C20 You Kissed Me and Broke Through

Bang!

A tipsy silhouette materialized five or six meters from Lucia, legs tangled in a clear misstep.

Before an audience, he pitched forward, lurching toward her.

Lucia's face shifted from shock to surprise, then swiftly to alarm.

She watched the figure loom larger in her vision, hastily raising her hands to her mouth.

Smack!

The sound of a crisp kiss echoed from the back of Lucia's hand.

She stared at the red lips that had nearly met hers, now blocked by her hands, and felt a jolt of shock.

Renji, taken aback, also felt a flicker of relief.

This was the first kiss he had longed for over decades of pursuit.

"Why, Lucia? Do you want to kiss me? Don't hold back, let love ignite with passion," he slurred, his wife's name clear in his drunken speech.

But before the onlookers could react,

Taku deftly tossed the wine pot aside with a flick of his foot, catching it on the rebound.

In a swift move, he grabbed Lucia's hands and yanked them apart.

In that instant, the door swung open, revealing her cherry-red lips in full.

The softness and scent of wine flooded Lucia's senses.

She was dazed, her mind a blank slate.

Unexpectedly, the spiritual energy within her surged like a flame.

The lingering aroma from the wine pot in the dark cell had sent her spiritual pressure spiraling out of control.

"Just a bit more, just a bit more!" Lucia murmured, sensing the spiritual pressure within her nearing a boiling point, a breakthrough tantalizingly close.

For five years, this bottleneck had plagued her.

She believed that with just a little more spiritual pressure, she could cast simple Ghost Dao techniques without incantation, supported by her own spiritual strength.

Yet, this inner monologue took on a different meaning when voiced aloud.

Lucia, the apparent victim, seemed to take the initiative.

Most troubling was that Taku, the true aggressor, had twisted the narrative, suggesting Lucia was the one who desired the encounter.

The absurdity of it all was maddening.

Her elder brother's face grew even darker with outrage.

It was a disgrace to their honor.

Meanwhile, Renji's vision blacked out as he spat a mouthful of blood, nearly succumbing to unconsciousness.

Aizen and Ichimaru Gin's expressions shifted noticeably.

Today had been fraught with far too many unexpected events.

They had assumed they had the situation well in hand, yet errors kept cropping up.

Particularly troubling was Shiba Taku's use of Flash Steps earlier, which he had stumbled in executing.

Yet, it was undeniably real.

Initially, upon learning that Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni intended for the Shiba Clan to bypass the usual protocols and take the Shinoreijutsuin exam, Aizen was taken aback.

He had thought sending a few test subjects would suffice to corner and kill Taku.

Perhaps even turn him into another experiment.

But he had not anticipated that Taku possessed the raw power to obliterate an evil spirit with a single punch.

Aizen had hoped to force Taku into a corner during the exam, stripping him of his chance to join the Shinoreijutsuin.

Regrettably, the outcome before him had once again shattered his expectations.

Now, Aizen's sole desire was to see Shiba Taku venture further down a self-destructive path.

Only this would goad Kyoraku Shunsui into action, to eliminate Taku decisively.

"Taku, stop! No, hold your tongue!" Kyoraku Shunsui was the first to spring into action.

He had caught a glimpse of Shiba Taku making his move.

Like a specter, Taku's form was now several times faster than before, drifting like a phantom.

He had mastered the Flash Steps to perfection.

The thought of his sister's reputation—and even her red lips—being sullied was too much.

This was enough to send Shiba Taku, her protective older brother, into a fury.

A chill ran through the air as Kyoraku Shunsui's face turned grave, and he quickly drew his Soul-Cutter Sword to defend.

Clang!

Two shadowy figures materialized before Kyoraku Shunsui.

Besides Shiba Taku, there was another unexpected presence.

"Zaraki Kenpachi, Kyoraku Shunsui, step aside. This disgraceful wretch has insulted the honor of our nobility. I will be the one to end him," Shiba Taku declared, his face dark with anger.

He was filled with regret.

He lamented his moment of weakness during the meeting when he considered the relationship between Lucia and Kaien Shiba and had compassionately granted Shiba Taku the opportunity to be assessed.

No!

Rather, it should be said that he had suddenly gone soft and handed over his sister without a fight.

If the heavens granted him a chance, he would emphatically say 'no' fifty thousand times.

"Captain Kuchiki, this is the testing hall. Blades are forbidden here. Remember the rules," Kyoraku Shunsui said, his head feeling like it was about to burst. He regretted accepting Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's mission.

Facing Captain Kuchiki head-on was a surefire way to come out on the losing end.

Watching the usually composed and etiquette-bound Captain Kuchiki lose his cool, Kyoraku Shunsui couldn't help but admire Taku's infuriating talent. He braced himself and said, "Look, Lucia doesn't seem to be putting up a fight. Perhaps it's love at first sight."

"Kyoraku Shunsui, I'll kill you too," Captain Kuchiki seethed with rage.

Yet, he felt an undeniable sense of being at a loss for words.

His violent spiritual pressure erupted within him, transforming into an invisible wave that surged toward Taku.

"Hmm, big brother-in-law, got any more wine? One more kiss for Lucia, and she should break through," Taku said, glancing back at Captain Kuchiki with sleepy eyes.

He quickly spotted the wine pot at Zaraki Kenpachi's waist and, with a deft move, swiped it.

"Hey, kid, don't touch that. That's the wine I just poured," Zaraki Kenpachi exclaimed, caught off guard.

Once he had the wine pot, Zaraki Kenpachi noticed that the aroma of the wine seemed to stir the spiritual pressure within him.

Sadly, the wine had already been squandered by Taku.

So Zaraki Kenpachi came up with a foolish plan: pour his usual cheap wine into the pot, give it a swirl, then take a sip himself.

He had a hunch that this might just reveal the pot's secret.

Alas, before he could enjoy a drink, he had hurried to the testing hall, intent on saving Shiba Taku and then pleading with Old Man Yamamoto.

Little did he know that his rescue attempt would cost him his wine as well.

"This is clearly my wine pot. What do you mean, your wine? You thief, I distinctly remember my name is on it," Taku said, steadying himself after a few steps and pointing to the name he had etched onto the pot, worried it might end up in the wrong hands.

"Shiba Taku—definitely four characters, no mistake about it. My wife, she's eagerly anticipating the spirits to make a breakthrough."