(T/N: Third Chapter!)
Miyamoto Tetsuya controlled over a dozen Reishi Shells, all of which simultaneously unleashed Sōren Sōkatsui.
A wave of over thirty blue spiritual firebombs engulfed the entire room in a blaze of destruction.
When the smoke and dust began to clear, Miyamoto saw that over half the lab's glass tanks had been destroyed.
The loss stung—those Reishi Shells had cost him considerable resources to cultivate.
"But if I can capture Katori Nanatsuki, the loss will be worth it," he murmured, suppressing his excitement as he searched for any sign of Nanatsuki.
But then a silhouette emerged from the smoke—Miyamoto's expression tightened.
Nanatsuki stood exactly where he had been before. The blasts hadn't harmed him at all—not even his clothes were singed.
He had slipped into Shadow Space before the blast hit.
Inside Shadow Space, shadows were omnipresent. Nanatsuki could dodge wide-range attacks at any moment simply by merging with them.
Unless Miyamoto's Reiatsu was strong enough to destroy the Shadow Space itself, Nanatsuki was virtually untouchable.
"Your attack didn't work," Nanatsuki said calmly.
"Hiding in shadows, huh... what a troublesome ability." Miyamoto's analytical mind quickly grasped how Nanatsuki had evaded his attack.
He paused for just a moment—then changed tactics.
"Then I'll just beat you in close combat, before you can disappear again!"
The Reishi Shells that had been partially damaged by Sōren Sōkatsui began to swell—wounds bubbling with regenerated flesh as their bodies rapidly matured.
In just a few breaths, over a dozen adolescent Reishi Shells had become full-grown adults.
Nanatsuki's eyes narrowed—his suspicions were correct. Miyamoto Tetsuya had indeed developed a technique to accelerate spiritual body growth.
But judging from their unstable forms, this accelerated method must come with severe side effects. These Shells wouldn't last long.
"Take him down!" Miyamoto ordered.
"You think this rabble can stop me?"
Electric arcs danced across Nanatsuki's body and blade as he flashed forward.
He wasn't about to get tangled in a prolonged fight with these regenerating puppets—take down the head, and the body would fall.
With a single slash, two Reishi Shells lost their heads.
A quick sidestep, a kick—a Shell's chest caved in under the force, sending its body hurtling backward into two more, knocking them to the floor.
Nanatsuki leapt lightly, crushing another Shell's skull underfoot—and in the next instant, he was face-to-face with Miyamoto.
None of the Shells could stop him.
Raising his black blade, Nanatsuki struck down from above, cleaving into Miyamoto's shoulder.
Splurt! Blood sprayed like a fountain.
The strike was powerful—Miyamoto's shoulder was torn open, nearly severing his arm.
But Nanatsuki didn't follow through. He quickly retreated instead.
Because something was wrong.
His arms began to swell, bulging unnaturally beneath the skin.
Large lumps appeared and split open into twitching tumors.
Nanatsuki sensed these growths siphoning his Reiatsu.
Without hesitation, he summoned a Reiatsu Blade to his fingertip and cleanly sliced off each tumor.
In just a few moments, his hands were left with several deep, bleeding holes.
"You're quite skilled," Miyamoto observed with interest.
"I heard your Kaidō skills were impressive, but I didn't expect you to be so accomplished across so many fields in just a decade. Truly fascinating."
Nanatsuki had severed the tumors with surgical precision—cutting only what was necessary and leaving healthy flesh untouched. That wasn't just swordsmanship—it required deep understanding of spiritual anatomy.
"So this is your Zanpakutō's ability… those invisible things surrounding you," Nanatsuki said as green Kaidō light began to heal his hands.
That brief clash had revealed to him that some unseen force hovered around Miyamoto.
These invisible organisms triggered unnatural tissue growth on contact—causing tumors to rapidly form on Nanatsuki's skin.
What made it worse was that the tumors grew by consuming Nanatsuki's own Reiatsu.
"A nasty ability. But I'm guessing it has a limited range," Nanatsuki reasoned.
"Those Shells you control—their regeneration comes from this, too."
When he had stayed further back earlier, nothing had happened to his body.
"Correct. Sharp as expected," Miyamoto smiled with regret.
"It's a shame you tried to kill me so quickly. If only you'd played with my 'Tumor' a little longer."
Small, round spheres began to float around Miyamoto—each one a few centimeters in diameter, with bumpy, spore-like surfaces.
"This is my Zanpakutō—Akuryū." ("Malignant Tumor")
"That shouldn't be your Zanpakutō's ability," Nanatsuki frowned.
He had already reviewed Miyamoto's file with Hikifune Kirio.
According to the Twelfth Division records, Miyamoto's Zanpakutō was similar to that of Kuchiki Sōjun and Kuchiki Byakuya—it fragmented into countless particles to crush enemies through manipulation.
A physical-type, not something that caused cancerous growth.
"I modified it. I gave Akuryū new abilities: invisibility, and the ability to inject chemicals," Miyamoto said, without the slightest hesitation. He believed victory was already his—Nanatsuki wouldn't escape this time.
"Though its range is still limited in Shikai form, I have a solution for that."
He spread his arms wide and laughed maniacally:
"Bankai—Akuryū Zōsei!" (Malignant Tumor: Proliferation)