BLEACH: DRINKING MAKES ME STRONGER

"1000... Tenth tier Spiritual Pressure!"

The crimson digits on the spiritual pressure testing device lit up with a mechanical chime that struck like a war drum. The crowd in the Shin'ō Academy testing hall froze. The air felt heavier, as if all spiritual energy had been drawn into those three glowing words.

Tenth tier Spiritual Pressure.

Gasps and murmurs broke the silence like cracks in glass.

"Impossible! He's just a drunk—how can someone like that hit Tenth tier? That's… That's unheard of since the founding of Shin'ō Academy!"

"I remember hearing Captain Hitsugaya graduated with Ninth tier and was already hailed as a once-in-a-century prodigy!" someone shouted.

"So what's Tenth tier supposed to be called, then? A demon? A monster?"

"This isn't just some peerless genius. This is on a different level entirely!"

Pandemonium erupted. Several examinees began to despair, slumping to the floor in resignation.

"To be born in the same generation as this guy… there's no point. We're all just filler characters in his story now…"

Even seated captains and lieutenants were stunned. Kyoraku Shunsui slowly took a deep breath, adjusting his straw hat. His expression was unreadable—somewhere between awe and bitter amusement.

"Tenth tier Reiatsu… even Yamamoto-sōtaichō might raise an eyebrow at that," he muttered. "I suppose… my thousand-year-old sake might still be safe after all."

Shunsui reached for his flask instinctively—only to grasp air.

His eyes widened. "Huh?"

He turned to see Kuroba still gulping from the ancient sake bottle, cheeks flushed, eyes vacant with the bliss of intoxication.

"YOU DAMN BRAT!" Shunsui roared. "That's my sake! I aged that thing longer than your entire existence! Return it immediately!"

He lunged forward, but Ise Nanao appeared beside him, her glasses gleaming coldly as she adjusted them with a sigh.

"Captain… composure," she said, her gaze sharp enough to kill. Shunsui froze, swallowed hard, and fell quiet.

All he could do now was pray the drunk would leave him one sip.

Meanwhile, Abarai Renji was muttering under his breath. "No way… I tested him earlier. His spiritual pressure was barely Three tier…"

A warm, calm voice cut in.

"Perhaps there was a malfunction." Aizen Sōsuke stepped forward, the signature serene smile on his face. "Everyone saw the first machine report Seventh tier. Now it's Ten. The discrepancy could be mechanical."

With controlled grace, Aizen approached the testing device. "I've studied this equipment before. Perhaps I can recalibrate it…"

But the moment his white-gloved fingers touched the casing, the overworked device groaned—then collapsed entirely, caving in on itself with a sizzling crack.

A pile of sparking scrap metal remained.

Aizen's smile froze. For the first time, his usually serene expression cracked, and for a brief second, he looked… disoriented.

Shunsui coughed. "Ahem. Captain Aizen, perhaps equipment maintenance isn't your strength after all."

He turned to Ise Nanao. "Let's not waste time. Seventh tier, Tenth tier—either way, this one passes."

Nanao gave a nod, voice crisp. "Shiba Kuroba, assigned Seventh tier Reiatsu. Excellent classification. Spiritual pressure test waived."

She had no idea what deal her captain had struck with Yamamoto-sōtaichō, but she knew how to read between the lines. The priority now was to end this farce before it escalated.

Of course, fate had other plans.

"Test? When does it start?" Kuroba's drunken mumble broke the moment as he stumbled upright.

He took another long swig, then looked around blearily.

"I need another drink to warm up first. Don't forget—I'm teamed with my wife. I think her name was Rukia?"

Rukia's face instantly darkened.

Behind Kuroba, Renji's spiritual pressure flared faintly with repressed rage. His face had turned to stone. His jaw clenched tighter than his fists.

This idiot had the nerve to talk about his "wife" while forgetting her name?

That wasn't just drunk—it was heresy.

Somewhere in the corner, Shunsui was still praying for just one mouthful of sake to be left. And maybe for someone—anyone—to knock this fool unconscious before things escalated.

"Captain Kuchiki, please calm down."

Kyoraku Shunsui pressed a hand to his forehead, already feeling a headache bloom.

He had originally intended to smooth things over quietly, but the dark expression clouding Byakuya Kuchiki's face made that impossible.

"This is an insult to the honor of the Kuchiki Clan. I will not tolerate it."

Byakuya's voice was like ice cracking beneath a glacier.

To most observers, Rukia Kuchiki was simply a noble adopted into the Kuchiki family. But to Byakuya, her honor was inseparable from the dignity of the clan—and personal atonement for the vow he had once broken.

Now, after repeated humiliations in public, her name was being dragged further through the mud. Byakuya would not allow it to continue.

With a silent flash of shunpo, he vanished.

Whoosh!

He reappeared directly in front of Shiba Kuroba, face unreadable and intent unwavering. His hand reached for the jug of wine dangling loosely from Kuroba's fingers, intending to shatter it on the ground.

The room tensed. Even Kyoraku moved instinctively to intervene—

—but was subtly blocked by Aizen Sōsuke and Ichimaru Gin, their presence suddenly inconveniently in the way.

Kyoraku's eyes narrowed. He could no longer interfere.

Earlier, Renji Abarai had attempted to seize that same jug, only to be effortlessly batted aside by Kuroba's drunkard strength.

But this was different. This was Kuchiki Byakuya—Captain of the Sixth Division, heir of one of the Four Great Noble Houses. Even without full force, he could subdue any academy student.

"Ah, brother-in-law? Why's it you again? I'm just looking for my wife... you want some of this wine too? Sorry, it's all gone…"

Kuroba blinked blearily, seemingly unaware of what was happening—or who he was speaking to.

And then, swaying drunkenly, he disappeared.

Shunpo.

Gasps spread through the hall like wildfire.

The captains exchanged startled glances. Even Aizen's smile flickered.

For a student—no, for someone who hadn't even graduated from Shin'ō Academy—to vanish from Byakuya's grasp using a flash step…

It was unthinkable.