Chapter 57
"Hello."
Byakuya slapped Gyōkaku Kumoi was still in a daze, awake.
"!!"
"There are plenty of places over there for meditation."
Byakuya squinted and gave a thumbs-up to the audience with impatience.
Don't waste our time.
"You?"
Without resistance, Gyōkaku Kumoi was pushed aside by Byakuya.
"Class representative, weren't you just competing in this too?"
While the two were talking, Haruto had already arrived at the opposite side of the training ground.
After Class 6-1 entered, the younger students quickly finished their competitions, clearing the field.
"He... wants to have a match with you?"
"Otherwise what?"
"..."
Gyōkaku Kumoi finally realized that his choice of opponent was indeed a huge mistake.
As a high-ranking nobleman, Kasumioji knew all too well the strength of the direct heirs of great noble families.
Let alone the fact that Gyōkaku Kumoi is merely the son of a retainer, even the current head of the family wouldn't dare say he could easily defeat Byakuya.
"I see."
Gyōkaku Kumoi, being very sensible, stepped aside.
His visit to the Shin'ō Academy was merely a whim or a matter of interest; if he offended the Four Great Noble Clans...
Even if his father dotes on Gyōkaku Kumoi, whether he would actually protect him is another matter.
――――
"Is it done?"
In the empty training ground, Byakuya spoke to Haruto was still shaking his wrist.
"How about we have Mutsuki- sensei set up a few defensive Bakudō first?"
"There's no need."
Byakuya decisively rejected Haruto's request.
"It seems you're not planning to use large-scale Kidō... and you don't intend for me to succeed in using it."
Haruto said with a smile.
"Forget the platitudes."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Byakuya quickly reverted to his aloof demeanor.
Whether I answer yes or no, the outcome won't change much.
Byakuya placed his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, assuming a posture ready to enter battle.
"It seems you've made quite a bit of progress in the past two weeks. You didn't mention that when we chatted before. Are you planning to surprise me?"
You'll see once you try.
"... That's true."
Haruto appeared as nonchalant as ever, but in reality, he was on high alert.
At the same time.
Teacher Mutsuki withdrew her gaze from the two of them and raised the gold coin that Byakuya had handed her before entering the arena.
"Prepare--"
"Start!"
"Bite!"
In that instant when human voices and metallic sounds overlapped.
"Whoosh!"
"Bakudo #73: Tōzanshō!"
The sound of Shunpo overlapped with the incantation of a high-level Bakudō.
"Clang!!"
Flames and fragments of Reiatsu scattered and flew across the training ground.
Byakuya's Zanpakuto tip collided violently with the light blue triangular shield that Haruto had opened in his palm!
"Senka?"
"Tōzanshō?"
The students present had no idea what had happened. Even Mutsuki, who also possessed the Shunpo, only managed to catch a glimpse of Byakuya's afterimage.
However.
Haruto, who hadn't fully mastered Shunpo, not only kept up with Byakuya's pace but even successfully blocked his attack.
"When did you learn that?" x2
The two asked almost simultaneously.
"Senka"
One of the Shihoin Secret Techniques: Advanced Shunpo Technique.
By using a special Shunpo, the user rotates their body while dashing forward, combining movement and attack into a single move, ending the battle instantly by piercing the target's Hakusui from behind.
"Tōzanshō"
The barrier-type three-dimensional defensive Kidō, with a number as high as 73, is enough to prove its performance as a high-level Bakudō.
"You had a very fruitful holiday, and of course I wasn't idle either."
"Since my greatest strength is Shunpo, then I should make the most of my strengths rather than my weaknesses in Kido (Kidō)."
"I didn't expect..."
What Byakuya didn't expect was that Haruto had also made a breakthrough in the field of Shunpo: his shortcomings in speed had been improved, and at this rate, he would probably be able to master the complete version of Shunpo before graduation.
"You've been hiding something, kid. I've never heard you mention this move before."
As a proper high-level Bakudō, even with Haruto's talent, mastering the use of the Tōzanshō wouldn't be something that could be accomplished in just a couple of days—the fact that he could catch the Senka with the Eishōhaki shows that Haruto already has a considerable level of proficiency.
How could that be?
Even in the midst of the battle, Haruto had the time to shake his head.
"I only recently learned this move."
"After all, if you abandon the comprehensive protective effect of the Tōzanshō and instead focus on unidirectional defense, then this move is just a weakened version of the Dankū."
"If it weren't for the Dankū, I wouldn't be able to Eishōhaki..."
"Snap!"
Before Haruto could finish speaking, visible cracks appeared on the surface of the Tōzanshō.
"Senka also has the effect of amplifying attacks with Reiatsu?"
Even if it's a simplified version of the defense, a high-level Bakudō is still a high-level Bakudō.
The difference in Reiatsu between Haruto and Byakuya wasn't so great that using Kidō would result in being sliced to pieces by a mere blade.
"Otherwise, how could it be considered one of the Shihoin Secret Techniques?"
"... Too."
While the title of "Heavenly Bestowed Armaments Guard" is certainly impressive, the Shihoin Clan, as the controllers of the Stealth Force), have also reached the pinnacle of their research on Shunpo).
"Smack!"
As the shield formed by the Tōzanshō shattered completely—
"Looks like I won."
"No, this is the moment I've been waiting for."
—Even though the two didn't speak, their expressions revealed their inner thoughts.
"?"
Just as the shield collapsed, the Reiatsu hidden within burst forth like the explosive reactive armor of a tank towards Byakuya, who was standing right next to him!
"Bang!"
The sudden impact instantly shattered Byakuya's stance.
Haruto's Tōzanshō did indeed draw upon Dankū's experience, but he didn't say he only referenced Dankū's technique—
And there's also the Ichihara Clan's original Kidō: Kyōmon!
The trigger conditions for this move are cumbersome and complicated, but since Haruto intends to perfect it, it is naturally the best choice to start by testing "low-level" Kidō.
"Hadō #78"
Haruto, of course, wouldn't let such an obvious loophole go unnoticed.
His clenched left hand gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, and a radiant light, as bright as the blazing sun, swept towards Byakuya along with the unsheathed blade—
"Zanka no Tachi!"
"Zheng!"
Haruto didn't prepare his strength beforehand.
This time, he used a proper Eishōhaki version of the Zanka no Tachi chant.
Although the attack range remains short as always, and the damage is only 1/10 of the full version, which is barely acceptable, being able to use the Zanka no Tachi with such ease is already a huge improvement.
The Kidō Blade cleaved Byakuya's body in two.
But Haruto was not surprised at all, and he didn't even stop what he was doing for a moment.
Since Byakuya could successfully unleash Senka, there's no reason why he couldn't use the Utsusemi, which he used earlier. Not to mention that even though his body was cut in half, he didn't spit out any blood. Anyone who isn't blind can see the clues.
When dealing with Utsusemi, as long as you are prepared, the element of surprise will be greatly reduced.
"Zheng!"
Haruto, wielding the Kidō Blade, drew a crescent-shaped arc of light above his head with his upward- Zanpakuto.
Twist your waist and press down with the knife.
"Clang!!"
The two Zanpakuto clashed violently!
Utsusemi and Senka.
Byakuya, who intended to win with this move in one strike, was instantly countered by Haruto's unconventional Zanka no Tachi.
"Laugh!"
The powerful impact of the Zanka no Tachi sent Byakuya sliding backward, close to the ground.
If Haruto hadn't had slightly lower Reiatsu, Byakuya would have been hanging on the wall of the training ground right there.
But.
The distance between the two was successfully increased.
The Zanpakuto held in his left hand was sheathed again, replaced by his right hand, which had just released the Tōzanshō:
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō"
Across the distance, lightning began to gather in Byakuya's palm.
But at the same moment, Byakuya, who hadn't even regained his footing, began chanting Kidō incantation: