Rest, Mugon no Yūjin!
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With a sigh, Kai finally spoke. "What made you think I need help?" he asked, his tone borderline dismissive. He didn't bother to hide the irritation lacing his words. It was one thing to be offered assistance, quite another to have it insinuated he needed it.
Shinji merely shrugged, seemingly unfazed by Kai's sharp tone. "You're a Shinigami with hollow powers. That's not something you see every day. And it can be dangerous if not controlled properly," he explained, his voice steady.
"Controlled?" Kai echoed, raising an eyebrow at the choice of word. He couldn't help the incredulous chuckle that slipped past his lips. Without breaking eye contact with Shinji, he lifted his hand to his face, tracing an invisible line down his cheek.
A sudden rush of reiatsu spilled out, swirling around him like a maelstrom. It was a force of power, simultaneously chilling and exhilarating, the kind of sensation that made one's heart pound in their chest and their blood thrum in their veins.
His fingertips began to glow, a brilliant white light dancing across the skin. As if responding to his will, the light took shape, forming an intricate pattern that spread across his face. It was like a spider's web, a delicate lacework of pure energy that glistened with an otherworldly luminescence.
The pattern stretched across his features, the mask solidifying over his eyes, the design reminiscent of a fierce warrior's helm, two crescent shapes sloping down over his cheeks, culminating in sharp, angular edges. Twin rows of fang-like indentations formed a jawline of the mask, giving it an eerie resemblance to a skull, a predator's grin frozen in perpetual hunger.
His eyes, now hidden behind the mask, were visible only as two glowing slits, a stark contrast to the spectral white of the mask. They gleamed a bright blue, the color sharp and intense, adding an extra layer of menace to the already imposing figure he cut.
The transformation was as stunning as it was terrifying, an embodiment of raw, untamed power. The sudden spike in his reiatsu was so palpable, it felt as though a tangible weight had descended upon the street, pressing down with an intensity that was hard to bear.
For a second, everyone's breath hitched. The air around them had become oppressively heavy, making it feel like they were submerged in deep water, the pressure squeezing at their lungs and making their hearts hammer against their ribs.
"Do I look like I need help?" Kai asked, his voice echoing hollowly from behind the mask. Despite the alteration, there was an unmistakable note of amusement in his tone, a hint of laughter that seemed out of place given the situation.
Shinji held his ground, his gaze steady on Kai despite the significant upsurge in reiatsu. His relaxed demeanor was shaken, but not broken. He stared back at Kai, his expression unreadable.
Shinji's eyes narrowed, irritation creeping into his usually nonchalant demeanor. He crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight onto one leg as he considered the hollowified teen before him. "I saw the hollowification process that happened a few days ago. It was a mess," he stated, his tone flat. "And yet here you are, standing in front of me with perfect control over it. Just how did you manage to pull that off so soon?"
A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of Kai's mouth. His glowing blue eyes were obscured behind the intricate mask, but Shinji could see the amusement dancing in them. "That," he drawled, his voice resonating with a hollow echo, "is for me to know and for you to figure out."
Kai raised his hand slowly, his finger outstretched towards Shinji. An ominous light began to glow at the tip, a harbinger of the impending cero. The air around it crackled with raw energy, the tension in the air escalating with each passing second.
"Now, if you don't mind," Kai continued, the note of amusement in his voice not quite masking the underlying threat, "I suggest you leave. Don't meddle in my affairs. I don't want any trouble."
"Man, you are too cocky for your own good." Shinji shrugged, visibly annoyed as he drew his sword. The cool, menacing glint of steel reflected the pale glow of the moon overhead. "Collapse, Sakanade!"
With that command, his sword transformed, spinning in his grip like a top, the hilt now extended into a long handle, a large, golden ring attached to the end. A momentary flicker of light caught on the engraved surface of the ring, a symbol of his power, his resolve.
Kai immediately felt the shift in his senses. An unpleasant sensation, like his whole world had just been turned upside down. He sighed helplessly, already understanding that this was an effect of Shinji's Shikai, Sakanade, known for its illusionary manipulation.
"Rest, Mugon no Yūjin." With a weary, somewhat exasperated tone, he called forth his own Shikai. In response, his sword morphed, lengthening into a long, sleek, black staff. It was simple in its elegance, topped with a beautiful white orb that pulsed softly with an ethereal glow.
The staff had an ornate lazy susan near its head, a fitting tribute to its wielder's affinity for the path of least resistance. It provided Kai a medium of battle that was less physically demanding than a sword, but by no means less deadly.
The transformation caught Shinji off-guard, an involuntary blink of surprise gracing his otherwise impassive face. His attention was drawn to the luminous orb atop Kai's staff, curiosity sparking in his eyes.
"Haven't seen that before," Shinji commented, a hint of genuine interest breaking through his typically detached facade. The words were nearly drowned out by the pulsing hum of their respective shikais, filling the otherwise quiet street with an electric tension.
"Don't get too excited, it doesn't do much," Kai quipped, twirling the staff with an effortless grace, the movement deceptively casual.
"You sure? Don't look like the type who'd go for a fancy stick if it 'didn't do much'," Shinji challenged, his gaze never wavering from the orb.
Kai shrugged nonchalantly, leaning on the staff like an old man with a cane. "Who knows? Maybe I just have a flair for the dramatic."
Shinji snorted, shaking his head. "Alright, let's do this."
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