Taking Them All Down (1)

The moment Shinji Hirako, Kensei Muguruma, and Lisa Yadōmaru charged at Liu Ziyun simultaneously, the atmosphere in the entire Underground Training Ground froze. This was not a simple sparring match, nor a friendly exchange, but a true duel concerning dignity, the past, and the future.

Shinji Hirako's Sakanade traced an eerie trajectory in the air, the blade wreathed in Reiatsu fluctuations that distorted the view; Kensei Muguruma's Tekken Tachikaze- Splitting Technique tore through the air, each punch containing the power to destroy mountains; Lisa Yadōmaru's Iron Paddle Dragonfly blocked all escape routes from the side, the massive blade sealing off all avenues of retreat.

The three worked together with astonishing coordination—even after decades apart and on different teams, the synergy they had cultivated since their time at the Shin'ō Academy remained. Their attacks covered almost every possible direction of Liu Ziyun, forming a perfect triangular strangulation formation.

However, Liu Ziyun's response was so simple it was almost despairing.

He didn't even move a step, just stood there, the dark red blade of Tulu in his hand drawing graceful arcs in the air. Blade against blade clashed, producing a piercing metallic clang; the force of the punches was deflected by the side of the blade and dissipated into the air.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

After three almost simultaneous collisions, Shinji Hirako and the other two leaped backward, creating distance once more. Their faces were filled with disbelief—they had used almost all their strength in that last attack, but Liu Ziyun had effortlessly neutralized it all as if he had merely swung his sword a few times.

What alarmed them even more was that Liu Ziyun's breathing remained as steady as ever, without even the slightest disturbance in his rhythm.

"Is this all the strength you guys have?" Liu Ziyun's voice echoed in the training ground, his undisguised disappointment piercing everyone's hearts like a cold blade. "You're fucking weak. Stop hiding your weaknesses, do I have to chop you all down to that little girl's size?"

He paused, his voice growing even colder. "Or... do you only unleash your full power if I kill one or two people?"

These words were like pouring a bucket of oil on a burning fire.

"You bastard!" Kensei Muguruma was the first to lose his temper. He wiped his face with his hands, revealing a brand new Visored, and his Reiatsu surged once more. "You will pay the price for your arrogance!"

Behind him, Love Aikawa, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, and Mashiro Kuna finally joined the battle.

Love Aikawa's Zanpakuto, Tengumaru, transformed in his hand into a giant club, its body wreathed in blazing flames; Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's Kinshara slithered through the air like a serpent, emitting a crisp metallic clanging sound; Mashiro Kuna used Cero to attack.

Five people—no, six people including Lisa Yadōmaru who rejoined the battle—surrounded Liu Ziyun. The six powerful Reiatsu intertwined, forming a terrifying storm that even caused the Barrier to tremble slightly.

At the edge of the Barrier, Hachigen Ushōda watched the situation with bated breath, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. As the Assistant Kidō Chief of the Kidō Corps, he could clearly sense the Reiatsu intensity of both sides in the battle and judge the level of danger.

"Mr. Urahara, are you sure this is alright?" Hachigen Ushōda couldn't help but ask, his voice filled with worry. "Mr. Liu is indeed very strong, but Captain Hirako and the others are not weak either. If they really unleash their full power, I'm worried..."

Kisuke Urahara pushed up his hat brim, his expression obscured by the shadows. "Oh dear... that was a bit much. But it should be fine. After all... Mr. Liu hasn't even fully revealed the power of his Zanpakuto yet."

These words startled Hachigen Ushōda: "Not fully revealed yet? You mean..."

"Just watch." Kisuke Urahara no explanation, simply turning his gaze back to the center of the training field. "This battle might show us something... unexpected."

While the two were talking, the battle in the training field had already entered a fierce stage.

Faced with the attack of six people, Liu Ziyun finally stopped being confined to a defensive position. His figure began to move, and the way he moved was strange and elegant, like dancing on the tip of a knife. Every dodge was precise to the millimeter, and every counterattack was aimed at the enemy's most vulnerable weakness.

"Tulu" seemed to come alive in his hands. The dark red blade drew bloody trails in the air, each strike precisely parrying the enemy's attack, each strike leaving a shallow mark on the enemy's defense—it wasn't an attack, but a probe, a measurement, a... teasing.

Yes, just playing around.

Even when surrounded by six people, Liu Ziyun remained completely at ease. He even had the energy to continue provoking his enemies with words:

"Kensei, your punches are too straightforward. Haven't you improved at all in a hundred years?"

"Lisa, the Iron Paddle Dragonfly's change of direction is too slow; it won't hit anyone like that."

"Love, the flames from Tengumaru aren't hot enough; they can't even burn through my clothes."

"Shiro-chan, the trajectory of Cero is too easy to predict; you can't kill anyone that way."

Every word was like a slap in the face, landing hard on the members of the Visored. Their attacks grew increasingly ferocious and chaotic, completely blinded by rage.

Just then, Shinji Hirako suddenly took a step back, his Sakanade hanging down, the blade pointing towards the ground.

"Enough." Shinji Hirako's voice was unusually calm, but beneath that calm lay suppressed rage. "Liu Ziyun, since you want to see true strength, then I'll show you."

He took a deep breath, and his Reiatsu began to shift strangely. "Fall down, Sakanade."

An invisible wave emanated from Shinji Hirako. It was the ability of Sakanade —inverting vision, making everything the enemy saw upside down, left and right. In past battles, this move had thrown countless opponents into confusion, ultimately leading to their defeat by Shinji Hirako's blade.

Shinji Hirako believed that even a strong person like Liu Ziyun would not be able to maintain such composure when their vision was reversed.

But he was wrong.

That's completely wrong.

The instant Shinji Hirako unleashed his Sakanade, Liu Ziyun. His figure vanished from his spot like a ghost, and the next second, he was already in front of Shinji Hirako.

"Are you stupid?" Liu Ziyun's voice rang in Shinji Hirako's ear, filled with undisguised mockery. "Are you stupid? Can't you see I'm blind? Can your pathetic abilities fool a blind man?"