As the dust settled, the crowd looked down and saw a deep trench carved into the ground.
Whoosh— Hōmukage Sa's figure appeared just above it.
Her Zanpakutō had vanished, and a sphere of visible, condensed air currents surrounded her, forming a protective shell.
"Where's Captain Sui-Feng's blade?" Kyōraku Shunsui asked in surprise. "Did she release it…?"
As one of the younger captains, this was Shunsui's first time seeing Hōmukage Sa fight, and he was unfamiliar with her abilities.
"That layer of air surrounding Captain Sui-Feng is her Zanpakutō," Unohana Retsu explained. As a founding captain, she'd seen many things. "Once released, her Zanpakutō transforms into air and wind currents—combining offense and defense."
"This shield..." Nanatsuki narrowed his eyes, observing the flow of air. "She likely redirected Yoruichi's strike using the properties of airflow."
From his perception, the air shield didn't block the attack directly but subtly shifted it off course.
Hōmukage Sa was already slightly out of breath.
"I really am getting old... Just releasing it has left me winded," she sighed. "We better not waste time. Little Yoruichi, let me see your Shunkō."
"Heh~ Then allow me to show you the move I developed with my teacher just a few days ago!"
Shihōin Yoruichi's Reiatsu surged as violent currents exploded from her shoulders.
Ever since the war in Hueco Mundo ended, she had been preparing for this very captain assessment.
Recently, she'd undergone closed-door training with her teacher.
Her goal was to resolve the instability of her Shunkō: Raijū Goka form.
In that form, influenced by the power of Raibyō, her instincts would overwhelm her reason, making calm thought impossible.
In a close, evenly matched battle, that kind of berserk state was extremely dangerous—it made her vulnerable.
So for the past half-month, she had fought her teacher daily using that form.
It wasn't easy.
Every time she entered that state, she lost herself.
And every time, the training ended in some strange, chaotic way.
In the next instant, two thunderclaws surged from her short blade and merged with the Reiatsu storm behind her.
The combination gave form to a pair of wings—constructed from lightning arcs and swirling spiritual pressure.
Shunkō: Raijū Goka!
She hadn't had long to master her released form. Even with that intensive training, she still wasn't fully in control of Shunkō: Raijū Goka.
But her teacher had helped her develop a simplified, stable version of the form.
Rather than integrating Raibyō's power directly into her body, she now combined it with the Shunkō wind shell externally.
That way, her mind remained clear.
"Watch closely!"
Yoruichi vanished.
Her speed made even Hōmukage Sa's pupils contract.
She reappeared at Sa's flank, driving her short blade straight into the air shield.
Zzzzt— Sparks screeched as the blade clashed with the turbulent flow.
The short blade pierced the outer layer of the shield and continued forward—
It had stabbed clean through.
Speed is power.
Although Thunder Beast Wings was only a simplified form of Raijū Goka, the speed it granted Yoruichi was multiple times faster than her Raikiri variant.
But a powerful resistance pushed back.
Despite its hollow appearance, under Hōmukage Sa's control, the airflow within the shield could solidify. The interior was dense and reactive.
After breaking through the outer layer, Yoruichi's blade slowed rapidly as the inner currents dispersed its force.
Hōmukage Sa turned slightly, brushing the blade aside with a push.
But—
"I'm not done yet!"
Golden thunder-wings flared open behind Yoruichi, slamming toward Sa.
These wings, though part of the external shell, were still thunder—fully capable of attacking.
The distance between them was too close.
Hōmukage Sa couldn't react in time.
Lightning coursed through the gap Yoruichi's blade had made, electrocuting her body in an instant. Her muscles seized. She couldn't move.
WHAM!
She was sent flying by the wings.
"Yikes... Captain Sui-Feng's condition looks bad," Kyōraku frowned.
Everyone could sense it—her Reiatsu was faltering.
"She's spent. Let's stop here," said Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, sighing inwardly. "Yoruichi of the Shihōin clan is more than qualified to lead the Second Division. Does anyone object?"
Hōmukage Sa was old—clearly not at her peak anymore. Just this short match had worn her down.
"Yoruichi is more than capable," Unohana agreed.
"I think so too," said another.
No one objected.
"Then it's settled."
On the field, Yoruichi rushed to help her teacher up.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm past my prime. Just a little spar like that has me gasping already," Hōmukage Sa chuckled warmly. "Little Yoruichi… You're strong now. I entrust the Second Division to you."
"Don't worry, Captain Sui-Feng! I'll carry the Second Division forward proudly!"
A notification popped up on Nanatsuki's Status Interface.
[Disciple Shihōin Yoruichi has passed the captain assessment. Rewards calculated.]
[Reward Received: 100,000 General Ability EXP]
[Reward Received: Hakuda Technique – Thunderstride Crossing (Beginner Rank)]
"Hakuda skill?" Nanatsuki focused on Thunderstride Crossing, and instantly, training memories surged into his mind.
It was a movement technique that detonated internal lightning to propel the user with near-teleportation speed.
Though its feel was similar to Sonído, the movement was purely explosive velocity.
And the path it left behind crackled with lightning—making it an offensive movement technique as well.
However, since the move detonated internal lightning, it put a heavy burden on the soul body. At beginner level, it could only be used two or three times in quick succession.
"Sensei! I'm a captain now!!!" Yoruichi shouted gleefully.
"Still this excitable, even as a captain..." Nanatsuki sighed.
"Hehe~ I'm still your disciple, aren't I?"
Overjoyed, she ignored everyone else and practically jumped onto him.
Back at the Katori-ryu Dojo, Nanatsuki couldn't wait to test Thunderstride Crossing.
"You're back already? Yoruichi passed her test, didn't she?"
Katori Batsu'unsai sat on a swing hanging from the red maple tree, arms tucked in her sleeves.
Idle for too long, she had made the swing herself out of boredom.
"It was no surprise she passed—it was just a formality," Nanatsuki smiled.
"Amazing... Counting you, that makes two active captains from the Katori Dojo. That's a first in our history!"
When she handed the dojo to Nanatsuki, she never imagined it would revive so quickly.
Now, with two current captains, it might just be the best dojo in all of Soul Society.
Even Yamamoto's Genryū Dojo, before becoming the Academy, never achieved two captains simultaneously.
"This kind of thing will become more common," Nanatsuki said calmly.
"True… You really do have a gift for finding good disciples," Batsu'unsai nodded. "Giving you the dojo might've been the best decision I've ever made."
"With so many captain seats still vacant, the future might be filled with Katori Dojo disciples."
She chuckled, imagining aloud:
"If Captain-Commander Yamamoto ever retires, and you become his successor… then I'd be the teacher of the next Captain-Commander! Hahaha~"
"Yamamoto is still strong. That day's far off," Nanatsuki shook his head with a smile.
"But it's a nice dream!"
Batsu'unsai pushed off the ground and swayed on her swing. "Speaking of, where's Yoruichi? Isn't tonight her celebration?"
"Captain Sui-Feng was exhausted. Yoruichi's walking her back, but she'll be here soon."
Nanatsuki paused, recalling the inspiration he'd had while watching the fight.
"I got a spark of insight. I might have a new technique."
"A new sword technique?!" Batsu'unsai hopped down, eyes gleaming. "What kind?"
She had seen many of Nanatsuki's hybrid Kidō sword techniques, and they rivaled even the dojo's signature move, Flowlight.
So she was eager.
"It's actually a Hakuda move."
Nanatsuki glanced around—too little space here. He leapt into the air.
Reiatsu flared.
Lightning danced across his skin.
CRACK!
A streak of lightning split the sky—leaving behind three crisscrossing arcs of electricity.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
"Whoa! That was fast! I couldn't even track your movement!"
Batsu'unsai clutched her ringing ears.
"It puts a heavy strain on the body…" Nanatsuki winced. He even smelled something burning.
The move detonated internal lightning, and his soul body had taken damage.
Thunderstride Crossing was fast—so fast even he couldn't visually track his own path.
But it came at a price.
If he weren't already a captain-level soul with strong durability, he might've exploded on the spot.
"I think I can push to four or five bursts…" he muttered.
Kaido Self-Regeneration activated, a gentle healing glow mending his internals.
He also had the Battleborn Berserker trait, giving him greater pain tolerance.
"More than five and I'll start taking real damage."
He looked at the lingering electric webs left in his path—residual arcs from the detonation.
Each one about ten meters wide, comparable to a mid-tier Hadō. An offensive bonus baked into his movement.
Now that he understood the move's power and risks, he landed.
"You can't use that near your teammates!" Batsu'unsai yelled.
The thunder had left her ears ringing, and she was nearly shouting now.
Nanatsuki placed glowing hands over her ears, casting Kaido.
"They're better now?"
"Much!" she said, eyes wide. "Now tell me—what's it called?"
"It's Thunderstride Crossing. You detonate lightning within your body and ride the blast."
"Wait—you detonate it inside you?!" Batsu'unsai's face twisted in concern. "That must be incredibly dangerous!"
"It is. That's why I can't use it too many times. But with Kaido healing and my endurance, it suits me perfectly."
It was a practical, synergistic move.
Extreme speed wasn't just about being fast.
Used correctly, it could enhance every other technique.
"You're amazing... You're always inventing new techniques," Batsu'unsai marveled.
Creating effective techniques wasn't easy. She was truly impressed.
After testing it out, Nanatsuki returned to prep food.
Yoruichi had just become a captain.
Of course he had to host a celebration.
Keeping the dojo united meant building bonds—one feast at a time.