Chapter 83

"???"

Offstage, upon hearing Yamamoto's words, Kaelith Yurei displayed a bewildered expression.

Who's the examiner? Who exactly is the examiner?

Instinctively, he glanced at Aizen standing beside him.

Aizen offered a faint smile that bordered on teasing as he lifted a teacup to take a sip.

Where did you even get that tea?!

After setting the cup down, Aizen leisurely said:

"When you get back, write me a three-foot-long calligraphy scroll. And do it seriously."

"If you're willing to do that, I'll tell you what's going on."

"Guh…" 

Kaelith hesitated.

Writing a piece of calligraphy for Aizen wasn't exactly difficult.

But the feeling of having his intelligence completely outmatched was thoroughly unpleasant.

His and Aizen's intellects were supposed to be evenly matched! If Aizen could figure it out, why couldn't he?

Resolving himself, Kaelith decided he must refuse decisively. He couldn't let Aizen's smugness run unchecked!

"Fine, tell me," Kaelith said firmly, promptly throwing his principles out the window.

Aizen's satisfied expression deepened.

In a low voice, Aizen explained, "The Captain-Commander is building momentum for you."

"Building momentum?" Kaelith paused, as if something clicked.

Aizen nodded. "It's obvious the Captain-Commander has something important he needs you to handle."

"That's why he's using this captain promotion ceremony to help establish your prestige."

"This battle—fight with all your strength. Give it your best effort."

"Unless you want to disappoint the Captain-Commander, don't take it lightly like you usually do."

"Show everyone that your strength is genuine, that you're more than capable of battling captain-level opponents."

"You've often said the Captain-Commander has done a lot for you. Now's the time for you to repay that."

With that, Aizen lifted his teacup and took another contented sip.

Given how Kaelith usually spoke about Yamamoto, Aizen knew very well how fond Kaelith was of his teacher.

So, he didn't mince words, making it clear to save Kaelith the trouble of figuring it out himself.

Otherwise, with Kaelith's usual pace of thought, it would take until tomorrow to come to the same realization.

After hearing Aizen's analysis, Kaelith's expression shifted to one of understanding.

No wonder Yamamoto had been adamant about him securing a decisive victory.

No wonder Shunsui Kyōraku, despite knowing there was something off, only offered reassurance without taking a stance.

Realizing all of this, Kaelith felt a bit helpless.

That old man Yamamoto… really.

If he needed something, why couldn't he just say so directly? Why make it this complicated?

As if reading his thoughts, Aizen remarked thoughtfully, "He's protecting you."

"This Captain-Commander of yours… as expected of the founder of the Shino Academy of Spiritual Arts. He's remarkably insightful when it comes to people."

"If he had explained it to you outright, you would've felt guilty about that Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division, wouldn't you?"

"But, if it's framed as a direct order from the Captain-Commander, you won't carry the same psychological burden."

As he spoke, Aizen glanced up at Yamamoto standing on the high platform.

According to historical records, the Captain-Commander a thousand years ago was a cold, ruthless sword demon, feared across all realms.

Judging by what he saw now, either those records were false, or something significant had happened over the past millennium to profoundly change the Captain-Commander's personality.

Only someone genuinely kind could consider his student's well-being so thoroughly.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Kaelith exhaled deeply and stepped onto the field.

The expressions of the surrounding Shinigami grew increasingly colorful.

A captain promotion assessment—yet the examiner was a freshly graduated student?

It was almost incomprehensible.

But then again, this newly graduated student had just defeated the Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division.

And not just defeated—completely overwhelmed.

With such strength, it didn't seem so unreasonable for him to serve as an examiner for a captain promotion…

Watching Kaelith Yurei approach step by step, Kensei pressed his lips tightly together.

The first two candidates had captains as their examiners.

Now, it was Kaelith Yurei's turn.

Though his earlier performance defeating Lisa was impressive, his current opponent wasn't someone on Lisa's level.

"You're Kaelith Yurei, right?" Kensei suddenly spoke.

"I heard you defeated Captain Tai."

"But, to be honest, even if you hadn't, I was already planning to challenge Captain Tai myself."

"I'm confident that I can defeat him now!"

"So, don't say I didn't warn you. I'm going all out to crush you, and then I'll request another captain to reassess me as the examiner!"

His towering figure and crossed arms exuded a sense of intimidation, especially when compared to the young Kaelith Yurei. The disparity in presence made many observing Shinigami gulp nervously.

Kensei stared at Kaelith, waiting for his reaction. However, Kaelith remained calm, showing none of the anger he might have expected. Dressed in the Shino Academy uniform, he quietly gazed at his opponent.

"Examinee, Muguruma Kensei, the assessment will begin shortly. Prepare yourself."

Kensei paused briefly, his brow furrowing. Kaelith's composed demeanor unexpectedly made him feel a momentary pressure.

On the observation platform, Yamamoto squinted slightly. He had been prepared to press Kaelith into taking this seriously, but seeing the young man's determined gaze, he reconsidered. Perhaps there was no need.

The old man was momentarily intrigued. Knowing Kaelith's personality, he had expected resistance to being dragged into this sort of situation. Could the boy have already guessed Yamamoto's intentions?

As the announcement echoed across the grounds, Kensei's eyes sharpened. With a swift motion, he drew his Zanpakutō, gripping it tightly as he began to weave toward Kaelith with deceptive movements.

Kaelith calmly unsheathed his sword, angling it upward to his right. Then, with a decisive motion, he swung downward to his left, pouring Spirit Pressure into the blade.

Off to the side, Seinosuke Yamada's eyes widened in disbelief. Under his astonished gaze, Kaelith's blade suddenly enlarged to an enormous size. The sword, initially around one meter long, extended to over thirty meters, resembling a small mountain as it descended upon Kensei!

Faced with such an overwhelming attack, Kensei had no chance to dodge. He could only reverse his grip on his Zanpakutō, positioning it defensively at his side in a desperate attempt to block.

*Boom!*

As soon as the blades clashed, the sheer force surged through Kensei's body, leaving his insides churning. Yet Kaelith didn't allow him any respite. The massive blade shrank in an instant as Kaelith executed a Shunpo, appearing right before Kensei and delivering a barrage of over ten swift strikes in a single second.

Kensei barely managed to parry each blow, exerting all his strength. Just as he thought he had an opening for a counterattack, he saw Kaelith enlarge his blade once more—this time to over ten meters—slamming it toward him with terrifying momentum.

On the observation platform, Shinji Hirako couldn't help but laugh. 

"This Kaelith Yurei really fights in an unorthodox style!"

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