Chapter 79

"Wait... against who?" Kaelith Yurei blinked in confusion, looking up at the platform.

There stood Yamamoto, calmly watching him from beside Sasakibe Chōjirō. 

From the narrow, slightly closed eyes of the Captain-Commander, Kaelith inexplicably felt a surge of killing intent.

Then, Yamamoto's voice rang directly in his ears:

"If you lose, prepare to train under the waterfall for three years."

Kaelith: "???"

He stared wide-eyed, feeling as though the universe had played a cruel joke on him.

Thinking quickly, he raised his hand.

"Vice-Captain Sasakibe! My hand is injured! The bones are shattered! Captain Unohana can vouch for this!"

"I request a simpler graduation task!" 

Sasakibe's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to Yamamoto.

The old man let out a snort, his expression dismissive.

He spoke slowly:

"Captain Unohana has already informed me about this matter."

"She used a secret healing technique inherited from the previous Captain of the Second Division on your hand."

"She didn't tell you so that you wouldn't overuse your hand, but if you unwrap the bandages now, you'll see that it's completely healed."

Kaelith: "…"

Though Yamamoto didn't send him another private message, the unspoken threat in those narrow eyes was crystal clear.

Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Kaelith reluctantly removed the bandages from his hand, flexing it twice. 

With an awkward smile, he admitted, "Ah, haha, it really is healed. Captain Unohana truly lives up to her name…"

In the audience, Yamada wore a look of utter disbelief.

What was this? Kaelith's hand had healed? 

And Captain Unohana even had such a secret technique?

His heart surged with excitement. 

Once the exam was over and he joined the squads, he absolutely had to ask about this healing method.

At that moment, a tall girl stepped onto the arena stage. 

In truth, she wasn't particularly tall; her disproportionately long legs simply gave her an illusion of height.

She wore her hair in thin, braided pigtails and a pair of slim-framed glasses. On the sleeve of her Shihakushō, a wooden badge with the kanji for "8" was tied securely. 

Most striking, however, was the modified hem of her uniform. 

What was originally an ankle-length hakama had been altered into a short skirt. 

This was none other than Yadōmaru Lisa, Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division.

She looked at Kaelith with a sly smile.

"The genius of the Shin'ō Academy, Kaelith Yurei."

"I've heard your name so much, my ears are calloused."

"My captain, you see, talks about you all the time."

Kaelith raised an eyebrow, intrigued. 

"Oh? And what does your captain say about me?"

Lisa tapped her chin thoughtfully. 

"Quite a lot… for example, you're the newest disciple of our school, incredibly talented, with great potential."

"And that you're terrible at drinking, and he's determined to teach you properly."

"Oh, and of course, that you once stood alone against two captains, didn't die, and even injured one of them."

She grinned. "In the Vice-Captain circles, your reputation is legendary."

Kaelith nodded with a look of realization.

"I see. So I'm that amazing, huh?"

Lisa chuckled and nodded. She was about to add something when Kaelith suddenly grimaced.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

Kaelith shook his head with a sigh. 

"Nothing… just being threatened by an unreliable old man again."

Drawing his Zanpakutō slowly, he said, "Vice-Captain Yadōmaru, let me say this first."

"If I strike a bit harder, in the next sparing match don't hold a grudge against me."

Moments ago, Yamamoto had sent him another private message.

He was to win decisively, without dragging things out.

Kaelith Yurei couldn't quite figure out what Yamamoto was thinking. Did the old man believe that a student trained under his tutelage couldn't bring shame to his reputation? 

While he didn't fully understand, he had no choice but to comply with Yamamoto's intimidating authority. 

Hearing Kaelith's remarks, Yadōmaru Lisa flashed a confident smile. 

"Just the way I like it!" 

"Even if you didn't say that, I would have warned you about one thing." 

"I'm strong. Underestimating me might cost you dearly." 

As she spoke, she drew her Zanpakutō. 

Seeing both combatants ready, Sasakibe announced loudly: 

"Graduation exam, begin!" 

The moment his voice fell, the two figures on the field vanished simultaneously. 

**Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!** 

In the blink of an eye, the pair had exchanged over a dozen strikes at the center of the arena. 

Feeling the force transmitted through the blade, Kaelith was slightly surprised. 

He had assumed that Yadōmaru Lisa was like Ise Nanao in the future—unable to grow beyond Kyōraku Shunsui's shadow, a fledgling chick. 

To his surprise, her strength far exceeded his expectations. 

Her spiritual pressure was already at the peak of a Vice-Captain's level. 

If she mastered Bankai, she could become a Captain at any time. 

Thinking about this, Kaelith couldn't help but feel a bit wistful. 

Despite her solid abilities, Lisa's lackluster performance during the Karakura Town arc likely stemmed from the limitations of her Zanpakutō's power. 

For most Shinigami, releasing their Zanpakutō felt like a game of chance that could define their fate. 

Unless one possessed overwhelming spiritual pressure like Aizen, or exceptional martial prowess like Yoruichi or Yamamoto, the abilities of one's Zanpakutō largely dictated how far they could go. 

Take examples like Gonryōmaru or Hōzukimaru—Shikai forms that simply altered the Zanpakutō's shape rather than providing significant advantages. They were more of a hindrance than a help. 

Most Shinigami spent their youth training in swordsmanship, only to have to relearn everything when their Zanpakutō transformed into a new weapon. 

Just thinking about it felt frustrating. 

After gauging Lisa's abilities, Kaelith decided to stop holding back. 

He knew Yamamoto's temperament all too well. If the old man said "Three years under the waterfall," he genuinely meant it. 

Lisa's eyes widened in surprise as Kaelith suddenly increased his speed by half. 

What had been within her field of vision was now completely out of sight. 

Despite her shock, Lisa displayed her battle experience. 

Unable to track his strikes, she angled her blade defensively in front of her body and infused it with her spiritual pressure. 

This way, no matter where Kaelith attacked from, she would have a chance to react—or so she thought. 

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Lisa's eyes went wide. 

A terrifying, irresistible force crashed against her Zanpakutō. 

Before she could even respond, her entire body was sent flying. She hurtled across most of the arena, slamming into the protective barrier erected by the Kido Corps. 

The impact sent ripples of energy across the barrier. 

The Kido Corps members maintaining the barrier turned pale, barely managing to keep it stable. 

Lisa slid down from the barrier, collapsing near its edge. 

Staring at Kaelith, who stood calmly at the center of the arena, her eyes were filled with shock. 

On the platform, Kyōraku Shunsui winced, unable to bear watching. 

Meanwhile, the hundreds of Shinigami kneeling around the arena were utterly stunned, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. 

One strike to send a Vice-Captain flying—an accomplished one at that, like Yadōmaru Lisa of the Eighth Division?! 

Was this even a student?!