Chapter 74 ⥤ Can Pride Fill Your Stomach?
⤫ Pseudo-Shunkō ⥤ Pseudo Flash War Cry ⤬
Her tanned skin flushed with a rosy hue from her inexperience, lending her an ethereal allure. Like a cheetah, her athletic figure launched into the rolling clouds of dust.
Yoruichi raised her right leg high and brought it down like a battle axe, striking the wounded thunder beast's head directly.
BOOM!!
Shock waves rippled outward, tearing through air and dust, unleashing a fierce windstorm.
Her Reiatsu crashed down in waves, creating layered aftershocks. The ground split into a web of fissures that spread across the battlefield.
The thunder beast crumpled, its limbs giving way. Electrical arcs surged chaotically across its failing body as it let out one final wail, dissipating amid bursts of thunder and blinding light.
Annihilation!
Yoruichi collapsed to the ground, staring in bewilderment at the destroyed thunder beast before her.
Did I do this?
No... Akira was the real hero of this battle.
She had faced the thunder beast at its peak before and knew the vast gulf between their powers. Even with fully developed techniques, she wouldn't have been its match.
Their abilities were fundamentally mismatched — she simply couldn't harm it effectively.
This victory was only possible because of his earlier assault.
"It's over." Akira approached steadily, supporting Yoruichi as her spiritual pressure-depleted legs trembled, "This exorcism ritual wasn't quite as smooth as planned, but at least we survived."
"By the way, how are we going to get out of here?"
They exchanged blank looks at the question.
For the first time in a while, silence enveloped them...
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Deep within the Shihōin Shrine's darkness.
The Zanpakutō resting on the craggy rock emitted a faint glow, trembling as if afraid. A slender hand grasped its handle, pulling it effortlessly from the stone.
Yoruichi handed the Zanpakutō to Akira with a flourish, allowing him to examine it.
"So this is the Shihōin family's hereditary Zanpakutō? It's really..." He turned the blade over, studying it from every angle before concluding, "Quite ordinary."
Yoruichi rolled her eyes and reclaimed the Zanpakutō — an heirloom her family treasured like a precious jewel — before explaining.
"Tensoken isn't much different from other Zanpakutō. The only distinction is that it doesn't require soul essence — it simply needs acceptance to be wielded."
Akira shook his head and sighed at this revelation.
They had just endured quite a struggle in the Zanpakutō's Inner World before finally returning to their bodies. If they hadn't defeated the thunder beast immediately, they might have avoided much of that trouble...
Now Akira understood what had truly happened.
Tensoken had sensed potential threats in Soul Society and, to protect itself, had chosen to self-isolate and refuse any form of communication. But the Shihōin clan members didn't understand this, so they tried various methods to reawaken it, though nothing worked.
Until this priest appeared. Perhaps Tensoken never expected someone could forcibly break through its self-imposed isolation. His method of awakening the Zanpakutō through ritual was crude but effective.
The process resembled breaking down someone's door, barging in to deliver a beating, and making threats before departing.
"If you don't accept me, I'll come back every day!"
Faced with this, Tensoken surrendered swiftly, accepting both of them and pledging complete loyalty.
As for the defeated Thunder Beast, there was no need to worry. As long as the Zanpakutō blade wasn't damaged, it would reconstitute itself after some time.
Learning this truth, Yoruichi sighed deeply. She'd believed Tensoken was noble and mysterious, its ancient lineage setting it apart from common pretenders.
Yet its true nature proved even more disappointing. One beating and it submitted — completely spineless.
As she stored Tensoken away, she caught Akira examining his own Zanpakutō with intense scrutiny.
"I'm thinking..." Noticing the strange look beside him, he raised his head thoughtfully, "Yoruichi, do you think... the reason I can't learn my Zanpakutō's true name is because I'm not being harsh enough?"
Yoruichi fell silent, realizing she couldn't follow his peculiar logic anymore.
"You can't apply Tensoken's example to other Zanpakutō." She explained hastily, "Normally, you should live alongside it and engage in Jinzen..."
As she spoke, she noticed Akira's gaze on his Zanpakutō growing increasingly dangerous.
This guy hadn't listened to a word she said!
As they conversed, the darkness enveloping the shrine receded like a tide, revealing its original colors.
BANG!
The shrine doors burst open, and Marenoshin's towering figure cast a long shadow in the sunlight.
"Lady Yoruichi, you're — you're alright..."
Sensing an intense heat rising behind him like a blazing sun, he broke into a cold sweat and quickly stepped aside.
The spacious shrine soon filled with concerned Shihōin clan members.
As the crowd clamored about Yoruichi's condition, she raised Tensoken, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"I've gained Tensoken's acceptance!"
Everyone stood shocked, and before they could ask what had happened, she pulled Akira to her side.
"This was all thanks to his help!" She declared solemnly.
The crowd exchanged confused glances, having no prior knowledge of this strange young man in ceremonial robes.
Yoruichi placed her hands on his shoulders and introduced him with gravity.
"First-year student at the Shin'ō Academy, Akira Kisaragi!"
Under the scrutiny of countless gazes, Akira felt immense pressure. Two particularly fierce stares from the crowd made him feel pins and needles in his back, causing him to sweat profusely.
"Uh, hehe, hello everyone..."
After this awkward greeting, he swallowed hard and looked at the imposing bald elder in the crowd.
"Long time no see, you're looking as impressive as ever, Captain-Commander..."
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