibly. Sharp claws grew from her hands and feet, making her look like a spiritual cat.
"Shunko: Raiju Senkei - Shunryu Kokuryu Senki!"
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