14 Wind Scar  

After successfully materializing Tessaiga and obtaining the resulting Reiatsu feedback, Ailin's energies weren't too far apart from Marenoshin Ōmaeda's.

However, once both parties released their Zanpakutō, Ailin's Reiatsu was clearly inferior by at least half compared to Marenoshin.

After all, Marenoshin had already refined his initial release to its utmost limits, amplifying his Reiatsu by a staggering five times over. Meanwhile as just a semi-finished product, Tessaiga's transformation into a fang blade had only tripled Ailin's Reiatsu.

"There's a chance!" Sensing Ailin's weaker Reiatsu, elation surged within Marenoshin Ōmaeda.

A Shinigami's battle ultimately boiled down to one's Reiatsu. Although Marenoshin's current Reiatsu wasn't sufficient enough to nullify or ignore a Zanpakutō's abilities completely, under the boosts of augmented Reiatsu, his speed, strength, and defenses had all obtained tremendous enhancements.

He refused to believe that he would still lose despite clearly exceeding Ailin substantially in Reiatsu!

"Raaah!"

Bolstered by this notion, Marenoshin brandished his massive spiked mace and charged towards Ailin.

Facing the incoming opponent, Ailin gripped Tessaiga's hilt with both hands and hefted it overhead, slashing down at Marenoshin.

"Boom!"

To a certain degree, the magnified Tessaiga could be considered a power + cleave-type Zanpakutō.

However, Tessaiga was far inferior regarding brute force amplification compared to Marenoshin's Gegetsuburi manifested as a giant mace.

When Tessaiga and Gegetsuburi intersected, the resultant strength forced Ailin's frame lower by a section.

"Boom!"

The ground beneath Ailin's feet detonated outwards with a five meter radius, the fracturing earth even extending ten meters out.

"What monstrous might!" Standing inside the crater, Ailin's eyes were wide as Tessaiga trembled in his hands from blocking Gegetsuburi.

"Haah!"

Azure Reiatsu erupted from Ailin's body, the abrupt spike instantly enhancing both his speed and power.

Reiatsu Eruption!

This was a common Reiatsu manipulation technique many Shinigami were privy to. Strictly speaking, it was a do-or-die skill for those with weaker Reiatsu. Its principles revolved around concentrating one's Reiatsu before triggering an explosive discharge, trading short-term power amplifications for rapid depletion.

What could sustain an hour of combat would likely be exhausted in less than five minutes instead.

"Clang!"

After utilizing Reiatsu Eruption, Ailin and Marenoshin's battle intensified to new heights.

More and more enormous craters emerged around the training grounds from their intense skirmish.

Through the Reiatsu boost to close their disparity, combined with swordsmanship exceeding Marenoshin's by a substantial margin, Ailin managed to contend evenly against Marenoshin's giant mace using his mere one meter long Tessaiga. He even gradually gained the upper hand.

However, despite being at a disadvantage presently, Marenoshin's psyche remained remarkably composed.

Under current circumstances Marenoshin only needed to endure until Ailin's Reiatsu Eruption ran its course for victory to be guaranteed for himself.

"Clang Clang Clang Clang!"

Ailin's silhouette flickered about as afterimages surrounded Marenoshin completely. Blade beams resembling a dense net enshrouded him within.

However, the effects from Ailin's barrage weren't ideal. Despite Marenoshin's bulky frame, his motions were actually extremely agile. His Shunpo rankings in Second Division could also be considered top three.

Well, with Ailin's presence now, Marenoshin's spot probably had to be moved back by one rank. Since Ailin was running circles around him, although Ailin's Shunpo speed exceeded Marenoshin's, his attack rate still wasn't fast enough to overwhelm his reactions.

Moreover, taking advantage of Gegetsuburi's substantial size as a giant mace, Marenoshin only needed to adjust his positioning slightly to hide most of himself behind the mace, utilizing it to shield against Ailin's offense.

As such, Ailin's assault could only open several non-fatal lacerations across Marenoshin's body without achieving much.

"Whoosh!"

Seeing his attacks' futility, Ailin stopped wasting Reiatsu and flickered instantly to stand twenty meters away facing Marenoshin.

"So powerful!"

"That's right. Regardless of whether it's Vice-Captain Ōmaeda or Ailin, both are incredibly strong!"

At this time, the four hundred plus Second Division Shinigami spectators finally regained their wits after the earlier intense confrontation.

As they watched Ailin and Marenoshin Ōmaeda, the gazes of these Shinigami seemed to glow vibrantly.

To be a Shinigami was never a safe occupation. Every year, many would perish. This was also the foremost reason why the Thirteen Court Guard Squads recruited annually from the Spiritual Arts Academy.

Having a powerful comrade enhanced everyone's survival odds tremendously.

Take for example the earlier most dangerous rescue mission where over a dozen heavily-injured Second Division members had narrowly avoided deaths because of Ailin. Witnessing Ailin's formidable might now instantly set their minds at ease.

After today's battle, regardless of whether Ailin succeeded his challenge, at minimum a seated officer position was surely reserved for him.

"Kisuke, what's your opinion?" Watching the two men ahead, Yoruichi questioned Kisuke Urahara beside her.

"My opinion?"

Before Kisuke Urahara even responded, Shaolin Fon couldn't help interrupting when Lady Yoruichi didn't pose her query at herself first. She instantly took over the conversation.

"My Lady, while that man called Ailin does have some skills, overall he's still lacking compared to Vice-Captain Ōmaeda right? Just observe, he's already so desperate by using Reiatsu Eruption. Once his Reiryoku depletes, naturally he wouldn't be Vice-Captain Ōmaeda's match! Conversely, if Vice-Captain Ōmaeda utilized Reiatsu Eruption himself, that Ailin guy definitely couldn't withstand it!"

"Oh my, oh my. My views happen to differ from yours though," Kisuke Urahara glanced at Shaolin Fon amusedly. Beneath his disheveled bangs, rare seriousness surfaced within those normally bewildered eyes of his.

"That man called Ailin will emerge victorious in this bout!"

"Impossible!", Shaolin Fon didn't believe a single word from Kisuke's nonsense.

Judging from the earlier situation, although Ailin had obtained some advantages via Reiatsu Eruption, those benefits couldn't constitute decisive factors determining victory. However, in the next instant, Shaolin Fon's pupils abruptly constricted -

She witnessed swirling winds coiling around the large blade in that man's hands deemed unworthy of praise by herself. With a sweep from Ailin, those zephyrs transformed into three massive slash waves billowing towards Marenoshin Ōmaeda!

"Wind Scar!"