Hard Fight!

The encirclement, which had been perfect moments ago, began to show cracks after Duan Mu's assault.

"Stone Wave!"

Iwao slammed his hands onto the rocks, instantly turning them to sand and engulfing the attacking enemies.

Behind him, Hawk and his three companions took the opportunity to charge forward on their pigs, quickly knocking out the submerged enemies one by one with their blunt weapons. With their coordinated effort, the surrounding enemies posed no real threat to them.

However, they were well aware that their current ease was entirely due to Duan Mu single-handedly tying up the enemy's main force!

Looking out, they saw that with Duan Mu at the center, people were constantly gathering from all directions, charging towards Duan Mu fearlessly. Duan Mu, meanwhile, was like a killing machine, slaughtering the surrounding crowd without pause.

Even Iwao, who considered himself to know Duan Mu best, felt a sense of unfamiliarity as he watched the figure that flickered in and out of sight!

It wasn't just the changes in his demeanor and expression; Iwao was also completely unfamiliar with Duan Mu's combat techniques. Besides Zanjutsu, Duan Mu had mastered Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kido to an incredible degree.

Especially with Hakuda, the stance appeared simple, but Duan Mu seemed to be able to pinpoint the vital points of the human body with uncanny accuracy. Often, a single punch was enough to kill an enemy instantly!

However, unlike Hawk and his companions, Iwao felt only surprise at Duan Mu's transformation and awe at his strength, not fear of the demonic figure in the center of the battlefield.

He just felt that this brat was being unfair, hiding this from him for so long.

Because...

No matter how Duan Mu had changed, Iwao knew that he had done so for their sake.

Seeing the enemies continuously surging towards them, Iwao shouted to Hawk and his three companions, "Escape through the gap Duan Mu pointed out. Don't look back, no matter what happens." Before his words had even finished, Iwao charged towards the direction of the incoming enemies!

He wouldn't leave Duan Mu alone here, especially since these people were coming for him. If he and Hawk's group escaped together, the enemy would surely throw all their efforts into intercepting them.

As Iwao charged, he formed hand seals with one hand, placing Stone Wave Marks onto the ground one by one.

Hummm~~

As the last mark fell, the spiritual particles in the area covered by the Stone Wave Marks began to riot. Amidst the humming sound in the air, Iwao slammed his hands down onto the ground!

"Shiba-style Stone Wave Secret Technique: Consecutive Stone Wave Fan!"

Boom boom boom~~~

The hard ground instantly turned into quicksand, separating the arriving reinforcements from Duan Mu's location. Anyone who stepped into the quicksand area was like someone trapped in a swamp, swallowed by the shifting sands.

Behind Iwao, at the center of the battlefield.

"Hanging Persimmon!"

Duan Mu raised his left hand, catching a kick aimed at his head, and then thrust his right fist forward. With a pull and a strike, the opponent seemed to willingly present their vital spot to Duan Mu's right fist.

Bang!

A dull impact sound echoed. The back of the man in front of Duan Mu bulged and then exploded, sending a spray of blood mist!

After delivering this blow, Duan Mu didn't pause at all. He slid forward, dodging an incoming blade, and charged towards the opponent on his right again.

Among the four major Soul Reaper techniques, Duan Mu's mastery of Hakuda was undoubtedly the strongest. The so-called Hakuda was not mere common fist and foot combat; it involved combining spiritual pressure with fists and feet using special techniques, unleashing immense destructive power at the moment of attack.

Close-quarters combat was undoubtedly the most suitable battlefield for Hakuda. The diverse Hakuda techniques allowed him to find the most appropriate response in any situation.

Upon engagement, the opponent would either die on contact or be severely wounded.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Duan Mu's movement halted. He cupped his right palm inward, guarding the side of his head, and let out a low growl: "Kidō: Bakudō #8 - Kyaku."

Spiritual particles condensed, forming a spiritual particle shield on the back of his right hand.

Bang—!

Almost the instant the shield formed, an explosion sounded. Duan Mu felt a surge of immense force collide with the spiritual particle shield, sending him uncontrollably skidding sideways. He carved a trench more than ten meters long on the ground beneath his feet before stabilizing himself.

After stopping, Duan Mu turned his head and saw a burly man, two meters tall, who was clearly the strongest leader among these people.

The spiritual pressure emanating from him was even stronger than that of the "High-ranking Officer" Duan Mu had seen in District 1.

"Kidō!?"

Daimaru's eyes flashed with sharp light, his gaze fixed on Duan Mu's right hand, which had blocked his kick.

As expected, he hadn't misjudged earlier; this black-haired youth did indeed know how to use Kidō!

Had he finally entered the fray himself?

Duan Mu sidestepped, dodging an incoming long sword, and simultaneously punched the opponent's back, causing him to spit blood and fall.

However, Duan Mu didn't glance at this person. His gaze had never left Daimaru. Even combined, the surrounding people didn't exert as much pressure on him as this burly man.

Just then, Daimaru moved. His tall body strode forward. Although he didn't use Shunpo, his speed was extremely fast with the enhancement of spiritual pressure. Moreover, as his massive body charged, Duan Mu felt a fierce sense of oppression washing over him, and his eyes flashed with vigilance.

"Die!"

Daimaru raised his fist, and the azure spiritual pressure around him visibly surged! The air itself shrieked under the compression of this punch. Before it even reached him, the gust of wind had already struck Duan Mu.

Although he lacked systematic training, in nearly two hundred years of life-and-death combat in District 79, Daimaru had developed some techniques for utilizing spiritual pressure. It could be said that he could even fight and defeat some low-ranking officers!

Feeling the surging fist energy, a cold glint flashed in Duan Mu's eyes.

Brilliant spiritual pressure formed into a tangible mass. Daimaru, within this spiritual pressure, was like a ferocious giant bear. As he reached Duan Mu, he sprang off the ground and slammed a punch down towards Duan Mu's head!

Even from the rear of the battlefield, Iwao, who was cutting off support, turned his head towards Duan Mu's location under the powerful Spiritual Pressure, startled.

He, who had always prided himself as the 'Strongest of West Rukongai', never expected that such Spiritual Pressure intensity wouldn't come from the Soul Reapers he detested, but rather from someone in Rukongai who was not a Soul Reaper.

"Kidō: Bakudō #30 - Shitotsu Sansen!"

Just then, Duan Mu suddenly let out a low cry, and his spiritual energy condensed into three giant, beak-shaped beams of light, heading towards Daimaru in front of him.

Daimaru's expression sank, but having already rushed in front of Duan Mu, he had no time to dodge. He could only watch as the three giant, beak-shaped beams of light clamped onto his hands and waist, momentarily stopping his upward leap and downward momentum.

In that instant, Duan Mu activated Shunpo, quickly creating distance between himself and Daimaru.

Crack, crack, crack...

But it was only for a moment. Cracks appeared on the three beams of light, and Daimaru broke free in an instant. This scene stunned Daimaru, who landed where Duan Mu had been standing, letting out a mocking laugh:

"Hahaha... What is this? A child's juggling act?"

Duan Mu appeared ten meters away, his brow furrowed slightly.

As expected, using the low-level 'Incantation Destruction Abandonment' to instantly cast a Bakudō #30 or higher had almost no binding effect on the enemy.

However...

This was enough.

A smile touched Duan Mu's lips. He pointed forward, rapidly chanting, "Where clouds and rain scatter, where mountain peaks are scorched by the sun's brilliance..."

Thunder rumbled, and azure arcs of electricity rapidly condensed on Duan Mu's index finger.

This sight made Daimaru frown, a powerful sense of crisis surging within him.

He can't be allowed to continue casting!

With years of combat experience, he unhesitatingly chose to charge directly at Duan Mu.

"...Fiery Flow, Spirit Binding, Azure Prison's Fangs!"

Duan Mu's chant didn't stop. As Daimaru reached him, the lightning at his fingertips had intensified to its absolute limit, emitting bursts of thunderous sound!

"Hado #4: Byakurai!!"

Boom~~~

The deafening thunder roared through the sky above the entire battlefield. The lightning, carrying a tremendous impact, left straight trenches in the ground wherever it passed.

Daimaru's expression changed, and he dodged with all his might.

But the lightning was too fast. Even though he had reacted to dodge immediately, his right side was still within the lightning's attack range.

Sensing this, a ruthless glint flashed in Daimaru's eyes. He abandoned dodging and instead concentrated all his Spiritual Pressure into his right fist, punching directly into the lightning!!

Boom!

The collision between his fist and the lightning caused a shockwave to spread, sending soil flying upwards from beneath Daimaru's feet.

For a moment, the two were in a stalemate!

Duan Mu's expression sharpened at the sight. While he wasn't incapable of using higher-numbered Hado, they were all low-level, their power even less than Byakurai.

This Byakurai was already his most powerful Kidō.

As a result, this burly man in front of him was able to withstand it head-on with his formidable Spiritual Pressure!