Help! I am bound to Aizen!

A Zanpakutō's size increases with its wielder's growing Spirit Pressure.

This basic knowledge is taught to every Shinigami during their academy days. 

Shinigami ranked at seated officer level or higher learn to compress their Zanpakutō's size, a skill deeply ingrained among captains. 

But who fights by repeatedly enlarging and shrinking their Zanpakutō in combat like this?! 

Muguruma Kensei gripped his sword with both hands, raising it overhead. Gritting his teeth, he endured Kaelith Yurei's relentless strikes for several seconds before finally managing to hold his ground. 

Regaining his composure, Kensei grinned, a menacing expression creeping across his face. 

Compressed Zanpakutōs and expanded ones have vastly different structural strengths. Enlarging a Zanpakutō significantly reduces its durability. 

"If you love enlarging it so much," Kensei thought, "I'll just break it apart!" 

He swung his Zanpakutō fiercely, bringing it from above his head down in front of him. 

"Rage, Tachikaze!!" 

The moment his release command echoed, Kensei's Spirit Pressure surged, enveloping the area in an intense glow that forced many spectators to shield their eyes. 

The Zanpakutō in Kensei's hands, previously over a meter long, transformed into a short dagger. Wisps of azure wind danced around him, spinning and flowing ominously. 

A broken piece of tile from the battlefield, touched by one of these threads of wind, disintegrated into dust instantly. 

Shinigami standing closer to the field instinctively felt a wave of tension and an urge to back away. 

"Break for me!" Kensei roared, leaping into the air with explosive force. 

He extended the dagger in front of him as his body spun like a drill, sending razor-sharp threads of wind spiraling toward Kaelith Yurei. 

Facing such a powerful attack, Kaelith would undoubtedly raise his blade to block it. 

Having expanded and compressed his Zanpakutō multiple times in quick succession, its structure was bound to weaken. Under the destructive force of "Dandi Fūjin," his Zanpakutō would surely shatter! 

But just as Kensei felt confident in his strike, an intense sense of danger flared in his mind. 

Out of instinct, Kensei glanced sideways toward the source of the threat. 

To his astonishment, shadows erupted from the ground like flexible spears, darting toward him from all directions in a coordinated assault! 

At that moment, Kaelith's release command rang out: 

"Pierce through, Crimson King!" 

Midair, Kensei twisted his body, gathering Spirit Particles beneath his feet to form a platform, slamming down on it with force to stop his advance. 

The wind threads surrounding him spun wildly, shooting outward to intercept the approaching shadow spears. 

Each shadow spear clashed with the wind threads, creating a fierce back-and-forth. 

Though only two combatants were on the battlefield, their clash felt like a full-blown war. 

While controlling the wind, Kensei himself remained active. Clutching his dagger, he looked for an opening to ambush Kaelith amidst the chaos. 

…Wait, where was Kaelith? 

At some point, Kaelith had vanished from his original position. 

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* 

The sound of something slicing through the air reached Kensei's ears. 

In that instant, Kensei let out a furious roar, gripping his dagger in reverse and swinging his fist. 

*Clang!* 

A spinning Zanpakutō hurtling toward him was deflected by his punch, flying off into the distance. 

"Just the Zanpakutō?" 

As the thought crossed his mind, Kensei caught a fleeting trace of movement in the corner of his eye—a glimpse of Shunpo. 

"Got you!" 

Kensei swung his dagger horizontally in a sweeping motion, aiming to intercept Kaelith. 

But just as his blade swept through the air, exposing his chest momentarily, Kaelith suddenly appeared directly in front of him. 

With a single, forceful punch, Kaelith drove his fist straight into Kensei's face. 

*Boom!* 

The overwhelming force twisted Muguruma Kensei's face, sending his head snapping back, his neck following his body, as he was hurled through the air and slammed violently into the ground.

Outside the protective barrier, Aizen Sosuke nodded slightly. 

Kaelith Yurei's fighting style, while somewhat crude and lacking finesse, was undeniably effective. Especially the initial sequence of sword techniques—it bore a faint resemblance to Aizen's own methods. 

It seemed that during their training sessions, Kaelith had absorbed quite a bit from him. Aizen considered it a small reward for his own generosity in sharing his insights on swordsmanship without reservation during their sparring.

On the platform, Shunsui Kyoraku couldn't help but click his tongue. 

"Incredible… Old man Yamamoto, what kind of monster have you taken under your wing?" 

Muguruma Kensei's displayed strength already far surpassed that of Shunsui's own vice-captain. 

Yet, against such an opponent, the young Kaelith managed to dominate the fight effortlessly. 

No wonder Yamamoto insisted on orchestrating this scenario. 

With Kaelith's potential, it was only a matter of time before he soared to unimaginable heights, provided he had the right environment to grow. 

A commoner with no restrictions, wielding immense power and a dazzling future—it was a direct threat to the arrogant nobility. Kaelith's existence was sure to unsettle them greatly. 

After today, Shunsui mused, many would start scheming about how to deal with Kaelith. 

Yamamoto spoke calmly, "You, as his senior, know what must be done." 

Shunsui adjusted his straw hat and lowered his head slightly. 

Given his position, he couldn't become the weapon Yamamoto wielded. 

But until Kaelith fully matured, Shunsui would fulfill his role as a senior. 

If anyone dared to target Kaelith, Shunsui would ensure they learned exactly why he'd held his captaincy for so many years. 

Hovering mid-air, Kaelith retracted his fist and flexed his fingers. 

Though Kensei's record often made him the target of jokes as a "combat power unit," in truth, he wasn't lacking in strength. 

However, against Kaelith, Kensei had one fatal disadvantage: 

Kaelith knew everything about Kensei's abilities, while he had no understanding of Kaelith's powers. 

Without certainty about his opponent's capabilities, Kensei hesitated in his actions, instinctively guarding against potential tricks. 

In high-level battles, even a half-second of hesitation could shift the tide entirely. 

That said, this advantage only hastened Kaelith's victory. 

Even without knowledge of Kensei's abilities, Kaelith was confident he could win. 

As the dust cleared, Kensei's figure slowly emerged. 

Once a confident and upright presence, he now appeared disheveled and battered. 

Yet, the fire in his eyes burned even brighter. 

Looking at Kaelith standing in the sky, Kensei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. 

Then, he grinned, revealing a fierce smile. 

"Kaelith Yurei… I take back what I said earlier." 

"You do have what it takes to be an examiner." 

"As a sign of respect, I'll now use my true strength!" 

Under the watchful eyes of the spectators, Kensei took a deep breath. 

Then, with a thunderous roar, he shouted: 

"Bankai!!" 

" Tekken Tachikaze!!" (Iron Fist Severing Wind) 

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