Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

As the captains continued their conversation—

Kuchiki Ginrei, who had remained silent, suddenly raised his head and looked toward the battlefield.

His aged face barely moved, but his deep, resonant voice emerged from his chest.

"It's about to begin."

No further words were needed.

That single sentence was worth a thousand others.

The murmuring captains turned their gazes toward the other side of the platform—

An area that had been cleared in advance.

The designated arena for the upcoming duel.

And at its center—

The two combatants stood ready.

Sui-Feng had already shed the loose haori of a captain.

She had reverted to the standard black bodysuit of the Stealth Force, tying her long hair tightly behind her head.

The form-fitting attire accentuated her already petite figure.

As a woman, Sui-Feng lacked conventional appeal.

But as an assassin—

The aura she exuded, the tense, unwavering energy surrounding her—

Was something no one could ignore.

Arms crossed, her short Zanpakutō resting at her hip,

Her brow locked in focus, gaze sharp.

Without any dramatic movements, just her presence alone commanded attention.

This was what it meant to be truly prepared.

"Even the smallest things have qualities that demand respect, huh…?"

A lesson from Yamamoto long ago echoed in Kyōraku's mind.

It was humbling—

No matter how many times one revisited these lessons, one never truly understood them until faced with reality.

Learning never ends.

While Kyōraku was lost in thought—

The second participant stepped onto the field.

Seiya had not taken the same approach as Sui-Feng.

Instead of stripping down to the lightest possible outfit,

He kept his captain's haori, the large number five emblazoned across his back.

Standing casually, he rested his right hand on his Zanpakutō's hilt, his expression relaxed and carefree.

A stark contrast to Sui-Feng's intensity.

"You're not going to take off those unnecessary clothes?"

Sui-Feng was the first to speak.

Hard to believe the same person who had screamed in rage minutes ago could now speak so calmly.

But this was not surprising.

Now that they stood here, there was no more room for childish bickering.

The only thing that mattered was the fight itself.

Words were meaningless.

If she wanted to humiliate him, she would do so with action.

Seiya paused for a moment, then smiled.

"No, I don't think so."

Raising his left hand, he let the mountain winds billow his haori, revealing the black uniform beneath.

The carefree smile remained.

"I'm the captain of the Fifth Division now."

"And I'll fight you as the captain of the Fifth Division."

"This is a Captain's Duel, isn't it? Wouldn't it seem odd if I didn't represent my squad properly?"

Such a pointless conviction.

As if this fight was about status rather than power.

Just another reason to find him utterly irritating.

Sui-Feng turned to the First Division's representatives.

"I'm ready."

Seiya nodded.

"Same here."

Since this was an internal dispute, the conditions were relatively simple.

Sasakibe let out a long sigh—whether out of frustration or resignation was unclear.

"You two may begin whenever you like."

"As for the only restriction—"

"Just don't kill each other."

With that, the last limitation was removed.

Yamamoto and Sasakibe stepped back.

Sui-Feng turned her focus forward, exhaling deeply.

There was no longer a need to justify her actions.

Sui-Feng took a single step forward.

Her body rotated slightly—

Right arm bent, fingers resting lightly on her sword's hilt.

"It's hard to believe, Seiya."

The sudden remark was unexpected.

But at the same time—

The coldness in Sui-Feng's eyes deepened.

"I never imagined there would be someone I despise this much."

Her knee bent.

"Every time we speak, it's never more than three sentences—"

Her toes dug into the ground.

"Because you always find the exact thing that enrages me the most."

Her weight shifted entirely onto the tips of her feet.

"I tried to understand Yoruichi-sama's teachings. I tried to find something worthwhile in you. But in the end—"

Like a drawn bowstring—

Poised. Tense. Lethal.

"You are simply infuriating."

The moment the final syllable left her lips—

Sui-Feng vanished.

—No.

Rather than vanishing—

She became a shooting star.

At the very last second,

A thunderous boom erupted from beneath her, splintering the stone floor as she propelled herself forward at blinding speed.

A direct charge.

A basic but effective technique.

However—

A straight-line attack was the easiest to counter.

Seiya, completely unshaken, calmly drew his blade.

It looked like he was waiting for her to strike—

But at the last moment—

The "shooting star" stopped.

With a sudden, violent halt, her right foot slammed into the ground.

The impact split the floor apart.

The force erupted outward in a violent gust, sending a barrage of shattered stone and debris toward Seiya.

Like bullets, the shrapnel flew toward him—capable of tearing through spirit bodies.

"Is that…?"

"A modified Flash Step?"

"Wait, how old is this girl again?"

The observing captains murmured among themselves.

It was clear—

Sui-Feng had developed a combat style uniquely suited for her.

But—

This was not the true attack.

Hidden within the storm of debris, her form flickered—

Like a shadow darting between flashes of light.

The glint of steel appeared, vanished, and reappeared.

Slashes. Thrusts. Cuts.

A seamless onslaught—

Her movements created the illusion of multiple attackers, surrounding Seiya from every angle.

Sparks erupted.

Metal clashed violently.

The high-pitched ring of colliding Zanpakutōs echoed across the battlefield.

And then—

With a final explosive impact, the two separated.

Sui-Feng flipped back, landing lightly on the tip of her left foot.

Sweat lined her brow.

Her breath came slightly heavier.

But her lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

"I got you, Seiya."

Silence.

Instead of answering—

Seiya slowly lowered his gaze.

To his left arm.

A single, black, butterfly-shaped mark rested on his wrist.

Dark. Elegant.

Like ink, as if it had seeped into his very skin.

Seiya raised an eyebrow.

The entire sequence—the debris, the speed, the ambush—

All of it had been a distraction.

The real goal had been to place this mark on him.

A targeted assault, carefully tailored to counter him.

A well-structured strategy.

But Seiya was more interested in something else.

His eyes shifted to Sui-Feng's right hand.

A sleek, golden gauntlet adorned her fingers—

Shaped like the lethal stinger of a hornet.

A weapon both elegant and deadly.

Sui-Feng raised her hand with pride.

"This is my Zanpakutō."

"Its name is Suzumebachi."

"One strike leaves a mark. The second in the same spot—"

"Means certain death."

"Scared yet, Seiya?"

"After all, I could kill you before you even noticed."

She waited.

For panic.

For fear.

For anything.

But instead—

Seiya just smiled.

"Is that so?"

"It is rather pretty."

—Why was he still so calm?!

Before Sui-Feng could process it—

Rip.

The fabric of her bodysuit split open.

From her waist to her navel.

Eyes widening, she instinctively clutched at her stomach.

And in that instant—

A horrifying realization struck her.

He could have cut her in half.

But he chose not to.

Seiya exhaled, sheathing his sword.

"A two-strike kill?"

"What a joke."

"But interesting."

He tilted his head.

Smirked.

"Alright then."

"Enough playing around."

"Show me what you really got."

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Powerstones?

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