“Captain Isshin, it’s time for you to show what you’ve got.
Go for it!” Yanagawa said with a relaxed tone, even carrying a hint of encouragement.
Isshin Shiba nearly stumbled upon hearing this.
He took a moment to turn his head and glare at Yanagawa, who was standing at the edge of the battlefield with his arms crossed, watching the fight.
His voice sounded particularly frustrated amidst the howling wind:
“Huh?!
I go in?
Then what about you?!
Yanagawa!
Don’t just stand there watching the show!
This was your idea!”
Facing Isshin’s “accusation,” Yanagawa remained expressionless and responded in a tone that was both matter-of-fact and slightly perfunctory:
“Don’t worry, I’ll assist you when the situation calls for it.”
“Assist?” Isshin continued to shout.
“How will you assist?
By cheering me on with your eyes?!”
“Tactical observation is also a very important form of assistance.
I am currently analyzing this golden power.
You just need to attack freely, apply pressure, and force it to reveal more of itself.”
Isshin: “…”
He finally understood.
This guy, Yanagawa, was purely using the pretext of observation and analysis to push him, a ready-made Captain-level fighter, to the front line.
Since he was there taking the hits, Yanagawa was naturally happy to be idle, hiding in the back to safely collect data and study the opponent.
“You guy…
fine, you win!”
Isshin gritted his teeth, smashed another surprise ice spike, and cursed Yanagawa countless times in his heart.
But complaining aside, he knew what Yanagawa said made sense.
Right now, Hyōrinmaru was in a chaotic, berserk state, knowing only how to attack wildly.
Close-quarters combat was high-risk, and someone really needed to be at the front to engage it head-on, creating opportunities for observation and finding openings.
“Fine!
I’ll play the laborer for once!”
Isshin steeled himself, no longer expecting Yanagawa to enter the fray immediately.
Hyōrinmaru missed its strike and seemed provoked, or perhaps it was forcibly channeling more power.
Its feet, covered in icy dragon claws, sank slightly, the blizzard around it intensified instantly, and more sharp icicles condensed in the air.
“Tsk, looks like I have no choice but to fight!”
He stepped forward, his right hand firmly pressing onto the hilt of the Zanpakutō at his waist.
Just as the next wave of icicles was about to shoot in like a torrential rain, a sharp gleam erupted in Isshin’s eyes.
“Burn—”
Boom!
A searing Reiatsu, like a long-suppressed volcano, erupted from within Isshin!
This Reiatsu was domineering and scorching, instantly dispelling the chill near his body and even melting the frozen ground beneath his feet, leaving a ring of scorched marks.
It formed a stark, intense, and irreconcilable collision with Hyōrinmaru’s freezing Reiatsu that could freeze all things, and the air crackled with the sizzling sound of violent Reishi conflict.
“—Engetsu!”
As the release command was completed, the form of the Zanpakutō in Isshin’s hand changed abruptly!
The blade was instantly enveloped and extended by a layer of crimson flames, condensed to the extreme and flowing like liquid.
It wasn’t burning chaotically, but rather wound and compressed in a highly orderly fashion, forming a longer, more scorching blade of fire!
Where the blade passed, the air distorted and heat waves rolled, creating a spectacle of ice and fire against the surrounding frozen world.
A fire-type Zanpakutō, Engetsu!
Naturally antagonistic to Hyōrinmaru’s ice-type, they were like fire and water!
“Hah!”
Facing the dense swarm of icicles shooting toward him like a plague of locusts, Isshin didn’t retreat but advanced.
He slashed out with the burning Engetsu, carving a scorching crescent-shaped trajectory!
“Flame Slash!”
The crimson blade aura of fire whistled out, not as scattered flames, but as a highly condensed slash, carrying a scorching will to burn everything, colliding head-on with that rain of icicles.
Sss—!
Sss-sss-sss—!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only the piercing sound of countless ice blocks being instantly vaporized by the high temperature.
Wherever the blade aura of fire passed, those sharp icicles, capable of piercing steel plates, melted and evaporated like spring snow meeting the scorching sun.
They turned into large clouds of scalding white steam, instantly filling half the battlefield and obstructing vision for a moment.
But the blade aura of fire did not lose its momentum, slashing straight toward Hyōrinmaru behind the icicles!
Hyōrinmaru seemed to loathe this scorching power, emitting a low roar.
Crackle, crackle, crackle—!
With Hyōrinmaru as the center, the ground beneath its feet, the surrounding air, and even the drifting steam instantly condensed into countless huge, magnificent ice petals.
These petals were not just for decoration; each one contained terrifying freezing energy and sharpness, layered one upon another, instantly constructing an incredibly thick, crystal-clear wall of ice flowers in front of it.
Boom!!!
The crimson blade aura of fire struck hard against the wall of ice flowers!
Searing heat and extreme cold, fire and ice crystals, two diametrically opposed and mutually restraining powers clashed and annihilated each other madly!
The ice wall shook violently, large patches of ice flowers exploded and vaporized, but subsequent ice flowers endlessly sprouted and filled the gaps.
The light of the fire blade aura dimmed rapidly, and finally, after piercing through nearly half of the ice wall, it exhausted its power and dissipated into sparks filling the sky. This story is hosted at NovelPing.
A draw!
No, perhaps given the elemental disadvantage, the fact that Isshin’s fire slash could break through Hyōrinmaru’s defense already demonstrated its power.
“Good one!
That’s got some kick!”
Isshin laughed aloud, showing no fear, his fighting spirit only rising higher.
His figure flashed, and Engetsu, trailing scorching flames, charged actively toward Hyōrinmaru!
As the Captain of Squad 10, Isshin’s strength was definitely among the best in the Gotei 13.
His combat style was bold and unconstrained, brave and advancing, and the flames of Engetsu granted him unparalleled offensive and explosive power.
“Flame Fang · Thrust!”
While in mid-air, Isshin gripped Engetsu with both hands, tip pointing forward, his whole body and Zanpakutō seemingly melting into one, transforming into a crimson meteor of fire, crashing straight toward the not-yet-fully-repaired wall of ice flowers!
This time, it was an extreme point-based breakthrough!
“Flock of Ice Pillars!”
The remaining wall of ice flowers exploded, actively shattering into countless sharp ice pillars, flexible as a swarm of bees, covering the sky and descending upon Isshin, who had transformed into a meteor of fire!
The tip of every ice pillar glinted with a cold light capable of freezing Reishi.
Attack against attack!
“Well done!”
Isshin roared, his sprinting speed not slowing in the slightest.
The flames on Engetsu in his hand suddenly contracted inward, the color shifting from crimson to a nearly scorching white, bright blue, the temperature soaring once again!
He swung Engetsu, dancing it into a wheel of scorching white light.
The scorching white light wheel, like a small sun, crashed into the dense swarm of ice pillars!
The sizzling sounds were continuous, ice pillars were constantly vaporized, but there were simply too many, one after another.
The rotation speed of the scorching white light wheel began to slow, and its light began to dim.
Finally, after vaporizing most of the ice pillars, the light wheel dissipated.
Isshin’s figure walked out from the steam filling the sky, looking slightly disheveled.
After landing, he slid back several steps before steadying himself.
He was covered in a bit of frost, but his eyes remained as sharp as fire.
The ice pillars were also completely lost.
In the first round of head-on confrontation, neither side had gained much of an advantage.
“Whew…
This guy, still so troublesome even after losing its mind.”
Isshin shook his slightly numb arm, the flames on Engetsu stabilizing back to crimson.
He could feel that Hyōrinmaru’s power level was extremely high, and its control over ice was superb.
If his own strength hadn’t been solid, he probably would have suffered in that last exchange.
Moreover, the opponent seemed to have no idea about conserving Reiatsu or employing tactics, just attacking wildly based on instinct.