Fighting Shiro-chan (III)

Liu Hao's words cut through the frozen air of the Training Ground like an icy blade. The contemptuous words "little guy" fully ignited the anger and resentment in Tōshirō Hitsugaya's heart.

But before he could respond, Liu Hao moved.

It was not Shunpo, nor a sudden advance, but a more direct, more violent charge. The Imperial Sword trailed golden-red flames as Liu Hao turned into a streak of burning light and charged straight at Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

This assault was unlike any of their fighting before.

There was no more probing, no more holding back. Every slash carried enough force to split mountains and shatter stone, and every flash of his sword aimed for a vital point. The Imperial Sword traced a dense web of sword shadows through the air, golden-red flames leaping and burning along its edge, forcing back the surrounding cold.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya gritted his teeth, Hyōrinmaru flashing in his hand as he struggled to fend off the storm of attacks.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang—!"

The clashing blades rang out across the Training Ground like a rapid drumbeat. Every collision jolted Tōshirō Hitsugaya's arm, sending a tearing pain through the web between his thumb and forefinger.

He was forced to retreat again and again, his feet carving deep marks into the ice. Though the Ice Wings on his back allowed him to hover, the close-range attacks were so relentless that he had no time to take to the air.

This was the gap in their strength—when Liu Hao truly got serious, even with his Bankai released, Tōshirō Hitsugaya was suppressed until he could barely breathe.

Just then, the Ice Tail behind Tōshirō Hitsugaya moved.

The dragon's tail, made entirely of ice, whipped around as if alive, striking at Liu Hao from the side with a bone-piercing chill. Its tip was as sharp as a spear, and fine ice crystals formed in the air along its path.

It was an unexpected sneak attack. At such close range, it was nearly impossible to avoid.

But Liu Hao did not even look back.

The Imperial Sword in his right hand continued its assault, forcing Tōshirō Hitsugaya to devote all his strength to defense. His left hand—his empty left hand—suddenly clenched into a fist and swung backward the instant before the Ice Tail struck his side.

He did not block or dodge. He took the most direct approach—he shattered it.

"Boom—!"

His fist collided head-on with the Ice Tail.

Golden-red flames erupted from his fist as extreme heat and extreme cold clashed fiercely once more. The Ice Tail began to break apart, melt, and vaporize the instant they touched. The tremendous impact traveled along the tail, violently jolting Tōshirō Hitsugaya's entire body.

The next moment, the entire Ice Tail exploded into a shower of ice chips.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya seized the chance to leap backward with all his strength, finally opening up some distance. He hovered in midair, the Ice Wings on his back beating to keep him balanced. But the shattered Ice Tail could not regenerate anytime soon—that would require a great deal of Reiatsu.

He gasped for breath, the hand holding Hyōrinmaru trembling slightly. It was not just from exhaustion. During that brief close-quarters exchange, he had felt Liu Hao's strength firsthand—pure, overwhelming strength that had nearly crushed him.

Liu Hao did not pursue him.

He stood where he was, the Imperial Sword angled toward the ground, and looked up at Tōshirō Hitsugaya. His gaze was frighteningly calm.

Then he slowly raised the Imperial Sword and pointed its tip at Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"Imperial Flame, Blazing Light Charge."

The instant the words left his mouth, a point of golden-red light rapidly gathered and compressed at the tip of the Imperial Sword, finally forming a beam as thick as a thumb, concentrated until it was almost solid.

The beam shot out.

It was neither flame nor sword light, but pure, highly compressed Imperial Flame energy. It tore through the air, its intense heat ionizing the air along its path and leaving a searing trail that lingered for a long time.

Its speed was incredible.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively swung his blade to defend himself:

"Prism Ice Formation!"

An ice wall three feet thick instantly formed in front of him. Its surface was covered in intricate defensive patterns, a sign that the ice had been compressed to its utmost limit. Its defenses were strong enough to withstand a Captain-level fighter's full-powered blow.

The beam struck the ice wall.

There was no explosion, no thunderous noise.

Only a "hiss", like a red-hot iron rod plunging into ice.

The beam "paused" against the wall for an instant—truly just an instant, less than half a second.

Then it pierced through.

The beam bored a hole through the ice wall, leaving smooth edges wreathed in white vapor. Around the hole, the wall began to melt and crumble rapidly, the damage spreading outward like a burning scrap of paper.

After piercing the wall, the beam continued toward Tōshirō Hitsugaya with barely any loss of speed.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya had started dodging to the side the moment the ice wall formed. He knew the wall could not stop Liu Hao's attack—their brief clash earlier had already proven that.

But he was still a fraction too slow.

The beam flew past, grazing his right shoulder.

It did not hit him directly, but the terrifying heat it gave off still injured him.

The clearest sign was the Ice Wings behind his right shoulder, which began to melt and crumble the instant the beam grazed past them.

The ice crystals on the Ice Wings melted rapidly like snow beneath a blazing sun. Their structure collapsed, and they finally fell off altogether. Tōshirō Hitsugaya tilted to one side, losing his balance.

And in that instant, Liu Hao moved again.

He appeared before Tōshirō Hitsugaya like a ghost and swung the Imperial Sword upward in one clean, decisive slash.

"Bang—!"

Tōshirō Hitsugaya was sent flying like a kite with its string cut. He traced an arc through the air before crashing heavily into the ground.

The impact left a deep crater, sending ice chips, broken stone, and dust flying.

The Training Ground fell silent.

Everyone watched the crater, waiting to see the result.

A few seconds later, a hand reached out of the crater and pressed against its edge. Tōshirō Hitsugaya struggled out, dropped to one knee, and gasped for breath.

His Bankai form had visibly changed. Only one of the Ice Wings on his back remained, and it was incomplete; his Ice Armor was damaged in several places; and most importantly, of the twelve ice pillars above his head, only... three remained.

The three Ice Flowers had originally held six ice pillars apiece, representing the "completeness" of his Bankai. Each time he lost a pillar, its power weakened. When all the ice pillars disappeared, his Bankai would automatically release.

Now only three remained.

Those three pillars were trembling slightly, and their surfaces had lost their luster. Clearly, they would not last much longer.

Liu Hao looked at Tōshirō Hitsugaya, who was kneeling on the ground, and spoke calmly. "That's enough, isn't it, Captain Hitsugaya?"

It was not a question, but... advice.

But Tōshirō Hitsugaya was not the sort to admit defeat easily.

A flash of white light—Shunpo.

Moving at a speed that nearly surpassed his limits, he appeared behind Liu Hao in an instant and brought Hyōrinmaru down with all his might, carrying the last of its chill.

The strike contained all his remaining strength. Even space itself seemed to freeze in the blade's path.

However—

Liu Hao did not even turn around.

He merely turned slightly to the side and raised his left hand, spreading his five fingers.

"Smack."

He caught Hyōrinmaru's blade with his bare hand.

He did not block or deflect it. He took the most direct approach—he gripped the edge.

The instant his palm touched the blade, golden-red flames poured from Liu Hao's hand and wrapped around Hyōrinmaru. Flame and cold clashed fiercely with a hissing sound, but in the end, the flames gained the upper hand.

Hyōrinmaru's blade trembled slightly in Liu Hao's hand, unable to advance another inch.

Liu Hao turned his head toward Tōshirō Hitsugaya, his gaze falling above him.

Of the three ice pillars that had been there, only... one remained.

That pillar, too, was rapidly dissipating. Ice crystals kept flaking off its surface, and its light grew dimmer and dimmer.

"Captain Hitsugaya," Liu Hao said softly, yet his voice reached everyone's ears clearly. "Only the last Ice Flower is left. And even it's gradually dissipating now... can't you feel it? Your Reiatsu has already begun to fluctuate."

It was the truth.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya could clearly feel the Reiatsu within him draining away like floodwaters through a broken dam. Bankai consumed a terrifying amount of Reiatsu, and at his current age and level of cultivation, he simply could not maintain it for long.

But he gritted his teeth and enunciated every word. "So what!!!"

"You're still young," Liu Hao said, a trace of helplessness in his voice. "Neither your body nor your Reiatsu is enough to support a complete Bankai. If we keep fighting, you'll only lose... with no dignity left."

His words were blunt and cruel.

But they were true. If the fight continued, Tōshirō Hitsugaya would only exhaust his Reiatsu and lose his ability to fight entirely. He would not even have the strength left to stand.

That would be a true, complete defeat.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya fell silent.

A few seconds later, he slowly spoke, his voice filled with unwillingness, but also a certain... acceptance:

"But I still want to... try again."

With that, he suddenly exerted himself and pulled Hyōrinmaru from Liu Hao's hand.

He swung the blade, and the last of the cold began to gather.

"Flock of Birds: Ice Pillars—"

The instant the words left his mouth, countless ice spikes formed in front of him. He had poured all his remaining Reiatsu into this attack, and every spike was denser and sharper than before.

The ice spikes fired in unison, rushing toward Liu Hao like a torrential downpour.

It was his final act of defiance, and his last shred of dignity.

However—

The ice spikes began to melt and vaporize when they came within three feet of Liu Hao.

The intense heat radiating from his Imperial Flame robes acted like an invisible barrier, stopping all ice-based attacks. Those ice spikes, capable of piercing steel, vanished before the Imperial Flame like snowflakes tossed into a furnace.

Not a single one could touch Liu Hao.

Watching this, Liu Hao sighed softly.

Then he raised his right foot and took a step forward.

It was not an attack, only... a step.

But the instant he took that step, he appeared before Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He raised his right foot and kicked out—simple, direct, and without any flourish.

"Bang!"

Tōshirō Hitsugaya was kicked flying again. This time he flew farther, tumbling several times after he landed before finally coming to a stop.

As he struggled to rise, Liu Hao's voice rang out again:

"Imperial Flame, Heaven-Burning Earth-Devouring."

The instant the words left his mouth, the entire floor of the Training Ground—the floor already covered in flames—began to churn violently.

Flames erupted not in one place, nor a few, but in dozens of places at once.

Golden-red pillars of flame shot up from the ground, each as thick as a person could encircle with both arms and reaching all the way to the dome of the Training Ground. The pillars formed a mysterious formation, completely surrounding Liu Hao and Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

Inside the pillars, the temperature climbed rapidly. Even with the barrier separating them, the spectators outside could feel the heat washing over them.

Inside the Pillar of Flame Formation, Tōshirō Hitsugaya felt pressure unlike anything he had ever experienced. The remains of his Ice Armor began to melt, and his single remaining Ice Wings rapidly dissolved in the heat. Only half of the last ice pillar above his head remained, and it could disappear completely at any moment.

"That's enough, isn't it?" Liu Hao stood at the center of the Pillar of Flame Formation, the Imperial Sword angled toward the ground. "My next move... you definitely won't be able to withstand it."

It was not a threat or a boast, merely a statement of fact.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked around.

Pillars of flame surrounded him, the intense heat scorched him, his Reiatsu was nearly exhausted, and his Bankai was on the verge of collapse.

He looked down at Hyōrinmaru in his hand, then back up at Liu Hao. There was frustration and unwillingness in those ice-blue eyes, but ultimately... reason remained as well.

He knew Liu Hao was right.

Continuing the fight would only make him lose his dignity completely.

After about five seconds of silence, Tōshirō Hitsugaya slowly lowered Hyōrinmaru.

The chill around the blade began to recede, the Ice Wings on his back dissipated completely, and his Ice Armor turned into specks of light that scattered away. The last half of the ice pillar above his head vanished entirely at the same time.

His Bankai had been released.

He returned to wearing his usual Captain's Haori, though his face was pale and his breathing rapid. Clearly, he had expended a great deal of energy.

Seeing him release his Bankai, Liu Hao ceased his attack as well.

The Imperial Sword returned to its sheath, the pillars of flame slowly sank into the ground, and the flames gradually receded before disappearing completely. The temperature in the Training Ground began to fall, returning to normal.

The two landed and stood facing each other.

Liu Hao looked at Tōshirō Hitsugaya, his tone growing somewhat gentler. "Captain Hitsugaya, you still need time to grow. When the time is right, we'll explain everything to you. Don't be in such a hurry... after all, our opponent is someone even Captain Shiba couldn't handle."

His words were both an explanation and a way for Hitsugaya to save face.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked at Liu Hao with a complicated expression, then finally nodded slowly. "All right, I understand. I lost... I won't force you to tell me anymore."

He had admitted defeat.

Not to strength, but to... reality.

The two looked beyond the barrier.

Unohana nodded to Isane Kotetsu. "Isane, take down the barrier."

"Yes, Captain."

The barrier slowly dissipated, reconnecting the Training Ground to the outside.

Liu Hao and Tōshirō Hitsugaya walked out side by side. Tōshirō Hitsugaya approached Unohana and bowed slightly. "Captain Unohana, I... lost this spar."

His voice was calm, without resentment or anger, only a composed admission.

Unohana nodded and spoke gently. "In that case, let us put this matter behind us. I hope what happened today won't affect the relationship between the Tenth Division and the Fourth Division."

"It won't," Tōshirō Hitsugaya said, shaking his head.

Just then, Gin Ichimaru's amused voice rang out. "Captain Hitsugaya actually lost~ I didn't expect Lieutenant Liu Hao to be so terrifyingly strong. Surely he's already no weaker than us captains?"

The words sounded like praise, but were actually meant to stir up trouble.

Liu Hao did not answer. He merely turned to Unohana—leaving it to his captain to speak.

Unohana smiled faintly, her tone unhurried. "All right, captains and vice-captains, the fight is over. If there's nothing else, please return."

It was a tactful dismissal.

Kaname Tōsen said nothing more. He gave Unohana a slight nod and left with Shūhei Hisagi.

Seeing that neither Liu Hao nor Unohana intended to respond, Gin Ichimaru's smile stiffened slightly, but soon returned to normal. He shrugged and turned to leave as well.

Sōsuke Aizen walked up to Liu Hao with a gentle smile. "Lieutenant Liu Hao, your performance today was truly impressive. I hope we'll have more opportunities to exchange ideas in the future."

"You flatter me, Captain Aizen." Liu Hao bowed slightly, his tone respectful but distant.

Aizen did not mind. He nodded and left with Momo Hinamori.

Now only Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake's two groups remained, along with Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto.

Shunsui Kyōraku removed his straw hat, revealing a thoughtful expression. "Senior Unohana, why were Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Liu Hao... sparring here? And it didn't look like an ordinary exchange."

His gaze swept over Unohana, Liu Hao, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He had evidently noticed something.

Unohana said nothing, instead looking at Liu Hao—meaning for him to explain it himself.

Liu Hao frowned slightly.

He could feel it—Aizen had not really left. Although he had walked out of the Training Ground, that was only an illusion created by Kyōka Suigetsu. The real Aizen was still hiding nearby, observing everything here in some way.

He could not pinpoint Aizen's location, but he could feel the faint, intermittent pressure of being watched.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Hao offered a reasonable explanation. "Nothing in particular. Before Captain Shiba disappeared, he came to the Medical Guard Team with Vice-Captain Kaien to oversee our training. After Captain Hitsugaya took command of the Tenth Division, he wanted to investigate Captain Shiba's whereabouts, so he came to ask about him. We had a few... misunderstandings, and settled matters with this spar."

The explanation was airtight. It accounted for the fight without revealing any sensitive information.

Shunsui Kyōraku looked at Liu Hao. A sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes, which always held a lazy smile. But he did not press further, merely nodding slowly. "I see."

Jūshirō Ukitake spoke up at just the right moment, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere. "That was a wonderful match. Well, it's time for us to take our leave. Senior Unohana, Lieutenant Liu Hao, Captain Hitsugaya, farewell."

"Mm." Unohana nodded.

Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake left the Fourth Division as well, taking Kaien Shiba and Nanao Ise with them.

Now only Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto remained.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya walked up to Liu Hao, a complicated expression on his face. "Sorry for the trouble we caused Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Liu Hao today. We'll take our leave now."

"Captain Hitsugaya," Liu Hao suddenly said, his tone serious, "with your aptitude, your future achievements... should be no less than the Captain-Commander's."

The remark took Tōshirō Hitsugaya slightly aback.

"But your body and Reiatsu haven't yet grown to their limits," Liu Hao continued. "So when you train in the future, try not to use Bankai casually. Do your best to concentrate your Reiatsu within your body and increase the density of your spiritual body—only then can you grow faster."

It was sincere advice, based on experience from his memories of the future.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya was silent for a moment before finally nodding slowly. "Thank you, Lieutenant Liu Hao. As for what happened today... sorry for the trouble we caused you."

"It's all right." Liu Hao shook his head. "Captain Hitsugaya, if you have time in the future, you're welcome to come to the Medical Guard Team and give us more guidance. We can spar more often, too, and grow together."

He spoke sincerely. Tōshirō Hitsugaya could tell that Liu Hao was not merely being polite.

"I will." He nodded solemnly, then left with Rangiku Matsumoto.

At last, only members of the Fourth Division remained in the Training Ground.

Unohana looked at Liu Hao, seemingly about to say something. But Liu Hao spoke first:

"Captain, I used up all my strength in today's battle. I'm a little tired now, and I've gained some insights, so I'd like to go back and rest for a while. Sorry to trouble you and Vice-Captain Isane with the Medical Guard Team's affairs in the meantime."

His voice did indeed sound tired, and his face was somewhat paler than usual. Although he had ultimately won his fight against Tōshirō Hitsugaya, it had taken a considerable toll.

Unohana looked at him, a meaningful glint flashing in her eyes. In the end, she nodded. "All right, go on back. Get a good rest."

"Thank you, Captain."

Liu Hao bowed, turned, and left the Training Ground, heading toward the barracks.

His steps were steady, but each seemed somewhat heavy. It was no act—he really was tired.

Unohana watched him leave, standing where she was without moving for a long time.

Isane Kotetsu walked up beside her and asked softly, "Captain, what are you thinking about?"

Unohana did not answer, silently pondering to herself:

He suddenly stopped me from speaking... It seems someone hasn't really left.

She recalled the slight frown on Liu Hao's face as he explained, and the flash of wariness in his eyes when he looked in a certain direction.

What a frightening little brat. Even I didn't notice anything unusual, yet he can already sense it?

Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu could completely hypnotize even Captain-level Soul Reapers. By all rights, Liu Hao should not have been able to detect Aizen's presence.

Unless... Liu Hao's understanding of Kyōka Suigetsu was deeper than she had imagined.

Or perhaps Liu Hao possessed some special ability that allowed him to resist or sense the effects of Kyōka Suigetsu to a certain extent.

Either possibility meant that Liu Hao was more... unfathomable than she had expected.

"Isane," Unohana suddenly said, her voice very soft, "what do you think of Liu Hao?"

Isane Kotetsu was taken aback. After thinking carefully, she answered, "Fifth Seat Liu Hao... usually keeps a low profile, works diligently, and has excellent medical skills. But today's battle... showed me another side of him. He's powerful, much more powerful than I imagined."

"Yes," Unohana murmured. "Powerful, and... hiding many secrets."