The Strongest in...

Author: I apologize for the delay; I was spending time with my family and haven't been writing for a while. That said, I'll only release one more chapter and then publish an AOT story. After that, I will be absent for the rest of the month as I'll be fully focused on my family and spending time with them. After the New Year, I will return.

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Aizen watched the scene before him with a mixture of surprise and disbelief etched across his face. He, who had pushed himself to his limits and barely managed to touch Yoruichi, now saw Cheon Jin—someone he had always considered inferior, almost insignificant by comparison—performing far better than he had ever imagined.

Aizen's brown eyes narrowed, reflecting a blend of confusion and unease. How was this possible? He was a meticulous individual, someone who coldly assessed the potential of others and even anticipated their capabilities. It was inconceivable that he could have underestimated Jin in such a manner.

"This doesn't make sense..." he murmured to himself, arms crossed as his mind raced at full speed. First, it had been Yoruichi who defied his expectations, displaying such a vast power gap that it forced him to reconsider his approach. Now, it was Jin—the one Aizen had always viewed as an average competitor—showing something beyond what he had anticipated.

He couldn't ignore the precision and agility Jin displayed. Every movement seemed calculated, as if Jin could see Yoruichi's actions before she even made them. Aizen realized there was something more. There was a method, something beyond mere speed or natural talent.

"Am I underestimating people again?" thought Aizen, frowning. It was a troubling thought. He hated to admit he might be wrong in his assessments. First, it was Yoruichi, whose power and experience had humbled him. Now, it was Jin, someone he had always considered a step behind him.

"No, this isn't right..." he murmured again as doubt began to creep in. "What exactly is he doing to reach this level?"

On one side, Aizen was lost in his own thoughts, questioning what he was witnessing. On the other, Yoruichi Shihoin, captain of the Second Division, was also being forced to reconsider her perceptions.

"Who is this guy?!" thought Yoruichi as her body performed agile movements to dodge Jin. Unlike the other students, he was managing to put pressure on her, and she couldn't ignore that it was now slightly difficult to maintain her absolute advantage.

Both vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing at the same time—or so it seemed. In truth, Jin was slightly behind. Only 0.5 seconds separated his movements from Yoruichi's, but that small difference was crucial in a high-speed duel.

Even so, Jin didn't appear discouraged. His eyes were locked on Yoruichi, determination shining in them like an unquenchable flame.

'Faster,' Jin thought, feeling his body push its limits as he channeled his energy into a new Flash Step. He vanished at the exact moment Yoruichi did, both moving at a dizzying pace.

Each of their movements left small ripples in the air, as if space itself was being torn by the intensity of their speed. Jin could feel his breathing quicken, his heart pounding like a war drum, but he didn't falter.

Nano worked tirelessly in his mind, calculating every possible direction Yoruichi could take in fractions of a second and projecting three-dimensional images directly into his perception.

Even so, he knew this battle wouldn't be won with technology or calculations alone—he needed to reach a state where his intuition and natural reflexes became as fast as the numbers he was seeing.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi couldn't help but feel impressed. "He's keeping up with me... not completely, but he's learning with every step. Who the hell is this Cheon Jin? He shouldn't be at this level."

Yoruichi thought intensely as she continued her agile, calculated movements, dodging Jin with precision. "Earlier, even while moving at the same speed as me, he was 0.10 seconds behind. But now... in just a few steps, he's already cut that in half!"

She felt a slight shiver run down her spine, something rare for someone with her experience and skill. It wasn't fear, but a mix of surprise and excitement. The speed with which Jin was adapting was something she rarely saw, even among the best Shinigamis.

"What a tremendous evolution in such a short time!"

Yoruichi could tell that every movement she made was being studied, every angle and every change in direction analyzed by those eyes that seemed to see beyond what was possible. It wasn't just technique or skill – there was something more in Jin.

Meanwhile, Jin maintained his absolute focus. The Nano was working at full capacity, processing Yoruichi's patterns and movements in real-time, but he knew that relying solely on it wouldn't be enough. He needed to reach a state where his own perception and body reacted as quickly as the predictions of the machine in his mind.

His feet barely touched the ground before disappearing again, his actions becoming more refined and fluid with each attempt. With every Flash Step, he shortened the gap, a millisecond at a time. Jin could feel the fatigue starting to weigh on his body, but it didn't stop him – on the contrary, it seemed to drive him even more.

Yoruichi, in turn, picked up the pace. Her expression was a mix of admiration and seriousness. She couldn't deny that this student, Cheon Jin, was standing out in a way no one else had done before.

'If he keeps up at this pace, could he actually catch up to me? No, I won't make it easy for him.'

The captain increased her speed even more, disappearing in a sequence of movements so fast it seemed omnipresent, leaving trails in the air like shadows that faded away. Jin, however, did not back down. He could feel he was close, even though the barrier between them still seemed immense.

"Faster..." Jin whispered to himself, a fierce gleam in his eyes, as both continued to push the limits of their abilities.

The brilliance of their movements lit up the room intensely, each trail a flawless mark of their speed. This time, Jin accelerated further, his body fully extended, optimizing every step as if trying to surpass the very concept of a limit. Yoruichi, noticing the impressive advance of her opponent, matched the pace, determined to maintain her supremacy.

The two moved so quickly that their bodies were no longer visible to the spectators. To the other students, it was like watching a light show dancing at high speed, tracing ephemeral lines in space. The intensity of the Flash Steps grew exponentially, and the number of steps taken by both decreased with each passing moment, replaced by more efficient and calculated movements.

While the two dueled at high speed, Jin noticed something important. He wasn't just closing the gap; he was reducing the time difference with each exchange. His eyes, now a mix of determination and calculation, analyzed everything in real-time.

'We appeared at the same time...'

It was a simple thought, but one full of meaning. Jin had almost completely eliminated the delay that once existed. Every millisecond lost now felt like a distant memory. He felt closer than ever to reaching Yoruichi, something that moments before had seemed impossible.

Yoruichi, on her part, maintained her outward calm, but inside she was surprised. 'He's really reaching my level, even if just for a moment? This kid... who is he?'

In the crucial moment before the final minute, Jin intensified his efforts, the determination shining in his eyes like an unquenchable flame. He attacked at high speed, his movements flowing with almost mechanical precision, yet fueled by a visceral energy. With every attempt, Yoruichi dodged with the same mastery that had made her a legend among the Shinigamis, always staying just out of reach.

Even so, Jin did not back down. Every dodge from the captain was an invitation for him to advance further, adjust his strategy, and try again. The space between them seemed to shrink, as if the distance were merely an illusion in the face of Cheon Jin's determination.

Yoruichi, however, was not surprised. Her body reacted with sharpened reflexes, and her mind evaluated each of Jin's movements with a mix of admiration and curiosity.

'He's fast, but still not fast enough...' she thought, evading yet another precise strike.

However, in the next moment, something changed.

Jin disappeared. Not as before, in a conventional Flash Step, but in an abrupt and unexpected manner. He vanished into the air like an absolute void, a step that transcended the techniques Yoruichi had seen until then. Before she could react, he appeared above her, breaking the rules of predictability with a speed that seemed unreal.

The space around them seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second, as if the tension of that moment had paralyzed time. Jin, with his arm extended, descended toward Yoruichi, his movement filled with purpose. The expression on his face was one of pure concentration, while the trail of his acceleration created an intense glow around him, making him almost a spectral figure.

Yoruichi, surprised for a moment, lifted her eyes, recognizing Jin's impressive progress. 'He managed to break the limit... but will it be enough?'

Abruptly, Yoruichi disappeared from everyone's sight, like a lightning bolt dissipating in the sky before anyone could comprehend it. The movement was so fast and fluid that, for a millisecond, it seemed like she had never been there. When she reappeared, she was pressed against the wall on the opposite side of the room, her bare feet pressed against the surface while a thin layer of sweat ran down the side of her face, gleaming in the intense light of the room.

Silence filled the space, as if even the air was processing what had just happened. Yoruichi's eyes were slightly widened, a mix of surprise and cold assessment crossing her expression as she stared at Jin.

'He forced me to use this...' she thought, her mind quickly analyzing the young man's performance.

Jin, in turn, remained in the same place where he had attempted the final attack, still with his arm slightly extended. His expression was one of pure confusion, his brows furrowed as his gaze wandered to where Yoruichi was now. He blinked, as if trying to confirm that it had really happened.

"Huh?" was all he could murmur, slowly turning to face her across the room. His mind was racing, searching for explanations. He knew he had achieved something incredible, something that had forced the legendary captain to react so drastically. However, what exactly had happened still eluded his understanding.

Yoruichi remained in position, saying nothing, but a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She knew that, even if Jin hadn't reached her, what he had shown was impressive — and dangerous.

'This boy... he's truly on the verge of something big.'

The tension in the air was palpable, each person present feeling the weight of the moment, still trying to process the unfolding events.

'Nano, she...'

[Analyzing...]

The response came almost immediately as Jin watched Yoruichi leaning against the wall, still catching her breath.

[Yoruichi Shihoin used her Flash Step at 100% capacity. The likely reason is the feeling of being cornered during the confrontation.]

Jin blinked a few times, absorbing the information.

'She used 100%? Against me? It can't be...' His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He knew he had improved significantly during the test, but he had never imagined he could pressure someone like Yoruichi to the point where she would resort to her maximum speed.

His gaze shifted from Yoruichi to the floor, reflecting on the magnitude of what had just happened.

Here is the translation of the passage into English:

"If she needed all of this to escape... Then that means..." Jin couldn't finish his thought, as something within him seemed to awaken—a flash of confidence mixed with a burning desire to keep evolving.

On the other side of the room, Yoruichi was watching him intently. Her golden eyes gleamed, evaluating the young man before her.

'He managed that in such a short time. If he keeps going like this...' She didn't finish her train of thought, but she knew Jin was different.

Unfortunately, time ran out, ending the test for Jin. Like the others, he also failed.

However, the defeat didn't seem to shake the young Shinigami. In fact, as he walked back to the center of the room, a smile appeared on his face. He didn't need a technical victory to feel accomplished. The simple realization that, for a fleeting moment, he had forced Yoruichi Shihoin, the legendary Flash Goddess, to use 100% of her speed was more significant than any formal approval.

'I didn't just reach it... I pressured her,' Jin thought, as his heart raced—not from physical effort, but from the excitement of a personal achievement. The idea that he had made someone of such caliber use everything she had motivated him even more.

Yoruichi, now at the center of the room, wiped the sweat from her forehead with a small smile on her face. "This kid... He has potential. It's not just raw talent; it's an insane determination that pushes him beyond the limit. He could become something dangerous, but also incredibly formidable."

The other students watched, confused and incredulous, unable to understand how someone who had technically "failed" the test seemed so radiant. But for Jin, that feeling of personal victory was far more valuable than any external recognition.

He positioned himself next to Aizen, who looked at him in an unreadable way. "You seem satisfied, even though you lost," Aizen remarked in a neutral tone.

"I lost, but I achieved something no one else here could," Jin replied, with a calm confidence in his voice. "Sometimes, Aizen-san, victories aren't in the final result, but in the path we take."

Aizen merely raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Deep down, he knew Jin was right — and that bothered him more than he wanted to admit.