"Monsters..."
In the basement of the Urahara Shop.
Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, and Orihime Inoue were lying on the ground, completely out of breath.
"How can someone be this strong?! They're like a monster…"
Uryu turned his head with effort and stared at the figure standing nearby.
Just thirty minutes earlier, after Nanaya defeated Chad, he declared he would help them get stronger through real combat—saying it was the best way to learn.
And for the next half hour, he completely overwhelmed them—again and again.
Both Orihime and Chad had started to unlock their powers: Orihime used her Shun Shun Rikka shield, and Chad used his Right Arm of the Giant. But it didn't matter. Nanaya still wiped the floor with them.
"Orihime, please heal them. We'll start again after a 30-minute break."
Nanaya waved cheerfully toward her.
Orihime looked like she was about to cry, but she didn't dare argue. With a pained expression, she held out her right hand.
"Three Sacred Shields… I reject!"
Her six hairpins lit up as tiny fairy-like spirits flew out. A glowing triangle appeared in the air.
As she healed her friends, their bruises and cuts vanished quickly.
But instead of being thankful, the three of them felt something else—pure frustration.
Getting beat up, then healed… just to get beat up again?!
"…Nanaya, what are you doing?!"
Rukia Kuchiki looked at Nanaya, clearly confused.
Nanaya just smiled and ruffled her hair.
"I want them to become stronger. But that's not all—I want to prove something."
"Prove what?" Rukia asked, tilting her head.
"That I can protect you."
Nanaya grinned. "I saw you this morning—you looked worried. But don't be. I'm strong enough to protect you now."
Rukia froze for a second. Her cheeks turned red, and she quickly looked away.
"Idiot… what are you even saying?"
She hadn't expected that Nanaya's reason for coming was to prove his strength—for her.
It was silly.
She already knew how powerful Nanaya was. Yesterday, he had shown strength that was almost on par with Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya.
But still, hearing those words from him gave her a strange sense of comfort.
"..."
"Wait a minute—am I one of your love interests too?!"
Uryu Ishida's eye twitched. He stared at the two of them, clearly annoyed.
Nanaya turned to him with a mischievous look, cracking his knuckles.
"Ishida… Yesterday I noticed you're good at attacking from a distance, but your close combat is terrible. Let me help you fix that."
"Wait, what are you—AHHHHHH—!"
"..."
Watching the chaos unfold in the basement, a sleek black cat shook its head and gracefully slipped away.
It was Yoruichi.
She climbed upstairs and looked toward Kisuke Urahara.
"Urahara, any word from Soul Society?"
Kisuke scratched his head. "Not much, but the old man's definitely mad. He sent Byakuya Kuchiki."
"Him, huh?" Yoruichi's ears twitched at the name.
Thinking back to Byakuya, she let out a sigh.
"Looks like things are about to get serious."
Given how strict Byakuya Kuchiki is, there's no way he'd let his sister stay in the human world causing trouble.
"When will they arrive?"
"Tonight."
"Nanaya, I'm going to teach you Kidō."
Yoruichi Shihouin, now back in human form and fully dressed, walked downstairs with a serious look on her face.
"Kidō?"
Nanaya looked at her, surprised.
"Yes," Yoruichi nodded. "I told you—if you could defeat me, I'd teach you Kidō."
After yesterday's fight, she had seen just how strong Nanaya really was. His power was nearly on the level of a Gotei 13 captain.
He might even be able to hold his own for a few exchanges against someone like Captain Hitsugaya… but against Byakuya Kuchiki? Not a chance.
"Don't you want to learn?"
"Of course I do!" Nanaya replied instantly. No way he'd pass up a free chance to learn high-level Kidō.
"Finally!"
"This is going to be good."
"Maybe Nanaya's finally going to get humbled."
Ichigo and the others grinned, clearly ready to enjoy the show. They had just been beaten badly by Nanaya earlier, and now they were looking forward to some payback—even if it was just from watching.
Nanaya shot them a look, thinking, "You guys are next."
Yoruichi got into position.
"We'll start with something around the 50s range. And just so you know, I'll be casting it without incantation."
She pointed toward a huge boulder in the distance.
"Hadō #58: Tenran!"
In an instant, a massive gust of wind surged forward and smashed the rock to pieces, sending dust flying everywhere.
Two hours later.
The would-be spectators, who had sat on the sidelines excited to watch Nanaya struggle, now looked completely numb.
Uryu Ishida blinked, dead inside. "Hey, Kurosaki… is Kidō supposed to be that easy to learn?"
Ichigo twitched. "Not a chance. I've watched it a hundred times and still don't get it."
Chad remained as quiet as ever.
Orihime, more lively, ran over to Rukia. "Rukia, is what Nanaya just did really that strong?"
Rukia gave a helpless smile, pointing toward Nanaya, whose hand was now crackling with electricity.
"That was Hadō #70. It took me three whole months just to understand the basics… and I still haven't pulled it off even once."
She looked utterly defeated.
Kidō only got harder as the numbers went up. But Nanaya had just looked at it once and then copied it like it was nothing.
The rest of them looked at Nanaya like he was some kind of alien.
"Hadō #78: Zanka Rinka!"
Nanaya raised his index and middle fingers like a blade and slashed at a mountain in front of him.
"Shuuu!"
A red arc of energy cut clean through it.
"BOOOOM!!"
A clean slice appeared in the mountain, and the upper half fell with a massive crash, breaking into pieces as dust filled the air.
Yoruichi clapped her hands. "That's enough. I have nothing left to teach you."
"Thank you, Miss Yoruichi!" Nanaya bowed in appreciation.
"No need. Just be careful—your next opponent won't be so easy."
With that, she stretched her body, then shifted back into her black cat form.
Climbing out of her clothes, the now feline Yoruichi licked her paw and looked up at Nanaya.
"So… did you bring any catnip?"
Nanaya stayed quiet, expression frozen.
Evening arrived.
On a quiet street in Karakura Town, a shimmering gate opened—the kind only Shinigami could pass through.
Two Soul Reapers stepped out: Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and his lieutenant, Renji Abarai.
"Captain, what's the plan?" Renji asked, scanning the surroundings. "Do we go to Rukia first or see Urahara Kisuke?"
"We find Rukia." Byakuya's voice was cold as always. "She gave up her Soul Reaper powers to a human. That alone is grounds for punishment. She must be taken back to Soul Society for judgment."
"Wait—what?!" Renji turned to him, shocked. "Where did you hear that?"
"Captain Tōsen told me. I've already informed the Captain-Commander."
With that, Byakuya released his spiritual pressure.
Renji followed right behind him, their combined Reiatsu sweeping over the town.
Far away, at Kurosaki's clinic, Rukia suddenly felt it—and her eyes widened.
"Brother… Renji…"
Her heart pounded as she sensed their arrival.
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