The Beast of Light

On this day, Kou visited Urahara Shop again.

Pushing open the glass door, I saw Urahara dozing off on the counter, his face covered by his hat. Hearing the door open, he stirred but didn't look up.

"You've arrived?"

"Um."

"Then proceed to the Dangai."

"Are you and Mr. Tsukabishi in charge of suppressing the Kōryū today?"

"Yes." Urahara pushed his hat up further. "Yoruichi is already waiting inside. Go on."

Hu walked towards the back door, went through the stairs, and pushed open the heavy iron door. Deep inside the Underground Training Ground, the Senkaimon was already open, and a dark purple halo flowed around the door frame.

He went inside.

In the gray void of the Dangai, Tsukabishi stood in the distance, her hands forming hand seals, continuously outputting Reiatsu, which froze the Kōryū of energy in a certain area. Under the suppression of the Reiatsu, the Kōryū flowed slowly, like a tamed snake.

Yoruichi stood on the edge of the Kōryū, arms crossed, her back to Amber. Her short, dark purple hair was neat and crisp, and her dark wheat-colored skin glowed with a healthy sheen in the dim light of the Dangai. She wore a tight-fitting black bodysuit that outlined her smooth muscle lines.

Hu was taken aback for a moment.

This was the first time he had ever seen Yoruichi in her human form. Most of the time, she appeared as a black cat, perched on Urahara's shoulder or lying on his head.

"What are you staring at?" Yoruichi turned around and looked at him. "Oh, are you a little surprised because it's the first time you've seen my true face?"

"So... this is the first time I've seen Yoruichi's true form. Why aren't you training in cat form today?"

"Last time in cat form was just to play around and see what problems you had." Yoruichi cracked her knuckles. "From today onwards, it's for real, so be prepared."

Amber's throat moved.

"Come on," Yoruichi beckoned to him, "Let me see if you've made any progress lately."

Kou walked to Yoruichi's side, lowered his center of gravity, Beowulf's blue light condensed on his fist.

Yoruichi did not move.

Kou made the first move. He used Shunpo) to the side and threw a punch at Yoruichi's ribs. Yoruichi dodged to the side and slapped Kou's shoulder with his backhand. Kou blocked the punch but was knocked back two steps.

"Your moves are too rigid," Yoruichi said calmly. "When you use Hakuda, you almost always attack from the same angle. Every move is predictable."

Hu gritted his teeth and charged again. This time he increased his speed, Beowulf's blue light exploded on his fist, and his fist slammed into the air, producing a muffled sonic boom.

Instead of retreating, Yoruichi charged forward, exchanging blows. Every punch from Koko was blocked, every kick was neutralized. Her movements weren't as fierce as Koko's, but they were faster and more precise, interrupting Koko's attacks before they could fully unleash their power.

"Your problem," Yoruichi said while parrying, "Is that you rely too much on reason. During a fight, your mind is always thinking—where to throw this punch, how to respond to the next move, how your opponent will react."

Hu didn't answer, but threw a punch.

Yoruichi dodged to the side and punched him in the stomach with a backhand. Hu grunted and took a few steps back.

"But in a truly intense battle, there's no time for you to think things through." Yoruichi withdrew her hand. "Your body's subconscious reactions are more effective than your brain's thinking. You need to train it well."

Hu, panting, nodded.

"Again."

This time, Yoruichi gave him no chance to breathe. She attacked relentlessly, her punches and kicks raining down. Kou blocked, dodged, and countered, but each time he was suppressed by Yoruichi.

Her attacks grew increasingly fierce, and Hu's defense became more and more strained. His mind raced—where was she going to attack? What would her next move be? But each time, his judgment was a full beat too slow.

"Stop thinking about it! Give up trying to use your rationality to counter my attack; you're not capable of that yet," Yoruichi's voice came from beside me. "Feel your most primal instincts as an animal! Unleash your wildness!"

Hu closed her eyes.

Concentration intently and operated at full power. He began to try to stop using his brain to analyze Yoruichi's moves and instead use the increased reaction speed from Concentration to let his body sense and react.

A moment later, Yoruichi jumped onto his head and slammed her palm down. Amber was slammed to the ground, his face pressed against the earth.

"Still too slow." Yoruichi landed beside him, "But it's a little better than before. At the beginning, being able to maintain this level was quite good."

Hu got up and dusted himself off. "Again."

Yoruichi looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Good."

This time, her attack was even fiercer. Hu barely had time to think, and could only rely on instinct to block, dodge, and counterattack. His movements became faster and smoother. Beowulf's blue light condensed on his fist and then exploded, each burst more violent than the last.

A hint of approval flashed in Yoruichi's eyes.

"That's the feeling. Keep it up, and try to let your body handle the battle."

Hu didn't know how long the fight had lasted.

Within the Dangai, time has no meaning. His body reacts automatically, his fists swing automatically. His mind has stopped working; only instinct remains.

Just then, he felt something strange descend upon him, gradually taking over the fight.

It was as if a wild beast that had been sleeping for a long time had suddenly been awakened.

Kou's body suddenly stiffened. Yoruichi, who was fighting him, did not expect Kou to stop suddenly and struck him with a single blow, sending Kou flying. Kou immediately got up, but his aura began to change.

Yoruichi sensed something was wrong. "Amber?"

Hu did not answer. His eyes were closed, and the white hair on his forehead shone faintly.

In the void of the Dangai, the Kōryū began to stir. Tsukabishi frowned and increased her Reiatsu output.

"What's going on?" Urahara looked at the restless Kōryū around him. These Kōryū were still held in place by the Reiatsu transmitted by Tsukabishi, but they were constantly churning, as if something was being dredged up from Kōryū.

"I don't know." Yoruichi stared at Koko. "Koko's Reiatsu is also strange... the nature of the Reishi in her hands is changing..."

Hu's body began to tremble. A phantom slowly emerged from behind him—a giant, upright, humanoid wolf, its body as massive as an iron tower, covered in short fur, with faint golden patterns emanating from its muscles. Its head was the outline of a wolf, its eyes filled with boiling golden light. Two pairs of broad, luminous wings spread from its back, the wing membranes pieced together from translucent, glowing feathers. Its lower body was that of a four-legged beast, with a bronze scorpion tail extending from its tailbone, the swollen venom sac at the end emitting a murky yellow halo. Faint dust of light drifted around its body.

This is the Beast of Light.

It was the Beowulf Armament formed from the projection of its power that, at this moment, in the Dangai, a place connecting different spaces and times, under Yoruichi's high-pressure coercion, the remaining will of its soul resonated strongly with Beowulf.

Hu opened his eyes. His pupils shimmered with a white light, burning brightly.

"Amber?" Yoruichi called out.

Hu did not answer. His body immediately activated.

Like a beam of light, he shot out. His figure vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Yoruichi the next second, throwing a punch. Beowulf's light was no longer blue, but a dazzling white. The light from the exploding fist blinded Yoruichi.

Yoruichi took a step back, but Amber's fist had already caught up.

"Damn it—" Yoruichi parried, but was knocked back several steps. Her arm was numb from the sudden attack by Amber, and her thumb and forefinger were split open.

Hu's attacks did not stop. He threw punches continuously, each punch carrying the phantom of the Beast of Light. The phantom punched in sync with him, like his shadow, yet also like his true form.

"Kisuke!" Yoruichi shouted, "What on earth is going on?!"

Urahara stood to one side, staring at Amber, his brows furrowed.

"There's a fluctuation of Zanjutsu meditation within him," Urahara said, "Perhaps something within him has been summoned. Yoruichi, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Don't interrupt him. Keep him occupied, don't break this state."

"You make it sound so easy!" Yoruichi dodged Amber's attack. "This guy's current state is on a completely different level from before!"

Before she could finish speaking, Amber's fist came hurtling towards her. Yoruichi the side, the fist grazing her cheek and sending the Heat breeze through her.

The phantom of the Beast of Light the Roar behind Amber, its eyes, burning with white flames, fixed on Yoruichi.

"Come on." Yoruichi gritted her teeth, reassuming a fighting stance. "Let me see just how crazy you can get!"

Meanwhile, in Amber's Inner World...

Amber's consciousness awoke amidst a state of chaos.

He found himself standing on the canopy of the Demon World Tree. But the sky here wasn't blue; it was a hazy gray, as if obscured by something.

"Jiku'a!" he shouted.

There was no response.

He looked around and saw a transparent barrier around him, like glass, separating Hu from this world. And below the tree canopy.

Ikkaku of the city has been eroded; buildings have collapsed, the ground is cracked, and a dark red light seeps out from the cracks.

Dilapidated stone pillars, burning flames, and a dark red sky.

Hu looked closely and saw that Jiku'a was walking towards that area.

"Jiku'a!" Amber rushed forward, but was blocked by the barrier. His hand slammed against the transparent wall, making a dull thud.

As if sensing Jiku'a's actions, Jiku'a raised his hand and drew a circle on the barrier. The circle glowed blue, forming a door. He nodded to Hu, then turned and walked towards the eroded area.

Hu took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Within the Dangai, the battle between Amber and Yoruichi continues.

The phantom of the Beast of Light had fully materialized, hovering behind Amber, its wings spread, its golden armor gleaming coldly in the dim light of the Dangai. With each punch it threw, it gradually synchronized with Amber.

Sweat beaded on Yoruichi's forehead.

In order to maintain a fighting stance and prevent Amber from being forced out of this state, she suppressed her Reiatsu output to a level similar to Amber's.

However, Amber's current state is one of greatly enhanced strength and speed, and—he has lost all rationality. Every punch he throws is an instinctive outburst, devoid of any pattern, unpredictable and incomprehensible, nothing but pure, beast-like attacks.

This even Yoruichi found troublesome.

And as time went on, the Beowulf Armament on Amber's hands and feet gradually solidified from a phantom.

Beowulf Armament —the gauntlets and leg armor—was breathing repeatedly. A pulsating, pale golden light seeped from every seam, climbing up the veins of his forearms like some kind of parasitic vine slowly tightening.

"This guy..." Yoruichi disappeared.

Her silhouette was erased by the speed, and the air behind her collapsed into a low whistle. Her right knee had already slammed into Hu's temple, leaving a white mark on her shinbone.

Suddenly, a halo of light exploded from the Beowulf leg armor on Amber's left leg. He lifted his heel, twisted, and stomped down—the ground caved in from the center of his foot, cracks spreading out in a ring, each crevice filled with surging golden light. The shockwave deflected Yoruichi's knee trajectory by three inches.

Yoruichi used the momentum, turning her deflected knee into a fulcrum, folding her body, and slashing down with her other leg from above, her heel aimed straight for the back of her neck.

Amber raised her hand, and the light patterns on her gauntlets spread from her knuckles to her wrists. With her fingers spread, the light carved five scorching marks in the air. Yoruichi's heel slammed into one of the light marks, and the collision of Reiatsu produced a muffled thunderclap across a tin roof. She was bounced up, rolled over, and landed on a section of broken wall ten meters away, crouching like a night bird.

Hu caught up. His figure flickered within the Dangai, white light intertwining with the Kōryū.

As Yoruichi's tiger's mouth split open, drops of blood fell into the void of the Dangai, where they were swallowed by the Kōryū.

"Kisuke!" she called out, "Isn't it ready yet!"

Urahara stared at Koya without saying a word.

Sweat beaded on Tsukabishi's forehead. He continued to exert his Reiatsu to stabilize the Kōryū, but the Reiatsu fluctuations emanating from Hū were growing stronger and stronger, beginning to affect the surrounding Kōryū.

"Hold on a little longer," Urahara said.

Yoruichi gritted her teeth and went to meet him again...

Inner World:

Amber passed through the barrier and stood amidst the eroded city ruins.

Jiku'a was already standing in the center of the ruins, facing a huge creature— the Beast of Light.

It was larger and more real than the phantom that appeared in the Dangai. What first caught the eye was the bizarre blend of human and beast proportions—beneath the broad, city-gate-like shoulder blades, the chest bulged forward like a wolf's, covered with short, iron-gray hair, each hair slightly bulging with each breath. Between those hairs, faint, pulsating golden light patterns seeped out, like molten lava sealed beneath a cracked rock shell.

Its head was a variant of a wolf's, yet it retained a certain decadent dignity. Its muzzle protruded forward, its black lips curled back, revealing two rows of fangs that crisscrossed like a thicket of knives. Its cheekbones were high, as if scorched by an internal light source, their surfaces etched with natural patterns. Most terrifying was its single remaining right eye—the eye socket bore charred, burned marks, while the eyeball itself was a pool of thick, molten gold, devoid of a pupil, only churning, expanding, intense light. That light contained no divine compassion, only a pure hatred that two thousand years of imprisonment could not extinguish. Where its left eye lay a deep, bone-revealing chasm, the scar's edges adorned with fine, crystalline fragments of light, as if the wound itself were still weeping.

Its arms resembled those of a human, but were disproportionately thick. From elbow to fingertips, they were covered with fine, lead-gray scales, each with a razor-sharp edge. From the ends of its knuckles extended eagle-claw-like claws, the color of obsidian, yet the tips burned with an inextinguishable, pale flame. But its true horror lay in its back—two pairs of enormous wings unfolded simultaneously from its shoulder blades and lumbar vertebrae. The wing membranes were not ordinary skin, but rather countless intricately interlocked, luminous feathers. These feathers were like thinned ivory, translucent, within which light flowed, surged, and flickered, like two stained-glass windows torn and mended. When it was enraged, the feathers stood on end, and light burst forth from between the feathers, emitting a low, humming hymn.

Its lower body had completely reverted to its beastly form. Below its waist and abdomen was the torso of a wolf, standing on all fours, each leg ending in an eagle's hooked talons. But what was most unsettling was the tail that dragged among the rubble—not a wolf's tail, but a scorpion's tail, its segments of bronze-colored carapace tightly interlocked, the ends of which swelled into luminous, venomous sac-like structures, like a cursed star core. The light was not as pure as that of feathers, but a murky, sickly yellow, pulsating slowly with its breath, as if it might burst open at any moment.

With each step it took, it left charred claw marks on the stone slab, the edges of which melted slightly into a glassy glaze. Dust in the air that drifted near it was ignited by the invisible pressure of light, turning into tiny meteors that streaked down. It was a ferocious beast imprisoned within the sacred remains, an elegy written in light and fury—the only thing in this body that never dimmed was the eternally burning fire of vengeance in its eye. It looked down at Amber and Jiku'a, letting out a low the Roar.

How did this thing get here?

"The Dangai is truly a wondrous place; countless spaces and times intertwine, allowing this thing to be constructed within your body."

"How should we handle this?"

"If this thing is eroding your heart, then it's the enemy! There's only one way to deal with an enemy."

After saying Jiku'a slowly transformed into her Zanpakuto form. Amber grasped Jiku'a and smiled, "You're right."

He then charged towards the Beast of Light...