Boom! Splurt!
A sword wound slashed diagonally from Rei's right shoulder down to the soul-body pressure point known as the Hakusui. Rei had only just recovered when Kenpachi Zaraki's blade cut into the left side of his abdomen. (The Hakusui corresponds to the Zhongwan point on the human body, and the Saketsu to the Zigong point.)
The battle grew increasingly ferocious. Rei's wounds were actually healing more slowly than he received them. As soon as one wound closed, Kenpachi Zaraki had already cut him twice more.
Rei's attacks against Kenpachi Zaraki gradually grew fewer as well. For every three wounds he received, he only managed to inflict one on Kenpachi Zaraki. Because he had to keep healing himself, the blood gauge gradually remained less than full.
And because the blood gauge wasn't full, Rei's Reiatsu had declined. When he cut Kenpachi Zaraki, he even felt as though he were cutting granite. It was so hard...
The wounds were also very shallow, scratches at most.
After knocking aside the notched Zanpakuto, Rei thrust his sword at Kenpachi Zaraki's chest again. This time, not even blood flowed; it left only a mark. Kenpachi Zaraki's Reiatsu had grown stronger again.
This time, Kenpachi Zaraki grabbed the greatsword at his chest and slashed at Rei's left side...
Splurt! Boom!
Ugh, my lord, save me!
Rei's left hand was severed in its entirety. Yanis, who was attached to his left hand and ready to absorb Reiryoku at any time, called for help from the inner world. Away from Rei's body, he couldn't obtain Reiryoku on his own and would inevitably perish.
Having lost his left hand, Rei breathed more heavily. His bleeding only stopped after he had lost at least several large bowls' worth of blood.
"Haha, hahahaha! What's wrong? Can't cut me anymore? I was just starting to have fun!"
Kenpachi Zaraki casually tossed the hand he had torn off in front of Rei and stood there laughing. He hadn't paid any attention to whether there was anything wrong with the hand.
Kenpachi Zaraki was covered in wounds, and his coarse clothing was in tatters. The Reiatsu he released bore down fiercely on everything around him. The timber from the houses, scattered across the ground, even shattered for no apparent reason. Kenpachi Zaraki's power had been fully roused.
Rei slowly picked up his left hand and reattached it to his left arm. The blood gauge on Blood Drink instantly vanished, reconnecting the hand to his arm.
The wounds on Kenpachi Zaraki's body had stopped bleeding, and Blood Drink's blood gauge could absorb no more. This time, it was Rei who had been driven into a desperate situation.
If we keep fighting like this, he'll only get stronger. I have to win in one blow...
Rei had already realized something was wrong and was doing everything he could to increase his Reiatsu. But he knew full well that this alone would never be enough to defeat Kenpachi Zaraki...
So, drawing on the activation conditions for Blood-Coagulating Slash and Blood-Coagulating Piercer, Rei drove Blood Drink into the ground and placed both hands on its blade, intending to fill the blood gauge with his own blood.
Drink! Fill yourself up. This is the first time I've tried feeding you with my own blood, and it might be the last!
Hehe, do you finally understand? This is my true nature. Since you're willing to trust me, I won't let you lose!
Rei's words to Blood Drink received a response, and Kurenai appeared in full behind him. This was the materialization of a Zanpakuto, a prerequisite for Bankai.
Ha, do you think I'm about to die? Are you afraid of dying too, so you came out to help?
You're overthinking it. I always needed your blood to bring out greater power, but unfortunately, you used me the wrong way. If you didn't trust me, I wouldn't come out even if it meant dying!
Ha, how heartless. You're not even afraid of dying!
If you're afraid of dying, why seek greater power? Wouldn't it be better to cling to life with the power of Shikai? You like this world a lot, don't you? In fact, your true nature... is me!
Rei and Blood Drink bickered for a few moments, then stopped talking. The two complemented each other, and their Reiatsu doubled from its previous peak.
If filling the blood gauge with an enemy's blood could make Rei's Reiatsu surge to twice Captain-level, then filling it with his own blood could double it again, bringing it to four times... In other words, his Reiatsu could now reach four times the standard Captain-level.
"Your Reiatsu can actually increase by at least another twofold under these circumstances? Hahahaha, what a surprise! Come on!"
Kenpachi Zaraki felt no fear, or rather, he didn't even know what fear was. As far as he was concerned, as long as he could fight with roughly equal power, it didn't matter whether he lived or died.
His Reiatsu was rising as well. His fighting instinct had kept him self-sealed for too long, and the sudden release of all his Reiatsu made his Zanpakuto wail incessantly.
In fact, Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakuto was already in a partial Shikai state, not yet fully released. Only a complete Shikai could withstand his current power.
Unfortunately, Kenpachi Zaraki had deliberately forgotten his Zanpakuto's name. The Zanpakuto couldn't release even if it wanted to and could only wail. Off to the side, Yachiru Kusajishi's eyes also showed sadness...
"Come on, Zaraki! We'll settle this with one strike!"
"Hahahaha, come on!"
Two streams of Reiatsu, one red and one gold, shot straight into the sky: a red half-bodied giant with two arms and a golden skull of Reiatsu. The two men charged at each other.
Boom!
The earth trembled. Two white clouds that should have hung in the blue sky were instantly blown apart by the gale of Reiatsu erupting from the collision, leaving only the two men who had crossed past each other...
In the distance, in a town that was a rare sight in this region.
"Is it finally over? What terrifying monsters, both of them!"
"Boss, what are you talking about?"
The gang leader's legs were trembling, and his entire body was covered in cold sweat. One of his underlings had only felt the earth tremble slightly and hadn't sensed that terrifying Reiatsu at all.
That was the difference between their dimensions of power. The gang leader glanced at him and said casually, "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Order all the members not to go west!"
It wasn't just him. At least seven other powerful gang leaders in the surrounding area were ordering their subordinates not to go near. That kind of Reiatsu was unquestionably on the level of a Gotei 13 captain, or even higher...
"You really are something! Nangong Ling, was it? What a strange name..."
Thud!
After murmuring softly, Kenpachi Zaraki collapsed. A terrifying sword wound extended from his left shoulder to the right side of his abdomen, damaging his Hakusui and heart. Blood sprayed out.
"Cough, cough. Even with your heart cut, you... you're still not dead. Cough, cough... I'll... absorb you..."
Rei coughed up a mouthful of blood. He turned and took two steps toward Kenpachi Zaraki, but his head spun, and he collapsed.
Kenpachi Zaraki had pierced his heart, and the blade had cut outward to the left as well, breaking all his ribs.
Blood Drink had consumed the blood gauge filled with Rei's own blood. Once it was used up, the sword absorbed the blood Kenpachi Zaraki had spilled across the ground, only then repairing Rei's heart before the Shikai vanished.
Even weakened, Kenpachi Zaraki's terrifying Reiatsu still reached lieutenant level and easily stopped his bleeding. His Hakusui and Saketsu continued to produce Reiryoku, which in turn produced Reiatsu, causing his wounds to begin healing even without treatment.
Yachiru walked slowly over, her face serious. You thought she was going to finish him off? No, she had only come to thank him. She bent at the waist and bowed, thanking him very formally. She was simply grateful to Rei for letting Kenpachi Zaraki feel the joy of battle again.
After thanking him, Yachiru immediately hoisted Kenpachi Zaraki onto her shoulders and slowly left the area with small steps. It had to be said, they were a peculiar pair.
"What a monster he really is!"
Yanis controlled the left hand, moving it about freely. A mouth appeared, making sounds as it opened and closed. Rei's consciousness had already sunk into sleep. At the moment, Yanis couldn't claim to have complete control over the body, but he was the only one who could move.
Blood Drink was a manifestation of Rei's power. With Rei's power exhausted, he naturally couldn't go on either.
And so a bizarre scene unfolded: a lone left hand picked up the Zanpakuto and slowly dragged a person who looked like a corpse forward. It was far too frightening.
Yanis dragged Rei's body into a pit. At least it could conceal him a little, hiding him from ordinary people who didn't know fear...
Only several hours later did Rei suddenly open his eyes. It was then that he felt the excruciating pain.
"Where is this...?"
"Probably a little over five hundred meters from where the battle ended. I slowly brought you here myself."
"Damn it, my heart's healed, but the ribs on my left side still haven't fully healed? Cough, cough... But you, didn't you want to take the opportunity to seize my body?"
"I did want to, but unfortunately I can't after giving up my ability, unless I can grow stronger and regain my old ability... Ah, I let that slip..."
After waking, Rei felt the terrible state his body was in and learned why it had been moved.
"You're already attached to me, and you can still evolve?"
"Uh, of course. I'm not completely attached to you. Rather, I've become your symbiote. You rely on my power to grow stronger, and I rely on yours to survive."
The meaning of "symbiote" had become apparent when Rei was driven into that desperate situation. Yanis didn't want Rei to die; once Rei died, he wouldn't survive for long either.
Rei didn't want Yanis to die, either. All this time, Yanis had helped absorb Reiryoku, purify it, and pass it on to Rei. It could be said that Rei had relied entirely on Yanis.
That was why, when Yanis had been cut off and fallen earlier, Rei had reattached him without hesitation. Even if he died, he would take Yanis with him. He had gradually become somewhat dependent on this ability...
"It's over here. Search carefully. Maybe they killed each other and left behind plenty of good stuff."
"Yes, sir!"
"I remember there was a village here. Now there's nothing left."
While Rei was still talking to Yanis, several shouts came from the distance. There really were people who weren't afraid of death. Unfortunately, Rei still couldn't move. He had only regained consciousness and was unable to move yet.
Rei promptly played dead. When a scavenger came up and began feeling around, the left hand under Yanis's control suddenly sprang into action and pierced his Hakusui in one strike.
Threads of Reiryoku entered Rei's body. Given a little nourishment to spur it on, his Hakusui began producing Reiryoku faster. Only then did Rei shakily get to his feet.
"Hey, I still have enough Reiryoku to fire a few Bala!"
"Aim at the strongest one, then absorb his Reiryoku!"
Yanis and Rei discussed their plan, but unexpectedly, the seven remaining opponents all rushed them at once. Yanis fired four Bala in succession, all of which struck their targets.
But three men were still alive. Like starving dogs pouncing on food, they charged at Rei with long sabers and short swords. Rei swung his Zanpakuto with all his strength, fighting desperately against the remaining three...