Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 132 - Combat and Kidō

"Big brother, you were that strong all along?" Momo grabbed Wayne's arm, eyes full of stars. "You ate a Hollow? How come you never told me? Did you run into danger in the forest? Big brother, big brother..."

The whole way, Momo chattered like a newly hatched sparrow, question after question without pause. Wayne could only manage a wry smile.

Just moments ago, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had openly laid bare the secret Wayne kept buried in his heart. To Kurotsuchi, it was nothing, but for Wayne, it stirred up no small storm. The fact that he had devoured a Hollow would interest not just Kurotsuchi, but Aizen as well. On some dark and windy night, one of them might decide to tie him up and turn him into a dissection specimen.

Thankfully, right after Kurotsuchi left, Wayne saw a swarm of Twelfth Division members in white coats round up everyone who had witnessed his test and usher them into a small dark room, one by one.

Memory erasure, most likely.

Make no mistake, Kurotsuchi absolutely had the technique to wipe those recent memories clean. Wayne was the only living specimen, after all. They couldn't let him escape, or fall into someone else's hands.

In the end, the only ones who still knew about Wayne eating a Hollow were Momo and a handful of the testing personnel.

Seeing Kurotsuchi move to suppress the information, Wayne's heart eased a little. At least this way, the odds of Aizen finding out were far lower. For now, it wasn't yet time for Wayne to reveal himself, especially not the fact that he carried Hollow Reiatsu within his body. He'd even been wondering whether he should expel that Reiatsu entirely someday. But doing so would damage his current Reiatsu. And when he activated Shadow Step, the skill relied heavily on the burst from that very portion of power. It wasn't as intense as when he'd been a Hollow, but it still functioned as a skill. Perhaps he could simply hold off on absorbing any more Hollow Reiatsu for now? The Reishi density inside the Seireitei was high enough anyway. He could absorb endlessly and never run dry.

Turning it over in his mind, Wayne arrived at the next assessment.

This one was a comprehensive combat test, physical strength, endurance, combat experience, and more.

Momo hadn't undergone combat training, so she chose the testing machines near the arena. Wayne, on the other hand, was headed straight for the combat assessment. He'd walked in carrying a katana, after all. Not even the examiners would let him go take a clerk-type machine test off to the side.

"Yo!" The examiner in the arena greeted him. "Number 918, right?"

"Yeah." Through his blindfold, Wayne could barely make out the Soul Reaper before him, Zanpakuto slung over one shoulder, face brimming with fiery battle spirit. Rolled-up sleeves. Exaggerated muscles. Wayne guessed Eleventh Division.

"I'm your examiner for this station. Your task is to fight me. Try to beat me if you can." The man spoke with easy confidence. "Of course, I won't use my Zanpakuto's abilities. This is purely a test of skill and strength."

"Alright." Wayne nodded and drew his katana. With Eleventh Division types, there was nothing to discuss. Just overwhelm them with force.

But just before he moved, Wayne tilted his head. Through Reiatsu perception, he picked up several familiar signatures at once, big-bearded Matsushita from the Ninth Division, examiner Mizusue from the Fourth, and the white-coated officer who had just measured his Reiatsu. Without any coordination, they had all taken positions outside the arena to watch. Apparently they all held some hope for his combat ability.

"These people..." Wayne frowned. No doubt the news that his released Reiatsu had scored 526 had already spread among the examiners. That was why they had all shown up.

"Fine. You want a show? I'll give you one."

BOOM!

Wayne's Reiatsu erupted. Pale blue energy coiled around his katana. He pushed off the ground and lunged forward in a single explosive step.

He didn't use Shadow Step, but his speed was shockingly fast all the same. The examiner had only just drawn his blade when Wayne was already in front of him, slashing down.

BOOM!

The examiner raised his sword to block. The colossal force split the ground beneath his feet into spiderweb cracks.

"Ngh—!"

The examiner's hands trembled. His muscles were already spasming. He had never imagined this examinee would hit with such tremendous power.

The Reiatsu, he had already heard about that from the Twelfth Division's people. But this physical strength? What was going on?

Like their captain? A born warrior?

The thought flashed through his mind unbidden.

Wayne's slash landed. He touched down, spun, and swept his blade horizontally across the examiner's waist, channeling Reiatsu into the strike. A massive concussive force blasted outward.

CLANG!

The block rang out, but the examiner was already past his limit. His hands gave out entirely. Both his Zanpakuto and his body went flying, landing outside the arena.

"T-two moves and he's already..."

Outside the arena, every expression shifted, examinees and examiners alike.

Wayne was strong. Everyone knew that. Every so often, the Central Spirit Academy's assessments produced a monster. Among the most famous, Kenpachi Zaraki stood at the top, followed by Shinji Hirako and other captain-level figures.

But that had been a very, very long time ago. Since then, even the most outstanding examinees had only ever been geniuses, never reaching monster class. Wayne, it seemed, was already being slotted into that category by the various divisions.

"Hah." Wayne withdrew his Reiatsu and straightened up. He called over toward the examiner who had been sent flying. "Excuse me — is my assessment over?"

"Interesting... far too interesting!" The fallen examiner didn't answer. Instead, a bold voice rang out from among the Soul Reapers nearby.

"Kid, I like you! Stamp his form!" A bald Soul Reaper strode forward, Zanpakuto resting on his shoulder, barking at the exam personnel as he walked.

"Once I stamp your form, you've got to fight me. It's rare to find a newbie this strong — I'm going to enjoy myself today!" He cracked his knuckles and was already moving toward Wayne. One glance made it obvious: this was a battle fanatic. And Wayne knew this man well.

The Eleventh Division's Third Seat, Ikkaku Madarame. A Third Seat who could use Bankai.

"Those two moves just now really got my blood boiling! Come on — let's have a real fight!"

"I must decline," Wayne said, expressionless.

"Huh?" Ikkaku tilted his head.

"This falls outside the scope of my examination. If you wish to add an extra bout, please provide a clear reason. Otherwise, expending Reiatsu unnecessarily will only affect my remaining exams." Wayne's voice was calm, and it left Ikkaku stewing.

Where was the logic in this? He was already fully revved up, and his opponent simply said no, and gave him a reason he couldn't refute.

"Hmph." Behind Ikkaku, a refined Soul Reaper with ornate makeup and violet hair gave a quiet laugh. "Come back for now, Ikkaku. This is an exam, not your personal playground."

"Shut up, Yumichika!" Ikkaku shouted over his shoulder. "The arrow's already on the string — how can you not let it fly? I'm telling you, today this guy... Hey! Don't you walk away!"

Ignoring Ikkaku's roar, Wayne had already left the training ground on his own, heading for the next station.

Was he kidding? This was a Third Seat with captain-class strength. Wayne would be lucky to last ten exchanges against him.

The squad member just now had already forced Wayne to erupt his Reiatsu to win. A few rounds with Ikkaku on top of that, and regardless of the outcome, there was no way Wayne would be fit to continue the remaining exams.

Ikkaku was still shouting behind him in a fit of rage. Yumichika had already moved to stop him. And Wayne had walked out of the training ground toward the next station.

His form was delivered by an Eleventh Division member soon after. Passing was beyond question, he had sent the examiner flying, after all. Wayne hadn't fought Ikkaku, but the Eleventh Division's squad flower insignia, the sawgrass, was already stamped on his form.

"Fourth Division, Ninth Division, Eleventh Division, Twelfth Division..." Wayne stared blankly at his form for a moment. Was he here to take an exam or to summon the Eternal Dragon?

He waited outside the training ground for Momo to finish.

She was testing on the machines, so it took longer. Besides, not many examinees could take out their examiner in two slashes the way Wayne had.

About twenty minutes later, Momo walked over, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Big brother, the assessment here is so strict. I almost didn't pass."

"Strength? Or something else?"

"Combat reaction." Momo looked a little dejected. "The machine fires spheres at you and you have to catch them. Out of thirty, if you drop five you fail. I only dropped four, thankfully."

"Don't worry about it. You passed." Wayne took out a handkerchief and wiped her forehead. "Rest a bit, we still have a few more stations to go."

"Mm." Momo nodded wearily, then spotted yet another insignia on her big brother's form.

"As expected of Big Brother! So amazing!" She perked up at once. "That's four insignias already, right? Aside from the First Division General Command and the Seventh Division Guards, which probably won't stamp, if you get one more you'll already be at half! Haha, once we become Soul Reapers, Big Brother can go to practically any division he wants!"

"Don't think that far ahead, Momo." Wayne shook his head. "Let's focus on passing what's in front of us first. Once we actually become Soul Reapers, which division to join will need careful thought based on our own strengths."

"Hehe, right!" Momo nodded. She could already picture how brilliant her big brother's future would be. In an instant her exhaustion had vanished entirely, and she was brimming with energy, ready to drag Wayne off to the next station right then and there.

After a short rest, the two of them pressed on. The next station tested spiritual power control and Kidō affinity.

Not every Soul Reaper could practice Kidō. Some were simply born with almost no affinity for it. Those types were better suited to using the blade in hand to physically cut down enemies. Others had Zanpakuto of the Kidō-type, and when using Kidō they moved like fish in water, their combat power multiplying. These were the two major systems among Soul Reapers. Beyond Kidō-type and physical-type, Zanpakuto abilities also included things like summoned creatures, healing and support, and various other capabilities. Broken down further, they fell into categories such as energy, spiritual, elemental, and more.

In short, a Soul Reaper's growth was closely tied to Kidō affinity, it determined whether certain Kidō-heavy divisions would consider selecting them.

The examiners at this station were two female Soul Reapers: one with long straight black hair, the other with loose waves. Wayne recognized neither of them.

"Number 918? Let's start with spiritual power control," the straight-haired one said, pushing up her glasses. "Create a spiritual power sphere with a diameter greater than ten centimeters. Guide it through this transparent curved tube without touching the walls. The tube's inner diameter is twenty centimeters. Sphere size, time taken, and distance covered will be your final assessment criteria."

"I can't take this test," Wayne said, shaking his head. "I can't see where the tube walls are." He kept playing blind.

"I assumed that blindfold was decorative," she said, pushing her glasses up again. "In that case, we'll skip this one and use a different method." She stood, walked in front of Wayne, and began to chant.

"Bakudo Number Four: Hainawa!"

WHOOSH!

A rope of light materialized out of thin air, binding Wayne's hands, body, and feet all at once.

"Use your spiritual power to burst through this binding. The higher your control, the faster you'll break free. I'll then assess your, "

BANG!

Her words weren't finished before Wayne tensed, spiritual power surging, and snapped the binding clean.

"...Passed. Go take the Kidō affinity test." She frowned and waved him off.

Wayne nodded and walked toward the other Reiatsu signature, the wavy-haired examiner.

Bakudo? Please. In his past life, Wayne had broken free of Bakudo numbered in the nineties and above. A little Number Four was nothing. Concentrate Reiatsu on a single point and burst through. On top of that, the Hollow Reiatsu inside him stood in direct opposition to Soul Reaper spiritual energy. Let his smoothed-out Reiatsu revert to a touch of disorder, and he could shatter this Bakudo with ease.

"Alright, try reciting the incantation... oh right, you can't see." The wavy-haired examiner laughed at herself, then recited it aloud for him.

"Self-destruct! Rondanini's Black Hound! Burn utterly at a single glance, and sever your own throat! Hado Number Nine: Strike!"

As the incantation left her lips, a spell blast shot forth and slammed straight into the distant target.

"I'll recite it a few more times. Feel the flow and shifts in my spiritual power, then give it a try."

"Mm." Wayne nodded.

She recited it four times. Then Wayne began.

"Self-destruct! Rondanini's Black Hound! Burn utterly at a single glance, and sever your own throat! Hado Number Nine: Strike!"

The words left his lips. His Reiatsu flow matched hers perfectly, breath, presence, spiritual power output. Not the slightest difference.

But the red spell blast never appeared. Aside from Wayne's Reiatsu fluctuations, there was not a single trace of Kidō.

"Exceptional spiritual power control. But Kidō affinity... zero?"

➤ Next: The Final Assessment