Chapter 85

**Boom!!!**

The moment Muguruma Kensei unleashed his Bankai, the air around him trembled violently.

The weaker Shinigami nearby saw their surroundings distort under the sheer pressure of his Spirit Energy, the scene before their eyes turning hazy and warped.

Then, a brilliant pillar of spiritual energy shot skyward!

Shockwaves rippled outward from Kensei as the center, spreading in all directions. The training ground's surface cracked like a spiderweb, sending shards of stone flying. 

Under the relentless impact of the spiritual energy, the flying debris pelted the barrier, creating ripples across its surface. 

The Kido Corps members maintaining the barrier scrambled to bolster its strength, channeling additional Spirit Energy to reinforce it. 

Within the dazzling light, Kensei's appearance underwent a significant transformation. 

His short dagger-like Zanpakutō morphed into two serrated gauntlet blades. 

Gray armor plates extended from his arms, converging above his head. 

A swirling storm of violent winds surged around him, growing more intense with every moment.

Seeing Kensei's Bankai, the captains watching from the platform grew serious. 

A Shinigami who had mastered Bankai was of incomparable value and importance. 

Especially in these tumultuous times, gaining insight into someone's Bankai was always advantageous. 

Under Kaelith Yurei's calm gaze, Kensei grinned. 

"Judging by your fighting style earlier, you're pretty skilled in Hakuda, aren't you?" 

"If that's the case, facing me is the worst possible matchup for you." 

"Because… my Tachikaze is unbeatable in close combat!" 

Hearing this, Kaelith's expression shifted slightly into something ambiguous. 

Noticing this reaction, Kensei tilted his chin upward confidently. 

"What? You don't believe me?" 

Kaelith shook his head lightly. "No… it's not about your ability. I'm just stuck on something else right now." 

"Something else?" Kensei raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

Kaelith extended his hand and pointed to Kensei's shoulder. 

"Don't you think those armor plates on your shoulders look like the silk ribbons from a concubine's robe?" 

Kensei: "?" 

He turned his head to glance at the armor on his shoulders and fell silent. 

Around them, the gathered Shinigami exchanged complicated looks. 

Damn it, none of them had thought of that before Kaelith pointed it out. 

Now that he mentioned it, they couldn't unsee it. 

If Kensei had a more elegant or delicate appearance, it might have been fine. 

But the image of this muscular brute paired with what now looked like concubine ribbons was absolutely jarring… 

Gritting his teeth, Kensei growled, "Does that even matter right now?!" 

"This is about fighting, not aesthetics!" 

Kaelith nodded. "True." 

"In that case, you should hurry up and attack. Time's running out." 

He glanced at the hourglass outside the ring. The sand had already passed the halfway mark. 

"And whose fault is that?!" Kensei felt his blood pressure spike. 

The moment he finished speaking, he stomped the ground fiercely. 

A white shockwave exploded outward. 

Almost simultaneously, Kensei's figure appeared directly in front of Kaelith! 

Kensei aimed a powerful uppercut at Kaelith's abdomen with his fist blade—only to strike empty air.

Kaelith had already used Shunpo to evade before the attack even landed.

The missed punch released a strange wave of energy, rippling out in an ominous burst.

Outside the battlefield, Aizen Sosuke frowned slightly. 

That shockwave wasn't caused by the speed of the punch—it was something else entirely. 

There was something unusual about that strike. 

Judging by the flow of spirit particles, the energy seemed to have a penetrating property. 

If Kaelith hadn't dodged and had taken the blow directly, the shockwave might have bypassed his defenses entirely, wreaking havoc from the inside. 

This realization made Aizen's gaze grow heavier. 

Muguruma Kensei's ability was more troublesome than it seemed. 

Aizen wasn't sure if Kaelith had picked up on the nature of the attack yet. If not, he'd need to intervene. 

Winning wasn't as important as ensuring Kaelith avoided severe internal injuries. 

For now, Aizen decided to observe Kaelith's next move before stepping in.

"Old man Yamamoto, about Muguruma Kensei's last move…" 

On the platform, Shunsui Kyoraku murmured softly, concern evident in his tone. 

Yamamoto shook his head slightly. "No rush." 

Seeing Kaelith's reaction, Kensei raised an eyebrow. 

"You felt the danger and chose to dodge instead of block?" 

"As expected of the man who defeated Captain Tai. Your instinct for danger is sharp indeed." 

He raised both fists, displaying the pair of fist blades he wielded. 

"My Tachikaze allows me to channel an immense explosive force directly into my opponent's body upon contact." 

"No matter how strong your defense is, one hit from me, and you're finished!" 

"Of course, this isn't a life-or-death battle. I won't use enough force to kill—just enough to render you unable to fight." 

The gathered Shinigami looked on with astonishment as Kensei explained his ability.

One hit meant defeat? 

Even for a Bankai, this ability was absurdly powerful!

Shinji Hirako clicked his tongue. "These rookies nowadays have scarier abilities every time I see them."

Shunsui remained silent, already preparing to step in if things went south. 

As he'd suspected, Kensei's ability was overpowered. If something went wrong, Kaelith might suffer badly.

Elsewhere, the Tenth Division Captain, Jōmoku Sora, frowned in concern.

"Commander, this ability is too dangerous. We should call off the match… In my opinion, Muguruma Kensei has already proven his strength. There's no doubt he's qualified to be a captain!" 

Yamamoto shook his head again. 

"Whether or not Muguruma Kensei passes the test depends on the examiner—Kaelith Yurei—and his final decision." 

Jōmoku glanced toward Shunsui, hoping he would support his case. 

But Shunsui simply observed the scene quietly, showing no intention of intervening. 

With a sigh, Jōmoku fell silent, resigning himself to watching the match play out.

Kaelith, watching as Kensei confidently laid out his ability, offered him a look of admiration. 

"Since Vice-Captain Kensei is so forthcoming, it wouldn't be fair for me to hold back any longer."

"My Zanpakutō's ability allows me to control my shadow, briefly materializing it as a weapon to attack my opponent." 

"In scenarios where I'm outnumbered, it's quite a useful ability!" 

Hearing this, Kensei smirked. 

Kaelith Yurei was proving to be more and more to his liking. 

The boldness to reveal his Zanpakutō's ability in front of so many people—this guy was a real man! (t/n If only he knew...I feel bad for him) 

On the platform, Ginrei Kuchiki nodded approvingly. 

"Both of them are forthright. Excellent." 

Yamamoto: "…"

Hearing Ginrei's comment, Yamamoto suppressed the urge to groom his beard.

Kaelith hadn't even revealed a third of his Zanpakutō's true ability. 

Forthright? 

Not even close!