The Two-Sided Battle

Ishida clenched his teeth when he heard this.

Renji stepped in front of Ishida and raised his Zanpakuto toward Shinki Ichinose, cutting him off. "With spiritual pressure of this level, you're not some nobody, are you?"

"Why are you doing this? Joining forces with the Bavent."

"Joining forces?" Shinki Ichinose sneered. "Are the Soul Reapers always right?"

"Stop making me laugh."

"Do you really not know what the Soul Reapers have done?"

"Good grief. For a second, I thought that woman was standing in front of me..." Renji broke into a sweat and muttered under his breath.

Shinki Ichinose frowned slightly at the inexplicable remark. "What?"

"Don't mind me. I just suddenly thought of a terrifying woman." Renji tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto. That guy had suddenly given him the déjà vu of talking to Yuko.

Fortunately, Yuko was not the one standing opposite him now.

Renji tensed. "Let me make this clear first. If you want to take him away, you'll have to step over my dead body."

"That's what I thought." Shinki Ichinose silently raised his Zanpakuto horizontally and softly chanted the name of his Shikai.

"Shine! Rainbow Haze!"

As he released his Zanpakuto, its blade radiated a colorful rainbow light, dazzling to behold.

Renji narrowed his eyes instinctively and thought to himself.

Is it an illusion-type ability?

He recalled how Shinki Ichinose had appeared inside the room without anyone noticing and launched his attack.

If nothing unexpected happened, that guy's Zanpakuto ability should use visual manipulation to conceal his movements.

I have to finish this quickly!

Renji suddenly shattered the wooden floor beneath his feet and advanced with Flash Step. Hebi-o-Maru drew a fierce arc through the air, its sawtoothed blade extending wildly with its owner's roar.

"Roar, Hebi-o-Maru!"

The blade shot toward Shinki Ichinose's throat