Help! I am bound to Aizen!

On the battlefield, Kaelith Yurei and Muguruma Kensei were locked in an intense, heated exchange. 

Kensei, gripping his fist blades, resembled a seasoned boxer, throwing relentless punches from all directions. 

Kaelith, in contrast, used Shunpo combined with precise body movements to evade Kensei's strikes. 

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" 

"Is dodging all you can do? You won't win just by running away!" Kensei shouted, launching a powerful straight punch. 

The punch, imbued with Spirit Pressure, distorted the air around it as it traveled forward. 

Each strike seemed to drain the surrounding space of energy, creating an oppressive void. 

If it were any ordinary Shinigami, the twisted air alone would render them unable to use Shunpo. They'd be helplessly pulled into the attack, as though willingly offering themselves to his fists. 

Outside the barrier, many Shinigami who had been seated in the front rows began to move further back. 

Even with the barrier in place, Kensei's overwhelming captain-level Spirit Pressure bore down on them heavily. 

If they didn't retreat, they risked collapsing before the fighters inside did. 

Aizen Sosuke sat outside the barrier, holding a cup of tea, his mind racing. 

A single direct hit could mean instant defeat. 

If it were him facing such an ability, how would he respond? 

The simplest answer, of course, was to use Kyōka Suigetsu. 

But Kyōka Suigetsu's unique power wasn't always ideal to display in plain sight. 

If he were to face such an opponent head-on, how would he fight? 

Within his gaze, Kensei suddenly launched a punch. 

The fist had been poised at his waist for several seconds, unmoving. 

If Kaelith reacted even a fraction too slow, this punch would end the match. 

A thought flickered through Aizen's mind: 

"Dodge to the right." 

Almost as if Kaelith had heard his thoughts, his body shifted slightly to the right. 

Kensei's punch, originally aimed to the right, was forced to change trajectory. With a sudden uppercut, he redirected his strike toward Kaelith's chin! 

In such a situation, most would instinctively dodge backward. 

Kensei had already retracted his earlier punch, ready to follow up. 

If Kaelith retreated, Kensei would launch forward with all his might. 

Even if Kaelith used Shunpo to escape, Kensei was confident he could catch him. 

"I've got this!" 

A gleam flashed in Kensei's eyes as a confident smirk spread across his face. 

Aizen's sharp gaze darted between the positions of Kensei's two punches. 

"Don't retreat—sidestep!"

His heart tightened as he watched. 

Kaelith, as if listening to Aizen's thoughts, sidestepped gracefully to the left. 

Kensei, unable to pull back in time, stumbled forward. 

"Use Bakudō here!"

Aizen's eyes lit up with realization. 

Kaelith's movements, however, were faster than Aizen's thought process. 

Facing the vulnerable, off-balance Kensei, Kaelith brought two fingers together and swiped horizontally in front of him as if smoothing out an invisible surface— 

"Bakudō #63: Sajo Sabaku!" 

Golden chains shot out from every direction, binding Muguruma Kensei tightly in layer after layer of restraint. 

Aizen Sosuke watched with a touch of admiration. 

He had assumed Kaelith Yurei's combat skills would fall short of his own despite their similar Spirit Pressure. 

But now, it seemed Kaelith's combat instincts were sharper than he had anticipated. 

Nature was fair, after all—even a brute had their own ways of survival. 

On the platform, Shunsui Kyoraku almost couldn't stop himself from cheering for Kaelith. 

Damn, what kind of prodigy was this kid? 

He'd only spent six months at the Shino Academy—how much real combat experience could he even have? 

If Kaelith could reach this level on raw talent alone, what would he become after training under Yamamoto for a hundred or two hundred years? 

Ginrei Kuchiki stroked his beard thoughtfully. By this point, he finally understood Yamamoto's intentions. 

As expected of the legendary Sword Demon… Though Yamamoto now appeared to have settled into a quiet, reclusive life, when he set his mind to something, he was second to none. 

After today, Kaelith Yurei's name would surely echo throughout the Seireitei. 

Everyone would know Yamamoto Genryusai had a new and powerful blade in his hand. 

Those who thought to manipulate the noble network for their own schemes would now need to tread carefully, lest they face Yamamoto's retaliation. 

Ginrei had to admit, Yamamoto's move was brilliant. 

The only regret? This new blade was not yet sharp enough. 

Without even releasing his Zanpakutō, Kaelith had defeated Lisa Yadomaru. 

Now, he was holding his own against Muguruma Kensei, even after the latter had released his Bankai. 

For someone of Kaelith's age, this was nothing short of extraordinary. 

But… 

No amount of talent could change a fundamental truth: 

Kaelith Yurei was not yet at captain level. 

The gap between a fourth-class Spirit Pressure and a third-class Spirit Pressure was as vast as the difference between a student shinigami and a seated officer. 

A fifth-class might rely on skill, techniques, or Zanpakutō abilities to overcome a fourth-class opponent. 

But a fourth-class could never hope to surpass a third-class. 

Almost as if to confirm Ginrei's thoughts, Muguruma Kensei let out a deafening roar. 

"Ughhhhhh! AHHHHHH!!!" 

With a powerful flex, his arms burst outward, his chest muscles swelling so much they nearly tore through his uniform. 

As his physical strength surged, so did his Spirit Pressure, rising layer upon layer— 

Crack! 

Several segments of the protective barrier shattered instantly. 

The torrential Spirit Pressure flooded outward, sending over twenty nearby Shinigami flying uncontrollably into the air! 

Several seated officers leaped up to catch the thrown Shinigami, commanding everyone to retreat. 

On the platform, Chojiro Sasakibe flashed to the Kidō Corps' side, directing them to open the barriers and release Kensei's overwhelming Spirit Pressure outward. 

As the barriers opened, the entire arena felt as if it had been submerged in the deep sea. 

The oppressive weight of the Spirit Pressure left many Shinigami struggling to breathe. 

Once fully unleashed, Muguruma Kensei flexed his arms again, shattering the Bakudō binding him. 

Raising his fists, he assumed a combat stance, fixing his gaze on Kaelith Yurei. 

"Kaelith, just declare me the victor." 

"I admit you're strong. Without using Spirit Pressure to suppress you, it's difficult for me to inflict any significant damage." 

"But… with an overwhelming advantage in Spirit Pressure, your speed and reflexes will no longer be an edge!" 

"This is just a sparring match. I don't want to leave you with injuries that can't be healed." 

"Once you reach captain level, we can fight again!" 

On the platform, Yamamoto watched silently. 

Was this the end? 

A pity, but it had already gone far enough. 

Both Kaelith's shadow manipulation and Muguruma Kensei's Tetsuken Danpū were techniques with exceedingly high damage potential. 

Pushing the fight any further would only risk unnecessary losses for the Gotei 13. 

Very well, the matter of establishing dominance could wait. 

With that thought, Yamamoto prepared to call off the match. 

But before he could speak, Kaelith suddenly said— 

"Third-class Spirit Pressure is indeed powerful." 

"But as it happens, I have it too." 

Under Muguruma Kensei's stunned gaze, Kaelith's Spirit Pressure erupted skyward!