Watch Closely! This Is How Kido Is Used!

Asano Kiyoshi stared at Ikkaku's savage grin, shock and panic flashing through his eyes!

How was this possible?!

He had clearly used Sekienton first as a smokescreen, ensuring that Ikkaku briefly lost track of his position. At the same time, he had used Kyokkō to completely conceal himself!

Then, just to be safe, he had deliberately used Fushibi to further interfere with Ikkaku.

He had never possessed much desire to fight Ikkaku in the first place. Thus, rather than attacking him with Kido, he had intended to do the opposite—using the close-quarters combat he was less skilled at to catch Ikkaku off guard and end the fight directly. Unfortunately, Ikkaku had somehow spotted his position immediately and counterattacked by trading injury for injury!

The spear's gleam, carrying tremendous force, was like a slithering spirit serpent as it shot straight toward Asano Kiyoshi's chest from an incredibly tricky angle!

Empowered by immense strength, even the airflow stirred up by the spear tip made Asano Kiyoshi's skin sting with pain.

It was then that Asano Kiyoshi discovered why Ikkaku had been able to locate him.

Ikkaku was clutching a large handful of the red tassels from Red Hozukimaru. The instant Asano Kiyoshi cast Sekienton, he had scattered those tassels around himself, judging Asano Kiyoshi's position from their movements. With that simple method, he had broken Asano Kiyoshi's chain of three Kido techniques!

And on top of that, he had played along with the scheme, not hesitating to use himself as bait and deliberately take the Kido head-on. Then, once Asano Kiyoshi believed victory was assured, he had lured him into closing the distance before delivering the strike that would decide the battle at the perfect moment!

Ikkaku had conceived and executed all of those decisions almost perfectly in just a few short seconds.

No wonder he would become the Vice-Captain of the Eleventh Division! That terrifying, beastlike battle instinct really was difficult to deal with!

Once he realized that his intentions had been completely seen through, Asano Kiyoshi abandoned his original plan without hesitation. He then forcibly used Shunpo, injuring his own body to widen the distance between himself and Ikkaku once more.

As they watched that scene on the screen, the captains noticed the bald youngster for the first time. Such battle awareness, such talent, such courage and decisiveness—he was already a rare genius!

Head Captain Yamamoto watched Ikkaku's choices during the fight and nodded faintly. Then he looked at Asano Kiyoshi, a trace of displeasure appearing on his face. Given the situation just now, Asano Kiyoshi had possessed at least five different ways to counterkill Ikkaku!

Three of them would have let him counterkill Ikkaku without injury, one would have left him lightly wounded, and one would have required considerable effort. There were also many ways to kill Ikkaku after trading injuries.

Yet Asano Kiyoshi had not thought of a single one. Instead, he had chosen a style of fighting that Head Captain Yamamoto considered the greatest possible loss, which left the old captain somewhat dissatisfied.

Still, considering that this was a Friendly Match and that Asano Kiyoshi truly lacked combat experience, he remained silent and simply watched the two fight!

After driving Asano Kiyoshi back with a single strike, Ikkaku grinned. In midair, he gripped Hozukimaru, then used Reishi to create a foothold beneath his feet. Changing his point of leverage in the air, he sent the spear in his hand coiling toward Asano Kiyoshi like a nimble venomous snake.

Ikkaku was incredibly fast. Combined with the incomparably sharp Hozukimaru, he truly looked like a venomous snake launching itself forward to hunt!

This time, Asano Kiyoshi's face was filled with gravity. He raised both hands and shouted directly:

"Hado #31—Shakkahō!"

A red fireball condensed in Asano Kiyoshi's hands, then transformed into a giant python flicking its tongue as it charged toward Ikkaku!

But given Asano Kiyoshi's current spiritual power, this Kido without a Complete Incantation could not inflict much damage on Ikkaku, who had already released his Shikai. This time, Ikkaku did not choose to evade the fire serpent. He knew that if he dodged again, he would never have another chance to get close to Asano Kiyoshi!

So this time, he could not dodge! He could only crush it head-on!

Hozukimaru lifted slightly in his hand as Reishi covered its surface. The dark crimson Hozukimaru seemed to let out an ecstatic cry, charging alongside its master as it slashed toward the fire serpent!

The immense force carried the spear forward, blasting away half the fire serpent's body. Yet Ikkaku's momentum barely diminished. Burn marks covered his body, and his face was blackened with soot, but he opened his bloodied mouth wide and grinned brilliantly! He was enjoying the fight! He enjoyed this savage struggle! He enjoyed this instant where life and death hung in the balance!

Asano Kiyoshi's expression turned cold at the sight of Ikkaku. Just as the fire serpent was about to be cut in two, he suddenly spoke again:

"Lord! Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, fluttering wings, thing that bears the name of man! Scorching heat and strife, rolling across the sea southward, advance and march!"

Post-Chanting!!!

The instant Asano Kiyoshi spoke those words, every captain watching the surveillance feed froze. Isshin even rubbed his eyes before asking Kaname Tōsen beside him:

"Hey... I'm not seeing things, am I? That was Post-Chanting?! A student who hasn't even graduated has mastered Post-Chanting, something even Captain-level fighters struggle to control, to such a proficient degree?! Are you kidding me? Hurry, Tōsen, pinch me and tell me I'm dreaming! Wait, did you see that?!"

Tōsen, wearing his sunglasses, said nothing. He merely pinched Isshin several times viciously, making Isshin cry out in pain.

But no one paid attention to the eccentric captain Isshin Shiba at the moment. Everyone was stunned by what they had just witnessed.

Head Captain Yamamoto especially was shocked. Among all these captains, he was the most skilled in Kido, and precisely because of that, he understood even more clearly just how difficult Post-Chanting was to master!

It could be said that if most current Captain-level fighters tried this kind of Post-Chanting, there was a high chance they would fail several times.

But that was not the only thing that shocked them. Asano Kiyoshi did not stop chanting in the image—he was still continuing!

"Self-destruct, Rondānini's Black Dog. Look upon yourself and burn to ashes; tear out your own throat!"

As that incantation rang out, yellow chains formed from Reishi appeared out of thin air!

Double Chanting!