Chapter 60: Tempering
CLANG—
Suoh Tsukasa's Asauchi collided violently with the serpent-tailed Hollow's massive claw. A visible shockwave of spiritual pressure exploded outward from the point of impact, sending stones and dust flying in all directions.
The piercing sound of metal meeting metal thundered through the air as sparks erupted from where blade met claw, shooting out in every direction.
"Impossible! How did your spiritual pressure suddenly become so much stronger?!"
The serpent-tailed Hollow's crimson pupils contracted sharply. The scene of torn flesh and spraying blood it had anticipated never materialized.
A powerful recoil traveled up from its claw tips, leaving its entire arm slightly numb.
This black-haired youth's spiritual pressure was completely different from what it had sensed before.
Shinigami, like Hollows, relied on the spiritual power within their bodies to fight.
Generally speaking, it was difficult to control the release of one's spiritual pressure during combat.
Like a dam releasing water—once the flow began, the fierce current would naturally widen the opening, flowing faster and becoming harder to restrain.
As spiritual power flowed more intensely during battle, the overflowing spiritual pressure would naturally strengthen, and its consumption would become increasingly uncontrolled.
However, Suoh, with his masterful control techniques, had long surpassed this crude level.
He could completely stabilize his spiritual pressure during engagement, maintaining it at just slightly stronger than his two companions.
Spiritual pressure strength was the easiest deception in combat.
This wasn't just Suoh habitually concealing himself—it was a deliberately designed disguise before battle.
Using the collision's force, Suoh drifted back several meters, standing ready with his blade.
His expression remained calm, but beneath those black eyes, an unnamed emotion slowly awakened.
A thrilling excitement began spreading quietly beneath the surface of his tranquil heart.
"Average speed, decent strength."
He lightly flexed his wrist. That block had given him a clearer understanding of this serpent-tailed Hollow's power.
Unlike usual practice sessions where teachers adjusted to match him, today the initiative was completely in his hands.
"Is this all you've got?"
Suoh looked at the uncertain serpent-tailed Hollow, casually extending his left index finger forward and beckoning mockingly.
The gesture was contemptuous, his gaze placid as water. The provocation seemed crude but was undeniably effective.
The thread of reason in the serpent-tailed Hollow's mind snapped instantly.
"I'll tear your body apart and swallow you piece by piece! Brat!"
The serpent-tailed Hollow roared in fury, completely abandoning its remaining caution.
Its massive body erupted with even stronger spiritual pressure, charging at Suoh again with crushing, maddened momentum.
Claws, tail, and gaping maw all became lethal weapons, attacking without technique, relying purely on raw physical power in the most primal savage assault.
Claws tore through air, the serpent tail swept and lashed. Suoh's figure weaved nimbly through the dense attacks.
The Asauchi in his hand seemed alive, each block precisely targeting the weak points in his opponent's attacks.
While minimizing impact, he didn't forget to leave wounds on the serpent-tailed Hollow's body.
The harsh clashing of metal rang out continuously, sparks illuminating his serene face behind the blade's light.
On the battlefield's flanks, Takahashi Kenta and Kawada Taichi were locked in fierce combat with two small Hollows.
Kawada Taichi's situation was relatively stable, but Takahashi Kenta clearly struggled against the single-eyed Hollow's vicious assault, his spiritual pressure fluctuating erratically.
"Hadō Number Four: Byakurai."
During a dodge, white lightning shot from Suoh's fingertip, piercing through the single-eyed Hollow's rear Achilles tendon just as it prepared to strike.
"GAAH—!"
The single-eyed Hollow collapsed to its knees in pain. Takahashi Kenta seized this precious opportunity, immediately rallying to swing his blade.
The situation instantly reversed. The single-eyed Hollow could only desperately defend, its earlier arrogance completely gone.
"He still has energy to spare for others?!"
Seeing Suoh had attention to spare for his companions' battles, completely disregarding it, this direct humiliation pushed the serpent-tailed Hollow's rage to its limit.
It suddenly opened its mouth and inhaled deeply, its chest heaving violently as spiritual pressure surged. Purple-black venom gathered into a sphere in its throat.
SPLAT—
The venom sprayed out like torrential rain, shooting toward Suoh from all directions.
"Bakudō Number Thirty-Nine: Enkōsen!"
Suoh's expression unchanged, he pointed.
A spinning circular spirit shield appeared instantly, blocking all the deadly venom and creating a cloud of acrid white smoke.
Using the moment when poisonous smoke obscured both their vision, the serpent-tailed Hollow's massive body had already advanced, its claws sweeping down with fierce wind.
The sharp claw wind tore through the white smoke, completely shattering the spirit shield, but the space behind was already empty.
The serpent-tailed Hollow turned its head in alarm, only to see Suoh had somehow circled to its side, blade aimed at its waist.
"Tatsumaki Sen!"
SLASH—
A long gash suddenly opened from the serpent-tailed Hollow's waist to its neck, blood spraying everywhere.
"Ugh..."
The massive body shuddered violently, the intense pain forcing out a muffled grunt.
It was beginning to fear.
Blood flowing, wounds multiplying, spiritual pressure weakening—terror gradually spread from within.
In its long hunting career, it had fought Shinigami before.
But none had been as troublesome and terrifying as this youth—his defense was flawless, without a single opening.
Every attack was easily neutralized, only adding new wounds to itself.
Doubt in its mind made its assault less committed. It began unconsciously focusing on blocking and dodging.
It tried to create distance from Suoh, but that figure followed like a ghost, each step landing at the most uncomfortable point in its retreat rhythm.
Forcing it to halt its backward momentum, forcing it to face that cold blade directly.
CLANG—
SLASH—
The sounds of blocking and blade cutting flesh alternated.
The serpent-tailed Hollow felt like meat pressed against a cutting board, being carved alive piece by piece.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
The serpent-tailed Hollow roared like a cornered beast, its voice distorted by fear.
A trapped beast still fights, but pain and weakness slowed its movement, deforming its offense and defense.
After several exchanges of blade and claw, Suoh understood clearly—this weakened beast had no more value.
"Ryūtsui Sen!"
Suoh's figure flashed before the serpent-tailed Hollow, his blade tip swinging down from its apex.
The serpent-tailed Hollow had no time to react, only seeing a blur.
Without any grand display, only a silver flash condensed to its extreme, swiftly passing across its pale mask, across its massive body.
The serpent-tailed Hollow's massive form froze in place. It unconsciously looked down at its chest.
Everything that had happened flashed rapidly through its mind.
The black-haired youth's calm gaze at their first meeting, rather than the nervous wariness of an ambush victim.
Its own loss of control after being provoked, the helplessness of attacks being easily neutralized, and his casual support of companions while handling it with ease.
These inconsistencies—it should have noticed.
It never imagined that after escaping Shinigami pursuit for over a decade, it would fall to this seemingly ordinary youth.
With deep unwillingness and regret, in the next moment, a hair-thin black line appeared down the center of the serpent-tailed Hollow's mask.
Then its head, neck, and torso split neatly in two along that black trajectory.
The two halves silently slid apart, dissolving into spirit particles before fully hitting the ground, dispersing into the night.
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