Chapter 348: Against Yamamoto [2]

"What did you say?"

H'el lowered his right hand, the tip of his zanpakutō pointing to the ground as intense red flames erupted from the blade. The black, elegant zanpakutō was now engulfed in fire.

Controlling the movement of spiritual particles, H'el manipulated them as fuel, making the particles themselves combustible, with both fuel and oxidizer present.

"Swordsmanship with a soul? It's just movement, contact, and collision from different angles. What soul are you talking about?"

H'el, wielding his flaming zanpakutō, used flash step to appear before Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, slashing down with his blade. Yamamoto blocked the strike with Ryūjin Jakka, but the flames on H'el's sword seemed to multiply the force of the blow several times over, forcing Yamamoto to retreat a few steps. Regaining his stance, Yamamoto looked at H'el with a hint of surprise.

His strength… had increased.

—-—

"Captain-Commander was pushed back?" someone exclaimed in shock upon seeing Yamamoto being forced to step back by H'el.

This was the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryūsai! The fact that someone could exchange blows with him was already shocking enough, but to actually push him back—how could this be possible?

The Shinigami on the ground stared in disbelief.

"Is his zanpakutō… copying Ryūjin Jakka?" one of the Shinigami muttered in disbelief. The idea that a zanpakutō as powerful as Ryūjin Jakka could be replicated seemed impossible.

But the flames emanating from H'el's zanpakutō felt strikingly similar to those of Yamamoto's.

What was going on?

"Does his zanpakutō have the ability to copy?" Jūshirō Ukitake couldn't help but speculate. Earlier, he had seen H'el use the ability of Kensei Muguruma's zanpakutō to attack Shinji Hirako with razor-sharp air currents. Now, seeing the intense flames on H'el's blade—flames that seemed not much weaker than Yamamoto's—Ukitake felt a deep sense of unease.

Next to him, Unohana Retsu looked up at the battle in the sky with a calm expression and said, "It's not copying. It's technique—manipulating spiritual particles with extreme precision."

"H'el's swordsmanship lacks soul, lacks personal will, but it is filled with meticulous calculations and techniques. He doesn't fight by instinct; he fights by calculating the enemy's movements with incredible precision."

"No swordsman would willingly face someone who lacks the spirit of battle, someone who fights without passion. Yet, for any swordsman, H'el is their nightmare. No matter the school or style, pure swordsmanship alone cannot defeat him." Unohana explained.

Facing an opponent like H'el, anyone who hoped to overcome him with pure swordsmanship was delusional. His techniques would always be more precise—so precise that he could manipulate every spiritual particle around him with the accuracy of pi. Such a method was beyond the reach of any swordsman who relied on the unity of man and sword.

In fact, this technique, based on the principles of pi, could be considered the pinnacle of swordsmanship. It represented the ability to strike and cut every spiritual particle within the surrounding radius, a testament to the ultimate expression of swordsmanship skill.

This level of technique was beyond comparison with any known school of thought.

Furthermore, fighting H'el brought no joy in battle. After the initial stalemate, his opponents would quickly find themselves defeated, often without understanding why they lost or how H'el managed to replicate their zanpakutō abilities and then surpass them with those very powers.

This mastery over spiritual particle manipulation was truly an enemy's worst nightmare.

After hearing Unohana's words, Jūshirō Ukitake glanced at her. The implication was clear: Unohana would not engage H'el in a swordsmanship duel because it would be meaningless.

H'el's combat had no soul.

H'el could not entertain her.

"By controlling the movement of spiritual particles, he can analyze and recreate the spiritual energy-based abilities of zanpakutō. Anything involving spiritual particles, he can arrange—not merely mimic or copy, but improve upon the original, advancing beyond his opponents."

"Only… spiritual pressure!"

As Unohana spoke, Ukitake couldn't help but interject. His earlier suspicion was correct: only pure spiritual pressure, or techniques infused with overwhelming spiritual pressure, could truly defeat H'el.

Otherwise, engaging him in battle would only serve to feed him, allowing him to absorb everything before eventually being defeated.

Thus, in all of Seireitei, the only one who could truly counter H'el was likely Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

"Ignorance and arrogance!" Yamamoto's stern face showed a quiet fury. To imitate Ryūjin Jakka in front of him was an affront, a direct challenge to his authority.

Yamamoto swung Ryūjin Jakka, slashing through the air. The blade unleashed a wall of flames that surged towards H'el like a massive hand.

"Reduce All Creation to Ashes!"

Following this, Yamamoto instantly used flash step to appear before H'el, slashing down with a speed faster than the spreading flames.

H'el's brow furrowed. The overwhelming spiritual pressure contained within those flames was beyond his ability to absorb, control, or break down.

Spiritual pressure had always been his fatal weakness.

He raised his sword to block Yamamoto, and the two clashed once more, their strikes sending shockwaves through the air. This time, however, Yamamoto occasionally dodged and sometimes gripped his sword with both hands, mixing light and heavy slashes that kept H'el pinned in place.

Of course, H'el had no intention of moving from his spot.

He didn't believe that the encroaching flames could harm him.

And if they could, so much the better.

Because the next time, he wouldn't fall for the same trick.

Everyone who fought H'el essentially had only one chance to use a new ability against him.

The flames soon reached the area where they were battling, forming a massive wall of fire that enclosed Yamamoto, H'el, and the three thousand dark spheres behind H'el.

The sky above Seireitei was filled with a towering wall of flames, radiating a terrifying pressure and heat that scorched the entire Seireitei.

"In fighting me, your weakness is too obvious. Are you underestimating me?"

Yamamoto and H'el clashed once more, their blades colliding before they separated slightly.

Within the encircling flames, H'el felt his skin gradually heating up. He glanced at the surrounding walls of fire before fixing his gaze back on Yamamoto and calmly replied, "Not at all. I have never underestimated any enemy who fights me. On the contrary, I'm eager to see you unleash a new technique that can defeat me."

"Hell of Blazing Heat!"

°°°

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