Chapter 12: Bankai

Su Li and Soi-Fon engaged in an intense battle, their conflict evolving from a cat-and-mouse approach to a more aggressive and decisive encounter. Soi-Fon's attacks were crafty and merciless, but Su Li expertly evaded each strike, always managing to dodge at the most opportune moments.

As their duel unfolded, they exchanged countless blows in a matter of minutes, making it impossible to predict the ultimate victor. Aizen, observing from the sidelines, interrupted with a poetic insight into the situation.

"Oh, isn't this Captain Aizen?! Hurry up, come to the front, and tell everyone what you think about the result of this duel!" Kyoraku Shunsui said with a broad smile, and hurriedly greeted Aizen and walked to the front.

Aizen smiled softly and nodded in thanks.

"The soldier said, you cannot win if you cannot attack."

"Soi-Fon and Su Li, although on the surface they seem to be on the same page, and it's hard to tell, but in my opinion, the outcome is already decided."

The other captains suddenly looked surprised when they heard the words.

"Ha?! How did you see this?!" Kyoraku Shunsui also looked puzzled.

Aizen smiled warmly and explained:

"Although Soi-Fon has been attacking, her attacks never hit Su Li."

"If the attacking party can never cause damage to the other party, how can we win?"

"On the other hand, Su Li, although he has been passively dodging, he has never been hit by Soi-Fon."

"A tight defender first establishes the conditions for not failing."

"Su Li is already invincible, and victory for him is only a matter of time."

"As for Soi-Fon, because she used a lot of physical strength to attack, she will show her flaws due to lack of physical strength sooner or later."

"That's why I said that the outcome is already divided."

Aizen pushed his glasses slightly, and his face was gentle and kind.

Many captains heard the words, and their faces all showed a color of thinking.

Indeed, as Aizen said.

Because Soi-Fon is an attacker, the physical consumption is far greater than that of Su Li, who is passively defending.

If you didn't break the opponent's defense at the beginning, when you were at your fullest, it would undoubtedly be much more difficult to find an opportunity to hit the opponent later.

Hence, amid these trade-offs, Soi-Fon's prospects continued to diminish while Su Li's advantages grew more pronounced.

And as the battle unfolded, it aligned precisely with Aizen's predictions.

Gradually, the tempo of Soi-Fon's attacks began to wane. Shunko technique, a fusion of White Hits and Kidō, demanded a sustained drain on the caster's physical stamina. Even for someone as formidable as Soi-Fon, sustaining this state indefinitely proved impossible. With the passage of time, her condition could only deteriorate.

Su Li, as Soi-Fon's opponent, was acutely aware of these shifting dynamics. His perceptions paralleled Aizen's insights, though what Aizen was unaware of was that Su Li's present state closely resembled Soi-Fon's in one key aspect.

The pinnacle of freedom that Su Li sought also exacted a considerable toll on his stamina. True liberation and normalcy were the only means to transcend this limitation, else reliance on his own physical endurance would remain his sole recourse.

At this juncture, both Su Li and Soi-Fon were caught in a race against their own limits. Whichever of the two faltered first would inevitably expose their vulnerabilities.

To Su Li's surprise, the climax of this contest materialized sooner than anticipated. Soi-Fon suddenly faltered, the celestial array of her fists momentarily faltering for half a heartbeat. It was then that the spectators finally grasped the unfolding scene before them.

Soi-Fon was drenched in sweat, her countenance pallid. In her eyes, a blend of deep fatigue and a hint of disappointment was unmistakable.

A wry smile curled upon Su Li's lips, as he recognized that the opportune moment had materialized. True victory had finally unveiled itself.

Amid the collective attention of the onlookers, Su Li raised his hand with a casual gesture.

"A mere tap, is all I need!"

A crisp sound resonated as Su Li's middle finger lightly connected with Soi-Fon's forehead.

In an instant, a vivid crimson fingerprint adorned the expanse between Soi-Fon's brows.

Caught in a surge of pain, Soi-Fon crumpled to the ground.

The entire assembly stood transfixed in sheer astonishment.

Among them, Soi-Fom herself remained momentarily stupefied, her hand tentatively touching the imprinted mark on her forehead. The ephemeral state she had been enshrouded in receded like a retreating tide, leaving her momentarily bewildered.

The entire arena fell into a profound hush, a collective disbelief settling upon the spectators. The defeat of such a formidable Instant Opening technique via such a whimsical maneuver was beyond anyone's contemplation, even for Soi-Fon herself.

In an abrupt departure from her shunko state, a sudden burst of laughter resonated.

"Wahhahahahahaha!!" Kyoraku Shunsui's laughter reverberated, his mirth so intense that it seemed his nose might shoot out.

Beside him, Nanao hastily recoiled with an expression of undisguised distaste, avoiding the wave of exuberance. "Are you a child?!

"Hahahaha, utterly flabbergasted!!! This really tickled my funny bone!!!"

Kyoraku Shunsui guffawed with such vigor that tears streamed down his cheeks.

Nanao rolled her eyes, voicing her exasperation. "Not everyone is a middle-aged man like you, behaving like a flirtatious uncle!"

Among the other captains, a similar astonishment prevailed. None could fathom that Soi-Fon would be vanquished in such a manner. It was a blend of rationality and the entirely unexpected.

Even in the throes of shunko, Su Li remained impervious to defeat. Thus, in a return to normalcy, how could Soi-Fon possibly stand as Su Li's equal?

The clear divide between victory and defeat was now unmistakable. While Su Li's concluding move may have appeared somewhat whimsical, the outcome was evident—Soi-Fon had unequivocally lost.

Every individual in the audience, whether a participant in the examination, a proctoring instructor, or a captain and member from various divisions, finally exhaled the tension they had unconsciously held.

A blend of astonishment and contentment coursed through them. Astonished to bear witness to the meteoric rise of a prodigious talent and content to have been a firsthand witness to such a gripping duel.

Conversations and laughter gradually resumed, though with a noteworthy contrast. Unlike before, there was no lingering doubt regarding Su Li's capabilities. He had substantiated his prowess through sheer strength.

He had unequivocally proven himself worthy of assuming the mantle of the Second Division's new captain.

Yet, amid this unfolding spectacle, nobody seemed to notice that Soi-Fon on the stage was gradually regaining her footing.

Except for Su Li.

"Um?"

Su Li's surprise heightened as Soi-Fon's demeanor appeared unsettling, though he initially attributed it to the natural disappointment of a defeated adversary. Yet, in the next instant, he realized the gravitas of his error.

"Su Li... how dare you treat me like this..."

Soi-Fon's voice resonated with slow intensity as she raised her head. Her eyes bore a reddened hue, the intensity of her gaze almost solidifying into palpable malice.

"Do you have any idea, Su Li... that a girl's most cherished asset is her appearance?!"

"How could you mar my forehead with something so grotesque?!"

"I'll end your life for this!!"

"Bankai!! Jakuhō Raikōben!!"

Soi-Fon's anguished cry pierced the air, her reiatsu flaring uncontrollably.

"Stop her!!" Kyoraku Shunsui's countenance contorted with alarm. "She's acting irrationally! If she unleashes her Bankai attack, it could level this entire place!"

Jushiro paled in shock. The other division leaders and members mirrored their distress, rapidly converging upon the stage in a desperate bid to restrain Soi-Fon.

Yet, their interventions proved futile.

Soi-Fon's Bankai, Jakuhō Raikōben, had already taken shape.

"Go to hell, you scumbag!!" Soi-Fon's fervent shout echoed, her finger squeezing the trigger.

Despair etched the expressions of those who bore witness.

The potential devastation that Jakuhō Raikōben could wreak was immense, capable of obliterating entire hills. The Spirit Arts Academy's aging structures were wholly inadequate in the face of such might. Catastrophe loomed.

As the tension escalated, Su Li's furrowed brow mirrored his anxious thoughts. He contemplated activating his Ultimate form, poised to flee at a moment's notice. However, to his astonishment, Jakuhō Raikōben did not discharge.

It was at this precipice that a wizened hand intercepted the surging attack.

And the hand belonged to none other than Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.

"Captain Yamamoto!"