Soak in it! Scarlet Wish!

Whether they are Shinigamis or Hollows, all possess Reiatsu.

However, the difference lies in the fact that not everyone's Reiatsu is the same color.

Reiatsu is a power originating from the soul. Perhaps because every soul is unique, when the spiritual power within a soul erupts from the body and comes into contact with the external environment to form Reiatsu, its color varies accordingly.

Some people have yellow Reiatsu, while others have blue or purple.

As for Natsuki, his Reiatsu is crimson.

The crimson Reiatsu enveloped Natsuki's body. The Zanpakuto in his hand, which was on the verge of being severed by Azashiro Kenpachi, suddenly became immensely powerful once bolstered by Natsuki's Reiatsu, actually holding its ground against Azashiro Kenpachi.

Azashiro Kenpachi's body did not erupt with powerful Reiatsu like Natsuki's.

But within the perception of Natsuki's Spiritual Perception, all of Azashiro Kenpachi's Reiatsu at this very moment had surged into the blade in his hand.

The two blades pressed against each other.

Azashiro Kenpachi held his blade with one hand, his expression calm.

The next instant, Natsuki discovered that the Reiatsu on his own blade was experiencing some abnormalities.

A terrifying force of a slash erupted from Azashiro Kenpachi's blade.

This kind of close-range slashing force was impossible to defend against.

Natsuki's body was sent flying immediately.

Just as he was sent flying, suddenly, multiple low voices echoed around him.

"Hado #33—Sokatsui!"

"Hado #33—Sokatsui!"

"..."

Multiple explosive flame attacks surged in from all directions simultaneously, swallowing Natsuki as he flew through the air.

Natsuki naturally sensed the aura of danger.

With the Reiatsu on his own Zanpakuto in disarray, unable to withstand the strike from Azashiro Kenpachi's blade, and subsequently being knocked away, he was currently in a floating state and unable to move. Fortunately, however, his mouth was still free.

As the multiple Sokatsui descended upon him, low words escaped Natsuki's lips.

"Infect, Scarlet Wish!"

The next instant, crimson Reiatsu surged from Natsuki's body. The surrounding Sokatsui froze simultaneously, and then, as if something had been drained from them, they rapidly contracted and annihilated. Crimson butterflies, similar in appearance to Hell Butterflies, fluttered out from the red Reiatsu, circling and dancing in all directions.

As the crimson butterflies danced, the crimson Reiatsu also spread outward.

In a mere instant, the surrounding earth transformed into a crimson landscape, with faint red mist lingering in the air, appearing somewhat eerie.

Standing firm on the crimson earth, Natsuki struggled to steady his breathing.

"Captain Azashiro, you really are despicable."

"I thought that as a Kenpachi, you would engage in a fair duel of swordsmanship with me, but it seems that is not the case."

Whether it was the interference with his Reiatsu while clashing with Azashiro Kenpachi's Zanpakuto, or the subsequent appearance of multiple Ghost Way spells, Natsuki attributed it all to the ability of Azashiro Kenpachi's Zanpakuto.

Although he still did not know what the ability of Azashiro Kenpachi's Zanpakuto was, it was clearly very bizarre.

Azashiro Kenpachi showed no signs of guilt. To him, the process did not matter; as long as the goal could be achieved, it was enough.

As long as he could defeat the enemy, any means could be employed.

Just as it was back then, when Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was stronger, yet he was the one who emerged victorious.

Kuruyashiki Kenpachi died precisely because he was too cautious and cared too much about so-called rules.

If the opponent had chosen to unleash his Bankai from the very beginning, he would not have won so easily.

"Is this your Shikai?"

Azashiro Kenpachi spoke calmly.

"I do not know if you have mastered Bankai, but if not, then your Shikai should be your greatest power. Let me defeat you in one go."

As he spoke, Azashiro Kenpachi also utilized Shunpo.

With a light swing of the Zanpakuto in his hand, a terrifying slash manifested.

Golden sword pressure tore through the air. Even though he rarely used swordsmanship, his sword pressure was by no means weak.

Natsuki did not answer Azashiro Kenpachi.

After the Shikai, aside from the changes to the surrounding environment caused by his overflowing Reiatsu—turning the world into a crimson landscape—the Zanpakuto in Natsuki's hand had also become scarlet, as if fresh, undried blood were about to drip from it. The red blade, the red world, the red Reiatsu, and the crimson butterflies resembling Hell Butterflies fluttering around added a touch of terror to Natsuki himself.

But Natsuki remained the same Natsuki; there were no other changes.

He swung his blade to meet the attack.

Perhaps because he had released his Zanpakuto, the sword pressure Natsuki unleashed at this moment was not the standard gold, but crimson. Or rather, this was not actually sword pressure, but a slash similar to Kurosaki Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho.

It was a spirit particle slash released by condensing his own Reiatsu onto the Zanpakuto.

The two slashes, condensed from Reiatsu, collided in mid-air.

The surrounding crimson mist was blown outward. Azashiro Kenpachi's figure flickered once more; he increased the distance between himself and Natsuki, and raised his palm.

"Hado #63—Raikoho!"

Still, there was no incantation.

Or rather, in the heat of battle, unless one possessed ample preparation time, chanting for Ghost Way was a foolish endeavor.

Under normal circumstances, using Ghost Way without an incantation was the most convenient method; even if the power was somewhat lacking, it allowed for instantaneous execution.

Furthermore, Azashiro Kenpachi was clearly no ordinary individual; he possessed a special method to amplify the power of his own Ghost Way.

"Hado #63—Raikoho!"

"Hado #63—Raikoho!"

"..."

After the first Raikoho was unleashed head-on by Azashiro Kenpachi, more voices echoed around Natsuki. Just like the previous technique, a barrage of Raikoho flew out in succession, launching an assault toward Natsuki.

Natsuki circled his blade, drawing in the crimson mist displaced by the attacks. It coalesced upon his body, forming a unique feathered mantle. His own Reiatsu erupted as well; thanks to this immense pressure and the mantle, he possessed formidable, unparalleled defense.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

When the several volleys of Raikoho finally ceased, Natsuki emerged from the smoke and dust completely unscathed, charging toward Azashiro Kenpachi.

Although the ability of Azashiro Kenpachi's Zanpakuto was bizarre, Natsuki's Zanpakuto ability was no less impressive.

Azashiro Kenpachi also realized that whether it was sword strikes or Ghost Way, everything was being blocked by Natsuki.

After a Shinigami achieves Shikai, their Reiatsu increases several times over—or rather, it is not so much an increase; as the name implies, Shikai is a liberation of the Shinigami's Reiatsu. Once liberated, the Shinigami simply gains the power they were always meant to possess at that stage.

Natsuki's strength in his base state was already formidable, making him a genuine Third Seat, perhaps even exceeding that rank, and after Shikai, he was stronger still.

Since neither sword strikes nor Ghost Way were having any effect, there was no choice but to utilize the true power of his own Zanpakuto.

Azashiro Kenpachi made his decision.