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"Just recently we witnessed Captain Katori's qualification ceremony, and now we're watching his disciple's ceremony too. Two captains in one month—Katori-ryu is truly on the rise!" said Kuyashiki Kenpachi with admiration.
Should I send Nanao to the Katori Dojo too?
That thought briefly crossed Kyōraku Shunsui's mind.
He recalled his young niece. She was a bit younger than the eldest daughter of the Kotetsu family—roughly the same age—but the gap in their abilities was enormous now.
His late older brother and sister-in-law had left behind a daughter: Ise Nanao.
But he hadn't revealed his identity to her yet. Nanao was raised by relatives of the Ise family.
"Better not... I'm not in a position to send her to the Katori Dojo right now."
Kyōraku Shunsui touched the hilt at his waist. The aftermath of that incident hadn't fully faded yet. If he acknowledged Nanao publicly, certain people in the Ise family might take notice.
"Sigh... maybe when the older generation of the Ise family has passed on, I'll have the chance to tell her the truth."
He sighed inwardly.
"Little Yoruichi has grown so fast. It's all thanks to Captain Katori's training. I can finally lay this burden down," Sui-Feng said with a soft chuckle.
Her senses were now dull, and even routine duties were becoming difficult. She had long been waiting for the day when Yoruichi would take over as captain.
Sui-Feng had reached her prime even before the founding of the 13th Division. Even the first captain of the 2nd Division, Shihōin Chika, was just a junior to her.
She was now very old. After the former head of the Shihōin family died, it shouldn't have been her job to take on the captaincy of the 2nd Division.
But with Shihōin Yoruichi still too young, and the juniors of the Fēng and Ōmaeda families proving useless, there was no new captain-class talent.
So she had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility herself.
"Yoruichi can finally take over from Captain Sui-Feng," said Ukitake Jūshirō, deeply moved.
"Her growth is also thanks to her own efforts," added Nanatsuki, clearly proud that one of his disciples was finally becoming a captain.
"Captain Sui-Feng, here's a stimulant to help restore your energy," said Unohana Retsu, pulling a small bottle from her Reishi Pocket hidden in her sleeve.
Given Sui-Feng's condition, she could no longer endure a high-intensity fight without medication.
"Well then... let me use the last of my strength to see how far Little Yoruichi has come."
After drinking the medicine Unohana handed her, she stepped in front of Shihōin Yoruichi.
"Captain Sui-Feng, are you sure your body can handle this? Shouldn't I face a different captain?" Yoruichi asked respectfully, knowing how much this elder had done for the Shihōin family and the 2nd Division.
"I'm fine. More importantly, I want to see your growth for myself. Little Yoruichi, don't go easy on me just because I'm old!"
Sui-Feng's smile was gentle—like a kindly grandmother.
"I'll show you my full strength!" Yoruichi nodded seriously.
"Then let's begin, Little Yoruichi."
Sui-Feng's expression turned sharp. Her once-squinting eyes opened, revealing a pair of cloudy irises.
Despite the haze in her gaze, Yoruichi felt an overwhelming, murderous aura pouring out—like a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
She drew her Zanpakutō, holding the short blade crosswise before her:
"Bankai—Raijū Goka!"
Lightning burst from the blade, a violent swirl of Reiatsu tearing through the air.
From within the storm, a thunderous roar echoed.
Suddenly, a massive Lightning Claw ripped through the turbulence—
—and shot straight at Sui-Feng.
Thanks to her intensive closed-door training with her teacher, Yoruichi had greatly refined her mastery of her Bankai.
She could now control the summoned Thunder Beast like an extension of her own body, without even needing to fully manifest it.
"Good!" Sui-Feng said firmly, slamming her cane into the ground.
Boom!
The ground erupted beneath her.
And in the blink of an eye—she vanished.
The Lightning Claw struck only empty air.
Sui-Feng's speed… was faster than lightning!
"Captain Sui-Feng is ridiculously fast! She's manipulating air to reach this kind of speed?!" Kyōraku Shunsui exclaimed.
Her Zanpakutō could control air and airflow, letting her increase the velocity of her Shunpo.
"The amazing part isn't just the ability. Her base speed was already absurd," Unohana Retsu said, watching intently.
She rarely saw Sui-Feng in combat.
In her prime, Sui-Feng was the Shihōin family's secret blade—rarely unsheathed, but terrifying when unleashed.
Her figure flashed behind Yoruichi. The cane in her hand stabbed forward.
Wood splintered.
The cane cracked, revealing a hidden blade inside.
"I've been waiting!" Yoruichi's short blade surged with lightning. Another Thunder Claw burst forth from the blade, striking backward at Sui-Feng.
As a child, Yoruichi had also trained under Sui-Feng. She knew just how fast this old woman was.
Sui-Feng's eyes narrowed with focus. The airflow around her blade exploded.
Boom!
Yoruichi felt a massive force slam into her and was blown back by the turbulent winds.
Luckily, her Thunder Claw had softened the blow, sparing her from serious injury.
"Good reflexes," Sui-Feng smiled.
Her blade tip touched the ground—
BOOM!!!
Dozens of compressed air currents erupted from beneath, blasting up gravel and sand.
Turbulent air cannons shot toward Yoruichi mid-air.
The watching captains all had the same thought: Looks like the 1st Division training grounds will need some renovations after this.
"Here it comes! That move!" Yoruichi's eyes sharpened.
Sui-Feng had demonstrated this technique to her once.
Back then, Yoruichi couldn't even get close.
But now was different!
She vanished and reappeared in rapid succession, evading the onslaught of air cannons.
Meanwhile, lightning surged around her short blade. A Thunder Claw gripped the blade.
Zzzzt!
Before the lightning's crackling could even be heard—
A blade of lightning shot out.
"Raijū Goka: Flowlight!"
Using the Thunder Claw as a sheath, Yoruichi unleashed Flowlight, and with it, she also channeled the lightning energy of the Thunder Claw itself.
It was a slash empowered by the full force of the Thunder Claw!
The lightning blade cut down from above, shattering the incoming air cannons into swirling Reiatsu currents.
The strike tore through the chaos and reached Sui-Feng in a blink.
She raised her blade to block but was forced deep into the ground.
BOOM—
"Captain Sui-Feng's condition… can she really handle such an attack?" Ukitake Jūshirō looked concerned.
It was a tremendously powerful move, and he feared she wouldn't withstand it.
"No need to worry. Captain Sui-Feng is strong. Even compared to the First² generation of captains—she loses to none," said Yamamoto calmly.