However, Yamamoto didn't have time to be shocked. To prevent Toshiro from seizing the opportunity to continue attacking, he immediately used Shunpo to create distance between them. His speed was not much slower than Toshiro's, which felt incongruous with his aged appearance.
Only then did Yamamoto have time to glance at his haori with its torn opening and the wound on his body.
Since Yamamoto dodged in time, Toshiro's attack didn't cause much damage. Aside from the torn haori, the wound on his body wasn't deep… it looked like a minor cut from a small knife, not affecting the battle.
Even so, Yamamoto couldn't hide his inner astonishment.
"I... was actually injured?!" Yamamoto said, somewhat incredulous.
"A thousand years... This is the first time I've been injured in a thousand years!" Yamamoto said gravely.
Since his battle with Yhwach a millennium ago, this was the first injury Yamamoto had sustained in all these years, even if it was only a negligible wound.
Before this battle, Yamamoto wasn't unprepared for injury.
After all, Toshiro was an existence of the same level. Although Yamamoto's accumulated strength far surpassed Toshiro's, Toshiro's combat prowess had always been exceptionally formidable.
So Yamamoto understood that while his chances of winning were greater than Toshiro's, winning without a single scratch was impossible.
But what Yamamoto didn't expect was being injured so quickly.
After all, the battle had only just begun. They hadn't even released their Zanpakuto, and the previous combat was merely a warm-up at most.
Yet, after his initial shock, Yamamoto actually smiled. "Well done. Truly worthy of being my chosen successor as Captain-Commander, to have injured me so quickly."
Seeing Yamamoto's genuinely pleased expression after being cut by him, Toshiro couldn't help but feel speechless.
Then Yamamoto asked, "Toshiro, what was that just now? Although your speed is fast, you dodged before my attack even arrived, as if you predicted my strike."
"That's right. I did predict your attack earlier, which is why I dodged before it hit," Toshiro admitted frankly.
"Oh? Prediction? A truly remarkable ability!" Yamamoto exclaimed in admiration.
"Well, it's a new ability I awakened after my recent breakthrough. So that was actually the first time I used it. But judging by the result, it's indeed a very powerful ability," Toshiro said without false modesty.
"However... if you think just this is enough to defeat me, that would be too naive," Yamamoto said gravely.
With that, Yamamoto's figure flickered, and he charged at Toshiro again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two clashed once more.
This time, however, Yamamoto was clearly on guard. Even relying on the Dragon's Eye, Toshiro couldn't injure Yamamoto again.
In this engagement, Yamamoto didn't use intricate or complex techniques. Every move was extremely simple, giving a sense of returning to basics, to the essence.
Although Toshiro could still see through Yamamoto's moves and launch counterattacks, Yamamoto held back some reserve during combat. The moment Toshiro counterattacked, Yamamoto could promptly retract his previous move and bring his sword up to block.
Toshiro's speed was slightly faster than Yamamoto's, but not overwhelmingly so. Thus, he still couldn't gain the upper hand.
The battle reached a stalemate again.
"Alright, let's end the warm-up here. Continuing like this is meaningless," Yamamoto suddenly stopped and said.
"So... let the real battle begin now! Toshiro!!" Yamamoto declared solemnly.
"You're right," Toshiro nodded.
"Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
"All Things in the Universe, Turn to Ashes, Ryujin Jakka!"
Toshiro and Yamamoto simultaneously released their Shikai.
Then, Yamamoto sheathed his Zanpakuto again.
"Soryu!"
Yamamoto shouted, then, like an iaijutsu draw, unsheathed his sword once more. The moment his Zanpakuto left the scabbard, a massive tornado of flames instantly spun towards Toshiro.
Roar!
At that moment, an earth-shaking dragon's roar erupted. A frost dragon, dozens of meters long, coalesced from Toshiro's Reiatsu. After unleashing a mighty roar, it surged towards Yamamoto's flaming tornado.
Boom!
The ice dragon and fire dragon collided instantly, producing a deafening explosion.
An incredibly powerful shockwave then radiated in all directions.
Toshiro and Yamamoto's expressions changed, and they both retreated simultaneously.
The chilling ice dragon and the all-consuming fire dragon clashed, mutually eroding each other, until finally, both vanished into nothingness.
Once everything calmed down, Toshiro chose to take the offensive.
[Shunkuho!]
Toshiro's figure flickered and vanished. In the next instant, he appeared behind Yamamoto and slashed down at him.
Detecting Toshiro behind him, Yamamoto showed no panic, not even turning his head.
"Ennetsu Jigoku!"
Yamamoto uttered a soft command. A ring of flames suddenly appeared, encircling his body. Then, as Toshiro attacked from behind, the flames around Yamamoto abruptly contracted before instantly exploding.
Boom!
The explosion's shockwave instantly surged towards Toshiro.
Toshiro's pupils contracted… at such close range, evasion was impossible.
"Vacuum Ice Wall!"
A circular ice wall instantly formed in front of Toshiro. He immediately retreated.
The moment the ice wall formed, the explosive shockwave washed over it.
After holding for a moment, Toshiro's Vacuum Ice Wall melted under the shockwave.
However, Toshiro had already seized the chance to retreat to a distance, so he sustained no injury.
'That was close!' Toshiro, now far away, couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
At such close range, if Toshiro had been directly hit by Yamamoto's explosive flames, even with his robust physique, he definitely would have been injured.