The battle continued, but the gap between the two only grew wider.
As Akaza gradually began to take things seriously, the pressure on Igarashi suddenly surged, far exceeding what it had been before.
Amid that storm of fists, what Igarashi seemed to see was not a humanoid creature.
It was one of the steel monsters he had seen in the West.
Those immense metal industrial machines powered by black oil and machinery.
That was a force no human body of flesh and blood could possibly withstand.
He had already pushed his Breathing Style to its limit and unleashed every form of Mist Breathing without holding anything back.
Even so, he could barely hold his own.
Forcing himself to use [Pre-Initiative] to predict every attack brought him a splitting headache unlike any he had experienced in years.
He dodged this blow, blocked the next-no, another immediately broke through his defenses...
Under that airtight onslaught, more and more gaps opened in Igarashi's defenses.
Wounds began appearing across his body.
Gradually, he became covered in injuries.
And he knew full well that his opponent still had strength to spare.
Akaza was merely testing his limits. He was not fighting him with his full strength at all.
I... am being completely underestimated.
Igarashi gritted his teeth.
Even though the arms swinging his Nichirin Blade hurt as though they would split apart, there was no sign of the battle turning around.
"Nameless Hashira, have you already reached your limit?"
The Upper Rank assumed another new stance.
He even deliberately slowed his movements so Igarashi could clearly see how he exerted his strength.
"Didn't you want to gather information on me?"
"But what good will that do if you don't survive?"
[Destructive Death]
[Crushing Style: Ten Thousand Leaf Flashing Willow]
It was like teleporting across level