"Bzzzt!!"
After observing everyone for a while, the Hollowfied Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's mouth lit up with red light. He had no intention of approaching Sōgo Shihoin for close combat. Frankly, he still had no idea how he had been kicked away earlier.
"Interesting! He's mine. None of you interfere!"
Watching Kuruyashiki Kenpachi unleash astonishing Spiritual Pressure, Sōgo Shihoin grew eager to try his hand. It had been a long time since he had encountered such an interesting opponent.
"Lord Sōgo..."
After hearing Sōgo Shihoin's words, Tier Harribel wanted to say something more, but before she could, Sōgo Shihoin had already appeared in front of the Hollowfied Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.
"Hm?"
Watching Sōgo Shihoin suddenly flash into view before him, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi paused briefly, then immediately fired his Cero.
"Hmph."
Facing the Cero fired at him, Sōgo Shihoin simply extended one hand and crushed it in his palm right before Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's eyes.
"Boom!"
As endless streams of Reishi spread outward from between Sōgo Shihoin's fingers, his fist had already reached Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's cheek.
"Smack!"
Even Hollowfied, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi could not withstand Sōgo Shihoin's fist. He was instantly sent flying, tumbling through the air as he hurtled into the distance.
"Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"
Watching Kuruyashiki Kenpachi fly backward, Sōgo Shihoin extended his right hand. Violent, thunderous spiritual power gathered in it, and then a lightning energy blast resembling a thunder dragon, even more outrageous than a Vasto Lorde Arrancar's Cero, blasted toward the Arrancar-transformed Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.
"Whoosh!"
"Boom!!"
A beautiful mushroom cloud instantly rose from the ground. Terrifying shock waves made Lilynette's, Tier Harribel's, and Szayelaporro's clothes snap and crackle.
"That's... ridiculous!"
Watching the scene before her, beads of cold sweat seeped from Tier Harribel's forehead. A bombardment of this level was already far beyond her Cero.
"As expected of Lord Sōgo! What outrageous power!"
Szayelaporro gently adjusted his glasses, shaking his head in wonder. Every time he saw Sōgo Shihoin make a move, it shook him to his core. That power was on an entirely different plane from theirs.
"Sōgo, you're so sneaky! Playing all by yourself!"
Of the three, only Lilynette was not stunned by the scene before her, as though she could accomplish something of this level herself.
"Oops! I accidentally used too much force."
"I finally found an interesting opponent. Don't tell me it's over already? Sure enough... I'm just too strong!"
Standing in midair, Sōgo Shihoin looked down at the still-burning ground and lightly rubbed his forehead, looking every bit like a villain showing off his power to the protagonist.
"Roar!!!"
But the very next moment after Sōgo Shihoin marveled at his own strength, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi appeared behind him with a roar, gripping his Zanpakuto and slashing at his back.
"Lord Sōgo!"
Alarmed by the sight, Tier Harribel immediately prepared to go help.
"Calm down, little Harribel! Sōgo wouldn't go down that easily!"
Before Tier Harribel could go, however, Lilynette held her back with one hand.
"Hmph."
Just as Lilynette had said, the corners of Sōgo Shihoin's mouth lifted slightly as he faced the attack from behind.
The next second, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's sword arm went spinning into the sky, together with the Zanpakuto in its grip.
"Spurt..."
Blood sprayed from Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's severed arm.
"Roar!!!"
In pain, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi used Sonído several times in succession to put distance between himself and Sōgo Shihoin. Then, the very next second, his severed arm regenerated.
"High-Speed Regeneration!"
Seeing this, Szayelaporro, Tier Harribel, and Lilynette spoke in unison.
High-Speed Regeneration was a skill that essentially any Hollow could learn. But as Hollows continued to evolve, they generally forgot this ability in pursuit of greater power. Thus, it was common among ordinary Hollows but rare among Menos Grande, and almost nonexistent among Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande, each of whom possessed unique special abilities.
"Can you regenerate like him?"
Szayelaporro asked the two beside him.
"My limbs, yes, but very slowly. Other parts, no."
Lilynette shook her head slightly as she spoke.
"I'm about the same."
Tier Harribel's situation was much the same as Lilynette's. Their abilities were merely the most ordinary form of regeneration, nowhere near the level of High-Speed Regeneration.
"I went further than either of you. I completely abandoned the ability to regenerate myself and instead developed High-Speed Regeneration machines and self-regeneration potions to replace that function."
Szayelaporro had gone further than Tier Harribel and Lilynette. He had abandoned even the most basic regenerative ability. Every regenerative function of this body relied on potions or machinery to sustain it.
"High-Speed Regeneration?!"
"If I'd known you had that ability, I wouldn't have held back!"
In the air, Sōgo Shihoin's eyes lit up as he observed Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's ability. Now he could cut loose.
Sōgo Shihoin became a streak of light and appeared before Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, then unleashed a barrage of oras on the Hollowfied man.
Fist afterimages filled the air, hammering Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's body until he could only defend passively by constantly regenerating.
Sōgo Shihoin gave Kuruyashiki Kenpachi not the slightest chance to catch his breath. He kept up the oras, kept pummeling him, countless fist afterimages bombarding every part of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's body...
And the beating lasted an entire week.
During that week, Sōgo Shihoin added another activity to eating and sleeping: beating up Kenpachi!
Occasionally, he also had Lilynette and Tier Harribel team up and give him some oras for a while to improve their combat skills.
Just when Sōgo Shihoin thought these days would continue forever.
An astonishing sight appeared before Sōgo Shihoin. After a week of oras, the pale white substance on Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's body receded like the tide, filling in his chest and revealing a tall man with unruly long hair, beastlike eyes, a tattered top, and trousers riddled with holes.
"Hello?"
"Where is this? Who are you? And who... am I?"
The tall man looked in confusion at Sōgo Shihoin, Lilynette, and Tier Harribel. He... had lost his memory!
(End of chapter)