A New Kidō: Sealing Meridians and Intercepting Spirits

Bam!

The heavy blade slammed into the ground, and a powerful burst of Reiatsu exploded outward, sending countless bricks, tiles, and stones flying. Behind it, Reiatsu as heavy as a boulder surged toward Kyōsuke Kuchiki like a wave!

Kiganjō did have some real skill, or he wouldn't have become a captain.

After his Bankai, a single attack produced a slash of Reiatsu more than half a meter wide, destroying everything in its path!

In Shikai, his blade could cut through anything, but after Bankai, not only the edge and body of the blade, but even the sword energy released by his Zanpakuto had the power to kill anything it touched.

"How about it? Can you block this one, brat?!"

The smile on Kiganjō's face turned vicious, and his eyes reddened slightly.

Having learned his lesson, he didn't underestimate his opponent this time. He focused entirely on what lay ahead, his greatsword poised to strike the moment a figure appeared.

"Bombard and roar, Dijiang!" Facing Kiganjō at full power, Kyōsuke Kuchiki finally released his Shikai.

His Reiatsu burst forth.

In the blink of an eye, it scattered all of Kiganjō's killing intent and Reiatsu that had spread toward him.

But as soon as the outburst ended, Kyōsuke's Reiatsu vanished without a trace.

Kyōsuke himself vanished along with it.

Whoosh!

Just as Kiganjō had expected, the dust and mist before him stirred violently, and a figure suddenly darted out. He was so fast that he kicked up a gust of wind, reaching Kiganjō in an instant.

A boundless chill swept over Kiganjō, and before they even clashed, his back was already drenched in cold sweat.

But that only sharpened his senses. He poured all his spiritual power into the Zanpakuto in his hand in an instant, stepped forward, and swung his greatsword with all his might!

Boom!

The Reiatsu coiled around the blade erupted, turning into a broad, thick slash of sword energy that streaked forward!

At such close range, it swallowed the figure before him in the blink of an eye!

Got him!

Kiganjō's eyes widened, and he was overcome with wild joy.

His nerves, which had been taut just moments ago, relaxed slightly.

But at that very moment... the figure that should have been swallowed by the sword energy appeared again!

Not in front of Kiganjō, but behind him!

Yoruichi Shihōin froze at the sight.

As a spectator, she could see the fight far more clearly than Kiganjō.

Just now, Kyōsuke's figure, like an insubstantial ghost, had made an exaggerated spinning turn halfway there, nimbly avoided the sword energy, and arrived behind Kiganjō without a sound!

Was that... Shunpo?

No, that's not right. It seemed different somehow!

At the very least, the speed of that twisting spin was even faster than Shunpo!

And it even seemed possible to attack while using Shunpo.

Yoruichi Shihōin was indeed worthy of the title "Flash Goddess."

She immediately saw that the Shunpo Kyōsuke used was different from everyone else's.

And that was indeed the case.

Senka!

What Kyōsuke used was precisely this form of Shunpo with a special spin added.

It allowed him to circle behind an enemy in an instant at tremendous speed and from a bizarre angle, then strike swiftly.

Because the Shunpo and slash were executed at the same time, it was speed taken to the extreme.

As a result, even a captain might not be able to react in time.

It would be at least several years before Byakuya Kuchiki learned this move, but as things stood, no one had ever used or even seen this kind of Shunpo!

What's more, when Kyōsuke attacked, he first released his Reiatsu, then concealed it.

The violent fluctuation in Reiatsu would blind an enemy's spiritual senses.

Thus, neither the naked eye nor the mind's eye could catch Kyōsuke's movements.

That made his Senka even more terrifying and harder to evade than Byakuya's.

Kiganjō, who had been overjoyed only a moment ago, immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Yoruichi Shihōin...

Why was that woman looking behind him?

Could it be... damn it!

Just then, Kiganjō felt that familiar pain in his back again.

Did I get hit again?

I got hit in Shikai, and I'm still getting hit after Bankai. Didn't I use Bankai for nothing?

Chapter 46: A New Kidō, Sealing Meridians and Intercepting Spirits

After that slash, Kyōsuke immediately leaped back.

In fact, while in Shikai, he only needed to use Dijiang's active ability to kill Kiganjō instantly.

He had refrained from doing so to keep that trump card hidden.

A mere Kiganjō wasn't worth exposing his strongest killing move.

Feeling a chill and a stab of pain in his back, Kiganjō roared and twisted at the waist, spinning his body and sending the enormous blade whirling madly.

The sword energy and Reiatsu scattered in every direction, forming a terrifying net of blades that cut through everything.

"It's useless!"

"A few little tricks... you think that's enough to beat me?"

"My Reiatsu increased severalfold after Bankai. Even if I stood here and let you cut me, you couldn't do a damn thing to me!"

Seeing his ultimate attack, executed with all his strength, miss once again, Kiganjō shouted in rage through gritted teeth.

His Zanpakuto possessed the ability to kill in a single blow, whether in Shikai or Bankai.

Even a Captain-level Soul Reaper would suffer grievous injuries from the slightest touch of its blade or sword energy.

Yet such a powerful ability had been rendered useless against this bastard brat.

For some reason, his opponent kept dodging the killing blows he had been certain would land.

Even Gosuke hadn't been this hard to kill back then. After Bankai, Kiganjō had finished him with one slash.

Why was this brat so hard to deal with?

"Kiganjō, it's over. I've already taken care of you."

Kyōsuke looked confident.

"You posturing bastard, don't think you can fool me!"

Once again, Kiganjō unleashed his violent Reiatsu, preparing to blast Kyōsuke to pieces once and for all.

But something strange happened!

Not only did the Reiatsu he released fail to suppress Kyōsuke's presence, it kept fading and weakening, as though something invisible were canceling it out!

What's going on?!

A little panicked, Kenpachi Kiganjō couldn't help swallowing. He hurriedly withdrew his Reiatsu, and the look he gave Kyōsuke grew strange.

Ever since he started fighting this brat, one strange thing had happened after another!

First, he couldn't land a single cut, and now... even his Reiatsu was acting strangely!

Looking at the panic on Kiganjō's face, Kyōsuke remained calm.

"I told you, I've already dealt with you."

As he spoke, spiritual power burst from his fingertips.

It turned into strands of golden light that flashed through the air, forming golden characters that radiated a mysterious aura.

This was a brand-new talisman of the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art—the Meridian-Sealing and Spirit-Intercepting Technique!

Kyōsuke had developed it by improving upon the talismans of his predecessors, specifically to seal Reiatsu.

Kyōsuke's earlier attacks, which had seemed to have little effect, had actually been preparations for this move.

Once struck by this talisman, the Reiatsu in one's body would be sealed by a barrier-like force.

For Kiganjō, who knew nothing about Kidō, it was a sure kill.

With sufficient preparation, the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art at 95% proficiency was enough to seal Kiganjō even in Bankai.

Another new, self-created Kidō?!

Everyone froze at the sight.

How long had it even been?!

How did he already have another new move?!

Was Kyōsuke Kuchiki dealing in Kidō wholesale?

Nearby, Tessai Tsukabishi's eyes widened in shock, his expression almost turning vacant.

"H-how is that possible..."

"That's not scientific..."

He couldn't help muttering to himself.

How many more new tricks did this Vice Kidō Chief have that I don't know about?

For an instant, Tessai even began to suspect something!

Could it be that Kyōsuke Kuchiki had created so many Kidō of his own that he already had an entire system?

Otherwise, that way of using them was simply unheard of!

Unfortunately, before he could think further, the golden characters in front of Kyōsuke sprang into motion!

As fast as snakes slithering through a forest, they whooshed through the air and darted toward Kenpachi Kiganjō!

"What is that?!"

Startled, Kenpachi Kiganjō nevertheless didn't dodge.

They were just a few characters, and they didn't give off much of a dangerous aura. As captain of the 11th Division, he wouldn't back down over something like that!

And just as he had thought, the incoming golden characters didn't give off the slightest threatening aura. They merely landed on his skin, then vanished.

Forget attacking him—they didn't even feel as itchy as a mosquito bite!

Some self-created Kidō. He talked it up so much, but it was just a useless move!

A cocky grin spread across Kenpachi Kiganjō's face, and he was about to mock him.

But at that moment, his entire body suddenly stiffened!

...No, something's wrong!

His brows drew sharply together, and Kenpachi Kiganjō gripped his Zanpakuto and swung it hard!

Apart from a light breeze, nothing happened.

His heart gave a violent jolt, and threads of cold erupted from within him.

Cold sweat poured down his back, slowly soaking his Soul Reaper uniform. Kiganjō's palm was also slick with sweat, and he could barely hold on to his Zanpakuto.

But he had no time to care about such trifles. He hurriedly stirred his Reiatsu, as though trying to prove something.

Only a few seconds later, his face twisted into an expression of utter astonishment, his eyes widening so far that their sockets seemed ready to tear!

"Th-this... how is this possible?!"