A familiar voice rang out, and Kira Izuru let out a huge sigh of relief.
He immediately gave up struggling with Renji Abarai and slumped to the ground.
"Hm?!"
Renji Abarai, already in a Hollowfied state, froze in surprise. Then his expression turned ferocious.
"You!"
Without hesitation, he swung Zabimaru toward one side.
Nara Dan, who had suddenly appeared, was slightly taken aback.
Battle instincts?
Those are impressive.
After all, Nara Dan's movement wasn't Shunpo. It was spatial displacement based on Flying Thunder God.
In other words, Renji Abarai, in his semi-Hollowfied state, had predicted Dan's trajectory purely by instinct.
"But it's still no use."
Dan's expression remained calm as he reached out with his bare hand to meet the sharp blade.
"Clang!"
Palm met blade with a ringing clash of metal.
"What?!"
Renji Abarai looked stunned, his dark eyes widening.
"Didn't I teach you before..."
Dan smiled faintly as he exerted his strength, overpowering Renji Abarai with ease.
"A Soul Reaper's battles are battles of Spiritual Pressure."
"When the gap in Spiritual Pressure is too great..."
"Even if your attacks land, they're useless!"
"Thud!"
Before Renji Abarai could react, pain struck his abdomen, and the scenery around him began to rush backward.
Dan had kicked him away with lightning speed.
Renji Abarai flew hundreds of meters through the air before crashing into a hillside and coming to a stop among the rubble.
"Y—"
"Gah!!"
"Boom!"
Black Spiritual Pressure surged up, blasting the entire hillside apart.
Renji Abarai's figure emerged amid the flying debris.
His appearance had changed again, but this time it wasn't just the color of his eyes.
A bone-like mask now covered half of his face.
"Heh heh heh..."
"I'm finally out."
"Being trapped by you for so long..."
"Was really frustrating!"
Renji Abarai's Spiritual Pressure climbed